{"id":5640,"date":"2026-05-31T13:40:50","date_gmt":"2026-05-31T13:40:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/b-eau.nl\/blog-funnel-slides-in-the-netherlands\/"},"modified":"2026-06-13T10:52:09","modified_gmt":"2026-06-13T10:52:09","slug":"blog-funnel-slides-in-the-netherlands","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/b-eau.nl\/en\/blog-funnel-slides-in-the-netherlands\/","title":{"rendered":"blog: Funnel slides in the Netherlands"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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All About the Funnel Slide<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

31 May, 2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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‘ProSlide was the first manufacturer to introduce the funnel<\/em> slide. In 2003, it surprised the world with the giant TORNADO 60. The first installation was Zinga at Holiday World & Splashin’ Safari.\u2019<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Image: ProSlide<\/sub><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n

Although the Netherlands is generally not considered a true water slide country, the so-called funnel slide has become well established since its introduction here in 2011. This slide type is also known as a Tornado, Crazy Cone or Hurricone.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n

Still, there was an eight-year gap between the installation of ProSlide’s first Tornado funnel slide in 2003 and the opening of ProSlide’s Topsy Turvy funnel slide at Center Parcs De Eemhof. Remarkably, the Netherlands now has around twenty funnel slides. As a result, the attraction is no longer distinctive in itself. For developers, owners and operators, the challenge today is less about adding a funnel and more about how it is integrated into an overall concept, or as part of a hybrid attraction that combines several interesting elements.<\/p>\n\n

The history of the funnel slide<\/h3>\n\n

In 2003, ProSlide surprised the water slide world with the TORNADO 60, the world’s first funnel slide with a diameter of no less than 60 feet (approx. 18 m). After the first installation at Holiday World & Splashin’ Safari, many more openings followed that year, and the attraction won the IAAPA Impact Award, generally considered the highest honour a supplier or attraction designer can receive. Today, there are more than 100 ProSlide TORNADO slides worldwide.<\/p>\n\n

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Zinga at Holiday World Indiana, the first funnel slide in the world (Image: Roig61 Flickr)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n

How does a funnel slide work, and why was it so revolutionary?<\/h3>\n\n

A funnel slide works as follows: a 2- to 6-person raft departs from an enclosed tube. The raft makes a steep descent and then shoots into a giant funnel. Inside the funnel, the raft swings from side to side several times, with the first oscillation creating a moment of weightlessness. Eventually, usually after three oscillations, the raft is gradually guided towards the exit.<\/p>\n\n

Before 2003, water slides consisted almost entirely of open or enclosed tubes and curves. The Tornado introduced:<\/p>\n\n