Magic Waters

The granddaddy of Illinois waterparks is Rockford Park District's 35-acre Magic Waters Water Park with an estimated market value of $35 million. It opened in 1985 with 18 acres of waterpark attractions, followed by five major expansions.

The latest innovation is the $2.25 million Splashmagic Island in May 1997. This modified treehouse attraction holds 1,000 people at any given time. Its two acres include a 50-foot-tall interactive water entertainment complex topped off by a 1,000-gallon water bucket that tips and sends water splashing everywhere every ten minutes. Six slides, ranging in length from 25 to 165 feet (both enclosed and body slides) fall from five stories, accessible via stairs, crawl spaces and cargo nets. Underneath lies a 12-foot-square zerodepth pool than fills and drains 0 to 10 inches.

The entire waterpark is themed "Your Caribbean Beach...Close To Home," with tropical plants, a fishing hut and ocean mural, and calypso steel-drum music piped through-out by a 40-speaker PA system. Last year, to coincide with the opening of Splashmagic Island, Magic Waters began an in-park promotion using this PA system, which won a World Waterpark Association's Wave Review Media Award. Every 20 minutes speakers send a crisp, clear message highlighting one of the park's spending locations (e.g., gift shop and concession areas, rentals, specific products).

Still the favorite attraction, 14 years later, is the 707,000-gallon wave pool (Illinois' largest), which alternates between ocean waves and calmer water for swimming. A state-of-the-art interactive river ride stretches 1,200 feet at widths of 22 to 58 feet, holding 1,000 riders at a time.

Five stories above Magic Waters begin three 480-foot waterslides and two 550-foot tubeslide rides that send patrons splashing and careening at speeds up to 30 miles per hour. Designed for young children, a 3,800 square foot zero-depth pool (0 to 10 inches deep) features frogs, squirting whales, and colorful foam-rubber aqua-creatures.

Facilities on land include a sand volleyball area, sundecks with tents or umbrellas, gift shop, video game entertainment complex, and 3,500 lounge chairs. Sixty percent of the park's extensive food and beverage service is contracted out, offering a submarine sandwich shop, a pizzeria and a full line of carts selling ice cream, Coke products, and more.

Average summer-day attendance is 3,800 and numbers have reached as high as 7,000. Six full-time and 270 seasonal staff tend to the park and its patrons from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day.

The latest and hottest waterpark attraction in Illinois is Splashmagic Island a 50-foot-fall interactive water entertainment complex.

The most popular attraction at Magic Waters is the 707,000-gallon wave pool, one the parks original features.

Splashmagic Island
Landscape Architect:
John R. Cook and Associates
Rockford, Ill

Splashmagic Island
Aquatic Design Engineer:
Water Technology Inc.
Beaver Dam, Wis.

Splashmagic Island
Cost: $2.25 million
Acres: 2
Occupancy: May 1997