Rattlesnake Rapids, Lagoon's newest ride, opened in mid-April and has proven to be the park's most popular attraction and one of the wildest water rapids rides in the West.
The $7 million attraction, located on the east side of Pioneer Village and the Log Flume Ride, lasts just three minutes. However, you'll get wet or soaked depending on your luck.Lines to the new attraction are usually long but move fast. The ride can handle more than 1,000 riders per hour.
The landscaping to the new ride is far from completed, but the rapids are there minus one major tunnel, one large waterfall and a water bomb system (where the public will be able to soak riders). It's still well worth it.
Rattlesnake Rapids is not only longer than other such rides in the West at 1,700 feet, it is more exciting as well. It definitely moves faster and has stronger rapids than Knott's Berry Farm's Bigfoot Rapids, Silverwood's Thunder Canyon in northern Idaho and any other such ride I've ridden or seen.
Contrary to previous information, there are height restrictions for Rattlesnake Rapids. Riders must be at least 36 inches tall. Passengers have to be with an adult too - if they are less than 46 inches in height.
While the height restriction may disappoint young families hoping to ride together (the circular rafts easily hold six adults and up to nine adults/kids), the ride is definitely too rough for kids under age 3.
In fact, lacking seat belts, any kids under age 3 who may still get past the measuring stick because of tall hairdos or thick shoes had better hope their parents help them hold on! The ride has very rugged motions.
Unlike some other rapids rides, all but three of the Rattlesnake Rapids circular rafts lack waterproof storage containers in their centers. Thus, wallets, purses and stuffed animals might get wet.
I'd recommend riders bring plastic bags to Lagoon to protect wallets or purses - unless they're left with non-riders. Riders may be lucky enough to get one of the three rafts with plastic storage containers.
Spectators have a wide viewing area with at least two good photo opportunities. In my premiere ride, I was lucky and only got one shoe soaked - the biggest splashes come through any one of the raft's three passenger openings. The other five passengers were not so lucky, and some had their backs drenched.
My wife was also soaked after her separate ride, but then the three adults on her raft sat on the same side and apparently created a much wetter ride, too.
In the weeks that followed, Lagoon has started up some water geysers near the end of the ride, and if you're not wet by that point, they will ensure you get soaked. Lagoon also has a small games and souvenir store at Rattlesnake Rapids.
The cost of the Rattlesnake Rapids ride is part of the regular Lagoon admission.
Because the ride is new, Lagoon patrons may want to make it an early priority, since it will undoubtedly have the park's longest lines all year long. (It will likely make the park's other ride lines a little shorter.)
The rapids ride has also caused the demise of the Stagecoach Ride. It used to start at the south end of Pioneer Village, but Rattlesnake Rapids took away the circular loop the Stagecoach used to travel.
Lagoon is open daily (11 a.m. Sunday through Friday and at 10 a.m. Saturdays) through Labor Day.