America

Karts, Coasters & Water Slides

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Mt. Olympus Water & Theme Park

Mt. Olympus in Wisconsin Dells is the kind of amusement park you rarely come across. Its origins lie in a small go-kart operation, which over the years developed into Big Chief Karts & Coasters and eventually into today’s Mt. Olympus Water & Theme Park. Even now, the numerous and often elaborately elevated go-kart tracks play at least as important a role as the roller coasters.

The concept might seem surprisingly familiar to RollerCoaster Tycoon players. It is often suggested that the Karts & Coasters scenario was inspired by the former Big Chief Karts & Coasters. Whether that was actually the case is another matter, but walking through the park with all its go-kart tracks and wooden roller coasters certainly brings back memories of the classic game.

By now, however, Mt. Olympus offers far more than just karts and coasters. The resort also includes a large outdoor water park and an indoor water park, so there is plenty to explore. I started my visit among the wooden coasters and go-kart tracks of the Outdoor Theme Park before eventually heading for the water.

Outdoor Theme Park

Zeus

My tour of the Outdoor Theme Park began with Zeus. The wooden coaster by CCI actually starts before the lift hill with a nicely curved drop and a small hill before climbing to the highest point of the ride.

What follows is essentially a classic out-and-back layout, albeit with a few interesting twists. Even the large turnaround is filled with several dips, giving it considerably more dynamics than one might initially expect. Most importantly, Zeus delivers plenty of airtime, which in typical CCI fashion can be rather brutal at times.

The coaster was also running surprisingly well during my visit. Zeus is a real airtime machine, and I had a lot of fun with its varied out-and-back layout.

Hades 360

Like Zeus, Hades 360 starts quite high up on the hillside, but takes considerably more time before reaching the actual lift hill. Straight out of the station, the train drops down a sizeable descent, followed by a curved climb, a double down and a change of direction. Unfortunately, the ride already feels noticeably rougher than Zeus at this point – not exactly a good omen for what is still to come.

After the lift hill, Hades 360 reaches a height of around 130 feet. There is not much time to enjoy the view, however, as moments later you plunge down the huge first drop and straight into the tunnel. With a deafening roar, the train races all the way underneath the parking lot. Rather than simply running in a straight line, the track features several curves and some considerable banking, making things pretty wild even underground.

As soon as you emerge into daylight on the other side, you head straight into the huge corkscrew. A slightly overbanked turn and another hill then lead back into the tunnel. This time, the track runs parallel to the section already travelled and throws plenty of lateral forces into the mix. Combined with the tremendous noise, this part of the ride feels particularly brutal.

Back in the park, another hill followed by a double down takes you towards the station. The ride is far from over, though. Several long turns and hills follow before a huge helix finally brings this wild ride towards its conclusion.

Hades 360 has an absolutely insane layout and is certainly one of the most unusual wooden roller coasters I have ridden so far. Unfortunately, it runs pretty rough for much of the course, which can get quite intense considering how wild the layout already is. Nevertheless, Hades 360 is a really good coaster, and its extraordinary layout and crazy tunnel sections in particular make it a ride to remember.

The Underworld Go-Kart Track

After Hades 360, it was time to continue on four wheels for a while. The Underworld is one of the many go-kart tracks at Mt. Olympus and certainly lives up to its name, as part of the course leads underground through a tunnel.

The track is very nicely laid out and features a good mix of turns and elevation changes. The constant change between the outdoor sections and the tunnel makes The Underground one of the more interesting go-kart tracks in the park.

Cyclops

Continuing through the park, I passed Cyclops. Unfortunately, the compact CCI wooden coaster was closed during my visit. Instead of riding it, I could only watch the workers replacing sections of track and carrying out refurbishment work.

That was doubly unfortunate, as Cyclops is particularly well known for its pronounced airtime. I would have really liked to give this coaster a try.

Trojan Horse Go-Karts

Next up were the Trojan Horse Go-Karts, one of the most striking go-kart tracks at Mt. Olympus. The attraction takes its name from the enormous Trojan horse towering above the course and catching the eye from quite some distance away.

