Deja Vu - What's the answer?

The Deja Vus could almost be considered SBNO lately, and this is a year after they were supposed to open! I was at SFOG this weekend, where it never opened. (I believe it last ran 3 or 4 weeks ago for less than 1 hour) One fellow I talked to has been there every weekend this year and has yet to get a ride!

I do not intend to bash Vekoma or Six Flags here, but wish to ask a serious question: What is the answer to this problem? (And to some extent, what's the deal?)

I'm not a park executive, mechanic, or ride designer, but this whole ordeal seems just silly to me. Sure, machines break down, but even a fraction of the downtime Deja Vu has had would not be acceptable. What needs to be done? I'm sure all parties involved want nothing more than to have the things work well and keep buying/selling rides.

I hope that everything works well in the end, but they don't seem to be doing anyone any good in their current state. (I saw so many dissappointed people this weekend pass Deja Vu hoping to ride)

Any thoughts? (Please refrain from comments like "Deja Vu is kewl" or "Deja Vu sux!", thanks :) )

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- Peabody

I don't have an answer, but the sad part if, SFOG's DV runs better than the others (from what I am told--don't quote me). Honestly, I don't think they are ever going to be very reliable.

*** This post was edited by MisterX on 5/19/2002. ***

Unfortunately, it sounds like the answer might be two-fold: cutting torches and cranes. :-(

i agree...at SFGAm that piece has not been operating for about a week now and i would think that vekoma would at least be able to figure something out during the 6 months of the offseason but no...

Well, one way to increase up-time would be reprogram the computer. SFGAm's valleyed because it was released too soon, and the brakes didn't do a thing. Why install all kinds of brakes everywhere if they don't do what they should? Instead, they stayed open, letting the train get stuck between the loop and roll, where it has to be 20 times harder to fix. They should be programmed to measure the train's speed, and if it isn't high enough, slow it down even more so it can't make it through the loop, and then stop it completely between the loop and lift.

That wouldn't fix every problem, but it would lower down-time, as they could fix the ride faster when it valleys because of the 2nd lift.

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Deja Vu count this season: 1, but thats still more than most other people who've been to SFGAm this season!

What I can't understand is that the invertigo's work so well but the DV are just awful. Perhaps it is the cross over the station that causes the problems? About the only ful prrof way i could really figure out would be to take the loop out, you would have plenty of speed then. I have saw two of them now, I watched SFGAM's Valley and SFOG's run one train every 20 minutes. Something has to give here. I will say they are darn pretty to look at buty thats about it.

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The Beast and Night, They go together like Peanut Butter and Jelly

The Magic Mountain one has been running just fine for quite awhile already. What's wrong with the other two?

kRaXLeRidAh said:
The Magic Mountain one has been running just fine for quite awhile already. What's wrong with the other two?

I dont know!! Luck???

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""To be the man, WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!, You got to beat the man""!!!

Constant weather conditions is most likely the answer there. If there was a constant 75 degree temp with 20 percent humidity the other DV's would run just fine.

Also does anyone think that normal invertigo or SLC trains would work a lot better on DV?

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The Beast and Night, They go together like Peanut Butter and Jelly

kRaXLeRidAh said:
The Magic Mountain one has been running just fine for quite awhile already. What's wrong with the other two?

Translated: "SFMM's Deja Vu opened for part of a day once this year!" ;)

In all seriousness, each and every single on of them has their own horrible flaws. SFMM's valley's the most (in the butterfly), SFoG's doesn't have a chance to valley because it never operates and SFGAms is starting to take after SFMM's.

I am not a person who condones removing a coaster at all. However, in the Deja Vu cases, the longer they sit there doing nothing, the worse off everyone is. People go to the park expecting to ride it, and it's NEVER open. They'll just get fed up and not care anymore.

BTW, Deja Vu and Acrophobia were down on 5/19/02. Wouldn't surprise me if *both* were down for a while now...Ugh.

