The six-story water slide gives riders a free-falling experience.
View full size06.13.2013 | AGAWAM -- The Republican sports reporter Pam McCray completes a ride of the new Bonzai Pipeline at Six Flags New England. AGAWAM – I step into a large capsule, water flowing down my back and the countdown is set to begin. I’m just 3 seconds away from losing the floor beneath my feet and dropping into a heart stopping free-fall.
Three ....I don’t think I’m ready for this. Two ... What was I thinking? One ...
I gasp for one final breath and watch as my surroundings disappear and I begin to fall 75 feet down. Through twists and turns and a full 360 degree loop, I emerge in a pool of water, my heart pounding, but what an adrenaline rush it was.
That was my experience on Six Flags' new Bonzai Pipelines water slide, the latest addition to the Hurricane Harbor water park.
The six-story slide allows six guests at a time to enter individual “Drenaline Drop” capsules and watch as the floor drops from beneath them while cruising at speeds up to 40 miles per hour. From 75 feet in the air, the rider flies through the enclosed 257-foot long slide into a pool of water at the bottom.
It’s a thrill to say the least and if you’re anything like me, it’s an adventure you’ll want to take on several times.
“It’s Hurricane Harbor’s newest and largest attraction,” Jennifer McGrath, Six Flags’ communications manager said. “This is the largest expansion Hurricane Harbor has seen in over a decade.”
The four acre expansion is known as Bonzai Beach and the added attraction may help alleviate long lines on hot summer days.
“We can actually accommodate several thousand more guests in our water park, so that’s really exciting for us,” McGrath added. “On hot days our water park is so busy so now guests will be free roaming and having a good time.”
I had the pleasure of testing out Bonzai Pipelines at the official grand opening on Thursday. Despite gloomy weather conditions, I took the plunge before the heavy rain hit.
Each of the six slides, with names such as “Velocity” and “Plummer,” give guests a unique experience so it’s worth going several times. One time obviously wasn’t enough for me as I took on the slide three times in a row. With a name like “Velocity” I should’ve known it was going to be fast.
Surprisingly, each time was better than the last. Maybe that’s because I knew what to expect the second and third times around, but most likely, it’s because it’s just a great ride.
The scariest part you ask? That would be the countdown to the free-fall. With anticipation building and your heart pounding, it feels like the longest 3 seconds of your life. Losing the floor beneath my feet was the ultimate thrill; something that I had never experienced before but will definitely want to experience again.