Grizzly River Rampage

This is whats left of the water ride "Grizzley River Rampage" that was at Opryland USA. Now a mall sits on the site. The Opryland Hotel is next to the remains of the ride. Its sad to remember how fun the ride was.

Category:

Entertainment

Tags:

• Grizzley River rampage
• water ride
• Abandoned water ride

[4redniwediS]

Yes I think a sad sick feeling has been felt by a lot of us who fondly remembers this ride and Opry land. It seems like poetic justice when the mall that replaced Opry land was flooded and closed last may. But it may reopen this fall. It really seems they could have at least left the large rock wall in place. Well we all have the memories and photos and videos. Thanks for responding to my post!!

[4redniwediS]

The Grizzley river rampage was a popular water ride at Opryland, when the park was closed the owners drained out the water but let the ride itself in place. The frount of the ride where you would start the ride was removed, but the river bed remains. It was a wet but fun ride. sad to see it as well as the rest of the park gone!!

[tacobelldoug]

ok so where is this in respects to opry mills? I was there the other day looking for it but never did see it.

[4redniwediS]

Its on the east end side ot the parking lot, by the hotel. I shot the video on a walkway that connects the hotel to the mall. I think what I recorded was the back side of the water way. Its kind of sad to see it and remember how much fun it was!!

[SapPhiReSparKleS14]

"Though much of the hardware had been removed, the course of the Grizzly River Rampage water ride was visible along the path between Opry Mills and Gaylord Opryland for fourteen years after the ride entertained its final guests. In the fall of 2011, Gaylord Entertainment built a new events center designed mainly to hold the hotel's yearly "ICE!" exhibit nearby, clearing the old Grizzly River Rampage site in the process. By November 2011, all recognizable remnants of the theme park were gone."

[SapPhiReSparKleS14]

It was dirty how they didn't tell anyone it was closing so nobody had a chance to step up to save it which I'm VERY sure someone would have if they had known! Just dirty rotten!!!

[sicdespise]

They tore all of that down a little while ago. Nothing of the part remains.

[DeeFrootloop]

Wow. I definitely didn't expect to feel so emotional when I watched this video, but uhh.... WOW. It makes me so sad to see my favorite ride looking this way. The Grizzly River Rampage was such a HUGE part of my childhood. I rode it probably 50+ times as a kid. As someone else said, it's almost like looking at a ghost.. and I really don't like it. Ugh. =(

[scrowfan41]

@4redniwediS You got that right. Nashville already has too many malls. I miss Opryland. This video takes me back to when I lived in Pennington Bend & had A Sunday Good Times Opryland season pass. Thanks so much for posting A fond memory.

[animetrucker]

I remember finally getting the chance to go to Opryland while on a layover in Nashville back in the fall of 96. Couldn't keep from laughing at the kid working the parking gate when I pulled up with a 53 foot trailer behind my Volvo conventional truck. Even rode the Grizzly twice that day and failed to get wet both times, while everyone else on it did. Recorded a couple karaoke songs at the portable studio and watched Brenda Lee sing on Crook and Chase that night. Never did get to see Shotgun Re

[pentigram]

I went there today after not being there for the longest of times, and nearly puked at what I had seen. Not only did they tear down the childhood memories of thousand upon thousands of people (if not more) now they took what very little was left (shown in this video) and starting destroying the rest of it.. All that is left there know is one decent sized boulder. Don't worry though cause according to the security guard they're destroying that too. I did shed some tears on this day..

[aPUSH4u]

@4redniwediS sum1 needs to giv gaylord a big thumbs up!..great idea genius. LONG LIV OPRYLAND!

[Crash8686]

@Strongshelby6 I worked that ride from 1982 - 1985, and was the day shift lead the last two of those years. Looking at this video, the water would flow from the right (out of what we called Lake 3) to the left (down the rapids and into what we called Lake 4 ... where there were waterfalls powered by three pumps about the size of the Flume pumps). After the waterfalls you floated back to the station.

Off to the right as you returned to the station there was a reservoir. It was drained.

[Strongshelby6]

Um... how did the water get out of it?

[001GenLee]

Yeah, i would get blisters from riding wet rides too, in my sneakers. Those were good times...although, i have ridden Dollywood's raft ride, but i never did ride Grizzly River Rampage. I went when i was 6 or 7 in the mid to late 80's. Back then, i was a little scared of rides like that. Although, i did ride the Old Mill Scream that day. I guess i was looking at it this way, that the rafts look like they could flip & turn riders over into the water. LOL I had a phobia like that, being young.

[fcmullins]

It really is a depressing sight! The people of middle Tennessee really got a bargain, world renown theme park for a worthless mall! The sorry thing is we didn't plan on going the last year because of work and life. Then all of the sudden Opryland was

closed and gone and we missed our last oppourtunity.

[ReuWil]

Almost like looking at a ghost...I think where you filmed this is the exact point I have on a home movie being filmed as a kid as our raft went by.

[abbierivers1]

sad

[robingraves1231]

i been to that mall, the 2nd time i went i saw this as well  and it almost brought tears to my eyes . for a mall are you kidding me

[shadowfox1119]

Some friends and I walked along the empty river bed one December. We even went through the tunnel where said bear used to be. It was very sad, if a little eerie. :( I miss Opryland so much.

[GatorsNation]

It is sad. I last visited this place when I was about 8. I'm 32 now. However, I still remember this ride as my favorite. I love the water rides, but ya gotta ride em last. Otherwise, you're walkin the whole day through with wet squishy sneakers that might give you blisters like it did me. I recall a big bear along the walkway that you could take a picture with that said, "Grizzly River Rampage Straight Ahead." I still have that photo. I remember I looked mad after my mother irritated me.

[overlookers]

A piece of Nashville died with Opryland, Turning what is left into a mall has made it possibly one of the worst decisions Man has ever made. Right up there with the creation of "Joey"! >:(

[astrofist]

1983 Pawpaw took us and it was the last ride we rode that day.

[branditrottier]

I remember how loud that bear would echo in the cave. My last trip there was the summer of 1994. I grew up going almost every year. My last trip I was pregnant and it was still amazing.