originally posted on 7/21/2023
Photos: Courtesy of Adventureland. View full-sized image.
On June 24, ACE members were invited to Adventureland (Altoona, Iowa) to be some of the first public riders of its new roller coaster, Flying Viking, and log flume, Draken Falls. The park held an event with Viking actors, speakers from the park management team and a ribbon-cutting ceremony. Meanwhile, ACE members were ushered to the loading platform and seated on Flying Viking. As the opening countdown hit zero, they were dispatched to be part of the first public ride.
Flying Viking’s Nordic theme is evident in the clever design of the coaster’s train.
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A Zamperla Junior Coaster with a 36-inch height requirement, Flying Viking is targeted at families and young children ready to make a jump to a bigger coaster. The ride reaches a height of 50 feet and features 1,312 feet of track traversed at a top speed of 26 mph. The layout is full of twists and turns, with the most notable feature being the way the coaster intertwines with Draken Falls — a new log flume also provided by Zamperla (a log flume has been missing from the park since 2015 and was something Adventureland guests have been wanting ever since).
Adventureland’s 2023 project includes both the Flying Viking roller coaster and Draken Falls — a log flume that fills a void left when Monster replaced River Rapids in 2015.
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Flying Viking and Draken Falls go over and under each other a total of eight times. Both rides are located in the center of the park and share a station building. Flying Viking loads on the upper level of the station and Draken Falls loads on the bottom. The station was designed with a Nordic theme, complete with Viking shields, armory and swords. Together the rides are a great addition to Adventureland’s lineup and are sure to be favorites of many families.
Located near the center of the park, Flying Viking and Draken Falls conserve real estate by sharing space and utilizing the same station structure.
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— Dan Stuber
#ACENews