The World's Wildest Water Slides: Pictures
This summer, make your way to one of these 10 water slides and revel in one of humankind's most entertaining inventions.
As summer temperatures rise, the best piece of equipment to beat the heat is your air conditioner. That is, unless you make your way to an even more noteworthy piece of cool-inducing engineering: the water slide. The primary purpose of a water slide is to keep up the gs—with twists, turns and drops—while delaying the inevitable pull of gravity to the bottom. Building a slide that does this—safely, at least—is no easy task. This summer, head on over to one of these 10 water slides and revel in one of humankind's most entertaining inventions.
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Media Platforms Design Team
Scorpion's Tail
Noah's Ark Family Park, Wisconsin Dells, Wis.
Background: The Scorpion's Tail, designed by WhiteWater West of Canada, opened this Memorial Day and is the first capsule slide in America. It's 10 stories high and 400 feet long, with a near-vertical drop that takes riders plummeting at a rate of 50 feet per second.
Why It Stands Above the Rest: Instead of sitting down and pushing off down a steep slide, riders stand in a capsule for 3 seconds until the floor drops out beneath their feet. "You literally have no control," says Joe Heflin, senior vice president for News and Park Sales at WhiteWater West. "It's like falling down an elevator shaft."
The only thing to break the free-fall is the loop after the drop, which slows down the gravitational force of 2.6 g's. The control system for the ride, according to Heflin, is unique to water slides because it requires pumping water faster than gravity in order to lubricate the flume as the bodies slide down. In order to make a smooth (but no less-frightening) ride, water nozzles spraying mist are located every 3 to 4 feet from the top of the slide.
The capsule was also engineered using translucent fiberglass, providing optimal viewing of the thrill ride from the ground level.
Background: The Scorpion's Tail, designed by WhiteWater West of Canada, opened this Memorial Day and is the first capsule slide in America. It's 10 stories high and 400 feet long, with a near-vertical drop that takes riders plummeting at a rate of 50 feet per second.
Why It Stands Above the Rest: Instead of sitting down and pushing off down a steep slide, riders stand in a capsule for 3 seconds until the floor drops out beneath their feet. "You literally have no control," says Joe Heflin, senior vice president for News and Park Sales at WhiteWater West. "It's like falling down an elevator shaft."
The only thing to break the free-fall is the loop after the drop, which slows down the gravitational force of 2.6 g's. The control system for the ride, according to Heflin, is unique to water slides because it requires pumping water faster than gravity in order to lubricate the flume as the bodies slide down. In order to make a smooth (but no less-frightening) ride, water nozzles spraying mist are located every 3 to 4 feet from the top of the slide.
The capsule was also engineered using translucent fiberglass, providing optimal viewing of the thrill ride from the ground level.
2Media Platforms Design Team
The Wedgie
WhiteWater World, Dreamworld, Coomera, Australia
Background: The name says it all—the Wedgie on the Gold Coast in Australia has been setting swimsuits awry since March 2010. This slide, designed by ProSlide, has riders climb 58 feet in the air before the near-vertical free-fall drop through the narrow 32-inch enclosed tunnel.
Why It Stands Above the Rest: The Wedgie combines the unique free-fall sensation of the Scorpion's Tail with the intense speed of the Summit Plummet. During the initial free-fall into the ride, riders are instantly accelerated to top speeds of 38 feet per second. Powerful g-forces glue riders to the side of the wall the entire way around the tight 360-degree loop before the deceleration. Though the ride only lasts about 6 seconds, riders drop a total of 60 feet, making the slide no small engineering feat.
Background: The name says it all—the Wedgie on the Gold Coast in Australia has been setting swimsuits awry since March 2010. This slide, designed by ProSlide, has riders climb 58 feet in the air before the near-vertical free-fall drop through the narrow 32-inch enclosed tunnel.
Why It Stands Above the Rest: The Wedgie combines the unique free-fall sensation of the Scorpion's Tail with the intense speed of the Summit Plummet. During the initial free-fall into the ride, riders are instantly accelerated to top speeds of 38 feet per second. Powerful g-forces glue riders to the side of the wall the entire way around the tight 360-degree loop before the deceleration. Though the ride only lasts about 6 seconds, riders drop a total of 60 feet, making the slide no small engineering feat.
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Media Platforms Design Team
Summit Plummet
Walt Disney World's Blizzard Beach, Orlando, Fla.
Background: Summit Plummet is a high-speed water slide with an alarming 12-story drop. It is both the world's tallest and fastest free-fall body slide.
Why It Stands Above the Rest: After the initial shock-drop, the 360-foot-long Summit Plummet flume accelerates riders to an average speed of 50 to 60 mph. Just like coming to an unexpected stop at a red light, making the transition from a near-vertical drop to a horizontal finish can be startling—and difficult to engineer, according to ProSlide Technology's founder and president, Rick Hunter. In order to ensure safety without sacrificing speed, engineers need to calculate the right radius curves for a smooth landing.
Background: Summit Plummet is a high-speed water slide with an alarming 12-story drop. It is both the world's tallest and fastest free-fall body slide.
