Splash Mountain running yesterday

Rob562

Rob562

Well-Known Member
Andrew Burns said:
  • The ride is not technically considered a flume ride anymore because of the restrain bars, but a roller coaster. (As an aside this logic was confirmed by another CM at the Winne the Pooh ride who said that was also considered a roller coaster because of the restraint bars)
  • They drain and walk the flume every night looking for defects. He (the DE) made it sound like this was SOP for all water rides in WDW.
  • They can drain/fill SM in 20 mins with the pump system they have.
I am back at work and I already miss WDW!
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A few comments.

-Just because something has lapbars doesn't automatically classify it as a "roller coaster". The Snow White ride had lapbars, and it wasn't a coaster. A roller coaster is a coaster because it coasts, plain and simple. Pooh and Snow White are (were) dark rides: a powered vehicle making its way through an indoor ride. Splash is a flume ride with a very short section (the drop into the bee cave) that could very minimally be considered a "coaster portion".

-If they turn the pumps off, all of the water will naturally drain into the holding pool backstage. The water flow is entirely gravity driven, so the only thing the pumps do is to pump the water up to the top of the mountain where it flows back down. Turn the pumps off and the water level starts to drop almost instantly. Depending on the exact way the water flows (I'm not sure if the pumps send the water to only the highest point and it flows everywhere, or if each section is supplied independent of the others) the flume could be drained in 5 minutes or less.
But I'd definitely agree that filling it back up to a fully running status could take at least 20 minutes.

-Walking the drained flume nightly sounds like a valid SOP. That's when they retrieve anything that's fallen into the trough and didn't make its way to the reservoir backstage,

-Rob
 
A

Andrew Burns

Member
Rob562 said:
A few comments.
-Just because something has lapbars doesn't automatically classify it as a "roller coaster". The Snow White ride had lapbars, and it wasn't a coaster. A roller coaster is a coaster because it coasts, plain and simple. Pooh and Snow White are (were) dark rides: a powered vehicle making its way through an indoor ride. Splash is a flume ride with a very short section (the drop into the bee cave) that could very minimally be considered a "coaster portion".
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My understanding (which may indeed be wrong) is that is was a technical (most likely insurance/liability) classification. Not that they were going to start calling pooh or SM a coaster, but that it indicated certain procedures and whatnot.

HM also has lapbars and is not a coaster either. I would love if a CM could expand on this.

Rob562 said:
-If they turn the pumps off, all of the water will naturally drain into the holding pool backstage. The water flow is entirely gravity driven, so the only thing the pumps do is to pump the water up to the top of the mountain where it flows back down. Turn the pumps off and the water level starts to drop almost instantly. Depending on the exact way the water flows (I'm not sure if the pumps send the water to only the highest point and it flows everywhere, or if each section is supplied independent of the others) the flume could be drained in 5 minutes or less.
But I'd definitely agree that filling it back up to a fully running status could take at least 20 minutes.
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Again my understand (which is manily inference from what I have read about SM) is that the gravity drain could take up to two hours; however they can drain it much faster with a pump system if need be. Although that doesn't entirely make sense to me, I am not sure of a reason where the gravity drain would not be sufficient that would warrant the added expense/maintenance of a reverse pump system. Also 2 hours seems like a very long time.

Rob562 said:
-Walking the drained flume nightly sounds like a valid SOP. That's when they retrieve anything that's fallen into the trough and didn't make its way to the reservoir backstage,
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I also thought that... same with pirates and small world. I was always amazed that you never saw the least bit of growth or stale smell in the flume rides, even around the more stagnant areas. I always assumed they used chemicals, but you never smell them and as soon as I heard this it was like a facepalm moment.
 
Rob562

Rob562

Well-Known Member
Andrew Burns said:
I also thought that... same with pirates and small world. I was always amazed that you never saw the least bit of growth or stale smell in the flume rides, even around the more stagnant areas. I always assumed they used chemicals, but you never smell them and as soon as I heard this it was like a facepalm moment.
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Actually, attractions like Small World, Pirates and Living with the Land *don't* drain their flumes every night. Water is kept at a constant level and boats are advanced along with pumps creating the water flow. Anything being retrieved from the water has to be done either with a net/grabber arm from a boat or with someone walking through in wader boots.

It's the rides with a constant water flow that drain out.

-Rob
 
disneygirl1024

disneygirl1024

Well-Known Member
Today water was going down the drop. There were workers on the bridge and it looked like they were painting. I won't get to ride it this trip since we leave today but I will next time. Now I have something to look forward to! Whoever gets to ride it in the next few days please post. I'm anxious to hear what got attention.
 
DfromATX

DfromATX

Well-Known Member
mamabunker said:
Does anyone know if this is open yet? I had read somewhere that today was the day. Is that true?
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According to their website: "As part of our continuing efforts to exceed the expectations of our Guests, Splash Mountain® is currently closed for enhancements and will reopen on March 19, 2013. Please check back here for the latest information."

I also noticed it's classified as a "thrill ride" - has it always been that way?
 
DizFiz

DizFiz

Well-Known Member
RonAnnArbor said:
Not open yet today (19th) but boats circulating all day yesterday and today...
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Probably doing one last systems and ride check before giving it the go for reopening.

When this is all done we better be splashing like the early 90's... I will not except nothing other than that.
 

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