Newest onboard attraction: AquaDunk debuts on Disney Magic

Jason · October 30, 2013

One of the most highly anticipated features aboard the newly “re-imagined” Disney Magic cruise ship is the AquaDunk water slide, a follow-up to the AquaDuck - a ride that’s been so popular aboard the Dream and Fantasy. But the AquaDunk is not the same, replacing the AquaDuck’s long, largely slow-moving ride with a fast-paced, high-thrill experience.

Situated on the Disney Magic’s top deck, the AquaDunk has been retrofitted into one of the ship’s iconic red smokestacks, with its winding slide peeking out over the edge. This new attraction sends guests plummeting down a drop tube as the floor beneath them disappears, then careening through a few enclosed twists and turns before splashing down in a pool of happiness.

Drop in on the AquaDunk in the videos below, first a point-of-view (POV) shot showing exactly what it’s like to take the plunge followed by an extended look at every element of the new attraction, including appearances by Huey, Dewey, Louie, Donald Duck, Imagineer Joe Lanzisero - and myself!

The AquaDunk is indeed pure fun, beginning with a nervous climb to the top. Ascending the staircase tells the story of the AquaDunk, another of Huey, Dewey, and Louie’s creations, a few prototypes of which were rejected by their uncle Scrooge McDuck, as seen on the blueprints leading up to the attraction.

On board, Lanzisero told me that the continued story of Huey, Dewey, and Louie designing the AquaDuck, then later the AquaLab, and now the AquaDunk was definitely not planned from the beginning, but has evolved over time as the attractions and ships have as well. But he said they are perfect characters for the role, particularly relatable to kids with their ever-present sense of adventure while also using their smarts.

Climbing those 63 steps is definitely a workout, the only hurdle preventing me from riding the AquaDunk more than 3 or 4 times in a row. It gets tiring.

At the top, guests await their wet fate, ultimately stepping inside the enclosed standing-room-only tube. Instructions call for placing the right foot in first, then stepping inside, immediately getting showered by a stream of water running down the back. Riders must cross their legs, put arms across their chest, and lead their head back before giving the go-ahead. From there, a few fleeting moments are all that separate standing on what seems like a firm floor to suddenly dropping down - but not until the three quack-arific nephews exclaim, “3! 2! 1! Anchors away!”

The view up there is spectacular from all angles, while waiting in line as well as during those brief moments before the drop.

It’s definitely a big thrill to have the floor instantly disappear. The sensation is not all that unlike Disney’s famed Tower of Terror - but a whole lot faster and wetter. It’s definitely a stomach-in-the-mouth moment. And unlike being belted into a seat, the AquaDunk presents a feeling of freedom just before it takes control and fires guests down the chute like a canon fueled by gravity’s force.

The splash down at the end comes to a screeching halt amidst a wave of water, leaving behind nothing but smiles and laughs - along with the shocked faces of AquaDunk first-timers. The first drop is definitely the most exhilarating, lessening a bit with each repeated time through. But the fun never stops.

Ultimately, the AquaDunk leaves guests with a sense of accomplishment, many of whom have praised it more highly than the AquaDuck aboard the Dream and Fantasy.

So far the AquaDunk seems to appeal to all ages, with many young kids who just barely reach the height limit repeatedly running up the stairs to ride again. One eager young boy had clocked in 20 passes within a couple hours of setting sail. There’s no doubt that the AquaDunk delivers on adding new excitement to the Disney Magic.

By Ricky Birgante, Insidethemagic.net

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