If you are looking for some thrilling (and possibly chilling) entertainment of the combative kind for family, friends, or members of an organized group, you’ll be in the right zone at Combat Park, a unique militaristic adventure park tucked away in Eastaboga, Alabama. Not only can you take part in Airsoft and Paintball, but Combat Park now offers Gellyball, the latest combat craze gaining traction across the U.S. It’s a safe, exciting warfare for all ages, beginning with children as young as 3 years old! But wait for it!…You can even buy time to drive a variety of bona-fide Military Vehicles! And if that wasn’t enough to whet your curiosity, Combat Park features a bone-chilling, blood-curdling tour through the City of Chaos, one of the best haunted experiences you’ll encounter in Alabama.
Ready for a Shootout?
The main draw of Combat Park is the safe, fun-filled warfare you can engage in. In its second year at the park, the newest combat game is Gellyball. A Gellyball Blaster is a lightweight toy firearm, powered by an air pump, that shoots small, soft gel orbs (a substance similar to Orbeez). Once shot from the gun, the Gellyballs disintegrate in moments. Contact from them doesn’t hurt, and they leave no stains or mess on clothing or skin. When you participate in Gellyball, there is protective gear to be worn–eye goggles, a helmet, and chest protector.
Gellyball can be played by families with kids as young as 3 years of age, but many adult groups play it, too. There are blow-up arenas tailored to kids, similar to bouncy castles (minus an inflated floor), where they can choose between color-changing or target game interaction with octagon pumps or color-coding pads. There’s also different themes if you’re planning a birthday party or some other event, including a zombie or haunted theme, or even an escape room experience.
All Gellyball activities require an advanced reservation of at least 3 hours because of the preparation required for the gel. The price for 2 hours of play on any themed-field is $19.99 + tax, which includes rental of the Gellyblaster, 3,000 gellyballs, and full protective gear. Additional gellyballs can be purchased during the activity for $10.
If you’re looking for a more hard-core type of combat, there’s plenty of Paintball and Airsoft fun to be had. Both group activities require skill and strategy as you play team against team, fight to capture the Flag, or participate in Battle Royale. There are some differences though. With Paintball, participants ages 7 and up can play on the fields firing paintballs at each other or simulated targets in batches of 200, or individuals can focus on a practice Shooting Gallery. Airsoft involves RIFs (Realistic Imitation Firearms) which shoot plastic-coated BB’s. While protective goggles and a helmet are required to play either sport, other protective armor is optional. Airsoft, appropriate for ages 10 and up, also allows participants to use their own firearms and gear as long as the BB’s are the correct kind.
The general price for Paintball and Airsoft is $35 + tax for each individual for unlimited play in one of their fields, with gun, ammo, and protective gear included. For those who want to bring their own gear for Airsoft, the fee is $19.95 + tax. To ensure your group has a spot, or to book a special event, reservations are recommended.
The Military Vehicles
Combat Park was created, and is run by retired Veterans, and first opened its doors on July 13, 2019. It’s one of less than a dozen similar parks in the United States that allow visitors the opportunity to drive military vehicles. It attracts regular folks as well as Veterans from across the Southeast and beyond. Bill Williams, one of the managers that oversees the military vehicles, shared that one particular veteran, an 88 year old from South Carolina, had never gotten to drive a tank during his 35 years of military service. He was given the opportunity to live his dream at Combat Park, operating one of the tanks. Even corporations like Coca-Cola and Geico have rented the park for company functions to allow employees these militaristic adventures.
The park has over 20 military vehicles that visitors can pay to ride in or drive themselves. The 103 Spartan Military Tank or the 105MM Howitzer Military Tanks, for example, are vehicles that folks can learn to operate with some coaching in starting, stopping, shifting gears, and turning. Once ready, you get to take a lap around a special ½ mile course. If you’re willing to splurge on some aggressive demolition, you can even Crush a Car with a tank for an additional $499.99.
Other vehicles you can try your hand at include: the 5 Ton Military Truck, the H1 Hummer, the Mud Runner, the Snow Track Cat Vehicle, and the unique Pink Dozer, where 100% of the profits support Breast Cancer Awareness. Prices and maximum occupancy for each of these vehicles varies.
The City of Chaos
If adventure of the terrifying sort is what you seek, then mark your calendars for September 23rd, when horror is unleashed on the Haunted City of Chaos! Groups of up to 6 people will get to tour an Old West-style city replica, touring 8 haunted buildings in total, a graveyard, and the infamous Tunnel 109. While the ghouls, zombies, monsters, and the chief villain Sergeant Chaos won’t actually touch you, this haunted experience is not for the faint-hearted, with frightful encounters at every twist and turn!
Ages 13 and up can take the risk of exploring the City of Chaos for $20 each. Lines do get long as Halloween approaches, so if you find yourself too far back in line, there’s a $40 Chaos Pass that allows you to skip directly to the front.
For those wishing to go one-on-one with the creatures that lurk in the darkness at Combat Park, there’s several attractions to choose from. For $25, you can join the Chaos Convoy, patrolling on board a military truck, which transports you to a battlefield overridden with ghostly soldiers. Armed with a paintball gun, armor, and 150 paintball bullets, your group has the courageous opportunity to divide and conquer the evil army. If you’re feeling a bit unsure of your shooting skills, however, you can always visit the Haunted Shooting Gallery for some preparatory shooting practice. For $15, which buys you 150 paintballs, you can fire away at all kinds of Halloween-themed targets.
The last, but certainly not least of the Halloween attractions, is the Cataclysmic Convoy, where your team of up to 6 get to ride the Alvis 432 as passengers right into the heart of the zombie soldiers. You’ll exit the vehicle, do some spine-tingling combat, and when you’ve exhausted your resources (500 paintballs to be exact), you’ll be carried back to safety! This experience comes at a group rate of $400.
More to Come
Other features coming soon to Combat Park include zip lining, specially orchestrated gender reveals, additional military vehicles to ride in, and a rock climbing wall. And besides their Escape Room experience on site, they also have a Mobile Escape Room that can be brought to the next special event you may be planning. And don’t forget–you can book time at the park for your next family reunion, church group, birthday party, or corporate event.
Now that you’ve been made aware of all that you’ve been missing out on, there’s no time like the present to plan a trip (or multiple ones) to Combat Park, located at 6755 Curry Station Road,
Eastaboga Alabama 36260. If you have questions, you can reach them by phone at (256) 600-6230, or email combatparkalabama@gmail.com.
Their normal hours of operation are Thursday thru Monday 9 am – 5pm, with other hours possible for private reservations. The City of Chaos will open on September 23. For more information, go to their website at www.cityofchaos.com.
You’ll be glad to know that a sizable portion of Veteran-owned Combat Park’s profits are donated to Alabama Soldiers. If you decide to visit and are part of the police, military, fire department, EMS, or a school teacher, you’ll receive a 10% discount off your entire purchase (with a valid ID).
