Roaring Springs Waterpark

What Roaring Springs Waterpark does

Roaring Springs Waterpark is a privately held regional waterpark in Meridian, Idaho, operating since June 1999 as the Northwest's largest waterpark on a 15-acre site with over 20 attractions including high-thrill slides (The Hive, Corkscrew Cavern, Thunder Falls, Cliffhanger), family raft rides (Mammoth Canyon), action rivers (Class 5 Canyon), interactive play structures (Camp IdaH2O), wave pools, lazy rivers, and dedicated children's areas (Bearfoot Bay, Kiddie Kowabunga). It is locally owned and operated by two Boise families and is the first outdoor waterpark in the US to install the Ellis Aquatic Vigilance System (EAVS), a camera network feeding real-time video to a staffed control center as a second set of eyes for lifeguards. The park also operates cashless Tap 'n Pay wristbands, an on-site Sun & Swim retail shop, multiple food and beverage outlets (Geyser Grill & Bar, Paradise Pizza, Surfside Grill, The Fro-Zone, Beachside Treats, Geyser Bar), and hosts seasonal events such as DJ Nights, Dive-In Movies, Slide Nights, and Christmas in Color.

The business operates a multi-revenue-stream model anchored by single-day tickets ($19.99-$54.99) and annual Season Passes ($189.99), with ancillary lines in cabana rentals ($300-$450/day), swim school ($122.50-$236.50), birthday party packages ($45.99/person), corporate and group events (including an After Hours Extend product for up to 2,500 guests at $16,000), merchandise, food and beverage, and bundled 'Triple the Fun' tickets that combine access with sister properties Wahooz Family Fun Zone and Pinz Bowling Center. Go-to-market is primarily direct-to-consumer via on-site and online sales through the company's own platform and ConnectNGO, supplemented by corporate programs (Fun & Sun Corporate Club), retail voucher distribution through Jacksons/Coca-Cola, school-channel distribution via the Roaring Readers literacy program, and hotel partnerships with Marriott, Hilton, and IHG brands. Primary customer segments are regional families with children, tourists/vacationers (25% of guests), corporate groups, and elementary schools; nearly 500,000 Treasure Valley students have earned free tickets through Roaring Readers over 20 years.

The company is executing a seven-phase, 10-15 year expansion plan that will increase physical footprint by 40%, with Phase 1 completed in 2023 (earning a World Waterpark Association Leading Edge Award) and Phase 2 (The Hive) opened in 2026, with infrastructure already in place for a future The Heist attraction. Cumulative attendance has exceeded 6 million visitors across 25 years, and the company reports TripAdvisor recognition as the 8th best waterpark in the US (2015). Operations are seasonal with primary revenue concentrated in the summer window, partially offset by off-season Christmas in Color programming and indoor adjacent-venue revenue from Wahooz, Pinz, and Galaxy Event Center.

Name

Roaring Springs Waterpark

Legal name

Roaring Springs Waterpark

Website

https://roaringsprings.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1999

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Roaring Springs Waterpark is a privately held, family-owned waterpark in Meridian, Idaho operating the Northwest's largest waterpark facility with 20+ attractions, day tickets, season passes, cabanas, F&B, swim school, and group events, serving regional families, tourists, and corporate clients.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Water Park & Recreational Services

NAICS

Amusement and Theme Parks (713110), All Other Amusement and Recreation Industries (713990)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Outdoor Water Parks (Wave Pools, Lazy Rivers, Slides) (THAAABAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Water Parks (Outdoor/Indoor, Wave Pools & Slides) (THAJAEAB), Aquatic Playgrounds & Splash Pads (Spray Parks, Kids’ Water Play) (THAAABAE)

Keywords

• Water park attractions
• Family recreation services
• Seasonal amusement park
• Outdoor water recreation
• Group event hosting

