As you stand at the base of No Boundaries™, the giant structure towers 75-feet high above you. It is truly an iconic attraction offering high thrill zip lining and challenging climbing activities for guests of all ages and skill levels. No Boundaries is unique to the market, expertly integrating different ways to play within one attraction, creating an unforgettable, never-before-seen experience. With both harnessed and unharnessed activities, weaving obstacle courses with uphill climbs, downward descents, and a winding aerial zip coaster this impressive complex presents a one-of-a-kind experience for the entire family.
To accommodate all of the different elements which No Boundaries incorporate would normally take up substantial square feet, so the WhiteWater team had to reimagine the space by building up to create this enormous attraction and fit them all in within a condensed footprint of 860 m² to 2000 m². The team created a core interior which climbs four storeys high and houses a central area where parents can watch, film, or encourage bravery. The 18 columns that radiate from the core support secondary structures such as a ropes course, elevators drops, and wave climb.
“We’ve really packed this attraction with features,” says Mark Weston, Designer and Product Manager of No Boundaries. “I’m extremely proud that we’ve created, for the first time, parallel play in one structure where siblings of different ages can race across the attraction in tandem; the older enjoying the high thrill harnessed play while the younger test their limits with unharnessed challenges. It is a mini-family adventure park all on its own!”
It isn’t often we are able to show the behind-the-scenes making of such an epic attraction but here is an exclusive preview of No Boundaries as it emerges from the ground. There will be four No Boundaries opening for the 2017 season, two in China, one in Malaysia, and one in Abu Dhabi. No Boundaries comes in two sizes the 200 shown here can accommodate 800 guest per hour and the smaller 100 which is perfect for indoor spaces and can entertain 350 guests per hour.
WhiteWater has invested years in innovating this attraction so that it delivers both operations efficiency and an amazing guest experience. They say that the devil is in the detail and there are many details which are firsts with No Boundaries. Efficiently operated, this attraction is practically self-running; WhiteWater’s automated and patented safety technology allows guests to explore the structure with limited supervision. Their continuous harness clip allows guests to zip from one platform to another without ever having to unhook. This technology will shorten queues and allow for a higher capacity throughput.
When designing a new attraction, especially one as innovative as No Boundaries safety is a critical design and testing consideration and this required extensive research, testing, and engineering time. The result is that No Boundaries is compliant with ASTM International and the China State Construction International Holdings (CSCI) codes. Each design is evaluated using carefully calibrated simulations followed by meticulous testing and fine-tuning to get the experience optimal and safety-assured. Environmental conditions also vary across geographies, and that becomes a consideration in design for operations and maintenance. “We’ve invested in creating a product which is designed to last even in the most challenging environments,” said Weston. “It is the quality of the design and build which sets new attractions like No Boundaries apart and which makes our clients’ investments last and keep delivering guest satisfaction and a healthy return on investment.”
“No Boundaries is one of the products I’m most excited to bring to the market,” says Nathan Jones, WhiteWater’s new Global Head of Attractions. “We’ve really understood the challenges operators face and have created an attraction which ticks all the boxes—it provides high capacity, free-play inclusive across the whole age range of a family. This isn’t play as you think of it, as you see in the images, it’s high up there, this is high thrill!”
Nathan has come back home to WhiteWater where he spent much of his early career to lead the sales focus on WhiteWater’s portfolio of Water Rides and Adventure Play products which are suited to amusement and theme parks, as well as waterparks.
Well known in the industry because of his involvement in the Themed Entertainment Association (TEA), Nathan has spent the last three years with Vekoma Rides Manufacturing as their Vice President of Sales and Marketing, North America. “Providing the best customer experience has always been WhiteWater’s goal, and that means hiring the best talent which is why we are pleased to welcome Nathan back,” said WhiteWater CEO, Geoff Chutter.
Attractions of this size take many months to build and as the pictures show they are big undertakings. The first two installations shown here Everfashion Hot Go Park in Northern China and Gui’an Theme Park in the South of China will be fully open to the public this spring.