Volume 3, No. 9. May 9, 2003
New Arrivals
It’s
an interactive river!
Water Country USA in Williamsburg, Virginia, announces the arrival of Hubba
Hubba Highway, May 3, 2003. Measurements: 1,500 feet long (457 meters),
15 feet wide (4.5 meters), three-feet, three-inches deep (one meter), six-feet-per-second
(two meters) current, six geysers, two “gas pumps,” four water cannons,
two rapids, two “sonic showers,” four misting ballards, four squirting
squigglers, five trees each with six water dumping coconuts, a 4,000-square-foot
(371.5-square-meter) lagoon and one snack bar. Delivered by Suzanne Sessions,
Inc. and Water Technology.
Hard to say whether a waterpark river with the current of Niagara Falls would
have inspired guests to visit Water Country USA last weekend. Saturday when
one of the park’s most ambitious capital investments ever opened to the
public, rain in the morning and a high of just 60 Fahrenheit (15.5 Celsius)
dampened attendance, and though Sunday was dry the air was still cold. On both
days the park closed early.
What few people did experience Hubba Hubba Highway gave it a thumbs up,
said Tim Cuddihy, vice president of Water Country USA, part of the Busch Gardens
Williamsburg complex. “I think they were really surprised by how fast they
moved through the river,” he said. The river gets the last part of its
name from that speed, but Hubba Hubba’s uniqueness is the amount and variety
of interactive water elements along its route. Guests maneuver through geysers
and bubbles and sprays and squirts and shots of water from cannons, the last
manned by other guests. Then there are the dumping coconuts, some 30 in a forest
of five trees.
Rather than provide innertubes for the Highway, Water Country USA is
encouraging guests to wade or swim the river wearing life vests. “We always
have the ability to come back and introduce tubes if we need to, but we think
this is the best way to experience the attraction,” Cuddihy said. “Life
vests give buoyancy, but still allows you to get immersed in the water.”
Hubba Hubba’s installation adds about 3.5 acres (14,164 square meters)
to Water Country’s offerings and gives the park much needed capacity, with
an estimated throughput of 2,000 guests per hour compared to the park’s
large wave pool which does about 1,150 per hour, Cuddihy said. “We are
going to be able to spread the guests out on those busy hot, humid summer days
and shorten the lines at the other attractions, greatly increasing guest comfort.”
Comfort certainly was the order of the day last weekend, and Hubba Hubba
Highway provided that even in the cold. Water temperature throughout the
park is kept at 82 degrees. “Folks were completely immersed in our water,”
Cuddihy said.
THE LOOP is written and produced by Eric Minton, Minton Enterprises, LLC. To see more examples of Eric Minton's work and Minton Enterprises services, visit www.ericminton.com.
©2003, Minton Enterprises
LLC
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