WnW 2010: Aqua Loop, Flowrider, Zipline, Skycoaster

[Rick]

Was the photo call today - no public riding. Pics - http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2377...75843&saved Rick.

[mattcrombie]

Today was testing for Staff. No Guest just yet

[themeparkgc]

A gallery and article from the Gold Coast Bulletin yesterday:

Wet'n'Wild's new AquaLoop set to thrill IMAGINE standing on a trapdoor in a futuristic clear tube 18m from the ground, anticipating a free fall reaching speeds of 60km/h. You look to each side to see friends or strangers, terrified because they don't know what they are about to experience or excited because they are adrenalin junkies eager for another high. The three-second countdown is given as you brace yourself for one of the world's most thrilling water slides, located right in the Gold Coast's backyard at Coomera. The 2.5 G-Force of the seven-second drop propels you through a loop; some make it all the way, while others get stuck and may need to use a trap door to exit. You can have that experience on Wet'n'Wild Water World's new AquaLoop, which was unveiled today just in time for the school holidays. NSW Tenterfield High School students, media, Gold Coast Suns captain Marc Lock and assistant coach Shaun Hart were given the chance to test ride the four slides. Lock said he felt more nervous before the ride than before a game. ''I've been to Wet'n'Wild a few times but no ride compares to this one,'' he said. ''To be deadset honest, I'm pretty nervous here, more nervous now compared to what I'd be before I play footy.'' Operations and entertainment director Matthew Croaker said the $3.5 million attraction had been in the works for the past few years. Mr Croaker said the theme park's research showed teens demanded more thrills. ''It's all about making sure that whatever attraction goes in is relevant to our guests so with all the research in place this seemed like the way to go,'' he said. ''It's one of the more thrilling rides in this half of the world.'' Lifeguard Matthew Sweetman gets to be Wet'n'Wild's guinea pig each morning, testing all the park's attractions. ''It (AquaLoop) is probably the most exciting ride that I've ever been on in my life,'' he said. ''This ride makes my day easier to wake up to. ''People start off shaking, excited, and then they come out with the biggest smile on their face, then they just run back up and have another go.''

[Gazza]

I came, I saw, I looped. Had a couple of hours free this arvo I didn't think I would have, so I headed into WnW to try this thing out..... Amazing! (No pics though, but the pics bloggers have been taking sum it up, nothing has changed since then) The AquaDrop slide wasn't working, the other four were though. So you head in, right at the entrance is a set of scales, and before you set off down the path your weight gets checked to make sure it sits between 40 and 130 (?) At the top there were plenty of lifeguards on hand, and it was a walk-on (The park was quiet due to the overcast and cool weather). The lifeguard has a little ignition key they use to unlock the capsule, and then release the slide. There's also a single control panel in the middle, so 4 people get dropped in sync. Warning signs tell you of the possibility of not making it, and assures you that the water will stop and nobody will come from behind you. In this case you just wait till you stop, then jump out of the slide. A female voice counts 3...2...1 and then the door snaps open, you are airborne for a fraction of a second, but you meet the slide again and rapidly build up speed, before you know it you're curving up. as you reach the apex you feel a little bit light (not weightless, but its still pretty cool). The second set of water injectors catch you, and you build up speed rapidly again as you complete the second half of the loop, and you can really feel the forces of the curve. The splashdown brings you to a stop, quite nicely actually, no wedgies or anything. My hot tip (Thanks to the lifeguard for telling me), but when you ride try looking up at the roof of the capsule rather than down at your feet. Doing this means you can see how far you are dropping (and at the same time, don't see what's ahead), you can appreciate the translucency of the slide, and you get no water spraying your eyes. If you ride the normal way you just get water in your face as is the norm with slides this big. One good point about the ride...It's pretty smooth! I was worried it might feel like a cheesegrater like some body slides, but it was fine. However, if you do ride lots and lots of times you'll still get red marks on your back and a little bit sore (after a while hitting the splashdown water does give your lats a bit of a pounding)...I gave up after my 25th ride As for bad points, the only real thing is that the landscaping hasn't been finished yet, so its just gravel underneath at the moment. Everything else is looking very polished, lots of nice chrome hand railings and Perspex. I can see the mini aqua drop being useful. I saw a few people hanging about up the top looking apprehensive, and eventually not riding. It'll also be good for younger kids who don't reach the minimum weight. You can tell it will be a capacity hog...no crappy operational procedures like the Wedgie! An engineer from Whitewater West was hanging about too, and I had a chat to him...One thing he was able to clear up was the reason for the access doors at the top of the loop...They're just for maintenance and nothing else...you can get a guy on a harness and rope down, good for if the sprayer heads need cleaning etc. So yeah, get out and ride it because it's heaps of fun and very re-rideable. Oh, and the thing by the wave pool will be called FlowRider, it's final name is on the park map.

Edited September 18, 2010 by Gazza

[themeparkgc]

I gave up after my 25th ride

Wow! It must have been empty. Was the FlowRider or Zip Line open?

[Gazza]

^Nah, i cant see any signs of the zipline, and the FlowRider is looking fairly close, fenced off, but the curved surface is installed and it has a nice big flowrider logo on it.