The track itself is nicely integrated into the terrain and runs on several levels around the huge horse. There are plenty of turns as well as numerous climbs and descents. Unfortunately, the enormous helix is not actually used – a shame, as it looks particularly promising from the outside.

Turbo Go-Karts

Turbo was yet another of the park’s numerous go-kart tracks. Unlike the previous courses, this one remains largely flat, but its many turns still make for a decent lap.

Orion and Tiny Heroes Go-Karts

With Orion and Tiny Heroes, Mt. Olympus also offers two go-kart tracks specifically for younger visitors. These considerably smaller courses give children the opportunity to drive a few laps themselves.

Little Titans

Little Titans is a small family coaster by E&F Miler Industries. Opened in 2000, the coaster stands just under 16 feet tall and, after the lift hill, features a small drop, a helix and several bunny hops.

I did not ride Little Titans during my visit, though.

Apollo’s Swing

Directly opposite Little Titans is Apollo’s Swing, an S&S Screamin’ Swing. It is an unusually small installation, with space for only four riders per cycle.

A ride also costs extra. Considering the fairly substantial upcharge and the extremely low capacity, I was content to simply watch this one during my visit.

Pegasus

Next up was Pegasus, another wooden coaster by CCI. The ride is considerably more compact than the two wooden coasters I had ridden earlier and features a rather peculiar layout.

Most noticeable are the numerous barely banked turns, some of which are taken at a surprisingly decent speed. There are also a few smaller drops and hills in between, but the ride never really managed to convince me. Overall, Pegasus is a rather strange coaster and was one of the weaker rides in the park for me.

Titan’s Go-Karts

Directly underneath Pegasus is the next go-kart track, Titan’s Go-Karts. The course winds its way underneath and between the wooden structure of the coaster, creating a rather interesting interaction between the two attractions.

The track itself is once again nicely laid out and features plenty of turns. Its location directly beneath Pegasus makes Titan’s one of the more interesting go-kart tracks in the park.

Manticore

Manticore is the large chair swing at Mt. Olympus. During the ride, the entire carousel rises high above the ground, allowing you to circle the park at a considerable height.

The ride itself is pleasantly relaxing and, more than anything, offers a great view across Mt. Olympus and the surrounding Wisconsin Dells. After all those wooden coasters and go-karts, Manticore made for a nice change of pace.

Batting Cages and Helios Go-Karts

I then passed the Batting Cages, where you can try your hand at hitting a few baseballs. I think this is a really cool thing to offer at an amusement park and honestly wonder why you do not see something like this more often.

From there, I headed to the Helios Go-Karts, the final go-kart track on my tour of the Outdoor Theme Park. The elevated wooden structure consists mainly of several helices, which take you spiralling upwards and back down again. In general, I really like these multi-level wooden go-kart tracks, and Helios is no exception.

Outdoor Water Park

Poseidon’s Rage

My tour of the Outdoor Water Park began with Poseidon’s Rage, a rather different kind of wave pool. Instead of producing lots of small waves, the pool generates a single enormous wave at regular intervals, sending a huge mass of water surging through the pool.

What happens here is not only incredibly fun but also seriously impressive to watch. Seeing the huge mass of water build up before rolling through the pool gives you a good idea of the forces involved. From a technical perspective, Poseidon’s Rage is also a fascinating attraction and was one of the highlights of the water park for me.

Triton’s Rage and Triton’s Fury

Triton’s Rage and Triton’s Fury are two family raft slides which, despite their similar construction, offer two quite different experiences.

After an initial turn, Triton’s Fury immediately transitions into a long, undulating descent. The raft repeatedly lifts off over the crests, resulting in some surprisingly good airtime.

Triton’s Rage, on the other hand, mainly consists of numerous turns as the raft winds its way downhill. The boat repeatedly tilts quite dramatically and swings high up the sidewalls. I really enjoyed both slides in their own way.

Triton’s Challenge

The same slide tower is also home to Triton’s Challenge, a classic mat slide. Lying face-first on the mat, you race down a long, undulating descent, repeatedly lifting off over the individual crests. A simple but very entertaining slide that I also really enjoyed.

Lost City of Atlantis

Next up was the Lost City of Atlantis. The large WhiteWater water play structure offers plenty of water features as well as several full-sized slides.

