US Patent 7713134 Reducing radius slide feature

A flume ride is provided having a funnel-shaped slide feature having a relatively larger entry end and a relatively smaller exit end, the funnel-shaped slide feature being configured and arranged such that a rider enters at the wider end with a predetermined expected velocity and swings back and forth and/or spins around the inner surface of the funnel before safely draining through the smaller end. Optionally, the wider end of the slide feature may be covered so as to darken its interior, and/or the slide feature may be configured such that the rider swings above a vertical portion of the inner surface. Additionally, a flume ride is provided having a plurality of such slide features.