Tidal Wave is the most visually spectacular ride at Thorpe, and is guaranteed to leave
riders drenched.
Fact File
Opened
2000
Manufacturer
Hopkins Rides
Ride Type
Shoot the Chute
Official Rating
Extreme Thrills
On Ride Photo
Yes
Fastrack
Yes
Height Restriction
Min 1.2m
Chest Restriction
No
Max Height
85ft (26m)
Max G Force
1.5
Throughput
1000 people/hour
Duration
120 seconds
Photos
Video
Switch between 360p, 480p and 720p HD!
TTP Review
Tidal Wave is a well themed and visually exciting attraction themed around Amity Cove, a 1950s New England fishing village, devastated due to the relentless waves. Very few other water rides in the world can match Tidal Wave for the splash created at the bottom of its drop; even if you're not going to want to ride it, you'll want to spend a few minutes watching the facial expressions of those who are!
Riders sit in a large boat with up to 19 other people (4 to a row), and are taken up 85ft by the noisy lift hill. The boat winds its way around at the top, and plunges at speed down into the blue below. The drop is quite breathtaking - Tidal Wave was the highest water ride in Europe when it was built (Oakwood's Hydro later claimed this title in 2002) - and the complete wall of water riders experience at the bottom is even more so. Needless to say, riders come off absolutely soaked. The boat circles back to the station, and there the rides ends - Tidal Wave is really all about the drop.
Tidal Wave's themeing is amongst some of the best in the Park; in the queueline you can see battered houses, old radios, kitchen utensils and even a dripping toilet. When it was built, you could even see fireballs explode out of the oil drum and floods of water gush out from the tower, although sadly both of these effects are no longer operational. The music loop played in the area also really adds to the atmosphere - Big Bob Jones on "WWTP Radio" keeps the hits coming (think The Beach Boys' I Get Around and Little Eva's The Locomotion), as well as throwing in a few bad jokes. It all adds up to a wholly immersive experience which is guaranteed to put a smile on guests' faces.
The only fault Tidal Wave has, apart from the fact that it's a bit of a one trick pony, is that it gets you gratuitously wet. We're not mincing our words here: Tidal Wave's splash is akin to having a large bucket of cold water thrown over you. Even with a waterproof coat on or a poncho, riders can still come off with very wet clothes. On a hot day, this might not be much of a problem. On a cold day... well, at least the queues are short!
Positives:
Comprehensively themed and brilliant soundtrack.
Exhilarating drop.
The "Tidal Wave" the boats produce has to be seen to be believed.
Negatives:
Gratuitously wet. Seriously, seriously wet.
It's all over after that one drop.
Many of the original themeing elements now don't (and won't ever) work.
Verdict:
Themeing/Presentation
Smoothness/Comfort
Enjoyment/Fun
Intensity/Scariness
Overall
Your Reviews
"I love this ride! Unless you are scared of water, I highly recommend that whenever you visit the park you go on this ride - the experience is not easy to forget. It's like being held under a cold power shower when all the water is around you! Definitely 10/10 from me. Don't forget your towel though!" Charliy, Sutton, UK.
"This is a really fun ride! It's great for a hot day to cool you off because the water is freezing. Not great on a cold day though, so definitely wear a coat!" Katie, Bookham, UK.
"What could have been nothing more than a single drop boat ride has been made into a fantastic ride due to the incredible effort gone into the theming, and the interaction between the ride and the pathways that surround. The sheer atmosphere this ride creates (as well as the more than impressive splash) easily makes this one of the most spectacular water rides in the country!" KS, Cambridge, UK.
