Amusement water rides involving interactive user environments

An interactive water amusement ride, comprising:

• a water amusement ride;
• a participant identifier coupled to a participant in the water amusement ride;
• a competition area located in the water amusement ride, wherein the participant participates in a competition in the competition area;
• one or more sensors coupled to the competition area, wherein at least one of the sensors is configurable to detect the participant identifier in the competition area;
• and
• one or more control systems coupled to the sensors, wherein at least one of the control systems is configurable to assess a status of the participant in the competition;
• wherein the competition comprises one or more objectives for the participant to attempt, wherein at least one of the objectives comprises a first opening configured to accept one or more objects directed to the first opening by the participant, and wherein the first opening is coupled to a second opening downstream from the first opening, wherein the objects are transported from the first opening to the second opening, wherein the participant retrieves at least one of the objects from the second opening downstream of the first opening, wherein at least one of the objectives comprises at least a third opening downstream from the second opening, and wherein the third opening is configured to accept the object retrieved from the second opening.