How Strong Attractions Help Water Parks Win the Social Media Game
In today’s attention economy, water parks aren’t just competing with other leisure destinations; they’re competing with every post, reel, and story on a visitor’s feed. The best marketing isn’t just paid media anymore; it’s earned through showcasing experiences that people can’t resist sharing. This is where strategic attraction choices and storytelling come together to turn guests into marketers.
User Generated Content (UGC): Turning Guests into Storytellers
The most powerful form of marketing often doesn’t come from a brand at all. User-generated content (UGC) carries a level of trust no ad can match. Whether it’s reviews, social media posts, or comments on community forums, people trust other people more than they trust brands. When guests share their experiences, it feels authentic, personal, and credible, turning their stories into powerful social proof. Parks that design their ride mix around shareable moments are giving guests something worth talking about.
Yas Waterworld, for example, ran a selfie competition recently on Instagram using #YasWaterworldYasIsland. That single hashtag has racked up 18.8K posts, while the broader #yaswaterworld tag has generated over 64K results. This kind of organic amplification can’t be bought; it’s earned through memorable experiences guests genuinely want to capture and share.
Amplifying the Buzz with Content Creators
Great attractions spark UGC, but smart partnerships can amplify it exponentially. When creator Alex Ojeda visited Meryal Waterpark for the opening of the Walhalla in 2023, he filmed his experience taking on the first Boomerango + Manta Fusion slide in the Middle East. The resulting video generated 286 million views and 8.7 million likes.
Known for riding hundreds of water slides each year and sharing those experiences with millions of highly engaged followers, Alex’s content carries credibility and excitement that resonates with thrill-seekers. His stamp of approval doesn’t just reach people but influences them. Creator collaborations allow parks to tap into engaged audiences that already trust the messenger, turning new ride launches into cultural moments rather than just operational updates.
Celebrity Partnerships to Make a Splash Beyond the Industry
While UGC and creators build community, celebrities can give campaigns awareness beyond the park’s geographical location to try to attract international traffic. An example of this comes from Aquaventure World at Atlantis Dubai, which partnered with actor David Hasselhoff for its 2024 summer relaunch campaign. Hasselhoff rose to international fame in the 1980s and 1990s as the star of the TV series Baywatch, where he played a lifeguard patrolling California’s beaches. This made it a natural extension for the water park to leverage Hasselhoff to promote the campaign as the park’s “Head Lifeguard,” sending a brave rider plummeting through an AquaLaunch. His participation created nostalgia and tapped into decades of brand equity and pop culture recognition. By aligning the campaign with a figure who embodies the spirit of water and leisure, Aquaventure was able to extend its reach well beyond its core market.
Celebrity-led storytelling can give parks immediate visibility, spark media coverage, and reach new audiences who may not have previously considered visiting. By combining the cultural pull of a celebrity with a strong attraction offering, campaigns like this can create a memorable, shareable moment that resonates far beyond the gate.
The Attraction Mix that Makes It All Possible
Viral campaigns don’t start on a screen; they begin on the ground. High-impact attractions are the spark behind shareable moments, giving guests the experiences they want to capture and talk about. Signature rides and photo-worthy settings don’t just help to differentiate a park; they set up the foundation for guest satisfaction and marketing reach. It’s no coincidence that the parks making headlines are often the ones with the most innovative ride mix, offering a balance of unique ride sensations to shared family thrills and competition slides. When an attraction becomes a guest’s favorite moment of the day, it often becomes something they want to share online.
At WhiteWater, we believe great storytelling starts with great attractions. By helping parks design unforgettable experiences, we’re not only supporting operational success, we’re helping them own the conversation online.
Let’s build attractions that make better stories. Contact our team to start shaping your next headline-worthy moment.
