TTD Arms Down

[Superdasher]

Remember the annoying announcement that plays whenever Dragster is about to launch?

 

"Keep arms down, head back, and hold on! (Dragster engine sound effect plays).....arms down......arms down...............arms down...arms down (ride launches)"

 

Wikipedia has a theory on this whole Arms Down business. They say that it is manually replayed by the ride ops to get the riders to lower their arms if they have them in the air.

 

It would be hysterical if the designers had put in an odd program to do that absentmindedly.

 

I don't know for sure if this is true though. In fact, one time I heard it repeat "arms down" a split-second AFTER the launch started!! Anyone else have any input on this?

[Coasterlicious]

yeah it said arms down after we launched

 

i remember it... because it started going and i heard it....and then the rest was a blur.... as usual... since its so fast u dont remember what u see.

 

but yeah i dont know... maybe its so people dont smash there heads or hurt there necks from the force of the launch... and i guess it could hurt your hands and arms?..

 

but i think it adds the the whole..... oh my god im gonna die... feeling that you get when its waiting to launch.

[PURE]

^My head hurts from trying to read your post.

 

I think the ride ops control it.

 

But my hands are up when it launches anyway.

[coaster05]

Sometimes it is so fast it blows the capital letters right off your post.

[FeelTheFORCE]

It probably does it automatically the first time when the trains pass sensors, but anything after that is manual, I believe. They say the same thing on Kingda Ka also. It could be for liability reasons.

[Carnage]

Wikipedia has a theory on this whole Arms Down business. They say that it is manually replayed by the ride ops to get the riders to lower their arms if they have them in the air.

 

It's not a "theory". The ride ops control the repeat of "arms down".

 

It's not a co-incidence that you only hear it repeated if someone still has their arms up.

[mantis2004]

The mp3 audio file is triggered each time once a train passes a proxy as it approaches the launch pad. This file is...

 

"Keep arms down, head back and hold on..." with the continuing engine roar. This engine roar will actually time-out after about 2 minutes if the train hasn't launched.

 

Each "arms down" after the initial spiel is generated by the ride operator responsible for launching the train (ever notice the two ride operators in the control booth). In the early days of TTD, they could press the button multiple times to create a aaa-aaa-aaa-arms down effect. It was kind of cool. They have since added a time delay so that's not possible.

 

The launch operator also has the ability to manually disable the sound effects via a light switch. Most commonly used during the infrequent shutdowns .

[PKI Jizzman]

I just wait until we roll back into launch position! Then once you're back, you're free to stick 'em up!

 

Mmm..what better way to rocket over that top hat?

 

-J "I can't wait until May 25'th" Z

[Carnage]

This engine roar will actually time-out after about 2 minutes if the train hasn't launched.

 

The launch operator also has the ability to manually disable the sound effects via a light switch. Most commonly used during the infrequent shutdowns .

 

That's the one thing I always listen for while in line. If the launch area suddenly goes quiet, that tips you off that the ride just broke down.

[thrillrideseeker]

I have been on both Kingda Ka and Top Thrill and never noticed it happening but I did find a video where you can hear the speil repeat on Kingda Ka!! Here is the link!!

 

http://youtube.com/watch?v=uI2FlObNDPQ&feature=related

 

~Matthew

[BeemerBoy]

Sometimes it is so fast it blows the capital letters right off your post.

Post of the day.

[timberskara]

I would just like to say that I was very excited to get to push the "arms down" button back in '03 when I worked on 'Screw/Magnum.

 

Oh yeah, and I totally did the "Ar ar ar ararararara ar arms down."

 

For the record, it does usually work with the GP who don't know to wait until the train rolls back before launch.

[Guest]

To clear up some confusion, the whole line (Keep arms down, head back, and hold on) is automatic. A button on the launch dispatch panel allows the ride op to repeat the "Arms Down" command as many times as needed (I believe they do have their limit though).

 

As for what triggers the spiel is hard to say. The first train out gets the announcement as it rolls into the launch area. The second train gets the announcement after it rolls up into the launch area and comes to a complete stop.

