Escape From Pompeii

[WDWRLD]

I do not ride strictly because of the water cannons. They should install a second nozzle to squirt the person pushing the button....jokes on them.

 

[mountaineers]

I do sometimes worry about Pompeii getting chopped. I hope they would at least try removing the water canons before deciding that it doesn't have enough ridership.

This. My family loves the ride but we usually pass it up due to the sprayers. A couple of years ago on a cooler evening we rode and my 10 year old daughter got drenched by a sprayer. Needless to say since the we rarely ride anymore. She refuses to take a chance of wet shoes or underwear for the rest of the day. Limited times during the heat of the day is ok. But after say 7 PM or when the temp is below say 60 they should be turned off. This spring they had the sprayers on when it was in the 50s. Most people know where to ride so you don't get soaked but she will never take that chance again unless she WANTS to get wet. I know many others feel this way also. Anyone with contacts in park management should relay this fact. I love EFP and hate to think decisions would be made on faulty ridership numbers.

 

[warfelg]

That's a really good idea.  The notion that you'll get at least a little bit wet is to be expected on Pompeii.  If the blasters gave the boat a fusillade of spray instead of a solid beefy laminar arc of water, people like me would shut up and ride.

Not that most other folks would care... but it would improve my day at the park, anyway.

Get some spray nozzles on those things!

I know this is going back a bit, but if they cut the blasters in half, made them more 'misters' (I'm thinking like the hosel on a hose that sprays a wide birth rather than a concentrated), and didn't aim them right at the boat it would be much better. I would turn down the volume in each burst as well. Heck I think it would be cool to turn one of them into a vertical fountain that has a 'splash cap' so that the water goes straight up and hits the cap on the way down and is completely random in who it hits.

Personally I don't think that Pompeii's low ridership has as much to do with the cannons as it does with just they aren't that popular as much anymore. Every park I've been to the Tidal Big Spashes has had low ridership. CP, IoA, basically any east coast park with one....save 1 park. Hersheypark is the only one that still has high ridership, and my answer as to why is simple. Tidal Force is at the start of the Boardwalk an in the "swimsuit zone"; so because you get soaked and you are at the waterpark area, you feel fine riding it. At HP, TF had low ridership before the Boardwalk was put in.

I wouldn't be shocked if BGW was ever able to take apart and reconstruct EfP at WCUSA that EfP's ridership would skyrocket quickly.

 

[Nicole]

Honestly, making it a mister wouldn’t improve the ride for me. EFP was fun before they gave random strangers the ability to get my street clothes wet. Now I simply won’t ride it. There is no good reason for there to be any kind of water sprayer there. In my opinion, the park is cynically cashing in on people’s worst instincts.

 

[WDWRLD]

That's a really good idea.  The notion that you'll get at least a little bit wet is to be expected on Pompeii.  If the blasters gave the boat a fusillade of spray instead of a solid beefy laminar arc of water, people like me would shut up and ride.

Not that most other folks would care... but it would improve my day at the park, anyway.

Get some spray nozzles on those things!

I know this is going back a bit, but if they cut the blasters in half, made them more 'misters' (I'm thinking like the hosel on a hose that sprays a wide birth rather than a concentrated), and didn't aim them right at the boat it would be much better.  I would turn down the volume in each burst as well.  Heck I think it would be cool to turn one of them into a vertical fountain that has a 'splash cap' so that the water goes straight up and hits the cap on the way down and is completely random in who it hits.

Personally I don't think that Pompeii's low ridership has as much to do with the cannons as it does with just they aren't that popular as much anymore.  Every park I've been to the Tidal Big Spashes has had low ridership.  CP, IoA, basically any east coast park with one....save 1 park.  Hersheypark is the only one that still has high ridership, and my answer as to why is simple.  Tidal Force is at the start of the Boardwalk an in the "swimsuit zone"; so because you get soaked and you are at the waterpark area, you feel fine riding it.  At HP, TF had low ridership before the Boardwalk was put in.

I wouldn't be shocked if BGW was ever able to take apart and reconstruct EfP at WCUSA that EfP's ridership would skyrocket quickly.

It is the exact reason I no longer ride. I like the ride but do not want to be completely drenched for the experience.

 

[warfelg]

Honestly, making it a mister wouldn’t improve the ride for me.  EFP was fun before they gave random strangers the ability to get my street clothes wet.  Now I simply won’t ride it.  There is no good reason for there to be any kind of water sprayer there.  In my opinion, the park is cynically cashing in on people’s worst instincts.

Fair enough. I wouldn't ride it before the sprayers for the same reason. I have a pet peeve with being wet when I can't have to.

 

[Unagi]

I'd love to take this on the ride but I don't wanna get kicked out! LOL

 

[WDWRLD]

I have always enjoyed the sprayers on Roman Rapids....but I feel like I go into that with the mindset that I will get drenched.

