By Craig T. Kojima, Star-Bulletin
A worker clears brush today as he prepares the
Hawaiian Waters Adventure Park for its May 28 opening.
Kapolei water
park set to
take plunge
The 29-acre attraction,
Star-Bulletin staff
featuring twin-speed slides,
is set to open May 28The $14 million Hawaiian Waters Adventure Park at Kapolei plans to open May 28 with a newly married couple "taking the plunge" seven stories down the Cliffhanger twin-speed slides into a pool below.
Under a promotion with radio station KCCN, a yet-to-be-chosen couple will exchange vows at the top of the slide after the traditional untying of the maile lei to open the park at 9:30 a.m.
Featuring rides with names like Mowee Wowee, Flyin' Hawaiian, Surfsliders, and Kapolei Kooler, the 29-acre park has a tropical design and aims to attract visitors of all ages. It includes a keiki-only area with water cannons, lily pad walks, and slides; teen attractions such as slides and a swinging bridge; and an adults-only area with a bar, Jacuzzi pool, and hammocks.
There are also two- and four-person inner-tube rides, a large wave pool for body surfing, a 65-foot-high free-fall slide, and water-toboggan bullet slides.
By Craig T. Kojima, Star-Bulletin
Landscape worker Hiram Amina uses a break in
preparations for the park opening to try a
65-foot slide on for size.
Dr. Jack L. Harrington, managing director of Waters of Kapolei LLC, said the park will have a positive effect on the state's tourist-based economy. He said the park expects to draw 400,000 visitors a year.Harrington said the park, mauka of H-1 and across from Kapolei Theaters, will employ 150 people, which will increase to 350 during peak periods.
Tickets for the opening weekend are available on a limited basis at Tesoro Gas Express stations on Oahu.
Regular admission is $29.95 per adult and $19.95 each for children 4-feet tall or less. There's no charge for children under three years old.
Specially priced $89.99 kamaaina annual passes will be available for a limited time starting today for Foodland Maikai cardholders at any Oahu Foodland or Sack-n-Save location.
Regularly priced passes at $99.99 will be available at the park starting June 1.
Although the park can handle as many as 5,000 visitors at a time, only 3,500 tickets will be available during Memorial Day weekend on a first-come, first-served basis in order not to inconvenience park guests, the operators said. No tickets will be sold at the gate during the opening weekend.
Hawaiian Waters Adventure Park construction and management team includes Aquatic Design Group, Carlsbad, Calif.; Kauahikaua & Chun Architects, Honolulu; Engineering Concepts, Honolulu; Western Water Features, El Dorado Hills, Calif.; and Horizon Amusement Group Inc., Gold River, Calif.
