Interesting Experiences

[revolutionx]

I was also told that a cable snapped and people were left up there for hours. But I dont understand.. if a cable snaps, wouldnt it go back down? Anyway, I convinced myself it was a lie just so I wouldnt be paranoid when I was riding it.

[Lotl_90]

The Giant Drop has never had a cable snap that im aware of. Lots of breakdowns and e-stops and all that other jazz, but no cable snaps. Although, all of the operators are constantly on alert for the moment a cable may snap. Every now and then they have issues with the ride breaking down and people being stuck for 15-30mins, but ive never seen any longer than 45mins. Purely because getting people off the ride safely is always the first priority.

[Guest RustyAngel73]

I don't know if I've mentioned my experience here or not. I was on the Power Surge at the show last year and they stopped the ride in the middle of its run and lowered it down at a painstakingly slow rate, apparenty because one of the lights on the carriages indicated there was something wrong with a carriage but they couldn't figure out what...the ride finished our run, then they put the next lot of people on it without even a pause...they said to us when we asked that it was a new ride and they were "still figuring it out".

[cadboy]

Although, all of the operators are constantly on alert for the moment a cable may snap.

What would they do in this situation and how would they know when the cable snapped?

[Spotty]

There would have to be a light on the main control panel (western side) that would indicate if a cable came loose or something similar. Either that or it would be fitted with an automatic shutdown (Like Hurukan Condor) and it would go from there. I am not 100 Percent but it would be something along the lines of that wouldn't it?

[DaptoFunlandGuy]

Primary Indicator: *Snap* *Whip - Whip - Whip* *SCREAMS* *numerous body parts flop to the ground, followed shortly by a gondola, catch car attached, riders missing legs, and screaming, cable falling down after the catch car* Trained Response: "Oh Crap - *press E-stop - Call Supervisor - Vomit and passout* While i'm sure that they're trained to handle this sort of thing, if it snaps, you don't really have much time to do anything more than look on in horror, and react.

[Lotl_90]

All operators of the Giant Drop are trained to e-stop the ride at the slightest sign of a fault, No matter what It is. As is the same protocol for all of Dreamworlds Rides. The moment a ride is E-stopped, the operator must Call it in immeadiately, And log it on their ride documentation for the day.

[Spotty]

And to be honest, if all park staff ANYWHERE were not trained like that I would be slightly worried...

[DaptoFunlandGuy]

All operators of the Giant Drop are trained to e-stop the ride at the slightest sign of a fault, No matter what It is. As is the same protocol for all of Dreamworlds Rides. The moment a ride is E-stopped, the operator must Call it in immeadiately, And log it on their ride documentation for the day.

That wasn't what I was saying - if the cables snap, they won't have time to do anything except watch it happen, and react. You can't "train" them for that sort of thing. All you can do is prepare them for what might happen, and hope they're capable of keeping their head on straight while they respond. Hitting a button, making a phone call, and writing it down in a log book - please - you got people strapped into a ride who have just been slashed by a snapped cable, and the operator is writing in his log book? i'd smack the little bugger across the head with a crow bar. I want staff who are aware of what could happen, not squeamish or afraid of the sight of blood or anything like that, who will calmly respond appropriately to whatever situation presents itself. You can't train that, its something that for the most part comes down to the ability and maturity of the staff member. Reading the link on rideaccidents that gazza posted somewhere, there was a story about a drop tower that snapped a cable. Reading the report, the two girls who were operating it made their statements to the investigators. I can't be bothered picking up the story again, but there were two - young - female - operators running it on their own. When it happened, one girl screamed and ran out of the attraction building, and the other just called the emergency number, where the lady at the other end had to calm her down before she could get anything happening.

[ozshowkid]

I have had a couple but the one that stands out would be riding scenic railway at luna park Melbourne, to cut a long story. We started the ride with two brake men went around the ride, went through tunnel one, out, through tunnel two when we came out there was only one brake man and a fair bit of blood up the side of the carrige. The other brake man crapped himself and didn't know what to do. As statted before you can not train people for these situations.

[cadboy]

WOW! Did you ever find out what happened to him and how did the other riders react

[Lotl_90]

That wasn't what I was saying - if the cables snap, they won't have time to do anything except watch it happen, and react.

Oh sorry, misinterpreted.

I want staff who are aware of what could happen, not squeamish or afraid of the sight of blood or anything like that, who will calmly respond appropriately to whatever situation presents itself. You can't train that, its something that for the most part comes down to the ability and maturity of the staff member..

Thats why there is always a senior operator on the west side of giant drop at dreamworld, and both operators must not leave their control panel whilst the ride is cycling. Also, again speaking from DW, i do know for a fact that all operators of the drop have been made aware of the possibilty of a cable snap and the consequences of such an event, but i do agree that it depends mucho on the person operating and their ability to react.

