Hopkins Rides
| Name | Hopkins Rides |
| Logo | ![]() |
| Predecessor | O.D. Hopkins Associates, Inc. |
| Successor | Hopkins Rides, Inc. |
| Foundation | 1962 |
| Founder | O.D. Hopkins |
| Location City | Palm City, Florida |
| Location Country | United States |
| Area Served | Worldwide |
| Industry | Manufacturing |
| Products | Amusement rides, roller coasters |
| Homepage | https://www.whitewaterwest.com/ |
Hopkins Rides is an amusement ride manufacturer based in Palm City, Florida. The company has produced amusement rides for over 45 years and currently focuses on water rides.
History
In 1962 O.D. Hopkins incorporated Hopkins Engineering of Contoocook, New Hampshire and started installing ski lifts for J.A. Roebling & Sons of Trenton, New Jersey. In 1965, Hopkins purchased the ski lift division and all the related assets from Roebling & Sons. Soon afterwards a competitor, Universal Design Ltd., discontinued manufacturing Sky Rides, and their customers turned to Hopkins Engineering for parts. Hopkins' first customer in the amusement business was Charles Wood of Storytown USA.
In 1971, the name of the company was changed to O.D. Hopkins Associates Inc. In 1979, Hopkins was approached by Paul Roads, owner of Wonderland Park (Texas), to build a reasonably-priced log flume for his park. The success of that project started Hopkins in the water ride manufacturing business. The aerial ropeway/sky ride division was spun off to Skyfair, Inc. on January 1, 1986.
In November, 2001, O.D. Hopkins and Associates Inc. filed for bankruptcy protection. The company reorganized and emerged as Hopkins Rides, LLC in May 2002, and was for a brief time in partnership with Reverchon Industries of France.
In August 2012 water slide manufacturer WhiteWater West acquired assets and intellectual property from Hopkins Rides, LLC. Although WhiteWater Attractions has adopted the Hopkins Rides technology, it is not a parent company to Hopkins Rides, LLC and the companies operate independently. WhiteWater sells its products under the Water Rides brand.
Manufacturing
The company originally manufactured Sky Rides, but in the 1980s, with the increase in popularity of their water-based attractions, those rides became the company's primary product. In addition to the water-based attractions, Hopkins built seven roller coasters from 1985 to 1996. They also occasionally made other amusement ride types such as a SkyGlider, tube slides, and a water jet ride known as an Aqua Drag. Santa's Village still operates its SkyGlider, and Wonderland Park still operates its Aqua Drag and SkyGlider in addition to its other Hopkins rides.
Hopkins also re-fabricated portions of track on two Arrow Dynamics-built coasters: Dahlonega Mine Train at Six Flags Over Georgia received 1,400 feet of new track and supports in 1986 and Canobie Corkscrew at Canobie Lake Park received new track and supports in 1990.
The company currently focuses only on water ride attractions:
- Shoot the Chute rides
- Flumes and larger capacity Super Flumes
- River Raft ride
- Water Transportation Systems
List of roller coasters
As of 2019, Hopkins Rides has built 7 roller coasters around the world.
| Name | Model | Park | Country | Opened | Status | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Texas Tornado | Looping Coaster | Wonderland Amusement Park | United States | 1985 | ||
| Polar Coaster | Junior Coaster | Story Land | United States | 1987 | ||
| Cliff Hanger Formerly Red Devil | Looping Coaster | Ghost Town Village | United States | 1988 | ||
| Dragon | Looping Coaster | Adventureland | United States | 1990 | ||
| Desert Storm | Looping Coaster | Castles N' Coasters | United States | 1992 | ||
| Patriot | Junior Coaster | Castles N' Coasters | United States | 1992 | ||
| New Wild Mouse Coaster | Wild Mouse | Misaki Park | Japan | 1996 |
List of other attractions
Flumes
Unless otherwise specified, all flumes feature at least one lift and a drop into a splash pool.
