Sandcastle Water Park (Blackpool)
| Sandcastle Water Park | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Location | Blackpool, Lancashire, England |
| Coordinates | 53°47′39″N 3°03′27″W / 53.7941°N 3.0574°WCoordinates: 53°47′39″N 3°03′27″W / 53.7941°N 3.0574°W |
| Owner | Blackpool Council |
| Opened | 26 June 1986 |
| Water slides | 18 water slides |
| Website |
www |
Sandcastle Waterpark is an indoor waterpark in an 84-degree tropical climate located at South Beach in Blackpool, Lancashire, England. It opened in 1986 on the site of the former South Shore Open Air Baths as a joint public/private partnership.
Sandcastle Waterpark is also home to white knuckle slides like the world's longest indoor roller-coaster water slide, the Master Blaster,[1] and the first vertical indoor drop slide Sidewinder.
Family attractions include the Ushi Gushi Action River, the Shimmering Shallows and the Typhoon Lagoon Wavepool.
For younger visitors there is a Caribbean Storm Treehouse which is an interactive adventure play area with a giant tipping coconut that cascades 600 gallons of water over unsuspecting guests. There are also a range of water cannons, mini slides and jets within the HMS Thundersplash and Fort Riptide areas.
Operation of the centre was taken back into Blackpool Council ownership in 2003. Reductions in costs and increases in visitor numbers and spending have since followed. A significant investment in new attractions costing £5.5M was also agreed, which was delivered in two phases, with the second opening in 2006 on time and on budget.
In 2012, the water park opened two new Aztec theme slides, one with a chamber called 'Aztec Falls', and a toboggan like slide called 'Montazooma.'[2][3]
In 2013, the Sea Breeze Spa opened. The Sea Breeze Spa is for age 18+ and has 7 different facilities including a sauna, steam room, ice feature, heated loungers, aromatherapy room, salt inhalation room and foot spas.
In 2015 Sandcastle Waterpark introduced a new VIP Tiki Cabana. This is available to hire for the day. It is a private area overlooking the waterpark, which features a hot-tub, dining area, lounge area with flat-screen TV, stocked fridge and safe.
In 2016, Sandcastle Waterpark celebrated its 30th birthday with a monthlong series of events involving a wide variety of local charities and community groups. On 26 June 2016 as part of these celebrations, Sandcastle Waterpark regained the world record for most riders down a waterslide in one hour. The previous record had stood to a Dutch Waterpark at 396 riders. Sandcastle Waterpark smashed this record with a new official world record of 529 riders.[4]
Slides and attractions
Key
| Colour | Target Audience |
|---|---|
| Thrill ride | |
| Family ride | |
Slides and attractions
| # | Name | Opened | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Masterblaster | This was the first water slide in the park. It is the world's longest indoor rollercoaster waterslide. | |
| 2 | Sidewinder | A unique combination wet and dry raft ride by Aqua Leisure that propels riders from side to side within the Half-pipe in a single or double person raft. Water spray jets provide a frictionless surface on the large U-shaped slide as rafts are channelled to the bottom | |
| 3 | Aztec Falls | A water slide which starts from the rooftop and plunges through darkness into the swirling chasm before a thrilling corkscrew exit. | |
| 4 | Montazooma | A water slide with 360-degree loops and back to back turns which starts from the rooftop and races from beginning to end in just 20 seconds! | |
| 5 | Ushi-Gushi River Creek | An action Lazy river running anticlockwise. | |
| 6 | Thunder Falls | Two 300 ft waterslides - These are the original slides, opened in 1986. Family favourites! | |
| 7 | Fort Riptide | A rock based fort stocked with water cannons and slides | |
| 8 | HMS Thundersplash | A marooned galleon decked with waterjets and cannons | |
| 9 | Caribbean Storm Treehouse | Interactive adventure play area and 600 gallon giant tipping coconut | |
| 10 | Treetops Water Chutes | Family friendly water chutes where 3 riders can race together | |
| 11 | Dueling Dragons | Two fast closed tubes; one called Barracuda (green) and the other called Serpent (red). On 26 June 2016 the red slide was the slide used in the successful world record attempt for most people down a waterslide in one hour with 529 riders, comfortable beating the previous record of 396 people. | |
| 12 | Lagoon Bay | A shallow water area with hidden water cannons | |
| 13 | Shimmerin Shallows | A sleepy lagoon haven for little mermaids and pint sized pirates | |
