YouTube Pick – Valhalla Effects Prototypes (1999)

Valhalla pioneered a number of new special effects when it was introduced for the 2000 season. These were produced by a number of different vendors, with Technifex of California, USA providing most of the effects involving water.

These included the skull waterfall, the iconic water vortex, the water cannons that shoot water into the air and the river of fire effect that utilises their FauxFire technology.

This video from the Technifex channel shows early prototypes for the water vortex and the technology above the skull waterfall being tested. The latter was changed early in the ride’s existence, perhaps before installation, whereby the water descending from the skull fully stops rather than ‘parts’ as per the video.

The technology used for the water vortex shares some characteristics with the effect that the same company used in the former Poseidon’s Fury attraction at Universal Islands of Adventure.

A summary of the work Technifex contributed to the Valhalla project can be found on their website.