June 2010 - Amusement Today

6 AMUSEMENT TODAY June 2010
“Not only is this the longest such ride worldwide,
but with its concrete trough, the use of real river rock
lining the reservoir, and great Tom Sawyer theming
everywhere, HFE and the park executed a really beautiful
family attraction.
SDC
Continued from page 1
embroiled in a soaking water
fight. Along with battling riders
on other rafts and different
points along the course, they
can retaliate against a total of
17 sharp shooters on the river
bank who are armed with
their own soakers. Additionally,
RiverBlast offers riders 150
unique targets on which to fire,
but even some of those shoot
back. It’s a safe bet that SDC’s
newest adventure is virtually
guaranteed to get guests wet,
one way or another.
Amusement Today spoke
about the RiverBlast installation
with Bob Dean of Leisure
Labs, the company who represents
Mack Rides in the U.S.
“Silver Dollar City was able
to integrate their Boat Blaster
beautifully into the topography
of the park and it is absolutely
seamless with its surroundings.
Not only is this the
longest such ride worldwide,
but with its concrete trough,
the use of real river rock lining
the reservoir, and great Tom
Sawyer theming everywhere,
HFE and the park executed a
really beautiful family attraction.”
Some of the more dramatic
theming HFE created for the
RiverBlast adventure include:
•The Foggy Bottom - a billowy
blanket of fog hanging
over the river to offer an atmosphere
of mystery and false
sense of security.
•Stuck in the Mud Surprises
- a small vessel snagged
while traversing the White
River has scattered its cargo
along the water. The floating
debris, buoys and bells are
filled with special effect targets,
some of which fire back
at the shooter.
•The Whitewash Fence
- instantly recognizable from
Twain’s stories, the whitewashed
fence may seem the
best place for bystanders to
get a look at the action, but it’s
also the perfect opportunity
for riders to drench those risking
a peek.
•Tom & Huck’s Tree Fort
- Tom & Huck’s makeshift tree
”
–Bob Dean, Leisure Labs LLC
FAST FACTS
Ride/Park
Tom & Huck’s RiverBlast
Silver Dollar City,
Branson, Mo.
Type
Interactive boat ride
Course Length
570 feet
Ride Duration
Five minutes
Ride Vehicles
Eight 8-seat rafts
Special Features
Onboard hand-powered
water soakers (63 total);
land-based hand-powered
water soakers (17 total);
150 targets
Manufacturer
Mack Rides, Germany
Opened
March 19, 2010
fort is every kid’s dream, and
filled with special targets and
water guns aimed directly at
riders.
•Leaky Sluice - Super
soakers and shooting geysers
may splash up enough fun on
their own, but Tom and Huck’s
overhead sluice has sprung
a leak and a deluge of water
may fall right on the rafts.
Silver Dollar City officials
are pleased with the reaction
from guests to the park’s new
RiverBlast. “From the laughter,
smiles and water-soaked
crowds, it’s obvious that Tom
and Huck left Silver Dollar
City a new adventure that our
guests love. We can build the
tallest, the fastest, the wildest
... but we are at our best when
we create attractions that involve
the entire family,” said
SDC Attractions Manager
Kevin Lotter. “RiverBlast gave
us the opportunity to create
a unique and highly-themed
area that fits perfectly into the
storyline of our park.”
PHOTOS COURTESY SDC
Sporting Herschend’s trademark theming, SDC’s new Tom & Huck’s RiverBlast allows riders
and spectators alike to engage in friendly water battles.