Canada's Wonderland Discussion Thread

[BugEyed]

^ precisely. The belts are no big deal.

[loop-de-loop]

Maybe I just caught the crew on a bad day, but when I was at the park in June, I never saw a train dispatched before the previous train reached the MCBR, where as other years I remember trains dispatched before then a lot.

[gad198]

If I remember correctly, the story was that a few guests at Kings Island randomly questioned the safety of the coaster (they said they don't feel safe and anyone can fall out).....then to make sure this didn't affect anything, the seat belts were brought in (even though I honestly think seat belts do nothing on roller coasters, you'll still fly out)

 

I've had a chance to chat with a few members of the Kings Island maintenance personnel who work on Diamondback each day, and they've all had the same story. The seat belts were added because of the incident on New Texas Giant last year. I asked them if they knew that no one had ever been ejected from any B&M ride and that their rides with clamshell restraints have conservatively given more than 100 million rides without incident. They all came back with "it's just a CYA thing". When I asked if they'll ever be removed their response has been "not anytime soon".

 

For those of you who still believe that a seat belt would somehow keep you in in the event of an ejection, I urge you to please read the official ride accident report from the state of Massachusetts regarding the Superman: Ride of Steel ejection in 2004. I don't have enough posts here to insert a link, but simply Google "Superman ride accident 2004" and it's the first result listed.

 

Long story short, the victim in the Superman accident in 2004 was ejected while his seat belt was still attached. There's a reason coaster designers do not use seat belts as the only means of restraining you.

[buck funny]

re: seatbelts

 

It took a while for me to be comfortable with the B&M t-bars, just psychologically. I'm not saying there was anything wrong mechanically with them, but the thought went through my mind that if this thing lets go, i have nothing even to hold on to since the only handles are part of the t-bar. Then, this june i was at sfga on El toro, and as we were headed over the first drop, mine went `click` open to the next notch. I pulled it down tighter when we were at the bottom of the hill and held on tight. It was a bit unsettling. It never gave me any other problem for the rest of the trip, but i didn't re-ride (and their dispatch times were painfully slow too...)

 

 

I rode the behemoth earlier this spring with the new seatbelts and felt better about the redundant security. I would prefer them for peace of mind.

 

I don't know why they are starting to add them now, other than that as the mechanisms get older, wear may be a factor and if they can't guarantee absolutely, a second restraint might be a good idea.

 

I don't like the argument that `nobody has been ejected so far`. It would sure suck being the first one...

 

regarding superman accident: If you are an amputee missing leg(s), then follow the restrictions and don't ride. They aren't there to be mean, but to avoid killing you.

[Dom497]

I don't know why they are starting to add them now, other than that as the mechanisms get older, wear may be a factor and if they can't guarantee absolutely, a second restraint might be a good idea.

 

Every off season, the trains are taken apart and re-built (at least in the Cedar Fair chain).....wear-and-tear is defiantly not an issue.

 

I don't like the argument that `nobody has been ejected so far`. It would sure suck being the first one...

 

Well it's a lot better than what Intamin said (what is below is copy-and-pasted from Carowinds Connection from "Chris")

 

Sandor Kernacs, Intamin's U.S. president, said Monday that 800 million to 900 million people ride on Intamin rides each season.

 

"I believe the safety of the rides is very, very good. Up to this point we haven't found anything to indicate something wrong with any of the rides,'' he said.

 

"It's impossible to avoid an accident. Every accident is tragic and we should strive not to have any, but accidents do happen. The question is what is an acceptable number?'' he said.

[gad198]

 

re: seatbelts

 

regarding superman accident: If you are an amputee missing leg(s), then follow the restrictions and don't ride. They aren't there to be mean, but to avoid killing you.

 

I'm so happy that you did your homework before posting. The incident you mentioned in your post happened at Darien Lake. The accident I alluded to happened at Six Flags New England. Completely different situations in completely different years. However, just to save some time and avoid other misinformation, I'll quote several things directly from the ride accident report I mentioned in my original post:

 

It was observed, after the accident, that the [victim's] seat belt was still connected and latched. The position of the latching mechanism was pulled between the seat and the side restraint. The ride photo taken by an automatic camera on the coaster 10 to 20 seconds prior to the accident demonstrated that the seat belt was secured around [the victim]

 

The hydraulic system of the "T" bar restraint was checked for proper function. The system appeared clean and free of leakage. The seatbelt system was also checked and mechanically functioned properly.

 

Seat belts on B&M hypers literally don't do anything except give the illusion of safety. Would you ride Behemoth with a seat belt only?

[MagnumFreak25]

I would still ride it with only a seat belt. Just because the seat belt was still buckled on the Superman accident that doesn't mean they are completely useless. From that accident the lap bar wasn't broken either. So if you use that as a reference you would be saying all lap bars are unsafe.

