Schlitterbahn Kansas - Verrückt Water Slide

[rcjp]

^I had been thinking: from what height will they start using elevators or other transport which doesn't involve people climbing by themselves?

I suppose not much taller than this.

[mike_kelly]

^ I would have thought it would have made more sense to use one of those spiral ramps.

[neil009]

I'm pretty sure I've been on raft slides where you board at the bottom and it's got those wide black belts that take you to the top, why couldn't they use that here? Space issue? I mean this is Kansas, how could you possibly run out of flat empty space?

[lk2500]

I actually like the stairs, it will keep the lines trimmed down a bit.

 

I was mentioning to my kids that I think they should have the initial start of the line for sign up times at the top of the 17 flights of stairs. I'd love to see the rush up the stairs at rope drop. Only the strong shall survive

[rcjp]

I'm pretty sure I've been on raft slides where you board at the bottom and it's got those wide black belts that take you to the top, why couldn't they use that here? Space issue? I mean this is Kansas, how could you possibly run out of flat empty space?

Maybe cost? That would have to be really long as those can't be very steep.

[Midgetman82]

I'm pretty sure I've been on raft slides where you board at the bottom and it's got those wide black belts that take you to the top, why couldn't they use that here? Space issue? I mean this is Kansas, how could you possibly run out of flat empty space?

Some slides, like some of ProSlide's water coasters could do it because of the convenience of a hillside, usually. Since this ride's free-standing (and so enormous), it would look really awkward. And with the steepness of the current conveyor belt, it wouldn't be safe.

[rcjp]

^I have imagined a sort of elevators system that would allow for several to climb at the same time. Like this:

[neil009]

WAIT, I have the solution.

 

 

Locks.

[zdub]

^I'm guessing the joke is sending them down the slide, but when I first read your post I honestly thought you meant stone-cold throwing them over the railing.

 

Either way, imagine the line after the first one.

 

And locks, IN KANSAS, I suppose they'd have to redirect the Missouri River for that one.

[lk2500]

We showed up to the parking lot at about 9:15 on Sunday. Not a ton of guests, but a line was forming. We were allowed into the gift shop to get our admission wristbands at 9:30. Ten minutes later, the rope was dropped and there was a mad dash to Verruckt, although most guests were courteous and did not run.

 

We got to the reservation table early enough to ride in the first hour. Unfortunately for us, we were not changed out of street clothes. That essentially forced us to take the first available reservation, which was at 11. The reservation line grew very long and stayed that way until 11:30, when reservations filled up and were officially closed.

 

As for making weight, they will do their best to accommodate you. If your group is too heavy, they will split you up and add single riders as needed. (Single riders are generally in the "walk-up line". Most aren't at the park alone, but they know that the only way to get on Verruckt without a reservation is to volunteer as a single.) If your group is two people and is too light, they will add a single rider to round it out. There can be some tricky situations because the weight range is really narrow, but if you show up on time, they will find you a group.

 

I went and rode Veruckt this past Wed 07/30. The process was much as described here, so thanks! A bit of differences though, not sure if it changed recently:

 

1) People were lined up outside the door to the gift shop starting at around 8:30AM so when I got there at 9:15AM there were a good 100 people in front of us.

 

2) The order stayed pretty much the same as people went through the ticketing process at 9:30AM and then re-lined up at the rope blocking the park entrance.

 

3) Shortly after the early birds had lined up a 2nd line formed to our left and it really pissed off a bunch of peeps who had been there since 8:30AM. It was kind of stupid the way it worked. There was a bit of a shouting match between some irate customers and an employee.

 

4) At rope drop an employee walks the line to Verruckt. If you pass the employee, run, or trample anybody, you get booted. You can however walk fast, so practice your speed walking technique. We passed a few people and managed not to anger anybody, it was a fairly orderly process.

 

5) We missed the cutoff for the initial ride group by one spot, so got an 11AM appointment. Keep in mind that there is a GROUP at 11AM, not just your party. We were told to return no later than 10:45AM, so returned right at 10:45AM. If we had showed up a bit earlier we could have ridden sooner. However, my sons (17 and 20) took advantage of that time and got the matt water slides at the back of the park (short lines) knocked out prior to our time slot. I just went back to the car and put our stuff in a locker.

 

6) We returned right at 10:45AM. The entire process of waiting in queue-lecture about how you could die-stair climb-short wait at the top-ride took until 11:20AM, so not too bad.

 

Where are you seeing those who are disappointed by it? Here? I thought the said they like it? I'm going to be there in a few weeks so I want to know if it's worth the effort. Could you please post the links for the disappointing reviews?

 

And the ops appear to be slow for safety reasons, so I'm fine with that. I would imagine it will speed up with time and experience.

 

TIA,

 

To be honest, I think it could be said that my opinion of Verruckt is "disappointed". Yes, I liked it, but I was also disappointed because I know how much better the ride could have been if only it weren't chucking rafts. If they had built a larger second hill (hindsight is 20/20) the drop could have most likely remained without the trims, and would have been out-of-control the whole way down. For over a year I watched them build an untrimmed drop into a perfect camelback hill, and what we got was very different. Good, but disappointing.

