RollerCoasterRoyalty Posted May 7, 2012 Share Posted May 7, 2012 Ok as i mentioned in my Trip Report, DT was down all weekend. I was not there on Friday so I am not sure how true it is but i heard more than a couple people throughout the park this weekend tell me it was struck by lightning during the storms on Friday. NOW- we went to the ride attendants who were sitting there(has to be a boring day for them) and they told us they had no idea why it wasnt working. (find that hard to believe) Anyone have any info on that? I am not a DT fan, just interesting not seeing it run. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LongLiveTheSmurfRide Posted May 7, 2012 Share Posted May 7, 2012 It was running earlier on Friday. But yes, there was a lightning strike in the direction of Drop Tower Friday evening that scared the beejeezus out of everyone (I saw the flash from the Coney Mall Arcade but not the actual bolt). I suspected then that Drop Tower got hit, and with it not operating since then; it gives one reason to speculate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snowman Posted May 7, 2012 Share Posted May 7, 2012 We were there Sunday morning. At 11:00am WindSeeker was down, Drop Tower was down, Delirium was down. The results were amazingly long lines every where else. You really don't think about how much high capacity rides like these spread out the crowds until they go down. With all 3 down at once, it was really noticeable. The line for AE was out near the entrance, FoF outside que was full too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Outdoor Man Posted May 7, 2012 Share Posted May 7, 2012 Was hunkered down in the Festhaus when said lightning strike occurred. I thought I remember DT operating after that, but not sure. Winderseeker wasn't operating on friday either. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
medford Posted May 7, 2012 Share Posted May 7, 2012 Overhead the elevator operator on the Eiffel Tower mention that Drop Tower was struck by lightening. One would assume they'd have lightening rods in those things, and the downtime would be minimal, perhaps there are checks that have to be run that couldn't take place either saturday or sunday. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Diamondbacker Posted May 7, 2012 Share Posted May 7, 2012 It probably has something to do with that lightning. The purple lifter that takes the gondola up the tower was just sitting at the top point on the tower. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joncars05 Posted May 7, 2012 Share Posted May 7, 2012 I noticed that the lifter was nearly to the top of the tower as well. I found that pretty odd... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flightoffear1996 Posted May 7, 2012 Share Posted May 7, 2012 The claw parks at the top of tower when the ride is closed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westcoaster Posted May 7, 2012 Share Posted May 7, 2012 Mother natures fury, but why was WindSeeker, and such down, understand the Drop Tower for the lightning strike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
countess_of_tuscany Posted May 7, 2012 Share Posted May 7, 2012 I heard that insanely loud crack of thunder in the Festhaus, and everyone jumped and screamed a bit. It was probably the loudest thunder I ever heard! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KIBOB Posted May 7, 2012 Share Posted May 7, 2012 Although WindSeeker looks like it's down for other reasons, it is possible that the large lightning strike at the park Friday night was a forked bolt containing multiple strokes, which could have struck multiple objects in the park such as WindSeeker, Drop Tower, and the Eiffel Tower; all from the same discharge. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LongliveKingsCobra Posted May 7, 2012 Share Posted May 7, 2012 But if the bolt struck near DT, the charge can reach all the way over to WS? Wow. Lightning is crazy! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpongeBob Posted May 7, 2012 Share Posted May 7, 2012 I was standing next to viking fury hunkering down next to the claw games, and watched Drop Tower get struck by lightining not once, but twice. I felt a buzzing sensation, right before that strike. Scared the living daylights outta me, and the 2 boys with there dads. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KIBOB Posted May 7, 2012 Share Posted May 7, 2012 But if the bolt struck near DT, the charge can reach all the way over to WS? Wow. Lightning is crazy! Yes, the "runners" of a lightning bolt are able to travel significantly far distances. Here is an old video from NYC where the same bolt strikes both the old World Trade Center and the Empire State Building at the same time, which are pretty a pretty good distance from each other. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crgraham32 Posted May 7, 2012 Share Posted May 7, 2012 Wow, we rode the DT around 1:00 on Friday. We left the park around 3:00. Glad we didn't stay!! Also, I was asking a park employee at The Vortex why WindSeeker was down and someone said that all of the 4 older models of WindSeeker are down around the country because they had to make a modification to the ride. