swampfox Posted May 31, 2007 Share Posted May 31, 2007 I've always wondered what's so great about shoot-the-chutes rides... I mean, I used to live in Virginia, where we had 2 okay ones with Diamond Falls at KD and Escape From Pompeii at Busch Gardens. Diamond Falls had minimal animatronics/sounds at the last turnaround and Pompeii has the cool fire and stuff. But most shoot-the-chutes just seem really boring. Go up, turn, splash, turn, end. Even Kingda Ka does more than that. Some, like Whitewater Falls at Carowinds, sometimes don't even get you wet! I'm wondering what the draw is to these attractions. I mean, I can understand the rapids rides, cause you get a different experience each time, and log flumes, because usually they are good for a tiny sprinkle. But the chutes rides... I think most parks could take those out and put something a lot better in. I mean, am I the only one who sees most of these as wastes of space? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jamesdillaman Posted May 31, 2007 Share Posted May 31, 2007 I think most people like them for the drop. Of course, the massive splash most of these attractions create also gives an added thrill on a bridge most of these have where people can get hit by a virtual wall of water. Not many places can you do that... -James Dillaman Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ECZenith Posted May 31, 2007 Share Posted May 31, 2007 I feel the same way about them, and I'll take a log flume any day over a shoot-the-chutes. I think they're really just there to cool off park guests and aren't designed to be much of a thrill. People will wait in line an hour for Shipwreck Falls at SFNE to get basically get drenched with what mind as well be sewer water for less than a minute ride. There is one shoot-the-chutes that I really love though. Let's see more Perilous Plunges! OMFG! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swampfox Posted May 31, 2007 Author Share Posted May 31, 2007 ^ Holy smokes! I can understand wanting to be cooled down on a hot day, but most of em are small and very boring. The ones at the Six Flags park in particular. No theming, only about 50 ft.... I just feel they could be taken out and replaced by more thrilling or more interactive/fun water rides most of the time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
socalMAN123 Posted May 31, 2007 Share Posted May 31, 2007 Perilous Plunge owns. Sure, the new boats don't create a big enough splash to reach the bridge, but you still get soaked. And besides, I haven't waited longer than 30 minutes for it. Also, the drop is amazing, I got some pretty good airtime in the back. ---Brent Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jamesdillaman Posted May 31, 2007 Share Posted May 31, 2007 ^^ At kings Island, I never ride the "themed" log flume, as the wait is FOREVER long on hot days. But Congo Falls, the unthemed Shoot the Chute at KI, with a MUCH larger capacity in the boat, is a much better way to cool off quickly if you don't want to wait an hour plus in the sun first... -James Dillaman Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swampfox Posted May 31, 2007 Author Share Posted May 31, 2007 ^ I agree the Wild Thornberrys sucks. I've ridden the one at Carowinds, and all they did was pretty much spruce up the queue line. And that elephant. That's it. Made the line a lot longer too. I'm glad KD never got around to doing it to theirs. But log flumes all around are much better. I want to ride the one that gets you soaked at Islands of Adventure sometime. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carnage Posted May 31, 2007 Share Posted May 31, 2007 Let's see more Perilous Plunges! Highly doubtful. Considering that the two existing models have both killed someone, there's no way another one is going to be built. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
V2-dude Posted May 31, 2007 Share Posted May 31, 2007 Let's see more Perilous Plunges! Highly doubtful. Considering that the two existing models have both killed someone, there's no way another one is going to be built. They never killed anybody. Two people being assholes got themselves killed on them. There's a difference. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xxhershey818xX Posted May 31, 2007 Share Posted May 31, 2007 ^Yea I agree but whatever...: But dude come on am I the only guy aho loves shoot-the-chutes rides. But you have to admit there somewhat fun? Anyway if you want some really good chute rides go to Hershey, Cedar Point, and Dorney they have some sweet ones. There drops are pretty big! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shesaidboom Posted May 31, 2007 Share Posted May 31, 2007 The drop and the splash? Some people are easy to please The ones with bridges you can stand on to get completely soaked as the boat splashes down are kind of neat. Those bridges always seem to have a huge crowd on them. I used to love Timberwolf Falls and its accompanying splash bridge at Canada's Wonderland when I was younger. I think this is like the boomerang thing. A lot of enthusiasts hate them and think they're a waste of space, but they always seem to be a big draw at parks. If people like them, parks will get them. Plus, they don't really take up that much space. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kraxleRIDAH Posted May 31, 2007 Share Posted May 31, 2007 As a general rule, shoot-the-chute flumes really have nothing but one appeal --- and that's to soak riders. Albeit some of the really small ones don't get all riders drenched, but most of them accomplish that quite well with a bit of thrill factor, despite the single drop and splash. For me, I won't get in line for a shoot-the-chute unless it: (1) is warm or hot out; (2) has less than a 15 minute wait; (3) is by the name of Perilous Plunge (the only water flume that's more terrifying than 50% of the world's roller coasters). Knott's Berry Farm's Perilous Plunge. All other water flumes pee themselves in its presence. Perilous Plunge splashdown. Take a good look at the size of the people on the bridge in relation to the wall of water that's about to crash into them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chmilo24 Posted May 31, 2007 Share Posted May 31, 2007 Yea, SixFlags large flumes suck, I hardly get wet when ridding in the back row. But I really like Rim Runner in the AdventureDome, now that ride gets you WET! