Welcome to Part 3 of a four-part mini-series looking at the four new ride concepts unveiled by Intamin Amusement Rides at the end of July. In Part 1, I took a look at the single rail, Hot Racer concepts and argued why Intamin’s announcement is more promising than the “rip off” many are claiming them to be. Part 2 covered the Vertical LSM Coaster announcement and explained how the ride everyone was comparing it to, Premier’s Sky Rocket II, was not exactly “original” when it comes to coasters either. Now it’s time for Part 3 and the Ultra Splash concept.
Let me start off this entry by saying that I am not as well versed on water rides as I am with roller coasters. I enjoy getting on a log flume, water-based dark ride, canyon rapids rides, and from time to time, a shoot the chute ride. I’m just not one who likes walking around a park with squishy shoes. I tend to be picky when it comes to water rides. Some days I’ll ride them and others, I won’t even entertain the idea. If one of them is borderline coaster, however, then I’m tempted to try it at least once. For example, the first time I ever rode Shoot the Rapids at Cedar Point, I figured it would qualify as a hybrid water ride and coaster with the lift elements being track. Apparently, it did not.
So, what about this Ultra Splash concept? Is it also a coaster? Intamin themselves think so as they list the ride as roller coaster and water ride on their official concept brochures. The subject of the upcoming fourth installment of this series, dealing with their Giga Splash, however, is only listed under water ride. We will tackle that ride soon, but I feel that there should be no doubt that the Ultra Splash is indeed, a coaster.
The entire ride takes place on track and and features launch and gravity based elements. This is literally a shuttle coaster with a splash down element. Nothing more, nothing less. The thing is though, of all four models Intamin introduced, this one feels the most “copied” to me.
Enthusiasts were quick to liken this ride to Mack Ride’s Power Splash model, and in my opinion, rightfully so. Both companies have produced water coasters with different elements before the final splash downs, but until now, Mack was the only one offering this type of shuttle coaster/water ride hybrid. At least to my knowledge. I couldn’t find anything else similar in layout on the Roller Coaster Database (RCDB).
Some of you might be asking me how I could defend the Hot Racer and Vertical LSM Coaster concepts, but agree with the general consensus about the Ultra Splash being “copied?” Well, I feel like Intamin didn’t do enough to make this ride concept their own. Hot Racer introduced different layouts, including a dueling course. The dueling in itself was something I think would make the ride a lot more appealing to parks with the ride’s overall capacity. As for the Vertical LSM Coaster, Intamin didn’t just replicate Premier’s Sky Rocket II course using their track. They changed the elements and even included the first ever, inverted launch. Are both similar? Yes. Are they as similar as Mack’s Power Splash and Intamin’s Ultra Splash? Not in my eyes.
I feel like the Ultra Splash just needs something more than the single rail track to make it their own. The track layout is practically identical to Mack’s offering, with the two spikes, featuring slight bends at the top, the airtime/speed hill element being close to one of the spikes, and of course, the water reservoir. It’s just too “samey” for me.
What if Intamin did two splash down elements? Or added a couple of the small airtime/speed hills on the course? Maybe a helix into a splash down? Something… Those feel so easy. Let’s think big here, though.
Imagine if Intamin brought a similar layout, but the ride featured an inversion. Talk about something to make it their own. I couldn’t find a single water coaster with an inversion while researching for this entry. If that was a “thing,” there’s no doubt that it would have the industry talking. We all know Intamin can be daring when they want to be, so I have faith they could pull it off. Maybe not with this exact ride scale, but I think they could.
Or what if they made their ride vehicles smaller, but featured two tracks where two different carts ascended the spikes opposite of one another? It would be a back and forth duel with the splash downs, maybe even splashing the other ride vehicles in the process. Intamin could even offer two versions – side-by-side dueling Ultra Splashes, or intersecting ones that crossed over one another. Maybe that’s a little much, but still, it would be their own take on the ride.
Although I wish Intamin had introduced some extra touches on the Ultra Splash model to make it their own, I would still try one if and when they’re ever built at a park I’ll be visiting. I have not yet ridden a water coaster other than Hersheypark’s Roller Soaker, which the less said about that ride, the better. Sorry, I just didn’t like it. That’s a subject for another blog, though.
If and when I find myself at a park featuring a Ultra Splash, or a Mack Rides Power Splash, for that matter, feel free to jump on with me and get soaked. I’d close with, “you can be my wingman anytime!” as I usually do in every blog, but in this case, I think this might fit better here…
You can be my shipmate anytime!
Patrick
Be on the lookout for “Intamin or Imitiation? Pt. 4: Giga Splash” in the coming days.
