Ship ahoy
Giant new pirate ship docks for overnight stays at Fort Worth-area waterpark
In time for spring break adventures, North Texas Jellystone Park in Burleson will open its newly constructed, three-story pirate-ship suites on March 1.
According to a release, the Captain Jim Brown Pirate Ship contains 10 two-bedroom cabin suites that can each accommodate families of six to eight people. Each suite has a full kitchen, including a dishwasher and washer/dryer, and a private bathroom with a shower.
The 260-foot-long pirate ship is docked next to the water slides at the Pirates' Cove Water Park. Visitors have been keeping an eye on its construction for over a year. Now, it's finally opening to make pirate dreams come true.
“Families that rent our pirate ship cabin suites will be able to create their own pirate-themed adventures that they will always remember,” says Steve Stafford, general manager of the North Texas Jellystone Park, in the release.
The red and black ship has 85-foot-masts and black and white Jolly Roger sails and flags featuring a skull and crossbones. The cannons on the upper deck have red lights to simulate the firing of cannonballs.
“We don’t know of any place else in the region where families can spend the night on a pirate ship, especially not at a campground,” Stafford says.
The pirate ship is the latest in ongoing enhancements to the park, which is located just off Interstate 35 and attracts families from Dallas-Fort Worth and beyond for weekend getaways and staycations. Last year, it installed two new 65-foot tall, 350-foot long tubular waterslides that twist and turn underneath existing slides.
The pirate ship cabin suites are the newest rental accommodations at the North Texas Jellystone Park, which also features one- and two-bedroom cabins that range from rustic to luxurious. These include hotel-style bunkhouse rooms and a farmhouse with a queen-size bed and two sets of bunk beds. More traditional RV and tent sites also are available. And those without their own campers can rend 30-foot travel trailers from the park, except during the summer season.
Rates and availability can be found here.
The North Texas Jellystone Park continues to be a top camping destination because of its organized family activities, theme weekends and growing array of amenities, the company says. The main attractions continue to be its family amenities, activities, and Yogi Bear costumed characters. Theme weekends range from family athletic competitions to Christmas in July and Halloween-themed weekends.
The park also offers a suspense-filled indoor escape challenge, which requires teams to solve puzzles quickly to obtain clues that lead them out of the escape challenge.
Stafford says in the release that the park’s recent improvements and expansions have created a need for more housekeeping, grounds and maintenance staff. The park plans to hire 35 international students this year to help in August when the park’s high school and college age employees return to school.
Pirates' Cove Waterpark is adjacent to the Jellystone campground and requires a separate entrance fee.
