WhiteWater World
Encyclopedia
WhiteWater World is a water park
situated in the suburb of Coomera
, on the Gold Coast
, Australia
. It is owned and operated by Ardent Leisure
.
After years of planning and a year of construction, WhiteWater World opened to the public on 8 December 2006. The ten Australian beach culture themed attractions cost approximately A$56 million. These included The Green Room, Super Tubes Hydrocoaster, The Rip, The BRO, Temple of Huey, Cave of Waves, Wiggle Bay and Pipeline Plunge. Since then, three additional water slide
s: two called Little Rippers and one called The Wedgie, have been added.
WhiteWater World was designed to be very efficient in its water use. Since opening, the quantity of visitors has consistently been above expectations. Ardent Leisure has submitted a development application for the expansion of the water park and plans to add five new attractions.
theme park. Dreamworld's Chief Executive Officer
, Stephen Gregg, and General Manager of Special Projects, Bob Tan, visited water parks around the world to discover the most thrilling and cutting-edge water rides available. Tan stated that "...the drawing board for the new park was a restaurant napkin in a little cafe in the US".
On 28 November 2005, Macquarie Leisure announced it would invest $56 million on the project. The announcement referred to the Dreamworld Water Park.
Construction began shortly after the announcement. The existing Dreamworld car park was redesigned to accommodate more cars and the addition of a water park in the southern portion. Construction of the water park began in January 2006. In June, two of the three slide towers were complete, with several slides in the early phases of construction. One month later, several attractions were announced by the park with others being speculated upon. Some attractions were nearing completion in September and all the planned attractions had been revealed by October.
WhiteWater World opened three weeks ahead of schedule on 8 December 2006 after a week of previews. The park opened with ten attractions, including The Green Room, The Rip, Super Tubes Hydrocoaster, The BRO, The Temple of Huey (3 individual slides), Pipeline Plunge, Wiggle Bay and the Cave of Waves. At this time, the park featured many Australian and world firsts: The Rip and Super Tubes Hydrocoaster were both Australian firsts; The BRO was a world first; and The Green Room was Australia's biggest Tornado slide. After six months of operation Ardent Leisure announced that WhiteWater World attracted 247,360 visitors, producing revenue of $8.7 million and a profit of $4 million.
In August 2010, Ardent Leisure announced a decline in revenue and profits in its theme park division. It stated that a capital expenditure plan had been endorsed which will "...strengthen ride inventory and consumer appeal".
WhiteWaterWorld is currently ranked as one of the world's most water efficient parks because of its sustainable water management and environmentally friendly technology.
(featuring a "wave channel") and a large water play area. After two years, the application was approved by the council. WhiteWater World has not yet proceeded with the expansion, citing the financial crisis of 2007-2010 for the delay.
In December 2009, it was reported that WhiteWater World planned to add a WhiteWater West AquaLoop
. However its competitor, Wet'n'Wild Water World
, entered into an exclusivity agreement with the manufacturer to ensure WhiteWater World did not receive one. Three months later in February 2010, it was announced that WhiteWater World would build an alternative attraction built by ProSlide before the April school holidays. The Wedgie was the first ride in Australia to feature a trap door release and was marketed as Australia's first looping water slide.
In 2011, WhiteWater World's contract with Nickelodeon
was terminated and Nickelodeon's Pipeline Plunge was renamed Pipeline Plunge.
attractions, a large wave pool
and separate children and toddler areas. There are food and beverage outlets
, retail stores, a surf school, a function area
and numerous shaded areas with seating. The park features three water slide towers, each featuring a collection of slides grouped by the level of thrill. The park also features three family-oriented water attractions separate from the towers. All of the park's attractions have an Australian beach culture theme.
