Rocket Rapids is the newest water slide at Quassy’s Splash Away Bay water park.
This water coaster features 3 uphill ascents, 4 saucer turns, and a soaking ride experience
that will have most riders come off laughing.
In this review, I will explain why this is the best water slide at Quassy and the best
water coaster in New England.
Rocket Rapids is the most expensive addition Quassy has ever added in their 114 year history.
Like all the attractions at Splash Away Bay, Rocket Rapids was built by ProSlide.
Rocket Rapids is a RocketBlast style water coaster, meaning it uses water jets to propel
riders uphill.
While this isn’t as fast of a propulsion method as magnets, it is a far more soaking
means.
Anytime you reach the top of a hill, the water jets comically douse riders in water.
This attraction is located towards the back of the water park and it has a striking appearance.
You have bright yellow and blue pipes plus black and white saucer turns.
All these colors make the ride really pop.
The park is still finishing the landscaping around the attraction, but I don’t blame
them for getting this attraction open as soon as possible for the peak summer season.
Riders experience Rocket Rapids in pairs.
No single riders are allowed.
The two riders together must weigh between 150 and 400 pounds.
You are weighed at the top of the tower prior to riding.
But before climbing that tower, you need to grab a raft.
If the ride has a full queue, you’ll need to wait by the slide exit to grab a raft.
If the staircase isn’t filled entirely, you’ll find rafts at the base of the stairs
waiting for you.
I was pleasantly surprised how quick this line moved.
Quassy dispatches the next raft the second the previous one hits the final splashdown.
A full queue on the staircase only took 15-20 minutes.
And that wait offers great views of both Rocket Rapids and Lake Quassapaug.
It’s roughly 35 feet or 11 meters tall, but it offers one of the park’s best viewpoints
since there are no trees blocking the lake.
Once dispatched, you round a turn and head towards the ride’s most extreme drop by
far.
This is the largest and steepest drop.
And considering you have decent speed into it, this results in a great pop of airtime
for both riders.
I was surprised how strong this drop was for a predominantly family park.
You then are propelled uphill swiftly with the water jets.
At the top, you are pelted by torrents of water as they splash overhead.
If you’ve ridden Cheetah Chase at Holiday World, this is a similar sensation.
You then navigate back-to-back saucer turns.
These turns aren’t forceful, but they keep the ride’s pace going.
You then shoot up the second ascent.
You do slowdown pretty noticeably at the top of this one though, but like before, you are
comically drenched by the water.
You then coast down another saucer turn.
This one is angled downwards to build up some more speed.
Next is the third and final uphill bit.
This one is short, but just as soaking as before.
You then glide around one last saucer turn.
This one is taken pretty slowly, but the ride is about over at this point.
You then hit the final splashdown, ending the nearly 600 foot or 183 meter long slide.
So what would I rate Rocket Rapids?
I would give this water slide a 6 out of 10.
This rating is indicative of how Rocket Rapids is an average water coaster of all those I’ve
experienced.
But an average water coaster is still a well above average water slide.
This slide is pure fun.
The initial drop delivers the airtime and thrills.
Then the rest of the ride has drenching uphill sections and decent turns to round out the
experience.
This is easily the best water slide at Quassy and the best water coaster you can experience
in New England.
If you’re looking for a comparison, I’d say this ride is similar to Hersheypark’s
Breakers Edge with the uphill ascents of Cheetah Chase.
ProSlide really did a great job with this attraction given Quassy’s height restrictions.
Quassy can’t build rides taller than 3.5 stories in height.
Yet this attraction packs in thrills comparable to water coasters twice its size.
That’s a great accomplishment and the ride is a clear winner for the park.
So those are my thoughts on Rocket Rapids at Quassy.
What are your thoughts on this Connecticut park’s newest water slide?
Do you agree it’s the park’s best water slide?
Let me know your thoughts down below.
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