Since three-quarters of the Earth is covered with water, it only makes sense that we use it for more than just sustaining life; every year, members of our industry find new and innovative ways to utilize water for entertainment. Although the use of water in leisure activities is old news, what has become apparent to me throughout the past few years is the extent to which water is becoming a marketable and invigorating element at stand-alone facilities and in conjunction with existing amusement parks, FECs, and other entertainment complexes. Increasingly throughout the last few years, existing amusement facilities have been adding water elements, and in some cases, entire waterparks, to make their facility more attractive. Smaller parks often add interactive water play areas to serve younger children. This was the case at Quassy Park in Middlebury, Conn., a small family-owned facility that was looking to increase their offerings to include H2O. In addition to interactive play areas, parks have begun making water slides into ride experiences. For the past few years water slides have been improved to accommodate more riders and offer all sorts of dips, flips, and twists. The feature on Dorney Park (page 40), which focuses on their nine new slides and waterpark improvements, exemplifies this trend. The cover story in this waterpark issue of Funworld is India’s waterparks. This story, the second of a three-part series on India’s amusement industry, focuses on three very different waterparks in various regions of the country and how they conserve and respect water while enjoying its entertainment value. Funworld also sent a writer to uncover the mystery of Anchorage, Alaska’s new indoor waterpark—H2Oasis—a small facility that has made a splash in a region not known for its amusement venues. As parks become more creative with their water offerings, there’s only one thing for the rest of us to do this summer—get wet! Best Wishes, John P.C. Collins Chairman of the Board
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