New slide for Wet'n'Wild?

Wet'n'Wild Water World has recently received development approval for a ride described as 'Sidewinder' in the application.

Following up the past few years of additions of Extreme H20 Zone and last year's SurfRider roller coaster, which increased the Gold Coast water park's capacity in the face of record attendance, Wet'n'Wild looks set to continue expanding on what has become perhaps the fiercest battlefront for theme park competition on the Gold Coast.

Following the opening of WhiteWater World at Dreamworld, Wet'n'Wild Water World has kicked things up a notch, no longer the cash cow it once was for Warner Village Theme Parks, owners of the park.

As a result, Wet'n'Wild applied to the Gold Coast City Council to build a 'Sidewinder ride', a D.A. that was recently approved.

As the number of unique styles of water attractions available from ProSlide diminishes, Australian theme parks look set to try alternatives to the Canadian company widely considered the market leader. Based on the name, 'The Sidewinder' from Waterfun Products, another Canadian manufacturer, is a popular attractions at international water parks and is a likely candidate for Wet'n'Wild's new attraction. The park already has a slide known as 'Sidewinder', so the new attraction can be expected to not be named after its product name.

'Shaka' is a Waterfun Sidewinder located at Hawaiian Waters, a park also owned by Wet'n'Wild's owners.

 In line with most water park attractions, Sidewinder could be expected to open in Spring or Summer of this year.

WhiteWater World has also submitted applications for a major expansion of the water park this year with the Gold Coast City Council. Their plans however appear to be on hold.

The wettest year in recent history, attendance at the Gold Coast theme parks looks set for a slump for 2008.