stky6 Posted May 14, 2012 Posted May 14, 2012 Haven't been back since opening day. Haven't seen WindSeeker running on the camera and was wondering if it's opened this year yet? Quote
bkroz Posted May 14, 2012 Posted May 14, 2012 I wonder what Mondial's return policy looks like, and how the company feels about having just built three more of these... 1 Quote
countess_of_tuscany Posted May 14, 2012 Posted May 14, 2012 WindSeeker was open all day at Cedar Point on opening day, seemed to be working fine. I wonder why KI's has been down all season, since they are the same ride. Quote
bkroz Posted May 14, 2012 Posted May 14, 2012 I think Knott's has been down, too, and at least one other... Don't quote me, though. EDIT: Yep. Knott's has also been rigged with a big piece of metal that Westcoaster.net says it to hold up the outer ring. Looks like heavy duty work. Quote
HHauntFanatic Posted May 14, 2012 Posted May 14, 2012 I wonder what Mondial's return policy looks like, and how the company feels about having just built three more of these... Boy I hope we don't have another Bat or Tomb Raid/Crypt ride where it's more trouble than it's worth. Sure not off to a good start. Quote
bkroz Posted May 14, 2012 Posted May 14, 2012 And imagine if Paramount had bought a half-dozen Giant Top Spins and put them in all of their highest performing parks! Ten years later... Oops. I don't think it's that bad, though. And we don't really know what's wrong with Knotts' ride. Quote
McSalsa Posted May 14, 2012 Posted May 14, 2012 ^ WARNING: JOKE AHEAD! ...even worse, imagine if Paramount went crazy and built a bunch of $20,000,00+, 200 foot+ RCCA looping wooden hypercoasters and put them in all their highest-performing parks... CEO 10 Years Later: "Oh crud..." Granted, a move like that would have probably bankrupted Paramount... Quote
jdawg1998 Posted May 14, 2012 Posted May 14, 2012 Last year it took WindSeeker to open about a month, right? and it is so sensitive to wind, every time it was a little windy (15+) it would close it seemed like, Now this here, it's not even open at all! What a disappointing ride.. Quote
TombRaiderFTW Posted May 14, 2012 Posted May 14, 2012 You guys kinda have your expectations set a little high. Remember, it's a prototype. These sorts of things happen. Quote
Guest rcfreak339 Posted May 15, 2012 Posted May 15, 2012 Last year it took WindSeeker to open about a month, right? and it is so sensitive to wind, every time it was a little windy (15+) it would close it seemed like, Now this here, it's not even open at all! What a disappointing ride.. Slow your horses Jack....as said earlier both WindSeekers at Knott's and Cedar Point had extensive repairs done to them over the winter. It's a prototype, this stuff happens and it sometimes takes a while to perfect.....It's not even a year old yet. Quote
coasterfanatic83 Posted May 15, 2012 Posted May 15, 2012 I don't understand how a little wind at Kings Island can shut it down but gusts off of Lake Erie can keep it open... I don't get it... Quote
Hank Posted May 15, 2012 Posted May 15, 2012 I don't understand how a little wind at Kings Island can shut it down but gusts off of Lake Erie can keep it open... I don't get it... That's because Cedar Point is CF's #1 park and all the others are second rate. Just kidding - but good question. Goes back to the ride CP put in a number of years ago and over the winter, one of the supports came crashing down. Then's there's CP's Space Spiral which has stood forever - unless there's some stories on this somewhere (calling Terpy!) Quote
The Interpreter Posted May 15, 2012 Posted May 15, 2012 Not forever. I have it on good authority it was not there in 1863. Quote
Hank Posted May 15, 2012 Posted May 15, 2012 Son of a biscuit! I knew that! But I forgot it! Oh no! Quote
RingMaster Posted May 15, 2012 Posted May 15, 2012 You guys kinda have your expectations set a little high. Remember, it's a prototype. These sorts of things happen. It would be understandable if it were the only Windy Seeker in an amusement park and needed extra work done to it even after it's already open. I'd even possibly forgo the issue involving the arms moving too freely and the seats getting dangerously close together as the gondola slows down. But to spend $20 million on four of the same prototypes and leave out a crucial safety element until AFTER the ride has opened to the public (and then spend another $15 million on several more at other parks in the chain)? But I do completely agree with you on the aspect of prototype attractions.Things happen. We've had the same problem with several big attractions just within our own park (Tomb Raider/Crypt, Delirium, IJST/BLSC, Firehawk, etc.). Quote
LongliveKingsCobra Posted May 15, 2012 Posted May 15, 2012 IJST was a prototype?! You learn something new every day! Quote
The Interpreter Posted May 15, 2012 Posted May 15, 2012 No, it was a big attraction. Firehawk was also not a prototype (the prototype was Stealth, now at Carowinds as Nighthawk). Quote
The Interpreter Posted May 16, 2012 Posted May 16, 2012 I don't see why not. Had it worked, a certain NJ park had plans to one up it. Quote
TromaKing Posted May 16, 2012 Posted May 16, 2012 From the view I have at my oh so lovely cubical, I can see that something is going on with Wind Seeker. Looks like it did a cycle rather then just hang out at the top this time. Looks to be a promising sign. Quote
Outdoor Man Posted May 16, 2012 Posted May 16, 2012 OK- Now, while there on Saturday I asked the elevator attendant at the Eiffel Tower why it hasn't opened yet (this may be a position the Dippin Dots guy gets promoted to... but the explanation sounded plausible). They said that the KI WindSeeker wouldn't open until outfitted with the updates given to the new one opening at Carowinds (i think that's where they said)... and assured that all of them were operating properly. Quote
Bennett Posted May 16, 2012 Posted May 16, 2012 WindSeeker was moving up and down this morning...didn't see it spin, but, was indeed moving. Progress. Quote
CoasterFreak45 Posted May 19, 2012 Posted May 19, 2012 It appears that WindSeeker is running right now (EDIT: Well sort of) on the web cam! *fingers crossed* Quote
KI FANATIC 37 Posted May 19, 2012 Posted May 19, 2012 It appears that WindSeeker is running right now (EDIT: Well sort of) on the web cam! *fingers crossed* I was there tonight. It was not running. It was testing. Well, just sitting about a 1/4 up the ride, just the same as before the ride opened last year. Quote
Jeorby Nanpa Posted May 19, 2012 Posted May 19, 2012 EDIT: Yep. Knott's has also been rigged with a big piece of metal that Westcoaster.net says it to hold up the outer ring. Looks like heavy duty work. I looked at the pic and I don't get what's going on there. Certainly there's a big piece of metal, but it's attached to a moving part. The blueish colored thing at the top is pushed against a moving surface (like a brake) and this couldn't be correct. Maybe this is some sort of storage fixture for winter? It would be interesting to see the same picture zoomed out a bit. Quote
Fear the Four Posted May 19, 2012 Posted May 19, 2012 and it is so sensitive to wind, every time it was a little windy (15+) it would close it seemed like, Now this here, it's not even open at all! What a disappointing ride.. WindSeeker should be able to handle stronger winds this year... The new hydraulic dampers will hopefully increase WindSeekers uptime. Quote
westcoaster Posted May 19, 2012 Posted May 19, 2012 Its still a great addition to Coney area of the park, and I'm sure its for good reason being closed, Quote
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