Originally called Visionland and constructed in 1998, Alabama Adventure & Splash Adventure has gone through many metamorphoses, and as of summer 2021, it’s poised to help families recover from a long year of far too little fun.
If you visit, you'll likely witness almost 90-year-old Mrs. Pat Koch, matriarch of the Koch family and one of the owners of the park since they purchased it in 2014. Whether she’s selling concessions, tidying the grounds or socializing with guests, Mrs. Koch is a trademark of Alabama Adventure & Splash Adventure.
“A typical day for me starts in the office, where I meet with my son Dan, the general manager, to talk about what is going to happen that day or discuss the previous day’s activities,” said Mrs. Koch. "The rest of the day is spent acting as an ambassador of the park and talking to guests, helping in restaurants, picking up trash and helping anywhere I can. By being active, I am able to keep an eye on everything, look for areas of improvement and really get to know the guests.”
Since acquiring Alabama Adventure & Splash Adventure, the Koch family has taken great care to keep up with the times and evolve with new, exciting features. One feature, a massive wooden roller coaster known as “Rampage” — lauded as one of the best wooden coasters in the world — is from pre-2014, and the family invested funds into improving it.
In fact, the park has gained at least one new amusement each year, with the exception of 2020, since the Kochs took it over. New water park attractions include the Rocket Racer, opening this summer, and Free Fall, a slide that goes straight down. Locals and visitors love the park not only for its abundance of rides – 25 in all, all for one ticket price — but also for the great hospitality offered.
“We offer free parking, free sodas, free shows — as much value as we can pack in as possible,” said Ramsey. “The Kochs want it to be that way. [This is a] family-owned business, and wanting to ensure other families have fun is one of the coolest things ever.”
“At the end of the day, I’m always at the front gate to say goodnight to guests as they leave,” Mrs. Koch added. “Many will stop to talk or even ask to take pictures with me, which is always really special. Being able to see all of the lives we’re able to impact is the reason we do what we do.”