Safari Joe's Opening Weekend Difficulties

With temperatures in the 90s for the opening weekend at Safari Joe’s H2O water park, part of the park was shut down.

The main water slide tower was closed.  So was the deep end of the rec pool.

One family claims the lazy river was so full of leaves and branches they didn’t want to get in.

Kenneth Hubbard, his wife, and two children were at Safari Joe’s when the gates opened Saturday morning.

“It just wasn’t that great.  Three-fourths of the water park was closed down,” said Hubbard.  “They kept telling us 30 minutes to an hour for the deep end in the rec pool.”

Park officials say the rec pool didn’t open Saturday because the chemicals made it impossible for lifeguards to see the bottom.

One woman says, “we ended up leaving earlier than normal because nothing was working and everywhere we went the staff didn’t know what to do.”

Other complaints were posted on Facebook.

Park owner Joe Estes says, “whenever I saw it online, that was the first I even heard about anything.”

He admits there were growing pains over the weekend, including a new pump at the water tower, which is why most of the slides were down.

“We’re having it inspected again this week and, once it gets inspected, it will be ready to go,” Estes said.

As for the rec pool, he says painting improvements delayed its opening.

“Getting the chemicals back right where they should be took a little longer than we thought,” he said.

Hubbard, when asked if he would go back to the water park, said “if they make it right, the yeah.  I’ll give them another shot.”

Each family that complained wanted to know why these issues weren’t fixed before they opened.

Estes says it’s not easy running a seasonal business.

Because of the kinks, the water park offered half off admission.

Estes says if you have an issue at the park, reach out to him directly and he’ll work with you.