| 14 | Typhoon Lagoon | A Wave pool which replicates the movement of the ocean | |
| 15 | Coconut Bay | A seating area used for people. | |
| 16 | Sea Breeze Spa | Sauna, Steam Room, Aromatherapy Room, Salt Inhalation Room, Heated Foot Spa's, Heated Tile Loungers. | |
| 17 | Barrel Blast | Push the plunger to "blow-up" the barrels over the unsuspecting people below in the Ushi Gushi Action River. | |
| 18 | Monkey Island | A themed seating area used for Birthday Parties and functions | |
| 19 | Super Soaker | The UK's biggest water cannon | |
Other attractions
- Swim Shack – Swimwear and accessories shop
- Bongo Bongo – Food and drink outlet
- Waterfalls – Food and drink outlet which is accessible to non swimmers from the Promenade
- Treetops Trading Post – Souvenirs and branded merchandise
Park awards
- 2016 Lancashire Tourism Awards - Accessibility Award - Winner
- 2016 Lancashire Tourism Awards - Large Visitor Attraction - Finalist
- 2015: Changing Places Toilet Facilities - People's choice - Favourite Changing Place Facility
- 2015: VAQAS Gold Certificate Holder
- 2015: Investors In People Gold Accolade
- 2014: Sue Copp (Guest Service and Inclusion Manager) won Tourism Superstar - Lancashire Tourism Awards
- 2014: World Host recognised
- 2014: Access For All Silver Winner - VisitEngland Awards for Excellence
- 2013: Access For All Gold Winner - VisitEngland Awards for Excellence
- 2013/14: Customer Service Award - Visit Lancashire Awards
- 2013/14: Access for All (shortlisted) - Enjoy England Awards
- 2012/13: Access for All - Enjoy England Awards
- 2012/13: Large Visitor Attraction of the Year - Marketing Lancashire Tourism Awards
- 2012/13: Access for All - Marketing Lancashire Tourism Awards
- 2011/12: Large Visitor Attraction of the Year – LBTB Tourism Awards[5]
- 2011/12: Access for All – LBTB Tourism Awards[6]
- 2011/12: Excellence in Customer Service – NW Chamber of Commerce Awards
- 2011/12: Community Award for Retail & Hospitality – St Johns First Aid Awards
- 2010/11: Sustainability in Tourism – Visit Blackpool Tourism Awards
- 2010/11: Excellence in Customer Service – England's Northwest Tourism Awards
- 2010/11: Waterpark Literature – World Waterpark Awards Wave Review Awards
- 2010/11: Access for All Award – Lancashire and Blackpool Tourist Board Tourism Awards
- 2010/11: Customer Service Excellence – Northwest Tourism Awards
- 2009/10: TV advertising campaign of the year – World Waterpark Awards Wave Review Awards
- 2009/10: Outstanding contribution to industry award – World Waterpark Awards Wave Review Awards
World records
- 2016: Sandcastle Waterpark sets a new world record on Sunday 26 June 2016 for the most people down a waterslide in one hour when 529 people smash the previous record of 396.
- 2014: Sandcastle Waterpark took part in the World's Largest Swimming Lesson, helping set the record at 36,564 participants over 22 countries.
- 2013: Sandcastle Waterpark took part in the Worlds Largest Swimming Lesson. As part of the event Sandcastle Waterpark was recognised as hosting the largest number of participants in the UK. The Guinness World Record was set at 24,873 participants, 432 facilities in 13 countries.
- 2012: Sandcastle Waterpark was an official host location for The World’s Largest Swimming Lesson, which set a new world record on 11 June 2012 for the largest simultaneous swimming lesson ever conducted.
- 2008: Ten soldiers set a new world record for the longest distance spent on a water slide. Signaller Mark McCluggage and 9 other soldiers raised over £10,000 for charity by spending 24 hours continually sliding down the Thunderfalls slide[7]
In popular culture
- Mr Tumble and Justin Fletcher from CBeebies filmed at the Sandcastle for the TV series, 'Something Special' in June 2012.
- The Dandy Warhols used footage filmed outside the Sandcastle Water Park in the music video for their Autumn Carnival single.
References
- ↑ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 25 July 2010. Retrieved 9 September 2010.
- ↑ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 12 March 2012. Retrieved 26 February 2012.
- ↑ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 12 March 2012. Retrieved 26 February 2012.
- ↑ http://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/most-people-down-a-water-slide-in-one-hour/
- ↑ "Fylde coast triumphs at tourism awards". Blackpool Gazette. 25 September 2012. Retrieved 25 September 2012.
- ↑ "Fylde coast triumphs at tourism awards". Blackpool Gazette. 25 September 2012. Retrieved 25 September 2012.
- ↑ "World record broken at Sandcastle". Blackpool Gazette. 18 February 2008. Retrieved 25 September 2012.