Why It Stands Above the Rest: After the initial shock-drop, the 360-foot-long Summit Plummet flume accelerates riders to an average speed of 50 to 60 mph. Just like coming to an unexpected stop at a red light, making the transition from a near-vertical drop to a horizontal finish can be startling—and difficult to engineer, according to ProSlide Technology's founder and president, Rick Hunter. In order to ensure safety without sacrificing speed, engineers need to calculate the right radius curves for a smooth landing.
4Media Platforms Design Team
The Triple Twist
Great Wolf Lodge, Mason, Ohio, and Kansas City, Kan.
Background: The Triple Twist opened at Great Wolf Lodge at King's Island in Mason, Ohio, and in Kansas City, Kan., this March. The five-story ride is ProSlide's first Topsy Turvy design and is like the half-pipe of water slides.
Why It Stands Above the Rest: The pair of triple-twist slides is the first of triple funnels in the world. It starts with riders sliding through back-to-back radius curves and high banking turns before an unexpected drop into a funnel where they oscillate back-and-forth and then return to the enclosed tunnel for more curves and yet more funnel action.
While most slides shut down at sundown, Great Wolf stays open thanks to LED lighting used to help riders anticipate sharp turns in the dark tunnels.
Background: The Triple Twist opened at Great Wolf Lodge at King's Island in Mason, Ohio, and in Kansas City, Kan., this March. The five-story ride is ProSlide's first Topsy Turvy design and is like the half-pipe of water slides.
Why It Stands Above the Rest: The pair of triple-twist slides is the first of triple funnels in the world. It starts with riders sliding through back-to-back radius curves and high banking turns before an unexpected drop into a funnel where they oscillate back-and-forth and then return to the enclosed tunnel for more curves and yet more funnel action.
While most slides shut down at sundown, Great Wolf stays open thanks to LED lighting used to help riders anticipate sharp turns in the dark tunnels.
5Media Platforms Design Team
The Double Barrel Drop
Great Wolf Lodge, Poconos, Pa.
Background: The Double Barrel Drop is based on ProSlide's Tantrum design, which includes a high-speed funnel, earning the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions award for Best New Water Ride Product in 2009. The Double Barrel Drop debuted this past spring alongside the Triple Twist at Great Wolf Lodge.
Why It Stands Above the Rest: From the park that brought the first triple-twist design, this is the first indoor double-funnel water slide at Great Wolf Lodge in the Pocono Mountains. Whereas a twist is one way to get people down a slide without dropping straight down, a funnel makes riders slide back-and-forth in the cone-shaped tube before splashing down into the exit pool.
The 9-foot-wide water slide drops into two huge funnels, where riders in a four-person tube swing and oscillate back-and-forth. "We call this a surprise adventure ride," ProSlide's Hunter says.
Background: The Double Barrel Drop is based on ProSlide's Tantrum design, which includes a high-speed funnel, earning the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions award for Best New Water Ride Product in 2009. The Double Barrel Drop debuted this past spring alongside the Triple Twist at Great Wolf Lodge.
Why It Stands Above the Rest: From the park that brought the first triple-twist design, this is the first indoor double-funnel water slide at Great Wolf Lodge in the Pocono Mountains. Whereas a twist is one way to get people down a slide without dropping straight down, a funnel makes riders slide back-and-forth in the cone-shaped tube before splashing down into the exit pool.
The 9-foot-wide water slide drops into two huge funnels, where riders in a four-person tube swing and oscillate back-and-forth. "We call this a surprise adventure ride," ProSlide's Hunter says.
6Media Platforms Design Team
The Wildebeest
Holiday World and Splashin' Safari, Santa Claus, Ind.
Background: The Wildebeest opened at Holiday World this April as a hydromagnetic water ride that includes seven drops, totaling 178 feet. The $5.5 million project is the second largest investment in the park's 64 years.
Why It Stands Above the Rest: Stretching one-third mile but lasting only 2-1/2 minutes, the Wildebeest is the world's longest water coaster. Wildebeest uses linear-induction motors to power four-person toboggan-style rafts. The technology, which is a common feature in steel roller coasters, makes the Wildebeest stand out as a slide—allowing it to move both downhill and uphill at 36 feet per second.
Background: The Wildebeest opened at Holiday World this April as a hydromagnetic water ride that includes seven drops, totaling 178 feet. The $5.5 million project is the second largest investment in the park's 64 years.
Why It Stands Above the Rest: Stretching one-third mile but lasting only 2-1/2 minutes, the Wildebeest is the world's longest water coaster. Wildebeest uses linear-induction motors to power four-person toboggan-style rafts. The technology, which is a common feature in steel roller coasters, makes the Wildebeest stand out as a slide—allowing it to move both downhill and uphill at 36 feet per second.
7Media Platforms Design Team
Bazooka Bowls
Wild Rivers Water Park, Irvine, Calif.
Background: Canada's Aquatic Amusement designed the Bazooka Bowls, which were built in-house by the park's construction staff in 2004. The Bazooka Bowls slide is only about 100 feet long, with two 40-foot-wide slides at the center.
