Karts, Coasters & Water Slides

itemprop="discussionURL"0

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.

TKathke August 22, 2024 August 17, 2026 Mt. Olympus / The great Mid-Western Road Trip Day 6 - 7

There is more than corn in Indiana

itemprop="discussionURL"0

Indiana Beach

Founded in 1926, Indiana Beach is one of the most classic amusement parks in the country. After more than 80 years in family ownership, the park went through a turbulent time in the early 2020s. Now owned by Gene Staples, the park has developed well and, in addition to its three CCI wooden coasters, is home to some treasures from the Schwarzkopf factory. So it’s no wonder that I really had to pay the park a visit.

All American Triple Loop

One of the main reasons for the tour was the All American Triple Loop, the former Dreier-Looping ride by showman Barth that had been at La Feria Chapultepec Magico amusement park in Mexico City for many years.

After the park had completely overhauled the ride, they decided to take the trains from its sister ride at Galaxyland amusement park in Canada and use them in the All American Triple Loop. Unfortunately, the feedback from passengers was not quite as positive, as the shoulder claws – similar to those used on Olympia Looping – have a negative effect on the ride experience.

Sadly, I was unable to see this for myself as the announced delayed opening of the ride did not take place during my visit and I could only see the ride from a distance. Now that the shoulder restraints have been removed, I would love to make the trip to Monticello to ride the ride at least once in my life. Unfortunately, when the ride toured Germany, I was too scared and definitely too small to ride it.

Steel Hawg

I took my first ride of the day on Steel Hawg as soon as the park opened, expecting longer queues due to the single-car operation in the evening.

After climbing the very steep and fast lift, you quickly reach a combination of curves without any banking leading into the 111° drop. After the valley, a small sideways turn leads directly to the first block brake.

This is followed by a turn that could easily be used more often in different coasters, as the outward sloping part of the track is quite something. Unfortunately, this part is over very quickly and is followed by a seemingly conventional turn that gets steeper and steeper towards the end and turns you upside down. The hangtime is very pronounced here and you will be glad to know that you will soon be plunging into a half loop, which is also the first time you will reach the lowest point of the ride. But the ride is not over yet, and there is another climb with a block brake at the end. Now you enter the last traditional turn, which immediately leads into a downhill heartline roll – the most interesting element of the ride. This is followed by an inconspicuous Immelmann turn, after which the ride ends abruptly.

Interestingly, the prototype of the El Loco coaster performed much better than the many identical rides I have had the pleasure of testing. A rock solid coaster when queues are light.

Falling Star

Passing the Music Express, which offers a nice forwards and backwards ride here in the park, we are now drawn to the Chance Rides Falling Star, which we are allowed to ride as a single rider here in Indiana Beach. This flying carpet is the American equivalent of the HUSS Rainbow and offers a great ride full of side forces and a touch of airtime.

Hoosier Hurricane

The Hoosier Hurricane is the largest of the park’s wooden coasters and features an out-and-back layout. After a short right turn, the ride begins with the lift hill. At a height of 77ft (23.5m) we then make our way through two turns before reaching the first drop. Here we drop straight down to the water below. This is followed by a double-up hill and a small right turn before passing under the footbridge that leads into the park. On the other side of the park we make a big turn and pass the Giant Gondola Wheel. After another right-hander, we race over a large series of camelbacks before slamming on the brakes.

Hoosier Hurricane is a cool ride. The odd layout, which takes you through the middle of the park and then along the edge, scores points for its stunning location alone. For a CCI coaster, the ride offers surprisingly little airtime, which is a bit of a downer.

Rockys Rapids Log Flume

Much to the confusion of park visitors, the entrance to the Rockys Rapids Log Flume is right next to the entrance to the Hoosier Hurricane wooden coaster. Built by Arrow Dynamics, the log flume dates back to 1974, but only came to the park in 1986 – it was previously located at Pontchartrain Beach amusement park in New Orleans. Like many of the early log flumes, Rockys Rapids Log Flume has a single drop towards the end of the ride.

