Owners Yan (L) and Ilya Girlya review the 2018 Diggerland expansion plans.

On Nov. 13, Diggerland broke ground on a multi-million dollar, 7+ acre expansion, the largest capital improvement the construction-themed amusement park has seen since opening their doors in the summer of 2014. Construction is currently under way and will continue through the off-season to avoid interference with normal park operations. The project is targeted for completion at the end of March to coincide with various spring break schedules.

Guests of the park will be able to explore a total of five new attractions, the largest of which includes a 700-ft. Soaring Eagle Zip Line, spanning nearly the entire footprint of the park. Riders who are at least 42 in. tall will experience heights up to 130 ft. off the ground, flying over the property in pairs of two. Utilization of the zip line, and all the new rides, are covered in the price of general admission.

"We've done a tremendous amount of research over the past year determining how we can add the greatest amount of value to our guests' experience. Including these attractions in the cost of admission and extending their use to our annual pass holders is important to our team because it's appreciated by our visitors," said Ilya Girlya, co-president and owner of the park.

Details on the additional four attractions are expected to be released in the coming months. Those interested in staying up to date on the ride release details are encouraged to visit the Diggerland USA website and opt in to the park newsletter.

Aside from new rides, the expansion also includes the addition of a corporate events and groups pavilion, a climate controlled dining and party pavilion for birthday celebrations, an expanded parking infrastructure, and upgrades to the Diggerland XL program — a heavy machinery experience for adults with one-on-one instruction and package options that include thrills such as car smashing with an excavator. Additional amenities for the project, including a concession building and guest restroom facilities, are all being fabricated by the Diggerland team from used shipping containers.

"Using the recycled containers as part of the project made lots of sense for us," said Yan Girlya, co-president of Diggerland. "The ISO sea boxes are already a natural fit for the theme of the park. Our guests appreciate the unique construction motif of the property which we carry from ride design all the way through to infrastructure."

Diggerland USA re-opens for its 5th year of operation on March 17. Tickets for the season, along with annual passes, XL experiences and gift cards will be made available at their lowest rates of the year during an upcoming holiday sale on Dec. 15.

For more information, visit DiggerlandUSA.com.

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