DeLorean Rider Posted August 7, 2007 Share Posted August 7, 2007 You know they actually have the ability to synconize drop zones magnetic breaks in such a way that if they leave the catch car at the top of the tower, they can create kind of a launch sensation of the gondola itself. It cant go all the way up the tower but it can go about 2/3 up the tower. The only problem is that it complicates things when they want to slow the ride down later. There is always the possiblity that they would end up launching the gondola into the ground so they never do it anymore. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PKI_flyer Posted August 7, 2007 Share Posted August 7, 2007 That's an interesting comment considering Drop Zone Magnets are permanent magnets, thus not being able to be switched. One true fact is that Drop Zone utilizes the most energy of any ride in the park while running. (The motor must pull the catch and car past the permanent magnets that stop it the ride.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DeLorean Rider Posted August 7, 2007 Share Posted August 7, 2007 Is this an assumption or do you actually have a figure to back that up? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PKI_flyer Posted August 7, 2007 Share Posted August 7, 2007 This was told to us by Jeffery Seibert during the 2002 Discovery Channel photo shot. So feel free to contact the park and verify it. But to answer your question no I don't have the watt usage of each ride at Kings Island. (The park does not release such figures to the public) I only have the information that was given to us from the park's former management team member. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PKIVortex Posted August 7, 2007 Share Posted August 7, 2007 I'm sure FoF is right up with that as well. And IJST. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deb Posted August 7, 2007 Share Posted August 7, 2007 I need an aspirin. deb Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SOB_TOM Posted August 8, 2007 Share Posted August 8, 2007 I go to work, and a dead topic revives. What do I have to do, stay at the computer all day!? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deb Posted August 8, 2007 Share Posted August 8, 2007 YES!! deb Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colonel_SoB_fan Posted August 8, 2007 Share Posted August 8, 2007 I was at KI last night and noticed that Drop Zone between the times of 7-10 PM had broken two separate times. I'm glad they waited for the part that would make this ride run more effective because who knows how bad of a ride it would be since it hardly works anymore. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarketingExpress Posted August 8, 2007 Share Posted August 8, 2007 I was at KI last night and noticed that Drop Zone between the times of 7-10 PM had broken two separate times. I'm glad they waited for the part that would make this ride run more effective because who knows how bad of a ride it would be since it hardly works anymore. There are many factors that can contribute to a ride being down and not all of them are mechanical. At no time did the park say that Drop Zone would run better when it reopened with this part they were waiting on. For all we know, it made the rides safe enough to be reopened. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colonel_SoB_fan Posted August 8, 2007 Share Posted August 8, 2007 Well being that they did say that they could reopen the ride if they wanted to but just wanted to wait I would think that the part was for better operations reasons more than safety reasons Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarketingExpress Posted August 8, 2007 Share Posted August 8, 2007 ^ I may have missed it, but I don't recall seeing a statement from the park saying this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SOB_TOM Posted August 8, 2007 Share Posted August 8, 2007 To my knowledge, the park has NEVER made a statement saying that after a part/downtime is finished, then the ride will run better. No matter what you think about rides or machines, there are NO magical parts that you install to make the ride 100% reliable. Remember, these are huge machines, with complex algorithms and moving parts. Wear and tear does take a toll, as well as other factors (heat, humidity, ect.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colonel_SoB_fan Posted August 8, 2007 Share Posted August 8, 2007 Kings Island Tuesday reopened Drop Zone for the first time in about a month. It was closed when a similar ride malfunctioned at Kentucky Kingdom in Louisville. A cable on the Superman Tower of Power snapped, cutting off a girl's feet. Kings Island says its inspections of Drop Zone determined the ride is safe. Thrill seekers lined up for the ride Tuesday like they always do, saying the accident in Louisville won't keep them away. "Accidents happen," said Mike Stannard, rider. "Actually with anything else, it makes things better." "Each time you drive you face fear," said Mark Sedziol, rider. "If you stopped driving each time there was a car wreck, you wouldn't get anywhere." Kings Island has added a new part to Drop Zone in the past month, but insists it is not connected to the accident in Louisville. The park says the manufacturer recommended a modification to enhance ride performance. That came from www.wkrc.com. Like I said it seems to me this new part has not enhanced this ride at all maybe even cause more problems with it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SOB_TOM Posted August 8, 2007 Share Posted August 8, 2007 That is not a quote from the park. That is a quote from the manufacturer to get the park to install the part. And the manufacturer will tell you that the new part is not a cure-all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarketingExpress Posted August 8, 2007 Share Posted August 8, 2007 The word enhance can be twisted around in many different ways. The article you posted says that Drop Zone’s “manufacturer recommended a modification to enhance ride performance.” This could be something as simple as the crew changing the operation of the ride. We know in this case that it was a part, but as SOB TOM said, no one part will make a ride 100% efficient. For all we know this part that was supposed to enhance the ride performance could have been a simple pulley or weight. I think your expectations of this “new part” are set a little high. