Maryland Waterpark Renamed Six Flags Hurricane Harbor

Article written by:
Eric Gieszl, Editor

Largo, Maryland -- Six Flags America announces the largest expansion in the history of its popular water park. The park's impressive makeover includes three exciting new attractions, new restaurants, new shops and a facelift. In addition, the water park is being re-branding under the Six Flags name and will now be called Six Flags Hurricane Harbor.

Making its public debut on Saturday, May 28, 2005, the new Six Flags Hurricane Harbor will feature not one but two new, family thrill rides,Tornado and Bahama Blast. The park also will debut a new interactive kid's section called Buccaneer Beach plus a fun, tropical Caribbean theme throughout the park.

According to Six Flags guests will notice the transformation the moment they walk through the gates. The park is being repainted with bold, bright colors. There will be expanded retail areas, enhanced guest services and Caribbean-themed restaurants and snack shops. The entire park will be given an "island-feel," that will put sun-seekers in the mood for fun in the sun.

"This truly is an ultimate makeover," said Janet Porter, vice president and general manager of Six Flags America. "Our creative team has selected three huge new attractions that can be enjoyed by family and friends and designed a whole new look and feel for Hurricane Harbor."

For thrill-seekers, two new rides will highlight the Six Flags Hurricane Harbor makeover. Tornado, an award-winning attraction will open Memorial Day weekend. Uniquely designed, Tornado resembles an enormous 60-foot tall household funnel turned on its side. The experience begins 75 feet in the air as riders who are willing to brave the storm, journey down a 132-foot-long tunnel in 4-person cloverleaf-shaped tubes. These unique tubes navigate the inside of the tunnel, splashing back and forth on 5,000 gallons of swirling water. When riders arrive at the vortex of the Tornado, they're sent through the "eye of the storm" into a cool catch pool below.

Bahama Blast is the second new tubing experience. This 4-passenger inner tube adventure begins at the top of a 55-foot-tall tower. The wild, wet fun sends riders twisting and splashing along a 517-foot-long, triple-dip course as they maneuver through a spiraling slide of mammoth proportions. The fun is intensified by a serpentine section of enclosed, dark tube that bursts into an equally exciting and adventuresome section of sunny, open air tube, culminating in a refreshing splash into a cool catch pool.

Also new this summer at Six Flags Hurricane Harbor is a one-of-a-kind children's area with two pools just for toddlers and families. Designed especially for youngsters, Buccaneer Beach will feature unique, interactive water activities that Mom, Dad and the kids can all enjoy together. Buccaneer Beach will include a pirate ship perfect for would-be explorers, a tiki water curtain, lush palm trees, whimsical slides, rain curtains, spouting interactive water features and a tipping bucket filled with gallons of water play.

Six Flags is expanding the deck space and providing new lounge chairs so adults can relax while the kids play. Every attraction in Buccaneer Beach is tailor-made for the youngest Six Flags guests.

As part of the makeover, Six Flags America is adding a unique feature never before seen in this part of the country, private water park cabanas. Guests will have the opportunity to rent a private cabana poolside for the day, enabling them to have wait service for food and beverages, personal shade structures and reserved seating at the area's largest water park, Hurricane Harbor.

"This renovation represents the single biggest expansion in the history of our water park and is in direct response to consumer demand for a bigger, better water park," said Porter. "Renaming the water park Hurricane Harbor not only allows Six Flags to bring the Caribbean experience directly to the Baltimore and Washington, D.C. markets, but also continues the evolution that began with the park's transformation to a Six Flags branded theme park in 1999."

With the addition of Tornado, Bahama Blast and Buccaneer Beach, the new Hurricane Harbor will feature more than 25 water attractions including Hurricane Bay, a million gallon wave pool; Mako and Hammerhead, two high-speed water slides; and the popular Crocodile Cal's Caribbean Beach House. With so much to see and do, Six Flags Hurricane Harbor will be the largest water park in the mid-Atlantic region.

Admission to the new Hurricane Harbor water park is included with admission to Six Flags America theme park.

For more information, see Six Flags AmericaSix Flags America or visit sixflags.com.