Jew

^^I'd actually like to see the full report. I wonder if that claim is based on statements from Knott's, or if there are actual records of this happening(fax/email/etc)? I think that's a key issue, because in all my experience in the industry, I have never heard of such a communication breakdown between a manufacturer and a park. Typically there is constant communication between the two parties, issuing service bulletins, selling replacement parts, help troubleshooting problems, etc. Also, maintenance schedules are usually very clearly defined in the documentation they provide (state regulators and insurance companies wouldn't have it any other way). Another interesting thing I'm curious about: why did it take until 2007 to first notice the discrepancy? In order to have been in compliance with the state, they should have had to create maintenance checksheets to document all the scheduled maintenance they do. And the state checks those every year. So someone had to have had an idea about how often to inspect the cable since 2002! And no-one even thought to double check this after the TTD cable snapped?

Good for Six Flags. Creating new revenue streams however they can! Cedar Fair should pay attention...

Rumors that the ride was going to be modified or removed started long before BBW was closed. I first heard a rumor that the ride was either going to get the floorless Vekoma trains or be removed shortly after the first TPR trip to Korea in 2007.

^^^I actually think the fact that it is Disney is more than enough reason to worry. Disney is notorious for having a "my sh*t don't stink attitude" about anything they do. Since you brought up Murphy, the word on the street is that Disney decided to try and have Murphy do things he was never designed to do, then decided to blame the vendor they used for the issues. They also tried blaming Intamin for the California Screamin' bump, when they themselves made so many changes to the ride that they consider themselves the manufacturer! Besides the bombs Elissa already mentioned, keep in mind they have already had one failed show in the lagoon. Luminaria was a total failure, largely in part because Disney overlooked that small little detail about there being tons of smoke with all the low lying pryo.

Well yeah at first but as the crew was screwing it up people were starting to laugh. Especially the last park. Uhm...They were laughing at their friend being singled out by the ride op over the mic for looking like the dude from Twilight. Also great guest service. Oh, and the girl who was "having fun" singing the shark song can also clearly be seen leaning and looking bored as her co-worker is singling that guest out. Way to go Knott's!

Wow! 40 minutes in the sub? Crazy. Good to hear Disney took care of you guys so well though!

^What video were you looking at where everyone was having fun? The guests were clearly not into it. Being a theme park employee is about doing your job properly AND having fun. I'm guess singing the shark song doesn't fall under the "doing your job properly" part of the equation.

^^That makes two of us who can't recall any reports of buildings being damaged by that quake. I also agree that it is ridiculous to not have a backup anywhere.

The Screamin Swing people are also pretty AWFUL on the mic.

It's the steel company. Awesome coincidence though.

I have to agree with Robb. Letting people in the single rider line wait to ride together completely defeats the purpose of the single rider line. However, if it just happens to work out that way...so be it. The point of a single rider line is to fill empty seats. No ride op should ever let people in the single rider line wait for two empty seats to open up (not fair to anyone waiting in the regular line), nor should they ever not allow a group to ride together if by chance there are two open seats and no other way to fill them except through the single rider line.

^To be fair, I don't think there is anything wrong with a ride operator using the microphone in a more professional manner. I only posted my comment because that song was incredibly annoying. Something like "hows everyone doing today? In a few minutes you guys will be boarding the fastest ride in ghost town....place all your bags in the cubbies...blah blah blah...."

^No offense, but that is EXACTLY why I hate Cedar Fair ride operators having those wireless mics.

General rule: busy season runs from Memorial Day-Labor Day. Anytime you go to a park within those dates, you should plan for it to be busy and be happy if it is not.

Just a quick update... Construction is already very much underway for Transformers. The area has been walled off, scaffolding is up all around the building, all signage (and the video screen that used to be at the end of the Lower Lot) has been removed, and pieces of the building (mainly HVAC stuff on the roofs) have already started coming down. In the mean time, the park has introduced a new show down on the lower lot: The Character Bash. Basically a mini version of Beetlejuice's Rockin Revue: some famous monster characters come out and dance, then more characters come out and dance, and then the "street sweep" dancers close out the show. At this time, there is no official word on whether the ride will still open in 2011. A portion of the construction wall has received a "themed" overlay.

^^Lets see how special he is after advance scouts have seen him enough to put together full scouting reports on him... Talented? Absolutely. Special? Maybe 10 years from now. But he's already struck out 22 times in only 56 AB's...so there's a LOOOOONG way to go before anyone should be calling him special. He made me $150 off two baseball cards, so I'll thank him for that. But he's hardly someone that should be called special this early on. Besides, he will be forgotten as the next big thing as soon as Steven Strasburg gets called up in June. Hell, Ike Davis and Justin Smoak are already derailing his hype train...

Yeah...they better not accidentally put some rum in that soda! Or Jack Daniels...

Just signed up for the party bus.

That's a bummer. I was looking forward to doing that cruise a few more times since I love that ship so much.

I'll be excited this weekend if everyone in this thread starts spelling 'excited' properly. Screamscape's latest report:

^Nothing Xciting is going to happen this weekend. However, something EXCITING (notice the emphasis on the proper spelling of exciting), as there is a rumor going around Xcelerator will be reopening soon.

^I had to refresh the page a few times to get all the photos to load. You should upload them to TPR instead.

That's actually not TOO bad. It's all in the story telling. For example, Indiana Jones is only around 3:30, but you'd never guess it.

^Absolutely. In fact, that may very well be one of the reasons SFMM doesn't use three trains as often. On Goliath, a 3rd train makes the control panel a required position (with one or two trains, operators can use the panel at the front of the station), and RRv requires 2 unloaders when 3 trains are online (only one is required for 1 and 2 trains).

I think everyone knew this was coming. The forces were just insane for a Suspended coaster! There's no way the ride wasn't tearing itself apart. I'll never forget asking "Did I just get airtime on a suspended?!>! WTF?? AWESOME!"