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colonel_SoB_fan Posted August 8, 2007 Share Posted August 8, 2007 Maybe but who doesn't want to go to KI and ride everything they have which this year has been impossible as everyday at least one thing isn't running all day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DeLorean Rider Posted August 8, 2007 Share Posted August 8, 2007 Its not something thats that easy to just fix. I cant stand when people act like Kings Island trys to keep their rides closed. Like KI plans to shut down the rides, as though Kings Island DOESNT want all the rides to be open. Worst question: When will the ride re-open; as though when the ride broke down it had a timer that no matter what would tell when it would fix itself. Like we just decided to shut down for 26 minutes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarketingExpress Posted August 9, 2007 Share Posted August 9, 2007 ^ Agreed, this is very aggrevating when rides associates get blamed for a ride being down when over 95% of the time they are not the reason the ride is down. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colonel_SoB_fan Posted August 9, 2007 Share Posted August 9, 2007 It sounds like to me they meant to shut down Son of Beast again, Drop Zone, and now Tomb Raider Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dvo Posted August 9, 2007 Share Posted August 9, 2007 I'm sure KI had a good reason for shutting down SOB again after the repairs were made. Drop Zone was not their decision at all. They had to shut that down until they found out why that horrible accident happened in KY. I do agree that TRTR is their decision, though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colonel_SoB_fan Posted August 9, 2007 Share Posted August 9, 2007 Yeah your right I had forgotten Intamin told them to Shut Drop Zone down. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DeLorean Rider Posted August 9, 2007 Share Posted August 9, 2007 I'm sure KI had a good reason for shutting down SOB again after the repairs were made. Drop Zone was not their decision at all. They had to shut that down until they found out why that horrible accident happened in KY. I do agree that TRTR is their decision, though.Well you're absolutely wrong about Tomb Raider. I can assure you that Tomb Raider is closed because at its current state, it is not able to run, and is now undergoing mechanical repairs. Kings Island did NOT close it because they wanted to. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colonel_SoB_fan Posted August 9, 2007 Share Posted August 9, 2007 I had ridden TR not long before they shut it down and it was running good just not the themeing Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarketingExpress Posted August 9, 2007 Share Posted August 9, 2007 I had ridden TR not long before they shut it down and it was running good just not the themeing Hate to tell you, but there are a lot of things that you miss as a rider that maintenance and the ride crew watch out for. If they see something wrong, then it is their job to report it and shut down the ride if necessary. You could have ridden the cycle before they closed TRTR and probably thought that everything was fine as well. Something can just go wrong with the ride, it has happened before, whether it's in the computer program or the actual mechanics of the ride. It's not like they are sitting in some conference room saying "hey let's shut down Tomb Raider for the heck of it today." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DeLorean Rider Posted August 9, 2007 Share Posted August 9, 2007 I had ridden TR not long before they shut it down and it was running good just not the themeing Yea and you know Son of Beast was running great on July 8, 2006 too... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colonel_SoB_fan Posted August 9, 2007 Share Posted August 9, 2007 Actually I think they knew something was wrong with SOB on that day especially since when I was at the park the day before and they kept shutting the ride down Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarketingExpress Posted August 9, 2007 Share Posted August 9, 2007 Actually I think they knew something was wrong with SOB on that day especially since when I was at the park the day before and they kept shutting the ride down You think huh? Well people used to say: "I think the world is flat" doesn't make them right. I can guarantee that park management would not have opened SOB had they known about the problem before the incident happened. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TransAm78 Posted August 9, 2007 Share Posted August 9, 2007 OK i know i am a dork but here it goes All i could picture was Kinzel, and the managment of KI sitting in the International Restraunt eating hotdogs with a spinning wheel determining which ride would be closed down next. haha Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Interpreter Posted August 9, 2007 Share Posted August 9, 2007 Perhaps that is how they arrived at the acquisition price for Paramount Parks? I bet they now wish the spinner had landed on at least a slightly lower number! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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