So....you won't go airborne when going over that hump?

Lame

I've done something similar to that slide at a park in Breckenridge. They use the actual ski lifts to get you up there.

I don't recall it being nearly as terrifying as that one sounds, though losing skin was pretty easy (here's a tip: don't wear flip flops).

That is what I was thinking

Newton's laws in action.

That slide needs to be sponsored by Baby Ruth.

I can't see myself riding this. If it was just straight down I would be fine but that hump and what seem like small walls will keep me off of it.

Hmmm...kinda reminds me of something..

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=rBUU7ITvKlI

One of the pleasures of being over 50 is that you have nothing left to prove. I only do stuff that I want to.

Ooops..... accidentally launched in the air...

World's tallest waterslide on hold after test riders allegedly launched into air

The public opening of Kansas City's insane new waterslide, the tallest in the entire world, has officially been put on hold after test riders allegedly caught some serious air. Like no one saw this coming.

Ever since plans for the gigantic waterslide were announced, Verrückt has been one of our favorite stories to cover. It seems that with each new image or announcement, people get firmly divided further into two categories: "Hell yes, I want to ride this!" and "Oh, dear God, no thanks." Well, we won't blame you if the latest bit of news moves you squarely into the latter camp.

Schlitterbahn's record-breaking slide was slated to open in time for Memorial Day weekend, but now the opening has been pushed back after reports started surfacing that the first batch of test riders allegedly went airborne.

While there's no indication on whether "test riders" means actual, living people or weighted test dummies, that's definitely not supposed to happen either way, especially on a ride that stands taller than Niagara Falls. The test riders allegedly caught air near the bottom of the 17 story drop, which, honestly, is probably a lot better than at the top.

When asked, park officials wouldn't specify why the slide opening was delayed, but passed the delay off as routine maintenance, saying they were simply "taking apart and putting back together" the slide for safety purposes.

“It’s a one-of-a-kind attraction, and there is a one-of-a-kind process for getting it ready,” Layne Pitcher, marketing director for Schlitterbahn, told local news.

Despite the issues, Schlitterbahn still aims to open the ride just a week later than the the initial launch. The question is, will anyone still want to ride it?

“Based upon their adjustments, I don’t think I’d let my kids on it now,” Kansas City parent Cassandra Lewis told WXYZ Detroit News.

If all goes according to plan, you'll be able climb 264 steps to take the 60 MPH plunge down Verrückt at Kansas City's Schlitterbahn on June 5.

I'd ride it.


But only after several thousand people have successfully ridden it first.
Posted via Mobile Device

Schlitterbahn: Verrückt rumors untrue, no test riders have gone airborne
May 24
BY DUGAN ARNETT
The Kansas City Star

Schlitterbahn’s record-setting Verrückt waterslide has garnered plenty of attention in recent months, as it gets closer to opening. But park officials are learning that attention can be accompanied by rumor and innuendo.

In the wake of the latest speculation surrounding the attraction — rumors that riders had gone airborne during a test run — a spokesperson for the Kansas City, Kan., waterpark on Friday denied any such occurrence.

“I can absolutely say that no test riders have gone airborne on the slide, because no test riders have gone down the slide,” said Layne Pitcher, chuckling.

The rumors began circulating earlier this week after posts on travel and news blogs.

But according to Pitcher, only sandbags and accelerometers have been used so far in the testing process.

He also laughed off the idea that the park might have leaked such a rumor to drum up publicity for the ride, which was named the world’s tallest waterslide by Guinness World Records.

“I can’t really say where that rumor would have come from,” Pitcher said. “The testing process we have in place is very extensive. We’re not going to let anybody get on this raft without it.”

Verrückt, which is German for “insane,” was originally scheduled to open in time for Memorial Day weekend. Last week, however, the park announced it would postpone the slide’s debut until June 5 as final adjustments and testing were carried out.

On Friday, Pitcher said the 168-feet-7-inch slide is still on pace to open June 5.

“A lot of the adjustments we were making have been made,” he said. “Nobody’s really done this before, so we’ve got to kind of expect the unexpected.”

Read more here: http://www.kansascity.com/2014/05/23...#storylink=cpy

OK, I guess they tested a smaller scale version of the slide, and that's what test riders were flying off of. Not the actual slide itself. Not sure if that is more comforting, or less....

<script type='text/javascript' src='http://KCTV.images.worldnow.com/interface/js/WNVideo.js?rnd=356520;hostDomain=www.kctv5.com;playerWidth=630;playerHeight=385;isShowIcon=true;clip Id=10196466;flvUri=;partnerclipid=;adTag=Video%2520Player;advertisingZone=;enableAds=true;landingPag e=;islandingPageoverride=false;playerType=STANDARD_EMBEDDEDscript;controlsType=fixed'></script><a href="http://www.kctv5.com" title="KCTV5">KCTV5</a>

http://www.kctv5.com/story/25590567/...en-on-saturday

Yep I was by there this last weekend-looks like it will bounce you off on your head. :shake:

unexpected = 'Someone could die'?

If they cannot get it to work they just simply need to move it to Action Park in New Jersey. Home of the looping waterslide.

Funny how the headlines last week were "ride on hold after riders get launched into the air," with no actual quotes or proof that any of it happened.

And yeah, I'm sure the company hasn't thought about safety concerns or the possibility of that happening... oh noes, I'll end up on I-70 after going over that first hump!

When you see this slide up close-it is massive. At 60 plus mph coming down that giant hill-I am not sure how you will NOT fly off the thing-there really isn't much of a straightaway before the first hill. It would not be a problem if a deep pool of water was waiting for you after the hill instead of concrete.

I think it is probably even money someone will. Either by a design fault of the slide or human error with some idiot standing up on the raft. They will probably add a waiver you have to sign so they won't get sued-unless it is already written on your ticket somewhere-you accept all risk of injury or DEATH!! :hmmm: :( :shake::shake:

nope

The Tarzan swing in that Action Park video reminded me of Crystal Lake in Wichita. Basically a three-story building that you could jump off of into the water, with Tarzan swings on the second story. People did some crazy shit off that tower, and the right-out-in-front-of-everyone weed smoking and underage drinking was rampant.

Needless to say it closed down years ago in this safety first, politically correct world we now live in. But I had some outstanding fun at that place. The 80's ruled.

Yeah, I've seen it several times. I think if the general population is all "omg you'll launch off that thing!" then the people who are responsible for and could get sued over and could lose a lot of money over it might actually think about that before letting people on it.

The human error part is hard to account for though... trying to make something idiot proof is just a challenge for all the idiots out there.

why does everyone keep talking about everyone flying off? From my understanding it is rafts that are secured to the slide like a roller coaster and you are a strapped in.

Only an 18 percent chance of flying of the ride so I'll take my chances the odds favor you.

Those damn things can break mid air.