New £48million indoor waterpark is home to Europe’s only aquatic cinema, ‘futuristic’ lazy river and eight slides
A NEW indoor water park opened in France earlier this year, and it has eight water slides, an aquatic cinema and a children’s play area.
After only opening on July 15, most Brit holidaymakers probably haven’t heard of Aquascope water park – the latest offering from French theme park Futuroscope.
Futuroscope calls itself “future-themed amusement park” with Aquascope only adding to this bold claim.
The new £48million water park has a number of unique features for park-goers, including eight massive slides.
One of those water slides is Spiral, a “whirlwind of sensations” with a quadruple twist, and Rocket, a 400ft free fall.
Families can even ride some of ride the slides together, like Matrix, which has a four-person inflatable raft that travels through whirlpools on its course from top to bottom.
It’s also home to Europe‘s first aquatic cinema, which promises to “take you to the heart of the wave” and let you “swim in a fantastic, colourful world of video mapping”.
Called Les Abysses de Lumière visitors will be taken away into a “spellbindingly immersive universe” where a giant screens plays animations as families play in the pool.
The huge aquatic cinema has been brought to life by Moment Factory who said: “The immersive experience features multiple zones to discover, including the ‘Crique’, a mysterious cove inhabited by fantastic and uncanny wildlife and plant life.
“There will also be interactive beaches brimming with bioluminescent particles, and an Aquaciné where visitors can learn more about Kraki, a creature from another world.”
There are other more traditional attractions too, including a wave pool as well as new modern rides that include gaming elements built into rubber rings and tube slides.
Elsewhere, there are also several kids’ attractions for young visitors, including a water maze, a musical cave and three octopus-themed slides called Kraki’s Tentacles.
Meanwhile, outside elements to the new park include The Aquadynamic, a river course that carries people around a circuit, a crystal clear outdoor lagoon and an outdoor beach with deckchairs, surrounded by greenery.
Entry tickets to the indoor water park start from €39 (£32) per person, with advance booking required.
Set in Chasseneuil-du-Poitou, Futuroscope is a 20-minute drive from neighbouring Poitiers.
Despite only being open for five weeks, the French theme park already has hundreds of reviews on TripAdvisor.
One person wrote: “A fantastic experience and a wonderful water park with amazing light effects.”
Another added: “A large selection of slides, very nice outdoor/indoor rivers too.”
Meanwhile, other reviewers thought the water temperature was a little too cold.
If you don’t want to head to France, there are plenty of other indoor waterparks in the UK for Brit holidaymakers to visit.
Sandcastle Waterpark, Blackpool
Sandcastle Waterpark in Blackpool is the largest indoor water park in the UK.
It has 18 slides, including the longest indoor rollercoaster water slide in the world, the Master Blaster.
Other water rides include the Sidewinder, which has an almost vertical drop, and the Montazooma, which takes parkgoers along hairpin turns.
Guests can even rent VIP Tiki Cabins for the entire day, and temperatures remain a tropical 84 degrees all year round.
Alton Towers Waterpark, Staffordshire
The water park at Alton Towers is attached to the much-loved theme park, with entry often included in ticket deals.
Set inside the Splash Landing Hotel, the Caribbean lagoon has lazy rivers, a Masterblaster wet rollercoaster, log flumes, slides, and hot tubs.
Day passes are just £17.50 when they’re booked in advance online.
Five new water attractions opening in the UK
- Therme Manchester will have 25 swimming pools, 25 water slides and an indoor beach.
- Modern Surf Manchester will be a surfing lagoon offering lessons to both beginners and experts.
- Chessington World of Adventures Waterpark is set to have wave, infinity and spa pools as well as waterslides and cabanas.
- The Cove Resort, Southport is likely to have a water lagoon and a thermal spa with steam rooms and saunas.
- The Seahive, Deal plans to be the “surfing wellness resort” in the UK.
Meanwhile, this is a list of the exciting new rides that have opened, or are opening, in the UK this year.
And Universal has plans to open a massive theme park in the UK.