![funtown log flume ride funtown log flume ride](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/UL6b-CG6Wns/hqdefault.jpg)
The Superflume boats used on the Daredevil Falls at Dollywood. Further SuperFlume opened in 1998 at Hamanako Pal Pal (Hamamatsu, Japan) and at Six Flags Fiesta Texas (San Antonio, TX). That one feature the coaster drop taken after a turntable that spin the boat backward.
#Funtown log flume ride movie#
In late 1998, Warner Brothers Movie World Australia (Gold Coast, Australia) opened their installation under the name of Wild Wild West and was later renamed Wild West Falls. In the spring of 1998, Daredevil Dive opened at Dollywood (Pigeon Forge, TN) and is more of a classic flume with no surprise elements. Those boats feature 4 rows of two passengers in real seats. The Super Flume use mechanical chain lift hills to lift large 8 passengers boats up to dizzying heights. In 1998, Hopkins evolved the log flume to the “Super Flume”. In this picture, you can see the calm family log flume, Fantasy Cruise.Īdventure Cruise has 3 drops, including this unique spiral drop. In 1999, Space World (Fukuoka, Japan) introduced Twin Mercury, a double log flume. The Coaster Drop was reused by Hopkins for the larger capacity Super Flume, Monkey Falls at Ratanga Junction (Cape Town, South Africa), the Log Flume at Family Kingdom (Myrtle Beach) and the Menhir Express log flume at Parc Asterix (Plailly, France). On the Coaster Drop, the boat leaves the trough and rolls down on steel roller coaster track down a dry drop, up a hill and then splash into the water. The main innovation for this flume was the “Coaster Drop” present halfway through the ride. Hopkins was the partner of Walt Disney Imagineering who installed Splash Mountain at Disneyland (Anaheim, CA). Hopkins designed custom boats themed to floating menhirs (headstones) and each can accomodate 5 riders.
![funtown log flume ride funtown log flume ride](https://www.themeparkarchive.com/Archive/Medium/30261.jpg)
You can see the small conveyor belt at the top of the drop. Part of the Menhir Express at Parc Asterix (Plailly, France) drop structure was constructed from trees that were knocked during a storm before construction. Some earlier Hopkins flumes such as the Yule Flume at Santa’s Village (Jefferson, NH) were modified to get the conveyor belt and that involved extending the loading building. It improves capacity immensely and is simpler mechanically than the Arrow turntable. It runs continually and boats are slowed to a proper slow pace so that riders can exit and enter safely. The station was extended and a long rubber conveyor belt installed. In 1983, Hopkins introduced on the Policy Pond Log Flume at Canobie Lake Park (Salem, NH) a similar loading system to what Mack had been using in Europe. The Policy Pond Log Flume at Canobie Lake Park station conveyor belt was shut down at the time this picture was taken. This is specially important when the Coaster Drop is used since boats have to go uphill on those. When the drop is not right after a lift, those smaller belts allow proper spacing and can also stop a boat in case the previous boat has not cleared the runout section. Thunder Falls at Funtown/Splashtown USA (Saco, ME) opened in 1984 and featured one of the largest flume drop in the worldĪ major safety feature for Hopkins flumes are the small conveyor belts before each drop. Located in Phoenix, AZ, this park expanded at the time with a new ride section. Hopkins sold “Splashdown” to Castles n Coasters. In 1992, in addition to two steel roller coasters, O.D. This provided a stable step for riders to exit and load. The boat was stopped and raised at each spot by two rubber covered bars. The prototype opened in 1980 and it featured a two stop loading/unloading station configuration.
![funtown log flume ride funtown log flume ride](https://www.themeparkarchive.com/Archive/ExtraLarge/30255.jpg)
They were looking at installing a new log flume at a reasonable price and Hopkins delivered. Hopkins was already a manufacturer of ski lifts and other related attractions when Paul Roads, owner of Wonderland Park (Amarillo, TX), approached them in 1979.