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can amplify a resort’s unique surroundings and fulfill on the water park’s
promise of “something for everyone.”
“There’s a certain allure in being able to float along the river and
have the waterfalls going and music in the background,” says Reinery
Martinez, resort manager at the The
Bonita Springs, Florida, resort is a microcosm of its tropical surround-
ings, including a 1,000-foot-long (305 meters) lazy river called Alligator
Alley, two freeform lagoon pools with waterfalls called Paradise East and
Paradise West, a zero-entry children’s pool, and an adults-only lap pool.
“Our lazy river has three different sound zones. As you’re floating
through the rapids, you might have jungle music playing, then you’ll float
into a more serene area with birdsong, and toward the exit, we’ll have
calypso music playing,” Martinez says. The background music, splash-
ing waterfalls, and canopy of foliage also create a “wow” factor for
prospects touring the property.
in San Antonio, Texas, is ideally located for a
favorite Hill Country activity: floating down a river in an inner tube.
However, getting to a river, renting an inner tube, then returning to the
resort after you’ve been on the river for an hour or two can be more hec-
tic than relaxing. So Wild Oak Ranch convinces vacationing families to
stay put and enjoy its lazy river and zero-entry sandy beach right on site.
The resort also has indoor/outdoor heated pools, poolside cabanas,
water slides, water volleyball and basketball, and a cactus-themed
splash pad.
“You feel very much like you’re out in the Hill Country, with the lush
oak and cypress trees and beautiful landscaping,” says Jami
Champagne, senior resort manager. “You get the experience
of tubing on the river, but it’s super-relaxing. You’ll see 70-
year-olds floating along as much as you see teenagers or lit-
tle kids.” Champagne adds that the resort provides double
tubes for couples or families who don’t want to get separated
on the river, and even infant tubes with the bottom in them,
so parents can safely float around the river with their babies
and toddlers.
Safety Rules
While water parks tend to be safer than playing in the ocean,
a river, or a lake, they demand safety measures geared to the
equipment and terrain.
“We work diligently to ensure the safety of our guests
and owners,” Champagne says. Associates
certified in CPR and first aid patrol the pool
areas, and TV monitors mounted at the top
of each water slide keep riders from piling
into each other at the bottom. During peak
season, staff members monitor water
slides, adding an extra layer of safety.
Massanutten WaterPark is staffed by
Red Cross–certified lifeguards and atten-
dants trained in first aid, CPR, and the use of
automated defibrillators (AEDs), and life-
guards receive additional certifications in
oxygen and water-rescue skills. The Red
Cross performs unannounced quarterly
audits, testing randomly selected staff in team rescue scenarios.
Everyone who steps aboard Bay Gardens’ Splash Island Water Park
must be over the age of 6 and wearing a life vest. The park is staffed by
three to six lifeguards certified in open-water rescue.
Sparkly and Sustainable
“Anytime someone gets out of a body of water, they take about a gallon
of water with their swimsuit,” says Dana Staniunas, Massanutten’s
director of recreation and the day-to-day manager of the water park.
That means conserving the 20,000 to 25,000 gallons (76,000 to 95,000
liters) of water the park uses on an average day is a big deal. Most of the
runoff is captured by drains near slides and wave pool exits and flows
back to the pump room, where it goes through a three-step filtration
system — first sand, then chlorine, and finally UV purification — before
it’s reintroduced into the water park. A maintenance team tests water
chemistry throughout the day.
With a ready supply of clean seawater, Splash Island Water Park
focuses on keeping the structure free of algae and barnacles. Water fea-
tures are cleaned daily using products that won’t harm the coexisting
ecosystem.
Weighing Benefits and Costs
For all its sizzle and potential for long-term profit, adding a water park
should not be undertaken lightly, advise those who’ve done it.
Bottom line, Krohn says, “It costs more to operate than you would
expect it to, it will wind up costing more to build than you would expect
it to, and it has to stay fresh, so you have to constantly bring in new fea-
tures, retail options, [and] restaurant options.”
While six resorts opened water parks in 2015, Hotel & Leisure
Advisors also noted that two more closed their indoor water parks
because the profit didn’t justify operating costs.
“I guess the best advice I would say is do your homework,” Krohn
advises. “This is obviously a very technical physical facility and eco-
nomic operation, so hire the right expertise. Whether the facility will be
appealing and financially viable is really site-specific. We felt like we had
the right site and we knew our owner base was interested in doing it.
That made it easier for us.”
Joyce Hadley Copeland, based in Tucson, Arizona, contributes regularly to
travel and hospitality publications and websites.
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HYATT WILD OAK RANCH
(SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS)