Small News From The Theme Park Industry
- Thread starter Lofty
- Start date
davidm
Strata Poster
^ that's crazy but it looks more like the guests fault than a bad-evac.
In that, the rafts are clogging up and the ride-op is there (presumably just to help de-clog it, as the pumps are still working then) but then the guests in the first raft seem to panic and try to climb out (cut in the video then), whereupon they stop the ride/pumps and then the guests all start jumping into the water as the rafts move back. One person is even contemplating jumping into the water as the raft drifts off screen.
If it were a proper evac they would have told the guests to stay put, then shut the ride - so looks to me like guests did not follow instructions (perhaps bad instructions)?
(not a good look in any event though!)
In that, the rafts are clogging up and the ride-op is there (presumably just to help de-clog it, as the pumps are still working then) but then the guests in the first raft seem to panic and try to climb out (cut in the video then), whereupon they stop the ride/pumps and then the guests all start jumping into the water as the rafts move back. One person is even contemplating jumping into the water as the raft drifts off screen.
If it were a proper evac they would have told the guests to stay put, then shut the ride - so looks to me like guests did not follow instructions (perhaps bad instructions)?
(not a good look in any event though!)
Oaks Amusement Park has reopened AtmosFEAR after closing it due to an incident that left 28 guests upside-down for roughly 25 minutes. Zamperla and an independent inspector have given the go-ahead for the attraction to resume operations, but it will only function in 180° or 260° modes for the time being instead of its full 360° mode. Source
Firefighters rescue 28 people stuck upside down on Oregon ride
The AtmosFEAR ride, which opened in 2021, operates like a pendulum, with the capacity to swing riders completely upside down.news.sky.com
How does it get stuck like that, I would have thought stafety systems would have been in place to get it back down at the very least? Would gravity have been impossible/unsafe?
Double post 
Valleyfair has closed Excalibur, Thunder Canyon, and Renegade "due to significant flooding,". Other attractions remain open with "the vast majority" of the property above the current projected crest of the Minnesota River. Guests are also advised to park at the overflow lot at nearby Canterbury Park and utilize a shuttle to the park, as the Valleyfair lots are closed. Source
Valleyfair has closed Excalibur, Thunder Canyon, and Renegade "due to significant flooding,". Other attractions remain open with "the vast majority" of the property above the current projected crest of the Minnesota River. Guests are also advised to park at the overflow lot at nearby Canterbury Park and utilize a shuttle to the park, as the Valleyfair lots are closed. Source
Rob Coasters
Hyper Poster
A car has crashed into a Taron support beam. The ride is closed, but no further information.
EDIT: I am hearing the ride has reopened
EDIT: I am hearing the ride has reopened
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VonRolland
Giga Poster
Interesting how they have a new door into the batching/first preshow room
Efteldingus
Mega Poster
More details came in this afternoon: The worker was doing maintenance work on one of Taron’s trains when they were apparently struck in the head by a moving vehicle. He was pronounced dead at the scene before ambulance could arrive. The park also put out an official statement:
Phantasialand on Instagram: "Wir sind erschüttert. Fassungslos. In tiefer Trauer. Das tödliche Unglück eines geliebten Kollegen, das eine klaffende Lücke in die Phantasialand-Familie gerissen hat, lässt uns sprachlos zurück. Euer Mitgefühl und die
15K likes, 699 comments - phantasialand on March 26, 2024: "Wir sind erschüttert. Fassungslos. In tiefer Trauer. Das tödliche Unglück eines geliebten Kollegen, das eine klaffende Lücke in die Phantasialand-Familie gerissen hat, lässt uns sprachlos zurück. Euer Mitgefühl und die einfühlsamen...www.instagram.com
Phantasialand is still set to open for the season on Thursday, but wether some form of tribute to the deceased worker will be held is unknown
This is, unfortunately, getting a bit of a tail now. Two employees of the park are suspects in a legal investigation into the accident, on the count of negligent homicide.
Source:
Phantasialand: Paukenschlag nach Taron-Drama: Kollegen des Toten (†42) als Verdächtige identifiziert
Der Tod des Phantasialand-Mitarbeiters im März 2024 hat jetzt ein Nachspiel. Zwei Kollegen des Toten sind in den Fokus der Staatsanwaltschaft geraten.