Headquarters

HQ city

Meridian

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Day Tickets & Admission: One-time admission fees for full day access, PM Plunge, slide nights, and special events. Primary revenue driver with tiered pricing by age and time of visit.
2. Season Passes: Annual unlimited admission passes providing recurring revenue. Includes Gold Pass upgrade option allowing holders to bring one guest per day for additional fees.
3. Food & Beverage: Multiple food outlets including Geyser Grill & Bar, Surfside Grill, Paradise Pizza, Fro-Zone, Beachside Treats, and carts. Full-service bar with craft cocktails and Idaho-inspired drinks.
4. Cabana Rentals: Luxury cabana rentals at premium locations throughout the park, ranging from $300-$450 per day with food service and alcohol options.
5. Swim School & Lessons: Group and private swimming lessons for ages 3-12 with certified instructors. Generates revenue while building customer loyalty.
6. Birthday Party Packages: Hosted birthday party packages including admission, food credits, and optional add-ons. Hang Ten Package at $45.99 per person.
7. Group Events & Catering: Corporate events, company picnics, and group outings with discounted admissions, catered meals, and private event spaces. After-hours exclusive events available.
8. Merchandise & Retail: Sun & Swim Shop selling apparel, swimwear, souvenirs, water shoes, and collectible items including refillable mugs.
9. Buddy Day Tickets: Season pass holders can purchase discounted Buddy Day tickets at $27.50 for friends to visit Tuesday-Thursday, limit 15 per season.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Roaring Springs Waterpark is a water-based amusement park offering wave pools, water slides, lazy rivers, and other aquatic attractions for family recreation. The park also hosts group events, private parties, and seasonal programming.

Product overview

Roaring Springs Waterpark is the Northwest's largest waterpark located in Meridian, Idaho. The park operates as a single unified waterpark with diverse attractions and services organized around core admission products (day tickets and season passes), food and beverage venues, rental services (cabanas), educational programs (swim school, Roaring Readers), and event hosting capabilities. The park features over 20 water attractions including high-thrill slides (The Hive, Corkscrew Cavern, Thunder Falls), family raft rides (Mammoth Canyon), interactive play structures (Camp IdaH2O), wave pools, lazy rivers, and kiddie areas. Additional services include birthday party packages, group event hosting, swimming lessons, and seasonal events like DJ Nights, Dive-In Movies, and Christmas In Color. Food and beverage is provided through multiple on-site venues including Geyser Grill & Bar, Paradise Pizza, Surfside Grill, The Fro-Zone, Beachside Treats, and the Geyser Bar. The park is undergoing a seven-phase expansion plan expected to increase size by 40% over 10-15 years.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Wahooz Family Fun Zone: Family entertainment center acquired in 2009 (formerly Boondocks), featuring indoor attractions, ropes course, bumper cars, laser tag, go-karts, mini golf, and arcade.
• Pinz Bowling Center
• Galaxy Event Center