The slide tower near the entrance contains the park's main thrill slides. The Wedgie is a body slide featuring a trap-door release into a near-vertical 17 metres (55.8 ft) drop. Riders then enter a fast, downward-spiralling turn and reach speeds of nearly 45 kilometres per hour (28 mph) before they are slowed in a run-out chute. The ride was the first ProSlide SuperLOOP in the world. The Green Room consists of four people boarding a cloverleaf-shaped tube in which they traverse a 66 metres (216.5 ft) long tunnel followed by a 17 metres (55.8 ft) drop into a funnel. Within the funnel, riders oscillate back and forth up the walls at the side and drop into a splash pool. Since its opening, The Green Room has been Australia's largest ProSlide Tornado beating Wet'n'Wild Water World
's Tornado in height and tunnel length. On the Super Tubes Hydrocoaster, three people sit on a 45 kilograms (99.2 lb) raft, whose weight is mainly attributable to a large magnet
on its underside. Riders experience several steep drops followed by magnet-powered inclines, ending with a splashdown in a small pool. The Super Tubes Hydrocoaster was the second ProSlide Hydro Magnetic Rocket Slide in the world and continues to be Australia's only water coaster.
The second slide tower, along the park's southern border, features two rides with more moderate thrill ratings. On The Rip, riders hop into a four-person, cloverleaf-shaped tube. They descend a dark tunnel before entering a large, open bowl. The raft circles the centre of the bowl then exits down through the centre and into a splashdown pool. The Rip is the first and currently the only ProSlide Behemoth Bowl in Australia. The BRO (Blue Ringed Octopus) is a water slide consisting of eight 120 metres (393.7 ft) long lanes. From a height of 16 metres (52.5 ft), riders mount a personal mat and slide head first down an enclosed spiral tunnel before merging into open, parallel lanes to the finish. In 24 seconds, riders can reach speeds of up to 50 kilometres per hour (31.1 mph). The BRO has a capacity of 1000 riders per hour. When The BRO opened in 2006, it was the largest ProSlide Octopus Racer in the world and is the only one in Australia.
The slide tower in the southeast corner of the park contains five slides designed for those who desire a mild thrill. Some of the slides on this tower interact with Dreamworld's Cyclone
roller coaster
. The Little Rippers are two ProSlide duelling cannon bowl slides. The slides can accommodate guests riding in either one or two person tubes. Riders begin in one of two parallel chutes before entering tunnels and splitting off in opposite directions. Each tunnel has a steep drop into the bowl element of the ride, after which the raft drops down through the centre and into a run-out chute. The other three slides on this tower are collectively known as The Temple of Huey. Guests can ride in a single or double tube. All three slides are ProSlide Pipelines. The three slides are individually named Broken Headz, Cut Snake and Screamin Right Handers and are 99 , long respectively. Broken Headz and Cut Snake are enclosed and Screamin Right Handers is an open flume.
Three family-oriented attractions are located on the ground level, detached from the three slide towers. Two of these are children's areas and the third is a wave pool
. Pipeline Plunge is a children's area with four flume slides and hundreds of water activities. The area, originally called Nickelodeon's Pipeline Plunge, is a large, multi-level water play structure featuring an 1000 litres (2,113.4 US pt) tipping bucket which dumps water on guests every few minutes. It played host to two Slime Fest events in 2009 that included several live shows, a dunking chair and "Australia's biggest sliming" where 1000 litres (2,113.4 US pt) of slime was dumped on park guests using green coloured water in the giant tipping bucket twice daily. The mass sliming returned in the 2010/2011 summer holidays as part of the Summer Funomenon. Pipeline Plunge is a WhiteWater West Aqua Play area. Wiggle Bay is a Wiggles
themed toddler area featuring musical and interactive water play activities, a shallow pool and four Wiggles-coloured water slides, located at the back of the area. these were manufactured by ProSlide. The interactive features are manufactured by WaterPlay. The Cave of Waves is a themed 2685 sqm wave pool which can generate waves of up to 1.5 metres (4.9 ft) high. Built by Murphy's Waves of Scotland, the pool has a constant temperature of 26 degrees Celsius. The Get Wet Surf School makes use of the pool for its lessons outside of normal park operating hours.
and several food and beverage outlets.
The Beyond the Beach shop, located near the park's entrance, sells surf and WhiteWater World branded merchandise. The shop contains a Kodak photo centre that allows guests to purchase on-ride photos taken on the Super Tubes Hydrocoaster and photographs taken inside the park. Beyond the Beach also serves as the exit gates for the park.
