Summers are the best time to be out. Students are looking forward to enjoying their favorite summertime recreational activity – water parks. The water park is an excellent place to escape the sweltering heat. They also provide a dash of adrenaline with exciting rides and attractions. From a business point of view, running a water park might need a high initial investment. Yet, once famous and attracts repeating visitors, profits will roll in as floodgates opened. You can make revenue in terms of tickets, food & beverages, souvenirs, and associated merchandise. Yet, building a waterpark is not as simple as picking up the phone and calling a reputable water slides manufacturer. There are a lot of things to consider when it comes to waterpark construction and maintenance.
Stages of Waterpark Development
Right from planning to execution and finally inauguration, there are several stages. You can break down the overall steps of a waterpark development into the following stages:
- Permits and Insurances
- Planning and Design
- Terrain preparation
- Infrastructure and Attraction Construction
- Maintenance Plan
Permits and Insurances
When considering building a waterpark, there are many things to keep in mind. First, you need to study the zoning laws in your location. You need additional permits/ clearance from local authorities about the ride height and installations. This depends on the ride types you plan to include in your portfolio. You may also need permits for clearing the land for building your water park. Most water parks are situated away from civilization, but you may not be alone there. If there are other buildings around your proposed land, you need to ensure if you can operate the waterpark without disturbing the surroundings and vice versa.
If you are leasing the land for building the waterpark, check the availability of water, utilities, and road access. Opt for an extended period lease, as waterparks take some time to become famous, and you’ll need more years to recover the investment costs. It would be best if you also considered the different insurances that are important when operating a waterpark. General Liability Insurance and Workers’ Compensation Insurance are two insurances that provide complete coverage to any accidents or mishaps.
Planning and Design
The next step is the planning and design of the waterpark. To create a blueprint of your waterpark layout, you need to understand what you are currently working with. This would include having clear information about:
- What your budget is
- The approximate operating costs
- Dimensions of the available land
- What do you want to include in the park?
When planning a waterpark layout, you want to make most of the available space while leaving space for expansion or modularity. Besides, you also need to factor in admin and commercial buildings. This means including structures such as:
- fire exits
- walkways
- concession & memorabilia stands
- Restrooms
- changing rooms
- Administrative buildings
- Safety and Rescue center
Terrain preparation
The next step would be terrain preparation. This means all the civil-related work such as foundation construction and pipeline installation. Necessary space for the water treatment plant and pump room is allocated, and the pipelines are laid accordingly. There needs to be perfect harmony between both works as any interruption will affect both.
Attraction Installation
The water park should have rides and attractions that appeal to different age groups. Since most tend to visit water parks with their family or peers, it is essential to serve both audience types. Some of the most popular rides differentiated based on the targeted age groups are as follows:
- Infants and toddlers:
They mostly love to splash around the pool but need constant adult supervision. So kiddie pools and zero-depth pools allow the kids to enjoy the water while the adults can watch them from a safe distance.
- Young children:
Simply splashing around the pool is no longer fun for small children. They prefer rides that have movement and have more children of the same age group for playing together. Spray and splash aqua play units are a great fit as it keeps the kids engaged and happy. Adding a slip and slide to the unit, as shown below, makes it a one-stop for kids to enjoy by themselves.
Some of the other rides you can include are:
- Kiddie Racer Slide
- Floater pools
- Zorb-ball pools
- Older children and teens:
Simply sliding repetitively on a slide no longer cuts it for older children and teens. They are in need of speed. Rides that are hair-raising and keep them on the edge of seats are more suited to their taste.
- Large waterslides
- Wave pools
- Speed Slides
- Water-based roller coasters
- Splash and Dropdown bowls
- Elders:
Some prefer the adrenaline rush, while others prefer to laze by the pool. Adults would accompany most kids. They may be occupied enjoying themselves. You need to include rides that accommodate multiple people at once. This will keep the families together, allowing parents to enjoy themselves while also keeping their children preoccupied.
Regular Maintenance
With daily operations, the rides may experience wear and tear. Unless addressed at the right time, it can break down unexpectedly, running up repairs and operating costs. Other aspects of the water park, such as active water lines, drainage & filtration systems, pathways, etc., also need regular maintenance. Moreover, the rides, basic landscaping, and cleaning of the park take a major chunk of the maintenance budget. When a proper maintenance schedule is implemented, you get the following benefits:
- Increased water park equipment longevity
- Lower repair costs
- Easier Park Operations
- Better Return of Investment
- Zero to Low repair downtime
- Visually aesthetic park surroundings
- Increased trust and customer loyalty
How much time does it take for a waterpark to be constructed?
Considering only the construction period, a waterpark will take about 180 days from the construction to the equipment installation. Yet considering the entire execution of the waterpark project, waterpark manufacturers can take from 8 to 12 months from conception to completion.
Are Waterparks Truly profitable?
If you are on the fence about water park profitability, consider the following facts:
- There is a rise in the disposable incomes
- The economy is gradually improving
- Customers are ready to pay for a premium experience
- When attracting international or interstate visitors, you increase the tourism value of your park
- Based on the popularity, you can tie up with local businesses for innovative opportunities
- You generate employment opportunities and create jobs for the local population
Wrapping Up
As long as a park is well maintained and supervised, the possibility of growth and success hikes up. While the planning and execution part may seem like a task, partnering with professional waterpark builders can make it a breeze. They can suggest further steps to add a water park and which rides to include.