"If parks only bought B&Ms, everything would work perfectly." :)

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Fiesta Fest Weakest Link contestant wannabe.

When I went to SFMM I was expecting to ride Deja Vu and I did. Let me tell you, it was great. Coming backwards down the second tower gives you weightlessness due to the free fall. I found no problems with it that day.

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http://sixflagsthrills.tripod.com/sixflagsthrills visit for some great thrills!
"enough is enough"-?

MisterX said:
Honestly, I don't think they are ever going to be very reliable.

I don't know - they seem pretty "reliable" to me..... I'll get shots at all three parks' this year, so far I stand at 0 rides in two days, although I saw some people riding on Saturday a couple weeks ago just as we arrived....I figure a spin on a Deja Vu is a bonus to a day at a park if it's operating, it IS a really good ride....and is very "kewl"...LMAO. I guess their current status shold be considered "virtually SBNO".

bill, saying the ride's modest improvement over the standard Invertigos certainly doesn't warrant the reduction in "reliability"...

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if you aren't outraged, perhaps you haven't been paying attention...

*** This post was edited by rollergator on 5/20/2002. ***

Deja Vu at SFMM has been running very fine for me and gives an outstanding ride. I think I sense a hint o jealousy that SFMM has gotten theirs under control lol. But in seriousness it's running great. I for one don't mind going slow backwards through the cobra roll. It gives a different sensation like if you were to go through the batwing on Viper at SFMM. Now the loading process is a WHOLE other story.

I personally think the best solution is the most simpliest, although some people just don't want to hear it. Just leave the ride alone and ride everything else in the park until the problem is fixed. I don't know that I'd want to ride it right now. Being stuck in a harness 110ft in the air for 25 minutes is not my idea of a good time. Give SF a year or so to try and fix Deja Vu's problems. Did SFMM tear down Superman? Knott's Perilous Plunge? PKD Volcano?

I'm sure if 2 years from now DV is still down 75 percent of the time, they will be removed. I mean honestly, SFMM has 15 coasters, SFOG and SFGAm have numerous rides to choose from, what's the deal?

B&Ms also have their share of problems:

Both of their flying coasters haven't been very realiable.

Also I know that in it's opening year B:TR at SFGadv have MANY computer problems.

Also in it fourth year after being flawless for 3 year Medusa at SFGadv is/was have problems.

Also Nitro was having problems last year at sunset becuase of the way a photo eye was place it cause a double image and the computer would stop the train mostly on the blocks and on the lift. But mid season they fixed that.

I think they should try the Faceoff trains. They may find out that is the problem. But who knows. It's worth a shot. the damn things don't work know anyways so ahy not give it a try.

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BMCOASTER

bmcoaster@wi.rr.com

Every coaster has the potential for problems happening, no matter who the manufacturer might be. B&M may have the most trouble-free track record, but they aren't immune to temporary breakdowns.

Deja Vu's problems seem to be in an entirely different category, however. This design seems to have nearly chronic problems. I think Vekoma needs to have a really hard look at the design of this coaster and re-evaluate it to see if the cars and/or track could do with some tweaking. I mean, this thing is getting to be a joke for both Vekoma and SF, and it would be in both their interests........as well as in the interest of the GP........to get it right.

I know B+M had some pretty big problems with air, but SUF has been running pretty well actually. Neither coaster is nearly as bad as Deja Vu.

Why don't they just put drive tires/advance wheels in the cobra roll. This way, if it does valley in the cobra roll, the wheels turn on and push it out of the cobra roll and back into the station. They could also try the face off trains. But thats just a guess!

You'd have to build in secondary motors for them to disengage... you don't want them in the way during normal operation.

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Jeff - Webmaster/Admin - CoasterBuzz.com, Sillynonsense.com
"As far as I can tell it doesn't matter who you are. If you can believe, there's something worth fighting for..." - Garbage, "Parade"