Will CF keep the same safety?

[Tanna]

One of the things I liked best about the park is that it has a reasonably good safety record compared to other parks. Many of the accidents were due to rider error and/or pre-existing conditions.

(I know about the Son of Beast incident, but it seems that ride was an issue from the getgo.)

I know men walk the tracks before the park opens, and all the rides are checked before opening. I always felt the rides were in good repair, and that made the rides more fun.

Now that it's owned by Cedar Fair, I'm worried that the safety routine might not be as diligent. (I'm thinking of the Xlerator accident at Knott's Berry, for instance, where it was a mechanical issue.)

Does anyone out there know if it's going to be the same as it used to be?

[Braves0511]

Having worked at Cedar Point, I can vouch from experience that safety is number 1, across the whole chain. There were many things in place to ensure ride safety, some that were picked up with the acquisition of the former Paramount parks, and some made there way from the old CF parks to the new... Besides it wouldn't make sense for them to be lax on safety from a business perspective, who wants to go to a dangerous park?

[Tanna]

Having worked at Cedar Point, I can vouch from experience that safety is number 1, across the whole chain. There were many things in place to ensure ride safety, some that were picked up with the acquisition of the former Paramount parks, and some made there way from the old CF parks to the new... Besides it wouldn't make sense for them to be lax on safety from a business perspective, who wants to go to a dangerous park?

Exactly.

Thanks for the reply from experience.

I'm old enough to have gone to Americana when it was LeSourdsville. The fear factor at KI is fun, the fear factor at Americana was genuine.

[flightoffear1996]

Sometimes it worries me as well not so much as theme parks but airlines. WIth all these companies penny pinching sometimes they I think they wait a little too long to change a part ect.

[KIfan1980]

Do you mean the same as it used to be for the last 4 years that it has been owned by Cedar Fair? Why would something change now?

[Tanna]

Do you mean the same as it used to be for the last 4 years that it has been owned by Cedar Fair? Why would something change now?

Well, there's people in the world don't pore over every factoid of the park. I'm one of them. I did not know that the same safety had been in place for four years prior.

Some people don't. All I have, as a consumer, is what is in front of me at the time. Perhaps the KI PR team can clue we commoners about the safety precautions about the routine that has been in place for four years.

This is why I asked the question-

On the Friday I went to the park for the Haunt, it seemed as if they had cut back on spending, and there was a different crowd there than I was used to from going many years.

I had heard from family and friends around Knott's that the park had 'gone downhill'.

Knott's Berry Farm has had some technical incidents in the past. King's Island, barring the dratted SOB, has a pretty clean record for safety in the park, many of their accidents are user error.

CF now owns both Knott's and KI. I do not wish the safety problems of Knott's to appear at KI.

I know newspapers sensationalize accidents, but when a cable breaks, it's not a good thing for any park in the chain.

I don't think there's a need to be confrontational in revealing your knowledge of the park.

I simply asked a question, and had already be given a good answer.

[flightoffear1996]

The intamin cable braking usually cannot be found by the daily test done. Its the internal parts of the cable that fail which cannot be dected by humans.

[bkroz]

Yes. The issues that Cedar Fair's safety & maintenance are most known for (Top Thrill Dragster, The Crypt, Xcelerator, Son of Beast, etc) stem from the rides in question being prototypes, or using (what word to use...) temperamental technology. As was said, Xcelerator and Top Thrill Dragster are launch roller coasters that use a tremendous, hydraulic-powered winch to build up (and release) a great amount of tension through a cable. Normal wear and tear occurs to these cables, and as has been seen, they begin to fray and weaken until something happens. Of course there are systems in place to check, inspect, and replace these cables at regular intervals, but life doesn't always work as cleanly as some would like. (Then there are systems to launch trains like LSM motors and LIM motors on use in Flight of Fear, Backlot Stunt Coaster, etc that produce a launch without physically touching the train, but are still prone to technical malfunction and breakdown).

Again, I can't think of a single major park owner who doesn't value safety as the number one priority (although for some, it's tied with finances, and perhaps it should be). Ride manufacturers themselves have many, many safety precautions in place on their rides, including block breaks, anti-rollbacks, light curtains, and much more that you'll doubtlessly learn about as you continue to interact with some of the brilliant members here, as I have. Parks fill in all the gaps in the built-in safety features by building clear and accessible routes for evacuation, staffing the ride to an efficient degree, and informing riders about what to do and what not to do even before they board the attraction.

Cedar Fair has owned the park and has been implementing their own practices since the summer of 2006. Those practices are unlikely to become more lax as time goes on. If anything, the incidents that you've cited (Xcelerator, Son of Beast, Pony Express, The Beast's collision years ago, etc) will probably continue to increase safety. The safety of parks today versus that of 15, 25, 50 years ago has improved astonishingly. Cedar Fair, perhaps more than anyone else, is known for their redundant safety systems - three restraints, seat dividers, seatbelts, no-glasses-on-rides, etc. They're sort of at the forefront of ride safety. Sometimes, as many will point out, they might take it a bit too far, but if you're going to feel unsafe on a roller coaster, a Cedar Fair park isn't the place to do it.

