funnel slides

I think maybe it has to do something with the other halfpipe slides that were in existance before Proslide offered this type of slidies. I'm not sure who they are made by, but here's an image of what I'm talking about: http://www.wildrapids.ab.ca/images/Sidewinder%203.jpg

I rode one at Splash Mountain in Ocean City, Maryland. I must say it blew away the Proslide Tornado as it was much more forceful than the Tornado model. Just some food for thought.

Also, on the topic of those bowl slides, CamelBeach just opened up two of those in 2002. They're very fun. http://camelbeach.com I'd offer some additional photos that I took, but my site is down right now until I pay my bill. I read in (I think) Amusement Business that there's now a 4 person version of the bowl slides which allows the clover rafts to go on the slide with 4 people dubbed the BehomethBowl.

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Den said:

Has anyone ridden "Hidden Rapids" at The Beach near PKI, or anything else like it? It's such a cool ride... it combines the relaxation of a lazy river with the thrills of a tube slide. Basically it has several in-ground, concrete tube slides, connected by pools in which you can tool around as long as you like, until you get sucked down the next slide. The last slide is insane, with giant sheer drops.

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Water Country USA has a ride like that, its called Atomic Breakers, and yes it is fun. Allthough I have never been there I recall Waterworld in Denver (according to Top Ten Waterparks Discovery show) having a ride like that to, Journey to the Center of the Earth that on top of being the design you described is completly inclosed and has animatronic dinosaurs too. Anyone ridden this one? *** Edited 12/16/2003 11:09:13 PM UTC by Touchdown***

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Den said:Has anyone ridden "Hidden Rapids" at The Beach near PKI, or anything else like it? It's such a cool ride... it combines the relaxation of a lazy river with the thrills of a tube slide. Basically it has several in-ground, concrete tube slides, connected by pools in which you can tool around as long as you like, until you get sucked down the next slide. The last slide is insane, with giant sheer drops.

/wondering why I don't go to waterparks more often

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Morey's Piers also has one of these slides, but the name of it is escaping me right now...

WaterWorld in Denver is an amazing park, and I am surprised that it has not gotten much attention in waterpark threads on this board. It has two of the bowl slides. One of them is enclosed, and quite dark inside. The other one is open, and as you go around the bowl you are subject to about 20 people shooting you with water guns. It is a blast, and very intense.

Waterworld also has one of the halfpipe slides mentioned called Zoomerang. This slide, aside from being too short, is a load of fun. The first drop is insanely steep, and the tubes usually have two people going down in them. If you have someone who knows how to ride these and doesn't drag their behind on the slide as you go down the first drop, you come very close to the tops of the edges, which provides a very good rush.

The Journey To The Center of The Earth ride is outstanding. Although the theming is kind of cheesy, it is still a load of fun and the fast sections of the ride are absolutely insane. It is made better by the fact that the fast sections are amost pitch black.

For those of you concerned about the 'danger' of water rides, the Screamin' Mimi is not for you. The oldest ride in the park, you ride down a incline on a wheeled sled into a large pool of water. After the drop of about 30 or 40 feet, you 'skip' across the pool like a stone until you eventually lose momentum and sink. It is Hellafun.

If you are in Denver and wish to go to a Waterpark, HIGHLY suggest Waterworld. There is enough there to keep you busy all day, and as far as I know the admission is still fairly reaonable.

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Den said:Has anyone ridden "Hidden Rapids" at The Beach near PKI, or anything else like it? It's such a cool ride... it combines the relaxation of a lazy river with the thrills of a tube slide. Basically it has several in-ground, concrete tube slides, connected by pools in which you can tool around as long as you like, until you get sucked down the next slide. The last slide is insane, with giant sheer drops.

/wondering why I don't go to waterparks more often

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I'm actually pretty sure Schlitterbahn came up with the idea for these types of slides. Anyways.. The old park is just made up of all these and slides.. Most of the times you'll find yourself ending up in the N.B. river only to float down stream. It's insanely cool. I actually believe they're called "Tube Chutes" if your wondering. *** Edited 12/17/2003 1:47:38 AM UTC by sfft_freak***

Transportainment! :)

Anyhow...if you wanna go high up on the sides of the funnel, make sure to spread out the weight evenly ACROSS the tube....we made it quite a way up on the side of Zinga...:)

I cant believe I forgot about Shlitterbahn, geez. My I second that the tube slides in the old section are fantastic, and last anywhere from 5-30 mins now thats what I call a quality ride to queue length ratio.

I know I'm chiming in a little late here, but when Holiday World added Zinga, didn't the park ask to have a full funnel because it would look better? You'll remember it was announced as a half-pipe, initially.

Well, I'm half way surprised that Paula hasn't chimed in yet -- but I'm pretty sure the reason why they go with the full funnel is for structural reasons. Remember a full circle is a lot stronger than a hemi-circle.

(darn geometry!)

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Shaggy said:
But therin lies the problem.

Most parks would shy away from such, simply because of the *danger* aspect of dropping through a hole into a shallow pool below. As far as I know, other than the originals, all of the toilet bowl slides have since eliminated the open hole plunge at the end.

Shaggy

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As far as I know they still make both types of single rider bowls. After playing on their site, I found Camel Beach in PA that in 2002 built two single person bowls. One were you drop out of the bowl into the pool, the other where you slide around to the middle then out a slide. So, you have the option it looks like.

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coasterdude318 said: I believe Proslide did offer the option of having just a halfpipe instead, but Holiday World opted for a funnel for asthetic reasons.

Nope.

When we ordered Zinga, there were no options. It was the half-funnel. Not long after the contract was signed, ProSlide notified us of the design enhancement.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays, everyone!

Paula

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Swoosh said:
Well, I'm half way surprised that Paula hasn't chimed in yet...

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Ask, and you shall receive....but only if you're good all year....and Paula will know, she's got an "inside source"...;)

Happy Holidays to you and yours Paula....and to our extended family at HW! :)

Would that inside source be Santa? (Who makes fun of me or HeyIsntThatRob any time we're at HW?)

Last year at SRM he told Rob "[For Christmas you're getting] nothin'. See, I not only know what you've been doin' but I know what you've been thinkin' and you're in trouble."

And closing weekend while I was wearing my "I'm a Thespian, wanna watch?" t-shirt he made fun of me because I told him that, no, I've never done any Shakespeare.

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BeastFreak said:

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Shaggy said:
But therin lies the problem.

Most parks would shy away from such, simply because of the *danger* aspect of dropping through a hole into a shallow pool below. As far as I know, other than the originals, all of the toilet bowl slides have since eliminated the open hole plunge at the end.

Shaggy

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As far as I know they still make both types of single rider bowls. After playing on their site, I found Camel Beach in PA that in 2002 built two single person bowls. One were you drop out of the bowl into the pool, the other where you slide around to the middle then out a slide. So, you have the option it looks like.

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Yes, as far as I know, that is the case. The CamelBeach slides opened the summer of 2002. Vortex, the body slide, has the 'open hole plunge' at the end of the ride. The other slide, Spin Cycle, is a tube slide where the riders hit a plastic wall in the middle of the slide which causes them to go down a chute leading out of the bowl and to the exit of the slide.