Quantifiable outcome

• Pay off Season Pass in just over 3 visits
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Christmas in ColorminorGTM or Marketing PartnerChristmas in Color, a company based in Salt Lake City, hosts their holiday light show event in Roaring Springs parking lot annually from November through December. Roaring Springs serves as the host location and receives visibility while Christmas in Color handles all event operations, ticketing, and guest inquiries.
• Coca-Cola / Jacksons StorescoreGTM or Marketing PartnerTreasure Valley Jacksons and Extra Mile by Jacksons stores sell Coca-Cola products that come with vouchers for up to $32 off four Full Day admissions to Roaring Springs. Cross-promotional partnership driving traffic to both brands.
• KISS 103.5 FMcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerLocal radio station partnership featuring DJ Mateo at Friday Slide Nights throughout summer. Station provides entertainment and promotional support while gaining event exposure and giveaways.
• Boys & Girls Clubs of Ada CountycoreOthersAnnual Great Dolphin Dunk charity event where 10,000 toy dolphins are released in the Endless River. Roaring Springs has raised over $1 million to support the organization's programs for children and families in the Treasure Valley.
• Wahooz Family Fun ZonecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAdjacent family entertainment center under same two-family ownership. Combined packages (Triple the Fun) offer admission to both parks. Wahooz provides additional entertainment options for guests wanting extended family fun beyond waterpark.
• Pinz Bowling CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBowling center under same two-family ownership located adjacent to Roaring Springs and Wahooz. Included in Triple the Fun packages and Galaxy Event Center bookings.
• Galaxy Event CentercoreStrategic or Co-development Partner$6 million event venue at Wahooz hosting corporate meetings, galas, holiday parties, and conferences for up to 400 guests. Shared ownership group with Roaring Springs allows bundled entertainment packages.
• 44° North VodkaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerIdaho-based vodka brand featured prominently at Geyser Bar. Several signature cocktails use 44° North products including huckleberry, watermelon, nectarine, and Idaho potato vodka varieties.
• Jeff Ellis & AssociatescoreOthersAquatics staff training and safety consulting firm. Provides lifeguard training certification (Ellis and Associates Lifeguard Certification) and developed the EAVS (Ellis Aquatic Vigilance System) safety technology implemented at Roaring Springs.
• Nearby Hotels (Marriott, Hilton, IHG)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership with nearby hotels (Courtyard by Marriott, Tru by Hilton, Holiday Inn Express, Hampton Inn, etc.) to provide lodging recommendations for out-of-town visitors and access to group rates for event attendees.

Scale indicators12 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Wet 'n' Wild Water World: Large-scale branded waterpark operator with multiple properties. Broader incumbent in the waterpark category with established brand recognition that Roaring Springs' "8th best waterpark in US" positioning competes against nationally.
• Kalahari Resorts: Indoor waterpark resort operator with convention/event capabilities, similar to Roaring Springs' combined waterpark plus Galaxy Event Center positioning. Represents the resort-integrated format that Roaring Springs could evolve toward.
• Great Wolf Lodge: National chain of indoor waterpark resorts with lodging, dining, and entertainment under one roof. Competes for the same family vacation and overnight-stay wallet share, particularly relevant given Roaring Springs partners with local hotels but does not operate lodging itself.
• Six Flags Hurricane Harbor: National chain of large outdoor waterparks operated by Six Flags. Broad incumbent representing the scaled, multi-park operator model that contrasts with Roaring Springs' single-site family-owned structure.

Regional players

• Wild Waves Theme & Water Park: Pacific Northwest theme park with waterpark section in Federal Way, Washington. Comparable regional Northwest operator competing for the same drive-distance family market Roaring Springs draws tourists from.
• Silverwood Theme Park: Largest theme park in the Pacific Northwest, located in Athol, Idaho (northern Idaho). Closest geographic peer competing for Treasure Valley and broader Northwest family entertainment dollars.

Direct peers

• Holiday World & Splashin' Safari: Family-owned Indiana theme park with attached waterpark section. Closest analog to Roaring Springs' privately-held, family-owned operating model combined with multi-attraction theme park + waterpark hybrid product.
• Noah's Ark Waterpark: Largest outdoor waterpark in the US, located in Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin. Direct comparable in scale and operating model: large outdoor waterpark with multiple attractions, family-focused, seasonal operation, and broad Midwestern catchment — analogous to Roaring Springs' regional anchor position.
• Water World: Large independently-operated outdoor waterpark in Federal Heights, Colorado. Closely comparable in operating philosophy: large outdoor waterpark, family-focused, regional destination status, and continuous ride additions over decades.
• Schlitterbahn (Cedar Fair / Six Flags): Iconic Texas-based waterpark chain now operated by Six Flags. Directly comparable premium outdoor waterpark experience with destination positioning, multi-attraction parks, and family season-pass programs similar to Roaring Springs' Gold Pass Upgrade.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/roaringsprings
• Facebookfacebook.com/RoaringSprings
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/roaring-springs-water-park

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Roaring Springs Waterpark