Tig’rr Coaster

This sleek ride, manufactured by Schwarzkopf, stood for years at Holiday Beach Amusement Park in Douglas, Georgia, before being moved to Indiana Beach in 1984.

The ride begins with a short right turn, followed immediately by the lift. At a height of 44 ft (13 m) we then go through a rather wide turn. With momentum we plunge down the first drop and wow, is it steep! The bob-like seating position does its best to provide the first surprise of the ride. We whiz through the valley with a vengeance and immediately plunge into the steep, near-ground turn that revolutionised the rollercoaster world at the time. Just underneath the lift hill we finish the turn and immediately face a longer incline. Now on the second level, we follow the track before the first drop, then turn right and enter the Bayernkurve over a small descent. Over hill and dale, we turn left along the front of the track. There is a short change of direction in the following dip, after which we pass through the back of the ride for a third time. After a short left turn, the track descends again, followed by a very long, ground hugging right turn, which tapers into a rising helix towards the end. This is followed by a short dip and an equally short climb before the final downhill helix. We hit the brakes with a burst of speed, bringing us to an unexpectedly smooth stop.

Schwarzkopf’s Jet Star Tig’rr Coaster is still a real hit. The ride on the now 50 year old coaster is simply fun, with its smooth turns and the steep drop at the start of the ride. The ride characteristics are still as great as ever, a true Schwarzkopf coaster. It’s just a shame that there was only one car on the track, which meant longer queues.

Cornball Express

The track of the park’s second big wooden roller coaster, the Cornball Express, runs around the Tig’rr Coaster. As with the Hoosier Hurricane, the roller coaster’s station is very high up, so you have to climb stairs right at the start.

The ride begins with a left turn through the structure of the sister roller coaster. Parallel to the lift hill, we also go up. Once there, it goes into a steep curve directly into the depths. Passing the Rockys Rapids Log Flume, it now goes up a high hill, which immediately bends to the side and rewards us with wonderful airtime, which is not stingy with lateral forces. Now we circle the Tig’rr Coaster and pass a beautiful valley. After another fast drop, we plunge into the structure of the Hoosier Hurricane again. Then, after a left turn, we race towards the ground, turning into another curve. After an airy ascent, a magnificent helix follows, pushing us wonderfully to the side. Two more drops along the first half of the track then lead us towards the final brake, which we enter very quickly. Shortly after, our ride on Cornball Express ends.

What an awesome ride! The lateral airtime in the first drop and the generally very ejector-heavy ride speak for this CCI roller coaster. The turns dominated by lateral forces are also great! So far the best CCI roller coaster I’ve ridden in America.

Den of Lost Thieves

Past the Sea Dragon pirate boat and the upcharge Walkthrough attraction Dr. Frankensteins Castle, we now make our way towards the Den of Lost Thieves. This small Bill Tracy dark ride was lovingly transformed by Sally into an interactive dark ride, were you shoot pirates to gain a high score.

Shafer Queen

One of the highlights at Indiana Beach is the Shafer Queen pleasure boat. The trip first goes downstream to Norway Dam and then up the Tippecanoe River. It offers breathtaking views of the amusement park and the shores of Lake Schafer. It’s just a shame that there is no catering on the ship, so it’s a good idea to stock up on provisions at one of the stands just before departure.

Boardwalk

As well as numerous food stalls, the very large Sky Bar, the Ballroom and many skill and arcade games, the Boardwalk offers a large number of classic American rides, most of which are built directly on a plateau in the middle of the water. Unfortunately, only the Paratrooper, Scrambler and Tilt-a-Whirl were in operation, but they were all very nice rides. So I had to miss the Water Swings and the Polyp Sea Warrior.

Ideal Beach

The Ideal Beach water park was closed when I visited. The water park offers some interesting body slides and tube slides, which are curiously arranged around the Cyclone rollercoaster. The park also has a kamikaze slide and a lazy river that separates the swimming area of the Ideal Beach Pier pool from the lake and runs mostly underneath the slides.

