Dragon Falls
| Dragon Falls | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Chessington World of Adventures | |
| Area | Mystic East |
| Coordinates | 51°20′54″N 0°19′15″W / 51.34842°N 0.320926°WCoordinates: 51°20′54″N 0°19′15″W / 51.34842°N 0.320926°W |
| Status | Operating |
| Cost | £4 million |
| Opening date | 7 June 1987 |
| General statistics | |
| Type | Log flume |
| Manufacturer | Mack Rides |
| Designer | John Wardley |
| Height | 15 m (49 ft) |
| Length | 21 m (69 ft) |
| Speed | 26 mph (42 km/h) |
| Capacity | 1,500 riders per hour |
| Boats | 32 boats. Riders are arranged 5 across in a single row for a total of 5 riders per boat. |
| Height restriction | 120 cm (3 ft 11 in) |
 Fastrack available |
|
Dragon Falls is a flume ride at the theme park Chessington World of Adventures in Chessington, southwest London, England. Designed by John Wardley and opened in 1987, it is located in the Mystic East area of the park. Upon opening the ride featured extensive scenic design, but in recent years the majority of this has been removed with age and lack of park maintenance.
The ride was named Dragon River when it opened in 1987, but subsequently named Dragon Falls since the 1999 season. The ride was manufactured by Mack Rides and was produced by John Wardley with the Tussauds Group.
Dragon Falls is a water flume ride, and features two drops. The first drop is smaller than the second. The boats are themed to resemble wooden canoes with inline seating.
The station building is designed as a pagoda. The ride begins its journey by passing out of the station, and along a picturesque stream lined with traditional Japanese plants and trees. Bridges are placed above the ride at certain points, allowing people to watch the riders go by. The boats go up the first lift hill, and then drop down into a sculpted dragon tunnel which originally housed a trick waterfall effect.
The boats exit the tunnel into trees, under a bridge around a lagoon and then to a second, taller lift ascending the side of a rocky mountain. The boats reach their highest point, before dropping between two large scenic stone faces, resembling those of Angkor Wat, into the main splash pool.
As riders return to the station, they encounter an animated elephant which waves its trunk to squirt riders with water. Originally very lifelike, this elephant animation has been in poor condition or defunct for many years.
The surrounding area is Oriental themed and features multiple bridges, viewpoints of the flume and a large fibreglass Buddha statue based on the Great Buddha of Kōtoku-in. The original faux-rock mountain with waterfall, which the boats climbed up on the second lift, was demolished in 2005.
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Wikipedia