 

After riding, I agree. It could be a whole lot more fun without the neutering, but is still pretty cool. They basically use the rubber on the sides of the boat as a brake at the top of the hill (or maybe just as guides, but it has to slow the boat a tad as it rubs), and then the bottom of the boat and the speed-bumpy surface at the bottom of the first drop as another brake. It definitely was not as terrifying as I thought it would be.

 

An interesting note I picked up from an employee at the top of Verruckt. When asked how many boats they have, he replied they had 4 but they were constantly being replaced because they keep popping. I am assuming this is from the friction of the boats since, as mentioned about, the boat is basically being used as a brake pad, lol. If you look at the boats there seems to be a thick rubber coating on the sides, and is worn off in areas. I suppose that does make the ride a bit more scary since there is a slight possibility the boat pops on the way down?

 

As far as the rest of the park, the river/rapid things I went on were fun. The water slide selection is cool but the lines get really long, really fast. As mentioned above, it's almost better to get a later Verruckt reserved time and knock out the water slides early. Being a water park noob, I didn't ride the slides, but my kids did and said they liked the Predator slides at WOF much better. (I'll post a WOF/OOF report in that thread later).

 

If anybody has any questions please ask!

[mike_kelly]

Was at the park today, crazy busy.

 

Not sure if this has been addressed or not but the age limit of 14 has been dropped.

[neil009]

Was at the park today, crazy busy.

 

Not sure if this has been addressed or not but the age limit of 14 has been dropped.

 

I guess they figured out there isn't much point in having a rule that's literally impossible to enforce.

[lk2500]

Was at the park today, crazy busy.

 

Not sure if this has been addressed or not but the age limit of 14 has been dropped.

 

I guess they figured out there isn't much point in having a rule that's literally impossible to enforce.

 

Yup, it makes more sense to just stick with the 54" minimum and 300lb maximum requirements, covers just about everything.

[DoinItForTheFame]

Well, time to revive a dead thread!! Sorry! But I have some questions about an upcoming Schlitterbahn Kansas trip, and did not want to start a new thread!

 

We are making a trip to Schlitterbahn Kansas the first weekend in August. Sadly, we have to visit the park on a Saturday, which I am sure is the worst time to visit the park. Having never been to the park I have a few questions.

 

1.) I know online you can buy a reservation for Verruckt, but is it worth it?

"You can now reserve a ride on Verrückt - The World's Tallest Waterslide before the park opens each day to the general public!"

Source.

Again, having never been to the park, and the main reason we are going is to ride Verruckt. Would it be worth it to make a reservation in advance to at least be guaranteed at least one ride on it?? Or has the hype of the slide kind of died down to where it is not as hard to get a ride in on the day of your visit.

 

2.) For those of you who have been to the park, or frequent the park what kind of wait times can we expect?? We are trying to make the most of our visit, and want to know if we need to plan to spend the entire day at the park, or if half of a day is enough.

 

3.) Are water shoes allowed on the slides? I know this sounds silly, but a lot of water parks do not allow people to wear water shoes on the water slides. However, Schlitterbahn sells a ticket plus water shoe combo online. So just curious if they actually allow you to wear the shoes on the slides?

 

Thanks in advance for any advice you all can provide!!

[lk2500]

Well, time to revive a dead thread!! Sorry! But I have some questions about an upcoming Schlitterbahn Kansas trip, and did not want to start a new thread!

 

We are making a trip to Schlitterbahn Kansas the first weekend in August. Sadly, we have to visit the park on a Saturday, which I am sure is the worst time to visit the park. Having never been to the park I have a few questions.

 

1.) I know online you can buy a reservation for Verruckt, but is it worth it?

"You can now reserve a ride on Verrückt - The World's Tallest Waterslide before the park opens each day to the general public!"

Source.

Again, having never been to the park, and the main reason we are going is to ride Verruckt. Would it be worth it to make a reservation in advance to at least be guaranteed at least one ride on it?? Or has the hype of the slide kind of died down to where it is not as hard to get a ride in on the day of your visit.

 

2.) For those of you who have been to the park, or frequent the park what kind of wait times can we expect?? We are trying to make the most of our visit, and want to know if we need to plan to spend the entire day at the park, or if half of a day is enough.

 

3.) Are water shoes allowed on the slides? I know this sounds silly, but a lot of water parks do not allow people to wear water shoes on the water slides. However, Schlitterbahn sells a ticket plus water shoe combo online. So just curious if they actually allow you to wear the shoes on the slides?

 

Thanks in advance for any advice you all can provide!!

 

Not sure about reserving rides since they didn't to that last year when I visited. If you get there 30-60 minutes prior to opening and walk kinda fast you should be able to get a fairly early ride as i described above.

 

I only did the lazy river rides but my kids did the water slides. The lines were getting pretty dang long after the first few hours (30 minutes+).

 

As I recall they do not allow water shoes on the slides or even the lazy river rides. Just wear them up to the edge or the ride and retrieve them later is what a lot of peeps do.

 

That being said, if money is no object, I would reserve the ride on Verruckt and hit the more popular water slides immediately after opening instead.