WhiteWater World operates three dining outlets in the peak holiday seasons: Bite Me Cafe, Sandman's Cafe and Bar and Salty's Kiosk. The widest range of meals is available from the Bite Me Cafe which operates all year round. Sandman's Cafe and Bar is a licensed bar
where guests can purchase alcoholic drinks and food options including Eagle Boys
pizza
. It is located on the park's western border between the Cave of Waves and the splashdown of The Wedgie. Salty's Kiosk is located next to The BRO and sells slushies, ice cream
s and other snack foods.
Since September 2007, WhiteWater World has hosted an undercover events venue, the largest at an Australian theme park, The Shell. The venue can cater for up to 2000 guests and is located on the southeast corner of WhiteWater World.
From April 2011, WhiteWater World has offered guests the hire of 12 luxury cabana
s, located around the park. Each cabana is designed for up to four guests, who have access to deck chairs, couches, a coffee table, an iPod dock, towels and a mini refrigerator.
In October 2008, staff at WhiteWater World stopped Paralympian
Steve Simmonds from riding the slides. Simmonds was angry and stated that he felt like he was discriminated against. WhiteWater World cited manufacturer guidelines and safety concerns as the reasons behind the restrictions.
During the first full year of operation, WhiteWater World attracted more visitors than the expected 450,000 guests. Attendance records show close to 500,000 guests attended the park during that period.
In a review of several Australian entertainment attractions for The Australian
, Scott Podmore rated WhiteWater World 7.5 out of 10, outranking its main competitor Wet'n'Wild Water World
, Sea World
and UnderWater World
. Podmore stated that "WhiteWater World is a wonderful, diverse park offering something for everyone." and that "WhiteWater World is fantastic for a splash, some R&R or some slippery big rides". Podmore highlighted The Rip, The BRO, Little Rippers and Temple of Huey as the park's top attractions.
Before The Wedgie opened in April 2010, several media reporters experienced the ride. Tanya Westthorp of the Gold Coast Bulletin described the ride as "...not for the faint-hearted". She also stated that "...disorientation prevails for a large chunk of the ride, but the thrill is unparalleled to any other waterslide". Phil Lutton of the Brisbane Times
wrote that the ride "...is not only the fastest, most exhilarating water ride I've ever tried but it lives up to its name in spades".
Water park
A waterpark is an amusement park that features waterplay areas, such as water slides, splash pads, spraygrounds , lazy rivers, or other recreational bathing, swimming, and barefooting environments...
situated in the suburb of Coomera
Coomera, Queensland
Coomera is a suburb on the Gold Coast in Queensland, Australia. At the 2006 Census, Coomera had a population of 1,420. The name Coomera comes from the Aboriginal word for fern....
, on the Gold Coast
Gold Coast, Queensland
Gold Coast is a coastal city of Australia located in South East Queensland, 94km south of the state capital Brisbane. With a population approximately 540,000 in 2010, it is the second most populous city in the state, the sixth most populous city in the country, and also the most populous...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. It is owned and operated by Ardent Leisure
Ardent Leisure
Ardent Leisure is an Australian-based leisure company which owns and operates a leisure portfolio of over 100 assets across Australia, New Zealand and the United States...
.
After years of planning and a year of construction, WhiteWater World opened to the public on 8 December 2006. The ten Australian beach culture themed attractions cost approximately A$56 million. These included The Green Room, Super Tubes Hydrocoaster, The Rip, The BRO, Temple of Huey, Cave of Waves, Wiggle Bay and Pipeline Plunge. Since then, three additional water slide
Water slide
A water slide is a type of slide designed for warm-weather or indoor recreational use at water parks. Water slides differ in their riding method and therefore size...
s: two called Little Rippers and one called The Wedgie, have been added.
WhiteWater World was designed to be very efficient in its water use. Since opening, the quantity of visitors has consistently been above expectations. Ardent Leisure has submitted a development application for the expansion of the water park and plans to add five new attractions.
Development
During 2004, Macquarie Leisure, since renamed Ardent Leisure, began planning a water park to be located next to the company's existing DreamworldDreamworld
Dreamworld is a large theme park situated on the Gold Coast in Queensland. It is currently Australia's largest theme park with over 27 rides including 4 roller coasters. The park is made up of several themed lands: Ocean Parade, Kid's World, Wiggles World, Gold Rush Country, Rocky Hollow, Tiger...
theme park. Dreamworld's Chief Executive Officer
Chief executive officer
A chief executive officer , managing director , Executive Director for non-profit organizations, or chief executive is the highest-ranking corporate officer or administrator in charge of total management of an organization...