Why It Stands Above the Rest: Most slides make use of twists, drops and funnels to send riders down with speed. Engineers of this ride chose to send passengers down in bowls. After riders are launched four stories high into the bowls, centrifugal forces keep riders on the bowl's wall until gravity pulls riders down and drops them into a pool. The spinning is so intense it's often difficult for riders to get their bearings once they drop out of the ride—even though it is less than a minute long.
Background: Canada's Aquatic Amusement designed the Bazooka Bowls, which were built in-house by the park's construction staff in 2004. The Bazooka Bowls slide is only about 100 feet long, with two 40-foot-wide slides at the center.
Why It Stands Above the Rest: Most slides make use of twists, drops and funnels to send riders down with speed. Engineers of this ride chose to send passengers down in bowls. After riders are launched four stories high into the bowls, centrifugal forces keep riders on the bowl's wall until gravity pulls riders down and drops them into a pool. The spinning is so intense it's often difficult for riders to get their bearings once they drop out of the ride—even though it is less than a minute long.
8Media Platforms Design Team
Cliffhanger
Schlitterbahn, Galveston, Texas
Background: ProSlide's Cliffhanger is more than 80 feet tall and does simple things to riders—drops them and stops them. Traditionally, Schlitterbahn manufactures all their slides in-house. The slide, which debuted in 2007, was part of a major park expansion, adding one-third of its size.
Why It Stands Above the Rest: The Cliffhanger may seem like just another giant vertical plunge, in which riders push off and drop straight down, but it distinguishes itself as the tallest, steepest and fastest ride of all four Schlitterbahn parks. In addition to reaching 35 miles per hour in a matter of seconds, engineers designed the slide as an open flume, so riders are fully aware of how high they are as they plummet to the exit pool.
Background: ProSlide's Cliffhanger is more than 80 feet tall and does simple things to riders—drops them and stops them. Traditionally, Schlitterbahn manufactures all their slides in-house. The slide, which debuted in 2007, was part of a major park expansion, adding one-third of its size.
Why It Stands Above the Rest: The Cliffhanger may seem like just another giant vertical plunge, in which riders push off and drop straight down, but it distinguishes itself as the tallest, steepest and fastest ride of all four Schlitterbahn parks. In addition to reaching 35 miles per hour in a matter of seconds, engineers designed the slide as an open flume, so riders are fully aware of how high they are as they plummet to the exit pool.
9Media Platforms Design Team
Leap of Faith
Atlantis, Paradise Island, Bahamas
Background: The Leap of Faith, part of Atlantis's 140-acre Aquaventure waterscape, is found in the life-size replica of a Mayan temple. This 60-foot-tall, nearly perpendicular slide ends in a clear, acrylic tunnel that transports sliders through a shark-filled lagoon.
Why It Stands Above the Rest: Although the Leap of Faith was designed as part of an overall waterscape, its embedded aquarium is one of a kind. Riders are separated from the sharks simply by translucent tubes, which are decidedly unappetizing to these predators of the sea.
Background: The Leap of Faith, part of Atlantis's 140-acre Aquaventure waterscape, is found in the life-size replica of a Mayan temple. This 60-foot-tall, nearly perpendicular slide ends in a clear, acrylic tunnel that transports sliders through a shark-filled lagoon.
Why It Stands Above the Rest: Although the Leap of Faith was designed as part of an overall waterscape, its embedded aquarium is one of a kind. Riders are separated from the sharks simply by translucent tubes, which are decidedly unappetizing to these predators of the sea.
10Media Platforms Design Team
Jumeirah Sceirah
Wild Wadi Waterpark, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Background: The Jumeirah Sceirah speed slide in Dubai, UAE, is a 100-foot plummet slide that accelerates riders to a high speed of 50 miles per hour.
Why It Stands Above the Rest: Though the Jumeirah Sceirah cannot stand up to Disney's Summit Plummet, it is the tallest and fastest vertical drop outside of North America.
It is perhaps the location the designers and park executives chose for the slide that makes it so unique. The design and attention to detail, including the theme of an Arabian folklore throughout Wild Wadi Waterpark, led to a World Water Park Association Industry Innovation Award for Outstanding Accomplishments in Design and Theme. The location and height of the slide offer up great views of many of Dubai's hottest attractions, including the Jumeira Area, Burj Al Arab and the Arabian Sea.
Background: The Jumeirah Sceirah speed slide in Dubai, UAE, is a 100-foot plummet slide that accelerates riders to a high speed of 50 miles per hour.
Why It Stands Above the Rest: Though the Jumeirah Sceirah cannot stand up to Disney's Summit Plummet, it is the tallest and fastest vertical drop outside of North America.
It is perhaps the location the designers and park executives chose for the slide that makes it so unique. The design and attention to detail, including the theme of an Arabian folklore throughout Wild Wadi Waterpark, led to a World Water Park Association Industry Innovation Award for Outstanding Accomplishments in Design and Theme. The location and height of the slide offer up great views of many of Dubai's hottest attractions, including the Jumeira Area, Burj Al Arab and the Arabian Sea.
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