It’s been five years in the making, but come Friday the much-anticipated Margaritaville fun park — Paradise Pier — will open to the public for the first time on the beach in Biloxi.

“This has been a long-awaited project for our community,” said Tessie Lamber, Chief Marketing Officer for Lodging & Leisure Investments, which owns multiple resort properties on the Mississippi coast.

“We’ve waited five years for this, so when I say we’re excited, we’re really excited.”

Employees from Lodging & Leisure Investments were invited out early this week for a soft opening of the amusement park, enjoying the 15 rides across the facility.

Those rides include the “Biloxi Tide-Turner,” a 180-foot observation wheel overlooking the Gulf of Mexico. The wheel features enclosed air-conditioned gondolas and a light display after sunset.

Another high-rising attraction is the “Aerobar,” in which a platform on which guests are seated turns as it rises into the sky, with a bartender on hand to mix hand-crafted cocktails; as well as the “S.O.S.”, designed to make riders feel as if caught in a raging storm.

A complete list of the rides and attractions at Paradise Pier can be found at the park website.

Day passes for admission to Paradise Pier at $70 for unlimited rides and select indoor attractions in the already-existing Margaritaville Family Fun Center adjacent to the new park. A two-day bundle is also available for $100 or three days for $120.

Access to the park, without the rides, is complimentary for Margaritaville hotel guests and $20 for non-guests. The $20 entitles guests to one ride on the observation wheel and access to the dancing fountains area, any live entertainment offerings and all food & beverage and retail venues, Lambert said.

Day passes do not include admission to the Aerobar, which is $19.99 per ride and includes a drink in a souvenir cup.

“We feel like for the quality of the entertainment you’re going to have here, the excitement, the memories you’re going to make here, it’s well worth it,” Lambert said of the ticket prices, adding that a season pass will also be available for $239.

In addition to the rides, there are three food venues for park-goers: Captain Charlie’s Salty Snackbar, Daiquiri Dock and The Sweet Shack.

The platform on which Paradise Pier houses ample parking below and also provides a level of protection from potential storm surge. In addition, the rides — built in Europe — can be disassembled and moved to a storage facility in the event of a major storm.

Paradise Pier will open at 3 p.m. Friday. Normal operating hours will be 3 p.m. to 9 p.m., Mondays through Thursdays; 3 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Fridays; 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Saturdays; and 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Sundays.