The Edge is a dueling water coaster at Soaky Mountain Waterpark in Tennessee.
This is a unique water slide blending multiple ride systems together.
You have the thrilling uphill ascents of a master blaster and a giant wall from a boomerango.
And you also get the racing element typically reserved for mat racers! Does all this make it
one of the best water coasters out there? Find out in this review of the Edge.
Soaky Mountain opened in 2020 and their signature attraction was Avalaunch. This
ProSlide water coaster features a series of sharp drops and quick pacing. And it ends with a giant
wall element, a first for a water coaster! Water coasters are typically the most popular
slides at their respective water park. Guests love the more diversified ride experience.
And it was no different at Soaky Mountain. Day-after-day, Avaluanch drew the longest wait.
Some parks like Holiday World have added multiple water coasters because of how popular they are.
Soaky Mountain did something similar for their new-for-2022 addition.
Last year, they debuted the Edge. This would be a duo of water coasters from WhiteWater West,
the first slides in the park not built by ProSlide. The 7 story tall tower would
be placed on the edge of the hill, making it highly visible from the main road down below.
And this ride definitely has an eye-catching appearance. It has a multi-colored paint scheme
with shades of orange, teal, and white. Then those two walls at the end are not only massive, but
they bare the ride’s logo. And the racing element is enjoyable for both riders and on-lookers.
The Edge is located in the very back of the park. During my lone visit to Soaky Mountain, the line
stretched towards the bottom of the stairs, which equated to a 20sih minute wait. While I did visit
on a holiday weekend, the weather was unseasonably chilly so the overall crowd levels at the park
were manageable. I would make this your second priority of the day after experiencing Avalaunch.
Riders grab double tubes at the bottom and carry them to the top.
You can either ride solo or in pairs. You just need to satisfy the weight limits.
Each raft must have at least 110 pounds, but less than 450 pounds. Then no individual
rider can exceed 300 pounds. The park is very strict about enforcing these.
At the top, each rider is weighed individually and then together. The park is then very strict
about how guest enter the tube, telling them to fall in sideways and then rotate 90 degrees
so they’re facing forwards. While the two slides theoretically should make this more efficient than
your average water coaster, the loading procedure did lead to a delay in between each dispatch.
Once both tubes are loaded, the operator dispatches them in tandem. And I love how
the first few elements are side-by-side to accentuate the racing element.
That’s the slide’s biggest strength and it’s executed much better
than on something like Holiday World’s Cheetah Chase because of the proximity.
The Edge starts with a steep 3 story plunge. While there’s no airtime, it
does have good zip and speed for a water slide. You are then propelled uphill by powerful water
jets. They’ll hit your back, but they won’t shoot over your head like they do on Avalaunch.
After navigating a 180 degree enclosed turn, you are treated to the ride’s best drop.
It’s a two story plunge, but with the added speed, you get a weak pop of airtime here.
You then climb uphill once again into an enclosed tunnel.
There, you have some mild turns. The visuals are cool though since you pass through these
multi-colored aqualucent strips. But the best part about this section is the music selection.
You hear the invincibility song from Mario Kart. Combined with the visuals,
it feels like you’re going through Rainbow Road. When you emerge outdoors, you navigate the ride’s
largest drop. If you have a heavy tube, you’ll get a teeny bit of airtime here.
This immediately takes you into the giant wall. You go quite high if you’re on the heavier side
and you also get some weightlessness here. Then on the way down, your raft will spin and
likely pinball off the side of the trough. Off-ride, this moment is paired with some
more Mario sound effects, which is a nice touch. After the wall, there’s a bunny hill. I was
hopeful it would pop the tube into the air, but it was too gradual to do so. Instead,
it’s all about the racing element here. The automated dispatch syncs the two rafts up nicely,
so it’s often a photo finish and there’s a clock at the end showing who wins.
And whoever loses gets a special spiel berating them.
So what would I rate the Edge? I would give this water coaster an 8 out of 10. This is a
good master blaster slide. Wall slides are nice on their own, so when you add some extra water
coaster elements in advance, it’s a treat. While the drops don’t have the same airtime as some
water coasters, they’re still well above average compared to most water slides and 1-2 will give a
little airtime. Then you have the racing element which really makes the attraction memorable.
While Avalaunch is still the best slide at the park, this is a wonderful second option.
So those are my thoughts on the Edge, the dueling water coasters at Soaky Mountain
Waterpark in Tennessee. What are your thoughts on this slide? Do you like the marriage of a bunch
of different ride systems? Let me know down in the comments. If you enjoyed this review, I’d
appreciate it if you gave this video a like and you considered subscribing since there will be a
lot more roller coaster and amusement park videos here at Canobie Coaster. Thanks for watching!