America’s First Virtual Reality Waterslide Opens at Kalahari Resorts and Conventions

POCONO MOUNTAINS, Pa., July 22, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — To celebrate National Waterpark Day next week, Kalahari Resorts and Conventions partnered with BallastVR to launch America’s first and only virtual reality waterslide. Ballast’s patented VRSlide^® technology enables riders to experience virtual reality worlds while riding down Kalahari’s thrilling Anaconda waterslide. As riders race down unique drops and twisting curves wearing a VR headset, the sensation fully immerses them in one of three experiences: adventuring on an action-packed African safari, chasing aliens through outer space or flying through castles surrounded by fire-breathing dragons.

“We wanted to do something extraordinary to celebrate the 5th annual National Waterpark Day and what better way than to introduce America’s first virtual reality slide?” said Cary Brandt, Corporate Creative Director Entertainment at Kalahari Resorts and Conventions. “Our guests will be truly blown away by the experience offered by Ballast’s VRSlide technology, and we’re proud to continue to innovate the waterpark experience to bring our guests the best in entertainment.”

Ballast engineers thoroughly match each piece of content to the exact slide layout to maximize the experience for each guest.

“There’s a magical combination that comes from merging immersive virtual reality worlds with the thrill of riding down a real waterslide. At Ballast, we’ve been committed to bringing that magic to waterparks for the last four years with VRSlide® and we couldn’t be more pleased to debut this system in America with Kalahari Resorts,” said Stephen Greenwood, CEO and Co-Founder of Ballast VR. “To date, we’ve had over half a million riders of VRSlide at prior installations overseas – it’s a system that has proven to be safe for riders and profitable for our clients and partners. The Anaconda at Kalahari is the perfect match for VRSlide and the result is an incredible guest experience that can be repeated over and over, without getting old. We’re deeply appreciative of Kalahari’s vision for innovation and their leadership in the immersive entertainment space.”

National Waterpark Day

Kalahari Resorts, home to America’s largest indoor waterparks, founded National Waterpark Day on July 28, 2017, to celebrate the fun and lasting memories families create at waterparks every summer. In addition to the new waterslide attraction, Kalahari will celebrate the holiday with a special summer savings offer available at www.kalahariresorts.com/celebrate.

About Kalahari Resorts and Conventions
Kalahari Resorts and Conventions in Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin, Sandusky, Ohio, the Pocono Mountains, Pennsylvania, and now open in Round Rock, Texas, deliver a beyond-expectations waterpark resort and conference experience all under one roof. The authentically African-themed Kalahari Resorts, privately owned by the Nelson family, are home to America’s largest indoor waterparks. All Kalahari Resorts feature well-appointed guest rooms, full-service Spa Kalahari, a fun-filled family entertainment center, on-site signature restaurants, unique retail shops and a state-of-the-art convention center. Kalahari Resorts and Conventions frequently receives awards and accolades for its guest and convention services. Recognition includes: Condé Nast Traveler’s #1 World’s Coolest Indoor Waterparks, Sensory Friendly Certified in 2020 (Ohio), Best Family-Friendly Meeting Hotel and Resort in Smart Meeting’s 2020 Smart Stars Awards, Parents’ Magazine 2019 Kids’ Travel Award Winner and TripAdvisor’s 2018 and 2017 Travelers’ Choice Awards. For reservation and guest information, call 1-877-KALAHARI (525-2427) or visit KalahariResorts.com. To learn more about Kalahari Resorts and download images and b-roll, members of the media are encouraged to visit KalahariMedia.com.

About Ballast VR
Ballast VR is the first company in the world to bring the magic of virtual reality to the unique environment that water parks and resorts offer. In the past four years, Ballast VR has introduced several new attractions that heighten the thrill of virtual reality by merging out-of-this-world visuals with incredible physical sensations. For waterpark operators, these systems offer new possibilities to add dynamic attractions that can be updated seasonally while establishing new revenue streams on top of existing waterslide and swimming pool infrastructure. VRSlide® is a system that safely allows riders to be immersed in VR worlds while riding down real waterslides. With multiple content experiences that are tailored to each unique waterslide path, guests love the ability to re-ride the same slide and have a new adventure with each different VR experience. Every drop, turn and burst of speed is augmented inside the VR worlds, resulting in new sensations that make VRSlide® a must-try experience. DIVR® is a system that safely allows guests to snorkel in shallow water while wearing a unique underwater VR headset. The unique sensation of being in neutral buoyancy in VR makes guests believe they can float in space, dive with whales or soar over cliffs alongside wingsuit skydivers. These groundbreaking attractions have been enjoyed by over 700,000 happy customers in 15 countries across the world. By creating incredible and eye-catching guest experiences that generate new revenue streams, Ballast has grown quickly to become the unquestioned world leader in this new form of entertainment technology. To learn more, visit BallastVR.com.

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SOURCE Kalahari Resorts and Conventions