Could Austin support a small theme park? (Houston, San Antonio: hotel, buy)

[lynarthur]

We used to have Kiddie Acres but even that went away

[TexasHorseLady]

Originally Posted by AlterEgo42

Only if it was connected to a high speed rail from the medical center in the US Economy in Austin, populated by single people.

Insert gigantic eye roll.

Love it!

[ScoPro]

Originally Posted by lynarthur

We used to have Kiddie Acres but even that went away

Yeah, took our oldest son there in the early ‘70s when it was still down at Barton Springs Road & S. Lamar. They closed the McNeil Road location several years ago apparently.

[m1a1mg]

Originally Posted by DashRiprock

Disney's going to build a new park in Columbus/La Grange/Brenham/Bastrop . They've been secretly buying up land using shell corporations.

You forgot the [sarcasm]disney in Texas[/sarcasm]

[ashbeeigh]

I think the water park in Pflugerville is Typhoon Texas. I've never been. I grew up about five minutes from Fiesta Texas. I've lost count as to how many times I've been, but it's dropped off significantly within the last malybe 10 years. I think about going maybe once a year but never actually go.

[Trainwreck20]

Originally Posted by ashbeeigh

I think the water park in Pflugerville is Typhoon Texas. I've never been. I grew up about five minutes from Fiesta Texas. I've lost count as to how many times I've been, but it's dropped off significantly within the last malybe 10 years. I think about going maybe once a year but never actually go.

It is a great place - for youngsters .

My sister used to buy a season pass for her kids (four) and so would most of the other parents. The parents would then 'rotate' duty on whose turn it was to take a few of them. That allowed the parents to only have to go once, but the kids would go four or five times over a season.

[Bevv]

Originally Posted by DashRiprock

I think he's talking about the water park in Pflugerville that used to be called Hawaiian Falls. I believe it changed its name but I assume it's still there.

https://www.typhoontexas.com/austin

[TexasHorseLady]

This is more an Austin style resort. Unfortunately, it's three hours from Austin.

[rocko76]

With a 4 and 7 year old and being in Round Rock (so, SA six flags/sea world being a bit of a hike) I'd very much like for something like this to happen. However, extremely unlikely - as mentioned, no one is really building new parks these days (and even if they were, I don't see someone like six flags cannibalizing their SA park) and the era of the independent park is pretty much over.

We love the area, but it is a bit sparse in this sort of "family things to do" category for a place that gets so much hype - amusement parks, (good) aquarium, zoo (yes, we have one, but even Waco blows it away), etc. I suppose because much of the Austin growth seems to be relatively recent, past the time these sorts of things were being built.

[TexasHorseLady]

Originally Posted by rocko76

With a 4 and 7 year old and being in Round Rock (so, SA six flags/sea world being a bit of a hike) I'd very much like for something like this to happen. However, extremely unlikely - as mentioned, no one is really building new parks these days (and even if they were, I don't see someone like six flags cannibalizing their SA park) and the era of the independent park is pretty much over.

We love the area, but it is a bit sparse in this sort of "family things to do" category for a place that gets so much hype - amusement parks, (good) aquarium, zoo (yes, we have one, but even Waco blows it away), etc. I suppose because much of the Austin growth seems to be relatively recent, past the time these sorts of things were being built.

When our children were growing up, it seemed like our problem was that there were too many "family things to do" so that we were constantly having to choose. Everything from the Austin Nature Center to Pioneer Farm to Art Classes at the Dougherty to Jourdan-Bachman Pioneer Farms to Barton Springs Pool, Zilker Park, the Botanical Gardens (hep, kids have a great time there, believe it or not), a lot of museums (the Thinkery didn't exist then but Austin Children's Museum did and the Texas Memorial Museum was always a big hit with any kids, our own or visitors, that we took there), the lakes, of course, ice-skating, Laguna Gloria (still there), Inner Space Caverns in Georgetown, and many more, and, of course, throw a rock and you hit a festival and many of them are family friendly. A drive to San Antonio or Waco for the zoo (both great) is a good day trip, and something like Six Flags is not far (well, for Texans, who grow up used to driving to get anywhere) and should be a big deal in any case. (At used it was when I was a teenager and I lived in Arlington.)