ProSlide Technology explained

ProSlide Technology
Type:Private
Foundation:1986
Founder:Richard D. Hunter
Location:
Unit 150
Ottawa, Ontario
K2B 8H6
Area Served:Worldwide
Industry:Manufacturing
Products:Water slides
Num Employees:100+(2016)

ProSlide Technology, Inc. is a Canadian designer and manufacturer of water rides and water park resorts.[1] They design and manufacture both traditional slides and innovative rides such as water coasters, funnel-shaped Tornado slides, and Bowl slides.[2] ProSlide has received attention for being the first water slide manufacturer to build a water slide using linear induction motors and for designing the Mammoth watercoaster which was named the world's longest watercoaster by Guinness World Records in 2016.[3] [4] Since 1986, ProSlide has developed and designed water rides for water parks in over 40 countries around the world.

Models

Proslide makes a number of different model lines, some in different sizes. The ones in different sizes have names which are the name of the model, followed by a number, indicating the size. Their slide models are:

There are also Hybrid slides, which consist of more than one type of slide. For example, Kinnaree at Siam Park is a Hybrid slide of a Tornado 24 and a TornadoWave 60.

History

Corporate history

After being a member of Canada’s alpine skiing team from 1969 to 1974, Richard D. Hunter founded ProSlide Technology Inc. in 1986.[5] [6] In 1990, Hunter purchased Mont Cascades, a ski area and waterpark in Quebec.[7] Mont Cascades has since served as a research and development area where Proslide tests new ride ideas.[8]

In 2007, ProSlide purchased a 100-acre plot of land in Ottawa where it has been developing the Alottawata waterpark.[8] The park was expected to open in summer 2019 and would have served in part as a research and development centre for the company.[9] As of August 2018 however, the park has been put on indefinite hold.As of July 2023 The land has been sold and proslide no longer owns the land[10]

Attraction history

ProSlide debuted three types of water slides in 1987, Twisters, Kidz, and Plummets, which are all types of body flumes. The first Twisters opened at Mont Saint-Sauveur in Quebec and Adventure World Theme Park (now known as Six Flags America) in Largo, Maryland, United States; both parks opened 4 Twisters that year.[11] Plummets consist of a vertical drop only, followed by a long, flat segment to help riders decelerate. The first Plummets opened at Aquapar Magog in Quebec and Six Flags America, respectively.[12] ProSlide also debuted their children's water slides (ProSlide Kidz) in 1987, which are miniature versions of Twisters designed for young children. Initially, they were installed more frequently than the full-size Twisters.[13]

In 1989, the company's PIPEline water slides opened at several locations. The Pipeline is a water slide that carries riders on 1-to-3 person inner tubes and is ProSlide's second most common style.[14] The Pipeline has both open and enclosed sections; many have water curtains at the beginning and/or end of their enclosed sections. The first Pipeline rides using inner tubes opened at Fantasia de Agua in the Dominican Republic and Waldameer Park in Erie, Pennsylvania. Throughout the 1990s, several large park chains started opening new ProSlide Pipelines, including Cedar Fair, Six Flags, and Wet 'n Wild.

In 1991, the Mammoth waterslide debuted and was the first ProSlide slide that riders rode in 4-person tubes. The Mammoth is a larger-scale version of the Pipeline.[15] Wet 'n Wild in Orlando, Florida, opened the first ProSlide Mammoth.

The first ProSlide RACER opened in 1994 at ProSlide's Mont Cascades Waterpark in Cantley, Quebec. Racers consist of one wide slide with dividers between the lanes and are designed that riders can "race" to the finish if ride operators send all of them down the slide at the same time.[16]

Beginning in the late 1990s, ProSlide began manufactures four kinds of Bowls: ProBowls, CannonBOWLS, BulletBOWLS, and BehemothBOWLS, all four types consist of an enclosed flume that terminates in a bowl; riders travel in a spiral around the bowl (using centrifugal force to stay on the bowl's wall initially) before dropping into a splashdown pool.[17] ProBowls are enclosed body flumes which end in a bowl with an open top. CannonBowls and the larger BehemothBowls accommodate 2- and 4-person inner tubes, and have a common exit in their centers.[18] The first ProSlide Bowl, a ProBowl, opened at Golfland Sunsplash in 1999.[15]

