Amusement Park News

Oklahoma is more than OK - Okana Resort & Indoor Waterpark, designed by Aquatic Development Group, splashed into Oklahoma City in late February. ADG is also behind the recent opening of the Bavarian Blast waterpark in Michigan. The design, manufacturing, and construction firm has played a major part in the development of Okana, which cost $400 million to create.

The 100,000-square-foot waterpark and its 4.5-acre outdoor lagoon is, as ADG president Jim Dunn relates, an addition to Oklahoma City that has brought “to life an exciting vision for a one-of-a-kind destination... an incredible collaboration with great clients, and ADG is honored to have played a role supporting this project - not only as a water feature design/builder but also through our developer services program.”

The company's holistic approach was fully utilized to create the resort, all the way from concept to completion as part of a partnership between ADG, the OKANA development team, the Chickasaw Nation. Per ADG the collaboration “truly resulted in something special.”

Along with the waterpark itself, the resort includes a 404-room hotel, varied dining options, and a state-of-the-art family entertainment center.



The ADG Developer Support Program offers its clients everything from master plans and budgeting to delivery of a complete, detailed project. With over 50 years of experience and having worked on more than 4000 global waterpark locations, ADG was a solid partner to Okana. The company's waterpark resume includes 100 completed full-design and build projects.

From foundations to water attraction installation ADG managed each aspect of the park's construction, including the cutting edge WaveTek wave generation equipment. The latter powers over 90% of all waterpark wave systems in the U.S.

Along with its work for Okana itself, ADG has been busy in the last several years, receiving the People's Choice Award for EpicSurf, the only U.S.-made deep-water stationary surf wave. Their Okana partner WaveTek also had a busy year as it passed its 50th year milestone.

In developing Okana, ADG made certain to acknowledge that the resort is owned by the Chickasaw Nation. Paying tribute to Native American culture and tradition throughout the resort, there are a variety of artworks. And in a somewhat unusual twist, the waterpark includes an onsite art gallery dedicated to showing the work of first-American artists.

The year ‘round waterpark will keep the temperature summery but not too hot all year, with a temp of 82 degrees that allows parkgoers to enjoy its variety of water slides in balmy comfort. Among the slide offerings are raft, body, and tube slides. These include bowl slide Tidal Twist with 5 person rafts; the Wild Rapids water coaster; and Whiplash, a duo tube slide that has a backwards drop element. Racing Rapids is a multi-lane slide with a time-tracking digital clock to compare speeds.

For those feeling less adventurous, a gentle, 420-foot lazy river, a massive, 6,200-square-foot wave pool, and both a separate kiddie pool and an adults-only pool are part of the mix. There are premium cabanas as well. At the adults-only pool, guests ages 21 and up can partake in a swim-up bar, a tanning pool, and a relaxing warming pool.



Guests have noted that the lazy river – dubbed the Enchanted River – is not that lazy, with some interactive features and a mix of currents throughout.

One of the most unique features of the waterpark is the venue's outdoor adventure lagoon, which just opened on May 24th. Called Okana Beach, the lagoon features a large recreational area which makes a record as the fourth-largest waterpark pool in the nation.

To help inaugurate the outdoor portion of Okana, a Memorial Weekend Bash is in place with live DJ, mermaids, and a drone show at night. The splashy event begins a series of themed, alternating Saturday events throughout the summer with live music, interactive games, and a variety of curated food options. Okana Beach will stay open through Labor Day, offering 36 cabanas along its white sand beach, the Bounce Bay overwater obstacle course; Summit Splash, offering an exhilarating dive off a platform; and the zipline dubbed the Zip & Dip. Food is available at the Waterbyrd Restaurant, and beverages at swim-up bar Okasis.  

Resort managing director Ken Leone relates that “The community response has been incredible since we opened our doors…We're seeing families drive in from across the region because there truly isn't anything like OKANA in Oklahoma or the surrounding states.” He calls the enthusiasm of locals “particularly rewarding.”

Leone explains that "The vision of Okana Resort & Indoor Waterpark is now a reality, bringing an incredible landmark right to the heart of Oklahoma City.” In a recent resort press release, he stated “We believe Okana is not only a source of joy and recreation for travelers but also a valuable asset for our community, offering exhilarating water adventures, world-class dining, and entertainment. We're thrilled to open our doors to both guests and locals to experience the magic of Okana.”

While the indoor waves and watery adventure lagoon provide innovative water attractions, land-based fun has not been disregarded. The arcade at Okana offers guests redemption games, VR experiences, an escape room, and laser tag.



The resort also offers a day spa, conference center, and retail shops, along with three outdoor event spots, each providing space to host as many as 3000 guests.

Dining includes “elevated comfort food” from the Jack Rabbit gastropub, where dishes include French Onion Soup and a pastrami Reuben. At the Smokehouse Social, the venue is dishing out smokey and innovative options such as burnt end queso and smoked pork ribs. There are 13 dining spots in all.

The hotel's resort rooms feature Native American style décor along with its views of the Oklahoma River, adventure lagoon, or city skyline. Room pricing starts at $249 per night.

The seasonal Okana Beach passes are available for $49.99 for access 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Indoor/Outdoor passes are priced at $69.99, with indoor access available until 9 p.m. And evening passes are also on offer, with indoor/outdoor access at $54.99 for hours after 5 p.m.