World Waterpark
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| World Waterpark | |
|---|---|
The Blue Thunder wave pool as seen from a platform of the web of staircases used to access the slides. Sun Runner (the yellow slide), the Bungee Tower, and Raging Rapids are also visible in the background.
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| Location | Edmonton, West Edmonton Mall, Canada |
| Opened | 1986[1] |
| Area | 5 acres (20,000 m2)[2] |
| Pools | A single pool |
| Water slides | 23 water slides |
| Website | Official website |
World Waterpark is a water park located at West Edmonton Mall in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Opened to public in 1986, it is the world's second-largest indoor water park after the Tropical Islands Resort in Germany.[3][4] It has a maximum capacity of 5000 guests, an average temperature of 28 °C (82 °F), and contains the world's largest indoor wave pool with a capacity of 12.3 million litres.[5][6]
The highest slides in the park are Twister and Cyclone, which are both 83 feet (25 m) high.
On 2 December 2014, West Edmonton Mall permanently closed the Thunderbolt slide to make way for the Tsunami slide.[7]
On 21 September 2015, Howler closed to make way for a new slide.
Contents
Blue Thunder wave pool
This wave pool has six wave bays, each with 2 panels operated by a 1,500 horsepower (1,100 kW) hydraulic system. For many years, the (4) panels in the two outer wave bays have been disabled, apparently due to the waves being far too intense, resulting in injuries - with guests being thrown into each other when all 12 panels were operating, as they were in the 1980s.
Waves are generated (in 10 minutes on, 5 minutes off sessions) of approximately 5 to 6 feet, utilizing only the 8 active wave panels. It is arguably the most popular attraction in the park, as many swimmers (most with yellow inner tubes) can be found bobbing in the water. The start of every session is marked with a loud air horn blast, warning swimmers to be ready for a wave to flip them over. Every now and then, the large crowd of people in the pool will jokingly scream after hearing the air horn, a common behavior among frequent users of the wavepool.[original research?]
Most evenings, after regular park business hours, the Blue Thunder wave pool is used by clubs for surfing, kayaking, and stand-up paddle boarding. For these activities, the waves are often programmed for increased intensity and continuous operation.
Slides
Beginner slides
| Slide | 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 fast 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. Parents are allowed to take their children with them on this slide. |
| 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. |
| Sun Runner | A yellow slide designed for rafts that can support a maximum three people. Single tubes are also permitted. 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 one of the only slides 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. |
| Caribbean Cove | A large play structure constructed in 2008 to replace The Little Caribbean! Caribbean Cove contains 3 slides, pipes, pull ropes, water buckets, rope walks, and a 1200-liter bucket that dumps water down the front of the structure every 2 minutes. The water level is less than a few centimeters deep, making it ideal for small children. Note: Parents may not slide with a child on their lap; only one slider at a time. |
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. It is considered by some to be the most exhilarating slide in the World Waterpark, providing the slider with continued and sustained momentum. The slide drops into a 3' splashdown pool. The Blue Bullet was closed in 2007 and the original chute was removed from the park in July 2008, due to too many injuries sustained by sliders. However, the slide reopened later in November 2008, having been removed and replaced with a new slide of the same name and is now totally enclosed and does not drop into a splashdown pool. Sliders must be at least 48 inches (1.2m or 4 feet) tall to ride. |
| Corkscrew | A completely enclosed slide that twirls and twists into a 1.2m (4 feet) deep pool of water, thus its name, Corkscrew. It is one of the several slides that has retained its original form. Parents may catch their children at the bottom but they may not slide together. Tubes are permitted but lifejackets (PFDs) are not. |
| Raging Rapids | A lazy river ride that has two sides. One side suddenly sends riders down a spiralling drop and into a tunnel, which comes out at the end of the attraction. The other side starts off the same but instead of entering a tunnel, riders enter a long stretch of river which eventually drops out to the splash down pool 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. This slide is now permanently closed for future development. |
Advanced slide
| Slide | Description |
|---|---|
| Twister | One of the two highest slides in the park, partially enclosed, lots of twists and turns. Drops into a 1.2m (4 feet) deep 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. Parents may catch their children at the bottom but they may not slide together. Tubes are permitted but lifejackets (PFDs) are not. Along with Corkscrew 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 2000s (the original Sky Screamer was removed in early 2011), Raging Rapids was shortened, the Cannonball was replaced by Tropical Typhoon and the Blue Bullet was removed and completely redone, the Thunderbolt was replaced with Tsunami, and the Howler closed to make way for a new slide. |
