German article

Adventure Island Opens New Slides, Lounge in Water Park’s Biggest Makeover

Information from TampaBay.com

Visitors to Adventure Island water park in Tampa are now swimming in the park’s biggest makeover in 30 years. The park reopened for the season in March, but the improvements weren’t finished. They finally showed off the new digs mid-May, open just in time for summer vacation season.

“We have a lot of high-thrill rides, and we decided we needed to cater to families so they can ride together and experience their first thrills together. These two rides do that perfectly,” said Brandon Thom, vice president of Adventure Island.

Wahoo Remix, formerly known as Wahoo Run, gives two meanings to the word “remix” in retooling the tube slide’s enclosed tunnels that were once dark with synchronized light features. There’s also a new mix of songs, from Dynamite by South Korean boy band BTS to Bon Jovi’s Livin’ on a Prayer. There are 10 songs in all, so you are likely to hear a different song every time you go down the 600-foot slide. The new Rapids Racer has a height limit of 42 inches, the size of an average 4-year-old. It can turn into a competition as the two-person rafts race in a side-by-side experience. They pass each other at certain points in the clover leaf-shaped run that spins the riders through what the park claims is “the world’s first dueling saucers” in between tunnels and turns. In March, Adventure Island opened the new Hang Ten Tiki Bar, its first fullservice bar with cocktails, snacks and local craft brews. Its drink list includes a hefty number of rums, 20 in all. Half of them are Florida-made, including Big 5 rum from New Port Richey and Old St. Pete Righteous rum. You can get a “short board” of four shots of any of the rums for $15.99. The new beach lounge area near the Surfside Cafe is lined with palms and shrubs and trees of various heights to offer shade for dozens of lounge and beach chairs, a couple of hammocks and bench swings. The park, which opened in 1980 with just a few pools and play areas, now has 10 water slides, two pools, a lazy river and splash play areas on its 30acre property. The water park across the street from Busch Gardens opens at 10 am daily, closing between 5-7 pm depending on the day, at 10001 McKinley Drive, Tampa. Entry is $44.99-$55.99, depending on the date. Parking is $30. See adventureisland.com for information.