On the Boomerango, an initial turn is followed by a steep descent straight into the main element. With plenty of momentum, the raft races high up the opposite wall, swings back down and then glides across the shallow runout pool. Boomerangos are pretty much always fun, and this one was no exception.

More unusual is the Champagne Bowl. Here you complete several laps around the large bowl until eventually coming to a stop. You then simply climb out and leave the slide via a staircase in the middle of the bowl. A rather curious way to end a waterslide.

There is also a classic tube slide consisting mainly of numerous turns. It is a perfectly decent ride, but compared to the other two slides, it did not leave much of an impression on me.

The Rise of Icarus

The Rise of Icarus is the structure that towers above everything else in the Outdoor Water Park. Standing around 160 feet tall, the enormous slide tower dominates the entire water park and is almost impossible to miss even from a distance. A total of five body slides with different layouts start from the tower.

The main attraction is The Fall. While the other slides begin considerably further down the tower, The Fall takes you almost all the way to the top. Its starting point is around 145 feet above the ground, and the view down from there is suitably impressive.

The subsequent descent is not only extremely fast but also damn long. Unfortunately, the joints on The Fall are rather poorly finished, meaning you can clearly feel the transitions throughout the entire ride. What seems quite amusing at first becomes increasingly uncomfortable as the ride continues, and at some point I found myself simply wishing for the slide to finally come to an end. Especially on a brand-new installation by WhiteWater, I would not have expected such a rough finish.

The remaining slides start considerably lower down the tower and consist of various speed slides as well as a classic kamikaze slide. Things are suitably fast here as well, although I actually preferred these considerably shorter descents.

Icaria Splash ’n Slide

Directly in the shadow of The Rise of Icarus is Icaria Splash ’n Slide, a larger area for small children. Alongside shallow pools, there are various small slides and water features aimed primarily at the park’s youngest visitors.

River Troy and Tidal Wave

Alongside its many slides, the Outdoor Water Park also features River Troy, a classic lazy river where you can simply float your way around the park. There is also a large wave pool called Tidal Wave. Together, the two attractions nicely round off the already extensive outdoor offering.

Indoor Water Park

To finish off my visit, I headed into the Indoor Water Park. While this area is considerably smaller and mainly offers a handful of smaller slides, it does have one real highlight in the form of Medusa’s Slidewheel.

Medusa’s Slidewheel

Medusa’s Slidewheel is one of the most unusual waterslides in the entire park. Rather than following a conventional slide layout, this family raft slide takes you through an enormous, slowly rotating wheel. Inside, the ride consists almost entirely of curved climbs and descents, repeatedly lifting the raft, sending it backwards and then allowing it to pick up speed again.

The resulting experience is completely different from a normal waterslide and wonderfully crazy. You are constantly travelling up, down or sideways through the rotating Slidewheel, and above all, you spend a surprisingly long time inside it. With all those curved climbs and descents, the ride seems to go on forever and is tremendous fun throughout. For me, it was easily the highlight of the water park and one of the best waterslides I have ever ridden.

Pictures Mt. Olympus Water & Theme Park

Conclusion Mt. Olympus Water & Theme Park

Overall, I really enjoyed Mt. Olympus. The combination of wooden roller coasters, numerous go-kart tracks and two water parks is surprisingly well balanced and provides plenty of variety throughout the day. Zeus and Hades 360 are two really good wooden coasters, while the elevated go-kart tracks in particular give the amusement park a character all of its own.

I was especially impressed by the selection of waterslides. While the amusement park feels rather traditional with its wooden coasters and go-kart tracks, the water parks clearly make an effort to keep up with the latest technology. Attractions such as The Rise of Icarus and, of course, Medusa’s Slidewheel demonstrate this particularly well. Poseidon’s Rage is another technically fascinating attraction.

After my visit, I found it rather difficult to understand some of the negative opinions about Mt. Olympus within the enthusiast community. Certainly, not everything here is perfect, but overall the park offers a really strong and unusually varied package. I certainly had a great day here.

 

What is your opinion about Mt. Olympus Water and Theme Park?  Just write it in the comment field below the report!

