Sea World... Journey to what?

[figment1986]

I remember you guys saying the JTA was going to be real competion for the TOT since it was going to be so incredible. I guess you were wrong. This ride sole purpose is to make you as wet as possible. I remember going down a long flat area where they aimed water spitters at you for about sixty yards. Then you go up and down and get wet. Then up the elevator go around and down the big drop. Game over. What happen to fire effects and the inside dark ride portion? The whole thing was mostly outside.

The city council... that’s what happened to it...

[PumpkinKing!]

The city council... that’s what happened to it...

What do you mean the city council? Explain Figment please?
Dont get me wrong its a nice ride... but nothing like the hype I had heard. Just was expecting too much I guess.

[figment1986]

From what I remember reading on here, they didn't like what Busch entertainment proposed, so they worked together on a thing, and that was the final product.... Maybe the original model is laying around, or modified to fit San Antonio?

[filmfreak11]

The tech for this ride I think is impressive, but like everyone says, themeing and story is very lacking. I understand USH's Mummy coaster's story more for crying outloud. First time I rode Sea World San Diego's JTA, I was just dazed and confused what the point was. The aquiriam by their store is pretty nice though .

I think if Disney got a hold of this water coaster tech and themed it right for DCA, I think it'd be cool. What I had in mind was the flume portion be a irrigation system and the coaster portion abandoned mine tracks. Guests board boats to check on if the irrigation is running fine. Well, something goes wrong and the guests find out the hard way the irrigation system is NOT fine. The vertical lift is themed as a sort of water wheel to put water up and let grativity take its course to transport water...

[tloolgb]

I remember you guys saying the JTA was going to be real competion for the TOT since it was going to be so incredible.

Maybe they were expecting it to be like SWO's, which when opened, was rated as one of the best dark ride expiriences of the year.

[SCUBAbe]

I remember going down a long flat area where they aimed water spitters at you for about sixty yards.

yep, and peopel pay 25cents to fire the water cannon at peole in the boats....i guess thats one way to make extra money...LOL

[Jspider]

I remember you guys saying the JTA was going to be real competion for the TOT since it was going to be so incredible. I guess you were wrong. This ride sole purpose is to make you as wet as possible. I remember going down a long flat area where they aimed water spitters at you for about sixty yards. Then you go up and down and get wet. Then up the elevator go around and down the big drop. Game over. What happen to fire effects and the inside dark ride portion? The whole thing was mostly outside.

actualy the long portion you're mentioning game after the first drop

anywho I don't really thing that's the point of the ride since I went on it and barly got wet at all

not sure what the point is really it's a fairly short ride and is basicaly like a very basic log flume with a small amount of theming put into it

if you want a ride that's all about getting wet then try Shipwreck rapids (of course SHipweck also has a better plot)

[figment1986]

yep, and people pay 25cents to fire the water cannon at people in the boats....I guess that’s one way to make extra money...LOL

Busch Entertainment has them on any water attraction.. SWO has them on Atlantis... BGT has then on Congo River rapids...

[Imaginerd]

Being a San Diego native, I grew up with Sea World and it has definitely changed over the years. Some for the good, some for the bad. Shipwreck Rapids was a great addition to the park. Not only is the ride themed very well, the surrounding areas are quite nice as well. A very good (tho perhaps randomly placed considering you wouldn't have a shipwrecked ship in the middle of the land -- perhaps closer to the water?) addition.

Journey to Atlantis is just.... ridiculous. They could have done something very cool and it ended up as a very cheap and very ugly addition to the park. Even from the parking lot it's ugly -- and especially from far away. (I used to live in Bankers Hill, overlooking the park/airport.) It is true the city did step in and mess with the plans, but that, I don't believe, did not have much to do with the lack of themeing or execution of the ride. They could have done all they wanted at low-level if they wanted show scenes, etc.

The fact that you can see GIANT speakers everywhere and the layout of the area is weak (dead-end) and even the landscaping is a joke for such a beautifully landscaped park! Overall, the execution did not live up to anything near Orlando's version.

