A theme park visit is a timeless way to spend a spring or summer day. You’ll bask in the warming glow of the sun as you cherish time spent with friends and family. You’ll get quite hot, too. You’re exercising a lot, and your body naturally warms due to the activity combined with the sunlight. At some point, you’ll want to cool off.
That’s where water rides come into play. A refreshing splash of water can change your temperature and your mood. The rejuvenating aspect of such rides explains why they are ubiquitous at theme parks. The log flume is a staple at every self-respecting theme park on the planet. It’s a cheap ride to construct and maintain, and so everybody has one. Which ones are the best, though? Here are my choices for the best nine log flume rides in the world.
9. Timber Mountain Log Ride – Knott’s Berry Farm
I only need two rules in place before I start today’s list. One is that I’m only considering theme parks, not water parks. The other is that Wikipedia’s ginormous list of log flumes must include the entry. Otherwise, it doesn’t qualify. This rules out a few surprising entries such as Journey to Atlantis and Grizzly River Run.
Otherwise, the entrants here are largely similar for the most part. There’s only so much that a theme park designer can do to differentiate a boat in water from other rides that have boats in the water. It’s especially true since each of these rides must either start at or add enough height to build to a satisfying splash at some point, ordinarily the end, of the journey.
Timber Mountain Log Ride embodies all of these elements, which is understandable given its age and status. Built in 1969 and then refurbished in 2013, it’s a classic log flume attraction that is more modern thanks to its (relatively) recent makeover. Despite its age, this water ride remains one of the most popular and trafficked rides at Knott’s Berry Farm. And it’s also an attraction that Walter Knott rode on opening day, giving it particular importance to the devoted fans of this park.
8. Jet Stream – Six Flags Magic Mountain
One of the quirks of log flume design is that it’s remained relatively static for 50 years now. Water rides built during the Nixon administration are just as entertaining as ones that only opened recently. Jet Stream is a perfect example of this. It’s barely younger than Timber Mountain Log Ride, opening in 1972.
To ride designers, Jet Stream is best known as the first of its kind to employ a turntable-style loading to maximize throughput. For theme park tourists, it demonstrates how little has changed over time. Sure, some log flumes have a shinier coat of paint and better theming. The jostling and sloshing are still the same, though.
7. Yankee Clipper – Six Flags Great America
You are probably too young to remember it, but the bicentennial celebration was one of the seminal moments in American history. Patriotic boats participated in Operation Sail and took to the harbors of New York City and Boston. This log flume pays tribute to the concept.
Fittingly opened in 1976, the Yankee Clipper instantly became one of the signature attractions at the park. It’s so important that the official Six Flags website dedicates an entire page to the history of Yankee Clipper. When you splash down here, you’re celebrating American naval superiority throughout the years! How cool is that?
6. Le Scoot Log Flume – Busch Gardens Williamsburg
Another log flume from the 1970s, this one debuted in 1975. It’s unique due to its larger than normal aqueducts. Your vehicle has a bit more freedom to bounce around, causing more tilting during the ride experience. You’ll bump up against the walls more here than on the other eight rides here combined.
My favorite part is that when park planners scaled up Busch Gardens Williamsburg, they honored the placement of Le Scoot Log Flume. A 1997 roller coaster named Alpengeist seems like it’s going wreck into the building only to turn away at the last second.
5. Daredevil Falls — Dollywood
This log flume bridges the gap between the old school and the newer versions of the concept. Developed in 1998, it has the squishiest seats in the industry, and somehow that adds to the fun. When you board this ride, you’ll hear the tell-tale squeaking that lets you know what you’re about to do. The conceit of Daredevil Falls is that you’re heading toward an abandoned sawmill, and it’s not going to end well for you. That 60-degree drop at the end assures that NOBODY is when they exit the boat.
4. Dudley Do-Right’s Ripsaw Falls – Islands of Adventure
The first five log flumes on this list give lip service to theming in the best instances and wholly ignore it in some cases. The top four merit their lofty status because they marry the glory of a log flume ride with high-quality theming to create an adventure.
Dudley Do-Right’s Ripsaw Falls places everyone’s favorite Canadian law enforcement official in chase of his sworn enemy, Snidely Whiplash. You join him in the quest to bring the mustache-twirling villain to justice. The real victim in all of this is poor Nell, who once again gets kidnapped and tied to a log. She has the worst luck, and it’s totally understandable why only Horse gets an affectionate kiss in the end. The full journey of this log flume ride is both cartoonish and epic in scope.
3. Frozen Ever After – Epcot
No, I am not cheating. You can look at the Wikipedia list again. You’ll see that they clearly list Frozen Ever After as a log flume ride, which it totally is. You board a log flume, and then you float down the water. It just so happens that you’re floating through the magical realm of Arendelle, whose crown princess is a weather witch of the highest order.
The theming of Frozen Ever After is so great that you take the log flume part for granted. To you, it’s just another little boat ride at Disney akin to It’s a Small World and Jungle Cruise. And it’s one that transports you to another place and time, one where you’ll believe that snowmen can sing, sneezes can become babies, and sisters can overcome all. Okay, that last one is true anyway, but the first two are pure Disney magic.
For several years, Frozen Ever After has been one of the most popular attractions at Walt Disney World. It’s not a coincidence. Everything about the ride is phenomenal, straight down to the delightful log flume plummet at the end.
2. Valhalla – Blackpool Pleasure Beach
Our only non-American entry comes from Blackpool, England. It’s one of the oldest amusement parks still in operation today. Its roots trace all the way back to 1896, and the most remarkable part is that the same family has owned the property since then.
Valhalla is an award-winning dark ride that debuted in 2000. From 2015 through 2018, the Golden Ticket Awards lauded it as THE best water ride on the planet. What makes it so great? Blackpool spared no expense in the creation of this, the longest dark ride ever built. Valhalla is a kindred spirit to Frozen Ever After and especially the attraction that it replaced, Maelstrom, in that it celebrates Norse mythology through some gorgeous set pieces. I understand that not everyone can get to Blackpool to ride this one, so please watch the video to appreciate the majesty of Valhalla.
1. Splash Mountain – Magic Kingdom and other Disney parks
In looking at this list, I think it’s easy to see that I believe that several older log flume rides are timeless classics. With so little room to improve on the concept, I’ve skewed toward some of the originators right up until park planners got smart and started emphasizing theming.
The arrival of Splash Mountain in 1989 was like a lightning bolt from the heavens. It melded together the genius of Imagineering with the exuberance of a satisfying splashdown. This odd dichotomy of storytelling and a climactic soaking elevates the attraction to the top of the log flume industry.
I don’t need to tell you about the story of Splash Mountain. You know that it’s a dark ride based on a film that has rightfully been pushed to the back of the Disney Vault. And you know that Imagineers found the joy in premise, the music and humor. I’ve argued that it’s one of the funniest attractions ever while simultaneously claiming some of the best singalong songs.
No theme park ride is truly perfect. For more than 30 years now, Splash Mountain has come as close as possible to that milestone. It’s wonderful in all ways and undeniably the greatest log flume ride ever built.
