From Brian Emery on April 27, 2011 at 11:31 AM
I wonder if I Google this article hard enough, that I might be able to find this…
Just Kidding…..
I enjoyed the read…
Thx..

From Victoria Jurkowski on April 27, 2011 at 2:16 PM
thats a really good point. i find that when describing rides to people i tend to focus on what i don't like, but overall i love the ride and recommend it which sends confusing messages of course.

my two cents on splash though is that the slow drift back allows the guests to compare how wet they got and settle back down after the excitement so they dont miss the finale in their fervor.

From Scott Ward on April 27, 2011 at 7:30 PM
One flaw with "Splash Mountain" is the vantage point for non-riding members of your party to take photos/videos of the riding members. The photos are great, but you can't see your party just prior to the big splash down. Had problems getting cell phone reception to notify my party that we were only a few "logs" away.

This is a common problem with theme park rides, especially ones for younger children. Some rides have terrible vantage points for taking photos. Next to riding, my favorite thing to do is to take photos of my children on the rides!

From steve lee on April 27, 2011 at 8:42 PM
Pretty sure that's because they want you to buy the pictures they take, Scott.

From Joshua Counsil on April 28, 2011 at 3:50 AM
Good points, Robert. On the other hand, I don't like giving praise to something that was designed and built hurriedly and without care, i.e., a manager's ride. This isn't the case with Splash Mountain, but there are many mediocre attractions that garner high ratings. As customers, we have the right to be critical of something mediocre.

From Rob P on April 28, 2011 at 5:08 AM
Now then Robert. That slow drifting back to disembark at the end. I reckon it works well too and not just from a clever design point by the Imagineers. Everybody knows that, after any adrenaline rush or exercise, the warm down is vitally important.So I think it's great that you get the chance for the accelerated heart rate that most ( not all ) of us experience on that 55 foot drop gets a chance to level out before we rush off to another ride.

I don't know anyone that doesn't just love Splash Mountain and your insight into it's design in relation to it's neighbouring attractions is wonderfully revealing.I'd never given much thought to the way the layout of Splash Mtn complements Thunder Mtn and the Rivers so well.

This is why I like TPI , and it's contributors, so much. It opens windows of interesting information like this to us all.

From Anon Mouse on April 28, 2011 at 10:57 AM
I could have compared Splash Mountain with Knott's flume ride, but that boat was left a long time ago. I can't believe you originally thought Splash Mountain should have been shorter so the rider will only think of the drop instead of the show. There's nothing wrong with having a long build-up and a long finale. That was what Splash Mountain gave us.

From Scott B on April 28, 2011 at 2:03 PM
@Rob P, YES! I always thought the same thing about the post drop moment on Splash Mountain. I agree, that it is a nice calming moment after the adrenaline rush of the drop. My wife, who is terrified of the drop and yet will go on the ride everytime, thinks of it as a celebration of having "survived" the ride. I think going down the drop and then disembarking would be incredinle anti-climatic.