![]() ![]() Racing away to find safety the riders quickly find themselves perched atop a massive waterfall with no where to go but down. Once at the top of the river, a fallen tree re-routes the river along a new and dangerous path, down falls into a dark cavern for a harrowing encounter with the Q’araq. The caverns within the legendary mountain are rumored to be home to the Q’araq, a gigantic crocodile looking beast responsible for loud roaring noises that echo through the area. Guests board rafts and travel through a lush landscape before climbing a large lift hill to the top of the Apu Taku mountain, also known as Roaring Mountain. Located in the park’s Adventure Isle area, it serves as a modern incarnation of the classic Adventureland area. Standing out as a unique attraction not seen at any other of Disney’s Magic Kingdom themed parks, Walt Disney Imagineers decided to build Roaring Rapids, a river rapids ride built onto a fake mountain, as an opening date attraction for the Shanghai park in 2016. Regarded as one of the most thrilling water rides of all time, unfortunately the dark ride segments have fallen into enough disrepair that the former storyline is now incomprehensible, but the thrills still remain. In an unusual twist, the big flume drop seen out front was actually experienced first, only for the boats to turn around and head back inside the structure for a surprising final twisting roller coaster plunge in darkness. Journey to Atlantis also had unusual pacing, featuring a dramatic one-two punch finale. We can only imagine that the park took pity on guests as most of these were shut down after the first season. This wasn’t just from the typical splashing from flume drops that you might expect, but it also featured an extensive series of other water effects (water falls, cannons, errant bouncing streams of water and more) that would soak every rider beyond their wildest imagination. When JTA first opened, it was widely considered as one of the most soaking water rides ever created. The original storyline of the attraction featured a Greek fisherman, the magical seahorse Hermes character that serves to guide your journey, and protect you from the evil siren, Allura. The attraction starts off with an extensive dark ride segment, passing through the interior of a massive Atlantis themed temple structure. The Mack Rides water coaster served as the first major thrill ride to be built inside SeaWorld, which was formerly focused almost entirely upon being only a marine life theme park. ![]() SeaWorld Orlando surprised the world when it opened Journey To Atlantis in 1998. Popeye & Bluto’s Bilge Rat Barges is a ride like no other on Earth. Impossible looking drops turn into a wild churning river, full of unpredictable action, and zany water effects so over the top that you can only laugh when you get blasted in the face. The final result is a ride that is both scary at times while still giving you a belly full of laughs along the way at the complete outrageous action taking place all around you. Theming wise, the attraction literally puts you in the cartoon world of Popeye, featuring a landscape of colorful props that fit right in with the raging whitewater around you. ![]() According to Barr Engineering, Universaltasked them to create “the world’s biggest, fastest whitewater raft ride” that would call for “abrupt changes in water velocity, surprise river turns, large rapids, and steep water drops” all while maintaining the utmost in care for safety. Universal Creative worked with Barr Engineering to create a next-level rapids ride, able to do things that no other ride could do. I’m going to say it… while it opened in 1999, this is still hands down the single best river rapids ride in the world. ![]()
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