[CoastersRZ]

Like the shutting rides down if it starts to sprinkle rule? Or opening them with only one train, on rides like The Beast that has magnetic brakes (installed after the incident you mentioned above with the old braking system when they were shutting the ride down), AND two lift hills to separate the trains.

In Ohio, every ride has to be inspected in the spring prior to its being certified to open to the public. Ohio`s Department of Agriculture has ride inspectors that must take continuing education requirements to stay abreast of the latest technology in the amusement park industry. They inspect every ride, water slide and go kart track in the state of Ohio, including all those inflatable attractions. In Ohio, every permanent ride has a bronze plaque bearing the "Ohio Department of Agriculture- Rides Safety Division" seal with a unique license number. Every year, an operating sticker is placed on this plaque. Also, if there is any injury on a ride requiring hospitalization, the ride inspectors will conduct an investigation. Furthermore, once the initial inspection has been conducted, the ride inspectors will do unannounced inspections to check on the maintenance logs, as well as operations policies and paperwork. I happened to be one of the rides managers the day that two of the state ride inspectors came by Coney for an un-announced visit, so I`ve actually had the chance to talk with them before.

As with anything, it is always best to err on the side of caution. Amusement park operators would rather be extra careful with safety, since having the reputation of being unsafe can drive away customers. And once you loose a customer, it is incredibly difficult to get them back as a customer.

[Tanna]

Like the shutting rides down if it starts to sprinkle rule? Or opening them with only one train, on rides like The Beast that has magnetic brakes (installed after the incident you mentioned above with the old braking system when they were shutting the ride down), AND two lift hills to separate the trains.

In Ohio, every ride has to be inspected in the spring prior to its being certified to open to the public. Ohio`s Department of Agriculture has ride inspectors that must take continuing education requirements to stay abreast of the latest technology in the amusement park industry. They inspect every ride, water slide and go kart track in the state of Ohio, including all those inflatable attractions. In Ohio, every permanent ride has a bronze plaque bearing the "Ohio Department of Agriculture- Rides Safety Division" seal with a unique license number. Every year, an operating sticker is placed on this plaque. Also, if there is any injury on a ride requiring hospitalization, the ride inspectors will conduct an investigation. Furthermore, once the initial inspection has been conducted, the ride inspectors will do unannounced inspections to check on the maintenance logs, as well as operations policies and paperwork. I happened to be one of the rides managers the day that two of the state ride inspectors came by Coney for an un-announced visit, so I`ve actually had the chance to talk with them before.

As with anything, it is always best to err on the side of caution. Amusement park operators would rather be extra careful with safety, since having the reputation of being unsafe can drive away customers. And once you loose a customer, it is incredibly difficult to get them back as a customer.

Thank you all for the information. I was thinking of passes again after all these years. One of the things that makes me ready to jump in a KI coaster, and one of the reasons I could drag my chicken**** sister with me was that it was such a safe park, you may feel that The Beast is going to veer over the side, but it's not. That's the fun of the park.

I steer clear of Intamin rides, though it's more prejudice than anything.

[Browntggrr]

Like the shutting rides down if it starts to sprinkle rule? Or opening them with only one train, on rides like The Beast that has magnetic brakes (installed after the incident you mentioned above with the old braking system when they were shutting the ride down), AND two lift hills to separate the trains.

That is called corporate policy.

CF initiated the policy after the Magnum accident a few years back.

We may not like or understand it, yet we have to deal with it. I would also not be surprised if insurance has a significant impact on the policy.

[Creed Bratton]

I always find that policy funny. Some rides have rain mode, some don't. So it's raining, you don't have rain mode.....you're not operating. I do find it unacceptable when rain modes allow for 2 trains on the ride and the operators only will run one train. I’ve been told we needed to just do 1 train when we were being pushed to increase capacity…some things I’ll never understand!

[CoastersRZ]

Unless something has changed, Diamondback did run two trains last year in the rain. I understand that the rain policy is corporate policy. But they carry it to an extreme. I mean, shutting down all the coasters when there is simply a light sprinkle seems like they are taking it to the extreme. I understand safety reasons, but there is a line of being safe, and borderline ridiculous. Shutting rides down at the first sprinkles of rain is borderline ridiculous.

[Creed Bratton]

Diamondback this year ran 2 trains, unless we were told otherwise in rain mode. light sprinkle yeah, i don't understand that either. I remember last Halloween Haunt I rode Diamondback in a down pore and it hurt, but the ride didn't feel any less safe. I believe it was a 2 train op.

I agree CoasterRZ shutting down rides for a sprinkle is ridiculous.