coasterbill

Someone hold Energylandia's beer, please.

Enough of this insane conversation. It’s spiraling out of control. Let’s drop it. Edit: Not sure what part of “Let’s drop it” people don’t understand.

Have you ever stopped to consider the idea that maybe the reason that almost nobody (here or anywhere else) agrees with you is that you’re wrong and not that you’re just smarter than the rest of the world? Everything in life carries risk but you have a better chance of hitting the powerball than being killed by a tornado in most years.

It is 100% not an exaggeration in Orlando. It’s probably actually low. Severe weather is possible almost every single day from at least mid June to mid September and tons of days outside of that. For other parks, closing parks on days where the weather is guaranteed to be crappy to save money has been common practice for years anyway but nobody is going to close on a nice day with a chance of evening storms. It’s the summer… Based on posted wait times, they were right for opening.

You’re acting as if we’re saying that there is absolutely no risk of the worst-case-scenario happening here. We’re not, but you have to weight that risk with other factors and put it in perspective and I don’t believe that you’re doing that because it’s what you’re surrounded by at work. In each of the last five years, US Tornado deaths have ranged from 9 to 76 per year. More than 38,000 people die every year in car crashes in America. You’re not suggesting that the park remove the parking lot to encourage other means of transportation though because you’re a storm chaser and not a DOT employee. You can’t close Disney 100 or more days per year. You can’t close every park in the Midwest multiple times a week for storms that may-or-may-not materialize and even if they do, have a tiny footprint and you’d have to be ridiculously unlucky for it to matter. Also, these are regional watches and warnings at regional parks so you’d just be sending people to other places or to their homes within the same warning zone by closing the park. Perspective…

Imagine Orlando every day all summer… “I’m sorry, this isn’t safe… there might be severe weather later. Please go back to your hotel where there also might be the same severe weather later”

If a park can reasonably do what Dollywood did and delay opening when the storm is only an hour or two away to save money on staffing for 2 hours when nobody would be there that’s entirely practical and parks already do that all the time. Looking at Queue Times, the storm in Branson hit at 8pm, It was a busy day, Time Traveler got up to 80 minutes late that afternoon. They even reopened after the storm and still posted at 45 minutes. They weren’t going to close the day and they shouldn’t be expected to.

I would love something to break into the Jets game I’m watching right now and put me out of my misery. There’s an F5 shitstorm in the middle of MetLife stadium right now and it’s called the New York Jets. … anyway. I get it, storms are dangerous. If you want to talk about how these businesses like this need to invest in large storm shelters and comprehensive plans then I’m with you. Cedar Point putting up “storm safe” signs everywhere with little tornado icons on them when their plan is literally “I don’t know, everyone run in this bathroom I guess” that’s dumb but it’s entirely impractical to close Disney World 100 days a year and close every large venue in the Midwest any time there’s a chance of a tornado developing at some point that day.

Imagine telling parks and sports teams in the Midwest that they couldn’t open or hold events on days where a tornado watch might be issued. Imagine telling Disney to close when there’s a chance of a severe thunderstorm warning being issued that afternoon with radar indicated rotation in the forecast every single day all summer. Lol, get real.

Everyone says that the height combined with the rumor of inversions screams “Mack” to them, but it could also be an S&S like Steel Curtain. (I don’t really think it will he but I’m throwing that horrible thought into the universe just to be an asshole).

After using it, yes you are correct. I was wrong. Optimal strategy (for everyone else, not necessarily you since not everyone cares about Slinky in your group) at Hollywood Studios is to book Slinky at 7 (it will be gone by 7:01 on busy days), then book Falcon at 11 (assuming a 9am open) or sooner if you snagged an amazing time. The app will tell you when you can make another reservation if you go and try to do it and it won't allow it. Personally, our strategy was to not book Slinky and book Falcon at 7. I feel like I'm sucked into the hype of Slinky, but really, it's probably my 5th-or-so favorite ride in that park. Note: For resort guests who want Slinky, ideally you want two people up at 7am if you want Slinky... one to book slinky and one to book Rise. If one person is doing everything, they should grab Slinky first. There's not as much demand for Rise right at 7 because EVERYONE can book Slinky at 7 but only resort guests can book Rise. Then if you get there at resort guest early entry, also rope drop rise (or Slinky if you'd prefer for some reason).

When I think of coasters that haul ass back into the station and definitely don't take 100 years to get there, I think of Tennessee Tornado. It seems like they struggle more and more every year with operating a theme park well, but you can say that for a lot of companies right now.

I kind-of hope he does this. When he noted that if everyone who was so concerned with the future of this park, they should have bought it or even made an offer considering he was the only bidder he wasn't wrong. He's actually entirely right and if he puts it up for sale again and nobody bids again then it just makes all of this blowback seem even more ridiculous than it already did (if that's even possible).

Sky Ride's seemingly endless budget-cut is ending... ... in like 7-9 months before they probably close it for budget again in like October (I mean "refurb")

It's Merlin, so probably nothing noteworthy whatsoever...

It blows so we're flying to Orlando later...

Lol

This park should really just be year-round. I know they won't do it since they're Cedar Fair but I really wish they'd just grow a pair one year and try something weird like Busch Gardens Williamsburg. Just do 11 - 5 operating days or something in January and February with some special events and run every coaster except for whatever you're refurbing. The average high is 12 degrees above their minimum operating temps even in the dead of winter. I get that occasionally they'll be below that, but rarely. ... that's my pipe dream.

I think Carowinds pushed the 2022 opening date up by a week or two. Rare good news on the operating-calendar-front from them...

I got a head-start on this obviously, but I broke down and did the grouping method finally. I recommend everyone do this. It's life-changing. My list for the six people who care. My top 10 got a little shaken up by a giant dinosaur coaster in Orlando and an inverted coaster in bumblefuckshire England.

I actually saw some videos from that event and it looked shockingly fun. They actually did something cool for once. Anyway, Nick Universe at American Dream is actually having their first real sale of any kind on tickets that doesn’t involve forcing you to also buy a waterpark ticket. Save 20% with the code Cyber20. This even works on Twilight tickets so you can get a ticket for $33. Note that Sandy’s Blasting Bronco is closed for maintenance right now. It’s supposed to open on 12/24 but it was supposed to open last month and it keeps getting pushed out. I wouldn’t by tickets in the next month or two if riding the best ride in the park matters to you (plus, I’d rather just go to Great Adventure’s Holiday in the Park) but you can buy tickets way in advance with this promo. This deal also works with the other attractions in the mall.

That’s a shame…

So I assume this is just an outside contractor doing all of this, right (or they're just paying Darien Lake to put it there and the park has absolutely nothing to do with it)?

No, book Slinky at 7am, not 9. That's where you went wrong. lol