On SDC's website it says that the RiverBlast will be open at Christmas! It says you won't get wet, you will just float down the river and take in the Christmas Lights. The ride is listed at the very bottom of the ride and attractions page here's the link.
http://www.bransonsilverdollarcity.com/rides-attractions/ride_detail.aspx?AttractionID=1418
Might as well use it. Hopefully they put up some christmas light scenes to look at along the way
Hmmmmm...OK. I suppose they will decorate around the channels. Sounds alright.
While it sounds interesting at the same time it sounds sort of odd.
Yeah, my thought exactly.
Any different than riding a train in the dark?
The odd thing is that River Blast navigates a relatively small course, and you can see just about everything simply by standing along the dock. I am sure it is just a publicity stunt of sorts to encourage more people to ride River Blast. Especially those who typically don't like it get wet.
Hmm :-\ I will need to see how that is set up.. sound interesting.
I for one did not try river blast this year.. didn't want to get wet ::).... "afraid i might melt" LOL.. ;D
anyway i might try it.
Sounds like a cheap way to get total rider numbers up before the end of the year.
Doesn't make much sense.
At least the train goes somewhere.
i think the thing to look at is at least they are making some kind of an attempt to utilize the "water" ride in the off-season.. anxious to see it..
I like the idea, just something extra to do. It's not BIG thrills, but its something out of the box and something kids will like, heck anyone can enjoy. This will probably be the only time I ride RiverBlast, now they should find a way to do this to the Lost River, because I NEVER ride that one. lol
LOL. hey copper, i bet we have stood side by side watching the water rides and didn't even know it! :o :o
I like the idea, too. That'll be fun!
Unless I am going swimming, I just do not enjoy getting soaked. Normally I would never ride River Blast for this very reason, however I could totally dig riding it with the water cannons off. ;D
Like I said it does sound interesting, but, it will be kind of wierd to see a water ride running during the Christmas Season. I also read on the website it may close if the temperature is below 50 degrees. So it will probably have a limited amount of time to operate during the day, and probably won't be open when the park closes. I agree about getting wet. When I go to Dollywood I never ride RiverBattle because you don't just get wet, you get soaked from head to toe.
I like the idea. It's another thing that parents with small children can do during Christmas time.
I am interested in knowing how they can just "turn off" the water cannons.
well...your hand will be in your pockets since it'll be quite cold...so wa-la. No water cannons. Really, I was wondering that too!
If you guys have ever rode one of the rides, you would find out. I rode the RiverBattle at Dollywood and when you pull into the station you can crank them all you want to but water won't come out. They have a switch at the operater booth that turns the cannons off. :)
I have ridden it several times.
I found that the only time the water did not come out was when the boat was on the conveyor and out of the water. I want to know how they turn it off once it is in the water.
Seems to operate on a pump principal to me (as in by turning the handle it draws the water through like a giant straw).
I doubt this is somehow computer powered, but nothing surprises me anymore.
Also, if you look closely while waiting to board the ride, you'll notice that when one of the boats come in, the bucket on top of the mast lines up with a pipe; that's where the water for the cannons comes from. They fill up the boat each time it comes back into the station.
^Exactly, so they just won't put any water into the boat. Problem solved. Go team!
Anyway, I'm glad they're making something out of this for the Christmas season. I know I, for one, complained that RB would take away from things to do when it's too cold for water rides. This is just one more thing for some people to do.
I agree shave. i think it is great they have found an off season use.. anxious to see wht they did and how it works...24 days to go
Quote from: tinaalsgirl on November 02, 2010, 02:41:48 PM
Also, if you look closely while waiting to board the ride, you'll notice that when one of the boats come in, the bucket on top of the mast lines up with a pipe; that's where the water for the cannons comes from. They fill up the boat each time it comes back into the station.
Very interesting I did not know that! So basically the water that is being squirted is presumably filtered clean water, and not water from the channels under the boat? Makes perfect sense in hindsight. :)
I'm kind of interested in "seeing" the actual ride. When I rode it I was getting shot in the face the whole time.
yes, stacey should be interesting to see. won't be long now... 23 days lol
Quote from: Ozark BBQ on November 02, 2010, 11:30:22 PM
Quote from: tinaalsgirl on November 02, 2010, 02:41:48 PM
Also, if you look closely while waiting to board the ride, you'll notice that when one of the boats come in, the bucket on top of the mast lines up with a pipe; that's where the water for the cannons comes from. They fill up the boat each time it comes back into the station.
