At the World Waterpark Association Show in Las Vegas, WhiteWater received Leading Edge Awards for outstanding work in five projects:
- Meryal Waterpark
- The Rise of Icarus at Mt. Olympus Water and Theme Park
- Wilderness at the Smokies
- Aquascope
- Royal Caribbean Icon of the Seas
Meryal Waterpark
Spread over 60 acres, Meryal Waterpark in Lusail hosts 69 attractions for a wide demographic – from aquatic play for young children to high-thrill water slides – all in a setting that pays homage to Qatar’s oil and gas heritage. The most notable feature at the park is the Icon Tower. The water slide tower measures at 85 meters (278 feet) and houses 12 slides. Other remarkable attractions include three Abyss funnel slides, one of which is suspended 40 meters (131 feet) in the air, the Middle East’s first Walhalla – a six-person raft ride at up to 50 km/h (31 mph) – and the Middle East’s first SlideWheel®.
The Rise of Icarus
Having unveiled the first SlideWheel in the Western Hemisphere in 2022, Mt. Olympus Water and Theme Park continued in 2024 with another endeavour: the tallest water slide tower in the Americas – The Rise of Icarus. The tower soars 160 feet (48 meters) into the air and is themed with vibrant colors. Aptly named “The Fall,” the tallest water slide is a High-Speed AquaTube launching from 145 feet (44 meters) above ground, through a length of 780 feet (237 meters), at speeds of up to 30 mph (48 km/h). Four more body slides on the tower provide a mix of smooth yet thrilling ride experiences.
World’s first Reverse AquaLucent slide at Wilderness at the Smokies
For its 15th anniversary, Wilderness at the Smokies in Sevierville, Tennessee, celebrated with a 3,716-square-meter (40,000-square-foot) expansion of its Wild WaterDome. One of the major highlights was the opening of “Ridge Runner,” a three-story Master Blaster featuring the world’s first Reverse AquaLucent effects – colorful spellbinding patterns on translucent flumes. The ride experience includes uphill blasts and heart-pounding drops at speeds of up to 46 km/h (29 mph).
Kids’ area at Aquascope
Futurocope in France opened a new waterpark this year called, “Aquascope,” featuring Europe’s first aquatic cinema. Delighting the little ones with an underwater theme is “La Faille de Kraki,” a kids’ zone – complete with AquaSplash and AquaSpray Toys – centered around a friendly octopus whose tentacles have transformed into slides.
A cruise ship staple: FlowRider® on board Icon of the Seas
Since the first FlowRider was sold to Royal Caribbean in 2006, the stationary surf product has been a staple for the cruise line, including for Icon of the Seas. To date, 24 FlowRider Doubles are spread across 20 Royal Caribbean ships.
“It’s an absolute privilege to be able to work with these ambitious clients,” said Onno Meeter, WhiteWater’s President, Water Parks. “Our teams thrive on challenges such as those that these award-winning projects presented. Groundbreaking parks like Meryal give us the opportunity to find innovative solutions that drive the attractions industry forward.”
“The Leading Edge Awards showcase the collaboration of suppliers, designers and clients to create these exceptional projects,” added Doug Smith, Global Head of Sales. “They are located in different corners of the world and vary in size and scope, yet they all show a very high level of creativity and dedication. Congratulations to all the teams!”
