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Best water ride selection at a theme park?

Sandman

Giga Poster
Simple question really - what's the best park out there based entirely on water ride selection? Not necessarily down to quantity of water rides, although that would obviously be a factor due to this focusing specifically on water rides and nothing else. What do you reckon?

I'd argue with confidence that despite only having 2 major water rides, Phantasialand is definitely up there. I think the major Spanish parks (Warner, PA) also hold some ground, as they have a good mixture (flume, chute the shoot, rapids, splash battle) but some of the Disney/Universal offerings probably hold more ground due to level of detail in their theming and experiences as a whole.
 

Zek_Teh_Kek

Hyper Poster
Of the ones that I've been to, I'd have to say Michigan's Adventure. It has a Rapids Ride, Log Flume, Splash Boats, Swan Boats (Not sure if they're still there) and a Water Slide in the Land park as well! Of the ones I've done there, I have to say they're pretty good.
 

Gazza

Giga Poster
I suppose I should put in IOA before anyone else does....Dudley Do Rights had a coaster drop before Chiapas made it cool, Jurassic Park is a very well themed and put together Shoot the Chutes and Popeyes is fun just for how rough and wet the rapids are.

What about Heide Prior to them taking out Wildwasserbahn 2? (Or Even today?) Two flumes, splash battle, rapids, plus three gentle boat rides.
 

MestnyiGeroi

Giga Poster
Choosing from my experience:

1. Disneyland -- Pirates of the Caribbean, Splash Mountain
2. Knott's Berry Farm -- Timber Mountain Log Ride

Three rides with great theming.
 

Benenen

Hyper Poster
IOA definitely springs to mind. All three are world class and in the case of Popeye and Jurassic Park arguably the best of their ride type out there.

I've yet to ride River Quest because I've only visited during winter but I imagine Phantasialand will get a lot of mentions here for the sheer quality over quantity of their selection.
 

rob666

Hyper Poster
What about Blackpool?
Valhalla has won a Golden Ticket, even though half the features are usually not running!
They also have a "Spinny soaker", kids mini rapids and small flume all in a group in the kids section, and the River Caves, well over one hundred years old.
If the wind is blowing you can even get soaked on Infusion, the SLC, due to the number of fountains.
And, as it always seems to rain on the NW coast, even the coasters turn into water rides.
 

Pokemaniac

Mountain monkey
Staff member
Administrator
Moderator
Legoland Billund. They've got a wonderfully themed log flume, a great rapids ride, a Splash Battle, a jet ski carousel, and two scenic boat rides (one with famous landmarks recreated in LEGO, the other a pirate cave). Plus a water show, for what it's worth. Quite a lot for such a small park!
 

ThomVD

Giga Poster
Phantasialand has two of the best of its type. Chiapas is a very modern and amazing log flume and River Quest is a unique take on a rapids.

Going more traditionally, Liseberg probably has both my fave traditional log flume and traditional rapids.

Both parks only have two proper water rides but quality over quantity.
 

elephant58

Hyper Poster
Purely based on how many they've got, Thorpe must be up there. They have a massive chute thing, a log flume (it's SBNO but still), rapids, whatever Storm Surge is and a dinghy slide. So they've basically got one of each major water ride type. Still never been to Thorpe though so I don't know what they're all like, but I've heard they're crap.
 

Ben

CF Legend
It's so boring answering every topic with 'best' in the title with the same answer, but, Phantasialand.

Also Islands of Adventure have the best 'trio'.
 

jayjay

Giga Poster
IoA and Phantasialand are my actual answers. Would like to mention Europa Park too, which has a couple of water coasters and a decent log flume. There are a few other things I didn't ride, but I'm sure they're fab too, because Europa Park.
 

Edward M

Strata Poster
Shoutout to Disneyland for Splash Mountain, Pirates of the Caribbean, it's a small world, and Storybook Land Canal Boats. All of them are some of the best and most important water rides ever made.
 

Will

Strata Poster
I can only comment on Europe, but...
Phantasialand, predictably - water rides being the one category where I will, comfortably call them the continent's best
And Parque Warner Madrid, for the sheer number of them and fact that it's actually hot enough there to want to ride them all.
 

nadroJ

CF Legend
I actually think Thorpe are worth a mention here, more for variety than anything. Especially when Loggers was operational you had a chute the chute, water slides, log flume, rapids and Storm Surge.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

CookieCoasters

Giga Poster
Phantasialand and Islands of Adventure are the obvious choices and pretty hard to compete with, but there are a few others that I like:

Europa Park: The log flume/rapids are two of the best traditional ones of their type in Europe, and the more modern water coasters give the selection a bit of an edge. All 4 are beautifully integrated into their surroundings.
Port Aventura: A very good log flume and shoot-the-chutes, a pretty solid rapids ride by European standards, plus the splash battle which I haven't done yet. Tutuki Splash is particularly lush, if you ignore the gum-filled tunnels.
Dorney Park: Strange choice I know, but they have quite a unique terrain-following flume and the rapids ride is just hilariously drenching. They also have a large shoot-the-chutes, albeit just a one-dropper
Liseberg: Only two water rides, but they're pretty good. I particularly love Flume Ride because it's quite reminiscent of the former Log Jammer at SFMM (which at one time might've appeared in this list)
Six Flags Great America: I am mainly giving this park a mention for the fact they've managed to hold onto both their flumes (touchwood they'll both still last a few more years). Neither are amazing but I liked them both, and their rapids was also pretty solid.

I think I'll leave it there, otherwise I'll end listing a lot. I haven't mentioned Disney parks (or Blackpool) because they generally only have one notable (wet) water ride per park, even though they are usually of a high-calibre.
 

Chris Brown

Mr CoasterForce 2016
For me Universal IOA takes the cake, Jurassic park is excellent, great story, themeing, chilled bit, and an awesome drop. Popeyes barges are by far the wettest rapids I've done and Dudleys just goes on forever and is fab.

Honourable mention to Phantasialand obvs and I'd say Liseberg for its traditional flume alone, personally thought the rapids were ****e
 

caffeine_demon

Strata Poster
Another mention for parque warner - one of my top 3 rapids, and 2 excellent boat flumes, also the Madrid centre theme park had good flume rides.

and of course - Chiapas and river quest <3
 

witchfinder

Hyper Poster
Bit of a left-field candidate here but I'll mention Bobbejaanland. Everything's a bit old but they have an outdoor log flume, a crazy indoor log flume, an indoor splash battle and a decent rapids, which has the cool whirlpool section. Shame the lift and drop part of the rapids is no longer in use as that would've made them really fun.
The park's water ride selection certainly beats its coasters!
 

Lofty

CF Legend
Islands of Adventure and PortAventura for me. They both have really good selections, as well as really good ride experiences.
 
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