Reading the link on rideaccidents that gazza posted somewhere, there was a story about a drop tower that snapped a cable. Reading the report, the two girls who were operating it made their statements to the investigators. I can't be bothered picking up the story again, but there were two - young - female - operators running it on their own. When it happened, one girl screamed and ran out of the attraction building, and the other just called the emergency number, where the lady at the other end had to calm her down before she could get anything happening.

Are you referring to the article relating to the SFKK incident?

[DaptoFunlandGuy]

Yes - once I could be bothered to actually look it up, it was SFKK. Original Story found on www.rideaccidents.com (by the way - I don't think Gazza linked to the SFKK story, I think it was linked when the Huss Rainbow accident happened, and I just kept reading - A quote from the Operator's Report for the SFKK cable snap: (absolute OH MY GOD moments in red)

There were two operators on duty at the ride when the accident happened -- both of whom were under the age of 18. The main operator stated that she activated the emergency stop system before the cars were released from the top of the tower, however the ride's computer system showed that the cars began their freefall before the emergency stop button was hit. The KDA report included this synopsis of a statement that it was given by the main ride operator: The group of three girls rode the ride once without incident. When that ride cycle had ended, the girls got to ride again because there was no line. I remember the same three seats were used the second trip. The seats were checked and the all clear was given. The ride went up. After about two seconds I heard a noise like a rollercoaster chain clack. The ride was about eight feet off the ground. When I looked up the cord came out; the cord was flying about. The noise and the cable coming out happened at the same time. I called #3333; the park phone number for emergencies. The person answering the phone asked what was going on. I reached my head out and around the operator station while I was explaining the situation to the lady on the phone. I told the lady on the phone that the guests were screaming. I was not sure what the people on the ride were screaming due to the volume of noise in the park. The lady on the phone said it was normal for riders to scream. I said the screaming was totally different this time because all the riders were screaming. I can’t remember what the lady on the telephone was saying. I could see the top of the ride. The other ride operator, at the other panel, told me to hit Estop. I hit Estop, but the ride came down normally. (one would think E-stop would be hit before picking up the phone) I noticed a shoe had fallen on the blue covering. I saw the injured girl. I noticed she was blinking. The injured girl had shifted down in her seat, and had a leg up in the air. At first I thought the injured girl was dead, because she was so far down in the seat. I walked over to make sure she wasn’t dead. I was still on the phone. I was screaming. The lady on the phone asked questions and tried to get me to calm down. Several people came running through the gate and through the line, and began yelling at me. When I hit the Estop that caused the harness system to remain closed. People were yelling at me to let them out, but I needed a technician to do that. The other ride operator was screaming, and she left the ride. Some woman came up and called the police. The lady on the telephone with me hung up the phone to call for first aid. I then hung up the phone. A man named Lou came and got me. Lou took me to Katie; and Rachel took me to the rides office about five to ten minutes after the accident. People talked to me and I gave a statement. The park employees had to find the other ride operator. Six Flags denies any responsibility for the accident.

This is the sort of thing that should not happen - two female operators, both under the age of 18. The LAST thing she did of any import was hit e-stop. This should have been the first, and according to the report, she had more than 10 seconds to do it. I know this is very sexist, but a young female operator doesn't have a chance against an unruly or upset guest. Thinking about space probe, it was very isolated, and unless right next to the phone \ radio, very unlikely that help would be found quickly if a guest decided to get agressive - this in itself is unsafe. Working at Wonderland, I was a games attendant for a short period. At one point I worked speedpitch, which was halfway between bounty's and dodgems - no phone, no radio, and only a food outlet nearby, which would close by mid afternoon - One day I was hit up by a group of middle-eastern late teen\early 20's. One guy had me by the throat against the wall of the outlet, and had a fist up ready to punch me, to try and take my money belt. It was only that I had a microphone (and used it), and we had two plain clothes security guys walking by that resulted in him getting a cracked skull and an assault charge, and me not getting my lights knocked out. Theme parks prioritise their budgets - they employ the youngest staff they can legally get away with to do the job - and this results in some serious safety issues. At least at Wonderland ride-ops have to be 18 - those two girls *shudder* remind me not to go to SFKK anytime soon... Edited August 14, 2008 by AlexB

[Gazza]

Some other funny thing that happened.....When I was at MW we were going into the Batman ride, the host let us file in, but waited at the door. But instead of everyone going into the middle of the room, they all started going in behind the railing that runs around the outside of the room (I guess its there to keep people away from the book cases), and started queuing there. I think the first words out of my mouth were "You're doing it wrong" (Go internet meme's) and I had to convince my sister to come out from behind there. Needless to say It was pretty funny being the only person standing in the middle of the room. When the host came back in after shutting the door people soon sorted themselves out.

