SOB_TOM

Wow, you guys flip out way too easily. Training ride ops will take less than 3 hrs (between SOB and Gun, it took us about 2 hrs to train and another hour to fill out paperwork,) testing will probably go for about two-four days (you are forgetting, this is a flat ride, not a coaster. Coasters test longer to break in the ball-bearings in the wheels of the trains so they run smoother,) which leaves DAYS before it needs to be open. Oh and Wal-mart greeter training involves what to look for when someone sets off the anti-theft signals and where to stand. Trust me, I trained for that once because they needed a fill-in and there were too many working in electronics.

Actually Mike, that is a trick of the imagination. The RPMs never rev down during the ride cycle, it is a trick of the eye when you lose a point of reference in the background. The RPMs never change, just the look does.

Anonymous is attacking KIC!!! Run for the hills!

Those spools you see are electrical wire. On any large project, large spools are brought in so the builders don't have to splice the wire to make a run longer, minimizing the chance the wire will short out. I have seen several projects that had 6-10 left over spools that eventually get used throughout the course of the next couple of years.

I can back up MarketingExpress: AZ knows his stuff about the park. As for the "initial" in that Don comment, it tells me that the park is going to slap some new paint on the walls and call it a day. Whats the expression? You can shine a turd but its still a turd.

I swear by flip flops. I normally wear a size 15 shoe, meaning that there is one store in the Cincinnati area that has that size (and normally ONE pair,) with flip flops and sandals I can wear a size down, and still be comfortable. I also know what I'm looking for when it comes to flip flops/ sandals, and I have a hookup to some sandals that have extra support and are about 2" thick, giving me plenty of support and comfort. Just know what you are buying and you will be fine.

It will also thin out crowds in other areas. That is probably why everything is back there, considering a few years ago you could walk near the entrance of Action Theatre and have the entire path to yourself.

However, the added cost of leveling the land (which, without the Flight Commander pad there is a big difference in height from back to front,) tearing out the excess concrete, then pouring the concrete was more than the park was willing to spend. Not to mention the park would lose valuable dry storage space. It would be great to see something there (I would love to see something actually use the Flight Commander queue as well, but that won't happen) but I'm pretty sure that spot is now just a space for 'light' rides and attractions.

Ok, random thought, but why does everyone think they are behind schedule? I mean seriously, people are "nervous" because the ride isn't built yet? What if (hold your gasps please,) they are on time and planned on working weekends? Just a thought. As for the old Flight Commander slot: Both rides mentioned that were in that area weighed significantly less than what a 300+ foot tower does. Also, the land would have to be leveled before constructing anything, I'm not entirely sure how thick that concrete is that is underneath now, but I'm sure its not as strong as it used to be.

Think a show at Hollywood Studios, minus the budget, minus the slight thrill factor. All they did was reenact the "King of the World" scene from Titanic and then put that up on the screen.

I remember building train models with my dad, and going to EJ brought those memories back. After three trips, I took my nephews and my dad with me, and they absolutely loved it. My nephews are STILL talking about it, and it was close to a year ago now.

Most likely the "catch car" (for lack of a better term,) will contain the drive motors for the spinning portion of the ride, meaning that they will be external. I don't see how they could create a mechanism that spins something by proxy.

The main issue with Smash Factory wasn't the 3-d effect but the maintenance on the seats. That program beats the living daylights out of the seats, making it very maintenance un-friendly.

Cobra, we are talking 9-10 things going wrong at once (to include stuck valves, complete power outage, ect.) for that to happen, however they added it in case those 9-10 things did happen.

