Credit: DisneyEver taken the ultimate plunge at Walt Disney World?
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While Walt Disney World is known for its family-friendly atmosphere and classic dark rides, the resort still packs quite a punch when it comes to delivering thrills, chills, and adrenaline-pumping action.
Recent additions like TRON Lightcycle / Run at Magic Kingdom and Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind at EPCOT prove Disney can hold its own when it comes to roller coasters, though there’s one ultra-intense attraction at Disney World you may have never heard of.
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Summit Plummet: Disney’s Most Intense Ride?
Summit Plummet is a waterslide featured at Disney’s Blizzard Beach Water Park and can go unnoticed by some guests. Sure, Disney’s two water parks, Typhoon Lagoon and Blizzard Beach, are popular, but attendance pales in comparison to the resort’s four core theme parks: Animal Kingdom, Hollywood Studios, EPCOT, and, of course, Magic Kingdom.
However, Disney World’s water parks are incredible spots for those looking to take a break from the hustle and bustle of the four theme parks. Not only are the water parks a great way to take a break from the crowds, but Typhoon Lagoon and Blizzard Beach allow guests to beat the often-brutal Florida heat.
There are plenty of rides and attractions at both Blizzard Beach and Typhoon Lagoon, though one is not like the others.
Standing tall above it all is Summit Plummet, an anxiety-inducing and heart-pumping water slide that sends guests ‘plummeting’ down 120 feet at speeds of up to 60 miles per hour.
While Disney is famous for being geared toward families, Summit Plummet is not for the faint of heart. The slide requires riders to be at least 48 inches tall, matching the TRON Lightcycle / Run, which has the strictest height requirement in all of Walt Disney World.
Blizzard Beach opened in 1995, becoming the third water park in the resort’s history. Disney’s second water park, Typhoon Lagoon, opened in 1989. River Country, Walt Disney World’s original water park, opened in 1976 and operated until 2005.
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Summit Plummet Stats
- 120′ Tall
- Up to 60 mph
- 48″ Height requirement
- One of the tallest and fastest water slides in the world
The intensity of Summit Plummet cannot be understated, though a lot of the attraction’s thrills are more mental than physical. Guests first need to trek up to the very top of Blizzard Beach in order to get in line for the slide.
Once in line, guests watch as other riders take the plunge one by one, with nothing but a metal bar standing in between them and the anxiety-inducing 120′ drop.
Once it’s their turn, guests are instructed to sit down and wait for a Disney lifeguard to give them the all-clear. The metal bar moves up, and guests face what appears to be a straight-down drop. As guests inch toward the slide, the bottom is clearly visible, acting as a reminder of where they will end up in just a few moments.
After guests move forward, there’s no turning back as the water carries them down the massive drop. The ride is over in mere seconds, but the butterflies (and potential bruises) last for much longer.
Part of what makes Summit Plummet so intimidating is the very fact that it’s a water slide. There are no seatbelts or safety restraints, just you, your bikini or trunks, and your skin. Obviously, Summit Plummet is safe, but there’s a fear factor not found in any other Disney attraction.
For that reason, Summit Plummet ranks high on our list of scariest and most intense experiences in all of Walt Disney World.
Have you taken the plunge on Summit Plummet? What do you think is Disney World’s scariest and most intense attraction?