Water parks splash ahead

[29yrswithaGApass]

Source: Florida Today

 

Water parks splash ahead

Wettest parks add amenities as well as new themes, sea creatures

 

As a kid, when Jenny Masada of West Melbourne went to Wet 'n Wild with her parents, it was a relatively simple outing.

 

Her mother would pack towels and suntan lotion and other stuff into a locker when they got to the Orlando water park. Then it was off to the water slide.

 

"But I always used to think that it would be great if they had shady spots, or a cabana, where we could really relax all day," Masada said. "I'm in the food service business now, so even when I was little, I wondered why they didn't have waiters or people to bring you food and drinks or extra towels or a chair."

 

The time for Masada's ideas may have arrived.

 

To compete for customers' dwindling leisure dollars, water parks are changing. On the horizon are taller, more multiple-rider attractions, more big-ticket rides, and more on-site water parks at hotels.

 

There will be an abundance of amenities, ranging from poolside cabanas and eager-to-please staffers to technological advances that could ease on-site shopping -- even if the only thing you have on is a bikini.

 

The theme parks took the plunge into water parks in 1977, when Wet 'n Wild was created by George Mallay, a founder of SeaWorld. Wet 'n Wild is now part of Universal Orlando Resort.

 

Typhoon Lagoon and Blizzard Beach are parks within the Walt Disney World Resort. And the newest water park, Aquatica, is part of SeaWorld.

 

All of them offer tickets in the range of $40 to $50 for a day, but management hopes to lure locals with year-round passes and Florida resident discounts.

 

Water parks are cheaper than regular amusement parks to build. Larry Cochran, the former chief executive officer of Six Flags and an ex-principal at entertainment giant and water park owner Palace Entertainment, said for $20 million you can build a great water park, compared with the billions of dollars a major theme park can cost.

 

"Most water parks like to see a 30 percent return on investment," Cochran said. "You set your price point according to your investment. There's not a tremendous amount of money to be made in the water park business, but they're a good investment."

 

The water parks offer a range of rides mainly divided between single-person and group attractions. There are slow rides, there are winding, lazy river-style rides and then there is the reason most people go to the water parks: thrill rides.

 

"The people love the wave pools and the slides," Cochran said. "They love the thrill of the slide. That is the water park's roller coaster."

 

Most of the water park rides and attractions cost in the range of $1 million, but that price tag goes up depending on the bells and whistles.

 

"When we put in Brain Wash, we were looking for something that was really a great, memorable experience," said David Wright, director of sales and marketing for Wet 'n Wild. "It's called Brain Wash, so we take you through a ride that's set up to brainwash you."

 

The 90-second ride involves four-person inner tubes that swoosh into a 53-foot vertical drop and then into a 64-foot domed funnel, Wright said.

 

"When you're in the funnel, there's a film showing on the screen that encourages you to get a hamburger, or other things, and then at the end of the ride, you love Wet 'n Wild so much you want to come back many times," Wright said.

 

Wright said the rides at Wet 'n Wild are "highly-themed" with names that include "The Storm," "The Bomb Bay," and "Disco H2O." The technology that's involved in the design is individual.

 

"The names are part of the fun," Wright said. "And as the technology changes, we've kept abreast and continue to upgrade the park. We work very closely with ride manufacturers to come up with the best rides."

 

"Disco H2O," for example, uses a lot of lights and music technology as riders are engulfed in water and lots of disco-era music in a watery tube.

 

At Aquatica, the creators of SeaWorld took theming one step further.

 

"They continually expand the theme," said David Sangree, founder of the Cleveland-based consulting firm Hotel & Leisure Advisors. "Aquatica has really raised the bar. It's increased the potential for water parks by incorporating the animals."

 

Aquatica, which opened this spring, has already been so crowded at times it has had to close its gates at certain times of the day to allow the crowds to thin out. The theme park does not release attendance figures.

 

But It capitalizes on its sea creature theme by having them near, in, and around the water features at the park, with rides like "Dolphin Plunge," that send riders through underwater areas where dolphins swim, or "Loggerhead Run," where riders pass by can ride through underwater areas that house tropical fish.

 

"Aquatica celebrated its sixth month of operations recently and we are very pleased with the response from guests," said Joe Couceiro, chief marketing officer for Busch Entertainment Corp.

 

Technology, amenities and the future

Water parks are working on making the visitor experience even more memorable, Cochran, the former theme park executive, said.

 

"There are a lot of things on the horizon, and most of them have to do with guest comforts," he said. "The things you're going to see are gazebo rentals and more photo opportunities. People love to have their pictures taken on the ride, and they want to be able to spread out, relax and have a place where everyone can get together."

 

There may be waiters to bring food and drinks so that it's easier for families to buy items while at the water parks. And Cochran said in his lifetime, he hopes people will be able to pay for stuff without having to go back to the locker to get their wallet.

 

"I came up with an idea for a chip that you could put in your watch that would enable you to pay for something by sliding your watch across a scanner," he said. "We'll see if that comes about. It's really hard to keep your wallet on you when you're wearing nothing but swimming trunks."

 

That way, he said, it would be more convenient for people to buy souvenirs, photographs and bikinis.

 

"And, mind you, we don't carry a lot of bikinis, but if someone happens to rip one, we have them for sale," he said.

 

But don't expect high-end restaurants.

 

"People like water parks because they can walk around with a hot dog, or a hamburger or a Coke," he said. "You're not going to get fine dining in the water parks."

[warnerleroy]

Maybe HH will be getting a copy of the dolphin slides(where your slide goes into a pool full of dolphing). THAT WOULD BE COOL!!!!!!! Maybe one day, the'll sort of make HH not only a waterpark, but also a marine-life park.

[GAcoaster]

Ummm, no. If they suddenly found the tens of millions of dollars to build that, it would go towards paying down debts, not building a marine life waterslide.

 

I had the thought today that I wouldn't be surprised to see them build (along with a new slide) one of the "adult" waterpark experiences, with swim-up bar and a no children policy. Those things are HUGE moneymakers form what I understand, and it would make sense to have one with the Cabanas around it.

[warnerleroy]

The new management is trying to keep up a family image. Opening a swim up bar is not a good way to start. I'm still hoping for a water coaster next year though.

Edited September 9, 2008 by warnerleroy

[GAcoaster]

The new management is trying ot appeal to the WHOLE family and MAKE MONEY. They are trying to get a liquor license for SFHH in Texas. Many "family" waterparks are creating adult areas now with full service bars (which also serve drinks to the people who rent the cabanas).

[warnerleroy]

Stilll, a water coaster is a better way to go for a family appeal to water parks.

[CablesEric]

I had the thought today that I wouldn't be surprised to see them build (along with a new slide) one of the "adult" waterpark experiences, with swim-up bar and a no children policy. Those things are HUGE moneymakers form what I understand, and it would make sense to have one with the Cabanas around it.

 

Beware of the swim up bars. I've been at resort hotels that have them and you see certain people stay in the same area all day long. I don't know about you, but after a couple of drinks I'm in need of the restroom. Also, for some odd reason the water tends to be warmer!

Edited September 9, 2008 by Eric