Click here to get to the overview page of Mt. Olympus Water and Theme Park.

Mt. Olympus / The great Mid-Western Road Trip Day 6 - 7

An Ark Full of Slides

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Noah’s Ark Waterpark

In the afternoon, I headed to Noah’s Ark Waterpark in Wisconsin Dells. With its enormous selection of water slides, Noah’s Ark is one of the best-known water parks in the United States, so I was quite curious to see what the park had to offer.

I started my visit at the upper end of the park, where one of the large parking lots is located. Parking at Noah’s Ark is anything but cheap, which was ultimately one of the reasons why I only drove to the water park once during my stay in Wisconsin Dells. From here, I gradually made my way through the long, narrow park towards the main road.

Black Thunder

The first slides on my way were the Black Thunder Slides. These different black hole slides run completely in the dark and offer slightly different layouts depending on which one you choose. I particularly enjoyed the middle slides, which basically consist of one large drop. Racing down such a big drop completely in the dark is great fun.

Monkey Rapids and Big Kahuna

Next up were Monkey Rapids, several classic tube slides that wind their way down the hillside before eventually ending directly in the Adventure River. Their location on the hillside is quite nice, although the slides themselves are nothing particularly special.

Right next door is Big Kahuna, one of the large wave pools at Noah’s Ark. I spent a little time here before continuing with the next slides.

Chameleon

Things get a little more interesting with Chameleon. This family raft slide runs mostly in the dark and features various lighting effects along the way. The large raft swings nicely from side to side during the ride, while the effects add a little extra atmosphere. Chameleon was quite fun overall, although it wasn’t one of the stronger slides in the park for me.

Congo Bongo Rapids and Bermuda Triangle

Congo Bongo Rapids is another family raft slide that has been nicely integrated into the hillside. This time, the entire course is open and runs through several turns on its way down. A few small jumps along the way add some movement to the raft. Overall, it’s quite a fun ride.

Right next door, Bermuda Triangle offers several classic old-school tube slides. The courses feature numerous changes of direction, causing the tube to swing back and forth along the way. The ride never gets particularly spectacular, though, and overall Bermuda Triangle was rather so-so for me.

Time Warp

Time Warp is a much more unusual slide. It is a ProSlide Mammoth Bowl where you first travel through an enclosed tube in a large raft before entering the huge bowl. Various lighting effects add a little extra to the experience.

Before I could try the slide, however, I first had to find a suitable group. There is a weight restriction for the rafts, which meant that as a single rider I couldn’t simply join any group. It therefore took me a while before I could finally give it a go.

The ride itself was quite nice, although I had expected a little more from the huge bowl. Rather than completing several laps, the raft loses height relatively quickly and soon slides down the slope in the middle towards the exit. With such a large bowl, I would have liked to spend a little more time in the main element.

Flamingo Falls, Toucan Twisters and Parrots Plunge

Flamingo Falls, Toucan Twisters and Parrots Plunge are a collection of old-school body slides of all kinds. The different courses wind their way down the hillside through numerous turns and reach surprisingly high speeds along the way.

The wild swinging from side to side through the turns is particularly good fun. There are also several small jumps where you can briefly lift off the surface of the slide. I really enjoyed this slightly unpredictable ride experience, making these older slides one of the most entertaining areas of Noah’s Ark.

Endless River

Things get a little more relaxing on the Endless River. The lazy river winds its way through this part of the water park and even passes directly underneath some of the surrounding slides. That alone makes a lap on the Endless River pretty cool and offers a nice change of pace between the slides.

Paradise Lagoon

Paradise Lagoon is a slightly more unusual area of Noah’s Ark. Alongside the rope swings, there are several short slides that all end a few meters above the surface of the water. Instead of a conventional runout, you simply drop straight into the pool at the end.

The rope swings work in much the same way: at some point, you have to let go and drop several meters into the water. This combination makes Paradise Lagoon great fun and a little test of courage at the same time.

Tadpole Bay and The Wave

Tadpole Bay is a large water playground aimed at younger visitors. Alongside several smaller slides, there are numerous water play features and, of course, the obligatory giant tipping bucket that regularly empties itself over everyone below. I moved on fairly quickly.