 

[SLC Headache]

Every park I've been to the Tidal Big Spashes has had low ridership.  CP, IoA, basically any east coast park with one....save 1 park.  Hersheypark is the only one that still has high ridership, and my answer as to why is simple.  Tidal Force is at the start of the Boardwalk an in the "swimsuit zone"; so because you get soaked and you are at the waterpark area, you feel fine riding it.  At HP, TF had low ridership before the Boardwalk was put in.

I wouldn't be shocked if BGW was ever able to take apart and reconstruct EfP at WCUSA that EfP's ridership would skyrocket quickly.

White Water Landing and Thunder Canyon at Dorney Park are also at the border of the dry and wet sides and allow swimwear IIRC. When I was at Dorney, they had decent lines (as did the wild mouse) when the major coasters were <15 min waits.

 

[warfelg]

That is my mindset exactly. I've always tiered the three water rides based on the amount I'd expect to get wet. If I was to ride Le Scoot, I expect to remain mostly dry apon exiting my log. When I ride Roman Rapids, I expect to be completely soaked, which is why the water blasters do not effect my ride experiance in a negative matter - without them I feel just as much like a wet dog.  

The problem with my logic is Pompeii. Without the water blasters I remain relatively dry, but with them I come off as if I had ridden Roman Rapids. I much prefer riding Pompeii knowing I'll come off sparingly dry; however, there's no telling how wet I'll get because of the damn water blasters, and for that reason I refrain from riding Escape From Pompeii.

Pompeii once appealed to me; there was fire, fog, effects, dramatic music, and a fun splash that didn't/doesn't completely ruin your clothes. Notice I speak in past tense and lack mention of a water blaster.

That's all fair enough. Even without the blasters I've yet to make it through a ride on Pompeii without getting soaked. Maybe it has to do with not knowing the 'sweet spot' for dryness.

I guess my thinking (hard to guess your own thinking...) was the park isn't going to take them out because those water blasters are as close to free revenue as you can get. So if they can find a way to 'minimize' the amount of water that directly splashes on you, by putting less water in it, putting it over a larger area, not making the splash as direct, or making it possibly backfire, I personally think it's a little more tolerable to be in the boat.

Left turn here:
Isn't Escape from Pomepii a better name for a launch coaster than a splash ride? Wish this was in Germany named Rhine River Falls.

 

[CastleOSullivan]

I rode this on Sunday, April 29. The breaking beam effect and the music in the last room were not working. Other than that, the effects all worked properly.

 

[sereniv]

a friend of mine is a ride operator for EfP and says that they no longer use the statue effect because it will just fall instead of being controlled to move. I feel like they should just leaving it laying down, it would look cooler, but I understand if they don't for safety reasons

 

[CastleOSullivan]

The statue effect was working fine. I rode it three times. I have seen them leave it lying before, but it was working this Sunday. The only thing not working was the broken beam effect.

 

[Luke]

I love the remote control boats at the entrance to the Escape from Pompeii. You can send the little boats through the volcano and it "erupts". Joey and I actually got to hold them. Total fan boy moments.

 

[BGW Family]

Another 2004 promo shot. The facade had SO much detail that isn't obvious today.

 

[Zachary]

There's an awesome Escape from Pompeii logo postcard up on Ebay right now.

Images mirrored here for posterity. Ebay seller "txtres_4" is the original source.

 

[Zachary]

Posting that postcard made me all nostalgic for Busch Gardens Williamsburg's best existing darkride...

And then I remembered I had something... Something I think many people would love to see...

There really aren't many surprises in here (especially for anyone who has had the opportunity to tour the show building), but it's really neat to see regardless.



I expect some great Planet Coaster Escape from Pompeii recreations. Don't let me down, guys. ?

 

[Ghost of Pretzel Kaiser]

Joke's on you, PC doesn't have a shoot the chutes.

 

[Luke]

Posting that postcard made me all nostalgic for Busch Gardens Williamsburg's best existing darkride...

And then I remembered I had something... Something I think many people would love to see...

There really aren't many surprises in here (especially for anyone who has had the opportunity to tour the show building), but it's really neat to see regardless.

View attachment 12415

I expect some great Planet Coaster Escape from Pompeii recreations. Don't let me down, guys. ?

That's super cool!! Thanks for sharing.

 

[I305Evan]

Pompeii was being temperamental today. In the 10 or so minutes waiting in line, the operator announced to remain seated that the ride will restart about 3 times. In which the lift hill turned off and the show pumps for the drop turned off as well. After about a minute a boat would drop and the show pumps would turn back on afterwards. Then the lift would restart. Then when I got on, we were stopped right before the drop and he made the announcement yet again. After a moment of waiting the ride then restarted. Once we got back to the station.... they were still waiting on the lift to restart.

Maintenance never showed up, but if this type of thing happens, I'm just curious why the ride isn't closed until its fixed. Sure the ride can be restarted, but if it keeps happening, that's usually sign that a part is going bad.