A water park is an amusement park that features waterplay areas, such as water slides, splash pads, spraygrounds (water playgrounds), lazy rivers, or other recreational bathing environments. Water parks in more current states of development may also be equipped with some type of artificial surfing or bodyboarding environment such as a wave pool or a FlowRider.

Evolution of waterparks

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The very idea for a water park may have been inspired by a Hungarian spa. Some waterparks are more spa-oriented, e.g. Schwaben Quellen, a member of European Waterparks Association (EWA) has no water slides, but instead has lots of saunas, steam rooms, "adventure showers", and relaxation-oriented waterplay areas.

Waterparks emerging from spas continue to more closely resemble mountain resorts as they become four-season destinations. Therefore the whole amusement and leisure time industry is getting even more concentrated as the winter sports are mixing up with the summertime water rides - in time and space. A process of concentration can be observed in the hybrid segments of theme-, amusement-, and waterparks.

Waterparks have become increasingly popular since they began in the 1950's. The United States has the largest and most concentrated waterpark market, with over a thousand waterparks currently and dozens of new parks opening each year. Major organizations are IAAPA (International Associotion of Amusement Parks and Attractions; www.iaapa.org) and WWA (World Waterpark Association; www.waterparks.org).

With eighteen indoor water parks, Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin, is recognized as the "Water Park Capital of the World." It boasts America's largest indoor and outdoor water parks -- see Noah's Ark and Kalahari Resort).

Indoor water parks

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Indoor waterparks were a phenomenon that started in the Wisconsin Dells in the 1990s but have since caught on quickly in many areas. Usually resort hotels featuring massive indoor waterparks that are often reserved exclusively for overnight guests, companies like Great Wolf Resorts and Kalahari Resorts have branched out from their origin in the Dells to open new locations around the country. The largest indoor water park in the United States is the Water Park Of America in Bloomington Minnesota which opened in April 2006. The premier UK indoor waterpark is the Sandcastle Waterworld at Blackpool England which has a Master Blaster, the worlds longest inddor rollesr coaster style ride.

Water park-like spaces

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Spaces that are similar to waterparks include spas (a continuum from the original evolution of waterparks from spas), urban beaches, and splash pads, as well as smaller waterplay areas such as waterslides in many hotels and public pools. For example, the Delta Chelsea hotel in Toronto features a four story waterslide called the "corkscrew".

Water park locations

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Australia

• Magic Mountain in Adelaide, South Australia
• Wet'n'Wild Water World in the Gold Coast, Queensland
• Jamberoo Recreation Park in Jamberoo, New South Wales

Canada

• Magic Mountain in Moncton, New Brunswick
• Soak City, which is part of Ontario Place, in Toronto
• Wild Water Kingdom in Brampton, Ontario
• World Waterpark in West Edmonton Mall - the largest indoor waterpark in North America
• Village Vacances Valcartier, near Quebec city, Quebec - the largest waterpark in Canada
• Canada's Wonderland contains Splash Works just outside of Toronto, Ontario
• Casino Niagara in Niagara Falls, Ontario
• Great Wolf Lodge, also in Niagara Falls, Ontario
• Mont Saint Sauveur , north of Montreal , Quebec

Finland

• Serena Aqua Park in Espoo, near the Finnish capital Helsinki, the biggest indoor water amusement park in Europe, also a large outdoor section, many different pools and slides, a sauna
• Almost every Finnish spa has also a big water park department

France

• Seven Aqualand parks

Germany

• Schwaben Quellen in Stuttgart, Baden-Württemberg ("Schwabia Fountains" in English), a member of European Waterparks Association (EWA)
• Tropical Islands in Briesen, Brandenburg with the largest tropical indoor pool in the world

Greece

• Waterland in Thessaloniki ,Greece , a member of European Waterparks Association (EWA)

India

• Essel World in Mumbai
• Kishkinda in Chennai, Tamil Nadu
• Tikuji-Ni-Wadi in Thane, Maharashtra

Japan

• Ocean Dome in Miyazaki - the world's largest indoor waterpark

Latvia

• Livu akvaparks in Jurmala 20 kilometers from Riga
• Ventspils akvapars in Ventspils

Malaysia

• Sunway Lagoon in Kuala Lumpur

Netherlands

• Tikibad in Wassenaar

Norway

• Bø Sommarland in Bø

Portugal

• Aqualand Algarve

Russia

• Transvaal Park in Moscow - in 2004 27 people were killed when a roof collapsed

Spain

• Seven Aqualand parks

Sweden

• Aqua Nova in Borlänge
• Gustavsvik in Örebro
• Nordpoolen in Boden
• Paradisbadet in Örnsköldsvik

United Arab Emirates

• Dreamland Aqua Park in the Emirate of Umm al Quwain
• Wild Wadi Water Park in Jumeirah, Emirate of Dubai

United Kingdom

• Cariba Creek - a water park located at the Alton Towers theme park in Staffordshire, England. Residents of the on-site hotels get free admission to the water park.
• Sandcastle Waterworld at Blackpool, Lancashire is the water park with the world's longest indoor master blaster ride.
• Water World in Festival Park, Stoke-on-Trent, North Staffordshire, attracts over 400,000 visitors per year.
• Splashdown in Poole, Southern England, features over ten waterslides in a huge indoor facility and attracts thousands of visitors every year.

