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Surprisingly wet water rides

Matt N

TS Member
Favourite Ride
Mako (SeaWorld Orlando)
Hi guys. Water rides are a staple part of any theme park, offering cooling respite on a hot day at a park. But have you ever ridden any water rides that have really taken you aback with their wetness?


In terms of water rides that are far wetter than they look, the main one that comes to mind for me is Skull Rock at Oakwood. It was a somewhat dreary day in Wales last time I went to Oakwood, and when we strolled into Neverland, me and my mum thought that Skull Rock might be worth trying. It isn’t a particularly large log flume; it boasts only one drop, and quite a shallow one at that, so we weren’t expecting anything more than a slight misty spray. However, we were wrong to expect so little, because when we plunged down that drop, we got absolutely soaked! Not a Valhalla or Popeye level of soaking by any means, but certainly far wetter than expected given the size of the ride! We were certainly extremely surprised, and our clothes retained a certain moisture for the remainder of our time at Oakwood!


But have you ever been on a water ride that has caught you off guard with its wetness?
 
Hi guys. Water rides are a staple part of any theme park, offering cooling respite on a hot day at a park. But have you ever ridden any water rides that have really taken you aback with their wetness?


In terms of water rides that are far wetter than they look, the main one that comes to mind for me is Skull Rock at Oakwood. It was a somewhat dreary day in Wales last time I went to Oakwood, and when we strolled into Neverland, me and my mum thought that Skull Rock might be worth trying. It isn’t a particularly large log flume; it boasts only one drop, and quite a shallow one at that, so we weren’t expecting anything more than a slight misty spray. However, we were wrong to expect so little, because when we plunged down that drop, we got absolutely soaked! Not a Valhalla or Popeye level of soaking by any means, but certainly far wetter than expected given the size of the ride! We were certainly extremely surprised, and our clothes retained a certain moisture for the remainder of our time at Oakwood!


But have you ever been on a water ride that has caught you off guard with its wetness?
Tyrant, London Dungeons but you don't really know what's coming.
 
One that really got us soaked was the toffifee gold mine flume @ Energylandia... really didn’t expect it.
 
Radja River at Walibi Belgium is the only water ride I've least expected to see riders genuinely vanish under a wave of water, only for it to happen right in front of me.

Hellendoorn's rapids were also ridiculous; my shoes were still squelching for hours afterwards. I can only assume the water jets weren't properly aligned, much like Valhalla's water vortex on many occasions.

The one that really annoyed me the most, however, was probably Dollywood's rapids. Everyone else in the boat remained as dry as a ready salted pringle in a desert, yet I came off with water pouring from my clothes. A puddle was left on my Lightning Rod seat from attempting to use that to dry off straight after, as well as the car park tram from returning to the car in order to change.
 
Popeye & Bluto's Bilge-Rat Barges had me absolutely soaked when I got off it. I know it's a rapids but I didn't expect the wetness of it! Didn't help it was my last ride of the day and I had to travel back on a bus :p Also at IOA is Dudley Do-Right, but I found the efforts to get you wet were a bit cheap. Then again it being in Florida makes it tolerable.
 
The rapids at Parc Asterix caught me out, just a wall of water so big it was taller than the nets on the boat.
 
The tiny log flume at Clarence Pier is surprisingly wet.

River Quest at Phantasialand can leave you absolutely drenched.

The rapids at Cedar Point and Kings Island can be soakers as well.
 
The one that really annoyed me the most, however, was probably Dollywood's rapids. Everyone else in the boat remained as dry as a ready salted pringle in a desert, yet I came off with water pouring from my clothes. A puddle was left on my Lightning Rod seat from attempting to use that to dry off straight after, as well as the car park tram from returning to the car in order to change.

Just be thankful that you were able to sit in a seat on Lightning Rod and stop complaining about bloody puddles!

I came off Dollywood's rapids relatively unscaved, @AstroDan on the other hand was not so lucky.
 
Another one has always been sitting on the the back row on Storm Force 10 at Drayton. That's nearly up there with a Valhalla level of soaking. You just get a huge body of water dumped onto you.
 
My first ride on Bluto's barges always sticks in my mind, I expected to get soaked and assumed as its Florida it would be wetter than the rapids at Alton Towers, but the only dry part of me was where the seatbelt was I think, completely soaked and don't think my underpants dried all day.

Also the rapids at Six Flags Magic Mountain, we did them as wanted something non-inverting after lunch. I don't recall getting soaked, but the water level in the boat was what surprised us, it really did flood the bottom of the boat completly, I think it was almost knee heignt.
 
AT Battle Galleons.

A couple of hours squirting people and taking it back in a hilarious cycle of revenge on the hottest day of the year is a phenomenally fun and incredibly wet experience.

It may not be a world class water ride, but in the right weather, and in particular with the right adversaries, it's more fun than anything has any right to be, but when everything comes together just right, it's amazing.

Secret is, let you hair down, act like a kid, play to win, set up a cycle of revenge, show no mercy, and be the last man standing.
 
Perhaps not surprising, but Popeye & Bluto's Bilge Rat Barges is the wettest water ride I've ever experienced.
 
I always do Popeye, Ripsaw falls and Jurassic river ride in a row then go to eat outside to dry off.
The rapids at Animal Kingdom surprised me how wet I got as it didn’t feel that rough.
Uk water Rides can’t decide which gets you wetter Valhalla or Storm-force 10.
 
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