September 23, 2016
Fiesta Texas' New Water Coaster To Be First-Of-Its-Kind For US Waterpark
San Antonio, TX – In celebration of its 25th anniversary Six Flags Fiesta Texas announced they will add America's first RocketBlast water coaster – Thunder Rapids – for 2017 summer season. This state-of-the-art, multi-million dollar attraction will feature a custom-designed inline raft and utilize new water jet propulsion technology for lightning-fast uphill speeds and adrenaline pumping drops. The new attraction will be part of Fiesta Texas' White Water Bay water park that is included with park admission.
Thunder Rapids at Six Flags Fiesta Texas will be the perfect complement to White Water Bay water park's thrilling attractions and will combine the attributes of a roller coaster and waterslide in one amazing attraction.
"This ride is unlike any water coaster in Texas or the U.S.," said Park President Neal Thurman. "Over the last few years, we've debuted a number of 'world's first' coasters, solidifying our position as the premier destination for thrills in South Texas.
Thunder Rapids will be the first US installation of ProSlide's revolutionary RocketBlast water propulsion coaster and only the second uphill water coaster at a Six Flags Theme Park. The ride will also include four of the company's exciting FlyingSAUCER elements.
The RocketBlast technology is based on the original water coaster propulsion, a jet of water, but greatly improves upon it. Instead of using a single water nozzle at the bottom of the hill to propel the raft up an incline, ProSlide's patented technology positions a series of custom water jets on both sides, all the way up the hill. With the water directed inward, incrementally along its sides, the raft glides smoothly and effortlessly on the fiberglass surface. The consistent force applied enables the raft to speed up, steeper hills.
The sequential water jets also work hand-in-hand with new boat technology. The nozzles direct high-speed water onto a patented channel on the side of each boat. The cup-shaped pockets capture and use all of the water's dynamic energy to create 50% more efficiency than the original 'blaster' technology, according to ProSlide.
The 942-foot long, 35-foot tall Thunder Rapids will feature five gravity-defying uphill blasts, four spiraling flying saucer turns and a breathtaking enclosed dive turn when it debuts for Summer 2017.
Six Flags Fiesta Texas' Thunder Rapids will feature five gravity-defying uphill blasts along its 942-foot long path.
RocketBlast rides also utilize an advanced control system to detect the location of the rafts throughout the ride. This technology enables the control system to turn on and off the water jets as needed, resulting in a significant reduction in power consumption, making this type of attraction more efficient than ever.
To maximize the thrills Thunder Rapids will incorporate four of ProSlide's FlyingSAUCER turns and one enclosed dive turn. These massive, thrilling elements create a "drop and dive" sensation. ProSlide compares it to World Cup giant slalom ski racing. In addition, the walls of Thunder Rapids will be taller eliminating the need for netting over the path.
Four of ProSlide's innnovative FlyingSAUCER turns will be incorporated into the path of the Thunder Rapids water coaster..
To improve capacity Six Flags Fiesta Texas included a moving loading platform in the design. Three-passenger boats will move continuously across the loading platform to help keep the queue moving. The water coaster will also feature a conveyor lift hill, so passengers will load at ground level and ride to the top of the 35-foot tall attraction, instead of climbing a tower while carrying a tube to begin the ride.
"Thunder Rapids is the perfect complement to the other offerings in our huge water park—combining the attributes of a roller coaster and water slide in one amazing attraction", added Thurman.
The world's first uphill water coaster opened at Schlitterbahn New Braunfels in 1994, so locals are very familiar with this kind of ride. And that's why Thunder Rapids is anticipated to be an exciting and welcome addition to Fiesta Texas' White Water Bay water park.
Six Flags Fiesta Texas will begin celebrating its 25th anniversary with a colorful, new Mardi Gras Festival that will run from March 24 to April 30. Thunder Rapids will follow with an anticipated summer 2017 opening.
Thunder Rapids renderings courtesy of Six Flags FIesta Texas. All rights reserved.
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