story and photography by Eric Sandigo and Brian Szaks
People are drawn to water. In the heyday of amusement parks, most of the classic greats were located near a body of water. From Santa Monica Pier to Coney Island, the atmosphere would not be complete without the nearby sea. Being near the water doesn’t make for a great park, but certainly there is something about sparkling liquid which lures us there. There are many ways to create the excitement of water without bringing the ocean to your park. Using water as an attraction in a park is not limited to flume rides or shoot the chutes. Water can be used in a variety of ways to add entertainment value to a property without needing to wear a bathing suit.
This past autumn SeaWorld Orlando completed the second phase of its new Waterfront addition and renovation of the park. Drawing from seaside towns throughout the world, The Waterfront at SeaWorld attracts guests with unique shopping and dining venues. The most important element of this new area— water! Bordering a large lake in the center of the park, guests can find a variety of entertaining attractions all related to water. Using the sea as a theme, SeaWorld has created a convincing environment complete with waves crashing upon a family-friendly beach, while boats of all sorts are docked at the expansive promenade. By incorporating a child play area with water elements, SeaWorld guests have more to do on hot days and adds a nice touch to the overall theme of this new area.
In the center of the Waterfront lies The Oyster’s Secret, a combination merchandise location and attraction. Here park guests can choose a diver to swim to the bottom of a beautiful Greek-inspired grotto, and retrieve their selected oyster. A small celebration takes place upon the opening of an oyster accompanied by a host shouting, “Opa Opa Oyster!” Guests are encouraged to join in the festivities, many of them drawn to the area by the host who also educates the growing audience about the process of cultured pearls. In many ways, The Oyster’s Secret is a success in that it provides revenue to the park while amusing many who come to interact with the divers through glass walls of the lower level.
Throughout the day, SeaWorld guests strolling through the Waterfront are surprised by dramatic music filling the air as a water ballet takes place in the center of the lagoon. Fountains used for SeaWorld Orlando’s nighttime spectacular, Mistify, are given a dual function serving as an hourly daytime fountain show. This festive display of dancing water provides guests with an entertaining break between walking from one attraction to another. Though this daytime display is not specifically considered an attraction (as Mistify is), it certainly adds an enjoyable charm to the park.
In The Water
Heading over to Universal Orlando, the park has found success with its Woody Woodpecker’s Kid Zone that includes the water based kids play area, Curious George Goes to Town. This storybook-themed zone based on the popular character of the same name adds to the whimsical appeal of this area. More importantly, Curious George Goes to Town allows children of all ages to engage in water filled mischief of all kinds. The family-friendly attraction features a “town” surrounding a clock tower. The team that first fills the clock tower gets the opposing team soaked when enormous water-filled buckets dump on the side of the losing team. Throughout the play area, a variety of pranks can be found, soaking inattentive bystanders. Not to worry-parents who wish to observe their children’s safety can follow Curious George’s footsteps and avoid mischievous pranksters.
For toddlers, Curious George Goes to Town features a smaller section with gentle fountains and padded ground. Intended to be a kid-oriented attraction, children and children-at-heart are seen enjoying the wet mischief created by this attraction. Another great function of this area is that it provides an escape from the heat of a Florida summer in a park without water rides. During peak seasons, this area is quite busy with guests willing to leave soaking wet and beaming with a smile.
Next door at Universal’s Islands of Adventure (IOA), guests can find many water rides to cool themselves. What makes this and its partner, Universal Orlando, unique is that they have been designed around lagoons, and water plays an important role in the park’s environment. In the Lost Continent area at IOA, guests can find themselves interacting with the Mystic Fountain. This highly interactive attraction allows guests to speak with the spirit of the fountain who can be quite the mischief maker. The fountain sings to guests, tells them stories, and most importantly… blasts them with water. During the most unsuspecting moments the spirit of the fountain saturates guests with water spouting from surprising areas. Since the park’s opening, the Mystic Fountain has been a huge draw for the park. Guests wanting to get soaked can stand front and center while those wanting only to stand aside and watch may do so as others are tricked by the spirit of the fountain.
Park visitors are not drawn only to elaborate water theming elements. Even some of the most simple water fountains can bring about a lot of attention. In Disney’s Animal Kingdom, a simple fountain found amongst the busy streets of the Asian village of Anandapur attracts a lot of attention. While the fountain gives the rustic area a simple beauty, this fountain serves another purpose as children flock to touch the dome-like cascading water.
Beauty of Water
Water elements don’t have to be used to cool off guests. They can also catch their attention. Moving north, Silver Springs, a Florida-themed attraction, offers the Fantastic Fountains Water Show. Guests are seated in the newly-renovated Fantastic Theater where a colorful display of water is choreographed to a score celebrating America and classic tunes from the 50’s. Clearly, Silver Springs saw the entertainment potential that a show featuring only water could bring. Such attractions are designed by Waltzing Waters of Cape Coral Florida and can be found throughout the country in shopping malls, restaurants, FECs, and just about anywhere that large crowds can be drawn
Waterfalls and aquariums can also add to the beauty of theming as well. Having water cascade down an attraction sign or under a pathway can create a calming effect while drawing your guests in. Such is the case with the new Xcursions shop at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay or Mythos Restaurant at Universal’s Islands of Adventure. These water elements are surely eye-catching while serving the dual purpose of creating a relaxing environment.
Regardless of the demographic that a park attracts, water-based theming entices guests of all ages. Whether a water element is as simple as a fountain in a garden, or an elaborate backdrop for a merchandise venue, a liquid landscape certainly appeals to many on a variety of levels without the need to be the tallest or fastest…only the wettest.