, Stephen Gregg, and General Manager of Special Projects, Bob Tan, visited water parks around the world to discover the most thrilling and cutting-edge water rides available. Tan stated that "...the drawing board for the new park was a restaurant napkin in a little cafe in the US".
On 28 November 2005, Macquarie Leisure announced it would invest $56 million on the project. The announcement referred to the Dreamworld Water Park.
Construction began shortly after the announcement. The existing Dreamworld car park was redesigned to accommodate more cars and the addition of a water park in the southern portion. Construction of the water park began in January 2006. In June, two of the three slide towers were complete, with several slides in the early phases of construction. One month later, several attractions were announced by the park with others being speculated upon. Some attractions were nearing completion in September and all the planned attractions had been revealed by October.
WhiteWater World opened three weeks ahead of schedule on 8 December 2006 after a week of previews. The park opened with ten attractions, including The Green Room, The Rip, Super Tubes Hydrocoaster, The BRO, The Temple of Huey (3 individual slides), Pipeline Plunge, Wiggle Bay and the Cave of Waves. At this time, the park featured many Australian and world firsts: The Rip and Super Tubes Hydrocoaster were both Australian firsts; The BRO was a world first; and The Green Room was Australia's biggest Tornado slide. After six months of operation Ardent Leisure announced that WhiteWater World attracted 247,360 visitors, producing revenue of $8.7 million and a profit of $4 million.
Performance
In the first 24 days of operation to 31 December 2006, WhiteWater World performed above expectation with approximately 23,000 guests. WhiteWater World continued to exceed Ardent Leisure's expectations during its first year of operation. The first year saw 493,227 guests, exceeding the 450,000 estimate, earning the park over $8.4 million in revenue. The park continued to perform well in subsequent years.In August 2010, Ardent Leisure announced a decline in revenue and profits in its theme park division. It stated that a capital expenditure plan had been endorsed which will "...strengthen ride inventory and consumer appeal".
WhiteWaterWorld is currently ranked as one of the world's most water efficient parks because of its sustainable water management and environmentally friendly technology.
Expansion
In September 2007, the park added two attractions; a pair of ProSlide Cannon Bowls called The Little Rippers and an events venue called The Shell.. A month later, WhiteWater World submitted a development application to the Gold Coast City Council to extend the water park. The main feature of the application was a 25 metres (82 ft) tower featuring three new water slides; two Mammoth slides and a Tornado Tantrum Alley. The expansion proposal also featured a lazy riverLazy river
A lazy river is a water ride found in many amusement parks or water parks. They are also found at some resorts and recreation centers. It usually consists of shallow pool that flows similarly to a river....
(featuring a "wave channel") and a large water play area. After two years, the application was approved by the council. WhiteWater World has not yet proceeded with the expansion, citing the financial crisis of 2007-2010 for the delay.
In December 2009, it was reported that WhiteWater World planned to add a WhiteWater West AquaLoop
AquaLoop
An AquaLoop is a type of body water slide where single riders are dropped down a near vertical slide and into an inclined loop.-History:Austrian manufacturer Aquarena developed the world's first mass-produced looping water slide, known as the AquaLoop. The slide is currently licensed and...
. However its competitor, Wet'n'Wild Water World
Wet'n'Wild Water World
Wet'n'Wild Water World is a large water park situated in Oxenford, Gold Coast, owned by Warner Village Theme Parks. In 2009, the park received 1,095,000 visitors ranking it first in Australia and eighth in the world. Wet'n'Wild Water World is located adjacent to Warner Bros. Movie World, a...
, entered into an exclusivity agreement with the manufacturer to ensure WhiteWater World did not receive one. Three months later in February 2010, it was announced that WhiteWater World would build an alternative attraction built by ProSlide before the April school holidays. The Wedgie was the first ride in Australia to feature a trap door release and was marketed as Australia's first looping water slide.
