A new permit filed by Walt Disney World would suggest that the theme park giant is looking to rebuild the Humunga Kowabunga attraction at Typhoon Lagoon. The attraction has garnered a lot of attention with the viral lawsuit of a woman who experienced a violent wedgie while partaking in the attraction. That lawsuit was voluntarily dismissed last Summer. Here’s a closer look at the permit and what it might mean.
Disney Files Permit for Possible Rebuild of Humunga Kowabunga
A new permit filed by Walt Disney World today appears to hint at a rebuild of the Humunga Kowabunga water slide at Typhoon Lagoon. It is likely that the work will take place during the upcoming refurbishment of Typhoon Lagoon, which begins next month.
Of interest to us is the general contractor for the work. The permit lists Humunga Kowabunga as the address, with a description of the scope of work as “general construction” – not much info there. However, the contractor listed on the permit is Proslide Technology. Proslide is an industry leader with water slides, and they have rebuilt water slides for Walt Disney World water parks in the past.
Now, a rebuild of a water slide does not necessarily mean a redesign. It would be quite the task to redesign Humunga Kowabunga given how it is built into the environment that makes up the themed Mount Mayday volcano that is the icon for the water park.
Also of note is that Typhoon Lagoon is expected to reopen by May 26th. I would imagine that if Humunga Kowabunga were to be redesigned, it would take longer than 3 months.
Another piece of evidence that would suggest a rebuild over a redesign is that the permit was filed by Walt Disney World’s Facility Asset Management division. They are typically in charge of maintenance tasks versus new creative endeavors. A rebuild would be considered a maintenance task, and we’ve seen water slides rebuilt during water park refurbishments in the past.
Walt Disney World typically does not announce what work is done during the water park refurbishments, so we’ll have to keep an eye on the work from outside of the park once it closes next month.
As always, keep checking back with us here at BlogMickey.com as we continue to bring you the latest news, photos, and info from around the Disney Parks!