World Waterpark
World Waterpark
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The Blue Thunder Wavepool 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
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Opened
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1986
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Area
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30 acres (120,000 m2)
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Pools
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A single pool
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Water slides
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23 water slides
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World Waterpark is the world's largest indoor waterpark (as Tropical Islands
Resort, Germany is not all waterpark). The World
Waterpark opened to public in 1986. It is located in the West Edmonton Mall in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. It has a maximum capacity of 40,000 guests,
an average temperature for the water of 30-33 °C (86-89 °F),
and is the world's largest indoor wave pool holding 12.3 million litres. The
highest slides in the park are Twister and Cyclone, which are both 83 feet
(25 m) high.
Facility's Common
Rules
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All patrons must ride feet first on the slides.
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Patrons may sit up (to go slow) or lay down (to go fast) on all
slides with the exceptions of: Blue Bullet (only allowed to lay down), Tropical
Typhoon (only allowed to lay down), Cyclone (only allowed to lay down), Sky
Screamer Extreme (only allowed to lay down), and the Thunderbolt (only allowed
to sit up).
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Tubes are allowed on: Twister, Howler, Corkscrew, Sun Runner,
Raging Rapids, and the Blue Thunder Wavepool.
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Lifejackets are only allowed on: Caribbean Cruiser, Caribbean
Cove, Thunderbolt, Blue Thunder Wavepool, Sun Runner, and Raging Rapids.
Lifejackets are not allowed on the other larger slides.
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All patrons must go down one rider at a time with the exceptions
of: Caribbean Cruiser and Sun Runner.
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There is only one person allowed per tube. Patrons are not
allowed to have children on their laps on slides or in the wavepool for safety
purposes.
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Denim shorts and wetsuits are not permitted on the slides. It is
recommended that you do not take eyeglasses or jewelry on the slides.
Blue Thunder Wavepool
This
wavepool that has 5 wave panels with 1,500 horsepower (1,100 kW)
generating waves (in 5 to 10 minute sessions) of approximately 5–6 feet. It is
arguably the most popular attraction in the park, as many swimmers (most with
blue 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 pool will jokingly
scream after hearing the air horn, a common habit among those who frequently
use the Wavepool.
The Slides
A collection of waterslides.
Visible in this photo are the Howler, Twister, and the old chute of Blue
Bullet.
Beginner slides
Slide
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Description
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Caribbean Cruiser
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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.
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Dolphin Kiddie Pool
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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.
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Sun Runner
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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.
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Caribbean Cove
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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.
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Intermediate slides
Slide
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Description
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Blue Bullet
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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.
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Corkscrew
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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.
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Raging Rapids
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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.
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Advanced slide
Thunderbolt sled slide
at World Waterpark.
Slide
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Description
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Howler
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A dark slide that is around 3/4 enclosed,
which drops into a 1.2m (4 feet) deep splashdown pool. Howler offers a lot of
thrill, as it throws riders around in the dark without warning. Parents may
catch their children at the bottom but they may not slide together. Tubes are
permitted but PFDs (lifejackets) are not. Only one of the two chutes is
currently in operation. The other 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.
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Thunderbolt
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This popular and unique slide is centred on
sleds. Riders go down a fast and steep slide, which is essentially a baby
version of Sky Screamer, 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. Riders must be at least 4 feet tall to slide.
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Twister
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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 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 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.
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Extreme slides
Nessie's Revenge (purple) and the original Sky
Screamer (red) at World Waterpark. Also visible is Tropical Typhoon (the blue
slide) and the Corkscrew (the green slide behind Nessie's Revenge).
Slide
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Description
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Nessie's Revenge
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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.
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Tropical Typhoon
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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.
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Sky Screamer Extreme
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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.
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Cyclone
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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.
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Slide
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Description
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Geronimo's Jump
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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.
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The Little Caribbean
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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.
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Sky Screamer (original slide)
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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.)
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Tap Works
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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.
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Cannon Ball Run
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A twirly Chute colored like Corkscrew (olive green); it was torn
down and in its place was put Tropical Typhoon.
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Other Information
The Waterpark also has two hot tubs, one double and one single.
The Waterpark is also the host to two bars: Piña Colada and
Beachview Bar, which sell alcoholic beverages. There is also Coconut Grove,
which sells different kinds of food such as hamburgers and French fries. Snacks
can be purchased at Beachview Snacks. Hot Dog Hut also sells snacks and of
course, hot dogs.
Tubes and PFDs (lifejackets) can be rented at Sharky's Supply
Shack.
Source:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Waterpark
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