[lisaboo]

When I went about two years ago we were standing in the que and I was impressed because all of a sudden the tunnel started shaking and rumbling. I was thinking "Wow, this que might be even better than Indy!" and then we came out of the tunnel and we were told that there had just been an earthquake!!

So they shut the rides down to make sure there had been no damage. They were still doing the shows though so we went over to the Dolphin show and ended up sitting in front of the pop singer Brandy and her NBA boyfriend. Later we went back to go on Atlantis once they had cleared them for operation again. I was so underwhelmed.

Like everyone else said, it was very short, the story was muddled and other than the elevator technology that took the vehicles from the water portion to the coaster portion, extremely boring.

[xfkirsten]

When I went about two years ago we were standing in the que and I was impressed because all of a sudden the tunnel started shaking and rumbling. I was thinking "Wow, this que might be even better than Indy!" and then we came out of the tunnel and we were told that there had just been an earthquake!!

I remember that! A friend of mine was working at JTA, and after they evacuated everyone, she was texting me out of boredom while they waited for the ride to be checked out. It was all over the news, too, with aerial shots of the ride.

[filmfreak11]

When I went about two years ago we were standing in the que and I was impressed because all of a sudden the tunnel started shaking and rumbling. I was thinking "Wow, this que might be even better than Indy!" and then we came out of the tunnel and we were told that there had just been an earthquake!!

So they shut the rides down to make sure there had been no damage. They were still doing the shows though so we went over to the Dolphin show and ended up sitting in front of the pop singer Brandy and her NBA boyfriend. Later we went back to go on Atlantis once they had cleared them for operation again. I was so underwhelmed.

Like everyone else said, it was very short, the story was muddled and other than the elevator technology that took the vehicles from the water portion to the coaster portion, extremely boring.

I was thinking to myself as I read that "the queue shaked??". Wow, that's one of heck of a story you got there. True, the only worthy thing to talk about is the vertical lift and out you go on a roller coaster. I think in the elevator, it rocked the boat as you went up. Then there was the random projection of dolphins... = /

[kayoss]

Actually, I rather liked "Journey to Nowhere" (as I call it ) for it's sheer badness. It's the 'superstar limo' of 'e-ticket' type attractions. It's just so mind-numbingly lame..... I couldn't help but laugh and laugh every time I went on it (no line helped a lot too...)

I do think that the elevator section (did you know there's actually TWO elevators travelling that tunnel at once...?) is pretty impressive. As far as I know, it IS the only flume lift elevator that not only lifts your boat straight up, but also rocks it side to side. I couldn't help but be impressed by what must've been a really tricky technical accomplishment.

I think that's what makes the ride SOOOOOO dissapointing (and therefore even better as a 'disaster in what could've been') is you have a really original and impressive peice of technology in the lift, yet the ride has no payoff, no theming, and no point.

[figment1986]

Actually, I rather liked "Journey to Nowhere" (as I call it ) for it's sheer badness. It's the 'superstar limo' of 'e-ticket' type attractions. It's just so mind-numbingly lame..... I couldn't help but laugh and laugh every time I went on it (no line helped a lot too...)

I do think that the elevator section (did you know there's actually TWO elevators travelling that tunnel at once...?) is pretty impressive. As far as I know, it IS the only flume lift elevator that not only lifts your boat straight up, but also rocks it side to side. I couldn't help but be impressed by what must've been a really tricky technical accomplishment.

I think that's what makes the ride SOOOOOO dissapointing (and therefore even better as a 'disaster in what could've been') is you have a really original and impressive peice of technology in the lift, yet the ride has no payoff, no theming, and no point.

I wonder what we could do to talk management at the park to put some cash itno a referbishment.. and add some fixes to the attraction.... "Maybe" build an ampitheater or something along the area thats covered... for a show scene or 2 if they dont wana build a better ruins...

[Imaginerd]

I would rather have seen them not theme it at all then try to theme it and completely blow it. I almost forgot about the huge power generator or water pump thing to the right of the ride, and the parking lot view as you come out of the elevator. They had a whole beautiful park they could have overlooked, but no, we get cars.

But really, the funniest part to me are the SPEAKERS. They are SO BIG and they don't even try to hide them in rocks or sand or anything. They are GIANT teal blue speakers on sticks. Redic!