Vikings are coming to Altoona, Iowa’s Adventureland next year in the form of two new attractions.
The park announced Tuesday that it will be adding a log flume ride called Draken Falls and a junior coaster called Flying Viking for the 2023 season, with the two additions intertwined with each other. The new flume will fill a void in the Adventureland lineup left from the 2015 closure of Log Ride after a 40-year run.
“These two unique rides are even better when they are woven together, and both add something new and special to our lineup,” Bill Lentz, Adventureland’s general manager, said in a press release. “Our guests voiced a desire for a new flume ride, and this next-generation version is bigger and better than anything to be found within hundreds of miles. Pairing it with a thrilling family roller coaster that people of all ages can enjoy is going to be a big hit.”
Both new attractions are being built by Zamperla, the Italian amusement rides company that operates Luna Park at Coney Island in New York.
Flying Viking layout rendering (Adventureland)
“Draken Falls and Flying Viking will offer unique thrills as they immerse visitors in a wonderfully themed Viking universe,” Zamperla coaster sales and marketing director Adam Sandy said. “With beautiful, custom-designed vehicles that interact with each other and their environment, plus satisfying splashdowns and speed bursts, these rides will make great additions to Adventureland’s growing lineup of attractions.”
Flying Viking will have a 36-inch height requirement and sport 1,200 feet of track. Typical of Zamperla’s fleet of junior coasters, it will only have a top speed of 26 miles per hour. Draken Falls appears to be more thrilling, with a 42-height requirement and drops of up to 40 feet.
The two new rides are the most significant additions since Adventureland was acquired in December by Palace Entertainment, the U.S. subsidiary of Spain theme park operator Parques Reunidos.