QWhat do an amusement park that swears by technology, science and innovation and an indoor water park have in common? At first glance, none. However, the Aquascope was designed as an extension of the Futuroscope, Vienna’s tourist flagship which opened more than 37 years ago. Technology at the service of a water park? Why not ! The Point So took out her best swimsuit to go and test this park, which we are promised will be unlike any other.
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Supported by an investment of 57 million euros, the Aquascope, located a few steps from the entrance to Futuroscope, is divided into four zones. Let’s start with the most spectacular of them: The Abyss of Light. To put it simply, it’s a bit like finding yourself in the movie Avatarminus bizarre creatures and blue giants. This immersive space is made up of several swimming areas immersed in a bucolic and supernatural atmosphere thanks to the video mapping process. Clearly, projectors installed high up dress the walls in a thousand colors, creating the illusion of a magical cavern. Falls of light, jets of water, waterfall… The result is striking. The highlight of the show: the presence of pools in which bioluminescent particles react to the movements of your feet.
Behind the main area, visitors can discover another swimming area, this one surrounded by a 165 m panoramic screen2. Which broadcasts a short animated film with, as its hero, an alien octopus, Kraki, who is none other than the park’s mascot. This 4D experience offers total immersion thanks to explosion and bubbling effects in total interaction with the film.
In The Abysses of Light, visitors will also be able to discover the Eauculus, a small swimming pool at the bottom of which a video screen is installed giving the impression of being above a mysterious underwater chasm. We were promised innovation, and we can only salute the success of these Abyss, which it is also possible to discover sitting on a buoy in a river which crosses the different settings.
“Wow”, “oh”, “ouch”!
For thrills, head to the Rift Zone. This is made up of a wave pool – quite small and shallow, it must be admitted – and eight slides, the entrances of which are all located under a gigantic central tower. Descent on your back, on a mat, on individual or collective buoys… There is something for everyone. It is even possible to race with your friends or family. The only thing all these slides have in common: the heavier you are, the faster you will go. We might as well tell you that the author of these lines has broken speed records. We can’t do anything against gravity, what do you want!
But the star of this area is the Matrix, a slide specially designed for the park in which visitors embark in groups of four on rafting buoys. High point of the route: a giant maelstrom which gives the illusion of finding yourself in the middle of a storm. The experience is fun, but it doesn’t justify the 60 minutes in line on busy days. Let us also mention the Rocket, “rocket” in good French, whose departure takes place on a trap door which threatens to open at any moment and which you will have finished going through before even having time to pronounce the name of Thomas Pesquet.
For the rest, Aquascope offers slides that are as classic as they are effective. On the other hand, we will regret the unpleasant (and sometimes even painful) sensations caused by the joints of one or two slides which go down onto the back, and the absence of technological innovations, the very DNA of Futuroscope.
An enchanting children’s space
Now let’s move on to Kraki Rift, the area dedicated to children. This fun space is richly decorated and the designers had the good idea of transforming the famous tentacles of our alien octopus into small slides. On site, the kids will also be able to have fun with water jets and other geysers, under the wild gaze of parents still traumatized by the Rocket.
Let’s finish with the last area of the Aquascope, The beaches, a space of 3,500 m2 open when the sunny days arrive. In addition to the outdoor swimming pool, visitors can enjoy L’Aquadynamic, a very pleasant aquatic course dotted with small rapids. The icing on the squid is that the river is open all year round. Our visit was very pleasant, but Aquascope would benefit from extending its technological innovations to the entire complex, Rift in the first place.
It takes about half a day to fully enjoy the Aquascope, which should attract a large audience. The park, of which an expansion is very possible, is open all year round, except for the month of January. In terms of prices, it costs 39 euros for an adult ticket, and 32 euros for a 5-12 year old ticket. Entrance is free for children under 5 years old and visitors who go to Futuroscope and spend a night there will be able to benefit from a 30% discount on their ticket. With the opening of Aquascope, Futuroscope Xperiences, the entity which brings together the two parks, intends to become a short-stay destination.
