Water pinball ride with spectator interaction

A method for engaging spectators within an interactive water ride comprising:

• directing participants within a play area down a sloped surface from an upper start area to a lower end area, said play area including a plurality of features adapted to interact with the participants;
• locating spectators outside of the play area;
• said spectators selectively activating at least one of the plurality of features within the play area during the step of directing the participants down the sloped surface which, by its activation, affects the participants as the participants descend toward the lower end area;
• and
• after the spectators selectively activate at least one of the plurality of features, directing at least one of the spectators down the sloped surface.

A water amusement ride for participants comprising:

• an upper start area having a plurality of start positions;
• a lower end area;
• a generally sloped play area coupled between the upper start area and lower end area allowing substantially free two-dimensional movement of the participants from the upper start area to the lower end area thereby resulting in a plurality of possible paths along the play area;
• and
• movement inducing means for selectively modifying movement of the participants within the play area so that any one of the plurality of start positions can result in the participant exiting the play area at any one of a plurality of different lower area end positions.

A water amusement ride adapted to allow spectator interaction with participants within the water ride comprising:

• a play area of the water ride;
• a plurality of devices located within the play area that interact with the participants within the play area;
• a spectator area located outside of the play area;
• a plurality of manually controlled actuators for operating the plurality of devices, said actuators being located within the spectator area in spaced apart relation to one another so that they cannot all be manually actuated simultaneously by a single person,
• wherein one of said devices includes:
• a rigid riser tube coupled to a water source;
• a valve coupled between the riser tube and the water source;
• and
• a flexible tube coupled to an end of the rigid riser tube.

A water amusement ride adapted to allow spectator interaction with participants within the water ride comprising:

• a play area of the water ride;
• a plurality of devices located within the play area that interact with the participants within the play area;
• a spectator area located outside of the play area;
• a plurality of manually controlled actuators for operating the plurality of devices, said actuators being located within the spectator area in spaced apart relation to one another so that they cannot all be manually actuated simultaneously by a single person,
• wherein one of said devices includes:
• a canopy suspended above the play area and coupled to a water source, said canopy including an arcuate upper surface bounded by a terminal edge;
• and
• a valve coupled between the canopy and the water source, wherein said valve is opened when the actuator is activated by the spectator thus directing water out over the upper surface of the canopy toward the canopy terminal edge.

A water amusement ride adapted to allow spectator interaction with participants within the water ride comprising:

• a play area of the water ride;
• a plurality of devices located within the play area that interact with the participants within the play area;
• a spectator area located outside of the play area;
• a plurality of manually controlled actuators for operating the plurality of devices, said actuators being located within the spectator area in spaced apart relation to one another so that they cannot all be manually actuated simultaneously by a single person,
• wherein one of said devices includes:
• a water jet assembly capable of projecting a coherent stream of water;
• and
• means for aiming the waterjet assembly in a direction selected by a control means operable by a spectator.

A water amusement ride adapted to allow spectator interaction with participants within the water ride comprising:

• a play area of the water ride;
• a plurality of devices located within the play area that interact with the participants within the play area;
• a spectator area located outside of the play area;
• a plurality of manually controlled actuators for operating the plurality of devices, said actuators being located within the spectator area in spaced apart relation to one another so that they cannot all be manually actuated simultaneously by a single person,
• wherein one of said devices includes:
• a container located below a surface of the play area, said container being adapted to collect water flowing across said play area surface;
• a nozzle located at a lower portion of the container;
• and
• a valve coupled between the nozzle and a pressurized air source, wherein said valve is opened when the actuator is activated by the spectator thus directing air out of the nozzles and inducing water within the container to forcibly ejected from the container.

A water amusement ride adapted to allow spectator interaction with participants within the water ride comprising:

• a play area of the water ride;
• a plurality of devices located within the play area that interact with the participants within the play area;
• a spectator area located outside of the play area;
• a plurality of manually controlled actuators for operating the plurality of devices, said actuators being located within the spectator area in spaced apart relation to one another so that they cannot all be manually actuated simultaneously by a single person,
• wherein one of said devices includes:
• a set of nozzles pointed in a first direction mounted on a first arm;
• a second set of nozzles pointed in a second direction mounted on a second arm, said first and second arm being rotatable about a common axis;
• and
• a valve coupled between the first and second set of nozzles and a water source, wherein said arms rotated about said common axis when said valve is open.

A water amusement ride adapted to allow spectator interaction with participants within the water ride comprising:

• a play area of the water ride;
• a plurality of devices located within the play area that interact with the participants within the play area;
• a spectator area located outside of the play area;
• a plurality of manually controlled actuators for operating the plurality of devices, said actuators being located within the spectator area in spaced apart relation to one another so that they cannot all be manually actuated simultaneously by a single person,
• wherein one of said devices includes:
• a bucket suspended over the play area, said bucket being moveable between a first upright position and a second tipped position;
• an actuator coupled to the bucket for moving said bucket from said first position to said second position;
• a conduit for carrying water from a water supply to said bucket when the bucket is in the first upright position;
• and
• a valve coupled between the conduit and the water supply.