29yrswithaGApass Posted June 15, 2014 Report Share Posted June 15, 2014 Please feel free to vote and add your opinion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jdc12192 Posted June 15, 2014 Report Share Posted June 15, 2014 Defiantly would say popularity hasn't went away. Ive had guest asking where they are even on cool days before they opened them up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hollyferry Posted June 15, 2014 Report Share Posted June 15, 2014 I wish there was something like Splash Water Falls (Movietown Water Effects). I get why they removed most of the water areas, but they need something for those hot days. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coaster Justin Posted June 15, 2014 Report Share Posted June 15, 2014 Water rides are still as popular as ever (Look at Hurricane Harbor or any waterpark) but the popularity has reduced. Course I'll bet money it isn't exactly the popularity but the upkeep of water rides that is the nail in the coffin. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daved Thomson Posted June 15, 2014 Report Share Posted June 15, 2014 I believe that water rides in theme parks are still as popular as ever, especially as rides that the entire family can enjoy together. I did notice that when I recently visited Magic Mountain and California Adventure (both on very warm May days with nice sized crowds in each park), that Roaring Rapids at Magic Mountain was not very crowded (cue only about 1/5th full) while the Grizzly River Rapids at DCA was probably one of the top three most crowded rides in the park. Again, though, I think at parks largely drawing a teen crowd versus a more family oriented crowd (like the Disney parks), the water rides will seem to be somewhat less popular than the roller coasters. Simply speculation on my part. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DANofNJ Posted June 16, 2014 Report Share Posted June 16, 2014 (edited) The problem I have with todays water parks is, I was a frequent visitor to the best water park ever-Action Park in the 80's and 90's. And todays water parks are no where near as good as that place ever was. Most of todays waters parks are boring as hell. And the lines take forever. Edited June 16, 2014 by DANofNJ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RC98 Posted June 16, 2014 Report Share Posted June 16, 2014 ^ Yeah I've looked stuff up about that place, given how it was basically an urban legend come to life it doesn't surprise me it isn't in that form anymore. With the connotation associated with the name Action Park I'm surprised they brought it back. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Master Posted June 16, 2014 Report Share Posted June 16, 2014 I think water rides are still as popular as ever with guests, water rides just are not as popular with management, especially northern parks with a shorter water season and Halloween creep cutting the water season even shorter. GADV ripped out two major water rides to replace them with nothing. GADV management is falling back on drawing the teens and yahoos with big thrill rides instead of trying to draw familes in with family type rides like water rides. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yankees99 Posted June 16, 2014 Report Share Posted June 16, 2014 While I could never spend an entire day at a water park, you'll always need water rides in the amusement park, i.e., Log Flume, Roarding Rapids. With the heat and humitity, you need something to break the day up. Water rides add variety, something amusements parks seem to be missing these days. (Wasn't the Moon Flume built to alleviate the long lines across the park at the Log Flume?) There's only so many roller coasters you can go on. After a while, all roller coasters are the same. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
29yrswithaGApass Posted June 16, 2014 Author Report Share Posted June 16, 2014 The main reason behind this question was prompted by an observation on Saturday. It was a warm day in June and yet Congo Rapids was a walk on. Years ago the queue would have been filled and overflowing its entrance. I realize it isn't as state of the art or attractive as decades past but as one of only two water rides in the park I would have expected a bigger crowd. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chiller Posted June 17, 2014 Report Share Posted June 17, 2014 ^ It depends on the park. I think Congo Rapids may not be as popular because people don't feel like getting soaked and have to change their clothes for only one ride. When Splashwater Falls was almost across from it people may have been more willing to get soaked. Also most people, when its hot, go into the water park, and when they are done, they don't feel like doing anymore water rides. I think water rides are as popular as ever, but it depends on the situation of each ride. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robertleax Posted June 17, 2014 Report Share Posted June 17, 2014 I like water rides but dont want to get soaked and then walk around the park the rest of day like that. That's why I like the log flume because you can get wet but (probably) not soaked. The rapids is all on luck. You can get drenched or stay completely dry. They need to add something that can "mist" people while on a ride. Even if its a flat ride. Or even a pathway that has misters along in the trees with sprinklers and water spouts coming out of the ground. That way some people can get "moist" or "damp" while other people can get alittle more wet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yoshi Posted June 18, 2014 Report Share Posted June 18, 2014 (edited) I think they are still popular. I have been waiting to ride the Saw Mill Log Flume later in the day when the line is short but I remember many times in the past few years when the park wasn't that crowded and the ride still had a 30+ minute ride. I rarely ride Congo Rapids because I don't want to get soaked and would like to see another water ride that doesn't soak you. A Mack water coaster would be good if it was the standard type like Journey to Atlantis in Orlando and San Diego or Poseidon at Europa Park since it would give the park another water ride and add to the park's coaster count. Edited June 18, 2014 by Yoshi Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonlee Posted June 30, 2014 Report Share Posted June 30, 2014 How hot it gets at Great Adventure, there's no sure way to cool off other than water around the park (showers and that looney toons water tower). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThemeParkRider Posted July 25, 2014 Report Share Posted July 25, 2014 I'll see people who will stay at Splashwater for hours until 8:00, and then ask where the rest of the water rides are. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bgr861509 Posted July 25, 2014 Report Share Posted July 25, 2014 I would say that water rides are most popular when it is hot out, it can also provide thrills like a roller coaster Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GAcoaster Posted July 25, 2014 Report Share Posted July 25, 2014 The big problem with water rides is if they just make them seasonal, people complain they aren't open for those few really hot days in spring and fall, and if you have them open from opening day to closing day, many times they go unridden on those days when it's cold because no one wants to be cold and wet. There's no winning... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yoshi Posted July 25, 2014 Report Share Posted July 25, 2014 (edited) Maybe they could decide to open them on a day by day basis in the early or late parts of the season depending on the temperature and crowd forecast? I remember Sunday of opening weekend 2010 it was in the low 40's and they had the log flume open. I rode it since I was wearing a jacket anyway but almost every ride vehicle was going out empty and I thought it was strange they would pay to staff the ride when there couldn't be more than a few people on the ride at a time. I understand the rapids only open Memorial Day to Labor Day since you can really get soaked. One thing I liked at Dorney in early May a few years ago was Thunder Canyon had all the waterfalls turned off so you still got cooled off and not soaked. Edited July 25, 2014 by Yoshi Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GAcoaster Posted July 25, 2014 Report Share Posted July 25, 2014 The problem is how do you staff that? You only come to work on days over 75 degrees? It's hard enough to staff as it is... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gencx Posted July 26, 2014 Report Share Posted July 26, 2014 The on-property waterpark killed the water ride. Why ride a flume or the rapids and walk around in wet clothing when you can pay admission to HH and get soaked while wearing appropriate attire. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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