GRAFTON, ILL., May 16, 2013… While spring flood levels continue to recede, the water is quickly rising at Raging Rivers WaterPark in Grafton, Ill., as the park prepares for its 24^th season. With the opening set for May 25 at 10:30 a.m., the staff at Raging Rivers is busy getting the rides and attractions ready for the thousands of water enthusiasts that will flock to the park this summer.

New this season is the addition of three cabanas that will be available for all-day rental with a nominal fee. The cabanas are located next to the Riverside Grill and provide a spectacular view of the Mississippi River, while also offering shade for visitors looking to escape the hot summer sun. Raging Rivers also continues to make improvements to its rides. The two-bowl Swirlpool, which incorporates three rides into one, is now seamless, providing visitors with a smoother and faster ride down the attraction’s tunnel flume and into a giant vortex before the guests are dropped into a deep pool of water.

“We always strive to make Raging Rivers a place where guests can either relax or have a blast experiencing any of our attractions, and the improvements we’ve made for the 2013 season will allow kids and adults alike to have an even more enjoyable experience when they visit the park this summer,” said Donna Smith, general manager of Raging Rivers. “Raging Rivers truly offers something for everyone.”

Raging Rivers has entertainment that individuals of all ages can enjoy.  Aside from the newly improved Swirlpool, thrill seekers will appreciate the 500-foot dual Cascade Body Flumes, which give riders a rush as they speed, twist and turn down the natural hills and contours of the park. They can also take a ride on the Runaway Rafts, a 600-foot long adventure through swift water and wild rapids to three pools,  and the Shark Slide flume, which floats riders down a 45-foot tunnel flume into a catch pool.

For guests looking for a more relaxing experience, the park also features a 700-foot-long Endless River of cool, clear water that lets riders float along at a tranquil 2 ½ mile per hour pace in a continuous loop; the 18,000-square-foot Breaker Beach Wavepool, which allows swimmers to relax when the waves are “off” and “ride the tide” when the four-foot waves start to roll, and the “just for kids” Itty Bitty Surf City that features a pint-sized waterslide, splash pool, rain tree and tunnel area. Tree House Harbor provides another play area for youngsters, featuring a crawl tunnel, overhead rope pulls, tunnel slides and the ever-popular bucket that randomly spills 1,000 gallons of water.

Raging Rivers will be open Memorial Day weekend, May 25^th – 27^th, from 10:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. The waterpark will be open daily from June 1^st through June 7^th, from 10:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Beginning Saturday, June 8^th, the park will be open daily from 10:30 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. through Saturday, August 4^th. From August 5^th through August 25^th, Raging Rivers will return to its 10:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. schedule. The park reopens for one last blast of summer on Labor Day weekend, August 31^st through September 2^nd, from 10:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

Admission is $18.95 for children under 48 inches tall and senior citizens ages 60 and older, $21.95 for adults over 48 inches tall and FREE for children under the age of two. Guests arriving after 3:00 p.m. will save $5 on the price of each ticket. Individual Season Passes are available for $80 each, and family passes are $70 each when buying four or more. Season Passes include FREE parking, one FREE ticket for a friend and a 10 percent discount on all concession and gift shop purchases.

For more information regarding operating hours, attractions, specials, directions and more, call Raging Rivers at (618) 786-2345 or log on to www.ragingrivers.com. The water park is located at 100 Palisades Parkway off the Great River Road in Grafton, Ill. Raging Rivers WaterPark offers group and party packages that include special reserved group areas, onsite catering, food service and special group rates.

Raging Rivers first opened its gates in the summer of 1990 and made its mark as the first water park in the Greater St. Louis area. It has since evolved into a 28-acre, multi-million dollar attraction that has catered to millions of visitors over the years. 

For more information, contact:

Pamela Powell, The Hauser Group. 314.436.9090

Donna Smith, Raging Rivers. 618.786.2345

This entry was posted on Thursday, May 16th, 2013 at 3:32 pm and is filed under Press Releases. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.