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Rumba Rapids


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On 21/09/2016 at 8:26 PM, Coaster Jamie said:

I noticed that the rockwork around the first half of the ride has been removed.  It did look rather tired, so let's hope it is replaced this winter!

 

Actually, it would be great to see Rumba get a refurbishment.  The name and music are fine, but it would definitely benefit from a spruce up IMO.

 

In my experience a lot of the fake rocks were removed by the boats themselves! Until it was fully removed it was quite common for the boat to catch on the rocks and rip chunks off.

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On Wednesday, September 21, 2016 at 8:26 PM, Coaster Jamie said:

I noticed that the rockwork around the first half of the ride has been removed.  It did look rather tired, so let's hope it is replaced this winter!

 

Actually, it would be great to see Rumba get a refurbishment.  The name and music are fine, but it would definitely benefit from a spruce up IMO.

Yes. Add some rockwork, bit more theming, more water effects, voila. Then you refurb Viking River Splash, add back the theming they took away, cover up the awful trough... but that's another topic.

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Rumba really needs a massive overhaul and refurbishment as the ride has been very rundown and neglected for the last five years (if not longer).

 

The Rapids aren't a patch on Vikings and Congo in their current state, let alone Fjord, Pirana and River Quest. A modest refurbishment in an off year would be ten times better than a shoehorned low capacity walk through.

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1 hour ago, Matt Creek said:

Rumba really needs a massive overhaul and refurbishment as the ride has been very rundown and neglected for the last five years (if not longer).

 

The Rapids aren't a patch on Vikings and Congo in their current state, let alone Fjord, Pirana and River Quest. A modest refurbishment in an off year would be ten times better than a shoehorned low capacity walk through.

Emphasis on the Congo, Vikings is in a state though not as bad 

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1 hour ago, Matt Creek said:

Still better than Rumba though in their current states though.

 

 

 

That's what I said. They're both awfully kept in their own right, Rumba is overgrown, theming is pretty dirty, and all the paint is flaky, whereas Vikings had had most of its theming taken away, sometimes nearly none of the effects working, buckets always off, and of course... the trough. 

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Rumba just isn't rough enough. You don't get wet at all. I first went on it in 1987 soon after it opened as Thunder River (just before the accident) and it wasn't that much better then either. They need to use ALL pumps again plus add back some of the squirters that have been added/removed over the years. And some more of those witches hat things that spin the boats. Anything really. Or close it. I can't believe they've got rid of Loggers' and kept this.

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6 hours ago, dickie001x said:

Rumba just isn't rough enough. You don't get wet at all. I first went on it in 1987 soon after it opened as Thunder River (just before the accident) and it wasn't that much better then either. They need to use ALL pumps again plus add back some of the squirters that have been added/removed over the years. And some more of those witches hat things that spin the boats. Anything really. Or close it. I can't believe they've got rid of Loggers' and kept this.

All pumps were in use at the start of the year after being repaired but I believe one has since gone again!

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  • 6 months later...

I haven't been to Thorpe in ages, but just watched a video of Rumba taken just a few weeks ago this season and was absolutely shocked at how terrible the ride looks now. I don't know whether all the trees were chopped down this season or a previous one, but the whole ride looks so bare and uninspiring. What with this, tug boat, and many other things, I can honestly see myself not being too disappointed if I never get round to visiting Thorpe again. It's not a dig at Merlin, I personally love Alton and Chessington and visit them both regularly, but Thorpe seems to have slipped way down. 

 

I know Rumba Rapids was never the best rapids ride in the world, but just 5 years ago it was bright, colourful, scenic, and generally an enjoyable ride with a sense of character. Now it just looks abandoned, lacklustre and frankly miserable. 

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The trees were taken down this year, and a member of staff to me said it was because that a branch fell into the trough and it was decided to cut them all down due to health and safety. To be honest I wouldn't be surprised if that was the case due to Merlin's recent way with health and safety in their parks.

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This is in an-house fix up job without a proper budget spent to redesign the ride for the 'Old Town' branding they've got going on. It's terrible standards for such a big park and attraction operator, it shows how little money the park get to spend on the guest experience if it's not rebranded a 'worlds first'. It's desperately needed on Rumba Rapids regardless of how good the ride is. No design direction or entertainment here, just a DIY retheming using an ancient prop from Magic Mill, some simple lights and sound. Sad to see really, but at least it's only Rumba and not a bigger casualty.

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12 hours ago, Mattgwise said:

The DIY painting hasn't even been done properly! The inside to the roof on the bridge is still the old colour scheme, as is the back of the photo kiosk, one random speaker cover and the emergency lighting wooden supports. Shocking really!

 

 

I couldn't help but notice this as well! There's so many spots which have been left!

 

From what I have heard, Rumba is a more long term project so will have more done in the following years. Lets just hope this does happen and it isn't left in the current state its in now...

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