/ Important news for the Acqua Village parks in Tuscany: a new Tiki-themed area and slide have been inaugurated in Follonica, and a corporate rebranding has been presented to strengthen the brand identity /

It is no surprise that at Acqua Village Water Park Cecina in the province of Livorno and at Acqua Village Water Park Follonica in the province of Grosseto, “Aloha” is how employees wish each other good morning, and this, along with a warm smile, is also the greeting that welcomes guests every day. These are the only 2 Hawaiian-themed water parks in Italy, and here Hawaii is not just a superficial excuse to add an exotic touch to slides and backdrops. Here, these tropical islands, with their unique landscapes, traditions, and culture of peace and love, are celebrated with respect, pride, and authenticity. This approach has always defined Marcello Padroni, the owner of the 2 parks, and his entire team. 

To highlight the DNA that makes the Acqua Villages so special, 2026 brought not only a stunning new attraction and themed area, but also a major rebranding initiative. We got all the details straight from Padroni himself during an interview at his Follonica offices.

Marcello, a new name and a new logo for your water parks?

Yes, words and images matter, so we wanted to bring our dedication to the concept of a themed water park, and our Hawaiian Tiki theme, into the name and logo as well. Starting this year, we are Acqua Village Water Theme Parks, and our logo has been redesigned. Today, through its color and graphics, it offers a contemporary take on traditional Hawaiian dwellings. With this move, we have given even more strength to our identity, and I must say that along this journey we also had the pleasure of establishing major international institutional relations with Hawaii.

Tell us more…

Last year in Florence, at the Tuscany Region headquarters, we met with the Governor of the Hawaiian Islands, Josh Green, with the aim of developing new forms of collaboration. I hope and feel certain that these first contacts will bear fruit, perhaps a cultural twinning or at least a continuous relationship with the culture, mindset, and way of life of Hawaii.

Let’s move on to the new attraction.

This year we focused our investments on the Follonica park, completing a project that began 2 years ago when we inaugurated “Apo, Lo Scivolo Anello” (The Ring Slide), the 145-meter-long slide in the dark, featuring a 12-meter diameter ring at the end, which won several national and international awards. Now, “Apo” is located inside a brand-new themed area, Kupua, which we envisioned as a lost Pacific island in pure Tiki style. It’s a wonderful setting where the jungle intertwines with ancient temples and forgotten rituals. And that’s not all, because within Kupua we have also integrated a spectacular new waterslide that intersects with “Apo.”

What is it called?

“Kona, Lo Scivolo del Tempio” (The Temple Slide), and it is inspired by the architecture of an ancient Tiki temple. To give you some technical data, it starts from a height of 18 meters, which is quite significant considering the Italian average for slides is around 14 meters. The adventure, on single or double rafts, begins with a descent in the dark that accelerates into a heart-pounding vortex, until a powerful curve launches the riders upward into a jump. At that point, they face an uphill climb followed immediately by a thrilling drop that finishes in the landing pool. 

Adrenaline-fueled, I’d say…

Yes, but also major, major fun. The visual impact is striking, also because the vegetation we planted about 2 years ago has grown so much that it is now enveloping the fiberglass of both “Apo” and “Kona,” making the jungle effect absolutely perfect.

Were the concept and creative design of Kupua and the new slide developed by your own Acqua Village Studio?

Of course, that’s always how it works in our parks. We have a highly skilled in-house team led by Riccardo Fara, our creative director and imagineer, with project management handled by the director of the Follonica water park, Luca Serafini.

Who did you entrust with the actual creation of the settings, scenery, and slide?

We utilized external professionals and companies. I’d like to mention Panel System, with whom we have a rock-solid partnership for designing and creating parts of our themes, as well as our friend Dario Vella. Dario is a local artist with an international reputation, and he handled all the painting of the structures we built, as well as their sculpting.

How complex is the scenic work?

Very complex, if you aim for maximum realism like we do. It starts with observing reality – for example, actual ancient temples in Hawaii – and then working to replicate them as faithfully as possible. This involves studying materials, experimentation, and researching solutions capable of improving the scenery from both an aesthetic and structural standpoint. 

Concrete and wire mesh used to be widely used in this field.

Yes, but recently many processes have been progressively shifting toward the use of polystyrene and other innovative materials, which allow for lighter structures that are more agile from a construction perspective and easier to shape. This is done while maintaining high safety standards and without compromising the aesthetic result, which is actually superior because it looks closer to nature.

To wrap up, let’s look ahead to 2027. Any projects in the pipeline?

We have already designed, and will definitely build, something highly innovative for the “Walu” waterslide complex at Acqua Village Water Theme Park Follonica. So, in 2027, this park will undergo another radical transformation that will include a new area, also Tiki-themed. I won’t say more, other than that we are very carefully studying something that will truly be a novelty for our guests. 

Continue reading Games & Parks Industry June 2026, page 8

Photos Courtesy: TOGO Media

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