Rio Bravo is a large and highly themed log flume at Parque Warner Madrid. And I think
it was the world’s wildest log flume. Note the past tense. Unfortunately,
there was a recent change to this ride that neutered its signature moment. That
being said, it is still a fantastic ride and I’ll explain why in this review.
Gold Coast, Australia’s Warner Bros. Movie World opened an incredible log flume 1998. The ride was
originally planned to be named Rio Bravo after the 1959 film, but the park decided to name the
attraction Wild Wild West after the upcoming 1999 film. Due to licensing disputes, the name
was adjusted to Wild West Falls Adventure Ride in 2001, but much of the ride remained the same.
The ride features a giant rock mountain with two drops. And the layout includes a backwards
section plus some western set-pieces. This ride opened to rave reviews, so when Warner
Bros. Park Madrid opened in 2002, it’s not too surprising the park wanted a similar ride.
Spain’s flume would be named Rio Bravo. That would make sense given the naming issues the
Australian flume had, but the park instead named the RCCA wood coaster next door Wild Wild West.
And just two years after opening, that ride’s name had to be changed to Coaster
Express due to more licensing issues. But back to the flume. While Rio Bravo
and Wild West Falls have nearly identical layouts, they have different manufacturers.
Australia’s version was built by Hopkins Rides. Meanwhile, Spain’s version was built by Intamin.
I believe this change occurred because Hopkins filed for bankruptcy in 2001.
Rio Bravo was placed in the Old West Territory and it looks fantastic. The ride’s wooden
station building fits in perfectly with the rest of the land’s architecture.
Then you have the rock mountain. It’s a spectacle seeing boats head down the final drop.
Then the mountain itself is colossal and it has a similar aesthetic to Big Thunder Mountain.
The side facing the midway looks incredible; however, the backside is just an unthemed box.
This is apparent if you view the ride from specific angles or look towards the show-building
during the backwards portion, but it’s a minor nitpick that most people won’t even notice.
This is one of the most popular rides at Parque Warner Madrid.
If you visit in the summer months, this ride regularly has 30-60 minute waits.
The longest waits will occur in the afternoon. Water rides in hot climates always draw large
crowds, but that’s especially true when you have a ride as revered as this one.
So how can you beat the crowds? There are four options.
First, visit this park in the cooler months. Just double check
this ride isn’t closed for a refurbishment. Second, head here at opening. It’s sort of
towards the back of the park, so you can get a quick ride before most people get back there.
Third, ride this later in the day. People are less receptive to getting wet as the
sun starts to set. Just check when this ride is scheduled to close. This is posted on the park
website and by the ride itself. Typically this ride closes 2-3 hours before the park does.
Fourth, use the Pase Correcaminos skip-the-line pass. This is an extra fee.
Rio Bravo is included one all tiers of the pass, or you can purchase a one shot.
The price for the one shots varies by day, but it will cost you roughly 10 to 12 Euros.
The ride features a multitude of boats. Each holds a max of 8 riders, as there are 4 rows of 2.
The ride is advertised as having a 1400 person per hour capacity, but there didn’t seem to be
enough boats on the course to achieve that. The actual capacity appeared to be 30-40% less.
Rio Bravo has a moving load platform. When it’s your turn to ride,
the park lets just enough people onto the platform to fill the next boat.
Seating is then on a first-come basis. I used to have a strong preference for the back for the
superior airtime, but now the forces are pretty equal across all rows. I would avoid the front row
if you don’t want soggy shoes though. There’s one point on the ride where that row gets extra wet.
Once seated, you may be shocked to find out there are no restraints. There is a grab bar in front of
you, but it doesn’t actually hold you in. You also need to take all your bags with you. Keep that in
mind if you have anything that you don’t want to get wet. That’s part of the reason the park has
a vending machine outside the ride’s entrance selling waterproof bags for your electronics.
Once dispatched, you slowly float past some rundown western buildings.
I believe one of these is actually the ride’s maintenance shed, so it’s cool how they found
a way to blend it into the experience. You also pass a crane. While this moves
on the Australian version, it’s static on Spain’s version. That brings me into the
biggest issue with Madrid’s version compared to the original. The theming is not as good.
The set pieces are mostly there, but they don’t have any movement on this one. I don’t
know if these effects broke over time or if they were simply not added to this version.
Another unfortunate omission is the lack of audio. Multiple scenes in Australia were
paired with sound and music effects. Much of the Spanish one takes place in silence,
which does hinder the overall atmosphere. Back to Rio Bravo, you quickly reach the
ride’s first lift hill, which takes you into the mountain. This structure is themed to a
gold mine. You have some mining equipment and atmospheric lighting with lanterns.
