A new immersive waterpark ride in Qatar

We are pleased to announce that we have recently been awarded a design and build contract for a major immersive edutainment water ride at the Meryal Waterpark - largest waterpark in Qatar. We will be working closely with our client Qetaifan Projects, a subsidiary of Katara Hospitality, the Qatar-based global hotel owner, developer and operator, Atkins, the well-established design, engineering and project management consultancy, and Interlink, the well-known supplier of water rides, to create a thrilling and immersive experience that both entertains and educates.

The new edutainment ride tells the story of the remarkable transformation of Doha over the last 100 years, but to truly understand Qatar’s recent history visitors must travel far further across time and space, from the Jurassic Era millions of years ago to the future, from deep under the oceans to high up in the air.  

The discovery of oil in Qatar in the 1930s kicks off the visitor’s journey, along which they learn about how oil is formed, located, drilled, extracted, transported, and used in today’s world. The story is enhanced through special effects that include 3D mapping, animatronics, projection, theatrical lighting, heat, vibration, drilling machines and fog screens, giving visitors an exciting and thrilling immersive journey from start to finish. The ride is being designed in cooperation with experts and curators from the world’s leading museums to ensure the authenticity of both the science and the history.  

Ross Magri, Managing Director of Sarner International, says: “Sarner’s 50 year experience in both the theme park and museum markets is perfectly suited for this innovative project that combines the two, to create an immersive water ride that is not only fun but also educational. We are therefore delighted to have been awarded the contract, working with some of the best teams in the world to deliver what will be another award-winning project that will stand the test of time.”