robbalvey

While nothing really jumps out at me, I think this will be VERY popular with the general public (not the band!) I for one will be rockin' out on my first ride to KC and the Sunshine band! Just because... What will you all pick for your first ride? --Robb

I had thought the system received upgrades with the last round of new monorails? Was that not the case? --Robb

We still have the following spots open: Six Flags Over Texas - 4 Spots Kemah Boardwalk - 2 Spots Sea World - 6 Spots Fiesta Texas - 4 Spots Schlitterbahn - 8 Spots If you want to meet up with us in Texas, email me ASAP!!! robbalvey@aol.com Details of our park visits are located in the very first post of this thread! --Robb

Here's the thing - you can "sign up" but if you're not paid up, and we sell out of tickets to people who have actually paid up, we cannot honor your registration, sorry! --Robb

I'd have to hope that it will soft open before August. That's just my guess. --Robb

Does it really? I know someone else mentioned something about making the monorail even "more safe" but I gotta be honest, 1 accident in 27 years? 1 fatality in over 1 billion passengers? How many other transporation systems have that kind of record? There needs to be some kind of an invenstigation, sure, don't get me wrong, and hopefully there will be some sort of finding that can be fixed, of course, but I'm not sure I think that it could get any safer or if major changes are needed. Tell you what, let's give it another 27 years and see what happens. If we have another crash, then ok, I'll say some more computerization may be in order, but if not, let's just keep things going as usual. What do you think? --Robb

^ I have given goatdan 24 hours to cool down. Please everyone. Keep the discussion civil. There is no "winner" here in proving someone right or wrong, especially when you are discussiong opinions of other people. Remember there is NO FACTUAL DATA that has come from this accident yet. Once again, please keep the discussion calm and civil. I do not want to have to ban anyone else over a discussion about a monorail. --Robb

Once again, please remember to use the "Add Photo" tool when posting a Photo TR! --Robb

We still have a couple of spots open for this trip. Please email me if you are interested! --Robb

We actually had a GREAT visit there two years ago. Now, a lot can change in two years, but still, here is the update we did from that trip: http://www.themeparkreview.com/midwest2007/sixflagskentuckykingdom/sixflagskentuckykingdom01.htm --Robb

This was my first though when I saw the video. It simply amazed me he cared more about someone filming then, you know, trying to get help. Simply amazing. No, no, that's not what I meant. The cast member was absolutely in the right for shutting down the camera man! What I was saying is that it was terrible that he actually had to deal with that in the first place. The camera man wasn't there to "document" anything, he was there to get his video on the news, plain and simple. --Robb

You've got until August 3rd. --Robb

I'm just pointing out the obvious: Humans suck at operating machines. Computers do it better! If you think I'm dancing on graves, you've figured me wrong. Bring on Skynet! First of all, humans do not suck at operating machines. I am a heavy equipment operator by trade and can tell you that computers can NEVER be as safe as humans because computers can't think for their own when an unexpected hazard occurs, but humans can. I can't remeber how many times I've been in a situation where I had to make life or death decisions running equipment because the unexpected happened and I assure you a computer cannot make those types of decisions the way a human can. And I never said you were dancing on graves, but when you start making assumptions about situations and people that you couldn't pretend to know, it just leads me to believe that you think the person operating the monorail is neglegent and careless, which obviously is not the case here. If I was related to or a friend of the young man who tragically died in this accident, I would be very offended by your remarks. First off, I didn't take Joe's comments that seriously. I really think he was speaking mostly in jest. And secondly, if you get offended by anything on Theme Park Review, please remember our disclaimer: If you want to argue amongst yourselves, please take it to private message. --Robb

^^ NO ONE IS TALKING ABOUT WHAT THE OTHER PEOPLE ARE DOING!!! WE ARE DISCUSSING THE CAMERAMAN!!!! --Robb "Stop turning everything into an argument! We're all sick of it..." Alvey

"Showed concern" That's really it right there. I mean, I think it's totally reasonable to think that the cast member would try to clear the area of people trying to help because they are concerned about the well being of others. And as much as people may want to help, it's just not safe for people to do so. But when the cast member has to clear the area because some dude wants the scoop on TMZ, that's just really pathetic. The fact that the video actually exists in the first place is what frustrates me with human behavior. It would have been one thing had the video been of the actual crash by some random guest who just happened to be filming at that time and caught it on tape, but this video had a specific purpose behind it and it was created without a care in the world of any of the events surrounding the cameraman. That cameraman saw what just happened and *THEN* decided "I'm going to turn on my camera and get this on the news." That was his immediate reaction! It wasn't to try to help. It wasn't to show concern for those who could be injured. It was to feed his personal (and probably financial) gain by glamorizing the tragedy. IMO, that's just really lame. --Robb