Edited August 27, 2008 by Gazza

[DaptoFunlandGuy]

I seem to remember in the distant past that the railing wasn't always there. Apart from keeping people away from the books, i think its also to allow the cast member to be able to make their way from the front door to the ladder without having to push past people - a little ingenious - when the ladder guy is in full themed costume like i remember they used to, and they had other people to close the doors, obviously it wasn't needed - but with a one-man show up front - you gotta get it done somehow....

[www worker]

Didn't happen to me but one day at dreamworld the tower of terror went about a quarter way up the tower and got stuck halfway on the launch area they had to wait an hour for a tow cable to bring them back. but at least they got to rides in a row.

Edited August 30, 2008 by www worker

[cadboy]

Yeh It is something to do with the magnents inside the tower that makes this happen I think.

they had to wait an hour for a tow cable to bring them back

what do you mean?

[Spotty]

They wouldn't require a cable tow to bring the ride back into the station. What you would have seen is commonly refered to as a "drive trip" Basically the computer looses track of the pod and shuts down the launch mechanisim. The ride slows down to a stop and then the operator has to manually activate the ride and bring it back slowly into the station. This is all done by the magnets and not by a winch. If there is no power to do this however the mechanics would normally have to push the car back into the station.

[mickey_079]

I thought the only time the ride used a cable winch is when the ride goes into the "bog pit" when the brakes for some reason fail. For those who don't know what the bog pit is, next time you ride, look behind the carriage you will notice the track keeps going. Here is a picture of the "bog pit" on Superman: The Escape. I couldn't find one of TOT. Please correct me if the term I have been using is not correct.

[Lotl_90]

The ride slows down to a stop and then the operator has to manually activate the ride and bring it back slowly into the station. This is all done by the magnets and not by a winch. If there is no power to do this however the mechanics would normally have to push the car back into the station.

This requires a supervisor, not an operator, as do all breakdowns, trips, e-stops etc. It requires a full reset of the ride computers, just putting it into manual wont help considering the Computers have no idea where the pod is. Luckily several years ago Dreamworld installed a trip computer, which measures the distance between the Pod and the station at all times, and helps to initialise the drawback procedure in the event of a drive trip. Also, to be fair, it is a winch, its a magnetic winch

[Gazza]

Another interesting thing I thought of happening at theme parks, but has anyone had it where you are at a theme park, and the whole day you end up in ride queues with the same people...I'm not talking about 'following' them consecutively from ride to ride as you work your way around the park, but say being seated with them at 10am, and then again at 1pm, and then again at 4pm, with other stuff in between with no deliberate action on your part. It was happening to me at Knotts, to the point where the other people were noticing too and were joking that we were ride buddies. What gets even weirder, is that I had this occuring in Orlando, at different parks, on different days. I think it stuck in my head because I kept seeing this family with this ugly british chavvy kid, who looked like how Ralph Wiggum would look if he were a real person. But anyway they were on the same bus as me to Busch Gardens, then I saw them at IOA, then again at Epcot and by the 3rd day I was really wierded out by it all.

[cerberus584]

Another interesting thing I thought of happening at theme parks, but has anyone had it where you are at a theme park, and the whole day you end up in ride queues with the same people...I'm not talking about 'following' them consecutively from ride to ride as you work your way around the park, but say being seated with them at 10am, and then again at 1pm, and then again at 4pm, with other stuff in between with no deliberate action on your part.

Yeah Gazza, this happens to me too, especially at Halloween where it was easier to notice due to crazy costumes. Also, I know it's not the same (because it's more likely) but when I'm at work and I get moved to different outlets throughout the day I often end up serving the same people up to 3 times.

[mickey_079]

Happened a lot to me as well. We came across an Aussie family as we were waiting in line for space mountain in Disneyland (they had a swans scarf on). Then towards the end of the trip we bumped into them at Orlando in IOA about 3 or 5 times a day.

[cadboy]

Another interesting thing I thought of happening at theme parks, but has anyone had it where you are at a theme park, and the whole day you end up in ride queues with the same people...I'm not talking about 'following' them consecutively from ride to ride as you work your way around the park, but say being seated with them at 10am, and then again at 1pm, and then again at 4pm, with other stuff in between with no deliberate action on your part.

Yeah, definitely it actually happens quite often especially when you have a good memory and remember alot of people you have seen. On re rides it is also common, for example when out get of SE and half of the train joins the line again so you are with the same people as before. Or when you meet the same people in the queue for the same ride as you saw them in earlier in the day but 5 hours later.

[DonjaiInLA]

The ride operator that loaded us into our car on Scooby Doo unloaded us and then looked at us strange, like it had been an hour since she loaded us. But I guess that wasnt really relevent