Continuing my top 10 blogs, today I'm doing water rides! They are ranked in order, but I'm one of the most indecisive people you'll meet, so most of these aren't my official rankings. I wouldn't say I've been on a lot of water rides, but I've been on enough to have a big ranking. I'll update these in a few years, but at the moment this is my ranking.
10) L'Oxygénarium, Parc Asterix
Just getting a spot on the list is L'Oxgénarium, a family rapids ride at Parc Asterix. I haven't been on this in over 5 years, but it was one of the better rides on park when I went. It had a cool layout, nice boats and got you wet enough to be worth riding but didn't drench you (France isn't the hottest place, so getting dry is hard.
9) Tidal Wave, Crealy Theme Park
Tidal Wave is a Log Flume at Crealy Theme Park. It's got 2 drops (one in a tunnel), on ride photos, and a crazy fast throughput. It definitely doesn't have the biggest or best drops, but they get you wet enough to like it but not too wet you couldn't ride it again, and again until you've lapped it 7 times on the same boat (I've done that before😂)
8) Tidal Wave, Thorpe Park
Onto the other Tidal Wave, Thorpe Park's Tidal wave is an absolute soaker! I've only ridden it once (I know😂) and the time I did i was wet for the rest of the day. It has a good capacity and goes pretty high, but also looks beautiful on the Thorpe Skyline!
7) Gruffalo River Ride Adventure, Chessington World of Adventures
Gruffalo's a weird one. It was one of my favourite rides in merlin as Bubbbleworks, even when sponsored by Imperial Leather, but I think giving it an IP really took away from it's classic feel and original style. The IP it has (The Gruffalo) suits Chessington perfectly and helps them draw their family audience, but it's not really my personal taste.
6) Waterfall, Oakwood Theme Park
I couldn't write this and forget Waterfall😂. It's famous in the UK for it's quirkiness and amount of funny clips of falling off it into the water exist on the internet. It's similar to Depth Charge or Buffalo Falls, but you're on a sled-type boat instead of a proper boat, which makes you liable to falling into the water at the bottom. I escaped this, but the people I was with were not so lucky😂...
5) Tutuki Splash, PortAventura Park
I mean what other ride can you go on in your swimsuit?😂 Tutuki Splash got us so wet the first time that when we went on the second time we wore swimwear. It's just a much smaller version of Tidal wave, but you get just as wet. It doesn't have a storyline/large theming but it is themed to the Polynesia section of the park well.
4) Silver River Flume, PortAventura Park
I really like log flumes. I also like rides designed by John Wardley. So when I found out that Silver River Flume was a John Wardley creation, I knew I was going to like it. It turned out to be my favourite water Ride on park, followed by Tutuki Splash and then the rapids. I wish I'd got to ride the original Flume at Towers as I imagine it would have been similar.
3) Tiger Rock, Chessington World of Adventures
Tiger Rock probably has the most impressive theming at a southern merlin park, so had to make this list. Yes it gets fucking long queues and has a terrible throughput (2-3 people per boat even though they can have 5) but I enjoy it so much, and was a great re-theme to an old ride, that didn't bring an IP.
2) Storm Force 10, Drayton Manor
I didn't go into Storm Force knowing much about it, so was very surprised by how good it was! It's first drop is one of my favourites on a UK water ride because it's so unexpected! I love the theming on Storm Force, it's pretty impressive for a UK ride, let alone at somewhere like Drayton! I think the best part is the backwards drop, it's a real soaker especially at the back. I think now I've said what my 2nd one is know what coming next, and if you don't, then visit Pleasure Beach. so let's get into it.
1) Valhalla, Blackpool Pleasure Beach.
The last time I had the pleasure (get it? no? anyway...) of riding Valhalla was April 2019. Since then it's shut for redevelopment, now with an opening date of 2022 but that doesn't mean it was bad before that. I love it's incredible theming, storyline, good throughput, (generally running 12 boats) and interesting layout. Valhalla always comes out in the best water rides in the world in the Golden Tickets, having one it now 5 times. I'm really excited to hopefully get to Pleasure Beach in July this year, then hopefully again next year so I can ride Valhalla again!
So that's my top 10 water rides! with many other of these lists, it may change a bit over time, but I'll write up an updated version when it's changed significantly. What are your favourite water rides? I'd love to hear! Thanks for reading, I'll see you later!
Cleo x
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