Agreed. And I just want to make sure I was clear with my comments that I wasn't suggesting that the guests should stick around and help out, but more than the cameraman of that video seemed to be only interested in his own personal gain and not a care about the danger that lives around him could be in. There is plenty that you could be doing to help that isn't directly assisting in the actual accident. For example, it saddens me that the Cast Member actually take his attention off of the accident and direct his attention to shoo the cameraman out of the area. I agree that guests should NOT be directly helping with actual site of the crash, but they could be helping EACH OTHER in a case like this. For example, would it have really hurt anyone for the adults to take the kids aside and comfort them? --Robb

^ Hmm...I wonder why. I've attached it above. See if that works for you. --Robb

Does it really? I know someone else mentioned something about making the monorail even "more safe" but I gotta be honest, 1 accident in 27 years? 1 fatality in over 1 billion passengers? How many other transporation systems have that kind of record? There needs to be some kind of an invenstigation, sure, don't get me wrong, and hopefully there will be some sort of finding that can be fixed, of course, but I'm not sure I think that it could get any safer or if major changes are needed. Tell you what, let's give it another 27 years and see what happens. If we have another crash, then ok, I'll say some more computerization may be in order, but if not, let's just keep things going as usual. What do you think? --Robb

^ It just seemed to me (after watching the clip about 10 times and really focusing on what is happening in the background) the cameraman was more concerned about trying to video tape something rather than the driver, the kids, or anyone else in the surrounding area. The last few seconds of the video tell me a LOT about what is going on, or I should say, what is NOT going on. They just casually walk out of the monorail exit as though it was any other day. There was no sign of wanting to run for help, concern for anyone or anything, etc, just causally walking out of the station as though nothing was going on. It's hard to tell who the kids belong to and who the tattooed guy who is jumping over the hand rails is associated with. There was clearly at least one other person with the cameraman, though as you can hear him in the very last frame of the video and you can see another person's legs walk out with him. It was also hard to tell if the CM was pushing everyone out of the station or just the group who was with the cameraman. Regardless, the one "story" that I extracted from that video is that some people there could care less about the crash or the victims, but just wanted to get video of the incident. That to me just says so much about human behavior... --Robb "Your friend is quite a mercenary. I wonder if he really cares about anything, or anybody!" Alvey

This is exactly what I thought too. It's a good thing this happened early in the morning when no guests were around. And not just because the crash could have resulted in more injuries, but because the reaction of people in a full station would have been chaotic and probably caused more potential danger than the crash itself! Watching that human behavior unfold on film IMO was almost just as shocking as the actual crash. --Robb

It would seem that the trains for Twisted Twins have been sent to Six Flags St. Louis! That can only mean that either Twisted Twins is going to get new trains and a full re-hab or that the coaster's days are numbers (and it's already been closed for what, two seasons?) Here is the link to the article on screamscape: http://www.screamscape.com/html/six_fla ... ingdom.htm And here is a picture of the trains sitting at SFSL: Anyone know more about this? --Robb

They do this all over Scandinavia now too. I know at least Denmark, Sweden, and Finland charged me for bags. I even got charged for a plastic bag at McDonalds! --Robb

The crew was like this when we visited last year too, although without the rudeness. While it's not necessary to be rude to the guests I do give them credit for the speedy dispatch of trains! I was amazed that at a corporate run park they were able to unload, load and dispatch a train in about 45 seconds! I wish some other parks would take note of this! I really do like Canada's Wonderland, I just wish they had a better selection of coasters. Behemoth is certainly a step in the right direction, though. Let's just hope more of this quality or better are added in the near future. --Robb

If everyone could please do me a HUGE favor and actually READ this thread before posting to it because the same stories, the same links, the same quotes, etc, keep getting posted over and over again. If your post suddenly dissapears please do not get upset, we are just trying to clean up the thread for those who are actually READING it instead of just looking at the first post and hitting the reply button. --Robb

You could...but really, what would be the point? And furthermore, does anyone really care or NEED to be reminded about past accidents at ANY park. How about just moving forward and NOT being like the journalists who over-glamorize a tragic theme park accident just to stir up drama? Focus on the fun you can have as a family while visiting theme parks, not on mechanical or operator failures that could impact that from happening. Remember, that odds are ALWAYS in your favour. --Robb