It seems appropriate when I step onto Dive Bomber, the new 10-story water slide at Six Flags White Water, that I find myself easing into a capsule that ironically resembles a coffin.
The ride operator then instructs me to cross my hands on top of my chest, not unlike a recently deceased body.
Is she trying to tell me something?
Once inside, the prerecorded sound of a heartbeat echoes in the chamber, which rivals the thumping of my own. Soon a voiceover starts the countdown, “Three, two, one.”
The bottom of the capsule quickly drops out from under me, and down the chute I shoot. In the midst of a free-fall sensation, I manage to squeak out a yelp as my body nearly drops straight down, almost at a 90-degree angle. According to White Water staff, I’m sliding at speeds of more than 40 mph.
Tucked away at the south end of the park, Dive Bomber is White Water’s big splash for its 2015 season. Before taking the plunge, I climbed the stairs of a looming tower that stands nearly 100-feet high. After waiting in line for nearly an hour, I reached the tower’s zenith. It was then I saw I was at the highest point in the park, even taller than the surrounding trees swaying in the breeze.
Although the drop itself only lasted 10 seconds, the intense thrill of Dive Bomber quickly erased any reminder of the extended time I spent in the queue. Sure, that casket-like capsule and the white knuckle drop may momentarily conjure images of the Grim Reaper. But, after taking Dive Bomber’s death-defying drop, I never felt more alive.
IF YOU GO
Protect those feet
Six Flags White Water flows across 47 acres of Cobb County real estate with more than 20 slides, rides, pool areas and attractions. This means a lot of hoofing. The scorching concrete can be murder on the feet, so make sure and invest in a pair of water shoes before you go.
Stay hydrated
While standing in line for rides beneath the sweltering sun, it’s easy to get parched. And you definitely want to stay hydrated. Although guests aren’t allowed to bring any outside food or drink into White Water, cups of ice water are free at park concession stands.
Time management
Like most theme parks, lines sometimes stretch longer than Dive Bomber’s drop. If you want to make the most of your time at the park, you might consider making an additional investment by purchasing a Flash Pass online. Although you wait as long as everyone else is waiting, the regular Flash Pass ($25 weekdays; $30 weekends) allows you to schedule ride times on some of the more popular attractions and you don’t have to stand in line. This way you can spend your wait time exploring other parts of the park. The Flash Pass Gold ($45 weekdays; $55 weekends) also permits you to schedule your ride time, and your wait will be as much as 50 percent faster than the current wait time.
Six Flags White Water. Open daily through summer. Check the park's website for hours. $41.99; $36.99 for children shorter than 48 inches; free ages 2 and younger. Discounts available on the website. 250 Cobb Parkway N. #100, Marietta. 770-948‑929, sixflags.com/whitewater.
OTHER WATER PARKS
Terminus Wake Park
Itching to kneeboard or wakeboard, but you don’t have a boat? This Cartersville attraction has the solution. A series of cables high above its lakes have the ability tow wakeboarders, water skiers, kneeboarders and other water sportsmen, regardless of their skill level.
First timers opt for private beginner lessons on the training lake. The beginner full-size lake offers smaller water park features and beginner-friendly rails. Veterans take on the advanced lake with its more challanging features. Imagine waterlogged versions of those found in snowboarding parks.
The park rents helmets, vests and boards. At Terminus, you’ll also find private lessons, summer camps and other special events.
11 a.m.-8 p.m. Mondays-Fridays; 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Saturdays; noon-8 p.m. Sundays.$50 beginner lesson; $35 two hours; $45 four hours; $55 all day; $195 one-week pass; $350 one-month pass; $1,100 annual pass. 171 LakePoint Parkway, Cartersville. 470-315-0155, terminuswakepark.com.
LanierWorld
The popular beach and water park located on the shores of Lake Lanier seems to change like the tide.
Sure, old favorites return for the 2015 season. WildWaves, its massive wave pool, continues to ebb and flow. Triple Threat, a body slide with a trio of drops, and the down-the-drain sensation of Fun Dunker Drop remain favorites.
But new additions this year include the four-lane CAT4 Tube Slide, which sends racers into Lake Lanier. The park has doubled the size of the Wibit, its inflatable aquatic obstacle course located in the lake. It also has introduced the Thunderbolt: Triple Zips, a three-lane zip line that carries riders over the lake.
Special events are scheduled throughout the summer, including the Independence Day weekend celebration running through July 5, featuring fireworks, live concerts and more.
Open daily through summer. Check the website for hours. $41.99 42 inches and taller; $31.99 ages 55 and older, active military and those shorter than 42 inches; free ages 2 and younger. After 8 p.m. $10 Mondays-Fridays; $15 Saturdays-Sundays; $20 holidays and special events. Beach access only: $10 Mondays-Fridays; $15 Saturdays-Sundays; $20 holidays and special events. 7000 Lanier Islands Parkway, Buford. 770-945-8787, lanierislands.com.
Six Flags Over Georgia’s Hurricane Harbor
Last year, Six Flags opened this water park within the theme park, the largest expansion in the venue’s history.
Hurricane Harbor builds upon the water slide-laden, family splash zone formerly known as Skull Island. Rechristened Paradise Island, it serves as an element of Hurricane Harbor, which occupies the expanse where the Southern Star Amphitheater once stood.
You’ll also find the Calypso Bay wave pool and its 4-foot swells, a multi-slide complex dubbed Bonzai Pipelines and the more daring Tsunami Surge. Six Flags bills the latter as the world’s first hybrid zero-gravity slide. The payoff comes at the ride’s end when the four-person raft gets shot perpendicular to the ground giving the quick sensation of zero gravity.
Open daily through summer. Check the website for hours. $63.99; $43.99 for those 48 inches and shorter; free ages 2 and younger. Free with admission to Six Flags. Discounts available on the park's website. 275 Riverside Parkway, Austell. 770-948-9290, sixflags.com.
The Beach at Clayton County International Park
You don’t have to go far to reach the beach. Located 8 miles south of Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport, this beach invites guests to relax on the sand next to a spring-fed man-made lake.
Others opt for a more action-packed experience. Cruise down the park’s four new water slides. Or you can swim in the lake, bounce on the water trampoline or attempt to conquer the Iceberg, a floating rock climbing wall. Once you reach the peak, you can slide down the other side.
Smaller slides and tot-friendly liquid attractions can be found in the kiddie play area. Its Fourth of July celebration includes live music, fireworks and a special $10 discount holiday admission.
Closed Mondays and Tuesdays. Check the website for hours. $11 ages 13-54; $9 ages 3-12 and 55 and older; free ages 2 and younger. 2300 Highway 138 S.E., Jonesboro. 770-477-3766, claytonparks.com.
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