I had weird feelings about that ride ever since I saw the plans for it. The design never seemed logical to be safe. It had all kinds of issues with it before opening including rafts losing control over the hill. Redesign of the hill, rafts, adding netting..etc where all red flags. How on earth can you 'manage' an airtime hill on a water slide? I never rode it but apparently you got two face to face safety warnings before sliding and had to weigh-in twice (one before the stairs, and another on top of the tower) for safety measures. With those intense procedures and crazy variables (weight, raft conditions, slide conditions, safety constraints, weather/wind) of that size of ride.....It just felt like it was only a matter of time before something like this happened. Just felt like the company was so set on getting that 'worlds biggest' title and attention that comes from that.....that it overlooked long-term safety(IMO).
From what I'm reading/hearing....the boy was riding with two older woman. They were also seriously injured too but not life threatening. No one exactly knows the cause yet but it's appartenant that the boy was sitting in front and made contact with with the netting or support for the netting that covers the slide. Which we can then conclude that the raft lost control over the hill of the slide. I'm guessing official cause will not be released until legal stuff is completed:(
I've kept an eye on that parks reviews and development closely over the years......Being that I grew up near KCK and still visit often I was excited for that park and really wanted it to thrive. I've taken my family to WoF/OoF multiple times since that park has opened but for some reason I've never had any desire yet to try it out. The general feedback I've read both on-line and from friends is that it was way overpriced (not developed enough for the price) and the big slide was dangerous and not that fun. Most of my friends would recommend just going to OoF, Great Wolf Lodge, or a few of some local aquatic centers around KC that are popping up everywhere with their own lazy rivers and slide complexes.
I'm guessing (and hoping at this point) that the slide will be destroyed and Schlitterbahn will be fortunate if they save the water park from going under.
Of course my heart goes out to the parents, family, friends.....and the park workers.....it's surely a tragedy all the way around.
