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PAAt Duinrell’s Tikibad water park in Wassenaar, Netherlands, a truly daring attraction called “Fly Over” opened on April 27, 1994. Designed by LOTEC Zwembadtechniek, this enclosed body slide submerged riders fully underwater (no air pockets, just water) for around 15 to 20 seconds on a 10-meter-long descent. Riders dove into the entry pool and, using water as propulsion through the clever “Communicating Vessels Principle,” were sucked uphill in the tube before spilling out into a second pool—all while holding their breath.
Despite working as intended and reportedly never causing any accidents, “Fly Over” failed to win the public’s favor. Many found the idea of being submerged claustrophobic and anxiety-inducing, and low ridership and high maintenance costs led to its closure — around the early 2000s, with the slide last operating by 2003 and officially removed by 2010. It’s since earned a cult reputation online as a bold experiment that raised safety and comfort questions while traveling a real-life “water tunnel of terror.”
#archives #amusementpark #2010 #waterslide #funfact
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