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downhill slide, a wave pool, and an activity area with spray jets and a
floating crosswalk.
The decision to add the water park fell in line with Massanutten’s
plans, in 2003, to increase its timeshare accommodations by 50 per-
cent. “We had a huge base to begin with, and the water park would
appeal to them, but we also had huge sales aspirations,” Krohn says.
“Clearly, having an additional large-scale amenity would help that sales
effort and the overall appeal of the resort.” The resort’s founders trav-
eled to large water parks in the Wisconsin Dells, the self-proclaimed
Water Park Capital of the World, to see firsthand what was popular, safe,
and reliable.
A hit since it opened in 2005, Massanutten WaterPark regularly
pops up on “best-of” lists, including USA Today’s 10Best Readers’
Choice–Best Indoor Water Parks in 2015.
Owners of Massanutten’s more than 1,300 timeshare units get dis-
counted admission to the water park. However, more than 40 percent of
visitors are day-trippers who drive in from metro areas such as
Baltimore, Maryland, and pay full admission. Many also rent equipment,
take surfing lessons, and dine at one of four on-site restaurants, making
it a key profit center.
Trends and Technology
Resorts, along with other leisure venues such as cruise ships and camp-
grounds, are following suit. According to Hotel & Leisure Advisors, a
hospitality-consulting firm, in Kissimmee,
Florida, was one of six resorts to add a water park in 2015, with the
opening of its 39,000-square-foot (3,623 square meters) Shipwreck
Island. Featuring a pirate ship, water slides, a lazy river, a children’s play
area, 16 private cabanas, and a steakhouse, the park is part of a trend in
designing water parks around a particular theme.
Today’s technology allows slides to follow any path imaginable,
moving riders up and down inclines and propelling them from side to
side. At some parks, riders can float from one ride to another without
having to stand in line. In larger commercial parks, faster rides mimic
amusement park experiences. Mini-versions of lazy rivers, wave ponds,
and slides cater to children who don’t meet the 42-inch (106 centimeters)
minimum height requirements for many rides. One of the hottest trends
is adding skill-based challenges, such as surfing and racing.
And, while most parks include seating areas for adults who prefer to
stay dry and watch the action, many grandparents want to join in the
fun. “It is certainly not just the children who enjoy it,” Krohn says, recall-
ing a silver-haired gentleman who tackled the surf simulator. “I don’t
know if the guy flew in from California, but he was upright and lookin’
cool. I was very envious.”
Going Natural
Floating just off-shore of on St. Lucia’s pop-
ular Reduit Beach, Splash Island Water Park is the first open-water
sports park in the eastern Caribbean. The inflatable structure is decked
out with obstacle course–style features, including a trampoline, climbing
wall, monkey bars, swing, slide, hurdles, double rocker, flip, and water
volleyball. It’s a less-intense version of the TV game show “Total Wipe
Out,” designed to appeal to a wide range of ages from 6 years to active
people in their 60s and 70s, says Julianna Ward-Destang.
As director of finance for Bay Gardens, Ward-Destang championed
the water park as a way to resuscitate the family-owned resort’s bottom
line after the recession.
“Your typical water park on the land is very expensive,” she says. “On
an island like St. Lucia, we have water shortages at different times in the
year and that would not have been a good fit.” She explains that the
Green Globe–certified property was looking for something that used min-
imal water and electricity and didn’t put a drain on the island’s resources.
The modular structure can quickly be dismantled, detached from its
anchor, and pulled to shore if a storm blows in.
Because there’s nothing else like it on the island, Bay Gardens’
new amenity has generated a
lot of buzz, increasing time-
share sales and adding rev-
enue from the newly opened
SeaGrapes Beach Bar, as well
as special events and day
passes sold to locals and
cruise ship passengers.
All About the
Experience
Not every resort water park has
to push the envelope to be a
guest favorite. The tried-and-true
lazy river and zero-entry beach
FROM THE
GROUND UP
RESORTDEVELOPER.COM vacation industry review
JULY – SEPTEMBER 2016
MOUNTAINSIDE VILLAS AT MASSANUTTEN’S
MASSANUTTEN WATERPARK (VIRGINIA)
WESTGATE TOWN CENTER’S SHIPWRECK
ISLAND (KISSIMMEE, FLORIDA)