SDCFans - The Unofficial Fan Site For Silver Dollar City
Silver Dollar City & Celebration City Discussion => White Water Discussion => Topic started by: betamike on August 05, 2008, 07:56:53 AM
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Does anyone remember the two Mountain Streams or know if they are still in operation?
This was the sole reason that I went to White Water as a kid. Yes, you could get stuck in a pool for as long as a half hour, but I always appreciated the diversity in the type of hills and curves that were built into the mountain there. I seem to remember one side (closest to the road) being my favorite.
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Raging River Rapids has replaced that one. That was my favorite too. They are still there and are used as theme, but you can’t go down them, sad. One may even be filled in. I seem to recall the name was Hurricane Rapids.
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I remember that one. I went on it a ton when we visited White Water in the 1980s. Too bad they got rid of it.
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Thanks for updating me guys. Too bad about the slides. :'(
So it goes...
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Raging River Rapids has replaced that one. That was my favorite too. They are still there and are used as theme, but you can’t go down them, sad. One may even be filled in. I seem to recall the name was Hurricane Rapids.
I miss Hurricane Rapids. :'(
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Those two beloved "streams" were actually the Hurricane Rapids, there were two in fact. One on the East side and one on the West. The East side was used most every day and the West used on busier days. The staff referred to the two rapids as "river side" (East side) or "Paradise Side" (West Side). River side because it was on the same side as the lazy river, and the other was on the same side as the then named Paradise Plunge, formerly white lightning, and others.
These rapids were a huge hit. Even more so, a huge hit with the Herschend children. WW has never been a park prone to injury, but at the time, the few significant injuries that came from the park, usually came from the rapids. So, alas, preference gives way to progress and although the slides are still there, they are full of gravel and landscaping and the plumbing is all but gone.
The picture in my avatar is actually of the waterfall a rider would pass through on his first drop in the rapids after being dispatched.
If the lifeguard was energetic, the rapids were a great post to have. Lots of interaction with the guests, and you could spend much of your time in the water. The rapids were fun because it was kinda like floating between temporarily private pools. For this same reason, guards had to watch the pools to stop any non G-rated activity if ya know what I mean.
I was sad when we pulled the rapids, but it wasn't really up to me.
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^The Rapids were one of my favorite attractions at WWB, pretty much for all of the reasons you've listed. And I loved passing through that waterfall! :D
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I loved this ride as well. I was very sad when it was filled in.
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This was definitely my favorite at WW. Every time you went down it was different and random making it a new ride. More like floating down a real river with rapids. I hated to see it go. I wish they would bring it back and just correct whatever was causing injuries. That was actually one ride that actually lasted and felt like you got your moneys worth. It's a shame they didn't build white water on the side of the hills instead of having to make their own hill. Just think of being able to use the land for almost all the slides.
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I'm pretty sure it was taken out because of when people went down the slides and basically landed on smaller people (mainly kids), knocking them out of the rings. Plus, there would be a lot of people that would simply break the rules and get out of the tube, walking their way up to the slide so they wouldnt have to wait, circling around in the pool. Part of the fun imo! I remember the big slides at the very end ALWAYS knocked me out of the tube when i'd hit the water.
I know my sister got hurt on this ride a lot as a kid in the 80s. Didnt think anything of it then.... Now, i realize she was part of the 'making it go away'. :P
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I'm pretty sure it was taken out because of when people went down the slides and basically landed on smaller people (mainly kids), knocking them out of the rings. Plus, there would be a lot of people that would simply break the rules and get out of the tube, walking their way up to the slide so they wouldnt have to wait, circling around in the pool. Part of the fun imo! I remember the big slides at the very end ALWAYS knocked me out of the tube when i'd hit the water.
I know my sister got hurt on this ride a lot as a kid in the 80s. Didnt think anything of it then.... Now, i realize she was part of the 'making it go away'. :P
I agree. I didn't ever get hurt, though. ;)
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Let's have some pictures for those of us not born until the 90's. people riding it please.
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They were removed in 2004 for Raging River Rapids
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Wolfhunter: You were looking for some pre 1990's photos of White Water? Check my Flickr site, I've posted four scans of the 1981 park brochure, one of which includes an illustration of the entire park layout! http://www.flickr.com/photos/juniordugan
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Thanks Junior! I knew I wasn't crazy that they were just called "The Rapids".....so simple and satisfying. I loved the waterfall as you would dispatch into the first pool...the way the pools and channels would hug your body like an old familiar friend.
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^IF you enjoyed them, go to Schlitterbahn KC, they basically have the next generation of them and they're safer too.
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Sweeeeeet!!!