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carnage Posted May 31, 2007 Share Posted May 31, 2007 They never killed anybody. Two people being assholes got themselves killed on them. There's a difference. That's some odd logic? One was too large to be properly restrained, and the other was too small or just wasn't properly restrained at all. Damn those assholes for being too large and too small. Two people died on the two existing rides. It doesn't matter how it happened, it happened. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
V2-dude Posted May 31, 2007 Share Posted May 31, 2007 ^The PP rider was attempting to stand up on the drop, and the girl on Hydro was doing something stupid with the restraints, I don't know what though. It wasn't their sizes that killed them, it was their idiotic actions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OFortuna Posted May 31, 2007 Share Posted May 31, 2007 The PP rider was attempting to stand up on the drop, and the girl on Hydro was doing something stupid with the restraints, I don't know what though. Maybe you should double check your facts before defaming the dead. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carnage Posted May 31, 2007 Share Posted May 31, 2007 ^^ Doesn't really matter if that is true or not. Rides need to be idiot proof. Intamin will have a hard time selling a product with that kind of track record. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loco Posted May 31, 2007 Share Posted May 31, 2007 But I really like Rim Runner in the AdventureDome, now that ride gets you WET! OMG that ride got me soaked! But anyways, the one at (K)GA doesn't even get you wet at all....The drop is fun though, since its a double dip you get a lil airtime on it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OFortuna Posted May 31, 2007 Share Posted May 31, 2007 ^^ Doesn't really matter if that is true or not. Rides need to be idiot proof. Intamin will have a hard time selling a product with that kind of track record. Of course. Which is why both rides saw major restraint redesigns, and Knott's ultimately bought new boats. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Axman Posted May 31, 2007 Share Posted May 31, 2007 I hate Perilous Plunge from pg. 1. That was back when it had the sh!ty harnesses... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Axman Posted May 31, 2007 Share Posted May 31, 2007 OMG that ride got me soaked! But anyways, the one at (K)GA doesn't even get you wet at all....The drop is fun though, since its a double dip you get a lil airtime on it. I've ridden that ride sooooooo many times, as PGA was my home park, and each time, I got sick floater time and totally soaked. That drop IS fun, isn't it? I don't know how you didn't get wet! I wish there were more Shoot the Chute rides like Dorney and Hershey's. They're 1/2 way between shipwreck falls and Hydro. A safe medium. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carnage Posted May 31, 2007 Share Posted May 31, 2007 Dorney's flume was just weird for me. We were sitting in the very front row. The water coming off the lift flooded the boat and drenched us, but the big drop itself didn't even touch us. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Axman Posted May 31, 2007 Share Posted May 31, 2007 Mile High Falls @ Kentucky Kingdom is an other big one. Apparently, It's the only good SF shoot-the-chute ride. We sat in the frot row of that one, and got the wind knocked out of us when we hit the water. We slammed into the padded bar so hard!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kraxleRIDAH Posted May 31, 2007 Share Posted May 31, 2007 ^The PP rider was attempting to stand up on the drop, and the girl on Hydro was doing something stupid with the restraints, I don't know what though. It wasn't their sizes that killed them, it was their idiotic actions. Don't post about something like that as if you knew what you are talking about...which you clearly don't. It's super annoying. Both Private and California State Investigators determined Lori Mason-Larez was thrown from Plunge due to her extreme girth (58-inch waist) and weight (262 pounds) -- and that she was not properly secured in the attraction, with the restraint resting on her stomach, not thighs. Plunge was designed to safely accomdate an average rider weight of 175 pounds and 50-inch MAXIMUM waist. Eyewitness accounts after the accident made absolutely no mention of her trying to stand up during the attraction -- she was riding with two of her children. However, some eyewitnesses in the same boat mentioned that she leaned to the side to cover up her children during the drop, but even so, her falling out isn't her fault. Just a bunch of bad coincedences mingled together to cause a fatality. As for Hayley William's death on Hydro -- I quote an article from The BBC: Mechanical engineer Roger Jones manually tested all 24 bars and belts and thought they were operating as they should. But, he revealed, he was able to get out of Hayley's seat unaided even after pulling the security lap bar down into place. "I sat in the seat, pulled the bar towards me and I found that I could get out," he told the inquest. "You are actually able to get out of it." Need I say more? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Axman Posted May 31, 2007 Share Posted May 31, 2007 Scary. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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