Ondaland Introduces ZERO CODE, the System Designed to Eliminate Long Waits for Water Slides

Ondaland Water Park has introduced ZERO CODE, a new proprietary queue management system developed specifically to meet the operational needs of a water park. The solution allows visitors to manage access to the water slides without having to wait for long periods outside the attractions, even at weekends and on peak-attendance days. The aim is to transform the time normally spent in line into time that guests can devote to the park’s other experiences, including swimming pools, relaxation areas, shows, entertainment, food and beverage services, and family activities. According to information provided by Ondaland, before the introduction of the system, on particularly busy days a visitor wishing to experience several water slides could spend a total of up to four hours waiting in queues. ZERO CODE combines NFC wristbands, virtual queue management, electronic gates, automated access control and a centralized software platform. The entire guest experience has been designed to work without an app and without requiring visitors to carry a smartphone inside the water park.

Two Access Options

The system offers two types of wristband. The blue NORMAL LINE wristband is provided free of charge to guests and gives access to the virtual queue system. The EXPRESS LINE wristband, available for an additional fee, provides priority access to participating attractions, allowing guests to bypass the standard virtual reservation process. The NORMAL LINE system is simple to use. When guests arrive at the entrance to a water slide, they scan their wristband using the NFC reader installed at the electronic gate. The system checks in real time how many people are already waiting in the physical queue. When the estimated waiting time is below the configured limit, normally set at approximately eight minutes, the display shows “GO” and the guest can enter immediately. If the first available time slot is already full, the system automatically assigns a later return window. Visitors are therefore free to leave the area and enjoy other activities. When they return during the indicated time window and scan their wristband again, the system recognizes the reservation and authorizes access. In this way, the physical waiting time after the gate is limited to just a few minutes. Ondaland summarizes the concept behind the project with a clear message: “The wristband waits in line, not the guest.”

Information Points Without Smartphones

To make the service easy and accessible, the park has installed numerous ZERO CODE information points. By scanning their wristbands, visitors can check the current status of the queues, review their reserved attractions, view their scheduled return times and identify water slides that are available for immediate access. The decision not to require an app is one of the system’s distinguishing features. Guests do not need to use their phones in an environment where carrying electronic devices can be inconvenient or impractical.

A Platform for Managing the Entire Park

Behind the guest experience is a software platform that allows Ondaland’s staff to manage the entire ZERO CODE ecosystem from a centralized interface. The system collects real-time statistics on waiting times and visitor flows, allows different rules to be configured for each attraction, and enables the remote monitoring of gates, readers, tablets, displays and other connected devices. The platform also includes diagnostic, technical support and maintenance tools, as well as centralized management of the content shown on monitors throughout the park. Using the data collected by the platform, the operations team can respond quickly to technical issues, adjust the capacity of individual attractions and distribute visitors more evenly across the different areas of the park. According to Ondaland, there are currently no comparable systems operating in Europe that combine virtual queues, NFC wristbands, automated access control, centralized management and a completely smartphone-free guest experience within a single solution. The initial results have been described as encouraging, with guests spending less time waiting in line and having more opportunities to take part in the wider life of the park. Through ZERO CODE, Ondaland aims to introduce a new approach to queue management that not only improves the visitor experience but may also become a significant example of innovation for the wider water park industry.