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“The definition of ‘amusement’ should be what people don’t see every day,” believes Singh Chawla. “Everyone here is going for local themes with the ocean, palm trees etc. We wanted to do something that was not here in the Middle East. It’s also a bit about global warming with the ice caps melting. It’s like Antarctica has come to Arabia!” This explains what the penguins are doing in the dessert. The 103,000 square metre waterpark has been built with daily capacity for a massive 10,000 guests. Featured are a wide range of attractions, including some industry firsts. “Everyone says you shouldn’t do a diving pool in a waterpark,” notes Singh Chawla. “We have done two.” Guests can also go diving in an artificial coral
reef, relax in the Tundra Baths jacuzzi, play a game of aqua football or party after dark in the 4,000 capacity Penguin Bay rain dance pool. Serious swimmers, meanwhile, will appreciate the Pengu Pong Olympic sized swimming pool.
Aqua Football
Played on a 90 x 45-metre “pitch” with shallow water, aqua football has been a big hit for Polo in India, bringing a wider demographic into its parks. In Ras Al Khaimah the company hopes to develop a local league and host tournaments at the waterpark. Featured among 27 waterslides is the Middle
East’s tallest speed slide, which at over 33-metres steals the record from the Jumeirah Scarah at Wild Wadi in Dubai. There’s also a boomerang slide, a modest tornado and bowl slide, the first of their kind in the UAE. Suppliers include Polo Amusement, Arihant Industrial Corporation and Dominic Fun Rides, with tube, rafts and mats by Zebec from Canada. Finished in white or pale blue and swallowed up by the theming, it’s hard to spot some of the other slides at first glance, and this to some extent is intentional. Other than the high capacity, walk- through waterfall, Singh Chawla says he did not want any obvious headline attractions, as he is keen that guests should be spread evenly throughout the park. Because of this he predicts that there will be a maximum waiting time of 15 minutes for any one attraction. For younger guests, Kids Cove features its own slides and interactive water features, supplied by Polo Amusement. It’s all action in the 3,600-metre Arctic Waves pool, with waves by Ionex Engineering. Those wanting to take it easy can float along the 400-metre-long Snow River that circles Penguin Bay. An RFID wristband system will be used to pay for
food, beverage and other items. The technology also doubles as a location device for lost children, offering piece of mind for parents relaxing in one of the 17 cabanas or gazeobos available for hire. Should they wish to surf – without getting wet – wireless internet access is available throughout the park. Walking around the waterpark promises to be comfortable thanks to shaded paths and soft flooring. This responsible addition on the part of the park’s owners is also very sensible given the size of the facility.
JULY 2010
“This will be the only waterpark in the world that will be fully synthetically covered underfoot,” highlights Singh Chawla. “When it’s hot, it will still be very comfortable to walk on, and there should be no slips and falls. When I go somewhere with my family, I want it to be safe.” Designed by Polo Consulting and Creative
Fabrication and Theming in India, Ice Land’s theming was executed on site by a team of Indian, Pakistani, Bangladeshi and Sri Lankan workers. Such manpower helped keep costs down, giving Polo a competitive advantage that ultimately won it the contract for the entire resort.
Sheikh’s Vision
Under the leadership of Sheikh Saud Bin Saqr Al Qasimi, RAK’s rulers had been wanting to build a theme park for some time and had been in earlier discussions with a major European operator. Polo, which had originally been considering building a waterpark in Australia, came along with a more cost effective option. RAK’s tax-free status and the fact it is just a three-hour flight from the company’s base in Delhi appealed to Polo. As the operator of two Fun ‘n’ Food Village resorts in India, the company has perfected a business model based on low spending guests (see “Polo in Uzbekistan” over the page). However, in line with the local competition, admission to Ice Land will be significantly higher. The nearest waterpark is Dreamland Aqua Park in Umm Al-Quwain, which charges AED115 ($31/€26), while Wild Wadi and Aquaventure in Dubai both command entry fees of AED200 ($55/€45). “I don’t look at other parks as competition,” declares Singh Chawla. “If people go to one park and have a good time, then they are going to go to another park. As more and more destinations open, operators will have to keep the quality up.” With just 300,000 residents in Ras Al Khaimah, the biggest challenge for WOW RAK will be coaxing
“
The
definition of 'amusement' should be what people don't see every day. Everyone here is going for local
themes with the ocean, palm trees etc. We wanted to do something that was not here in the Middle East
Balwant Singh Chawla, Polo RAK Amusement
”
An aeriel view of the waterpark 31
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