The Sandcastle Waterpark, which first opened its doors on 26 June 1986, was established on the site previously occupied by the South Shore Open Air Baths. This venture marked a successful collaboration between public and private sectors. As an indoor waterpark, it boasts an impressive array of attractions, including 18 water slides. Notably, it features the Master Blaster, renowned as the world’s longest indoor roller-coaster water slide, and the Sidewinder, the pioneering vertical indoor drop slide.
The park offers a variety of family-friendly attractions, such as the Ushi Gushi Action River, the Shimmering Shallows, and the Typhoon Lagoon Wavepool. For younger visitors, the Caribbean Storm Treehouse provides an interactive play experience with its large tipping coconut, complemented by water cannons, mini slides, and jets located within the HMS Thundersplash and Fort Riptide zones.
Initially developed through a joint public-private partnership, Sandcastle Waterpark came under the sole ownership of Blackpool Council in 2003. This transition led to a significant £5.5 million investment to upgrade the facility, with improvements rolled out in two phases, the second of which was completed in 2006 on schedule and within budget.
In 2012, the waterpark introduced two new Aztec-themed slides: ‘Aztec Falls’, featuring a thrilling chamber experience, and ‘Montazooma’, a toboggan-like descent. To mark its 30th anniversary in 2016, Sandcastle Waterpark hosted a month-long celebration that included various events with local charities and community groups. On 26 June 2016, as part of the anniversary festivities, the waterpark reclaimed the world record for the most riders on a waterslide in one hour, achieving 529 riders, surpassing the previous record of 396 held by a Dutch waterpark.
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Images by © Deeper Blue Marketing & Design Ltd
