Shoot the Rapids: "The boats didn't fit the flumes"

Oh, sorry, I thought you were making a poll out of it. Not that we had very many choices left...

I never got into LOST. But it doesn't matter if somebody tells you what happened; it won't make any sense anyway. :)

--Dave Althoff, Jr.

I stopped watching LOST when Locke jumped over the shark tank while on water skis.

Mamoosh said:
I stopped watching LOST when Locke jumped over the shark tank while on water skis.

In a leather jacket and swim trunks?

But in the process coining a phrase that's become part of the American vernacular.

Gonch, you just wanted to hear me say "It had to be you."

But I bet the boats hit all that concrete. Wow... I guess it looks clean at least :)

Pretty lame mistake lol.

They announced on the blog today that the height limit will be 42". Thank goodness, as that avoids the uproar that was coming if it had been 48" or higher.

Tony further mentioned that under 48" requires being with a "responsible person."

Not really sure how much help a "responsible person" is going to be when they are under an OTSR-like restraint themselves.

Is 42" low enough to call it a family ride?

There are no OTSR on Shoot The Rapids as far as I can tell. At least that is what it looked like to me when I was there Sunday. They look more like lap bars that come from overhead, but only on one side.

http://www.pointbuzz.com/Photos/Photo.aspx?id=7528

These restraints have been dubed, "Over the Head Lap Bars" OTHLB.

Keep it simple. Drop the "the". It's an overhead lap bar. :)

--Dave Althoff, Jr., who just calls it a lap bar.

MDOmnis said:
Is 42" low enough to call it a family ride?

Depends on who you ask. I think so but others will differ.

I thought about that Dave. But I left it in since there is a "T" in OTSR.

OTHLB isn't as bad as the thread on PointBuzz titled TCFKAB. Until I opened the thread, I had no idea it was about Mantis / Banshee.

I think 36" is a better cutoff in my mind, but mostly because I can't wait to take my son riding with me. :)

Aha...Jeff...I knew parenthood would bring you around. I think 48" or 42" with a "buddy" is not a bad idea. I think the height of the ride is still going to turn some kids off...but Splash Mountain ain't for everyone either.

My son is 4 this year and is already over the 42" mark. That seems fair enough. 36" is better (my son was riding the Jack Rabbit at 2 yrs old) but I don't think excluding toddlers means it's not a "family" ride.

I'm okay with the 42" height requirement considering its those awful boats. I've accepted the fact that we'll probably never see a new traditional flume boat again where everyone sits inline unrestrained. I just hope parks like Kennywood, Waldameer, and HW keep their flumes for a while because for some reason CF isn't.

~Rob

You don't like the boats? I liked them at Holiday World.

AMEN, Brother Rob.

I am very saddened by the slow loss of traditional log flume rides, and in the near future, whether or not a park has one will be a huge factor in if I pay a visit or not.