have an ADA switch, which is effectively a lateral track switch, which houses our ride vehicle - be it a rapids ride boat or a flume boat - in a separate location, so guests don’t feel rushed. And it allows us to maintain our dispatch interval on our main ride centre line.” Water rides are also a wonderful way to engage guests, offering opportunities for interactivity. Building on the idea of water rides as an anchor ride, Sall states: “There is this notion of passive capacity with water rides. People love to watch them, even without directly going on the ride if they don’t want to get wet. Water rides tend to be something of a gathering place within a park.” “Our flume ride in Phu Quoc is an ‘instagrammable’ spot which guests have really sought out themselves. We’re now looking at water gun placement so visitors can get guests who are riding wet, and make those who don’t want to get wet more of a part of the experience”, adds Pascua.
There is no denying the fact that guests love water rides. But operators can still be hesitant when it comes to putting them in parks, and indeed, from capital spending and planning, through to engineering, installation and operational standpoints, the requirements of water rides do differ from those of roller coasters or flat rides. But not so much that it should be prohibitive.
Water rides are well worth it
Smith states: “I can certainly understand why water rides might seem a little intimidating. But development time is not that different when we compare it to that of a medium-sized or large roller coaster.”
He adds that both roller coasters and, for example, flumes, require an equally comprehensive survey process. The steps within this process might be different, because you are building a different kind of ride, but it is no more or less
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detailed. “Pouring flumes or ride trough concrete is really not that different from anchor bolts on a pedestal [for a roller coaster],” concludes Smith. When it comes to water rides, the problem of corrosion is worth mentioning. It can be particularly bothersome in regions of the world where there is frequent rain and high humidity, such as South East Asia, and operators do need to bear the issue in mind. Pascua explains: “Staying on top of maintenance is essential with water rides but it is well worth it. At VinWonders, refurbishment is done in phases so as not to impact peak season.”
Some operators might have concerns over the seasonality aspect as well. In countries where the weather is cooler outside of the summer months, will guests be less inclined to go on a water ride? This is where the power of strong theming and storytelling comes in. “Focus on the experience. People want to experience something they can’t at home and they want to be immersed and connected emotionally. The better you can create great theming and a story the easier it will be to get good capacity during cooler months”, says Smith.
Operators of parks in temperate climates will also want to consider that when the warmer weather does arrive, water rides are going to be exactly what their guests will want.
Other areas of potential concern are cost and sustainability. Water rides might have enjoyed immense and sustained popularity since the 1960s, but it also took a great deal of power to generate these rides, which meant parks faced considerable electricity costs. However, things have changed thanks to today’s advances in technology.
Variable frequency drives are one example of new technology making for massive energy savings.
JUNE 2023
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