In 2011, WhiteWater World's contract with Nickelodeon
Nickelodeon (TV channel)
Nickelodeon, often simply called Nick and originally named Pinwheel, is an American children's channel owned by MTV Networks, a subsidiary of Viacom International. The channel is primarily aimed at children ages 7–17, with the exception of their weekday morning program block aimed at preschoolers...
was terminated and Nickelodeon's Pipeline Plunge was renamed Pipeline Plunge.
Attractions
WhiteWater World features several water slideWater slide
A water slide is a type of slide designed for warm-weather or indoor recreational use at water parks. Water slides differ in their riding method and therefore size...
attractions, a large wave pool
Wave pool
A wave pool is a swimming pool in which there are artificially generated, reasonably large waves, similar to the ocean's. Wave pools are often a major feature of water parks...
and separate children and toddler areas. There are food and beverage outlets
Food and Beverage
F&B is a common abbreviation in the United States and Commonwealth countries, including Hong Kong. F&B is typically the widely accepted abbreviation for "Food and Beverage", which is the sector/industry that specializes in the conceptualization, the making of, and delivery of foods...
, retail stores, a surf school, a function area
Function hall
A function hall or banquet hall is a room or building for the purpose of hosting a party, banquet, reception, or other social event.Function halls are often found within pubs, clubs, hotels, or restaurants. Some are run by fraternal organizations and rented out as a fundraiser for the organization...
and numerous shaded areas with seating. The park features three water slide towers, each featuring a collection of slides grouped by the level of thrill. The park also features three family-oriented water attractions separate from the towers. All of the park's attractions have an Australian beach culture theme.
The slide tower near the entrance contains the park's main thrill slides. The Wedgie is a body slide featuring a trap-door release into a near-vertical 17 metres (55.8 ft) drop. Riders then enter a fast, downward-spiralling turn and reach speeds of nearly 45 kilometres per hour (28 mph) before they are slowed in a run-out chute. The ride was the first ProSlide SuperLOOP in the world. The Green Room consists of four people boarding a cloverleaf-shaped tube in which they traverse a 66 metres (216.5 ft) long tunnel followed by a 17 metres (55.8 ft) drop into a funnel. Within the funnel, riders oscillate back and forth up the walls at the side and drop into a splash pool. Since its opening, The Green Room has been Australia's largest ProSlide Tornado beating Wet'n'Wild Water World
Wet'n'Wild Water World
Wet'n'Wild Water World is a large water park situated in Oxenford, Gold Coast, owned by Warner Village Theme Parks. In 2009, the park received 1,095,000 visitors ranking it first in Australia and eighth in the world. Wet'n'Wild Water World is located adjacent to Warner Bros. Movie World, a...
's Tornado in height and tunnel length. On the Super Tubes Hydrocoaster, three people sit on a 45 kilograms (99.2 lb) raft, whose weight is mainly attributable to a large magnet
Magnet
A magnet is a material or object that produces a magnetic field. This magnetic field is invisible but is responsible for the most notable property of a magnet: a force that pulls on other ferromagnetic materials, such as iron, and attracts or repels other magnets.A permanent magnet is an object...
on its underside. Riders experience several steep drops followed by magnet-powered inclines, ending with a splashdown in a small pool. The Super Tubes Hydrocoaster was the second ProSlide Hydro Magnetic Rocket Slide in the world and continues to be Australia's only water coaster.
The second slide tower, along the park's southern border, features two rides with more moderate thrill ratings. On The Rip, riders hop into a four-person, cloverleaf-shaped tube. They descend a dark tunnel before entering a large, open bowl. The raft circles the centre of the bowl then exits down through the centre and into a splashdown pool. The Rip is the first and currently the only ProSlide Behemoth Bowl in Australia. The BRO (Blue Ringed Octopus) is a water slide consisting of eight 120 metres (393.7 ft) long lanes. From a height of 16 metres (52.5 ft), riders mount a personal mat and slide head first down an enclosed spiral tunnel before merging into open, parallel lanes to the finish. In 24 seconds, riders can reach speeds of up to 50 kilometres per hour (31.1 mph). The BRO has a capacity of 1000 riders per hour. When The BRO opened in 2006, it was the largest ProSlide Octopus Racer in the world and is the only one in Australia.
