Best launch coaster ride ops?

[madhjsp]

I was just watching some coaster videos on Youtube and came across this video showing Flight of Fear's launch. Sounds like the ride op was having a fun time here

Point is, I've always thought it'd be most fun to work a launched coaster, because I feel like there are all sorts of things you could say to the riders before the launch to freak them out or take them by surprise. So my topic of discussion is, who here has a good story about something they've seen a ride op do or say before launching a coaster? Maybe this isn't quite an expansive enough topic to warrant a thread, but I thought I'd be interested to see who's got some fun stories to share.

The funniest personal experience that I can recall also came on Flight of Fear, when the ride op for the train I was on started counting down slowly from 5... then launched on 3! It definitely caught everyone on my train off guard, myself included, and I literally was not able to catch my breath until we'd gotten through the launch. It was great!

 

[Ian]

Hmmm, most of the ride ops that I've encountered on launch coasters have been robotic.

The only memorable launch coaster ride op moment I can remember is on Top Thrill Dragster in 2007. The ride was having technical problems and then entertained us with songs, dances and quizzes.

 

[Jer]

Chiller used to have an amazing ride op, he would really try and **** with the riders with fake count downs, and statistics that would scare inexperienced riders.

The only other ride i've ridden where the op had control of the launch was possessed and the op didnt really do much.

 

[Thekingin64]

This isn't about the ride op at the launch but on Rita last time was on it, when as I was getting off the ride, one of the ride ops noticed the band jumper (can't remeber what band it was) and commented on it saying he liked that band. That at least was the freindliest I've had.

 

[RCF]

The ones on Mr. Freeze at SFOT usually aren't bad. They're pretty interactive most of the time and use fake countdowns or facts to freak people out like, "You're about to be shot out at 70 mph" etc. Also, when I was at Kings Dominion, on Flight of Fear they had to shut down the ride due to weather concerns but while waiting the ride op was friendly, talking to people, doing trivia and facts and just being really chill and I liked that.

 

[KristofWB]

Depending on which operators, the ones on Turbine in Walibi Belgium were pretty much fun.

I remember one time there was this operator who said they were going to do a last check on the restraints. So he asked everyone to put their hands in the air. After everyone in the train doing it, he pushed the button and the train launced with everyone having their hand in the air.

Another one pushed the buzzer before the launch that much, no one exactly knew when the ride would be started. After some boring 2 minutes, the ride suddenly launched.

Something else they like to tease visitors with, is to mention the next thing:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_WjQfvmN8nA[/youtube]

 

[madhjsp]

^ ... how in the world?

 

[fishman100]

I was just watching some coaster videos on Youtube and came across this video showing Flight of Fear's launch. Sounds like the ride op was having a fun time here

Point is, I've always thought it'd be most fun to work a launched coaster, because I feel like there are all sorts of things you could say to the riders before the launch to freak them out or take them by surprise. So my topic of discussion is, who here has a good story about something they've seen a ride op do or say before launching a coaster? Maybe this isn't quite an expansive enough topic to warrant a thread, but I thought I'd be interested to see who's got some fun stories to share.

The funniest personal experience that I can recall also came on Flight of Fear, when the ride op for the train I was on started counting down slowly from 5... then launched on 3! It definitely caught everyone on my train off guard, myself included, and I literally was not able to catch my breath until we'd gotten through the launch. It was great!

When I was at SFA (Six Flags America) a few weeks ago, the ride operator at Joker's Jinx did the same "false countdown" thing...and that was the train right before us
But we were launched normally >.>

It would be kinda cool to press the button that launches the car..."Gooodbye!" *zoom*

 

[KristofWB]

^ ... how in the world?

Yeah! August 28th 1997, about 5 PM. Some kind of defunct made the ride launch at a lower speed. The train had enough speed to get through the track forward, but not enough to go backwards. Result: 28 passengers got stuck in the loop, hanging upside down for 1 hour and 40 minutes!

 

[Xpress]

Doesn't make sense how it would just get "stuck" like that. Me thinks wheel bearings were going??

Also, I remember this one guy with Xcelerator that was quite humorous.

He'd be telling funny jokes while guests were about to get launched, giving the punchline a second before the launch, or saying "Enjoy your ride on Xcelerator! because the line sucks". One of them was all "Ait, we gunna make dis one go slowah."