After months of hard work, Waldameer & Water World's latest attraction, Rocket Blast, has officially opened.
At 800 feet, the new attraction is the longest water ride in the park, and stands at nearly 67 feet tall, with 115 steps.
Park President Steve Gorman is excited for guests to experience the new ride.
"We are so glad that we're finally done [and] ready to turn the switch and have people come ride this," said Gorman. "Because I think the public will really, really enjoy it."
Gorman and his team at Waldameer have spent the past few days testing the ride to ensure the safety for their riders.
"We invited all of our employees and their families to ride because we needed to get a lot of cycles in to make sure we knew how to operate it and and get data on how you should sit in the boat, and what weight requirements we can we can satisfy," continued Gorman. "We had probably 150 people over two days ride 300 times."
Riders will have an individual weight limit of 300 pounds per person. There will be a scale available at the bottom of the ride so guests can check their eligibility to ride before climbing the 115 steps.
And while the ride is a professional milestone for Gorman, it's also a personal one, as Rocket Blast was the last ride that the recently deceased park owner and Erie legend, Paul Nelson, personally had a hand in planning.
"I wish that he was able to be here to see this opening because this is one of the things he helped design and coordinate," said Gorman. "And it's a shame that he couldn't see this in fulfillment.
"It's just one of his one of his dreams to keep improving our park."