Dollywood sued after woman falls from ride

And just to help people reading CoasterBuzz to understand the topic, take a look at the end of the ride cycle in this video of the ride. The ride stops spinning, but has not fully lowered. The restraints are able to be released by each rider. This particular accident occurred when the rider released and raised her lap bar before the ride was completely lowered, and she fell out.

Watching this video reminds me of how awesome of a spectacle wave swinger type rides are.

I always enjoy a ride on a Wave Swinger.

Having watched the video, I remain impressed that the woman can claim, with, I presume, a straight face, that she thought it was safe to leave her seat dangling feet of the ground.

The alternative would be to have the ride lower while still spinning. People taking their shoes off before the ride (as so many seem to do on any "feet-dangly" ride) would be showing up at First Aid constantly with the injury known as Fred Flintstone foot.

Better known as "hamburger toes" around here. :)

rollergator said:

The alternative would be to have the ride lower while still spinning.

Absolutely.

I just cannot fathom someone hanging so high off the ground they could walk under the seat they're sitting in saying to themselves, well, the ride isn't moving, must be safe to get out of my chair!

LostKause said:

Watching this video reminds me of how awesome of a spectacle wave swinger type rides are.

Shame on you! Get yourself to the nearest open amusement park and spend the day, immediately!

Hehe. Now I live in PA. It's the offseason for me, and I can accept that. I only get to visit about 3 or 4 parks a year anyways. Life gets in the way, and money.

What I meant about looking at the video was that while I see wave swinger type rides regularly, I just discovered that I take the rides beauty for granted. I just noticed, or possibly rediscovered, that it is a very pretty ride, and is exciting to watch.

The swing at California Adventure is (to me) one of the best placements anywhere. Night time, white lights, kinetic motion, reflection on the water. Near Amusement Park perfection.

Halloswings at HW is a Zamperla model. It lowers while slowing. It is synchronized pretty closely, but actually finishes lowering before the rotation stops. The seats are high enough to prevent Flintstoning.

The first Wave Swinger I ever saw was the Tennessee Waltz at Opryland, oh, 100 years ago. I knew they had one before I arrived and I was looking forward to seeing the wave action. The only rides I'd seen were the Chair o Plane style rides and Chance's YoYo. Like Travis, I was in awe of the graceful motion of the ride and how beautifully it was decorated. I think KD still has one of the first installations of that ride as well.

Since then Zierer has built over 200 of their classic version and that doesn't count the number of similar rides by Zamperla and Bertazzon. It's surely one of the most prolific and enduring modern flat rides in the world, I'd say.

I really like em as well, and even though over the years the chairs have gotten mysteriously smaller and smaller (right?) I seldom pass a chance to ride one. I like to see re-themed rides as well. SFOT has one redecorated with villians from the D.C. Comics called Crime Wave. I thought it was so clever, and a great way to retheme a classic.

slithernoggin said:

People see what they want/expect to see. If you think only overweight people go to Dollywood/Old Country Buffet/Big Lots/NASCAR/what have you, then you're going to notice the people who fit your preconception, not the ones that don't.

Well I can relate experience from a recent trip to Dollywood with my family. Multiple times we saw people that had to be removed from rides that did not fit in the restraints. After we witnessed this on Wild Eagle, we mentioned it to a lady from Knoxville that my wife was talking with. Her response was "well, this IS Tennessee".

My wife also mentioned it was the first place she ever saw needle receptacles in the bathroom (of the all-you-can-eat buffet) presumably for insulin needles.

They're all over Disney World, most airports, probably anywhere that people travel.

Probably true and have never really noticed it before. Would make sense in airports.

Sharps containers are ubiquitous. Not sure how she/you've missed them. obviously if you don't need them you might ignore them, but they are in almost every public restroom at places with any significant foot traffic

Yea. You NEVER see fat people at Cedar Point. I mean, it IS Ohio. (eye roll)

Precisely why they should make those seat belts longer.
I mean really longer.

Otto Parts said:

Multiple times we saw people that had to be removed from rides that did not fit in the restraints.

That's kind of what I'm saying. You noticed the people that had to be removed - a very small fraction of the people in the park that day.

Americans (on the whole) are grotesquely overweight. Anyone who argues that is simply not willing to accept facts. Don't think so, look at pictures from Disneyland's opening day. Notice how all the men have on what today we call "skinny suits". Back then they were just "suits".

Yes, you see more of it in the American South than you do in, say Los Angeles, but it's an epidemic nationwide. Dollywood and Holiday World are classic examples. Is everyone there fat, no. On the whole, yes. The water parks there are just amazing spectacles of America's addiction to sugary drinks and Ginormous portions.

Hey Credit whore, why don't you kiss my ass if all you do is bitch about the south? I know I might get into trouble for saying this but You don't know crap about the south.