Riding a waterslide through outer space has never been so easy. In fact, neither has water sliding through an African safari or a castle filled with fire-breathing dragons.
What? That’s right; Pennsylvania’s Kalahari Resorts and Conventions partnered with BallastVR to launch America’s first and only virtual reality waterslide. It made the announcement on July 22, in celebration of National Waterpark Day on July 28. Ballast equips Kalahari’s Anaconda waterslide with its patented VRSlide technology to pull off the experience.
Kalahari coined National Waterpark Day in 2017 but emphasizes that this year’s occasion is the most special yet.
“We wanted to do something extraordinary to celebrate the 5th annual National Waterpark Day,” said Cary Brandt, Corporate Creative Director Entertainment at Kalahari. “And what better way than to introduce America’s first virtual reality slide?”
Good question.
“Magic” That Will “Blow You Away”: VR Waterslide Details
Kalahari’s Anaconda waterslide is a tube-style slide that accommodates rafts big enough for families. It touts the slide’s “sharp turns and high-speed plunges.” Adding 3 VR experiences to the slide (see above) promises to crank it up a notch.
According to company PR, Ballast engineers matched each piece of content to the Anaconda’s exact layout to maximize the experience for each guest. Execs with both companies assert the new tech’s possibilities with perceptible zest.
“Our guests will be truly blown away by the experience offered by Ballast’s VRSlide technology,” Brandt said.
Stephen Greenwood, CEO and Co-Founder of Ballast VR, said, “There’s a magical combination that comes from merging immersive virtual reality worlds with the thrill of riding down a real waterslide. At Ballast, we’ve been committed to bringing that magic to waterparks for the last four years with VRSlide® and we couldn’t be more pleased to debut this system in America with Kalahari Resorts.”
Buy the Ticket; Ride the Ride
Learn more about living out your extraterrestrial, African wildlife, or dragon-slaying fantasies through water sliding at Kalahari’s VR webpage. The slide is located at Kalahari Resorts and Conventions’ Pocono Manor, PA location. A day pass costs $15 — which, for the prospect of an alien encounter, beats the hell out of the estimated $28 million you’d have to fork over to get a ride on a Blue Origin flight.