| Opened | Name | Park | Notes | Status | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980 | Big Splash Log Flume | Wonderland Park | Elevated section | Operating | |
| 1981 | Log Flume | Hamel's Amusement Park | Defunct | ||
| 1981 | Log Flume | Camden Park | 2 drops | Operating | |
| 1981 | Sawmill River | Crystal Beach | 2 drops, elevated section | Defunct | |
| 1982 | Big Splash log flume | Western Playland | Elevated section | Defunct | |
| 1982 | Policy Pond | Canobie Lake Park | 2 drops | Operating | |
| 1983 | Yule Log Flume | Santa's Village | Operating | ||
| 1983 | Mystery River Log Flume | Frontier City | Operating | ||
| 1984 | Log Flume | Seabreeze | Operating | ||
| 1984 | Log Flume | Myrtle Beach Pavilion | 2 drops, elevated section | Defunct | |
| 1984 | Frightful Falls | Holiday World | Operating | ||
| 1984 | Thunder Falls Log Flume | Funtown | Operating | ||
| 1985 | Rocky Mountain Rapids | Cliff's Amusement Park | Elevated section | Operating | |
| 1985 | Zoom Phloom | Morey's Piers | 2 drops, elevated section | Operating | |
| 1985 | Log Jam | Joyland Park | Defunct | ||
| 1989 | Splash Mountain | Disneyland | 5 drops, elevated sections | Defunct | |
| 1989 | Log Flume | Great Basin Adventure at Rancho San Rafael | Closed | ||
| 1989 | Log Ride | Castle Amusement Park | 2 drops, elevated section | Operating | |
| 1990 | Flume | Knoebels Amusement Resort | 2 drops, elevated section | Operating | |
| 1991 | Splashdown | Castles N' Coasters | 2 drops, elevated section | Operating | |
| August 11, 1992 | Log Chute | Nickelodeon Universe | 2 drops, elevated section | Operating | |
| 1992 | Canyon Falls Log Flume | Wonderland Pier | Elevated section | Defunct | |
| 1992 | Log Jammer | Kiddieland Amusement Park | Elevated section | Moved | |
| 1993 | Splash | Bosque Magico | Operating | ||
| 1993 | Bamboo Chutes | Story Land | Elevated section | Operating | |
| 1993 | Log Flume | Playland | 2 drops | Operating | |
| 1994 | Timber Wolf Howling Log Ride | Timber Falls | 2 drops, elevated section | Operating | |
| 1995 | Jungle Log Jam | Enchanted Kingdom | 2 drops, elevated section | Operating | |
| 1995 | Menhir Express | Parc Astérix | 2 drops, elevated section | Operating | |
| 1995 | Thunder River | Waldameer Park | 2 drops, elevated section | Operating | |
| 1995 | Log Flume | Wonderland Family Fun Park (Dubai) | Operating | ||
| 1996 | Bali Festival Park | 2 drops | Closed | ||
| 1998 | Flume Ride | Qingdao International Beer City | 2 drops | Defunct | |
| 1998 | Monkey Falls | Ratanga Junction | 3 drops, elevated section | Defunct | |
| 1999 | Twin Mercury | Space World | 3 drops, elevated section | Defunct | |
| 1999 | Log Flume | Family Kingdom | 2 drops | Operating | |
| 2000 | Ozarka Splash | Jazzland/Six Flags New Orleans | 2 drops, elevated section | Closed | |
| 2000 | Old No. 2 Logging Company | Magic Springs | 2 drops | Operating | |
| 2001 | Legend of the Labyrinth | Lagunasia Park | 2 drops | Operating | |
| 2001 | Flume | Tokyo Dome | 2 drops, elevated section | Operating | |
| 2001 | Race for Your Life Charlie Brown | Kings Island | Rebuild of 1968 Arrow flume | Operating |
Shoot the Chute rides
| Opening Date | Name | Park | Country | Height | Status | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1986 | Splashwater Falls | Six Flags Great America | United States | 50ft | Defunct | ||
| 1986 | Splashwater Falls | Six Flags Over Georgia | United States | 50ft | Defunct | ||
| 1987 | Aquaman | Six Flags Over Texas | United States | 50ft | Defunct | ||
| 1987 | Splashwater Falls | Six Flags Great Adventure | United States | 50ft | Defunct | ||
