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What is the Best Log Flume?

James F

James F

Hyper Poster
Apologies if there is already a thread for this, but I couldn't find one when I searched.

What is/are your favourite log flume and why?

For me it's Splash Mountain at WDW, nothing compares to the warm feelings of nostalgia on this ride, every detail of this ride is excuted perfectly, from the smell of bromine in the water to the hidden Mickey's carved into the rockwork. It's Tony Baxter at his finest hour, the storytelling is second to none.

Every Log Fume I go on I wish it was as good as Splash Mountain, as for the retheme goes, I am not a fan at all, but I understand why Disney are doing it, I just wish circumstances were different.

Chiapas and IoA's Ripsaw Falls are close and with Valhalla, make up for the big 4 in my opinion.

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If we’re classing Valhalla as a log flume, then that!!! If we’re talking about traditional, single file, no restraint, pure ‘log flumes’ then the best I’ve ridden is sadly no longer with us. Nightmare Niagara at American Adventure.

As for currently operating, Chiapas is great, but doesn’t really feel like a log flume to me, and doesn’t meet the criteria above, as it has restraints. I quite like the meandering views of Liseberg’s log flume.

However, this may surprise some, but the best log flume I’ve ridden in the last few years, in terms of the ‘whole package’ is Indiana River at Bobbenjaanland. I Was blown away by the theming and immersion in this ‘Intamin’ classic log flume and it’s quality came as such a surprise.
 
Chiapas for sure!
U get really wet, insane theme, questionable but fun backwards section and best drop on any log flume imo.
 
I didn't 'get' Chiapas.
I was more like 'WTF?' than 'Wow!' So definitely NOT that.
I'm gonna go for the one at Alton Towers, as it was circa 1985 when it still had all those dinosaurs dotted around the woods, and there were animatronic cavemen in the tunnel n stuff.
It was the first ride I ever went on at Alton Towers. Right at the edge of the park it was - Katanga Canyon, Gloomy Wood and Forbidden Valley didn't even exist back then! ?
I can't seem to find much in the way of statistics for log flumes, but I'm sure Alton's was the longest in the world when it opened. Does anyone else remember that, or did I just imagine it?
 
Howie said:
I can't seem to find much in the way of statistics for log flumes, but I'm sure Alton's was the longest in the world when it opened.
Click to expand...

The European Water Ride Database is good for log flume stats. It says Towers' was 886m: https://ewrdb.com/rides/united_kingdom/alton_towers/the_flume

Certainly the longest in Europe, and none of the major ones I can think of are longer, so could even have been the longest one ever?
 
Out of the log flumes I’ve ridden, I’d personally go with one of these two:
  • Splash Mountain at Walt Disney World, which was quite a nice level of wetness with a real feel-good, happy vibe about it and nice theming, as well as having a long ride duration without feeling tedious. I also thought the boats were very comfortable.
  • Logger’s Leap at Thorpe Park; a controversial choice, I know, but I did really enjoy it, and it’s probably the defunct attraction I miss most! For me, it got you wet without being excessively wet, it had a decent ride duration without feeling too tedious, and I also thought the double drop at the end was a brilliant and novel element! It’s definitely my all-time favourite UK water ride!
In terms of some of the other highly-rated ones;
  • I must admit I haven’t actually ridden Dudley Do-Right’s Ripsaw Falls, despite having visited IOA numerous times.
  • I controversially don’t enjoy Valhalla that much. The effects are pretty good (and admittedly, I get the impression that quite a few weren’t working when I rode), but I found the level of wetness a bit excessive for my liking, and I also don’t overly enjoy the ways it actually gets you wet in comparison to some other water rides I’ve done (I personally find things like the pool of water at the bottom of the boats and the water vortex somewhat unpleasant, personally). I can definitely understand why someone would rate it highly, but I didn’t overly enjoy it, personally; I like to come off a ride feeling happy and with a desire to go round again, and I came off Valhalla mainly focused on the fact I felt like a block of ice and wanted to warm up desperately, despite the fact that it was a near 30 degree Saturday in August when I rode it!
 
Howie said:
I didn't 'get' Chiapas.
I was more like 'WTF?' than 'Wow!' So definitely NOT that.
Click to expand...

I don’t get it either to be honest, it looks good off ride, the area, but any immersion is lost on ride, with the only part of note being a cheesy indoor section with a few disco lights... Compared to Valhalla’s insane amount of theming, effects and immersion it really is impossible for me to understand how people can put Chiapas above Valhalla... They’re not even close!
 
I think that Splash Mountain is ultimately the best. Chiapas is more thrilling and arguably more unique/interesting, but Splash Mountain beats it in terms of sheer size, scope, and length. The overall experience of Splash Mountain is one of the best out there (I'm simultaneously happy to see it change as well).
 
Being old, as much as I enjoy Valhalla I still have fonder memories of the original Pleasure Beach Log Flume - it was long, the drops were good, but it was also (to a kid) really high up. Being several metres above the rest of Blackpool added an element few other log flumes have.

But that said, I did really enjoy the Alton Towers one in it's heyday.
 
Valhalla is just creepy. Chiapas is a really fun ride which makes you get off with a smile. The soundtrack is great and that drop + airtime hill are roller coaster quality.
 
Ripsaw Falls is as good as it gets in America; really fun and wild layout.

For those not wanting to get as wet, Splash Mountain is a perfectly good swap.

On this front, just as we're seeing a new surge of River Rapids design; curious if we'll see any new rounds of log flume investment? When you even look across many major amusement parks, largest log flumes have been gone for going on a decade - it feels like an area worth refilling. ... especially now that we're a decade past Shoot the Rapids incident lol
 
Hyde said:
On this front, just as we're seeing a new surge of River Rapids design; curious if we'll see any new rounds of log flume investment? When you even look across many major amusement parks, largest log flumes have been gone for going on a decade - it feels like an area worth refilling. ... especially now that we're a decade past Shoot the Rapids incident lol
Click to expand...

I feel as if most of the big parks are more likely to invest in water coaster or a rapids ride rather tha a log flume sadly, however a few new parks have opened with new log Fumes such as Warner Bros world in UEA. In the UK they're sadly becoming a dying breed.

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The very best log flumes are the traditional style ones where you literally sit in a log and go through a flume ride. Meandering through the woods not doing a lot, leading up to a big drop with a guaranteed soaking ?

Loggers Leap was my all time favourite.
 
Surprised it has not been mentioned knott’s Timber mountain log ride is my favourite I have done, however I have only done it during the Halloween event Vid:
I have not seen it in its normal state, watching videos of it, it does look great, but I do prefer the overlay. Great theming and two nice drops one being in the pitch black makes this my favourite.

It is a shame that we have lost a lot of the flumes in the uk, chessington still have theres and it’s staying which is great as I still like it with the new theme. Loggers leap was sad to see go as it was for me the best water attraction at Thorpe, at least they replaced it with a great attraction ?
 
If I remember right, Timber Mountain was light years ahead of its time...they spent a long time building it - and it was truly one of a kind when it opened. I think John Wayne took the first public ride on it. Think so, but too lazy too look it up
 
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