Aquarabia Qiddiya City Opens for Soft Launch With Record Waterpark Rides

Qiddiya City, Saudi Arabia: WhiteWater has marked the soft opening of Aquarabia Qiddiya City, a major new destination water theme park that introduces more than 22 rides and attractions within a fully themed and immersive environment.

Located within Qiddiya City, the project reflects the increasing scale and technical sophistication of modern water theme parks, combining record-breaking attractions with a diverse mix of ride technologies and guest experiences.

Aquarabia Qiddiya City spans more than 250,000 square metres (2.69 million square feet) and is organised across eight themed zones inspired by regional wildlife and natural landscapes.

WhiteWater’s scope across the project includes water slides, water rides, a surf attraction, and custom ride vehicles, all supported by in-house engineering and delivery expertise.

Among the park’s standout features are four record-breaking water slides. One of the most notable is Junoon Drop in Camel Rock, recognised as the world’s tallest and longest Family Master Blaster, reaching over 42 metres (138 feet) in height.

The attraction combines multiple ride technologies—including a Family Blaster, Constrictor, and Boomerango, into a single experience, using custom seven-person rafts engineered by WhiteWater. Designed with higher walls, the rafts allow guests to remain in street clothes while still experiencing high-thrill ride elements.

Expanding the definition of waterpark experiences

Aquarabia Qiddiya City represents an evolution in water theme park design, blending traditional water-based attractions with complementary ride concepts not typically associated with waterparks.

In Viper Canyon, guests can experience the world’s first underwater Aquaticars from Sub Sea Systems, alongside WhiteWater’s 360-degree spinning SlideWheel® and a Shoot the Chute water ride known as Hyper Viper. The latter delivers a 15-metre drop and a dramatic splash effect, enhancing both rider experience and spectator engagement.

Elsewhere, the Wave Wadi zone introduces Wadi Tahaddi, WhiteWater’s Spinning Rapids Ride, featuring a six-person boat journey through 600 metres of rapids and rotational movement. The zone also includes a wave pool distinct from the park’s dedicated surf area.

Beyond traditional attractions, Aquarabia Qiddiya City incorporates a surf zone, Surf Lagoon powered by Endless Surf technology. The system allows for adjustable wave size and shape, catering to a wide range of skill levels.

This addition introduces a new dimension of guest engagement, focusing not only on thrill but also on repeatability, skill development, and lifestyle appeal associated with surfing culture.

Geoff Chutter, CEO of WhiteWater, said:

Aquarabia Qiddiya City is the kind of project that shows why breadth of experience matters. This park brings together record-breaking slides, water rides, surf experiences, custom ride vehicles, and complex engineering across a single destination. Projects at this scale cannot be delivered as disconnected pieces. They require a partner with the product range, technical depth, and experience to help make the whole park work together.

Mina Saad, Middle East & India Manager, Project Services at WhiteWater, added:

It has been incredible for our local team to be so closely involved in this project. To see such an ambitious project come to life has been inspiring. The fact that it so closely mirrors the concept sketches is a testament to the strong collaboration of all parties and, of course, an exceptional client. Together, we’ve delivered a destination the region can take pride in, setting a new benchmark for waterparks globally.

Engineering innovation and custom solutions

A key aspect of the project is the development of custom dry rafts used across several attractions, including Junoon Drop. These vehicles were designed to support shared ride experiences while allowing guests to remain in their regular clothing.

This required advanced coordination across structural engineering, propulsion systems, load balancing, and station design to ensure efficient operations and consistent performance.

The result is a more flexible attraction offering that caters to regional cultural preferences while also extending operational possibilities in other markets.

Onno Meeter, President, Water Parks at WhiteWater, said:

What makes a project like Aquarabia Qiddiya City epic is not one headline attraction. It is the number of different ride types, their associated technologies, and the various teams that all have to come together successfully. From custom raft design and ride engineering to installation, commissioning, and long-term operational performance, this project required deep in-house capability across the full delivery cycle. That is where WhiteWater adds value on projects of this scale.

The soft opening of Aquarabia Qiddiya City highlights Saudi Arabia’s broader ambition to develop world-class entertainment and tourism infrastructure as part of its long-term economic diversification strategy.

With its scale, technical innovation, and diverse attraction mix, the project is positioned to set a new benchmark for waterparks in the region and globally.