Amazing Water Park Attractions are Attainable and More Accessible Than Ever

How does your water park create magical moments year after year? What’s the secret to recapturing nostalgia while still embracing the latest trends and technology? Nearly every theme park with aquatic attractions faces these challenges. 

Balancing the expectations of lifelong guests with the ever-evolving desires of the next generation is no easy feat, especially when designing a water ride that must captivate visitors for decades. 

Enter ProSlide, an Ottawa-based company that’s become a global leader in water ride design over the past 39 years. ProSlide understands the unique complexity of developing enduring attractions for both world-renowned theme parks and cherished local water parks alike. 

“We’re living at an amazing point in time where water-based entertainment is a core desire when people envision their leisure experience,” says Ray Smegal, the new president of ProSlide. 

As Smegal assumes the position of president, a role that ProSlide founder and CEO Rick Hunter held for nearly 40 years, Smegal believes ProSlide’s decades-long success in the water park space is just a drop in the bucket.
 

“We’re looking forward to a new chapter that brings our passion for product design into diverse segments like resorts and cruise lines,” Smegal says. “We’re not doing more business just for the sake of it; we’re seeking out opportunities where we can amplify guest value at a greater return on investment for our clients.”

Creating Childlike Wonder Through Customized Attractions

“No university can teach what we do; you can’t get a bachelor’s degree in water slides,” Smegal says confidently.

Smegal praises the talent, ingenuity, and ambition inherent in every ProSlide team member, believing that the success in designing an unforgettable water ride begins with chasing childhood thrills.

“As a seven-year-old, my youth hockey team took a trip to the West Edmonton Mall, the world’s biggest mall at the time, complete with a giant indoor water park and a massive wave pool. I remember being this little person in this big world. The discoveries while climbing the tower, the thrills of the ride; I loved it, and every few years when I returned, there was always something new,” he recalls fondly.
 

Operating in the attraction and leisure industries means not only delivering an experience worthy of a family’s disposable income, but one that also places a premium on their precious and priceless time together.

“Our vision is to make water parks the most successful and profitable high-volume business in the recreation industry. Periodically updating the guest experience is an attainable and affordable way to inject marketability and relevancy into the business,” Smegal says.
 

Whether designing rides for Disney’s Blizzard Beach water park or introducing first-of-its-kind attractions to Dubai’s Wild Wadi Waterpark, ProSlide elevates the reputation of worldwide brands and independent water parks by creating thrilling attractions that prioritize guest safety while preserving client budgets. 

Waves of Potential for Parks Large and Small

“It all comes back to creating an escape for families and allowing them to return home from their getaway with a special memory,” Smegal says.

From the original MAMMOTH at Dollywood’s Splash Country to the world’s longest indoor HydroMAGNETIC Water Coaster at DreamWorks Water Park, ProSlide projects are as iconic as they are awe-inspiring. Not only are they renowned around the world, but they also prove that an unforgettable vacation experience is accessible in every part of the world.
 

“I’m inspired by parks like Holiday World & Splashin’ Safari in Santa Claus, Indiana,” Smegal says. “They care about their guests, and they operate using the same standards found at a world-class resort; they’ve cracked the code and I think their example could apply to any water park in the market.”

Despite being a private, family-owned theme park, Holiday World & Splashin’ Safari has three of ProSlide’s most advanced attractions including Cheetah Chase, which ProSlide says is the world’s first launched water coaster.

Smegal also recognizes that the wow factor has evolved from adrenaline-filled to accessibility-focused.

“Name another recreational activity that requires you to walk up six to eight stories,” he says. “There’s a new level of awareness of these fundamental industry challenges and I think accessibility is becoming more of a priority at water parks for all of the right reasons,” he says.

Smegal notices an increase in ramps and elevators, which is one reason why ProSlide now designs attractions that start and end at grade-level, removing the need for stairs so guests of diverse ages and abilities can share in the experience. Holiday World & Splashin’ Safari also features the Wildebeest Water Coaster, a ProSlide creation that trades traditional stairs for a conveyor-style lift hill that offers maximum accessibility. 

“We are a global business, and although we do work with the largest entertainment companies in the world, we’re not a Goliath. We’re still a family business first and foremost and the secret to our success is having a strong, coachable team with a growth mindset. They want to seek out and overcome the challenges facing all guests in our industry.”

Elevating Park Reputations Without Increasing Budgets 

“We ask our clients to think about the water rides that inspire them,” Smegal says. “We start there and let them dream big. Our custom design abilities give us the tools to shoot for the moon while sticking to their finite budget.”

ProSlide compares designing aquatic attractions and water parks to plotting a skiing course: the mountain (budget) is already set in stone, but it can be creatively adapted to suit a specific vision. “Our founder and CEO, Rick Hunter, learned about the power of designing a ride path to deliver a guest experience from his ski racing days,” Smegal explains. “Everything we do is custom and our approach to the business allows clients to dream big and fall in love with a ride that they can afford.”
 

The acknowledgement and appreciation of nuances that make U.S. markets different—such as the differences between the Midwest and Southeast—allow the ProSlide team to capture the essence of guest desires, see the possibilities within a client’s vision, and produce a cost-effective attraction. 

“A client in Wisconsin or Iowa can bottle up that quintessential water park experience you’d expect in a place like Orlando and bring it to their hometown,” says Smegal. “It’s trading the suitcase and plane ride for a picnic basket and station wagon, without compromising on wonder or spectacle.”

Keeping Riders Safe and Secure Across the Industry

While Smegal believes that the water park industry is safe, he acknowledges that guests are also stakeholders in preserving the safety of the experience. Instead of merely checking boxes to ensure each attraction is conceptually safe, the ProSlide team employs ride verification specialists to teach clients how to dispatch, maintain, and operate these attractions to provide the safest capacity available for guests.
 

“I came into this industry 20 years ago and am now a father of three young children,” says Smegal. “Part of my legacy is making sure that rides are safer and more reliable than they were then.”

Whether or not a water park installs a ProSlide attraction, they’ll benefit from the company’s history of developing safety standards across the industry, including the original ASTM standard on water slides, F2376.

“We have a holistic view of safety, and it means more than engineering an attraction,” he says. “From specifying water flows to following through with comprehensive client training, it’s been an incredible journey to write the playbook for developing safe attractions.”
 

Not just one to talk the talk, Smegal walks the walk—or, more accurately, rides the ride. He takes ownership of new projects, often from the first drafts on the drawing board to the final moments before the attraction opens to the public.

Smegal’s hilariously terrified reaction as one of the first humans to test a ProSlide attraction at Volcano Bay is a video gem that Rick Hunter loves to screen at trade shows. 

Designing the Ride of a Lifetime

Although ProSlide benefits from earning a multitude of IAAPA Best New Water Ride Awards, the company’s north star that drives success is staying laser-focused on creating the best possible experience for guests. Ray Smegal recalls a recent water park memory that’ll stay with him forever.
 

“I’m with my six-year-old daughter and eight-year-old son on the raft ride at Great Wolf Lodge Niagara; it’s probably the thousandth time I’ve ever been on a water slide. Immediately, my eyes locked into theirs—the way they reacted to the thrills, the joy, the fear, the splashing, it was amazing,” he concludes. 
 

The article above is sponsored by ProSlide. The content presented does not imply endorsement by IAAPA, IAAPA.org, IAAPA News Daily, or Funworld magazine. The information contained should not be construed as a formal recommendation for products and services or instructional guidance provided by IAAPA.