Dino Waterpark in Khon Kaen in northeastern Thailand hosted a soft opening last month. Phase 1 of the $60m waterslides have been completed and the full opening is on schedule for November.
Park owners Pratunam Khon Kaen Co. have made an investment of US$60 million in water rides and slides for the 40 acre Jurassic themed waterpark development that will be a tourism hub for the area. The result is the region's largest waterpark AND also the largest waterpark in Southeast Asia.
The site incorporates a stage area and future plans include the construction of a boutique hotel.
Polin Waterparks was selected by Korean based developers Daino Park Co. Ltd. to supply the waterpark attractions because of the wide variety of signature, one-of-a-kind rides that the company offers:
- Magicone – An exciting new ride from Polin, the Magicone is a high-capacity waterslide shaped like a gigantic funnel tipped on its side. The unique parabolic shape creates surprising changes in momentum that give guests a longer, more adrenaline-pumping ride than similar attractions. The slide can end in one of two options: into a pool or as a run-out exit. Magicone is manufactured using Polin’s patented resin transfer molding (RTM) composites technology.
- Two Looping Rockets – Guests drop feet first from a rocket-shaped "launcher" down a steep incline that then shoots them around a high-speed loop into a straight-away that speeds them toward the run-out exit.
- Family Rafting Slide & Family Turbolance Combo – Families share the excitement of a waterslide in a six- to eight-passenger circular, inflatable raft that begins by slowly traveling through the giant tube's winding path. The ride quickly ramps up into an extreme slide, however, when riders experience a steep drop and then are propelled uphill vertically onto a giant, slanted ramp. Gravity then pulls them backward on a reverse path over a hill and into a splash pool.
- Space Shuttle – Another of Polin's extreme slides, this one shoots guests through open or closed tubes into a space-shuttle-shaped pod in which thrusting sprays of water suddenly slow their ride, shooting them side-to-side inside before then expelling them downhill and then again through several similar experiences.
- Windigo – A sophisticated thrill ride begins with guests entering alongside one another in enclosed tubes that then spread out to create geometrical curving patterns high above the ground. Each slide curls around, parallel with the others, with from two to four on each side. Eventually, the tubes come back together and create a series of side-by-side, high-speed multi-racer lanes.
- S-Type Waterplay Structure – Covering 2, 000 square meters (21, 527 square feet), this waterplay structure (one of the largest in the world) has a dinosaur theme and 144 features: 18 water guns, 13 interactive arching jets, 12 interactive tippy buckets, 12 pull ropes, 11 floor jets, 10 tippy buckets, 10 waterslides, nine fish buckets, eight water mills, five waterfall jets and much more.
- Kids attractions include two Kids Compact Slides, two Kids Wide Slides, two Kids Multi Slides, an Octopus Slide, a Turtle Slide, two Giraffe Showers and four Mushrooms.
- Five other Polin attractions: a Space Boat, a Family Rafting Slide, a Body Slide, an Aquatube and a Space Hole
- A wave pool, a beach and a leisure river
- An outdoor stage that can accommodate up to 3, 000 people.
Commenting on the news Pitipat Songsri, the project manager of Dino waterpark, said, "We want to see not only families travel to Dino Waterpark for vacations but also professional people who may extend their trips and bring along spouses and children. We want the area to become a center for meetings, conferences, conventions and other events. Whether for business or pleasure, we want the Khon Kaen region to be the Northeast's hub for transportation and tourism."
