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Fantasy Lake Adventure Park makes a splash in renewed Wake County quarry

A water park opening this summer in Wake Forest will have kids and adults rediscovering their love of the water.
Posted 2023-05-25T22:53:18+00:00 - Updated 2023-05-26T22:26:43+00:00
Fantasy Lake has plenty to offer for family fun this summer

A picturesque quarry setting not far from Rolesville High School figures to make for plenty of summer memories in the coming months for Triangle families.

Fantasy Lake Adventure Park opened on Friday, May 26, and the water's already warm. The park is roughly 100 acres, 65 of which is occupied by the lake.

The quarry's story goes all the way back to the 1850s, when the site was home to the Rolesville Rock Quarry. The land was abandoned in 1952 and in 1980, was purchased by Doye Sherrill, who turned it into Fantasy Lake Scuba Park.

For families trying to tread water with keeping kids happy during the summer, owner Daniel Cox hopes the park offers a welcome reprieve for those looking to dive head-first into some underwater fun or relax in a chair in the sand.

Cox is the mastermind behind the lake turning from a place where scuba divers got their certifications into a family-friendly summer afternoon. Cox said he got the idea for the park when he was on vacation in Sint Maarten with his family.

"There's a place in Sint Maarten that's called Kalatua, it has the same feel," Cox said. "When we were starting construction, I wanted to mimic that look because it's such a paradise."

The park offers paddle boards, kayaks and Aquabanas that hold as many as eight. For the more daring among us, there's a deck about 20-feet off the water to jump from. The park still offers scuba diving and hopes to be an outdoor event venue at some point. There's a man-made beach beside the water with beach chairs and umbrellas.

"We decided a little over a year ago to go the recreation route with the property," Cox said.

An inflatable water park that features an obstacle course will be a blast for the kids (ages 6 and up) and grownups who want to relive their youth.

"It’s a floating water park and it has all types of obstacles," Cox said.

But as many a parkgoer will discover, don't expect to nail every turn, twist, pivot and climb if you're not a star athlete. Kids taking on the course might be reminded of the show 'Wipeout' as it has the same splendor of a jungle gym along the water. Just know one thing.

"You’re definitely going to fall in," Cox said. "Don’t run, because you are going to slip and fall immediately. But it’s a lot of fun."

Popular content creator Carter Sharer, who has nearly 10 million subscribers on YouTube, has already paid the park a visit for a video.

Attendees can bring in coolers for carrying food and beverages. The park is alcohol-free. Life jackets are provided.

Those interested in going can purchase either a two-hour session ($40) or a half-day session ($60).

The park will be open from Memorial Day weekend through mid-September. A wavier must be completed online before entering the park. The water temperature was 75 degrees on May 17 and will only get warmer as we enter summer.

For more details about the park, check out gofantansylake.com. Cox said their water quality is checked by Wake County on a regular basis.

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