Therme Erding has unveiled the BIG WAVE from wiegand.maelzer, a leading German waterslide and attraction provider. This follows the successful installation of the company’s VR Slide earlier this year.
Therme Erding is the second largest thermal bath complex in Europe at 185,000 square metres (46 acres). It is located 30 minutes drive northeast of Munich and receives around 4000 visitors every day.
The BIG WAVE is a hybrid stainless steel water slide that combines two of wiegand.maelzer’s most popular slides – the Sidewinder and the Urknall.
At 180 meters long The BIG WAVE is currently the longest raft waterslide in Germany. The ride starts up at 18 meters high, and at a top speed of 45 km/h riders can reach 3G for an unforgettable adrenaline-filled experience.
The BIG WAVE was opened with a huge summer party including a live performance from Nico Santos.
VR Water Slide
Therme Erding is also home to the VR Slide, installed by wiegand.maelzer in Spring 2018.
The VR slide combines the thrill of waterslides with the technology of virtual reality. wiegand.maelzer worked with aquatic virtual reality experts Ballast Technologies to design an advanced VR system that can work with any raft waterslide. Expertly designed content is accurately mapped to the contours of the slide, controlled by a revolutionary tracking system that is easy to install and monitor.
The real-time rendered experiences enhance rather than overwhelm the rider. The content can easily be refreshed to provide a new experience to encourage repeat visits and repeat rides.
The unique headset is comfortable, waterproof and easy to maintain. Operator training is kept to a minimum as the system is cloud connected to allow monitoring by wiegand.maelzer. On average, a throughput of 120- 180 riders per hour can be achieved, depending on the skill of the operator.
There is a minimal amount of installation needed on the slide – just five sensors on average. The headsets use advanced AI to monitor the rider’s position and automatically adjust their position within the VR experience. Tracking is independent of wifi or bluetooth to ensure that a poor signal does not disrupt the ride.
The VR Slide has generated great interest from the media and the public with nearly 10 million new impressions across the German market just around the initial opening. It is estimated that the park will recoup investment in just one year.
