Photos taken 4/17
The new Nickelodeon Blast Zone playground is now open. To say
it is popular with the kids is an understatement, it looks like they
have a huge hit here.
First thing you see when you come up to it is the "Splash"
area... highlighted by the huge Nickelodeon rocket.
As you walk around the water area, you can see all the different
levels the kids can climb up on. Of course every level has some sort of
water shooting / dripping / dropping contraption on it. (In the photo
below, the already running "Rugrats Magic Adventure" show is
in the building you see behind.)
Below you can see some of the guns and buckets... there are valves
and faucets that can be turned off and on to fill things up everywhere.
Not all the guns are just point and shoot water blasts - the ones
below have to be pumped by the kids to get them to work. Nice way to
burn off some of that sugar high they may be on.
One target is located up on the back of the rocket - hitting the
green discs, raises the levels of the markers - which can trigger a HUGE
reaction.... along the lines of...
...the following (below)! Yep, those are two huge 500 gallon buckets
tipping over onto the people below - typically only seen up to this
point in real water parks.
In case you want to avoid the above waking through the area, be sure
to listen for a countdown. If you hear one, get away as fast as you can.
Family restrooms have been provided out back behind the play area to
change wet kids into dry clothes. Although Universal is probably
planning to make some serious cash selling all sorts of clothing, wise
budget conscious parents may wish to pack a second set of dry clothes if
they plan to let the little ones get drenched.
Not everything has to involve water though - an adjacent play arena,
"The Wild Thornberrys Adventure Temple" is filled with air
cannons and foam balls...
Once you enter the huge "temple" you'll find it is also
multi-level, and the air is thick with foam projectiles whizzing by your
head...
There are all sorts of areas and nooks you can clamber around in -
what you need to do here is run around and gather ammo in a mesh bag...
...then dump the balls into nearby tubs that feed the air cannons.
You then shoot at anything, or anyone (as the case may be). Most kids
get the idea to aim for the targets instead of the people though...
since they can trigger all sorts of effects and even a ball avalanche.