| Whitewater Falls | Carowinds | United States | 50ft | Defunct | |||
| 1989 | Timberwolf Falls | Canada's Wonderland | Canada | 50ft | Operating | ||
| May 1991 | Tidal Wave | Six Flags St. Louis | United States | 50ft | Defunct | ||
| 1992 | Duinrell | Netherlands | 50ft | Operating | |||
| 1992 | The Wave | Valleyfair | United States | 50ft | Operating | ||
| 1992 | Tidal Wave | Misaki Park | Japan | 50ft | Operating | ||
| 1993 | Shipwreck Falls | Six Flags America | United States | 50ft | Defunct | ||
| 1993 | Pittsburg Plunge | Kennywood | United States | 50ft | Operating | ||
| 1993 | Splash | Mitsui Greenland | Japan | 50ft | Operating | ||
| 1993 | Splash | Mexico | 50ft | Operating | |||
| 1994 | Tidal Force | Hersheypark | United States | 100ft | Operating | ||
| 1994 | Mile High Falls | Kentucky Kingdom | United States | 90ft | Operating | ||
| 1994 | Super Splash | Dream World | Thailand | 50ft | Operating | ||
| 1994 | Adventure Falls | Michigan's Adventure | United States | 50ft | Operating | ||
| 1994 | Splash Boat | Fuji-Q Highland | Japan | 100ft | Operating | ||
| 1994 | Shoot the Chute | Nagashima Spa Land | Japan | 100ft | Operating | ||
| 1997 | Shipwreck Falls | Elitch Gardens Theme Park | 50ft | Operating | |||
| 1997 | Skloosh | Knoebels Amusement Resort | United States | 50ft | Operating | ||
| 1998 | Boston Tea Party | Canobie Lake Park | United States | 50ft | Operating | ||
| May 29, 1999 | Flash Flood | Noah's Ark Water Park | United States | 50ft | Operating | ||
| 1999 | Niagara 2017 - Eldorado Falls | Mirabilandia | Italy | 100ft | Operating | ||
| April 7, 2000 | Tidal Wave | Thorpe Park | United Kingdom | Operating | |||
| 2000 | Tsunami | Western Playland | United States | 50ft | Operating | ||
| 2000 | Shoot the Chute | Wonderland Park (Texas) | United States | 50ft | Operating | ||
| 2000 | Shipwreck Falls | Geauga Lake | United States | 50ft | |||
| 2001 | Airship Surfing | Guilin Merryland Theme Park | China | 50ft | Operating | ||
| 2001 | Playland Plunge | Playland (New York) | United States | 50ft | Operating | ||
| 2005 | Spillway Splashout | Jazzland | United States | 50ft | Closed | ||
| 2008 | Roaring Falls | Celebration City | United States | 50ft | Closed | ||
| Pirate Reef | Legoland California | United States | 25ft | Operating | |||
| 2012 | Submarine Splash | Gyeongju World/Kyongju World | South Korea | Operating | |||
| Unknown | Poseidon 30 | Kijima Kogen | Japan | 100ft | Operating |
River Raft rides
| Opened | Name | Park | Notes | Status | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1988 | Rattlesnake River Raft Ride | Wonderland Park | 6-passenger rafts | Operating | |
| 1989 | Dr. Geyser's Remarkable Raft Ride | Story Land | 6-passenger rafts | Operating | |
| 1990 | Grand Canyon | Dream World | 8-passenger rafts | Operating | |
| 1990 | Raging Rapids | Holiday World | 8-passenger rafts | Closed | |
| 1990 | Renegade Rapids | Frontier City | 8-passenger rafts | Operating | |
| 1993 | Arung Jeram | Dunia Fantasi | 6-passenger rafts | Operating | |
| 1993 | Hydro Surge | Myrtle Beach Pavilion | 6-passenger rafts | Defunct | |
| 1994 | Renegade Rapids | Six Flags America | 8-passenger rafts | Operating | |
| 1995 | Disaster Canyon | Elitch Gardens | 8-passenger rafts | Operating | |
| 1995 | Río Rápido | Bosque Magico | 8-passenger rafts | Operating | |
| 1996 | Rio Grande Rapids | Enchanted Kingdom | 8-passenger rafts | Operating | |
| 1996 | Thunder River | Lake Compounce | 8-passenger rafts | Operating | |
| 1997 | Airship Surfing | Guilin Merryland Resort | 8-passenger rafts | Operating | |
