Ripsaw Falls and modified drop

[jkwan]

To tell you the truth, I never noticed that the drop got modified until now, and I have been going about every year since it first opened. Doesn't matter, I still get that OMFG moment at the top of that drop every time.

[ryno1986]

If Im right didnt Splash Mountain at WDW went to a lapbar system as well? I havent ridden it in a few years so I dont remember that much. I do remember the handle bars attached to the seat in front, but I thought they tried it on that. Yeah I remember when we had the jumpers and Ripsaw and we would have to hit the estop at the slightest movement and we normally had a down time from anywhere from one to three hours..... ah good times, and potato salad

 

No, Splash Mountain does not have any lap bars or restraints. That's interesting that Ripsaw has to completely e-stop at any signs of movement. Whenever a sensor was triggered on Splash, we did a basic ride stop, and sent the person at Unload into the mountain to check it out. Even if the sensor was triggered by a person getting out of the log, the CM just went to them, walked them out of the mountain, and roughed him up a bit (okay, maybe not that third thing). The whole process took 5, 10 minutes max, and then we were back up. E-Stops were typically reserved for someone falling/jumping into the flume - though that's pretty rare - or if a sensor was triggered at the bottom of the final drop where the brake is, and even then it usually only took 10-15 minutes to get the mountain back up. Though if it for some reason took 20+ minutes, we evacuated and then did the reset.

 

I worked at Splash Mountain last year for my CP. During my first day of training while in tower, a woman jumped out of her log at pre-C onto the left side. She then saw there was no exit, so she tried to jump over the flume to the other side and fell in. Imagine my horror as my trainer starts yelling over the speaker and hits the e-stop. She ended up getting out of the flume just in time and ran all the way up to the top of C lift. Why anyone would do that if they were scared is beyond me, but at least she was okay. Regardless to say it was quite an experience for my first day!

[Electerik]

That's interesting that Ripsaw has to completely e-stop at any signs of movement.

 

"Any sign of movement" is too strong of a statement, obviously. But yes, Ripsaw is different than Splash: jumper = e-stop = all water drains = complete evac = fairly significant downtime.

 

/Different companies, different rides, different policies.

[natatomic]

Yeah I remember when we had the jumpers and Ripsaw and we would have to hit the estop at the slightest movement and we normally had a down time from anywhere from one to three hours.....

 

That's interesting that Ripsaw has to completely e-stop at any signs of movement.

 

"Any sign of movement" is too strong of a statement, obviously. But yes, Ripsaw is different than Splash: jumper = e-stop = all water drains = complete evac = fairly significant downtime.

 

/Different companies, different rides, different policies.

 

Ah, I didn't connect his "slightest movement" comment to people jumping out of the boats. I took them as two separate occurrences.

 

But yes, of course there'd be different policies and different procedures. I suppose I just imagined they'd be more similar than not given that the rides themselves aren't all too different (in terms of concept, at least).

[Retro_Gaga]

That drop used to be absolutely insane.

[ebl]

I've only ridden Ripsaw Falls one time (in 2006), and at no time did I ever feel unsafe. Sounds like yet another ride ruined.

 

Just curious...who is the manufacturer of Ripsaw Falls? Arrow doesn't produce flumes anymore to my knowledge. Is this a Mack? Vekoma?

 

Eric

[Retro_Gaga]

I've only ridden Ripsaw Falls one time (in 2006), and at no time did I ever feel unsafe. Sounds like yet another ride ruined.

 

Just curious...who is the manufacturer of Ripsaw Falls? Arrow doesn't produce flumes anymore to my knowledge. Is this a Mack? Vekoma?

 

Eric

 

I'd say mack because of the style of track the ride engages on, not 100% though.

[Electerik]

It is Mack, yes.

[haiderodes]

I think its interesting that they have completely removed all mentions of anything alluding to an exploding shack. I guess it would be a difficult effect to maintain back in 1999/2000, but you would think technology has progressed enough by now to make it more efficient/viable.