In the early 2000s, ProSlide gained recognition for its TORNADO, a 4-passenger, 50- to 75-foot-tall enclosed slide which ends in a large, often multicolored funnel. Riders travel back and forth in the funnel several times before exiting into a splashdown pool. The first Tornados opened in 2003 at Six Flags New England, Mountain Creek Waterpark and Holiday World and Splashin' Safari.[19]

In 2005, ProSlide debuted its waterslide version of a roller coaster, the Rocket, an uphill water coaster. Proslide's first Rockets opened at Noah's Ark Water Park, Six Flags New England, and the Great Wolf Lodge.[20]

ProSlide opened a LIM-propelled Rocket at the Great Wolf Lodge near Kings Island in 2006; in 2007, LIM-launched Rockets opened at Naju Lake Waterpark in Korea and at Kentucky Kingdom.[21] Super Tubes Hydrocoaster at WhiteWater World in Australia, have used the ProSlide HydroMagnetics system of Linear Induction Motors placed throughout the ride to launch riders up the uphill sections. HydroMagnetics uses Force Engineering LIM technology, which first gained recognition in the amusement park industry as the power behind launched roller coasters such as Flight of Fear and Speed - The Ride. ProSlide HydroMAGNETIC ROCKETS are the first waterslides to use this same technology, which allows for more flexibility and efficiency in running the waterslides' uphill sections than the previous conveyor-belt system did.[22] In 2012, the company's Mammoth was recognized as the longest water coaster in the world when it opened at Holiday World.[23]

Awards and recognition

During the early 2000s, ProSlide manufactured the majority of the water park industry's award-winning rides. In 2005, three of the top five Golden Ticket Award winners for Best New Ride for 2005 (Water Park) were rides manufactured by ProSlide.[24] [25] ProSlide also had two of the top three winners for Best Waterpark Ride in 2004, 2005 and 2006.[26] [27] From 2010-2017, ProSlides Wildebeest watercoaster at Holiday World and Splashin' Safari was named Best Waterpark Ride.[28] [29] [30] In 2017, the company earned an additional Golden Ticket Award for Best New Water Park Ride for the Thunder Rapids Water Coaster at Six Flags Fiesta Texas.[30]

ProSlide is a 15-time IAAPA ‘Best Water Ride’ winner as well as a three-time recipient of IAAPA’s ‘Industry Impact Award,’ given to the top attraction in the entire industry.[31] The company has also won several IAAPA Brass Ring Awards: Best New Product Exhibitor Awards which recognizes the best new product or service in the amusement parks and attractions industry.[32]

