After postponing its grand winter opening to the public Friday, a North Little Rock-based theme park kicked off its seasonal transformation Saturday morning.
About 10 a.m., Wild Winter Country — which features attractions for all ages, including a snow pit for throwing snowballs and building snowmen — opened its gates to the public. The park's opening was delayed because rain that occurred Thursday night created holes — some about two feet in size, the winter park's vice president of operations Chris Shillcutt said.
Shillcutt said he did not get much sleep the night before the park's opening Saturday. He left the park at midnight Friday and returned at 5 a.m. Saturday in preparation for the winter park's opening, he said.
Employees also arrived at the park early Saturday to fill in the little holes produced by Friday night's rain, Shillcutt said. They had to "groove out" tubing lanes as well so customers would have a "smooth ride" down the snow-covered hills.
Wild Winter Country employee Asha Jones, 20, said she loves the theme park's transformation, but said that the opening day of the winter season has been slightly stressful.
"You could tell that tensions are high seeing that this being the first ever winter session, and this is the very first day [of] opening," she said. "But everyone [is trying] to stay calm and cool."
Benton resident Crystal Waldorf, 33, brought her five children and husband to Wild Winter Country to attend a birthday party. She said she thought the winter park was fun and a "neat" idea.
"I didn't really know what to expect actually [in] how they were going to be able to have snow when it's not necessarily below freezing," she said. "I was actually pretty surprised."
Her 10-year-old daughter Hannah said she thought playing in the snow was fun and said her favorite attraction at the winter park was the snowpit.
"I like that it feels like real snow, and it feels like it's actually a real snow day," she said.
Customers' response to the winter park this year will determine what will be added to the winter park in its next season, Shillcutt said.
"If we have a good reception this year from our guests, then what we'll try to do is build this next year," he said. "Our thoughts is to add an ice rink and have a big Christmas tree and make this into a festival."
An all-day admission pass, which does not include snow tubing, will cost $5.43 plus tax per person, according to the theme park's website. For those who also would like to tube in the snow, it will be $16.29 plus tax for a 90-minute session.
The park will typically be closed on Mondays through Wednesdays, and open 5-8 p.m. on Thursday and Friday nights, the website says. For the weekend, the park will be open all day from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Saturday and noon to 6 p.m. Sunday.
