Who truly has the largest flume drop?

I would ask for definitions. if we were talking about the old fashioned, flat on the floor, four-in-line torpedo type logs, with a free flowing channel, Kennywood has two lift hills and the final drop is the biggest.

But other, newer, fancier versions (Disney, Dollywood, etc.) are bigger.

Like said above, I'm pretty sure that Splash Mountain at Disney and Daredevil Falls at Dollywood are the largest "traditional" log flumes out there. O.D. Hopkins built Daredevil Falls, but I'm not sure if they built Splash Mountain as well or if it was built in-house by Disney.

what about that one in the european kids backyard. that must count for something.

No, Dukeis#1: All our sources say the Splash Mountains are under sixty feet, while it seems agreed that the Great America flumes (as well as Daredevil Falls) are sixty feet.

Are we calling WDW and TDL's versions flumes for the purposes of this argument? Does two-across seating make a difference? The actual design is essentially identical, aside from being wider.

If they're considered log flumes, then what about the Australian Warner Bros. Movie World's Wild West Falls, at 65ft? I'm not sure about the Spanish version (Rio Bravo) because it's an Intamin ride and whether the components of one of their reversing flume rides is true enough to the standard flume I don't know. I don't know if there are any bigger two-across flumes out there, but I guess there might be.

Peabody, Back on the Splash Mountains. I'm interested that you thought that DL's (and TDL's, though that's irrelevant to me for a year or so more) has a more cohesive storyline than WDW's. It took me about half a dozen rides on DL's to be able to conclusively know the story from start to finish with no gaps or spaces. With WDW's, I thought that they actually simplified the story a lot, making it a lot easier to understand first time around. It might just have been that I knew Disneyland's, but I just thought it told the story (though very simplified) much more nicely.

Can't wait to give Tokyo's version a spin when I'm up that way. I just hope that the years of you and other Japan fans talking the place up doesn't let me down or anything. :) *** Edited 4/6/2004 10:31:33 AM UTC by auscoasterman***

Apparently, WDW's version doesn't have the "rabbit's lament" song--the funeral-dirge tune right before the final lift. Except for the buzzing bee theme entering the laughing place, I thought the lament was the nicest part of the ride, story-wise.

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What can poor Brer Rabbit do
To keep from becoming rabbit stew?
Warning Brer Rabbit is wasting my breath!
The rabbit is facing certain death!
Don't you go to the laughin' place
Or the fox will get you too!
Stay away from the laughin' place!
You must beware the fox is there!
Don't go in!
That Brer Fox's had his way
At the laughin' place this very day!

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*** Edited 4/6/2004 1:24:43 PM UTC by Brian Noble***

Exactly...that was a key point that made the story a little more cohesive to me :)

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Touchdown said:

...they say its over 5 stories tall but I cannot for the life of me find a conversion to feet from stories.

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I believe a "story" is generally considered 10 feet.

I dont know I think that the vultures and the little scene right before the drop on Splash definatly get the point across that Brer Rabbit is in mortal danger and saves himself through trickery.

While this might not come across well the first ride, its not the rides fault. I think many first time riders anticipate the drop way too soon (disney subquently adds to this anticipation by having numerous fake drops as well) that they miss whole parts of the story anyways.

Wild West Falls, Warner Bros. MovieWorld (Australia)
= 22m / 72.2ft.
Considered to be one of the world's best themed log flumes, with a coaster-like hill inside the mountain.

Some photos:
http://www.totalthrills.com/mwgallery.php

Badewannen Sturzfahrt, Tripsdrill (Germany)
= 20m / 65.6ft.
A great ride featuring bath tubs instead of logs, with backwards drops as well and a large indoor area featuring naked animatronic women. Really !

Some photos:
http://www.europarcs.net/parcs/allemagne/tripsdrill/aquatiques/aquatiques.html

http://www.coasterclub.org/photos/trp-expeuropa/Tripsdrill/img_22.shtml
(the naked women, including a nasty granny) *** Edited 4/6/2004 5:18:23 PM UTC by Belgian***

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Touchdown said:
I dont know I think that the vultures and the little scene right before the drop on Splash definatly get the point across that Brer Rabbit is in mortal danger and saves himself through trickery.

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Exactly....the DL, and TDL versions have this darker scene which then provides a great contrast to the scene following the drop. That scene (rocking boat) is even more elaborate in the TDL version.

I rode them in this order, WDW, DL, TDL

When I first rode the DL version and saw the "darker" scene I was impressed....I loved how the music modulated to a the relative minor key and used a darker texture/instrumentation.....the scene portrayed the fear some creatures had of the "laughing place" I do suppose this could have been a *little* scary to younger riders, but not really....if your old enough to ride Splash Mt you could probably handle the fear in that scene.

All in all, the three are all world class, top tier rides, and in my book, Splash Mt in general is one of the greatest rides out there. The WDW and DL versions are amazing, superb rides, and the TDL version is even better (due to the upkeep and amazing budget the Oriental Land Co. has).

Thanks for the pix Belgian, that's amazing theming! That would never fly here in the States, look at all the flack over Janet Jackson's partially nude breast. All the conservatives would be in an uproar if any park over here even tried anything close to that!

Peabody, I was talking about the WDW version (thats the only one Ive ridden) it has that scene too, just not the song.

A breast that was seen for less than one second at that. Oh, the horror! The horror! Our kids will be ruined and scarred for life!

Pulezze.

mOOSH

It is was a rather perky breast too. Now if it were Simon Cowell and his manboobs, I would have a problem :)

Touchdown: I'd miss the song. Then again, I'm a sucker for a minor key.

*** Edited 4/6/2004 6:58:15 PM UTC by Brian Noble***

How tall was the Keel Boats flume at PKI? My sister said her first sentence on that ride ... "No Mommy No!" as we started to drop. :) That was in about ... 1975 I'd reckon.

Touchdown, oh yeah....I do recall the vultures in WDW.......am I just dreaming this, or is this real: At DL (and TDL) on the lift during the minor key, there's also a scene of something like a mommy bunny tucking the little ones into bed and singing "don't go into the laughing place" along tothe main laughing place music in a minor key. I seem to vividly remember this being there, but not in the WDW version (I did ride the WDW one 2 months ago, but it's been a few years for DL)

Yes, Peabody...it's there along with a creepy scary shadow of a fox [Brer Fox?].

Peabody: that's exactly the song/scene we're talking about.