Right next door is The Wave, another large wave pool at Noah’s Ark. Once the waves start, there is plenty of movement in the water and it’s a good place to cool off for a while before continuing through the park.

Surfing Safari and Raja

On my way to Raja, I first passed Surfing Safari. I skipped the water park’s FlowRider, however, and headed straight for Raja, which at the time was the world’s largest King Cobra water slide.

The large snake-themed tube slide features two lanes that initially run parallel through two large helices. This is followed by a surprisingly large drop into the halfpipe element, where you swing far up the opposite side. You then continue swinging back and forth between the two sides until the tube eventually comes to a stop. It’s certainly an unusual ride, and I quite enjoyed it.

Flash Flood

Flash Flood is a classic Hopkins Shoot-the-Chute, which was already enough to win me over. After the lift, there is a large drop straight into the water, with the boat producing an enormous wave. Getting completely soaked is obviously guaranteed – but in a water park, where you’re already wearing swimwear, that hardly matters.

It’s actually a shame that you don’t find rides like this in water parks more often. For me, a proper spillwater ride simply belongs in a water park.

Stingray

Stingray is a rather unusual tube slide that basically consists of one enormous halfpipe element. From the start, you head straight down a very steep drop before swinging far up the opposite side.

You then swing back and forth between both sides several times, gradually losing height until the tube eventually comes to a stop. The enormous drop and the height you reach on the opposite side make Stingray a really great and surprisingly wild slide.

Kowabunga

Kowabunga is a family raft slide that looks fairly unassuming at first due to its completely straight layout. Instead of large turns, you race down a long series of waves at considerable speed. The large raft repeatedly lifts off over the crests, providing a surprising amount of airtime.

As the rafts require a minimum number of riders, being a single rider actually worked to my advantage here. I was quickly added to another group and therefore didn’t have to wait very long. The ride itself really impressed me: fast, full of airtime and considerably wilder than its simple layout might suggest.

Quadzilla

Quadzilla is a mat racer featuring four different lanes. The upper section is particularly interesting, as the slides are initially intertwined rather than simply running parallel to one another. Riding headfirst on the mat, you race through the first turns at a decent speed before the four lanes eventually come together again and continue side by side over several waves towards the splashdown. I really enjoyed Quadzilla.

Scorpion’s Tail

Scorpion’s Tail is one of the first looping water slides to feature a drop-floor start. Stepping into the capsule is already a little test of courage: cross your arms and legs, wait, and at some point the floor suddenly disappears beneath your feet. You immediately pick up plenty of speed before racing through the tube and into the loop.

The ride certainly isn’t particularly smooth. Some of the transitions are rather rough and it feels like you can sense almost every single seam in the slide. This makes Scorpion’s Tail feel even wilder than the layout already suggests. To finish things off, there is another sizeable drop into the splash pool. It’s a pretty intense experience and one of those slides you don’t necessarily volunteer to ride a second time after surviving the first.

Point of No Return

Right next door is Point of No Return, a classic kamikaze slide. From the top of the tall slide tower, you can look almost straight down the steep drop before racing towards the splash pool at considerable speed. It’s a straightforward slide, but still a proper test of courage.

Black Anaconda

Black Anaconda was one of the most unusual slides waiting for me towards the end of my visit. As the slide is ridden by several people in a raft, it took me a little while to find a suitable group to join. The wait, however, was well worth it.

Black Anaconda is an early water coaster and an absolutely crazy ride. The unusually long course features one large drop after another, alternating with fast uphill sections. The technology is particularly interesting: instead of the water jets commonly used on modern water coasters, the rafts are pulled up the uphill sections by fast-moving conveyor belts before immediately plunging down the next drop.

With all those ups and downs, the ride lasts surprisingly long, and the larger drops are great fun. Black Anaconda was the best water coaster I had ridden up to that point.

Pictures Noah’s Ark Waterpark

Conclusion Noah’s Ark Waterpark

What impressed me most about Noah’s Ark was the enormous variety of slides. Some parts of the park certainly feel a little dated, and compared with nearby Mt. Olympus there are surprisingly few truly modern slides. On the other hand, Noah’s Ark has plenty of unusual and wonderfully wild old-school slides that give the water park a character of its own.

