The images flashed across the television were astonishing: Lake Delton, the centerpiece of the Wisconsin Dells family vacation destination, had flooded and bypassed the man-made dam, separating it from the Wisconsin River. The resulting torrent of water washed away homes, roads, and drained nearly the entire lake. The devastation, while severe, was not quite of biblical proportions, however - over a month later, it’s business as usual at Noah's Ark Water Park and the area's many other water parks and attractions.

On behalf of Blooloop.com, Martin Palicki spoke with Tim Gantz (below right), owner of Noah’s Ark Water Park on the effect of the flooding to businesses in the area,  how the community has pulled together, and some of the latest family fun available at Noah's.

Did the flooding impact Noah’s Ark directly?

We were fortunate enough to not be directly affected. Lake Delton is located right behind the water park, but we were never concerned or compromised. The flooding has impacted us in perception. People only saw what the media captured, with the house falling into the lake. The vision was that the whole area was wiped out. But that was not the case at all. Virtually everything in the area is open and waiting for guests.

Has attendance been impacted then?

 Attendance was off quite a bit, especially since in June 2007 we had one of the best months of early summer weather, and June of this year was one of the worst in history. Not only was there is flooding perception, but it really was rainy and cool for much of the month, so that drew the numbers down. There’s still a lot of summer left, though, so we hope to make it up.

The flooding was clearly more problematic for some of your neighbors, such as Tommy Bartlett’s Water Ski Show. How has the local community responded?

The response was phenomenal and they stepped up to the plate immediately. The media did help us also, but the visitor’s bureau really went into crisis management mode right away and got the word out that we were still open. They had the full support of the community behind them, and they really reacted well. The visitor’s bureau did a lot to help everyone in the whole community, not just the businesses.

(Editor’s Note: Noah’s Ark designated a special day in June and donated $2 of every admission to the Lake Delton Flood Relief Fund)

Do you see any changes to the Wisconsin Dells as a result of the flooding long term?

No, I certainly do not. A lot of people were affected by the floods. There are 28 counties that were declared federal disaster areas, and we are hoping that is only temporary. We are anticipating that next year will be a very good year, as the perception from this year’s floods should be gone by that time.

The DNR and State of Wisconsin are working to get the lake refilled as quickly as possible. Governor Jim Doyle estimates that once the repairs to the lake are completed, the refilling process should occur naturally in about two weeks. They have already redirected the flow of water away from the breach and back to the dam. The state and local politicians have really fast-tracked the repair procedures. Once the breach is fixed, they will do some maintenance work on the dam and complete some dredging so that the community can save some money in the long run.

Has the spike in gasoline prices impacted  Noah’s Ark at all?

Historically, weaker economies have helped regional businesses like the Wisconsin Dells. However, we really lost a lot of momentum due to the flooding. We really rely on that June momentum to get us into the full season. I cannot tell you how important having positive word of mouth from guests early in the summer is to moving the rest of the season forward. The good news is we have plenty of capacity and lots of specials in the market for people to take advantage of. So while it may cost a bit more to drive here, you can really save money while in the Dells.

Does the softening economy worry you?

I think everybody is worried, it certainly is on the forefront of everyone’s mind. So far business has been okay. We always have different specials in our ticketing structure. This year we are seeing people seek those out a bit more, so we have been offering more specials earlier than usual. The Wisconsin Dells is still a great value any time of year, and is certainly a wonderful option for a family getaway.

This year you added a new kids play area, Tadpole Bay. What made you decide to add that attraction?

We had four kids play areas and several of them were getting a little bit dated. Out last kids area was installed in 1994. Since that time, the amount of interactive play structures and elements has just exploded on the market, so we knew we wanted to keep current and provide an area where kids can play for a couple of hours, and parents can sit down and relax.

Tadpole Bay has four waterslides and 51 different water effects and was built by SCS Interactive. We didn’t want the largest structure, but we did want one that was well themed and enticing to the whole family.

Is the family still the main customer at Noah’s Ark?   

Absolutely. We need to appeal to the three-year-old as well as the 83-year-old. We have lots of family rides, but we have attractions for everyone in the family, including thrilling speed slides for those that are looking for that.

Do you see a spot for themed water rides in the marketplace?

It certainly seems like that is the way things are going. We just put a giant dinosaur head and dinosaur sounds in our Timewarp Bowl ride. We have also tried installing some effects into Black Thunder when it first opened. What we have found is that it is very difficult to keep effects up and running with all the moisture and chlorine. If companies are able to figure that out and deliver reliable options, it would be a great way to enhance an older slide. We are definitely watching that closely.

Noah’s Ark is  celebrating its 30th anniversary this year. In honor of the event, the park turned its signature Ark near the front of the park into a small  museum that chronicles the history of the park, in conjunction with world historical events. The museum features memorabilia and old park commercials and is a new permanent attraction at the park. 

For more information, visit  www.noahsarkwaterpark.com