[Park Addict 93]

Well Zipline is not ready till summer according to their advertising. Probably going to head to WNW tomorrow to give this a shot... Hopefully it is a day like today...

[Bmull19]

Can I ask a question... Is it true you can't wear rashies (tight swimming shirts), t-shirts, and baggy pants and baggy board shorts?

[Gazza]

I went on with boardies...they weren't those massively long ones though. A girl that was wearing a tank top type thing was told no though. Edit: http://wetnwild.myfun.com.au/Attractions/Rides/AquaLoop.htm

No t-shirts, rash vests, loose clothing, eyewear, footwear, hats, large jewellery, watches, loose items or sharp objects.

Edited September 18, 2010 by Gazza

[Park Addict 93]

As if you would say no to a girl in a tank top... Anyway, how does it compare to Wedgie..

[Gazza]

^Much better for sure....The drop is bigger and the loop feels cool, it was also a bit smoother too. But the big thing for me was the efficiency of the ride, you could tell there was some logic to how the ride was set up, with one master control panel, but with each capsule having its controls mounted by the door, so the operator could get you all good to go without having to go to another control panel a few steps away. The spiel in the chamber was shorter too, which adds up in time savings. The ride was also free (by necessity) of that hideously frustrating thing they do at WWW where they put loose items in a bag, and send them down the slide, wasting a cycle, and then having to have the lifeguard at the bottom fish around for it in the splashdown trough.

[Gazza]

And here's the updated map, with Aqualoop, Flowrider and the Zip Line. Terror Canyon has been shopped out.

Edited September 19, 2010 by Gazza

[GoGoBoy]

Thanks for the map Gazza - I love seeing the updated maps. I still think Wet n Wild Sydney looks like it's going to be much better. Wet n Wild Gold Coast is just a mixed up jumble of random attractions now

[Gazza]

^I guess that's the fundamental difference between a park that is being master planned versus one that has sort of grown organically over the decades.

[GoGoBoy]

^I guess that's the fundamental difference between a park that is being master planned versus one that has sort of grown organically over the decades.

Very true. Definitely agree with that. Although I still question their decision to add 'dry rides'. Glad to see their new parks go back to traditional water park attractions (albeit the latest and most cutting edge)

[Intamin]

After going to Dreamworld yesterday and checking out TOT 2 (three times!!! woohoo), I headed over to Wet N wild at about 3:30. After having a ride on the surfrider, I went to watch the aqualoops, not going on them because I didn't have swimmers and it was very cold. In the time of watching for about 40 mins, there was two people who almost didn't make it around the loop, getting to the top and pushing themselves over the top of the loop and two people who actually didn't make it round, getting out of the escape hatch. At this time there were hardly anyone going on the slide, as the ride was a walk on. I also noticed that almost every time the lifeguards pressed the button, there would be one capsule that didn't drop. It wasn't the same one each time either. At the moment the ride looks a bit dodgy, with the trap doors not realeasing and the people not making it around. But, that won't stop me from going on them in my next visit.

[DaptoFunlandGuy]

Didn't know he had a brother - surprisingly his brother has the same job title as he does....

Operations and entertainment director Matthew Croaker said the $3.5 million attraction had been in the works for the past few years.

Journalists who can't get their info correct.... tut tut...

[Intamin]

Went on the Aqualoop today. Absolutely AWESOME!! Best water slide ever, by a long shot. Kicks the wedgie's butt. I waited about 20-30min (not bad for school holidays, the first reasonably warm day and that they only had 2 running, sometimes 3) It is amazing. Everyone has got to try it. Woo Hoo. I am on such a high.

[JD_bunnies_supporter]

Im assuming the Weight restrictions on this mean that the heavier you are, the less of a chance it is that you will complete the whole loop?

[Gazza]

I'm just speculating (Sorry Scott!) but I think perhaps an 85kg person would have the greatest chance of making it since it sits in the middle of the range, with odds decreasing as you become heavier or lighter, with the higher and lower weight cut off points being set where the chances of failing to make it become too high.

[themeparkgc]

The commercials were released online five days ago (There are heaps of variations at WNW's video page). The second video has some general footage of the attraction.

[Gazza]

I'm suprised on the version of the ad above that they only showed the start and end of the slide, and didn't show a shot of a silhouette of a person going around the loop.

[jdool16]

I was at Wet'n'Wild today and noticed a big white pole between mommoth and the lockers. I first of all thought that it was for the zipline but then i was getting food and sore that on the park map (not when you first walk in but next to the frozen coke store) had a FLY COASTER on it aswell. A fly coaster in Wet'n'Wild as well now they are making you pay to go onto 3 attractions.

[Gazza]

i was getting food and sore that on the park map

sore = when a part of your body hurts a bit. saw = when you see something with your eyes. Fly Coaster.....Interesting, guess it plugs the hole in the market from the closure of the one at surfers. As I have said in the past, up charges are fine so long as the addition of free attractions isn't neglected, so if you'll excuse me, I'm off to ride Aqualoop Edited December 3, 2010 by Gazza

[jakeman398]

I have seen this construction for quite a while and no-one else has mentioned it or known what it was for, thanks.