There is enough fibreglass in the water slides at Wet'n'Wild Sydney to stretch from its Prospect home to Bondi Beach. The water pipes, laid end to end, would span the 32 kilometres from the theme park to the city.
No one knows how long the queues will be but up to 20,000 visitors are expected daily once Sydney's newest attraction opens on December 12.
The $120 million development is billed as ''the biggest and best water theme park ever built'' but the ticket prices have sparked an outcry, with many people complaining that they cannot afford to take their families.
A season gold pass, including parking, is $124.99 for visitors aged four and over. A silver pass costs $99.99; one-day entry is $69.99 for guests taller than 110 centimetres and $54.99 for those under 110 centimetres.
Parking, food and certain other attractions cost extra.
''My kids are begging me to take them but it's just too expensive,'' Lissi Knight posted on Facebook. And Tracy Lee Kiddle-Morrison agreed, writing: ''For an average family, it would take most of the year to save just to go once.''
Others said it would be cheaper to fly to the Gold Coast theme parks or visit Jamberoo Action Park on the south coast, where a season pass costs $89.99.
Wet'n'Wild Sydney chief executive Chris Warhurst defended the pricing, saying it was on par with sporting matches and other forms of entertainment. ''This is a world-class entertainment [venue] so the tickets themselves are good value,'' he said. ''We've got the best rides that have ever been done.''
There are more than 40 attractions, including some of the world's tallest and fastest water rides, now being tested by staff.
Mr Warhurst visited 60 water parks around the world, cherry-picking the best design elements with the aim of maximising the fun and minimising waiting times.
Jamberoo Action Park operators say they are not daunted by the competition. The family-owned park is undertaking a $40 million expansion, and last year opened the Funnel Web - described by executive director Dax Eddy as ''the best attraction of its kind in the world''.
Mr Eddy expects an increase in visitor numbers at Jamberoo with the launch of Wet'n'Wild Sydney, as thrillseekers will have their eyes opened to other entertainment experiences. He said he welcomed any attraction that kept tourist dollars in NSW.
The Tourism Minister, George Souris, said Wet'n'Wild Sydney would boost businesses and employment, as well as attracting visitors from regional areas, interstate and overseas. ''Wet'n'Wild Sydney promises to be a great asset for western Sydney,'' he said.
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