Soundwaves: the upscale waterpark that provides an aquatic experience at the Gaylord Opryland Resort in Nashville
Every year, SoundWaves at Nashville’s Gaylord Opryland Resort opens their doors to adults, young children, and families to enjoy unparalleled waterpark facilities. The waterpark aims to provide a resort experience for its guests.
Guests are mainly required to stay at the onsite hotel, which has about 225,000 guests a year. The four-acre attraction is open seasonally to provide people with an unforgettable experience.
“I am a small part of families who are just making fun memories together,” said SoundWave’s General Manager Donny Wensinger.
A hybrid facility, SoundWaves has 11 water slides, a wave pool, indoor surfing, a lazy river, dining and games. Each of the three-levels is filled with activities for all age groups. The park ensures that they don’t sell more tickets than they have chairs, providing guests with a luxury and relaxing experience.
There are designated zones for both adults and younger children so everyone can enjoy the experience that SoundWaves provides. In the facility, there are two pools designated solely for adults, as well as a bar that accompanies them. This, according to Wensinger, is a unique factor of SoundWaves that separates it from other waterparks in the country.
“Most waterparks don’t just have adult relaxing areas. Well, we have a third floor that is entirely adult relaxing areas. It’s got lounge chairs and comfortable seating, and a bartender that would serve you with a colorful drink of your choice,” said Wensinger.
There are also many attractions for kids including a designated kids pool and a room in the basement for drawing and arcade games. The family friendly facility wants to ensure that everyone, no matter the age, is enjoying their time at the park.
“There’s plenty of seating for parents around the kiddie area, but it really is designed so [the kids] can experience it themselves,” said Wensinger.
Opened seasonally, SoundWaves reaches high capacity during school holidays. The park matches its availability with the school calendar, closing when kids are in school. Saturdays during the summer and spring breaks are busy times for the park. The end of December, however, is when SoundWaves sees its highest influx of visitors. On the Gaylord Oryland property, an annual Country Christmas is hosted, which brings in people from all over to partake in the festivities, including the waterpark.
SoundWaves at the Gaylord Opryland Resort is a one of a kind waterpark attraction for all guests. The many attractions throughout the park provide adults, younger children, and families an unforgettable experience. Filled with a luxury environment and aquatic features everywhere you turn, SoundWaves waterpark at the Gaylord Opryland Resort invites all age groups to indulge in the resort-like experience.
The splash of a kid jumping in the pool, the smooth sliding of floats in the water and the blue and green arrangement of waterslides are three of the aspects that make the Soundwaves waterpark at the Gaylord Opryland Resort appealing to families.
When someone enjoys themselves in the waterpark, they are focused on being relaxed, and not usually thinking of who is behind the scenes making sure safety, attraction and organization are running smoothly. This is the job of Donny Wensinger, the General Manager of Soundwaves.
While Wensinger acknowledges the stress that can accompany his job, he views the results of his efforts as more than worth it.
“Watching the parents enjoy their child going down the slide for the 100th time with a big smile on their face is my favorite part of the job,” he said.
Wensinger describes the overall point of his job to walk around the waterpark and make sure people are enjoying themselves. However, in his five years of being the General Manager, Wensinger feels as if he is in a resort rather than working.
“I love working here,” Wensinger said. “I wore pants just because you guys are taking photos of me today, but normally I wear shorts and a Hawaiian shirt that is blue or white in nature. So, my job is not what I would call a job, it is something that I love to do and I would probably do for, you know, happiness in general.”
Wensinger takes great pride in the luxurious touch that is added to the SoundWaves waterpark. He is grateful for the opportunity to work a job that doesn’t feel like a job.
“So whenever a parent or a guidance counselor has told you, ‘oh, pick something fun, you’ll never work a day in your life,’ I did.”
Brett Farr’s main goal and fulfillment at Soundwaves waterpark is to provide a place of stability, tranquility and nourishment in an exhilarating waterpark. As the General Manager of pool bars and lounges for two years, Farr is responsible for making sure the restaurant at the waterpark, Decibels, as well the bar and food trucks, are able to run efficiently in its organization and service.
“Whatever I can do to make my team happy, successful and keep the operation running is my job as General Manager,” Farr said.
He describes the symbiotic relationship between the functions of the waterpark and dining options.
“We are what keeps the waterpark running,” Farr said. “In the aspect that people get tired and hungry, and if they don’t have food here they would leave and probably not come back. We are nothing without the waterpark, the waterpark is less without us.”
He also prioritizes making sure his team is both organized and trained in their realm of responsibilities. Every morning, he meets with the team before the restaurant opens at 11 a.m to make sure all of the supplies are ready, and that they are prepared for the structure that day. Farr thinks his team is unique in terms of their adaptability.
“My team is very flexible, in their ability to be a bartender one day, be a food-runner, a cashier, a buser, a cabana server – being able to be adjustable and be a team player.”
Farr prides his establishments on their seasonal food options, ability to act as a familial haven, and the meticulous preparation that takes place to keep the system operating.
Since 2018, SoundWaves waterpark has offered a colorful, lit up experience that has more to it than just water. Titled “The Bass-ment”, the arcade in the basement of the park, features virtual reality games, a rock climbing wall and other common arcade games.
Player One Amusement Group is a company based in Nashville that’s a one stop shop dedicated to creating the ideal arcade experience. They have a contract with SoundWaves, and all of the games in “The Bass-ment” were given by the business.
Born and raised in Nashville, John Geist manages the arcade and has worked with the group for 39 years. Prior to working at the hotel, he worked 11 years at the former theme park Opryland USA. The amusement park ran for 25 years and was known as the “Home of American Music”. The park closed in 1997 to make way for the Opry Mills shopping mall, located just two minutes walking distance from the hotel.
Some of the games included in the downstairs area include basketball and axe throwing, accompanied by motorcycling, driving and claw machines.
“We have 100 games downstairs in the arcade, and a climbing wall, and a 4D theater,” said General Manager Donny Wensinger.
In addition to playing a thrilling game of skee-ball or darts, the arcade allows people to have parties in any of their three party rooms. The rooms go hand in hand with the water park, allowing tourists and locals alike to enjoy their time split.
“It’s the way locals can access SoundWaves…If you’re a local and you don’t need a hotel room, you can just party in the arcade.” Geist explains. What makes the water park and arcade unique is that people outside of hotel guests can come to enjoy the fun.
The arcade is constantly updating, receiving new and improved games for hotel visitors to enjoy. Whether it’s driving a motorcycle down a pixelated road or maneuvering a claw to get a prize, “The Bassment” proves a fun break from the water activities to spend time with friends and family.