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 2000s, Nessie's Revenge was painted purple. Since the removal of the original Sky Screamer, the splashdown pool for Nessie's Revenge is smaller. Sliders must be at least 4 feet tall to ride. |
| 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. Tropical Typhoon is often nicknamed the "Toilet Bowl." 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. Sliders must be at least 4 feet tall to ride. |
| Sky Screamer Extreme | Modelled similar to the original Sky Screamer, but begins with a vertical trap door at the top. One is an open yellow vertical slide, while the other is an enclosed blue one. Unlike the original Sky Screamer, both slides end in a splashdown chute similar to Blue Bullet. As of July 29,
2011 the Sky Screamer Extreme slides are now open. Note: To ride this slide, Sliders must be at least 10 years old, weight between 90 lbs (40 kg) and 300 lbs maximum (136 kg and be at least 4.3 feet tall 1.3m tall. |
| Cyclone | The Cyclone is slide built by WhiteWater West of Richmond, British Columbia. It is a purple/pink colour. The slide starts at the top of Twister. Sliders enter a capsule with a vertical trap door. Once inside the capsule the floor disappears and sliders zoom down a straight drop before the gravity defying loop, eventually ending up at the splashdown chute beside Sky Screamer Extreme. Opened as of August 8, 2011, it is one of the most extreme waterslides in Canada. Calypso Waterpark located East of Ottawa, Ontario hosts Canada's 2nd and 3rd AquaLoop waterslides. Note: To ride the Cyclone, sliders must be at least 10 years old, weight between 90 ;lbs (40;kg) and 300 lbs 136 kg and be at least 4.3 feet tall (1.3m) tall. |
Decommissioned slides
| Slide | Description |
|---|---|
| Thunderbolt (former name: White Lightning) |
This popular and unique slide used Aqua Skoot sleds. Riders went down one of a pair of fast and steep slides, on a special sled. The sleds flew into a long pool of water that gradually got shallower. Most riders skipped along the water to the end, but there was a chance of a harmless wipeout. A padded barrier was added to the middle of the pool to prevent the risk of adjacent sliders crashing into each other. Removed for installation of the Tsunami Flowrider. |
| Howler | A dark slide that was around 3/4 enclosed, which drops riders into a 1.2m (4 feet) deep splashdown pool. Howler offered a lot of thrill, as it throwed riders around in the dark without warning. Parents would catch their children at the bottom but they may not slide together. Tubes was permitted but PFDs (lifejackets) was not. The left chute has been shut down for over a decade, due to the presence of an unsafe high speed 90 degree right corner part way down the chute. Closed September 21, 2015 to make way for a new slide. |
| Geronimo's Jump | A triple slide with straight blue chutes which would send sliders freefalling into a 10 foot deep splashdown pool. Removed for the area to be converted to Tap Works. |
| The Little Caribbean | Another play area with three small slides and a bumper boats area, a step up from Dolphin Kiddie Pool. Contained a water playground with adjustable fountains, a tire swing and mini inflatable boats. Along with Tap Works, The Little Caribbean was permanently closed to make way for the Caribbean Cove in 2008. |
| Sky Screamer (original slide) | An extremely steep, bright red slide. It was painted red in 2004, before being removed in February 2011 to make way for three new slides (Sky Screamer Extreme slides and the Cyclone.) |
| Tap Works | Another kids play park, this time revolving around taps and pipes. It contained lots of adjusting wheels for kids to change the flow of water, as well as several high-powered water guns. |
| Cannon Ball Run | A twirly Chute colored like Corkscrew (olive green); it was torn down and in its place was put Tropical Typhoon. |
Additional attractions
| Ride | Description |
|---|---|
| Tsunami | FlowRider sheet wave surf simulator for flowboarding and bodyboarding. Opened January, 2015. Additional charge attraction, with hourly rate. Minimum rider height for flowboard is 48 inches, and for bodyboard is 42 inches. |
| Linetech Ziplines | World's largest permanent indoor zipline,[8] at 450 feet length. Linetech ziplines start at the southwest corner of the waterpark and traverse the Blue Thunder wave pool to just past the Dolphin-themed children's area. Additional charge attraction, accessible to both waterpark guests, and general public. Can accommodate four riders at once. |
| Bungee Jump | Currently not in operation. Bungee tower remains intact. |
Other information
World Waterpark also has two hot tubs: one double and one single.
Concessions:
- Beachview Bar/Snacks
- Piña Colada Bar
- Coconut Grove
- Coca-Cola Freestyle (3 locations)
Former:
- Hot Dog Hut
Tubes and PFDs (lifejackets) can be rented at Sharky's Supply Shack.
Gallery
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Sky Screamer and Nessie's Revenge - side view
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Blue Bullet prior to renovations
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L-R Thunderbolt, Nessie's Revenge, Sky Screamer
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Blue Thunder Wave Pool -6FT Waves
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Sky Screamer
External links
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References
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- ↑ http://www.wem.ca/play/attractions-at-wem/world-waterpark/slide-closures
- ↑ http://linetechziplines.com/