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: ProSlide Opens KrakenRACERS at Three US Parks. InPark Magazine. Joe. Kleiman. 30 July 2012. 27 January 2018.
  2. Web site: Wet'n'Wild Toronto Makes a Splash With Mammoth New Attractions. Blooloop. Owen. Ralph. 19 July 2017. 27 January 2018.
  3. Web site: Guinness World Records Certifies 'Mammoth' At Holiday World Longest Water Coaster. Tribune Star. 26 May 2016. 27 January 2018.
  4. Web site: Water Ride vs. Roller Coaster: Now You Don't Have to Choose. New York Times. Mekado. Murphy. 5 July 2017. 27 January 2018.
  5. Web site: For Global Success, Just Add Water. Ottawa Citizen. 23 February 2013. 27 January 2018.
  6. Web site: Meet Rick Hunter, Disney's Waterslide Go-to Guy. The Globe and Mail. 21 June 2007. 27 January 2018.
  7. Web site: Hit The Slopes. Ottawa At Home. Mark. Holleron. 3 March 2014. 27 January 2018.
  8. Web site: Firm Set to Make Waves With Massive Water Park. Ottawa Citizen. Bert. Hill. 24 November 2007. 27 January 2018.
  9. Web site: South-end Waterpark Finally Moving Ahead, Developer Says. Ottawa Citizen. Vito. Pileci. 29 April 2016. 27 January 2018.
  10. Web site: Plans for south end waterpark on hold, again . 2022-06-02 . ottawacitizen . en-CA.
  11. Web site: ProSlide . Twister Installations . 19 February 2007. https://web.archive.org/web/20061113040505/http://www.proslide.com/installation.php?mainRideID=8 . 13 November 2006.
  12. Web site: ProSlide . Plummet Installations . 19 February 2007. https://web.archive.org/web/20061113040443/http://www.proslide.com/installation.php?mainRideID=7 . 13 November 2006.
  13. Web site: ProSlide . Kidz Installations . 19 February 2007. https://web.archive.org/web/20061113040627/http://www.proslide.com/installation.php?mainRideID=9 . 13 November 2006.
  14. Web site: ProSlide . Pipeline Installations . 19 February 2007. https://web.archive.org/web/20061113040636/http://www.proslide.com/installation.php?mainRideID=5 . 13 November 2006.
  15. Web site: ProSlide . Mammoth Installations . 19 February 2007. https://web.archive.org/web/20061113040651/http://www.proslide.com/installation.php?mainRideID=3 . 13 November 2006.
  16. Web site: ProSlide . Racer Installations . 19 February 2007. https://web.archive.org/web/20061113040708/http://www.proslide.com/installation.php?mainRideID=6 . 13 November 2006.
  17. Web site: ProSlide . CannonBOWLS . 19 February 2007. https://web.archive.org/web/20061113043839/http://www.proslide.com/sub.php?mainRideID=2&rideID=6 . 13 November 2006.
  18. Web site: ProSlide . BehemothBOWLS . 19 February 2007. https://web.archive.org/web/20061113043832/http://www.proslide.com/sub.php?mainRideID=2&rideID=5 . 13 November 2006.
  19. Web site: ProSlide . Tornado Installations . 19 February 2007. https://web.archive.org/web/20061113040414/http://www.proslide.com/installation.php?mainRideID=1 . 13 November 2006.
  20. Web site: ProSlide . Rocket Installations . 19 February 2007. https://web.archive.org/web/20061113040448/http://www.proslide.com/installation.php?mainRideID=4 . 13 November 2006.
  21. Web site: Kentucky Kingdom and Hurricane Bay . Splashwater Kingdom is bigger, better and wetter! . 19 February 2007 . https://archive.today/20130202072814/http://www.sixflags.com/parks/kentuckykingdom/parkpress/waterparkannouncement.html . dead . 2 February 2013 .
  22. http://www.roller-coaster.com.au/article.php?aid=127 "New water park brings slide innovation"
  23. Web site: Roseboom. Matt. Out of the Loop: Holiday World announces longest water coaster (again). Attractions Magazine. August 15, 2011. August 3, 2011. https://web.archive.org/web/20111006021309/http://attractionsmagazine.com/blog/2011/08/03/out-of-the-loop-holiday-world-announces-longest-water-coaster-again/. October 6, 2011. dead.
  24. Web site: Amusement Today . 2005 Golden Ticket Awards . 14 December 2006. https://web.archive.org/web/20061020132525/http://www.amusementtoday.com/image/GoldenTicket2005.pdf . 20 October 2006.
  25. Web site: Amusement Today . 2003 Golden Ticket Awards . 14 December 2006. https://web.archive.org/web/20061206153650/http://www.amusementtoday.com/image/AT_Golden_Ticket_2003.pdf . 6 December 2006.
  26. Web site: Amusement Today . 2004 Golden Ticket Awards . 14 December 2006. https://web.archive.org/web/20061206154210/http://www.amusementtoday.com/image/GoldenTicket2004.pdf . 6 December 2006.
  27. Web site: Amusement Today . 2006 Golden Ticket Awards . 14 December 2006. https://web.archive.org/web/20061016005334/http://www.amusementtoday.com/image/GoldenTicket2006.pdf . 16 October 2006.
  28. Web site: GoldenTicket Awards. https://web.archive.org/web/20110429013829/http://www.goldenticketawards.com/gta2011.html. dead. 29 April 2011. 29 April 2011.
  29. Web site: 2010 Golden Ticket Awards The Best of the Best!. Golden Ticket Awards. 2011-11-27. https://web.archive.org/web/20110429013829/http://www.goldenticketawards.com/gta2011.html. 2011-04-29.
  30. Web site: Proslide Water Attractions Make a Splash at Golden Ticket Awards. Blooloop. 12 September 2017. 27 January 2018.
  31. Web site: ProSlide Receives Top IAAPA Awards. Pool & Spa Marketing. 23 January 2014. 27 January 2018.
  32. Web site: 2016 IAAP Brass Ring Award Winners. IAAPA. 2016. 27 January 2018.

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