| 1998 | River Rafting Ride | Wonderland (Dubai) | 8-passenger rafts | Operating | |
| 1998 | Rapids Raft Ride | Happy Valley, Shenzhen | 8-passenger rafts | Operating | |
| 1998 | Qingdao International Beer City | 8-passenger rafts | Operating | ||
| 1999 | Blizzard River | Six Flags New England | 8-passenger rafts | Operating | |
| 1998 | Wild River Canyon | Lihpao Land | 8-passenger rafts | Operating | |
| Haikou Tropical Ocean World | 8-passenger rafts | Operating | |||
| Grand Canyon Adventure | Gyeongju World/Kyongju World | 8-passenger rafts | Operating |
Super Flumes
| Opened | Name | Park | Notes | Status | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1998 | Log Flume | Hamanako Pal Pal, Japan | Operating | |||
| 1998-04 | April 1998 | Daredevil Falls | Dollywood | Operating | ||
| 1998 | Bugs' White Water Rapids | Six Flags Fiesta Texas | Operating | |||
| 1998-12-26 | December 26, 1998 | Wild West Falls Adventure Ride | Warner Bros. Movie World | Operating | ||
| 1999 | Wild-Crazy Flume | Lihpao Land, Taiwan | Operating | |||
| 2016 | Thunder Falls | Everland, South Korea | Operating |
Notes
- Contact Hopkins Rides, Hopkins Rides, June 20, 2013
- Slade, Gary, O.D. Hopkins Enjoys Past, Anticipates Bright Future, Inside Track, 2–3, November 1989
- O. D. Hopkins Building on the Block, February 9, 2012
- WhiteWater Acquires Hopkins Rides, dead, 2012-11-16, WhiteWater West, August 24, 2012, August 23, 2012
- WhiteWater acquires Hopkins, Park World Magazine, September 2012
- Texas Tornado, Wonderland Amusement Park, 254, July 4, 2011
- Polar Coaster, Story Land, 391, July 4, 2011
- Cliff Hanger, Ghost Town Village, 234, July 4, 2011
- Dragon, Adventureland, 213, July 4, 2011
- Desert Storm, Castles N' Coasters, 350, July 4, 2011
- Patriot, Castles N' Coasters, 351, July 4, 2011
- New Wild Mouse Coaster, Misaki Park, 2407, July 4, 2011
- MacDonald, Brady, Review: Pirate Reef ride guaranteed to get you wet at Legoland, September 23, 2012, Los Angeles Times, May 27, 2012
- holidayworld, 1669001274283401218, Tweet from Holiday World announcing closure
- Interesting Facts About Dollywood's Daredevil Falls, dead, May 26, 2010, Dollywood, November 21, 2011
- Thunder Falls Now Open at Everland Resort, PGAV Destinations, February 24, 2016
References
- Contact Hopkins Rides, Hopkins Rides, June 20, 2013
- Slade, Gary, O.D. Hopkins Enjoys Past, Anticipates Bright Future, Inside Track, 2–3, November 1989
- O. D. Hopkins Building on the Block, February 9, 2012
- WhiteWater Acquires Hopkins Rides, dead, 2012-11-16, WhiteWater West, August 24, 2012, August 23, 2012
- WhiteWater acquires Hopkins, Park World Magazine, September 2012
- Texas Tornado, Wonderland Amusement Park, 254, July 4, 2011
- Polar Coaster, Story Land, 391, July 4, 2011
- Cliff Hanger, Ghost Town Village, 234, July 4, 2011
- Dragon, Adventureland, 213, July 4, 2011
- Desert Storm, Castles N' Coasters, 350, July 4, 2011
- Patriot, Castles N' Coasters, 351, July 4, 2011
- New Wild Mouse Coaster, Misaki Park, 2407, July 4, 2011
- MacDonald, Brady, Review: Pirate Reef ride guaranteed to get you wet at Legoland, September 23, 2012, Los Angeles Times, May 27, 2012
- holidayworld, 1669001274283401218, Tweet from Holiday World announcing closure
- Interesting Facts About Dollywood's Daredevil Falls, dead, May 26, 2010, Dollywood, November 21, 2011
- Thunder Falls Now Open at Everland Resort, PGAV Destinations, February 24, 2016
External links
Category:Amusement ride manufacturers
Category:Roller coaster manufacturers
Category:Manufacturing companies based in Florida
Category:Entertainment companies established in 1962
Category:Manufacturing companies established in 1962