Double Shot

Passing the Big Flush rubber dinghy slide, which promises a wet ride due to its winding course, I was drawn to the S&S Double Shot drop tower, which was also able to impress here at Indiana Beach. The airtime was amazing; it’s just a shame that the tower is unfortunately hardly used by the public due to its remote location.

Sky Ride

Instead of walking, you can also take the comfortable chairlift Sky Ride across the Boardwalk. With the best view of Lake Schafer and the rides at Indiana Beach, we now head to the other side of the park, where the Giant Gondola Wheel, a station of the Spackman Express park railway and the fun Flying Bobs ride are located next to each other. From here, we continue to the park’s last wooden roller coaster.

Lost Coaster of Superstition Mountain

One of the most special roller coasters is the Lost Coaster of Superstition Mountain. The ride replaced an old dark ride, hence the very small footprint and odd features of this spectacular coaster.

Once all passengers have climbed into the enclosed cars, the bar has been lowered and the door locked, the ride immediately heads for the lift. Once at the top, we are pushed towards the first drop. At high speed we make a right turn past the back of the show building before making our way along the front of the ride. Here we go through a crazy series of tight-radius turns and drops. In the courtyard of the beautiful Antique Autos ride we make a turn before taking a triple up which takes us into the show building. Here we experience a wild mix of way too tight turns before being stopped for a bit of storytelling. We then do a double down before taking a turn outside the building. Back inside the building we make our way through another wild series of tight corners. After another outdoor section we take the steepest drop of the ride. Following the drop we quickly hit some trim brakes, otherwise the following section of tight radii turns would be insane. Soon after we are pushed out of the mine and back into the station.

It’s almost impossible to put into words what it’s like to ride the Lost Coaster at Superstition Mountain. This CCI compact wooden coaster is simply insane. Too tight turns alternate with too steep drops, the hardest of which is even indoors. The outdoor section alone makes this little coaster a world class ride.

Pictures Indiana Beach

Conclusion Indiana Beach

Indiana Beach is a really cool park in a great location. Even though the park is almost 100 years old, most of the rides are newer. However, thanks to Gene Staples, more and more vintage rides are coming into the park, which helps to preserve the German classics by Schwarzkopf, Huss and Weber – even if they are given very American names. I absolutely love it! I really liked the park and its location, and I look forward to visiting Lake Schafer again someday.

What is your opinion about the amusement park Indiana Beach? Just write it in the comment field below the report!

Click here to get to the overview page of Indiana Beach.

TKathke August 16, 2024 August 9, 2026 Indiana Beach / The great Mid-Western Road Trip Day 1

Knott’s Berry Farm

itemprop="discussionURL"0

Theme Park:	Knott's Berry Farm (since 1940)

Address:	8039 Beach Blvd
	90620 Buena Park
	https://www.knotts.com

Operated by:	Six Flags

Knott’s Berry Farm in Buena Park, California, is one of America’s oldest and most distinctive theme parks. Its story began in the 1920s with Walter and Cordelia Knott’s roadside berry farm, which became increasingly popular for its berries and Cordelia’s famous chicken dinners. To entertain the growing crowds waiting for a table, Walter Knott began building Ghost Town in 1940 – laying the foundation for the theme park that would eventually grow around it.

Today, Knott’s Berry Farm combines its historic roots with an impressive collection of roller coasters, thrill rides and family attractions. Ghost Town remains at the heart of the park, while areas such as Fiesta Village and the Boardwalk add their own character. Major attractions include GhostRider, Xcelerator, HangTime and the classic Timber Mountain Log Ride, alongside numerous smaller rides and live entertainment.

Despite its location in the middle of Southern California, Knott’s has retained much of the character that grew out of the original family business. Ghost Town, the historic attractions and the connection to the Knott family remain just as much a part of the park as its modern roller coasters.

Fun Fact: The park was home to the first modern roller coaster to go upside down.

Reviews

Getting Scared at Knott’s Berry Farm