EDITOR'S NOTE: The author of this article is a community member and not a member of the site staff. We encourage all members of our community to submit similar op-ed pieces by e-mailing them to [email protected] for review by our editorial staff. Greetings water park enthusiasts! 2020 is going to be a big year for waterparks and enthusiasts alike. From the first dueling launched water coaster, to the longest mat racing slide complex, we have a lot to look at for 2020. So join me as I break down the top 3 slides that are sliding into my bucket list in 2020! I want to preface this by looking at what is a “waterpark revolution”. The waterpark revolution is a movement towards having the tallest, longest, or fastest slide around. Having the most of a certain type of aquatic attraction is another sought after superlative. I am optimistic of this movement that emphasizes innovation in the waterpark industry. Over the past decade we have seen many new types of slides and new attractions being introduced. 2020 in my opinion will be another year that this “Waterpark Revolution” continues to push on in the waterpark industry with my top three slides for 2020. Riptide Raceway at Worlds Of Fun’s Oceans of Fun Riptide Raceway is slated to be the latest waterpark addition coming to Worlds of Fun’s Oceans of Fun waterpark. This mat racer slide is slated to be the longest mat racer slide and will boast a whopping 486 foot long race that takes racers through dips, and turns all the way to the finish line. For myself, this deserves my #3 spot as this is going to be the longest mat racer slide anywhere. If you don’t know me, I’m a big fan of the longest, or fastest of the waterpark industry as I’m always looking for a more thrilling ride for my list. With all of this being said, Riptide Raceway is definitely on my 2020 bucket list and I’m looking forward to checking it out soon! Tsunami Surge Water Coaster at Six Flags Great America’s Hurricane Harbor Tsunami Surge Water Coaster is sliding into 2020 at Six Flags Great America’s Hurricane Harbor. Tsunami Surge Water Coaster is advertised to be the tallest water coaster in the world with a staggering height of 86 feet in the air. Tsunami Surge Water Coaster will propel riders at speeds of 28 mph and will take riders through twists and hair pin turns before the ride is over. I cannot lie I am a water coaster enthusiast above all else. To be the tallest of the water coaster class is a big deal for me, even greater is that it will feature the hair pin turns akin to the Saucer models. With such an advancement, this is a key sign that Six Flags, while still installing similar models, is continuing to strive for the best of the waterpark industry. Cheetah Chase at Holiday World’s Splashin’ Safari Cheetah Chase is arguably the best of the waterpark class in 2020. Chasing into Holiday World’s Splashin’ Safari, Cheetah Chase is the first ever dueling and the first launched water coaster takes everything we love in water coasters and puts them into one major attraction. From the RallyPOINTS, to the FlyingSAUCER elements, Cheetah Chase will be the most innovative and, in my opinion, have the best of every water coaster in two tracks. This is the latest pinnacle in advancement at Splashin’ Safari, as the waterpark already has two spectacular water coasters in Wildebeest and Mammoth. Both still today have accolades from all over the waterpark industry. I would argue that if you didn’t already have Splashin’ Safari as your main waterpark to get to in 2020, you should now. 2020 has a lot to look forward to, from record breaking water slides, to innovative firsts, there is all of this and so much more to see from waterparks in 2020. It is without a doubt that the Waterpark Revolution is in full force in 2020. However, I don’t think we should expect anything less in 2021 as we are only getting started. I still have a big wish list for the future, from Cedar Point Shores getting a water coaster, to Holiday World’s Splashin’ Safari finally getting a Drop Box; there are still many things I see us getting in the years to come. In conclusion, get out there to the waterparks this year, bring a bathing suit and catch some sun on some of the most thrilling slides in 2020! Stay tropical, Brad the Waterparker |
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