Munchy Road Hippopotamus
Mega Poster
Doesn't make them less painful unfortunatley....
cookie
Giga Poster
An unfortunate (but cuddly) incident befell Heide-Park today. A plush elephant fell on the track for the Mack powered coaster Grottenblitz and got lodged beneath the front car of the train. No injures were reported among riders, but the plush elephant sadly did not survive the slow-moving collision. The plush elephant is survived by whoever its owner is.
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VonRolland
Giga Poster
Who tf decided lets run it over rather than just pick it up, hope it damaged the belts
CanobieFan
Strata Poster
Yeah, that seems like a ride stop / e stop and removal would have been the better option.
cookie
Giga Poster
Disney has submitted a patent for a two-dimensional guiding system that would allow boats on water rides to turn to face specific show scenes as opposed to always be locked straight ahead, while still being propelled by the waterflow rather than any other method of propulsion. The vehicle would be fitted with a square bogie that would come in contact with ride elements placed underwater, allowing the boat to turn any which direction the ride designers so choose. According to the patent, this solution would allow for tighter turns and more control over the riders’ point of view while maintaining the traditional flume set-up.
Source:
blogmickey.com
Source:
Disney Patents Next Generation of Water Flume Ride; Showcases Moana-Style Implementation
Disney has filed a patent for a next-generation water flume ride that would allow for more dynamic show scenes
blogmickey.com
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Peet
Giga Poster
Doesn't the Shanghai Pirates do something like this?Disney has submitted a patent for a two-dimensional guiding system that would allow boats on water rides to turn to face specific show scenes as opposed to always be locked straight ahead, while still being propelled by the waterflow as opposed to any other method of propulsion. The vehicle would be fitted with a square bogie that would come in contact with ride elements placed underwater, allowing the boat to turn any which direction the ride designers so choose. According to the patent, this solution would allow for tighter turns and more control over the riders’ point of view while maintaining the traditional flume set-up.
Source:
Disney Patents Next Generation of Water Flume Ride; Showcases Moana-Style Implementation
Disney has filed a patent for a next-generation water flume ride that would allow for more dynamic show scenes
That's clearly the boat from Moana, and with Moana 2 coming out later this year it would make sense for them to roll out some Moana boat rides, my 3yo would love it.
Absimilliard
Roller Poster
La Recre des 3 Cures, an amusement park in western France, will add an 80-meter-tall (262 feet tall) Funtime drop tower in 2025. The name and theme haven't been determined for now, but to give you an idea of the scale of this ride, it will be the third drop tower in the country. Nigloland (100 meters) and Parc Spirou (90 meters) are the taller ones, and like La Recre, they are Funtime drop towers.
https://www.instagram.com/reel/C9C3TXBoOfb/
La Recre des 3 Cures is home to Vertika, 2020 custom Eurofighter from Gerstlauer and Jeep-O-Dino. It is a Family Coaster 92m from Zamperla that opened a month ago.
https://www.instagram.com/reel/C9C3TXBoOfb/
La Recre des 3 Cures is home to Vertika, 2020 custom Eurofighter from Gerstlauer and Jeep-O-Dino. It is a Family Coaster 92m from Zamperla that opened a month ago.
cookie
Giga Poster
I believe Shanghai Pirates uses two sets of wheel assemblies that ride along independent guide rails, so it needs to have space for two separate tracks whenever Disney wants the boat to turn to face a specific direction:
(from the Shanghai Pirates patent)
The new patent looks to be a simplified version that only uses one bogey, so it can ride along one set of rails while still turning in whichever direction Disney wants it to at that time. In turn, it would require less space and less track to be manufactured.
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TPoseOnTantrum
Giga Poster
Bit of a serious one, but a bunch of showmen have come out with accusations that Höllenblitz is in dire condition right now, to the point that it's unsafe to run. They're saying everything from poor maintenance, parts in need of replacement, and multiple accidents being swept under the rug. The operator is painting this as a "with hunt" and smear campaign, stating that it's been passing inspection and that his competitors are trying to ruin his reputation. Bad news if half of this is true; https://www.waz.de/lokales/herne-wa...age-vorwuerfe-von-hoellenblitz-betreiber.html