DT's catch car is used as an elevator to check the exterior portions of the tower. The other reason that the ladder and such exist is in case the catch car will not release the ring and cannot be lowered, in which case the ladder would be utilized to get people from the ring to the catch car and then to the motor room on top of the tower and down the maintenance elevator at the bottom. Yes, WindSeeker will have an elevator in the middle of the ride so that maintenance can check the motors which will be housed at the top. The evidence is simple: A pulley system, with the motors located on ground level, would be unreliable, since cables have a tendency to jump a pulley anyway, and even if they went with this system, the pulleys would have to be inspected daily to make sure the cables do not break. You would be surprised how many rides do function the same (even if they look different.) Most cable towers will function the same way, so the comparisons between DT and WindSeeker are accurate.

Yes, there is a maintenance elevator in Drop Tower, just as there will be on (albeit cramped) elevator in WindSeeker.

I would like to point out that when you use unnecessary punctuation when you are trying to make a point makes you a target for anger and hostility, especially when those unnecessary punctuation marks make it look like you are yelling instead of conversing. As for the original point, you are correct to a point. When I was working in rides in the early '00's you had to be 18 in order to run the elevator, however you could be under 18 to watch the platform and watch the queue.

The door is nothing more than a maintenance hatch, which will lead to an elevator, which will go to the top, which will allow the maintenance personnel to check the ride literally from top to bottom.

All the parks down there opened at 9.

I don't see in the near future KI installing any gigacoasters, not with FUN in the trouble it is in right now, even though I would love to see a newly themed area pop up. Also, I doubt that the park sees an increase in attendance because of this "attraction." If people were that hungry to see dinosaurs, the Museum Center constantly has them on display. As for your attendance figures: Yes, they will earn back the money they spent this year on the new "attraction," if you don't count in upkeep of the park, employee salary, bills, ect. We are also talking once a year visitors, and at any point in the season, about 75% of those in the park are pass holders, so the park never banks on the admission prices.

The parks are normally open later during the summer months, but it could be that BGT is mostly animal exhibits. It closed at 8 when I went, same with Sea World.

There are a total of 4 prints of any film that plays at AT, two for each projector. Each print costs $5 grand, so I wouldn't be surprised if this was just new prints. Oh and from what I can remember from when I worked there, what was playing in AT never was decided till last minute because of how quick the program and films can be swapped. All it takes is a cartridge and two reels.

Buy it or pick it up, there is no reason Disney can't do their fastpass different and in a way that works, like the rest of Orlando. Also, we arrived shortly after 11, and the earliest fastpass time was 6:55, so it wasn't feasable. Next time I go to Disney, I will get your input, since you seem to have a great grip on how things work there. Want to make sure I have a plan to enjoy my day at Disney...

Ki has regular cop cars, so I'm guessing that it's just someone from security. And yes, they do have lights on the top. Maybe someone dan correct me if I'm wrong but I think over the offseason and at nights after park close the security guys work in teams, so it wouldn't be strange to see one in the car and one out.

Just throwing this out there: Florida already has a dinosaur park: Dinoland! Regardless of how much this costs for installation, whatever KI makes off of this is going to turn into profit (I know I know, not pure profit because they still have to pay off the original installation fee and the amount specified by the contract for an outside company to maintain it) so I don't see KI thinking along the lines of "How long will this take to pay off?" I see them thinking, "How much can we pump this for before it becomes unsafe to have people back there?" (bringing up the Rivertown Nature Trail.) After seeing the Orlando parks, I'm realizing more and more that KI doesn't seem to know how to invest properly. For example: Universal just sank close to $300 million into the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, and after experiencing it, they are printing their own money. When I went on Friday, the section was closed until around 6pm because of the crowd that was in the area, and you had queue lines set up for the GIFT SHOPS. Another example: Sea World is known for Shamu, but instead of sitting on just that claim, Sea World went out and built three themed rides (and Manta is just themed brilliantly,) and added at least two other shows that rival the best shows that KI has ever put on since they opened that will keep people coming in for years to come. Why is it that KI cannot do something along these lines? I understand that building new areas that are themed beautifully, good rides, and maintaining those two ideas are expensive, but they do pay off in the long run more than trying to please two different demographics with mediocre additions.