The next generation of waterpark thrill rides is here. The new 360Rush™ waterslide from SplashTacular now has the first-and only-dueling body bowl in the world. The attraction opened July 1st at Spring Valley Beach water park in Blountsville, Alabama.
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"It’s incredible. It’s fast. You can really feel the G-forces, " said Alex Weidman, Vice President of Development and Engineering at SplashTacular. "There’s nothing like it."
One young rider makes his way to the top of the 58 ft. tall tower and prepares for his first ride on the 360Rush.
At the top of the 360Rush, two riders wait to race each other in a timed gating system that increases the suspense in a 3-2-1 countdown. When time runs out, the riders drop simultaneously through an opaque floor into two nearly vertical 32-inch diameter tubes, where they quickly accelerate at speeds of more than 30 mph.
"The drop gate is a different level of excitement all by itself, " said Spring Valley Beach CEO, Travis Gilliland. "First you have the countdown, then the doors go out from under you."
At the bottom, the two riders chase each other in a body bowl, circling around and around until finally settling at a gentle stop before climbing the stairs to ride again. The two-person body bowl represents some of the latest patented technology from SplashTacular.
"When you first drop into the tube, you go straight down, then you come around the corner, and the transition is so smooth, " said Gilliland. "I can’t believe how smooth the drop is."
Riders of all ages, sizes, and backgrounds have already enjoyed the slide – including Gilliland’s 8-year-old son, who stands at only 4 ft. tall.
"My son loved the slide, " Gilliland said. "He rode it three times the first day it opened. He got to the bottom, then ran right back up the stairs."
About SplashTacular, Inc
The new 360Rush attraction was designed, manufactured, and built by SplashTacular, Inc., the largest waterslide manufacturer in the U.S. The company has built more than 3, 000 waterslides and water attractions at parks, hotels, and pools across the globe.
"Waterslide fans will love this. It’s never been done before, " adds Weidman. "The combination of speed slides with a body bowl, and doing it all with a friend-you can’t do that on any other slide."
The slide was built using a new closed bag molding system, which allowed SplashTacular to produce better-quality fiberglass product in a shorter timeframe. Spring Valley Beach ordered the slide on January 1st, and it opened to the public on July 1st-which left only 26 weeks from order date to installation and testing.
Gilliland said that he is very pleased with the slide and the installation by SplashTacular, noting that the 360Rush will be "Spring Valley Beach’s signature ride."
"I’ve personally talked to a lot of the people that rode it and I got a lot of positive feedback, " Gilliland said. "Bottom line, I definitely think it will increase our attendance."
Learn more about SplashTacular at www.SplashTacular.com
or call 800.844.5334 to visit with our team!
