City of Compassion
Mayor Ron Nirenberg‘s first official act in 2017 was to sign a resolution proclaiming San Antonio an international city of compassion by recognizing “the importance and value of compassion in the life of a city and by doing so create an ethos of compassion and a safety net for its most vulnerable citizens.”
Morgan’s Wonderland, a $36-million theme park for folks of all ages and abilities that opened in 2010, gave San Antonio a head start on this compassion-led and inclusion-led vision. Now, visitors from all 50 states and close to 80 countries have visited the park, experiencing San Antonio’s values in action.
If you dream it, you can do it
Retired builder Gordon Hartman and his wife, Maggie, dreamed of a place that their special needs daughter, Morgan, now in her late 20s, could play and interact freely, and they made it happen. They also made it affordable for ALL to enjoy.
One of my biggest beefs about the two larger theme parks in San Antonio is that they cost an arm and a leg to get in, and then they charge you to park on top of their sizable entrance fees. Not so at Morgan’s Wonderland. Parking is free.
What a deal!
Admission to the 25-acre, fully-inclusive theme park is free to those with special needs, and it’s downright affordable for all others: $13 for ages 3-17, seniors 62 and above, and military with an ID; and $19 for ages 18 through 61.
The restaurants at the park are also reasonably priced, but if you’d like to bring in a cooler with your own food and drinks, that’s allowed.
Happy place
The park features rides, playgrounds, gardens, a half-mile train ride, an 8-acre catch-and-release fishing lake, a special events center, an amphitheater, and a picnic area that are all ADA accessible. Thanks to STRAPS (South Texas Regional Adaptive and Para Sports), 13 sports programs are offered to athletes of all ages with physical disabilities and visual impairments.
My husband I were inside of Morgan’s Wonderland’s Sensory Village when a young, autistic boy and his mother and sister joined us in a darkened room filled with large movie screens. As you get close to the screen, digital, fluttering butterflies fill the space, and when you stand still, they land on you. It is a beautiful experience. The young boy was beside himself with joy, as was his mother. She said that the pandemic had been rough on them, and they were so happy to return to Morgan’s Wonderland, their happy place.
Splish splash
San Antonio’s summers can be scorchers, so Morgan’s Inspiration Island, the world’s first Ultra-Accessible™ splash park, opened in 2017 on three additional acres. The park partnered with the University of Pittsburgh to create waterproof wheelchairs powered by compressed air so that guests could avoid water damage to their own chairs. The inviting, brightly colored areas include Will’s Hang 10 Harbor, Shipwreck Island, Whataburger’s Rainbow Reef, Harvey Najim’s Hideaway Bay, Calypso Cove, and the H-E-B River Boat Adventure.
But wait, that’s not all!
No grass grows under the Hartmans’ feet, and they’ve now added Morgan’s Wonderland Camp, a 102-acre oasis in northern San Antonio, to their lineup, and they will add the Multi-Assistance Center (MAC) at Morgan’s Wonderland, a one-stop medical and non-medical service center, in 2022.
MemorAbility
On select Fridays and Wednesdays, Morgan’s Wonderland also hosts family members and caregivers of individuals with special needs who may also be affected by dementia. MemorAbility is a free community program that has partnered with the WellMed Charitable Foundation, UT-Health School of Nursing, the Alzheimer’s Association, the Alamo Area Council of Governments (AACOG) and the Down Syndrome Association of South Texas.
Morgan’s Wonderland Inclusion Foundation
For those who’d like to contribute your time as a volunteer and/or your tax-deductible treasure to the Morgan’s Wonderland Inclusion Foundation, call (210) 495-5888, extension 1021, or email MWIF at MorgansWonderland.com.
Hours of operation
Morgan’s Wonderland, located at 5223 David Edwards Drive, is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Wednesdays and Thursdays; 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays; and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sundays. Morgan’s Inspiration Island is open from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Sundays, and from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays.
Denise Barkis Richter, Ph.D., author of “San Antonio’s Passport to Fun,” has been blogging about San Antonio since June of 2010. Follow her at facebook.com/SanAntonioTourist so that you’ll never miss a post. Her love affair with the Alamo City began at Hemisfair in 1968. She moved to San Antonio in 1979 as an 18-year-old college student, and San Antonio has been her home ever since. Denise completed certification to become a professional tour guide in 2019. Please contact her at sanantoniotourist at gmail dot com if you’d like for her to curate a fabulous San Antonio experience for you!