Sicily’s Etnaland will be the first waterpark in Europe to add a theme park
by Jakob Wahl
It’s been a common practice over the past several decades for amusement parks worldwide to add waterparks to their offerings. Whether a park has a second gate with a separate entrance fee or an integrated attraction, waterparks have proved to be successful and integral parts of a park.
 This has mainly been a North American and Asian phenomenon, with European facilities remaining completely separate—either waterpark or amusement park. There are exceptions, of course: In Southern Europe visitors can enjoy themselves at Aquatic Park, the second gate of Spain’s major amusement park Port Aventura; there is also Italy’s Mirabilandia Beach, which charges a separate entrance fee despite being located inside the amusement park; and in Scandinavia, the famous Sommerland concept combines amusement and waterpark with many other activities. In general, though, the two-parks idea has not really seen its breakthrough in Europe.
Things are starting to change now, however—but not in the way you might think.
Some attractions in Europe seem to have an inverse approach to the subject: Building dry rides into an existing waterpark, something that is unusual even in the native land of waterparks, the United States. There is, of course, the famous Noah’s Ark waterpark in the Wisconsin Dells, which is home to an OD Hopkins Spillwater and a Mad House by Mack Rides; and Wet ’n Wild Emeralde Point, which once featured a roller coaster. Now, in Italy, Etnaland waterpark is adding an entire dry part to its portfolio.
Initial Dry Rides
Located at the foot of the eponymous Volcano Etna, Europe’s highest volcano (still active!), the park benefits from the nearby tourist flux on the well-known beautiful routes of Sicily, the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. Sicily features the typical Mediterranean climate: hot and dry summers but fairly low temperatures throughout the rest of the year. Therefore the season of Etnaland has always been rather short with an opening from late June to early September. During this period, the 160,000-square-meter (39.5-acre) park usually welcomes more than 300,000 visitors, with 65 percent from the island of Sicily and the Calabria region, while 15 percent come from the rest of Italy and another 15 percent from other European countries.
The park is home to nine swimming pools and 26 water slides of all kinds, promising something for everyone. A special highlight among these is the “Red Cannon Slide,” a short and steep body slide with a final jump into the water.
But where “normal” waterparks stop, Francesco Russello, director of Etnaland, took the concept a step farther. Visitors can, for example, soar over the park on an 1,800-meter-long (5,900-foot-long) cableway, which offers not only nice views of the park but also the opportunity to see a beautiful panoramic view of the volcano. Riders can equally spot the life-sized replicas of many prehistoric animals in the dinosaur area of the park (reachable by a scenic train).
To create a complete, unique product in the market, Etnaland decided to further develop the “dry offer” and in 2005 opened “Crocodile Rapids.” This heavily themed ride, supplied by the German company Hafema, takes its riders on a 500-meter- long (1,640-foot-long) journey complete with waves, small drops, and a whirlpool section. All surprisingly wet for such a ride in Europe, but it fits right into the waterpark setting.
 Success Breeds More Success
With the success of “Crocodile Rapids” firmly achieved, Etnaland decided to continue walking its line between wet and dry attractions, adding in 2010 the park’s biggest installation so far: “Jungle Splash,” a Spillwater Ride from Intamin. The project's creative director, Hester Kloosterboer, was inspired by the young people of the island of Vanuatu who jump from self-made towers to test their bravery. She created a unique theme where the first part of the ride goes through a series of dark caves, including an interactive experience with music, lights, and water effects. Only if the guests scream loud enough the water curtains in front of the boat will turn off. But sometimes even this does not help and the riders are lifted with the help of a vertical lift 25 meters (82 feet) inside a tower building before being sent down the big drop with its huge splash. “Jungle Rapids” was the hit of the summer in Etnaland and exceeded all expectations. “Ninetyeight percent of visitors enjoyed the attraction with great satisfaction,” says Russello, adding that the park’s Facebook page jumped from 25,000 to 85,000 fans within one season.
Full Dry Park in the Works Now
These two new rides are only the beginning of an even more exciting project, as Etnaland works on a theme park with 25 new attractions including roller coasters, dark rides, flume rides, and much more. A launch coaster and a water coaster should follow right after the opening. While no official target date is set, the first step will probably be a big roller coaster from Mack, which will open in 2012. Already in 2011, the park will present from the same company a new Twist ’n Splash, a combination of an interactive boat blaster ride with the movement of the classic tea cups (the prototype of this ride will open this spring as “SpongeBob’s Splash Bash” at the new Nickolodeon Land at England’s Blackpool Pleasure Beach). Even if the new park will be a second gate with a separate entrance fee, Russello plans to include some rides in the offer of both parks: a water ride, being placed in the amusement park part of the resort, could be accessible for visitors of the waterpark during its shorter summer season. An accomodation is part of future plans, too, but Russello keeps both feet on the ground. As a privately owned park located on an island, Etnaland first has to get its money back on current investments: the first waterpark in Europe developing its own theme park. For more information, visit www.etnaland.eu.
Contact IAAPA Europe Program Manager Jakob Wahl at jwahl@IAAPA.org.
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