Nick Guevel wants to hook them young. White Water, says its operations director, is a "journey" that starts with babies and toddlers splashing on a water-enhanced playground and continues through teenagers flying down the four-story KaPao Plummet.
That makes Coconut Cove, a new interactive play area for the smallest adventurers, where "the first memory of White Water is formed," Guevel says. And that area is opening with new fun for the 2017 summer season -- five slides, four water blasters, "bubbler" fountains, hose jets, tipping buckets and more, all created for interactive play.
FAQ
White Water
WHEN — Open Saturday through Sept. 4
WHERE — Branson, Mo.
COST — $20-$42 per day
INFO — silverdollarcity.com
Guevel, the father of Uriah, 6, and Penelope, 3, can swear the new area has been kid tested and approved. During a photo shoot for White Water advertising, "we turned about 50 kids loose and said go have fun," he says. "For three hours, this group of kids just consumed this product, one splash at a time. There are so many little things -- little ropes they can pull and different buckets pour. Jets they can aim and move around.
"It looks fun and exciting, but then, once they get inside, they're really impressed with how much they can do. It makes them feel like big kids."
Of course, the big kid attractions are all back as well.
""We call it mild to wild," Guevel says, talking about the range of experiences that runs from the Kalani Towers -- seven stories, six slides, with two 300-foot drop slides and four additional 312-foot slides for lane racing -- to Coconut Cove.
"That's the beauty of what we've tried to do. We look at attractions for the whole family. For the most part, [our guests] are families, but we're definitely going to have some thrill seekers."
It's no surprise, Guevel adds, that White Water is a "big season pass park."
"That way, you can come for two or three hours and not feel like you've got to do everything in one day."
But visitors in town for just a few days often buy a "splash and play" pass that allows them to go back and forth between White Water and its sister property, Silver Dollar City, also part of Herschend Entertainment.
"Kids are going to do as much as they can, but the goal is to allow parents to unwind a little, too," he says, whether that's floating the popular 800-foot Aloha River; floating, playing and swimming in the 500,000 gallon Surf's Up wave pool; or letting the little ones run free at Coconut Cove.
"It's completely secluded, one way in, one way out," Guevel says. "So Mom and Dad can relax there, too.
"Watching my son progressing from the kiddie area to the middle areas and aspiring for the slides is just so amazing," Guevel adds. "The relationship he has with that park, those milestones, will be part of his memory forever."
NAN What's Up on 05/26/2017