I really enjoyed this variety and could easily have spent even more time here. Overall, Noah’s Ark is a really good water park, and for me it is especially the older and more unusual attractions that make it such an interesting place to visit.

 

What is your opinion about the water park Noah’s Ark Waterpark?  Just write it in the comment field below the report!

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Noah's Ark Waterpark / The great Mid-Western Road Trip Day 6 - 7

Soaking Up the Thrills

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Soak City

After spending some time at Valleyfair, I headed straight into the neighboring Soak City water park. The entrance is located quite centrally within the park, directly across from the Mad Mouse roller coaster, making it very easy to switch between the amusement park and the water park.

The water park itself has a surprisingly long history. Valleyfair opened its first water slides back in 1983, eventually developing into Whitewater Country and later the Soak City water park.

Breakers Pipeline & Plunge and Breakers Bay

Right next to Breakers Bay stands the large Breakers Pipeline & Plunge slide tower. Breakers Pipeline features four different drop-floor slides. After stepping into the launch capsule, it is arms and legs crossed as you wait for the floor to suddenly disappear beneath your feet. Two of the slides take a fairly direct route down, while the other two feature a more winding layout. The drop-floor start adds a nice dose of suspense to all four slides.

A few meters higher up are the two slides of Breakers Plunge. There are no capsules or drop floors here. Instead, you are looking straight down two classic kamikaze slides towards the runouts some 27 meters below. Despite their much simpler layout, Breakers Plunge feels even more extreme and certainly takes a little courage. I really enjoyed both attractions.

Right next door is Breakers Bay, the large wave pool at Soak City. Once the waves start, there is plenty of movement in the water. For me, a good wave pool is simply part of a good water park.

Panic Falls

Hidden away in the back corner of Soak City was Panic Falls, a truly old-school slide tower. The three body slides dated all the way back to 1983 and were among the first water slides ever built at Valleyfair.

And you could certainly feel their age – in a good way. You race through the numerous turns at surprisingly high speed, hitting several small jumps along the way. At times you even lift slightly off the slide, while the increasing speed causes you to bounce around more and more as the ride progresses. This slightly unpredictable behavior made Panic Falls great fun and one of the highlights of Soak City for me.

A few years younger were the two Panic Falls Speed Slides, which were added in 1988. Their layouts are much simpler: from the roughly 18-meter-high tower, two open slides head almost straight down towards the runout. The speed is accordingly high, and their old-school construction gives these slides a character of their own.

Ripple Rapids

After the rather wild slides of Panic Falls, things became much more relaxed on Ripple Rapids. The classic lazy river winds its way through part of Soak City and was perfect for a short break. Simply lying back in a tube and floating around the water park for a while was exactly the right change of pace after the wild slides before it.

Hurricane Falls

The big highlight at Soak City, however, was Hurricane Falls. The roughly 21-meter-high family raft slide didn’t look all that unusual at first, but turned out to be a surprisingly wild ride.

A large raft takes you down a wide channel featuring several steep and highly banked turns. The raft quickly picks up speed and starts swinging higher and higher through the curves. At times, it climbs surprisingly far up the side walls before swinging back down into the channel and almost immediately entering the next turn. This extreme swinging motion makes the ride incredibly dynamic, especially as you can enter the next section backwards or sideways depending on where you are sitting in the raft.

The ride was much wilder than I had expected from a typical family raft slide, and I really enjoyed it. Hurricane Falls was without question my favorite slide at Soak City.

Pictures Soak City

Conclusion Soak City

I really enjoyed Soak City during my short visit. The water park isn’t particularly large, but it offers a nice mix of modern attractions and some wonderfully wild old-school slides.

Hurricane Falls was the clear highlight for me. I certainly wasn’t expecting a family raft slide to be this wild, and the extreme swinging of the raft alone made my detour into the water park worthwhile.

 

What is your opinion about the water park Soak City?  Just write it in the comment field below the report!

Click here to get to the overview page of Superior Shores.

Superior Shores / The great Mid-Western Road Trip Day 4 - 5