Whitewater Canyon at King's Island

Whitewater Canyon is a whitewater rafting ride located at the King's Island theme park in Mason, Ohio. It is by far and away one of the superior whitewater rafting rides, and definitely one of the top water rides in general to be found outside of an actual water park. (Now, I'll try to significantly cut down on my use of the word whitewater from here on out.)

King's Island doesn't have the benefit of having a Fastpass system like the Disney theme parks. That paired with the fact that this is a really fun ride usually only means one thing. This line is typically hours long. At least one, usually two, sometimes even longer. It's worth the wait, but because the line is so long, you'll want to be strategic about when you choose to get in line.

My suggestion is that you wait until you hit your afternoon slump. Grab a light lunch and then head to this line. You'll be tired anyway, you'll need time for you food to digest and a quick respite before you head to any kind of major coaster. So it's the perfect scenario to throw yourself into a long line. In a perfect world, there would be no lines. But since there are, you need to employ a little strategy.

Altogether, the wait isn't entirely unpleasant, even sans strategy. It stretches through a cool and shady wooded area. It's nice and quiet and there are vending machines along the way. Granted, they charge you an arm and a leg for a beverage, but they are conveniently located. Once the wait is over, you're in for a treat.

The ride is quite long, and you will get absolutely soaked. There are plenty of twists and turns. No major drops, but a few that will give you the small stomach flutters. The rapids are strong, and you do get bounced back and forth effectively. There are plenty of tunnels, but this ride's strength absolutely lies in its lengthy duration and its powerful water jets, which seem to come from everywhere.

There's no theme to this ride, but you don't need one. It delivers what it promises, a really fun way to cool off and some mild thrills. Ironically, even with its lack of theme, it is far superior to Walt Disney World's Kali River Rapids. The natural theme of the wooded setting really makes it feel like an isolated adventure, and it certainly is. One of the best parts? The water jets controlled by guests at a bridge near the exit of the ride. If you want to get really wet, taunt the guests at the controls, sit back, and enjoy.

If you're still hankering for another splashdown but you don't want to wait in the enormous line again, I suggest heading over to Congo Falls. It's a short walk from Whitewater Canyon and the line usually moves at light speed because the ride is so short. You won't get the same rich experience of Whitewater Canyon, but you will get the same result.

I highly recommend Whitewater Canyon for visitors of any age. It's not too rough on the joints for older guests and not too scary for the little ones. Just make sure they're the appropriate height. In this case, that is a 46 inch minimum.