Belle Isle Slide: How to ride the Giant Slide

Giant slide at Belle Isle Park reopens after bumpy start

The Giant Slide was closed at Belle Isle Park on Friday because of speed concerns.

DETROIT (FOX 2) - You've surely seen all the videos of people literally flailing uncontrollably while plummeting down the Belle Isle Giant Slide.

The 40-foot tall slide has been a staple on Belle Isle since the 1960s. It's 80 steps to the top and then a bouncy ride to the bottom. However, it's been closed for the past two years because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

But summer 2022 brought about a reopening for the Belle Isle attraction. It just didn't last very long.

On Friday, the 6-lane steel slide was reopened. And then shortly closed because of speed problems.

It even prompted a song from Detroit rapper GMAC Cash about all the things you can do on the Giant Slide, including "break your back," "lose a tooth", and more. So far, there are no reports of serious injuries from the Giant Slide.

Videos showed riders going down the bumpy slide and flailing wildly. The slide reopened but was closed again over the weekend. On Sunday, the slide was sprayed won with water, which is expected to help control the speed, according to Belle Isle Park's Facebook page.

How do you ride the Bell Isle Slide?

This slide has been here for 55 years, how do you ride it safely? Simple: follow directions.

In a video posted to the park's Facebook page, a Department of Natural Resources (DNR) employee explains step-by-step how to go down the slide.

Once you get your bag from the employee, sit down inside your bag at the start line and wait for others who are riding at the same time as you to get in position. While you're waiting, gather the excess bag in your lap.

Doing this gives you something to hang on to, which is helpful because you're about to be told lean forward. Scoot yourself towards the downslope when the employee tells you it's time. Hold on to that excess bag, and keep leaning forward the whole way down.

In the video, the employee rides smoothly to the bottom without bouncing.