Aquatic animation

Hong Kong has Disneyland, Singapore has Universal Studios and Malaysia has Legoland. Now Thailand has Cartoon Network.

Joining neighbouring countries with a family-fun destination, the world’s first Cartoon Network-themed waterpark, Cartoon Network Amazone, is set to open by the end of this year in Pattaya.

Located on 35 rai of beachfront at Bang Saray, the park has 10 entertainment zones themed on the lush Amazon Rainforest. Built by Thai resort developer Amazon Falls Company and Turner Broadcasting Asia Pacific, Cartoon Network Amazone expects to attract up to one million visitors in its first year. 

“Cartoon Network is all about the fun and energy of the playground, and the addition of Cartoon Network Amazone means that families can literally step into our vibrant world of animation and vacation with their favourite characters like never before,” says Sunny Saha, senior vice president and managing director of Turner Broadcasting Asia Pacific.

“There is no themed waterpark in Pattaya and we want Pattaya to become a global family entertainment attraction. In the next three years, we plan to develop the resorts in the park,” adds Kingkaew Puengjesada, deputy chief operating officer of Cartoon Network Amazone. 

A press preview last week revealed that phase one of the park is already finished. 

Among the fun zones is Cartoonival, where favourite Cartoon Network friends splash about. With more than 150 colourful water features to discover, from twirling slides and tunnels to fountains and tubes, there’s toony fun for everyone.

Whip up a giggle in Chowder’s giant mixing bowl, or climb aboard Grandpa Max’s camper vehicle. Say “hey!” to the Powerpuff Girls and sing along with Banana Joe from “The Amazing World of Gumball”. 

Then enter the intergalactic world of “Ben 10’s Omniverse”, where six adrenalin-pumping high-speed water coasters await you. Go head to head with your friends on Intergalactic Racers in the multi-lane super-slide. Then channel your inner XLR8 as you plunge vertically from a height of 18 metres before accelerating at lightning velocity to a splash landing. And beware of the Alien Attack!

Join NRG, Cannonbolt and Swampfire as they take you on a wild ride through a 110-meter-long tube slide. Crazy twists and turns defy gravity as jets of water blast you uphill with hair-raising drops and breathtaking curves before spiraling you through three darkened alien space shuttles.

If that’s not enough action, there’s Goop Loop, the gravity-defying water coaster that will turn your world upside down. The ride starts in an enclosed capsule, where a trap door releases below your feet – dropping you into a 12 metre free-fall and generating maximum g-force that propels you into a 360-degree loop.

It’s time to go ultimate with the world’s first Omnitrix water coaster. Towering a whopping 23 metres above the ground, the fully enclosed Omnitrix accelerates riders down a seemingly never-ending tube before dropping them into Ben 10’s famous alien device. Inside this gigantic, multi-storey sphere with awesome digital projection and surround sound, you’ll shoot up and down back-to-back vertical banks before hurtling towards a splashtacular finish.

At the Adventure Zone, three thrilling rides await you. First there’s Jake Jump, inspired by the hit animated series “Adventure Time”. Jake Jump is an exhilarating combination of rafting, followed by a mega drop, a vertical burst and even weightlessness. In a dual raft, you and your friend will shoot vertically up Jake the Dog’s stretchy body, and then pause before gravity takes hold for one last thrill and a giant splash into the pool below. 

Next up is Rainfall Rainicorn, inspired by the half-rainbow, half-unicorn star of “Adventure Time”, who is known to turn people different colours. This might well be the case for you too when you take on this super tube slide, as tight turns and steep drops catapult you into a splash pool landing.

After all those thrills, it’s time to grab an inner tube and chill out on the Riptide Rapids zone, a meandering 335-metre river adventure that’s full of surprises. One minute, you’re drifting along in your tube through the jungle. The next, you’re in uncharted Amazon territory. 

At the MegaWave zone, you’ve saved the earth with Ben 10, free-fallen from great heights, defied gravity, splashed with Gumball and had a mathematical time with Finn and Jake. Now, pull up a reclining lounge chair at Megawave, a 3,000-square-metre wave pool where you can swim and splash with your family and friends.

In a pre-opening period, invited guests and annual pass holders will be the only members of the public to sample the excitement as the park fine-tunes systems and procedures. While many key features of the park will be operational, others, including the retail and food-and-beverage outlets, are in the final stages of completion.

 

SPLASH OUT

>>> Cartoon Network Amazone is at Bang Saray, Pattaya.

>>> Admission is Bt1,290 for adults and Bt890 for children. Packages are available for corporate clients and groups. There are also annual passes.

>>> For more details, check www.CartoonNetworkAmazone.com.