Volcano Bay: General Discussion

[Mad Dog]

Every little bit helps, I guess! Just make it super steep and watch people fly off, ride at your own risk and we can all have fun watching at the bottom.

Its a bird, its a plane. No, it's a Super Punga Racer.

 

[Brian G.]

The easy answer in my head is to just keep the length, but change the end to a quick decline into the water instead of the abrupt drop-off in height.

 

[TheDr]

Its a bird, its a plane. No, it's a Super Punga Racer.

Guest 3: I'm not going on Punga Racers - It isn't safe!

 

[Journey_On]

I just figured fainting happens a lot at theme parks in the summer due to heat exhaustion.

It does. It's been really bad this week, especially. It also seems to occur more in the dry parks because guests don't have the added ability to cool themselves down by jumping in a pool.

How on earth did Universal not see this as a problem beforehand?!

The problem is you skim across the surface of the water like a boogie board. That's why theres usually such a long run off so that you slow down gradually. You slow down too quickly at VB hence the problems. I've only every ridden punga racers once because it hurts, and I'm only just over the new weight limit...

They did not have these problems with Aqua Drag Racers and Mach 5 at WnW (that I heard of). The former had a long run-off like Taumata Racers at Aquatica. And Mach 5 had a huge catch pool that was deeper and had sort of a mini-run off that caused the rider to skim the surface of the water, as @TheDr said.

In the few instances I've watched guests at the end, I've occasionally seen (mostly) younger folks come to a slow crawl at the end of Punga Racers. But I guess it doesn't work for everyone.

They even had a time where they used different colored mats for adults and children, but it didn't seem to last long. So it seems like they've been trying to work issues out, and maybe the weight limit change is just another test.

The easy answer in my head is to just keep the length, but change the end to a quick decline into the water instead of the abrupt drop-off in height.

I think this would be good. I walked by the area the day it was non-operational, and anyone could see that there was a decent drop-off from the slide into the catch pool.

I think extending the run-out could work. The obvious thing it would affect is cutting a bit of the guest seating areas, but it's not a super crowded area to begin with.

 

[Scott W.]

The easy answer in my head is to just keep the length, but change the end to a quick decline into the water instead of the abrupt drop-off in height.

There’s plenty of room. I wonder how that would effect capacity.

 

[shiekra38]

The ending run at Aquatica's racers slide is really really long.

Yes, and the ride smooths out and simply drops down then lands you onto the runway where you have a ton of time to stop.

Punga whips you around and then you have a second to brace for impact haha

I could see them maybe replacing this with something else

 

[Aardvark787]

I just checked the website and it still says that there is no weight limit though.

 

[Brian G.]

I just checked the website and it still says that there is no weight limit though.

It’ll be changed accordingly.

 

[Coasted]

The Trackers

 

[Evan]

The Trackers

Poor Tim, booted off his favourite ride.

 

[TheDr]

Poor Tim, booted off his favourite ride.

Just after he put in the past POV and saying it was his favourite ride as well...

 

[fryoj]

They can add about 50 ft to the runoff. Combine that with either deeper water or maybe rougher water to slow the mats down, and I'd think that would largely address the issue.

 

[Alicia]

They can add about 50 ft to the runoff. Combine that with either deeper water or maybe rougher water to slow the mats down, and I'd that that would largely address the issue.

View attachment 10227

That should do it

 

[shiekra38]

They can add about 50 ft to the runoff. Combine that with either deeper water or maybe rougher water to slow the mats down, and I'd think that would largely address the issue.

View attachment 10227

There's literally just seating there...and there is PLENTY around the park as it is

 

[Evan]

That should do it

They should definitely extend it right to the main path there.

 

[shiekra38]

I think @Andy had the best explanation of the end of this ride:

 

[Nick]

There's literally just seating there...and there is PLENTY around the park as it is

They should definitely extend it right to the main path there.

They definitely should and they might, but nothing is going to happen this Summer. The earliest a change will happen is October, but more likely around January when the park is dead every day.

 

[Evan]

They definitely should and they might, but nothing is going to happen this Summer. The earliest a change will happen is October, but more likely around January when the park is dead every day.

Assuming that is the issue they are addressing with the weight change?

 

[Nick]

Assuming that is the issue they are addressing with the weight change?

Well, obviously. But based on what i've heard from some lifeguards that work at VB to random guests talking about getting mild concussions from the ride to everything that's been said here, it seems pretty likely that it's the issue.

 

[Doug A.]

I think @Andy had the best explanation of the end of this ride:

I laughed harder than I should have at this, and it just never gets old either.

I think this is a temporary solution to prevent more injuries and then in the off season they most likely will extend it or implement a permanent solution.