AZ Kinda Guy

I'm down right ignorant when it comes to fireworks technology. Is all that computer controlled?

First things first. For arguments sake, I'm calling the ring of seats the "gondola" and the mechanism that picks up the gondola the "catch car." The gondola at one time did indeed spin twice on the way to the top. At one time I knew why they switched it from two to one and the reasoning escapes me but I can tell you this much, it has nothing to do with capacity. The gondola spinning is powered by either one or two (exactly how many eludes me) motors which are attached to inflated rubber tires on the "legs" of catch car as well as four unpowered nylon wheels underneath the gondola. My educated guess as to why the gondola does not currently rotate probably has to do with one of the motors failing. The reasoning for the change in speed up the tower from slow to fast has everything to do with less wear and tear on the 4 cables attached to the gondola and not so much the motors. It took them a few seasons to actually get to the speed it ascends now. It used to ascend the tower at a much faster speed but they had to keep slowing it down due to the wear and tear on the cables. The ride is slowed down via the white fins on the tower that slide thru the magnets that are attached to the gondola. It comes to a complete stop via four landing buffers which I believe are hydraulically powered. When the ride is ascending the tower, these are the buffers that are sticking up. So there is no actual brake that brings the gondola to a stop. For what it's worth, there are four other cells that stay lowered the whole time, these are in fact the cells which weigh the gondola. If the load is too heavy, the operators must remove a few guests to get the weight within tolerance. The actual style of seat belts has changed thru the years. The ones that are on now have not changed in length since the day they were added and they have been on for quite awhile now. Seat belts were added for the 2000 season. I do not know exactly why they were added but my educated guess it has something to do with PGA incident in the summer of 99 which closed ours for the remainder of the season. Fun fact: most of the black seats that are on today are from the Volcano coaster at Kings Dominion. Speaking of Kings Dominion, the gondola on the Drop Zone at Kings Dominion is far much lighter then the one KI has (lighter frame, no motors to spin the gondola, ETC) which is why theirs can ascend the tower at a much faster speed; less wear and tear on the cables. So the idea that KD's does not rotate due to KD wanting increased capacity is wrong. The bottom line here is Drop Zone/Tower requires alot of maintenance and where alot of maintenance is involved, there's usually alot of money involved and we all know the all mighty dollar will trump any kind of operational concern. Hope this helps! Nick: Read your statement wrong. My bad.

Actually you're wrong. The motors that rotate the gondola are on the catch car.

The length of the belts has not changed this season.

No they won't.

This must have something to do with the fading paint job.

I am 100% sure you are wrong.

I meant the ride sucked when it first opened and is great now.

The Crypt is great as it is now. It sucked back when it first opened.

You can't be serious

Seriously, it's just dirt.

It's just dirt and SOB still sucks as is. Count me in if they decide to do a weenie roast as well.

Stalk much?

Do you actually know her? Like, hang out with her outside of Kings Island?

The fenders are there to keep a blown out wheel from hitting guests.

Its fiberglass

There was no "part replacement" in 2003.

The bumper cars

That's not a paint chip. It's simply build-up of the material that makes up the wheels.

Why is everyone so convinced FD is going anywhere? Just because it hasn't received a fresh coat of paint? If so, your logic is severely flawed.

I am positive your wrong.

Actually, a few of the things that have been mentioned the park employees do not do. Have you seen a park employees making improvements to The Crypt? Or maybe park employees working on the Tower Gardens waterfalls? This is the kind of thing we will try to do. I myself will enjoy doing these things. Yes and yes to both questions. Just curious, who do you think is going to pay for the necessary supplies to "make improvements to the Crypt" and to "work on the waterfall" in the former Paramount Story?

What's so hard to understand about THE PARK PAYS EMPLOYEES TO DO EVERYTHING THAT HAS BEEN MENTIONED? Whether or not it gets done to your satisfaction is another story. Besides, why not volunteer your time to a real charity that actually needs it? Just trying to bring people back down to reality.

A few people already mentioned this but the whole physical labor inside the park thing is never going to work. You want to help out? Go volunteer at a charity that actually needs your help.

I don't know who that Brian Kosmac guy is but I don't like him.