Cyclone (Dreamworld)
The Cyclone is a high-speed gravity steel roller coaster operating at Dreamworld. The roller coaster is one of the tallest in the Southern Hemisphere, after originally being the tallest when it was first built...
roller coaster
Roller coaster
The roller coaster is a popular amusement ride developed for amusement parks and modern theme parks. LaMarcus Adna Thompson patented the first coasters on January 20, 1885...
. The Little Rippers are two ProSlide duelling cannon bowl slides. The slides can accommodate guests riding in either one or two person tubes. Riders begin in one of two parallel chutes before entering tunnels and splitting off in opposite directions. Each tunnel has a steep drop into the bowl element of the ride, after which the raft drops down through the centre and into a run-out chute. The other three slides on this tower are collectively known as The Temple of Huey. Guests can ride in a single or double tube. All three slides are ProSlide Pipelines. The three slides are individually named Broken Headz, Cut Snake and Screamin Right Handers and are 99 , long respectively. Broken Headz and Cut Snake are enclosed and Screamin Right Handers is an open flume.
Three family-oriented attractions are located on the ground level, detached from the three slide towers. Two of these are children's areas and the third is a wave pool
Wave pool
A wave pool is a swimming pool in which there are artificially generated, reasonably large waves, similar to the ocean's. Wave pools are often a major feature of water parks...
. Pipeline Plunge is a children's area with four flume slides and hundreds of water activities. The area, originally called Nickelodeon's Pipeline Plunge, is a large, multi-level water play structure featuring an 1000 litres (2,113.4 US pt) tipping bucket which dumps water on guests every few minutes. It played host to two Slime Fest events in 2009 that included several live shows, a dunking chair and "Australia's biggest sliming" where 1000 litres (2,113.4 US pt) of slime was dumped on park guests using green coloured water in the giant tipping bucket twice daily. The mass sliming returned in the 2010/2011 summer holidays as part of the Summer Funomenon. Pipeline Plunge is a WhiteWater West Aqua Play area. Wiggle Bay is a Wiggles
The Wiggles
The Wiggles are a children's group formed in Sydney, Australia in 1991. Their original members were Anthony Field, Phillip Wilcher, Murray Cook, Greg Page, and Jeff Fatt. Wilcher left the group after their first album...
themed toddler area featuring musical and interactive water play activities, a shallow pool and four Wiggles-coloured water slides, located at the back of the area. these were manufactured by ProSlide. The interactive features are manufactured by WaterPlay. The Cave of Waves is a themed 2685 sqm wave pool which can generate waves of up to 1.5 metres (4.9 ft) high. Built by Murphy's Waves of Scotland, the pool has a constant temperature of 26 degrees Celsius. The Get Wet Surf School makes use of the pool for its lessons outside of normal park operating hours.
Other facilities
In addition to its lineup of attractions, WhiteWater World also has a retail outlet, an events venue, cabanasCabana (structure)
A cabana or cabaña is a structure of either of these types: an 'indigenous hut' or a 'recreational structure'.-Indigenous hut:A small hut built with a thatched roof, most commonly built in tropical climates near natural bodies of water....
and several food and beverage outlets.
The Beyond the Beach shop, located near the park's entrance, sells surf and WhiteWater World branded merchandise. The shop contains a Kodak photo centre that allows guests to purchase on-ride photos taken on the Super Tubes Hydrocoaster and photographs taken inside the park. Beyond the Beach also serves as the exit gates for the park.
WhiteWater World operates three dining outlets in the peak holiday seasons: Bite Me Cafe, Sandman's Cafe and Bar and Salty's Kiosk. The widest range of meals is available from the Bite Me Cafe which operates all year round. Sandman's Cafe and Bar is a licensed bar
Bar (establishment)
A bar is a business establishment that serves alcoholic drinks — beer, wine, liquor, and cocktails — for consumption on the premises.Bars provide stools or chairs that are placed at tables or counters for their patrons. Some bars have entertainment on a stage, such as a live band, comedians, go-go...
where guests can purchase alcoholic drinks and food options including Eagle Boys
Eagle Boys
Eagle Boys is an Australian fast food chain specialising in pizza. Eagle Boys has over 300 stores throughout Australia,particularly in regional areas. Currently it has no stores in Tasmania. Eagle Boys was as of 2007 the third largest pizza chain in the country....
pizza
Pizza
Pizza is an oven-baked, flat, disc-shaped bread typically topped with a tomato sauce, cheese and various toppings.Originating in Italy, from the Neapolitan cuisine, the dish has become popular in many parts of the world. An establishment that makes and sells pizzas is called a "pizzeria"...