I prefer the scene on the Australian version since you have a TV screen with some cowboys
who eventually fire at you. The scene on Madrid’s is a lot more passive.
The boat boards a turntable and rotates counterclockwise. You then exit into a backwards
drop followed by a bunny hill. This was once one of the scariest moments on any attraction.
The backwards drop had some good zip to it, but it was the bunny hill that was downright terrifying.
It delivered a bonafide moment of ejector airtime. Remember, you have no restraints,
so you and your bags would lift a foot into the air. I was shocked a moment this intense could
exit with zero restraints. I loved the absurdity of it when I experienced it in 2019.
However, when I returned in 2023, this moment had been neutered. Whereas the
boat used to freely head over the plunge in 2019, the drop seemed trimmed. A series of
drive tires slow your entry. This has two cons. First, the main drop is less punchy. You still
get a bit of a freefall sensation and those in front still get a tiny bit of airtime at least.
Second, you have far less speed over the bunny hill. This significantly weakened the airtime.
There was none in the rear rows. Those in front get a little pop of airtime though. It feels
like the boat drops out from underneath you as you’re pulled down the bunny hill.
This backwards sequence is still fun and better than most flumes,
but it just doesn’t have the power it once did. In its original form,
that bunny hill was one of the best airtime moments on any ride, coasters included.
The resultant splash isn’t too big. You then float backwards away from the mountain. There
aren’t any sets during this portion, but the trough has some nice rockwork alongside it.
You eventually board another turntable, slightly rotate counterclockwise,
and depart going forwards. On the Australia version, this directional change is oddly
done without a turntable. Instead, it’s done with a tire. But Intamin and Parque
Warner went with the more conventional turntable. You exit through a rock canyon. You’re warned of
falling rocks. On the Australian version, some of the boulders actually move, which adds a sense of
danger. You don’t get that on the Spanish version. You just get to appreciate the detailed rockwork.
You then float past some native American teepees. Interestingly, the trough also gets
a tad turbulent here as you have some small rapids sending mild splashes into the boat.
Then comes the best themed sequence on the ride,
Dodge City. This is a fully fleshed out western town with so much to see. You
pass multiple buildings and props that have clearly been ravaged by crime.
This would have been better if three effects on the Australian version worked here.
One, when you pass under the archway bearing the town’s name, the population swivels
downwards suggesting another fatality. I saw the piece that swivels in Spain,
but it was just sitting there motionless. Two, none of the doors and windows swung
open. In Australia, this is timed with gunfire. But again in Spain, you don’t have that audio.
Three, the water tower isn’t leaking here. This creates a fun near-miss.
Rio Bravo then heads in the mountain for the second and larger lift hill.
This lift is oddly barren compared to the rest of the ride. It’s just a plain wooden tunnel.
At the top, you enter a room filled with explosives. I was expecting some sort of audio or
visual effect, but nothing happens. Instead, you just board a turntable and quietly rotate towards
a set of doors. The boat then rams them open and you navigate the ride’s climactic final plunge.
This is a great drop. It’s very tall for a flume. I believe it’s 7 stories tall like its Australian
counterpart. It offers a small pop of airtime for all from the steepness and it has some good
zip to it. It also has a lot of mist, so those in front will get moist during the descent.
Then comes the splash. This is easily the wettest part of the ride.
This sends a massive splash towards the boat. Your entire upper body will get very wet. In the rear
rows, it’s advisable to lift your feet at this point because the floor of the boat will fill
with water and take its sweet time draining. If you’re in front, your footwear is getting
wet no matter what. The splash causes water to pour over the nose of the boat.
You then float back to the station, ending the 1827 foot or 557 meter long course.
This takes about 6 minutes to complete, which makes it one of the longer flumes out there.
So what would I rate Rio Bravo? I would give this ride a 9 out of 10.
This is easily one of the best flumes out there. Few flumes have better set pieces. I love the rock
mountain and Dodge City sequence. Then the drops are well above average too. You have one backwards
plunge and a giant drop at the end. And this ride is super refreshing on those hot summer days.
The reason this ride loses a point is because the experience has degraded over time.
The bunny hill was once the ride’s standout moment and it has recently been tamed. Then the
motion and audio effects seen on the Australian version were non-existent.
If the park could restore these two items, Rio Bravo could potentially be my second favorite
flume in the world after Splash Mountain. But as it stands, I prefer a few others to
this one, including Wild West Falls. That being said, this is still a fantastic attraction and the
best water ride in all of Spain. So those are my thoughts on Rio
Bravo at Parque Warner Madrid. What are your thoughts on this Intamin flume? Is it one of your
favorite water rides as well? Let me know down in the comments. If you enjoyed this review, I’d
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lot more roller coaster and amusement park videos here at Canobie Coaster. Thanks for watching!