First riders loved it. Is this the first water ride with seat belts? Never seen that before
“Like dropping out of the sky.”
That was the description that won the day Wednesday at Schlitterbahn water park where the ride called Verrückt, at long last, was on task.
The park opened the 17-story-high ride to the news media and VIP guests in advance of Thursday’s public opening.
“That was the most amazing ride I’ve ever ridden,” said Doug Flora of Prairie Village, who was on the first raft of the day. “And it felt safe from beginning to end.”
Riders sit in a three-person raft and are secured with straps across the waist and shoulders, like a seat belt. The chute drops 168 feet, 7 inches, a few feet more than Niagara Falls, and the raft hits speeds of 60 to 70 mph.
Verrückt — its German name means "insane" — was certified in April as the tallest water slide in the world by Guinness World Records. Riders, who must be at least 54 inches tall and 14 years old, will have to climb 264 steps to reach the three-person raft. (It was originally said to hold four people.)
“Up at the top, that 168 feet feels like 168 miles,” said Steve Larese of USA Today Travel. “It’s like parachuting.”
Flora works for Haas & Wilkerson Insurance, which got the first-raft honors from a charity event. He was joined by Larese and Matt Gutman of ABC News.
“It was an incredible rush,” Gutman said after the ride.
It was a big national news day for Schlitterbahn and Kansas City, Kan. Other media representatives included the Today Show, NBC Nightly News and ESPN.
That was another reason for Mayor Mark Holland of the Unified Government of Wyandotte County to smile.
“We’ve been with Schlitterbahn through the whole process,” Holland said. “They have been a great partner for us. And this area has really developed into a world-class destination.”
After riding Verrückt, Holland was even more ebullient. The best part?
“Obviously that first drop, when you’re just dropping out of the sky,” he said. “And then you’re getting soaked going up the big hump. It’s terrifying and horrible and terrific.”
After the big drop, the raft travels up and over a five-story hump. The entire ride is covered in netting, something that had always been planned, said Jeff Henry, Verrückt designer and a co-owner of Schlitterbahn.
Henry, who is designing a new Schlitterbahn park in Corpus Christi, Texas, was on hand Wednesday to see Verrückt in action. The ride was originally set to open May 23, when Schlitterbahn opened for the season. But the date was delayed three times.
“This ride is ready for the public,” Henry said. “I’m very happy with it. And people are loving it.”
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