Funnel Ride
The funnel ride is all about size. Pumping approximately 10,000 gallons of water per minute and towering 65 feet in the air, the funnel sticks out like a Great Dane in a room full of Chihuahuas.

In some cases, due to the sheer enormity of the thing, it even protrudes outside indoor waterparks, its strange shape piquing the interest of passersby.

“[The] massive scale of the configuration provides some longer excitement itself,” says Jeff Nodorft, studio director at St. Louis-based design firm Counsilman-Hunsaker.

In fact, the ride is known for making grown men scream like babies. Typically, riders are placed in two- or four-person tubes facing one another while they spin, twirl and screech around the walls of the funnel until they’re eventually plunked down into the water.

A hit with all ages, this is a ride designed especially for families and groups of friends to experience a thrill like few others.

The Speed Slide
In most of the top resorts, there’s at least one. Though rarely boasting the longest line due to the intimidation factor and quick ride time, this ride exists for those guests who get easily bored: adrenaline addicts.

“The speed slide is a very nice balance to other attractions, and caters to the preteen and teenage thrill seekers,” observes Scott Stefanc, project designer at Water Technology Inc. in Beaver Dam, Wis.

The high dive of water slides, speed slides require a lot of run-out room (100 to 200 feet on average) and only a little bit of water. Also, in comparison with other bulkier rides, such as the bowl, the speed slide is less expensive to build because it uses less fiberglass.

“It’s one of the easier rides to maintain,” adds Tim Gantz, president/co-owner of Noah’s Ark Water Park in Wisconsin Dells, Wis. “We check the stress every season, but other than that it’s a very maintenance free ride.”

Whether the drop is preceded by twists and turns, has one or multiple racing lanes with timers, or is just an elegant slope, this slide is kinetic energy at its finest. On steep enough attractions, top speeds can reach approximately 60 mph.

When it comes to the most bang for the buck, the speed slide produces high-speed thrills at a low cost. But even more than its monetary value, the pure rush it offers riders is a feeling that encourages repeat rides — and repeat park visits.

Uphill Coaster
This is one ride with a height advantage. “The [uphill coaster] doesn’t take up a large footprint because it’s elevated and off the ground,” says Scott Stefanc, project designer at Water Technology Inc. in Beaver Dam, Wis.

Unlike other slides, the uphill coaster pushes riders skyward so they can experience roller coaster style downward plummets. Using either water pumps, conveyers or limb technology to make the in-line rafts ascend, the ride creates an amusement-park-like atmosphere.

Though the uphill coaster’s mechanical system tends to be more intricate than many of the other water slides, its complexity is worth the extra effort. “The [uphill coaster] is one of those rides where you can maximize your iconic marketing dollars,” Stefanc notes.

Catering to preteen, teen and adult demographics, this attraction is a status symbol for waterparks serious about rides.

Tipping Bucket
Conceptually speaking, the tipping bucket is simple: Water filters into a large bucket suspended in the air. The bucket gets full. The bucket tips over. Repeat.

Despite its simplicity, however, the tipping bucket is a staple for any waterpark resort worth its salt. Not only does it appeal to all ages and create a forum for large group interactions, but it also takes up relatively little space.

It’s an attraction Alfred Hitchcock would have loved, built around the notion of suspense. Well, sort of.

“You don’t have to be in the waterpark to know when the bucket is going to dump because all the kids are screaming,” says Sabena Robinson, director of sales and marketing at the Kingston Plantation Resort in Myrtle Beach, S.C.

While the bucket is filling up, accessories and features such as water guns, jet streams and wheels work to attract a steady crowd, which only increases when that deluge is about to descend. Many places increase the drama with sirens and bells at tip time. In a sense, it’s like a water show that takes place every few minutes. The only difference is that the show is much more interactive, taking place on people’s heads.

Adventure River
Just about every place worthy of the waterpark resort label has a lazy river. “A river is very important, depending on the rest of the mix of the park, because it is a body of water with a large capacity for holding people,” says David Sangree, president of Hotel and Leisure Advisors in Cleveland.

But when it comes to lazy rivers, that’s just the problem: They’re lazy. After all, a waterpark is intended to attract kids — and kids tend to like the opposite of lazy.

So rather than devoting all that floor space to a lethargic pool with a light jet-stream current, the adventure river livens things up. Rapids, dips, twists and falls. Dark tunnels, sound effects and interactive accessories. These are all the sort of added features that can transform a pool with a current into a fun-filled attraction for all ages.

Today, designers and manufacturers are incorporating sound effects and thematic 2D and 3D graphics/designs into the rivers to further immerse guests into the adventure, or the theme of the park itself.