MIDDLEBURY, Conn. – It’s official!
Splash Away Bay waterpark at Quassy Amusement Park here will get “supercharged” for the 2018 season, park officials announced today.
Three new gigantic water raft rides with a combined length of more than 1,000 feet will be constructed during the offseason, bringing to 15 the number of slides in the lakeside complex.
“We’re thrilled that we can start the project later this summer and have it completed for the waterpark’s opening next year,” said park President Eric Anderson.
In addition to the new slides, Quassy will also construct Splash Away Bay Café & Deck overlooking Lake Quassapaug. Guests at Quassy Beach and the waterpark will be able to purchase food and beverages at the café and enjoy rooftop seating.
Big Thrills On The New Slides
The new slides will be provided by ProSlide Technology, Inc., of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. ProSlide was the vendor for the existing 12 slides at the attraction, which was first introduced in 2003 as Saturation Station. The project will be located in an area now occupied by picnic tables on the north side of the property.
The largest of the three giant slides will be a TantrumTWIST, also known as TORNADO, which will accommodate two-person rafts.
The patented funnel shape flushes riders up the TANTRUM walls, oscillates each tube multiple times and generates the suspended-weightlessness sensation that is unique to ProSlide funnel rides.
After dropping into the funnel, riders are swept up the wall to the equator line, which is actually perpendicular to the ground. The ride creates the illusion of going over the edge and keeps even the craziest thrill enthusiasts returning for more.
Two gigantic PIPEline serpentine slides will round out the three-ride attraction. The new slides will all depart from one platform and conclude in runoff troughs near Saturation Station. The PIPEline slides are designed for single our two-rider rafts.
“ProSlide is extremely proud to be the trusted partner to Quassy Amusement Park for every one of the waterslides at Splash Away Bay. We are thrilled to be working again with the Quassy team to add brand new guest experiences to Splash Away Bay,” said Phil Hayles, vice president business development, ProSlide Technology.
The waterpark expansion will be the single-largest investment in the park’s history, Anderson noted.
“Within the past several years, we have invested heavily in the park with new water attractions, amusement rides and infrastructure improvements,” Anderson added. “Two new rides were added this year as well as our new candy shop and administration offices.”
Vast Improvements
In 2015 Quassy announced a multi-year plan to add new attractions to the waterpark. Last year Slide City, a five-slide complex for children, was introduced as the first phase of the strategy.
Also, Reverse Time, a major thrill ride and the first in all of North America, opened in the amusement ride area of the park.
“The opening of Saturation Station in 2003 really set the stage for the vast improvements we’ve been able to make in recent years,” noted George Frantzis II, a park owner.
“Wooden Warrior, our marquee roller coaster, opened in 2011 and we doubled the size of the waterpark in 2013. Those were monumental accomplishments for us – a small, family-owned business,” Frantzis added.