. It is located on the park's western border between the Cave of Waves and the splashdown of The Wedgie. Salty's Kiosk is located next to The BRO and sells slushies, ice cream
Ice cream
Ice cream is a frozen dessert usually made from dairy products, such as milk and cream, and often combined with fruits or other ingredients and flavours. Most varieties contain sugar, although some are made with other sweeteners...
s and other snack foods.
Since September 2007, WhiteWater World has hosted an undercover events venue, the largest at an Australian theme park, The Shell. The venue can cater for up to 2000 guests and is located on the southeast corner of WhiteWater World.
From April 2011, WhiteWater World has offered guests the hire of 12 luxury cabana
Cabana
A cabana or cabaña may mean:Structures:*a small hut built with a thatched roof, most commonly built in tropical climates near bodies of water, or...
s, located around the park. Each cabana is designed for up to four guests, who have access to deck chairs, couches, a coffee table, an iPod dock, towels and a mini refrigerator.
Reception
Prior to opening, WhiteWater World was criticised for being built during one of Australia's worst droughts and in an area on Level 5 water restrictions. When designing WhiteWater World, Macquarie Leisure implemented measures to ensure that the park was one of the most water efficient water parks in the world through the minimisation of water loss.In October 2008, staff at WhiteWater World stopped Paralympian
Paralympian
A Paralympian is an athlete who has participated in the Paralympic Games.A Paralympic athlete has a physical disability. The disability can be amputation, spinal cord injuries, visual impairment or cerebral palsy. An exception is the sighted guides for athletes with a visual impairment...
Steve Simmonds from riding the slides. Simmonds was angry and stated that he felt like he was discriminated against. WhiteWater World cited manufacturer guidelines and safety concerns as the reasons behind the restrictions.
During the first full year of operation, WhiteWater World attracted more visitors than the expected 450,000 guests. Attendance records show close to 500,000 guests attended the park during that period.
In a review of several Australian entertainment attractions for The Australian
The Australian
The Australian is a broadsheet newspaper published in Australia from Monday to Saturday each week since 14 July 1964. The editor in chief is Chris Mitchell, the editor is Clive Mathieson and the 'editor-at-large' is Paul Kelly....
, Scott Podmore rated WhiteWater World 7.5 out of 10, outranking its main competitor Wet'n'Wild Water World
Wet'n'Wild Water World
Wet'n'Wild Water World is a large water park situated in Oxenford, Gold Coast, owned by Warner Village Theme Parks. In 2009, the park received 1,095,000 visitors ranking it first in Australia and eighth in the world. Wet'n'Wild Water World is located adjacent to Warner Bros. Movie World, a...
, Sea World
Sea World
Sea World is a marine mammal park, oceanarium, and theme park located on the Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia. It includes rides, animal exhibits and other attractions, and promotes conservation through education and through the rescue and rehabilitation of sick, injured or orphaned wildlife. The...
and UnderWater World
UnderWater World, Queensland
UnderWater World at Mooloolaba, Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australia is a marine mammal park, oceanarium and wildlife sanctuary. Underwater World is an institutional member of the Zoo and Aquarium Association .-History:...
. Podmore stated that "WhiteWater World is a wonderful, diverse park offering something for everyone." and that "WhiteWater World is fantastic for a splash, some R&R or some slippery big rides". Podmore highlighted The Rip, The BRO, Little Rippers and Temple of Huey as the park's top attractions.
Before The Wedgie opened in April 2010, several media reporters experienced the ride. Tanya Westthorp of the Gold Coast Bulletin described the ride as "...not for the faint-hearted". She also stated that "...disorientation prevails for a large chunk of the ride, but the thrill is unparalleled to any other waterslide". Phil Lutton of the Brisbane Times
Brisbane Times
Brisbane Times is an Internet-based news site for Brisbane and Queensland, Australia. It was launched on 7 March 2007 by then-Queensland Premier Peter Beattie....
wrote that the ride "...is not only the fastest, most exhilarating water ride I've ever tried but it lives up to its name in spades".