SFA 6/7-Hurricane Harbour-Still no Blast or Beach

So since Gowithgravity hadn't checked out Hurricane Harbour, we went down to SFA today. We arrived around 5:15 or so, and we were happy that the waterpark was open to 8pm as we'd have plenty of time to fit in what we wanted to do. GWG was impressed going into the newly renovated waterpark, but asked the same question I did--what's up with the shop that's in your way to get to the lockers? It definitely does one thing and that's to focus all of your attention on the new main attraction–Tornado. It just happened to be our first slide as well.

One thing that strikes as you being different from other waterslides is the screams that you can hear from a distance away. If there are four young girls onboard, you can be sure to hear lots of screaming–and that's before the drop! So we picked up our patened Proslide Whirly Wheel twin-seater tube. The line looked bad, and the time in between riders seems long due to people getting into position up at the top. I ran my timer on my watch and surprisingly we were to the top in 15 minutes! Getting into position I won't lie to you–I was very nervous, especially as we had seen people fly up to the top of the yellow section before the waterjets–in other words about 1/2 way up!

The lifeguard got out of the way and our tube naturally started flowing without a push. Oh crap, I'm the one going backwards. Going around the bend in the tube, you just can't prepare for the drop. Holy crap, we drop and we got really high up on the wall! It was so much fun, and of course we had to do it again. We got right back in line for about another 15-minute wait and this time I went down forwards. Here I discovered something that's of crucial importance to guys and girls. The force is so strong that I almost had a wardrobe malfunction. I felt my trunks being pulled down twice, and I was holding onto them to avoid any embarassment.

So we then went onto the orange and blue slides (hopefully I'll remember the names soon) and both were great. GWG pointed out to me the footers from a third slide that used to be in the complex that ended up in the center of the other two. I don't remember the third slide, so it must go back pretty far. We went onto the shark speed slides, and both were fun and a lot warmer than opening day of HH. We looked at the dormant Bahama Blast whose entrance travels underneath (I think?) the orange and blue slides, and starts at the bottom of Tornado. There was a great looking sign in place with some themeing. I didn't see any plumbing pieces so hopefully it'll open soon. Anyone know anymore?

We went to check out the wavepool, which of course was emptying as we approached it. So we went back to Crocodile Cal's Caribbean Beachhouse. Again, the water was much warmer than opening day. We also both checked out two of the slides-I did green and GWG did blue. It must be the color, but I pretty much ignored these slides in the past. There actually pretty fun for the short length. We moved onto Deerpark Plunge which was only running the red slide today. I love this slide as it seems never-ending. Of course we had to hit Tornado one more time before we left HH. This time we only waited 10 minutes. We got the most "swings" back and forth out of the three rides. We decided to go up the staircase and watch a bunch of other Tornado riders. Again, I love it when little girls are riding as you can hear their screams well in advance of the drop. We even heard a couple of older guys screaming! On our way out we looked at the still-not running Buccannear Beach. The back of the waterpark wasn't running either, but they were training a whole bunch of lifeguards on rescue it looked like, so that might explain why some of the slides weren't open.

We had a little bit of time left so we went back into the themepark. We decided to go to Gotham City, but I noticed the conveyer belt on the first lift of Typhoon Seacoaster running. GC can wait we both thought. We didn't have to wait too long, and we had a full boat so we had a good splashdown. Quickly running out of time, we went our separate ways. GWG went to S:ROS, while I went to Joker's Jinx. Oops the train in the brakes won't move and the other train is out on the course. It looks like it slammed into the first set of brakes. Well, there goes that ride. I had neither the energy, nor the wish to ride S:ROS, so I stayed near JJ while looking at a new attraction–the Relaxation Station–which is where the pool tables used to be in the gaming area across from the Skycoaster. They have multiple black leather massage chairs and flat-screen panels on either side. I finally gave in and paid a dollar and the cycle is actually pretty long and varied. It didn't get rid of the pain in my right shoulder, but it was still enjoyable.

I never did get a ride on JJ, but so be it. We left and had a really good time for the time we were there, but something really, really concerns me. I couldn't believe how many people were just absolutely burned to a crisp. The guys especially faired badly. I realize the temperatures today were more indicative of August than June, but you've got to be smarter than to spend a day at the waterpark and have no sunscreen on your back and neck. It was the most amount of rednecks (and backs) I've seen since my 2000 trip to Cedar Point.

Cool report ... I almost went yesterday, put my 8 hours in at the office and could have left at 2:45 when at the last minute I decided I just didn't want to fight the traffic around the Washington beltway. Now I'm heading off for a weekend in Orlando and Tampa, returning Monday afternoon. If everything goes well, I hope to hit SFA when I get back in town.

JJ one on the brake run and one on the course huh? That doesn't sound good. My gut can almost feel the stomach punch the riders in the second train got when they hit that first set of brakes at 40 mph or so.

Hmmm, I usually don't do the waterparks, but your review of Tornado made me want to try it out! Great TR!

Thanks! Yes, Tornado is definitely the slide for people who don't do waterparks. It's absolutely insane. We also got a better version of it than the one I rode at SFNE last year.

I forgot the mention the awesome sand sculpture that someone had made of a castle with a waterslide and Mr. Six. at its base.

Yea, I saw it when I went to Media Day.