Welcome To Morgan’s Wonderland
Where everyone can camp
By Jessicah Holloway
Renderings: Luna Middleman Architects of San Antonio
“Where everyone can play.”
These four words aptly describe Morgan’s Wonderland in San Antonio, the world’s first theme park designed with special-needs individuals in mind and built for everyone’s enjoyment. The park offers an ultra-accessible experience free of physical challenges, where the common denominator is fun. In other words, those with and without disabilities can come together and gain a greater understanding of one another in a safe, colorful, upbeat, inclusive environment.
This same philosophy went into Morgan’s Inspiration Island splash park in 2017, and now the focus is on creating Morgan’s Wonderland Camp, a 102-acre recreational oasis on the northern outskirts of San Antonio that year-round offers a summer-camp-type experience. Morgan Hartman, 26-year-old daughter of philanthropists Gordon and Maggie Hartman, who deals with physical and cognitive challenges, inspired her parents to build the camp and pursue other initiatives benefiting the special-needs community.
An All-Encompassing Excursion
The barrier-free environment is a place where campers can enjoy outdoor fun to the fullest. For example, for those who must rely on a wheelchair for mobility, just imagine the thrill of being able to zipline through the rugged and scenic Hill Country. This and many other fun activities make the camp another of the world’s greatest places for inclusive recreation.
This $28-million project accommodates at one time up to 525 campers of all ages, along with staff for day, weekend, or week-long camp sessions. To make this dream a reality, Valero Energy Corp. stepped up to be the founding partner of Morgan’s Wonderland Camp.
Valero committed $15 million, the largest single charitable commitment ever made by the global energy provider. Furthermore, current and former executives pledged an additional $5 million. Valero decided to become involved because it considers the mission of the camp to be undeniably compelling—to enable those with disabilities to enjoy the same activities as children without in an environment free of limitations and restrictions.
Admission fees for the camp are affordable, and the array of camp facilities and activities are extensive:
An ultra-accessible zipline
A stable and horses for horseback riding
Hiking trails that are spread throughout the partially-flat, partially-hilly topography
A nature farm to introduce campers to farm animals
Multiple pools, a splash pad, and a relaxing river
An archery range
An enclosed sports pavilion
A challenge course with climbing walls
An arts-and-crafts center
Bicycle trails for two- and three-wheeled “bikes”
An outdoor fire pit
20 cabins
A 25,000-square-foot welcome center, complete with kitchen and dining hall
A 5,500-square-foot health center
A camp store.
Community Partners
The location of the camp is only a 20-minute drive from Morgan’s Wonderland, so various activities are designed to link the sites, especially for guests from across the state and around the world. The camp is a fun place as well as a learning place. For example, community-based instruction (CBI) field trips for school children are available at both Morgan’s Wonderland and the camp, the latter specializing in nature-related subjects.
Central to the camp’s educational focus is the Edwards Aquifer Authority (EAA), the agency responsible for protection of the Edwards Aquifer, San Antonio’s principal source of water. The EAA decided to play a key role in the camp because the site is on the Edwards Aquifer Recharge Zone, where rainwater filters down to one of the most prolific aquifers in the world.
The authority wants to raise awareness—especially among children and youth of all abilities—of the importance of both the quality and the quantity of water in the Edwards Aquifer. So, it’s building the $2.5-million EAA Education Outreach Center, which encompasses 3,500 square feet and feature unique, interactive learning experiences. The center will greatly enhance the EAA Education Program that strives to educate and inform about the importance of protecting a vital natural resource.
Another unique partnership involves the San Antonio Food Bank, which is in charge of all food and nutrition aspects of the camp. The food bank pays the camp $1 a year to use its 4,000-square-foot kitchen, part of the 25,000-square-foot dining facility and welcome center, and the camp pays the food bank to provide meals for campers. The kitchen also is used to prepare meals for food-bank clients in the community.
The camp location also serves as another bulk-food distribution center for area food pantries.
An operation of the size of this camp requires considerable fine tuning. Camp operators reached out to approximately 50 organizations that serve the special-needs community in search of “test pilots” to try out the camp when was ready for guests. The facility also offers family camping experiences so all members can make memories together.
For more information and updates, visit MorgansWonderland.com/camp/
Jessicah Holloway, Morgan’s Wonderland Camp director, grew up in San Antonio and started her career in camping at age 14, volunteering for nine summers at Camp CAMP (Children Achieving Maximum Potential) at Center Point, Texas. She went on to work with the city’s Therapeutic Recreation Department and the Alamo Area Boy Scouts before a 10-year stint at Camp for All in Burton, Texas. She is an active member of the American Camping Association (ACA) and a presenter at local and national conferences. In addition, she is an ACA standards instructor and a member of the Texoma Local Council of Leaders.