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Waterparks aim for high-thrill seekers, too
by Heather Greenwood Davis
When Wet ’n’ Wild opened its Phoenix location in July of this year, there were a few things already working in its favor: Phoenix gets hot, and people like waterparks as a way to cool off.
But in an age when the log ride that climbs a few feet before dunking you in a small pool of water is about as enticing as dial-up Internet, park officials also knew their newest facility would have to compete with the type of adrenaline rush families were finding at theme parks; not the low-level fun associated with the local playground splash pad.
 “The rides just keep getting bigger and better,” explains Trevor Wilson, director of marketing for Village Roadshow Theme Parks, which owns both the Phoenix and Hawaii locations of the Wet ’n’ Wild parks. “People are now asking: What’s the newest thrill? What’s the newest excitement?”
And they want to know now.
Higher Expectations
According to statistics compiled by the World Waterpark Association (WWA), about 80 million people visited one of the approximately 1,000 waterparks in North America in summer 2008. With another estimated 600 parks in other parts of the world and a projected growth of 3 percent to 5 percent each year, it’s clear the industry is strong.
“Once people have experienced the fun of a waterpark, they are less interested in visiting a regular flat-water pool,” agrees Aleatha Ezra, director of park member development at WWA.
Large-park owners and operators are getting bigger and better by recognizing that keeping the turnstiles to their parks spinning will take continued innovation. “In the past, waterparks built slides on a tower or a hill. Guests climbed to the top and slid down to the bottom,” Ezra points out. “Today, we’re seeing the whole waterpark experience change based on the new technologies now available.”
The Science Behind the Fun
Water is being pushed and used in entirely new directions— gravity is simply an option. “Some of the most exciting rides are similar to ones guests will find in a traditional amusement park,” Ezra notes.
In Phoenix, where there is no competing theme park, Wet ’n’ Wild knew the expectations for thrills would be high. “It’s Arizona, and they didn’t really have a premier water attraction or theme park so we had great success just by bringing in a whole host of the latest and greatest rides and attractions,” Wilson says. “With the incredible attendance we have seen in our opening weeks, it has taught us that guests in this market were truly excited to see a world-class theme park come to Arizona.”
The park features more than 30 slides on 35 acres of land. One of its most popular rides is a twist on a favorite: “Maximum Velocity” is billed as the “world’s first gravity-defying, dueling NBGS Master Blaster water coaster.” Arizona is now the only place in the world where up to four people at a time can race down competing tracks as water propels them around the twists of this water coaster. The reaction to the added adrenaline rush of the dueling coaster along with guest favorites like the “Tornado” (a ProSlide funnel ride with a bottom drop out) and “Mammoth Falls” (a category 5 river rapid experience) has been strong, says Wilson. “It defies gravity so it’s not the typical go down in an inner tube as it once was. You’re actually propelled up instead of always going down. It’s just inventive thinking.”
Competition Everywhere
In the attractions hotbed of Orlando, the bar was set high for SeaWorld’s new waterpark, Aquatica. Denting the waterpark customer pool required innovative, creative thinking.
“We did that by creating your typical waterpark rides— thrill rides and family attractions—but we also immersed you in animal attractions, which no other waterpark in the area does,” says Rick Beddow, vice president of Aquatica.
A year later guest comments suggest those efforts have been well received, says Nick Gollatts - check, public relations director for SeaWorld, Discovery Cove, and Aquatica.
“While we don’t release attendance numbers, what we can tell you is our guests love Aquatica,” says Gollattscheck. “They seem to find Aquatica to be the perfect complement to the Sea World experience.”
Rides like “Dolphin Plunge” by Whitewater West (where 250 feet of clear tubes take guests underwater and through a Commerson dolphin habitat) and “Loggerhead Lane” (a lazy river ride that provides an underwater view of dolphins, exotic birds, and a 10,000-gallon exotic fish aquarium) have become fast favorites.
Aquaventure’s Thrills
In Dubai, the thrill of animal/human interaction is taken to another level at Aquaventure, the theme park located adjacent to the Atlantis hotel on the man-made Palm Island. The “Leap of Faith” sends body surfers on an almost 100-foot-high waterslide with a near 90-degree vertical drop before shooting them in a tunnel through a shark-filled lagoon. Another section of the park features Dolphin Bay, where an interactive experience (swim/snorkel with a small pod or watch from a lounger on the beach) awaits.
