World Waterpark
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| World Waterpark | |
|---|---|
| Location | Edmonton, Alberta, Canada  |
| Area | 5 acres |
World Waterpark is North America's largest indoor waterpark with a size of over 2 hectares (5 acres). It is located in the West Edmonton Mall in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, which is one of the world's largest shopping malls. The park is known for its high-speed waterslide called the Skyscreamer, which is often mistaken as the park's tallest slide at 78 ft (24 m). The highest slide in the park is the Twister, which is 83 feet (25 m) high.
Contents |
[edit] The Slides
With the exception of the Sun Runner and Raging Rapids, all of the slides are located behind the "beach" of the Blue Thunder pool in an inter-twining web of staircases and chutes. Riders access the slides by climbing up a large set of stairs to a platform, where several smaller staircases, all of which lead up to one individual slide, begin.
[edit] Beginner Slides/Attractions
| Attraction | Description |
|---|---|
| Caribbean Cruiser | A little beginner slide designed for small children that drops into a 1' splashdown pool. This slide is ideal for small children, as it is gooz enough to be fun, but slow enough not to be scary. It also has a small platform at the bottom which slows riders down and lets them plop into the pool gently and slowly, instead of dropping in hard and fast. |
| Dolphin Kiddie Pool | A small, dolphin-themed play park for children. This area is ideal for toddlers, small children, and infants. There are plenty of water toys, a water screw, and a very low triple chute, playground-type slide that is covered over with dolphin scenery. |
| The Little Caribbean | Another play area with three small slides and a bumper boats area, a step up from Dolphin Kiddie Pool. Contains a water playground with adjustable fountains, a tire swing and mini inflatable boats. Along with Tap Works, The Little Caribbean will be permanently closed to make way for a new interactive attraction coming in 2008. |
| Sun Runner | A yellow slide designed for rafts that can support three people. This slide is a perfect in-between choice for children that want to take a step up from Caribbean Cruiser, and also a good family ride. It is the only slide in the park that does not have a splashdown pool (it has a padded trough instead). The Sun Runner's name is from the Edmonton Sun, a local newspaper that currently holds the naming rights. Sun Runner is the only slide that has a sponsor's name on it. |
| Tap Works | Another kids play park, this time revolving around taps and pipes. It contains lots of adjusting wheels for kids to change the flow of water, as well as several high-powered water guns. |
[edit] Intermediate slides
| Slide | Description |
|---|---|
| Blue Bullet | A blue slide, partially enclosed. Despite being a slide in the intermediate level, it is known for its twisting turns and dynamic drops. The slide drops into a 3' splashdown pool. As of 2007, Blue Bullet is closed permanetly and will eventually be removed from the park, due to too many injuries sustained by sliders. However, the slide's closure may also set the stage for the reopening of the one chute of the Howler, which has been closed over a decade. There is also talk about installing a drop slide (similar to Tropical Typhoon's predescessor, Cannonball) once the Blue Bullet has been fully removed. |
| Corkscrew | A completely enclosed slide in the dark that twirls and twists into a 4' pool of water, thus its name, Corkscrew. It is one of the several slides that has retained its original form. |
| Raging Rapids | A lazy river ride that suddenly sends riders down a spiralling drop and into a tunnel, which comes out at the end of the attraction. Raging Rapids was originally much longer, with more drops and chutes for swimmers to float through. However, during the Waterpark's overhaul in 2004, the ride was reshaped into its current incarnation and painted over. The ride was shortened because it required too many staff to run it. Despite the changes however, portions of the closed chutes can still be seen when making your way to the start of the ride. THey are now filled with fake plants and foliage. |
[edit] Advanced slides
| Slide | Description |
|---|---|
| Howler | A dark slide that is around 3/4 enclosed, which drops into a 4' splashdown pool. Howler offers a lot of thrill, as it throws riders around in the dark without warning. It should be noted that despite having two chutes, only one is currently in operation. The other chute has been shut down for over a decade, but, with Blue Bullet due to be taken down, there is a possibility that the defective chute of the Howler may open again. |
| Thunderbolt | This unique slide is centred on sleds. Riders go down a fast slide, which is essentially a baby version of Skyscreamer, on a special sled. The sleds fly into a long pool of water that gradually gets shallower. Most riders skip along the water to the end but there is a chance of a harmless wipeout. In recent years, a padded barrier was added to the middle of the pool to prevent the risk of sliders crashing into each other. |
| Twister | The highest slide in the pool, partially enclosed, lots of twists and turns. Drops into a 4' splashdown pool. Despite being the tallest slide, Twister is much slower and calmer. This makes it more of a leisure slide than a thrill one. Along with Howler, Corkscrew, Thunderbolt, and Sun Runner, Twister is the only slide from the waterpark's opening that has still been kept in its original form; Sky Screamer and Nessie's Revenge were painted separate colours in the late 2000's, Raging Rapids was shortened, Cannonball was replaced by the Toilet Bowl (now called Tropical Typhoon), and Blue Bullet is due to be taken down. |
[edit] Extreme slides
| Slide | Description |
|---|---|
| Nessie's Revenge | A very fast purple slide with 3 bumps and no curves, similar in design to an amusement park slide. Along with the slide next to it (Sky Screamer), Nessie's Revenge used to be the light brownish-tan colour of Howler and Twister. However, during the park's large makeover in the early 2000's, Nessie's Revenge was painted purple. |
| Sky Screamer | The second highest slide in the pool. It drops straight down and lasts for 5 seconds at max. Like Nessie's Revenge, it used to be coloured tan—however, it was eventually painted bright red. |
| Tropical Typhoon | A low and quick slide where riders slide down a short tunnel and into a large bowl (like a charity wishing well for coins), in which they slide around and around in before dropping out a hole in the middle into 10' of water. It is the replacement of one of the park's first slides called "Cannonball", a twirly olive green chute that ended with a vertical drop. |
[edit] Other Attractions
The waterpark also has two hot tubs, one double and one single.
The Waterpark is also the host to two bars: Pina Colada and Beachview Bar, which sell alcoholic beverages. There is also Coconut Grove, which sells different kinds of food such as hamburgers, hot dogs, and mozza sticks.
[edit] Blue Thunder Wavepool
This wavepool that has 5 wave panels with 500 horsepower (370 kW) generating waves (in 5 to 10 minute sessions) of approximately 5-6 feet. It arguably the most popular attraction in the park, as many swimmers (most with yellow innertubes) can be found bobbing in the water. The start of every session is marked with a loud airhorn blast, warning swimmers to be ready should a wave flip them over.
[edit] Staff
The lifeguards at the World Waterpark are highly renowned as highly trained due to the large number of patrons that sometimes need to be watched at any given time. The process to become a lifeguard at the World Waterpark is very competitive consisting of physical and mental challenges.[citation needed]
Approximately twice a year, the waterpark holds lifeguard competitions for a chance to move up into the lifeguard team given the fact that the individuals trying out are completely certified to become a lifeguard, including NLS (National Lifesaving Service), AEC (Aquatic Emergency Care), Bronze Cross, CPR-C and Oxygen Administration awards. Usually at a competition, over 20 candidates tryout, but only 4-5 are taken given the number of current lifeguards already employed.[citation needed]
[edit] External links