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LongliveKingsCobra Posted May 7, 2012 Share Posted May 7, 2012 But if the bolt struck near DT, the charge can reach all the way over to WS? Wow. Lightning is crazy! Yes, the "runners" of a lightning bolt are able to travel significantly far distances. Here is an old video from NYC where the same bolt strikes both the old World Trade Center and the Empire State Building at the same time, which are pretty a pretty good distance from each other. (edited out media) Wow. That is pretty cool! Thanks for sharing that! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gigacoaster2k Posted May 8, 2012 Share Posted May 8, 2012 I was there Friday as well when the storms hit. Regarding the strike that hit Drop Tower: we were hiding in Boo Blasters' exit when the hair on my arms stood straight up, super bright lightning shone through every crack in the building and I heard the loudest BANG I've ever heard in my life. It scared me so badly that my heartbeat actually slowed down. It was terrifying. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TTD-120-420 Posted May 9, 2012 Share Posted May 9, 2012 I wish I was there. I love storms. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HTCO Posted May 9, 2012 Share Posted May 9, 2012 Just a quick update. I did see Drop Tower cycling today at around 4:00pm. This is good news! Hopefully it will be open this weekend. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pkiboy Posted May 9, 2012 Share Posted May 9, 2012 So will WindSeeker Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Outdoor Man Posted May 9, 2012 Share Posted May 9, 2012 I heard that insanely loud crack of thunder in the Festhaus, and everyone jumped and screamed a bit. It was probably the loudest thunder I ever heard! was sitting in the festhaus with one of my daughters hunkered down on the floor by the giant claw game for that flash/BOOM! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RollerCoasterRoyalty Posted May 9, 2012 Author Share Posted May 9, 2012 Well my son and I were driving Friday night towards KI and we drove right through the storm that must have hit there. It was the worst I have ever driven through. Lightning every 20 seconds at least. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jbt Posted May 9, 2012 Share Posted May 9, 2012 Got to wait out Friday's storm in the loading area of Diamondback. There were a lot of screams when that lightning cracked. The rain was coming in horizontally, which was particularly annoying when it hailed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Browntggrr Posted May 9, 2012 Share Posted May 9, 2012 I'm glad that nobody was injured during the storms. It sounded rather violent. Did the park alert guests to seek shelter? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KIBOB Posted May 9, 2012 Share Posted May 9, 2012 I'm glad that nobody was injured during the storms. It sounded rather violent. Did the park alert guests to seek shelter? Just to add to your question, I know that it has been mentioned before, I just forget where. Being in the midwest, I wonder if Kings Island has organized procedures, as well as multiple shelters in the event of a tornado. I did see a video of people hiding in the basement under Action Theater during a tornado warning, but does the park have any other practical shelters solely for this purpose? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dalefan Posted May 9, 2012 Share Posted May 9, 2012 I'm glad that nobody was injured during the storms. It sounded rather violent. Did the park alert guests to seek shelter? Just to add to your question, I know that it has been mentioned before, I just forget where. Being in the midwest, I wonder if Kings Island has organized procedures, as well as multiple shelters in the event of a tornado. I did see a video of people hiding in the basement under Action Theater during a tornado warning, but does the park have any other practical shelters solely for this purpose? I'm not sure what KI's procedures are because i have never been at KI during a tornado, but i was at Cedar Point during one and i was inline for Disaster Transport. They had us go into the other part of the building where the que line is where the working props were at. We couldn't leave no matter what till they gave us the all clear. I know that the BLSC has a tornado shelter in the steel buildings they have around the ride. Seen the signs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colonel_SoB_fan Posted May 9, 2012 Share Posted May 9, 2012 The big steel building in Rivertown is a tornado shelter Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Diamondbacker Posted May 9, 2012 Share Posted May 9, 2012 Well realistically, could you use the Kings Island Theater? Or the big steel building by Invertigo? (That's offices, correct?) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FOF1996 Posted May 9, 2012 Share Posted May 9, 2012 Every ride, has a general area that they need to go to if they need to go to a Tornado Shelter. For example, if you are at Diamondback and need to get to a Tornado Shelter, you'd go below the station Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ohiocolts Posted May 9, 2012 Share Posted May 9, 2012 What about Flight of Fear? Open up all the switchbacks and fill everyone into the line. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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