Vichy Water Park

Vichy Water Park (Lithuanian: Vichy vandens parkas) is a Polynesian-themed water park located in the Ozas retail and entertainment district in Vilnius, Lithuania. The park opened 31 May 2007, and can accept 1.5 thousand visitors at one time. The park was developed by the Rubicon Group (now ICOR) at a cost of 72 million litas (equivalent to about €20.85 million at the time).[1] Construction of Vichy was overseen by the Lithuanian architects UAB Tiksli Forma with the waterslides designed and manufactured by Dutch company Van Egdom. Swiss company International Waterpark Management developed the conceptional design, and Spanish company Amusement Logic S.L. developed the park's Polynesian theme in consultation with the Polynesian Cultural Center in Hawaiʻi.[1][2] To help evoke a tropical atmosphere, Vichy injects a fig oil-based scent throughout the park.[3]

Vichy Vandens Parkas
LocationVilnius, Lithuania
Coordinates54°42′58″N 25°16′36″E
OwnerICOR Group
Opened31 May 2007 (2007-05-31)
Area13,400 square metres (144,000 sq ft)
Pools3 pools
Water slides9 water slides
Children's areasA single children's area
Websitevandensparkas.lt
Vichy Water Park
Vichy Water Park

When constructed, Vichy was considered one of the largest and most advanced water parks in Europe.[4] A visitor study of the park's first month found that 52 percent of park attendees came from Vilinus.[5] It employs about 130 people.[6]

In 2013, after an incident where a 9-year-old girl was pulled into a drainage pipe, the park was fined 22,500 litas (about €6,500) for safety violations.[7] The company was previously fined 10,000 litas (about €2,900) for misleading pricing for an annual pass.[8]

In Summer 2022, as part of the global energy crisis and the Russia–E.U. gas dispute, surging energy prices led Vichy Water Park to substantailly cut back its operations and to consider price increases in an attempt to offset rising electricity costs.[9][10]

Attractions

Vichy Water Park is built around nine waterslides with a total length, according to the park, "three-times the height of the Vilnius TV Tower".[11] The longest is the 162-metre (177 yd) Pitkern's Cave.[12] Three waterslides have grades as steep as 20%. In addition, there is a 280-square-metre (3,000 sq ft) wave pool and a 137-metre (150 yd) lazy river, along with Game Island (Žaidimų sala), a children's play area. The park also has a jacuzzi pool and three bathing areas with a Turkish bath, Russian steam bath, saunas, and spa services.[11]

Vichy Water Park Waterslides[11]
Name (en) Name (lt) Length (m) Max. Grade Min. Age Notes
Fiji Squall Fidžio viesulas 152 20% 11 Max. speed 60 km/h (37 mph)
Black Pearl Juodasis perlas 103 13% 6
Yell of the Māori Maorių klyksmas 115 11 15-metre (49 ft) high boomerang
Moreja Volcano Morėjos vulkanas 110 20% 11 Max. speed 60 km/h (37 mph)
Moskito Moskito 31 6 For children (max. age 18)
Ohano River Ohanos upė 111 13% 6
Pitkern's Cave Pitkerno urvas 162 13% 6
Rapa Nui Chasm Rapa Nui bedugnė 3.6 20% 14 Drops straight into a pool
Tonga Snake Tongos gyvatė 159 13% 6

References
  1. "Vilniuje atidarytas vandens pramogų parkas" [Water Park Opens in Vilnius]. Delfi verslas (in Lithuanian). 31 May 2007. Retrieved 11 July 2023.
  2. "'Vichy' Aqua Park in Vilnius". UAB Tiksli Forma. Retrieved 14 July 2023.
  3. "Water Park with Exotic Fragrances". Altum Retail. 4 May 2016. Retrieved 14 July 2023.
  4. Stanaitis, Algirdas; Stanaitis, Saulius (2017). "Lithuanian Tourism Geography". In Widawski, Krzysztof; Wyrzykowski, Jerzy (eds.). The Geography of Tourism of Central and Eastern European Countries (2nd ed.). Cham, Switzerland: Springer. pp. 266–267. doi:10.1007/978-3-319-42205-3. ISBN 978-3-319-42205-3.
  5. "46 proc. "Vichy" vandens parko klientų – nevilniečiai" [46 percent Vichy water park customers are non-Vilnius residents]. Delfi verslas (in Lithuanian). 17 July 2007. Retrieved 11 July 2023.
  6. Gabarts, Renaldas (1 June 2007). "Sostinėje — vandens pramogų rojus" [The Capital is a Paradise for Water Entertainment]. Kauno dinea (in Lithuanian). Retrieved 14 July 2023.
  7. ""Vichy" vandens parkui už saugumo pažeidimus skirta 22,5 tūkst. litų bauda" [22.5 thousand litas fine allocated to "Vichy" water park for security violations]. 15min (in Lithuanian). 26 September 2014. Retrieved 11 July 2023.
  8. Karalius, Mažvydas (23 August 2013). ""Vandens parkui" skirta 10.000 Lt bauda" ["Water Park" fined 10,000 LTL]. Verslo žinios (in Lithuanian). Retrieved 11 July 2023.
  9. Alonderytė-Kazlauskė, Erika (1 October 2022). "Brangi elektra verčia taupyti SPA kompleksus ir vandens parkus" [Expensive electricity forces spa complexes and water parks to save]. Lietuvos nacionalinis radijas ir televizija (in Lithuanian). Baltic News Service. Retrieved 11 July 2023.
  10. Žebrauskienė, Aistė (8 September 2022). "Vandens parkas balansuoja ties išgyvenimo riba ir laukia pagalbos: trumpina darbo laiką, peržiūri kainas" [The water park is teetering on the edge of survival and waiting for help: shortening working hours, reviewing prices]. Delfi verslas (in Lithuanian). Retrieved 11 July 2023.
  11. "Entertainment". Vichy vandens parkas. Retrieved 11 July 2023.
  12. "Pitkern's cave". Vichy vandens parkas. Retrieved 11 July 2023.
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