The need for tamer options for young children and members of the family who are less interested in being tossed like a rag doll hasn’t been lost on the parks. Always the backbone of the industry, family rides that feature multiperson experiences continue to proliferate in the industry. In between the heartstopping rides at Aquaventure, visitors can peek in on a marine ecosystem that winds its way around the tunnels and passages of the lost city of Atlantis.
Island Innovations
Some Caribbean family hot spots have also increased their thrill component over the years. Recent renovations to Beaches Resort in Turks and Caicos added the island’s largest hot tub, a Body Glove surf simulator machine, five slides, and a lazy river to what was already an impressive offering of splash pads and pools. CEO Adam Stewart says the decision to expand to a 60,000-square-foot waterpark didn’t come lightly. “We strategized more on this project than we had ever done on anything else for kids,” says Stewart. That was, in part, because an earlier waterpark built at the company’s Negril location neglected to provide for preschoolers and as a result wasn’t as popular as they would have liked.
“We’re a company that can learn from our mistakes,” says Stewart. “There was no splash deck—nothing for little 3- and 4-year-olds to do so we had to go back in after and retrofit.”
Turks would be different. Every age group has been accounted for: Preschoolers have a zero entry pool and a splash deck; school-agers have a pirate-themed water fortress; tweens and teens have adrenaline inducing slides and a genuine surf simulator; everyone can enjoy the lazy river; and parents have areas where they can comfortably keep an eye on little ones.
Other resorts are finding a similar response. At Boatswain’s Beach in the Cayman Islands, visitors now spend time learning about the conservation efforts to save the turtle at touch tanks in one part of the park before heading over to Boatswain’s Lagoon (a man-made beach area) to snorkel amid marine life or come nose to nose with a shark at the glass wall shared with an aquarium (appropriately named Predator’s Reef).
And several resorts— on islands or otherwise— have added a beach-type location within their grounds. At Breaker’s Lagoon, rockwork re-creates the beach setting of nearby Cayman Brac while swimmers relax and take in breathtaking views and swim under waterfalls.
The builders of SeaWorld’s Aquatica brought in more than 3 million pounds of white sand from outside the country to create the 80,000-square-foot beachfront. (Beachside cabanas featuring ceiling fans, mini-fridges, and all-day lockers are also available for rent.) And at Wet ’n’ Wild, more than $1 million went to shade structures (including 18 cabanas) alone. And despite being located on the 14-mile-long, six-star, diamond-award winning Grace Bay Beach, Stewart says there was no hesitation in making the investment.
“Waterparks work,” he says matter of factly. “It’s a great way to have structured safe activity. It’s a great hook.”
How Did They Do?
The proof is in the comment cards.
“We have had tons of feedback and its amazingly powerful. The guests love it,” says Stewart. “The ocean is great,” he adds, “but no matter how great the beach is it’s amazing how many people still want waterparks.”
Wilson agrees, noting guest feedback is crucial to tailoring Wet ’n’ Wild’s product: “We continually get guest feedback and look forward to hearing about their experiences. We have already extended our operating hours, added menu items, and begun to install a misting system all based on guest feedback.”
Gollattscheck says Aquatica has its ear tuned to what guests want: “We are always looking at ways to expand and add new attractions. We listen to comments from guests and we take them into consideration when deciding which type of attraction will be the best fit. We certainly will add to Aquatica in the future. Whether it be more thrill rides, more serene experiences, it’s hard to say at this stage. But what’s certain is that we truly take guest opinion into account when we are planning for the future of the park.”
Stewart concurs. Beaches put in the infrastructure for a slide that is almost 30 feet longer than any of the property’s current options, but it held off on actually putting up the black, enclosed slide when launching the new waterpark earlier this year to make sure the core offerings were successful. Launch is now being considered for early 2010.
“The key to a waterpark in my view is to understand who your customer is,” says Stewart,” and then it is to make it spacious enough and attractive enough and intriguing enough that you can captivate the kids’ minds so they’re off having the time of their lives.”
Heather Greenwood Davis is a freelance writer and waterpark enthusiast based in Toronto, Canada.
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