They may not be quite as popular as theme parks, but water parks offer a great way to cool off on a hot summer’s day. They also offer a range of attractions, from the thrilling (towering water slides) to the relaxing (lazy rivers). Let’s take a look at the 10 most popular water parks in the world, based on the attendance figures published in the Themed Entertainment Association’s 2013 Global Attractions Attendance Report.
10. Resom Spa Castle (Deoksan, South Korea)
Image: Resom Spa Castle
2012 attendance: 1.16 million 2013 attendance:1.19 million (up 2.7%) Resom Spa Castle isn’t your average water park. Instead, it’s a “hot spring theme park”, based around 49°C Germanium water from a hot spring that is said to have healing qualities. It boasts 20 open-air pools and tubs, along with a selection of water slides and a wave pool. The headline slides are the Master Blaster water coaster and the three-story Speed Slide.
9. Wet ‘n Wild (Orlando, Florida)
Image: Universal
2012 attendance: 1.25 million 2013 attendance:1.26 million (up 1.0%) Wet ‘n Wild Orlando is located on International Drive, in the heart of Florida’s theme park hotspot. While the park is owned by Universal Orlando Resort parent Comcast, it features little theming and no attempt is made to tie it in with its sister parks. What it lacks in visual appeal when compared to Disney and SeaWorld’s water parks, it attempts to make up for in sheer volume – there are a large number of multi-person and solo slides on offer, as well as the usual lazy river and wave pool. The park also offers a variety of lake-based attractions for an extra fee in “The Wake Zone”, which operates from May through September.
8. Wet ‘n’ Wild Water World (Gold Coast, Australia)
2012 attendance: 1.20 million 2013 attendance:1.41 million (up 17.4%) Located next to Warner Bros. Movie World, Wet ‘n’ Wild Water World is open all year round. Originally known as Cade’s County Waterpark, it was renamed in 1987. Among the headline rides is Kamikaze, featuring two u-shaped, half-pipe-style slides that guests plummet down in two-person, inwards-facing tubes.
7. Aquatica (SeaWorld Orlando, Florida)
2012 attendance: 1.54 million 2013 attendance:1.55 million (up 1.0%) SeaWorld Orlando’s water park aims to combine the chain’s traditional marine life exhibits with the usual array of water slides, lazy rivers and wave pools. The majority of the attractions at the park, which features a South Pacific theme, could have been lifted from just about any water park. The Dolphin Plunge water slide and Loggerhead Lane lazy rivers, though, are both designed to offer views of Aquatica’s Commerson’s dolphins.
6. Caribbean Bay (Gyeonggi-Do, South Korea)
2012 attendance: 1.51 million 2013 attendance: 1.62 million (up 7.6%) Featuring indoor and outdoor areas, the enormous Caribbean Bay is located next to the popular Everland theme park. It hosts the world’s longest lazy river ride, as well as a host of slides and a huge wave pool.
5. Thermos Dos Laranjais (Olimpia, Brazil)
Image: Thermos Dos Laranjais 2012 attendance: 1.30 million 2013 attendance:1.65 million (up 26.9%) The fast-growing Thermos Dos Laranjais is the most popular water park in South America. Older guests can try out a range of speed slides and a surf pool, while young kids can try to climb to the top of the Mini Bubble, before plunging back down into the water below.
4. Ocean World (Gangwon-Do, South Korea)
Image: Daemyung Resort
2012 attendance: 1.72 million 2013 attendance:1.70 million (down 1.2%) Located in Vivaldi Park, one of Korea’s most popular ski resorts, Ocean World is set in the ancient forests of Hongcheon. It boasts an Egyptian theme, with replicas of the Sphinx, pyramids and obelisks. The indoor area features pools and slides, as well as a therapy centre. Outdoors, there 300-meter-long Monster Blaster sees riders being blasted uphill.
3. Blizzard Beach (Walt Disney World, Florida)
Image: Disney
2012 attendance: 1.93 million 2013 attendance:1.97 million (up 2.0%) The most recently-opened of Walt Disney World’s water parks, Blizzard Beach features an unusual theme based around a freak snow-storm that has hit Florida. The region’s first ski resort was thrown-up to take advantage, but subsequently “melted” – leaving behind the park’s array of slides and swimming pools. In keeping with the theme, the major attractions are centered around the towering Mount Gushmore, which features three slopes: Green Slope, Purple Slope and Red Slope.
2. Typhoon Lagoon (Walt Disney World, Florida)
Image: Disney
2012 attendance: 2.10 million 2013 attendance:2.14 million (up 2.0%) As its name suggests, Typhoon Lagoon is themed around a tropical paradise that has been struck by a typhoon. It features a variety of slides and pools that fit in with this backstory, which are incorporated into several themed areas: Hideaway Bay, Mount Mayday, Shark Reef and Typhoon Lagoon itself. The entire park is encircled by the Castaway Creek “lazy river”, with the headline attractions being the Crush ‘n’ Gusher water coaster and the world’s largest outdoor wave pool.
1. Chime-Long Water Park (Guangzhou, China)
Image: Chime-Long Park 2012 attendance: 2.02 million 2013 attendance: 2.17 million (up 7.5%) Part of the massive Chime-Long Paradise complex, Chime-Long Water Park is growing rapidly in attendance. It boasts a wide selection of attractions, including what it claims is the “largest themed water area in the world”, Hawaii Water Town.
