Float down a Viking river through raging rapids and under cascading waterfalls
Float down a Viking river through raging rapids and under cascading waterfalls
| Theme Park | Legoland Windsor |
|---|---|
| Park Area | Land of the Vikings |
| Type | River Rapids Ride |
| Audience | Families |
| Opened | 18 August 2007 |
| Closed | 25 September 2023 |
| Manufacturer | ABC Rides |
| Duration | 3 minutes |
| Extras | Q-Bot On-Ride Photos |
Rapids boat
Vikings’ River Splash was one of Legoland’s wettest rides, which took visitors on a trip down a raging river past Lego Viking figures. It was a whitewater rapids style ride, with riders journeying downstream in nine seater circular boats.
Almost before the ride started, boats passed through a cascading waterfall, then alongside a set of water guns operated by fellow park guests. Riders would have been wise to head the pre-ride warnings about getting soaked!
Floating downstream as the river bent this way and that, boats were tossed around in the turbulent waters, crashing into the sides as they passed by various Lego Viking characters.
In the early years, near the end of the ride there was a large tipping bucket that would gradually fill with water. When it was full it would tip over, emptying its contents over the unlucky boat below. This was turned off and eventually removed during the ride's latter years however – perhaps this was too wet for even Legoland’s most drenching ride!
The ride was originally supposed to open at the start of the 2007 season, although rumoured problems with the original manufacturer caused substantial delays and the new version from ABC Rides didn’t open until the middle of the summer. Perched half way up the hillside, in the early days its concrete water channel was very visible and looked a bit unfinished, but trees and landscaping were subsequently added to help screen the worst offending parts.
Apart from on the coldest of days, Vikings’ River Splash was one of the most popular rides in the park, but was luckily also one of Legoland’s highest capacity attractions.
At the end of August 2023, the park announced that Vikings' River Splash would permanently close less than a month later, on 25th September. Despite it having been closed for increasingly long periods of downtime and maintenance, the announcement was still largely unexpected. Nothing immediately replaced it, meaning it - and the Land of the Vikings area which it occupied - simply disappeared from the park map for the 2024 season.
The ride entrance, brought to you by Denmark
Vikings' River Splash loading platform on a sunny summer day
Floating down river
Hold on tight as the boat enters the rapids
Red Lego dragon
A Lego Viking
Looking down on the Land of the Vikings and Vikings' River Splash
Vikings' River Splash
Riders board boats from a slow moving circular platform
Each rapids boat can accomodate up to nine people
Through a misty bone tunnel
A pleasant journey on a sunny afternoon
Water guns guarantee that no rider stays dry
Face to face with the ice dragon
Tipping buckets near the end of the ride
Tipping buckets in action
It's not over until the fat (Viking) lady sings
