Schlitterbahn Waterpark Landmark Gets Millennium Make-Over

New Braufels, TX -- Schlitterbahn Waterpark Resort's landmark German tower is getting a major facelift. The 6-foot-tall tower will become the centerpiece of a highly themed addition designed to look like a medieval German castle. A new serpentine stretch of river rapids will wind down the hillside, replacing the four castle Slides which were Schlitterbahn's first rides when the park opened in 1979.

"The tower has been our landmark for years, so it has tremendous nostalgic value," said Terri G. Adams, general manager of Schlitterbahn Waterpark Resort. "However, the original slides were not as popular as our tubing rides and other new attractions. Since the tower area provides that all-important first impression when families walk in our Castle Entrance, we decided it was time to give it a fresh look and give our guests a new attraction at the same time," Adams added.

Adams said the 550-foot-long, curving channel will connect the existing Hillside Tube Chute "When it opened in 1980, the Hillside Tube Chute was the country's first inner tube ride," she explained. "A that time, our goal was to give families a taste of the river tubing experience which is so popular in New Braunfels, but do it in a controlled environment. The Hillside Tube Chute was an instant hit so we built an extensive network of interconnecting tube rides over the years. Guests love them and are always asking for more tube rides. With the new addition to the Hillside Tube Chute, we are letting our guests know we are listening."

Schlitterbahn Waterpark Resort is open on weekends beginning Saturday, April 29. Daily operation begins May 20.