Enchanted Forest Water Safari is a water and amusement park in Old Forge, New York, tucked into the Adirondack Mountains. It opened on July 7, 1956 as The Enchanted Forest of the Adirondacks, a storybook-themed attraction built on 35 acres of reclaimed swampland.
In 1988 the park underwent a major expansion that added numerous waterslides, and it was renamed Enchanted Forest Water Safari to reflect its new identity as a water park. Today it spans about 60 acres and bills itself as New York’s largest water theme park, with more than 50 rides and attractions, including over 32 heated outdoor water rides alongside its original storybook and amusement-ride elements.
Stats at a Glance
- Location: Old Forge, New York
- Opened: July 7, 1956 (as The Enchanted Forest of the Adirondacks)
- Renamed: 1988 (Water Safari expansion)
- Size: About 60 acres
- Rides: Over 50 total, including 32+ water rides
- Notable slide: Amazon, about 1,100 feet long
- Wave pool: Tidal Wave Pool, about 1/4 acre with 4-foot waves
- Record: New York’s largest water park
The Ride Experience
Water Safari’s water side includes the long Amazon slide, the Cascade Falls and Black River slides at about 500 feet each, multiple family raft and tube rides, and the Tidal Wave Pool, a quarter-acre pool producing waves up to four feet tall.
The park has also kept much of its original amusement-park character, including a vintage carousel and classic rides, plus kiddie attractions, games, and a family circus show, giving it a mix of old-school amusement charm and modern water-park thrills.
History and Ownership
The park was founded in 1956 and purchased by the Noonan family in 1977, who oversaw its 1988 transformation into a water park under the Water Safari name. In March 2024, the Noonan family sold the park to Innovative Attractions Management (IAM), a Florida-based company founded by James Harhi.
IAM operates the park through Enchanted Parks, its dedicated theme-park operating company, which runs Enchanted Forest Water Safari day to day. The underlying real estate is owned by EPR Properties, a real estate investment trust that leases the property to the Enchanted Parks/IAM operation — EPR is the property owner, while Enchanted Parks/IAM is the operator, not the owner.
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Enchanted Forest Water Safari FAQs
When did Enchanted Forest Water Safari open?
It opened on July 7, 1956 as The Enchanted Forest of the Adirondacks, a storybook-themed park built on 35 acres of former swampland.
Is Enchanted Forest Water Safari the largest water park in New York?
Yes, it markets itself as New York’s largest water theme park, spanning about 60 acres with more than 50 rides and attractions.
Who owns and operates Enchanted Forest Water Safari today?
The park’s real estate is owned by EPR Properties, a real estate investment trust. Day-to-day operations are handled by Enchanted Parks, the theme-park operating arm of Innovative Attractions Management (IAM), which acquired the park from the Noonan family in March 2024. EPR is the owner; Enchanted Parks/IAM is the operator, not today’s owner.
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Photo: Arsenalforthewin / CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.