 

The (Arms Down) button is the small red button shown here:

http://www.cedarpoint.com/_upload/blog/NBP084.jpg

By the way, that's Lance, the voice behind the spiel.

[Scaparri]

Yeah, there is purpose for there anal-ness. It's fairly common for people to actually dislocate their shoulder from holding their hands up during the launch, so they'll repeat it as many times as needed. So yeah, it's not always a good idea to hold your hands up on launch rides.

[Jekoon]

I never put my arms down when they say to. What are they going to do? Hold up everyone until I put them down? I think not! And when I roll back into the station I look the ride op straight in the eye and say, "Thats right!". We both knew who won.

[PURE]

^Based on your post you have some maturity and self esteem issues to deal with. Ride ops don't care if you're dumb and hurt yourself on a ride, because then they win.

 

Has anyone actually dislocated their shoulder on the launch of any of these rides? I've heard that over and over, but for some reason I just don't see it happening.

[mantis2004]

Yes it has happened. I've seen it. It's not pleasant!

 

Wanna take bets that the ride hasn't been held up for someone who refuses to put there arms down. I've been there before. Actually had to back all 5 trains up and unload the gentleman who refused. The guests in line were not happy with him.

[BeemerBoy]

I never put my arms down when they say to. What are they going to do? Hold up everyone until I put them down? I think not! And when I roll back into the station I look the ride op straight in the eye and say, "Thats right!". We both knew who won.

 

Such a rebel. For your next defiant act, you should try jumping off a bridge. I hear people warn against that too.

 

 

 

And for the record, the "hands down thing" is a good cautionary measure against dislocation. I've seen people dislocate their shoulders in the simplest, and weirdest ways, so an extreme launch from 0-120 would definitely be a possibility for it to happen. It's common sense, really.

[cfc]

Hell, I couldn't even keep my eyes open on Kingda Ka's launch thanks to the G forces, much less hold my arms up.

[Purplepills]

Wanna take bets that the ride hasn't been held up for someone who refuses to put there arms down. I've been there before. Actually had to back all 5 trains up and unload the gentleman who refused. The guests in line were not happy with him.

 

With any luck that will happen to Jekoon sometime, that way it'll stop him/her having the belief they are 'winning'.

 

On a more serious note, if an op tells you to do something, you really should do it. Not only for your safety and the safety of those around you, but also to stop yourself looking like an ass, and potentially getting escorted out of the park.

[Carnage]

 

And for the record, the "hands down thing" is a good cautionary measure against dislocation. I've seen people dislocate their shoulders in the simplest, and weirdest ways, so an extreme launch from 0-120 would definitely be a possibility for it to happen. It's common sense, really.

 

One of my co-workers recently dislocated her shoulder while folding laundry. She leaned over to pick up something whilch fell on the floor, and pop out it went.

[FeelTheFORCE]

Is there a sound file of this spiel plus the engine sounds, or does Cedar Point have the only one? I have been looking for a few years now, but have come up with nothing. I figured after the Millennium Force song became available, the TTD spiel would pop up somewhere. I keep suggesting to T&T that they should release that, too, but I guess they don't want to or can't.

[jamesdillaman]

My view is you should obey all park rules, even if attending a Cedar Fair park, where they may seem silly (i.e. walking through the line again if there's nobody in line). You are on private property and they have the right to tell you to do whatever they want. Also laws give the mandate to adhere to all posted warnings/instructions as well as obey all direction from ride operators. If you want to hold up your hands, just wait until it launches, like i do. You'll be fine, and you won't look like a jack-a$$ who puts his arms up as soon as he leaves the station. We sat in the launch area once for almost 3 minutes because a dad and his young teen wouldn't put their arms down, as he was daring his son to keep them up the ENTIRE ride.

 

-James Dillaman

[Superdasher]

Here's a video where you can hear the spiel repeat "arms down" over and over again:

[canadianfreak]

That's only a little bit annoying. I think I would go crazy.