Today we’d like to introduce you to Corey Lockett.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
My family and I officially moved to the Dallas–Fort Worth area in 2021, shortly after I returned from deployment with the Army Reserves. Like many families with young children, we spent a lot of time outdoors, but once we settled into DFW, we began exploring indoor play spaces for our kids. Jungle Castle was the very first indoor play place we ever visited—and it quickly became a favorite.
From the beginning, I knew I wanted to own my own business one day. Inspired by how much my children loved Jungle Castle, I began seriously exploring the idea of opening an indoor play place of my own. I attempted to secure leases at several locations, but I was repeatedly turned down due to not having a full year of business experience. Other available spaces required extensive cosmetic renovations that made them financially unrealistic.
About two years ago, while researching the industry, I reached out to the previous owner of Jungle Castle to ask what it was like to run an indoor play facility. What started as a casual conversation turned into something much bigger! He asked if I would ever be interested in purchasing the business. I shared my contact information and told him that if he ever planned to sell in a year or two, I would absolutely be interested.
Just three weeks later, he called and offered to sell Jungle Castle to me. At the time, I simply didn’t have the resources to make that happen, and I had to decline as it was way out of my budget. I assumed that was the end of the conversation.
A year later, in July 2024, while I was attending military training in Oklahoma, I received another call from him. This time, he told me something I’ll never forget: “I want to sell Jungle Castle to you—and you only—because I believe you’ll give the place what it needs.” He offered to sell the entire business to me with everything included for a price within my budget.
During COVID, I had invested money in the stock market, and those investments had grown significantly. I made the decision to pull those funds, combine them with my savings, and purchase Jungle Castle—just one week before my fourth (and final) child was born. I did it without taking out a bank loan or a personal loan, a decision I’m incredibly proud of.
Knowing I couldn’t do this alone, I asked my neighbor and close friend, Austin Lilley, to join me on this journey. Austin has years of experience as a manager and a genuine love for hands-on projects. From day one, he committed himself fully to helping Jungle Castle grow. His ideas and leadership have been instrumental in everything from cleaning, remodeling, painting, and maintenance to improving customer service and overall guest experience.
The transformation didn’t go unnoticed. Guests who had visited Jungle Castle under the previous ownership frequently shared positive feedback about the changes we made. Austin has been by my side for over a year now, and his continued dedication has been a great motivation for our success.
When I took over the business, my goal was simple: to do better—for every guest who walked through our doors. I listened closely to feedback and critiques, especially regarding open play and birthday parties. I wanted to be more creative, more thoughtful, and more intentional about the experience we provided. As a parent myself, I know that if Jungle Castle is fun, safe, and active for my own children, it can feel the same for others.
Over the past year, Jungle Castle has grown tremendously. We now host more than 20 birthday parties a month, and overall admissions have increased beyond what they were in 2024. The business has also been recognized with the 2025 Best of Denton County Award for Family Entertainment and the 2025 People Love Us on Yelp award, recognizing Jungle Castle as one of the highest-rated and most beloved family businesses in the area.
My goal moving forward is to continue improving—both for open play guests and for families celebrating special moments with us. I want Jungle Castle to feel like a home away from home, a place where families know they’re welcomed, supported, and cared for. When it comes to birthday parties, my staff and I take on the work and the stress so parents can truly enjoy the celebration.
Jungle Castle isn’t just a business—it’s a labor of love, built for families, by a family.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
When I first started out I did not know anything about business nor what birthday parties were like as I did not have one or went to any growing up. I made mistakes and kept learning from them to get better. I had to learn from others how to make an establish business more successful. Listening to guest really made me understand what I needed to do and not to do compared to what the previous owner did. Constantly cleaning and allowing more creativity to decoration request as well as allowing food and drinks for birthday parties has really helped parties get a better experience, as it brought their dreams into a reality for their children’s party.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I specialize in customer service as I enjoy speaking with people and bringing a positive energy that keeps the guest engaged. Listening to guest’s expectations when they visit Jungle Castle and how party guest want to make the event special for their children’s party.
I enjoy being creative with party decorations as I want to hear what party parents would like to see and do my best to go beyond their expectations. I tell the party parents whatever theme they want for their party, I will make it happen as I don’t want to restrict parents from picking from a list of themes. I enjoy the challenge of finding specific themes and enjoy letting me be as creative as I want. Seeing party parents and guest excitement and hearing their compliments on how well the party room is decorated for their party is an amazing accomplishment to achieve! Party guest have really enjoyed the fact that when they book a party or event with Jungle Castle, they have the entire facility to themselves as I close the doors to the public to give them a true VIP private party experience. My staff and I strive to work hard to have the party guest enjoy themselves while we do all the hard work for them!
What I’m proud of and feel separates me from others is I keep my prices low and affordable for guest when they visit. I believe keeping prices low and consistent is more beneficial for hard working parents then charging a high price. I offer unlimited play time so people can stay as long as they want and also leave and comeback without paying additional!
Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers?
Saving up your money and knowing when it’s time to spend it is the best lesson I have learned from my parents. Take risks when a great opportunity comes up as you never know where it would take you in life. I took the risk of buying this indoor play ground with no experience but I didn’t want to pass up the opportunity and let someone else buy it. I kept on wanting to learn and grow. I have made mistakes but I kept telling myself to keep doing better and not regress.
Pricing:
- General Admission $12.99 for children 1 year and older
- Sibiling Discount $10.99 with paid general admission
- Birthday packages ranging from $349 – $798, private event so guest have the whole facility to themselves
- Party Room Reservation packages of either $12.99 per child or $19.99 per child
- Play passes: 10 – 109.99 & 20 – $209.99. Memberships: 3 months – $150, 6 months – $270 & 1 year – $480
Contact Info:
- Website: https://junglecastleplaycenter.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/junglecastle/?hl=en
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/junglecastleplaycenter/
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/jungle-castle-indoor-play-center-flower-mound
Image Credits
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