By Paul Bonnette
Nestled away just off Front Beach Road next to Pier Park is a haven for the mythical, a refuge for the rare so to speak. At its core, Swampy Jack’s Wongo Adventure is an amusement park dedicated to strange, fantastical creatures such as the Swamp Ape, the Kraken and the Yacuma, (a folkloric Amazonian water serpent). All these creatures and amusements are highlights of the travels of Swampy Jack, the mysterious Indiana Jones type character only ever glimpsed through shadow. Do you dare brave the perilous heights to escape the clutches of the Kraken and journey through the dizzying domain of the Swamp Ape?
Swampy Jack’s Wongo Adventure is perhaps one of the best kept secrets on Panama City Beach. Featuring unique and outlandishly exciting rides such as the Marrakesh Road Rally, an interactive go karts style attraction that combines the thrills of outdoor electric go karts with the new dimensions of Mario Kart style power ups. One of the park’s featured attractions is the Swamp Ape, a hard to miss monstrous 25-foot-tall creature towering over the indoor scrambler ride reminiscent of the iconic Abominable Snowman attraction at the original Miracle Strip Amusement Park. Although this ride pays homage to the famous snowman, the Swamp Ape features state of the art synchronized lights, sounds, special effects, and much more to create a truly one-of-a-kind experience. Those who want a ride with a view should brave the treacherous tentacles of the Kraken, a tower swing ride that hoists guests soaring into the sky allowing panoramic views of Pier Park and Panama City Beach. Swampy Jack’s also has 18 hole miniature golf, Blue Hole funky bumper cars, a spin coaster, midway games, exotic food and more, offering experiences for every member of the family. If the rides, games, food and characters aren’t enough to get your heart racing, Swampy Jack’s also hosts numerous events throughout the year including Easter Egg hunts, Cinco de Mayo celebrations, mythical creatures outbreak, and of course, Mr. Creepies Demented Labyrinth, a spooktacular Halloween event.
But the question remains: how did Swampy Jack’s Wongo Adventure come to be on Panama City Beach? Swampy Jack’s opened in the summer of 2019 and sits on the site of the second iteration of the amusement park which was adjacent to Pier Park. It is owned and operated by developer Del Lee, whose family owned the park the land is built on. To say Lee is the right person to own and operate the park would be an understatement as he was also the general contractor who helped build the previous complex. According to Lee, it was a challenge he was eager to take on.
“I had built the park infrastructure, a few years later I was asked to see if another amusement could make a go here… It’s changed my professional career. It was construction, now I can do writing and sculpting. I’ve had to change my perspective on customer service.”
When it came time to create a new style of amusement park experience, Del traveled around the country investigating the industry including Pigeon Forge and Myrtle Beach to get ideas about what his guests would like.
For Lee, Swampy Jack’s is a completely different amusement park experience.
“I wanted for it to be unique and stand on it’s own and not be compared to other type of amusements. When you say Swampy Jack’s Wongo Adventure, it’s clearly it’s own thing. I want this to fill the void that Panama City Beach needs.”
It’s a sentiment echoed by General Manager Trenton Medina, who has been part of the park since the building of the park.
“I love history, I love construction and restaurants, but my favorite thing is talking to people. Here I get to interact with hundreds of people a day. I’m outside everyday with the kids and once we get into the story of the park, I just like giving the kids a story and interacting with them. It’s just fun to interact with the guests as a manager or as a character and to make their day. Who doesn’t want to play on an amusement park ride?”
Swampy Jack’s Wongo Adventure is located at 284 Powell Adams Road between Walmart and Target and opens for the 2024 season in March. Do you dare take a walk on the wild side?