[buck funny]

I'm so happy that you did your homework before posting.

 

i never really liked homework, or snarky people. If it makes you feel better to be right all the time, then whatever.

 

i do like seatbelts though.

 

 

premature ejection is a problem we all struggle with...

[BugEyed]

The seatbelts are a harmless placebo that have little to no impact on the performance of the ride or it's operations.

 

The sniping, salty language and a near outbreak of fisticuffs over them is a bit of an overreaction.

[BugEyed]

^ and if anyone is wondering... Yes, that really was just an excuse to use "fisticuffs" in a sentence.

[GigaG]

If you want real backup restraints, use a Premier style lap bar that holds the bar to the side of the seat. That way, you can't fly out if the bar fails and you can't sit down and pull down the bar without realizing that a seatbelt is there.

[PCW_Nut]

I didn't want to discuss this in the Carowinds thread, but PCW_Nut said Leviathan will also get seatbelts for 2015. The park has said it is just to make the gp feel more secure, but is that really worth sacrificing the amazing dispatch times? I always read on Wonderland's Facebook page lots of complaints about long lines but no complaints that Behemoth and Leviathan don't have seat belts. Is this really necessary?

 

Behemoth's dispatch times, from my times on it, have improved greatly over the course of the season. This will only get better with practice like anything new and at the end of the day what is a couple extra seconds in the station going to really hurt if it means safety or piece of mind?

[BugEyed]

City News just confirmed that a "new attraction" will take SkyRider's spot in 2016.

I'd like to officially register my 2016 prediction: Launched Terrain Coaster

 

The reasons for this are:

 

1) pre-existing terrain (pond, hills, trees, etc.)

2) plenty of room and opportunity to interact with Vortex

3) Maverick

4) I really, really, really want a proper launched coaster at CW

[mightypotato]

I may be in the minority, but I'm hoping for a new woodie going through the WWC area. With all the absolutely fantastic new woodies being put in every year, I'm hoping Wonderland takes advantage of this new golden age of construction.

[canadianparkfan]

^Adding to that, launched RMC.

 

Reasons:

CW seems to be the test park for CF.

-Behemoth

-Windseeker

-Leviathan

-Guardian

[mightypotato]

^Adding to that, launched RMC.

 

Just to troll the internet nerds, I've been tempted to wear my RMC shirt (because let's face it, I am one of those internet nerds) and just stand around taking photos and "noting" stuff in a book by the Minebuster bridge or WWC area.

[CoasterTycoon]

City News just confirmed that a "new attraction" will take SkyRider's spot in 2016.

I'd like to officially register my 2016 prediction: Launched Terrain Coaster

 

The reasons for this are:

 

1) pre-existing terrain (pond, hills, trees, etc.)

2) plenty of room and opportunity to interact with Vortex

3) Maverick

4) I really, really, really want a proper launched coaster at CW

 

Would go along with the "sits on prime land" we keep hearing about

[jynx242]

^Adding to that, launched RMC.

 

Just to troll the internet nerds, I've been tempted to wear my RMC shirt (because let's face it, I am one of those internet nerds) and just stand around taking photos and "noting" stuff in a book by the Minebuster bridge or WWC area.

 

Please, oh PLEASE do this!!

[BugEyed]

I may be in the minority, but I'm hoping for a new woodie going through the WWC area. With all the absolutely fantastic new woodies being put in every year, I'm hoping Wonderland takes advantage of this new golden age of construction.

I'd love a new woodie at CW too.

 

However, I think if Cedar Fair were to embrace the exciting new world of wood it would likely begin with several years spent reprofiling their current and somewhat dilapidated arsenal first. Mean Streak, Wild Beast, Minebuster, Ghostrider and Grizzly are all getting a little long in the tooth. (just typing the word "Grizzly" made my spine flex)

[MagnumFreak25]

I doubt that they will bother re-tracking Mean Streak, they now it will still be a dull boring ride.

[BugEyed]

^ You don't think an RMC makeover would make Mean Streak amazing?

[MagnumFreak25]

Iron Horsing it would be amazing but if they just simply re-track it it will just be plain boring still.

[BugEyed]

ok, just checking. I suppose I wasn't clear when I said "reprofile". I don't think any of the coasters I listed could be saved with re-tracking.

[ANJLOVER14]

I know I'm being one of *those* people on these discussion pages on TPR, but I'm planning on visiting CW on the sunday of Labour Day weekend (only one day), and I was just wondering how my experience may be. I've already purchased Fast Lane+ tickets, but I've noticed a fair number of rides aren't available on those tickets. Will I be able to get on every coaster or will be the crowds be overwhelming on rides that don't offer fast lane+? I' m just trying to gauge it before I visit so I can know what I'm in for.

[canobiefanatic]

I just went Monday, and it was very crowded. You'll probably only be able to get on the Fast Lane rides. The rest looked like they had at least an hour wait.