United States

Alabama

• Point Mallard Aquatic Center, Decatur, Alabama

Alaska

• H2Oasis, Anchorage, Alaska

Arizona

• Sunsplash Water Park, Mesa, Arizona
• Waterworld, Phoenix, Arizona
• Big Surf, Tempe, Arizona

California

• Golfland Sunsplash, Roseville, California
• Knott's Soak City USA, Buena Park, California, Chula Vista, California, and Palm Springs, California
• Raging Waters, San Dimas, California and San Jose, California
• Six Flags Hurricane Harbor, Valencia, California
• Wild Rivers, Irvine, California

Colorado

• Water World, Federal Heights, Colorado (in the Denver-Aurora metropolitan area)

Florida

• Disney's Blizzard Beach and Disney's Typhoon Lagoon, Lake Buena Vista, Florida (located at the Walt Disney World Resort)
• Wet 'n Wild, Orlando, Florida (owned by Universal Studios)
• Rapids Water Park, West Palm Beach, Florida
• Adventure Island, Tampa Bay, Florida

Georgia

• Six Flags White Water, Atlanta, Georgia
• Splash Island, Valdosta, Georgia

Hawaii

• Hawaiian Waters Adventure Park, Kapolei, Hawaii

Idaho

• Roaring Springs Waterpark, Meridian, Idaho

Indiana

• Splashing Safari, Santa Claus, Indiana (part of Holiday World)
• Tropicanoe Cove, Lafayette, Indiana (next to Columbian Park Zoo)

Illinois

• Splash Country, Aurora, Illinois

• Six Flags Hurricane Harbor, Gurnee, Illinois

• Magic Waters, Rockford, Illinois

Michigan

• Wild Water Adventure, near Muskegon, Michigan (located at Michigan's Adventure)

Minnesota

• Whitewater Country, Shakopee, Minnesota (located at Valleyfair)
• Water Park Of America - Bloomington Minnesota
• Grand Rios Water Park Hotel - Brooklyn Park
• Wildwoods Water Park Holiday Inn Hotel - Otsego

Missouri

• Oceans of Fun, Kansas City, Missouri
• White Water Branson, Branson, Missouri

New Hampshire

• Whale's Tale Water Park, Lincoln, New Hampshire

New Jersey

• Six Flags Hurricane Harbor, Jackson, New Jersey

New York

• Enchanted Forest/Water Safari, Old Forge, New York
• The Great Escape & Splashwater Kingdom, Queensbury, New York
• Martin's Fantasy Island, Grand Island, New York
• Raging Rivers, Rochester, New York
• Roseland Waterpark, Canandaigua, New York
• Six Flags Darien Lake, Darien Center, New York
• Splash Down Park, Fishkill, New York
• Splish Splash, Riverhead, New York
• Thunder Island, Fulton, New York
• Water Slide World, Lake George, New York
• Zoom Flume, East Durham, New York

North Carolina

• Wet 'n Wild, Greensboro, North Carolina (owned by Universal Studios)

Ohio

• Soak City at Cedar Point, Sandusky, Ohio
• Boomerang Bay at Paramount's Kings Island, in Mason, Ohio

Pennsylvania

• Sandcastle, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
• Splash Lagoon, Erie, Pennsylvania
• Wildwater Kingdom, Allentown, Pennsylvania

Tennessee

• Dollywood's Splash Country, Pigeon Forge, Tennessee

Texas

• Schlitterbahn, Galveston, Texas, New Braunfels, Texas (the largest in the United States), and South Padre Island, Texas
• Six Flags Hurricane Harbor, Arlington, Texas
• Six Flags Splashtown, Spring CDP in northern Harris County, Texas
• Splashtown San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas

Utah

• Raging Waters, Salt Lake City, Utah

Virginia

• Massanutten WaterPark, near Harrisonburg, Virginia (indoor/outdoor waterpark that opened in December 2005)
• Water Country, USA, near Williamsburg, Virginia
• SplashDown Water Park
• Water Mine Family Swimmin' Hole

Washington

• Slide Waters, Lake Chelan, Washington^*
• Wild Waves, Seattle, Washington^*

Wisconsin

• Kalahari Resort and Convention Center, (America's Largest Indoor Waterpark) ^*
• Noah's Ark, Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin
• The Waters of Minocqua, Minocqua, Wisconsin

Defunct Water Parks

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• Disney's River Country, Orlando, Florida
• Heritage USA, Fort Mill, South Carolina
• Manteca Waterslides, Manteca, California
• Six Flags WaterWorld, Houston, Texas
• Water Mania, Kissimmee, Florida
• Wet 'n Wild, Las Vegas, Nevada
• Wet 'n Wild, Garland, Texas

External links

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• World Waterpark Association
• European Waterpark Association
• Waterparks.com directory of waterparks
• IndoorWaterParks.net directory of indoor water parks

Water parks

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