Friday, March 29, 2024

Croatia’s First Waterpark Opens With Help From Polin

Istanbul, Turkey — In most countries around the world, waterpark fans need not travel far to find an oasis of aquatic fun and adventure. As their popularity has grown, so has the number of waterparks around the globe. But a few pockets of the world still exist where no waterparks are available for summer recreation. So when a waterpark finally opens in one of these barren locales, the public is exuberant with expectation and eagerness.

Such was the case in Croatia when that country’s first-ever waterpark opened in June. The Istralandia Aquapark has drawn crowds from far and wide as those who have never experienced the thrilling splash of a zip down a waterslide have travelled to the city of Istria. Owned by the construction firm Istrakop Ltd., a Poreč, Croatia-based company, the ground-breaking waterpark is located about an hour’s drive north of the city of Pula, near Brtonigla and Novigrad. It covers more than 8.1 hectares (20 acres) and exclusively features the award-winning waterslides of Polin Waterparks.

Istrakop spent €10 million (US$13.13 million) to build Istralandia and installed more than 1.2 kilometers (0.75 miles) of pipe beneath the park’s extensive grounds to supply the water that feeds such attractions as the park’s 27-meter-high (88.6-feet-high) waterslide and 2,500-square-meter (26,910-square-foot) wave pool, the largest in the Mediterranean. The pool creates 1-meter-high (3.2-feet-high) waves large enough for surfing. The facility pulls its water from local groundwater wells and recycles 90 percent of it. The additional 10 percent goes through a biological purifier.

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Istralandia offers a wide variety of entertainment options. Foam parties, dancing, cycling, diving and synchronized swimming provide fitness opportunities in the water, while Latin American dance classes, bowling, badminton and beach volleyball allow guests to get some exercise on land. Plus, the park offers the entertainment of magic shows and concerts at an amphitheatre that seats 500.But the aspects that intrigue guests the most – and keep them returning again and again – are the water rides. Specifically, guests can experience waterslides designed by waterslide manufacturer Polin that include:

Kamikaze. Expertly engineered to deliver high-speed thrills, this free-fall, 27-meter- (88.58-feet-) high slide features a 96-meter- (315-foot-) long undulating path that whisks guests along an exhilarating path that includes adrenaline-pumping drops.

Flying Boats. For a popular thrill ride that features splash boats, this attraction is available in two configurations: a downhill ride and an uphill, water-propelled, rollercoaster-style ride. Guests experience a 106-meter (348-feet) journey full of surprises as they are jetted up and down the ride’s tubes in one- and two-person inflatable rafts before an unexpected long drop and then splashing down.

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Black Hole + Family Rafting Slide Combination. This ride combination features tubes that allow four friends and family to experience the 138-meter-long (453-feet-long) slide together. The Black Hole portion of this ride consists of an enclosed tube slide, one of Polin’s most-popular rides due to its unique slide experience. This section of the ride includes a variety of exclusive special effects, including unique color impressions that are incorporated directly into each fiberglass tube. Riders are whisked through tunnels filled with dramatic visual effects as sunlight outside the tubes interacts with water sluicing inside the forms. Then, on the Rafting Slide portion of guests’ trip, they experience the exhilaration of being in an open-tube slide. All of the slides feature Polin’s exclusive resin-transfer molding (RTM) manufacturing technology, which makes the slides appealing not only to the riders but also to guests on the ground because both the interior and exterior of the tubes are smooth and shiny.

Kids’ Multislide. No matter what size a park is, it can include the attraction of this kid-sized multislide. This miniature version of Polin’s popular slide offers the option of using mats or going without. It’s 11-meter (36-feet) slide path allows kids to race head-to-head along four parallel paths.

Octopus Slide. Designed for children’s waterplay areas, this colorful attraction features six arms, three used as slides and three used as stairs. A giant mushroom replaces the octopus head to rain down droplets of water on little ones as they play beneath and around it.

Mini Pirate Slide. This interactive play center with a pirate theme includes numerous waterslides of different colors and types. It can fit compactly into any pool area and delivers fun, safety, function, comfort, innovation, capacity, entertainment, and ease of operation and maintenance.

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Frog Slide. One of Polin’s newest products, this frog works as an attractive and colorful addition to either the interior of a waterplay area or alongside it.

Clown Shower. Water flows from both thenose and boxing gloves of this pugilistic prankster. More than three guests can relax under its water shower together.

Aqua Tower Type 500. This version ofPolin’s multi-level waterplay structure features a pirate theme includes waterslides, valves, water cannons and many other attractions designed to enable little guests to have an unforgettable experience. It sits in a 1,000-square-meter (10,764-square-foot) shallow pool.

www.polin.com.tr

Joe Kleiman
Joe Kleimanhttp://wwww.themedreality.com
Raised in San Diego on theme parks, zoos, and IMAX films, InPark's Senior Correspondent Joe Kleiman would expand his childhood loves into two decades as a projectionist and theater director within the giant screen industry. In addition to his work in commercial and museum operations, Joe has volunteered his time to animal husbandry at leading facilities in California and Texas and has played a leading management role for a number of performing arts companies. Joe previously served as News Editor and has remained a contributing author to InPark Magazine since 2011. HIs writing has also appeared in Sound & Communications, LF Examiner, Jim Hill Media, The Planetarian, Behind the Thrills, and MiceChat His blog, ThemedReality.com takes an unconventional look at the attractions industry. Follow on twitter @ThemesRenewed Joe lives in Sacramento, California with his wife, dog, and a ghost.

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