Very interesting I did not know that! So basically the water that is being squirted is presumably filtered clean water, and not water from the channels under the boat? Makes perfect sense in hindsight. :)
A cool illusion indeed - an example of attention to detail and one of the most creative little effects of late.
Keep 'em for shooting? Simply remove the cannons. They would need to be winterized anyway.
They could put miniature scenes around the channel - something you can't see from shore.
there will be lights onthe tower and surrounding building that you can't see except from the boat. Will be a very different view. And i bet will look different from the train as we pull out also...are you ready? ;D
To quote a famous sponge.......IIIIIIIIMMMMMMM REEEEEADDDDYYYY!!!
meeeeeeeeee toooooooooooooo
Quote from: dwfan on November 01, 2010, 06:39:27 PM
I also read on the website it may close if the temperature is below 50 degrees. So it will probably have a limited amount of time to operate during the day, and probably won't be open when the park closes.
SDC website says "NOTE: RiverBlast will not operate in temperatures below 35 degrees."
Most of the other rides shut down from 32-40 degrees...But here's my favorite:
"Geyser Gulch will operate throughout regular park hours, weather permitting." with a nighttime photo of Geyser Gulch at Christmas time. YEAH RIGHT!!! I won't go within 100 feet of a water canon during OTC.
On the other hand, I would ride American Plunge on New Year's Eve if I got a T-Shirt that that said "Polar Bear Club Plunge 2010," and some kind of SDC logo with icicles dangling at the bottom, on it, as long as I had another set of warm clothes to change into :)
I doubt they'll have any of the few water features left at Geyser Gulch turned on during the cold.
they may leave RB open. with no shooting water should not be a problem ???.. The 35 degree post i am sure means as a full blown water shooting, shirt soaking ride ;D
GG is always open, and the water has always shot, even in the cold.
hmmm?? ??? water is always on? think i will stay clear of that area. may be shooting icicles!
The water us off in GG and has been every time I have gone to OTC. We were there today And it is indeed off.
Oh come on okla!!! what about RB? how did it look?
Was there today and rode RB it was ok they took off all the handles so oyu could not shoot anyone they opened after 5:30 and had it decorated with some christmas lights. It was to waste some time nothing real exciting.
Well of course, River Blast without the cannons is basically River Dud. However, was it completely dark when you rode, and were all the decorations up?
River Blast is no wildfire, but surely it was a relaxing five minutes off of your feet? :)
how about it? jmc? okla? give us more details about RB.... what did they do? is it worthwhile? should they have done more did u ride it after dark? COME ON!!!! help us out ::).. i cant go for 3 more weeks :'( :'(
Does anyone have photos to post?
I just got home from the park and went to the riverblast to check it out.
I don't know why they kept it open. They put some rope lights around the windows of the boat in the middle of the ride and that's about it.
The only other lights I saw were a few clusters of basketball sized Christmas ornaments on the back embankment that lite up.
No music, nothing.
I was confused as to what they thought they were accomplishing.
Someone said earlier it was a waist of time.
I agree 100%.
Thats too bad :'( I know it is not the train, ::) But i would think that if a little time and thought was put into it. RB could be a nice winter ride :). Unless they are having a concern about the cold weather and water?. probably wont ever get that answer..
I couldn't figure it out myself. I said earlier in the forum maybe it was to up the total rider numbers. Maybe that's true. That or possibly just to add another " experience" without any concern to its content.
I don't know.
I have a 3 year old and he liked it , they had a couple of santa statues up and the one boat decorated with some lights. Like I said it was ok would I wait in a long ride for it no, but for somthing to waste a couple of minutes it was rest for a couple of minutes.
Holiday decorations, or not, I think I would still ride it this time of year just to say that I had rode River Blast without the consequences of getting wet. :P
well m aybe they are "checking" out response this year. This may have been a last minute idea for SDC. I still like the idea, maybe they will get serious about it next year IF they get positive feedback this year
Without water, maybe I can get my wife to finally ride it.
I will ride it for the 1st time next sunday.. looking forward to seeing the "limited" displays have set up....
I'm with History Buff, I'll finally be able to get my wife on there without the water. We'll give it a whirl and see what it's like. That part of the park is a little dull and quiet at Christmas..maybe this small effort will create a little atmosphere there and give us something to look at while we are passing through.
As far as adult demographics, the Old Time Christmas Season will probably have the highest number of River Blast riders so far this year! ;D