Holiday World Today

I wanted to post a photo of the park today. The picture is at www.negative-g.com Paul Drabek
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Negative G Coaster and Park Photos
www.Negative-G.com
Raven_Rider@negative-g.com

Thanks for the photo Paul. I'm really speechless.

-Danny
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Coaster Insomniacs

We saw that as we were leaving this morning. I am very impressed with the way the Kochs are handling this. Pat's announcement of the tragedy and the cancellation of the event were the height of class and dignity. One other thing, as were we exiting the park I did not hear one complaint or bit of grumbling about the event being cancelled. I think that says a lot about enthusiasts.

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Jeff-Jeff

Thanks for getting the pictures. I agree Jeff.

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-Sean Newman

I was at SRM yesterday. I remember talking to you Paul, in the parking lot at the Santa's Lodge. I could not agree more with everyone's statements and comments about Holiday World. It's a sad thing that this has to happen to a park as nice as Holiday World. Stay positive and support Holiday World.

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TTD RULES!

I don't see any pictures of Holiday World....?

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-Bubba
HTTP://community.webshots.com/user/cpbubba

Bubba, it's the very first picture on the page -- Holiday World's Raven with the flags mourning at half-mast.

Sad day, indeed.

I have goosebumps from seeing that, great picture> your pictures are always good.

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A true enthusiast goes on the kiddie coasters.

To be honest, I think it's great how the park is handling this. I wouldn't expect the park to clearly publicize the death, or even post the story on their website. I think it's a good tactic not to get the media to jump on them and tackle the entire thing, because the "real" facts are on the official site, not the crap that the media makes up.

And of course, I am deeply saddened by the incident, and I have talked to people who were there when it happened, and I can't even imagine what they're feeling right now, and when they were there. :(
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The Point of Cedars - Pointing you in the right direction!
http://www.thepointofcedars.tk
http://www.thepointofcedarsforum.tk

Thank you, Paul. I saw that as I was leaving this morning, but I was still to stunned to react.

This is only the second time in my adult life I've cried for someone I never met.

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--Greg, aka Oat Boy
My page
"Mary Jane, don't you cry, you can give it a try, Again when the sequel comes out" -- Weird Al, Ode to a Superhero

Geg and I all just hugged Saturday night .... not even really talking much before... that is how much we were hurting....

it felt so good to have people around last night..... we all are a family...... and need to stay strong
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"Rock over London..Rock On Chicago..Wheaties, Breakfast of Champions"! -Wesley Willis

I just continue to be more and more impressed by Holiday World. I've only been there a couple of times, but the parks charm, charity, and sensitivity are apparent in the way the people here talk about it. It's very refreshing to here about a park like this one. I'm very sad to hear about the accident, and I will be praying for the loved ones of the one who died, as well as the management and staff of Holiday World. Thanks for everything, HW!

> Aaron <
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Christian Music Rocks!

My Current Favs: The Benjamin Gate, Superchic[k], ZOEgirl, Skillet, Plumb
*** This post was edited by Aaron Newcom 6/2/2003 12:41:52 AM ***

Pat, Will, Paula and everyone else at Holiday World have been very open about everything that happened. With Paula even taking the time to post Pat's statement here on Coasterbuzz; it show just how much they care about us as family, and believe we are part of theirs.

I will have to say that the newscasts I say in Indianapolis went from O.K. to downright awful.

The one to distort the story the worst was WRTV-TV 6. They showed video of the wrong coaster (channel 13 did this as well, after first rolling the wrong tape totally at first and showing a tape of a drunk driver hitting a house), but the worst thing that WRTV-TV did was to do an interview with a "former ride-op" (who ride-oped at Old-Indiana over 15 years ago), and editing it in such a way to make it sound like he was talking about Holiday World as he was describing how unsafe Old Indiana was, which of course they failed to mention he was talking about (the name key doesn't count in my opinion). He mentioned how he would never let his family onto the rides (as he was shown playing outside with his two daughters), how the maintained was poor, the rides were always in need of repair, and the park needed to be shut down for it's safety problems. Then the reporter came back and said, without clarity that he was talking about Old Indiana, and without mentioning that he was never a ride-op at Holiday World. All that was said was, in a non-connective way, that none of these things may have been the problem at Holiday World, but something definitely went wrong. There was no actual Park Employee's interviewed. And I'm not for sure where they got the other interviews from, other to say they were not regular patrons or even at the park. The only link to park employee's they had was a recording of Holiday World's message on the Park Information phone number today.

The Louisville stations had no video this morning, only a brief story with the anchor's talking head of the fatality at the park and that it will be closed today (Sunday). Not until I got back to Indy, and on the10pm news were there any stories with video.

Fox-59 in Indy had the First story (the phone started to ring after that at my place since both me and my fiancée were there); it was pretty neutral (for a fox channel newscast, it was extremely neutral).

WTHR-13's was live via-sat from the parking lot, ran lot's of public relations video of The Legend (not the Raven) as b-roll while the reporter talked, and had a quick 5 sec interview with Will. As stated before they did at first air the wrong footage from the next story about a traffic accident.

So needless to say, the media is doing a fine outstanding job again (NOTE THE SARCASIM!)

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To Pat, Will, Paula, Jeff, and the rest of the Holiday World family that I know and Love, my heart, and the hearts of many others are with you, and you will remain in our thoughts throughout this.

To the young woman's family, friends, and other loved ones, we can not express our sorrow for what has happened, we will have you in our thoughts as well.

**Edited to Correct Station Call Letters
*** This post was edited by madman 6/2/2003 11:33:43 AM ***

That's awful! I can't believe what that TV station said! Isn't that some sort of slander? Or do TV media get carte blanche to say anything they want under the guise of "free" speech? That just sounds like major tabloid journalism and if stars can take print media to task over their "stories" I don't see why the same couldn't be done with television media.

At the very least, WRTV-TV should be forced to run a 30 second spot (over and over again) retracting those false statements. I wish they (and all other media) would get it right instead in the first place and cover their stories in an honest and above board manner.

*** This post was edited by Coasterbuf 6/2/2003 11:27:46 PM ***

Thanks Paul. I am still struggling with emotions over this.......I feel for so many people. The family. The park. The public and coaster community. I fully support the park's decision to cancel ERT. I felt a little better staying long enough to attend church Sunday morning with everyone.

Everything happens for a reason, and we must accept that and move forward. Closure is supported by the knowledge of what happened, and the fact that we can learn from it and respect those whose lives have forever been affected by this situation. It could have happened anywhere, and it's extremely unfortunate that it did at a place which seems impervious to such a tragedy. I ask every one of you not to let it change your love and enthusiasm for this park, its employees, and its world class rides. Nowhere will you find a place that is as caring to each and every person that sets foot inside the gate. It's not to say that other parks don't care, because they do, but Holiday World has a place in everyone's heart. I hope this incident will bring us closer together and give us something to grow from, both in the way we enjoy parks, and in the way we respect the safety issues that are constantly addressed all over the world for each and every ride. Take care and ride on.

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Brad Sherman

Regarding the TV "story", that is just utterly disgraceful! Why, why, WHY on Earth would they feel the need to show some bitter ride-op from a park that closed 15 years ago? This is absurd.

Can we do something about this?

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:(
*** This post was edited by jimmybob 6/2/2003 8:40:47 AM ***

Madman,

I believe you've got the television channels mixed up. The CBS affilate, WISH-TV, did not air the segment you mentioned. WISH-TV aired a very respectful telephone interview with Will done by one of their reporters. The station that aired the segment you're referering to was the ABC channel.

WISH-TV has contined this morning with this as their top story and continue to air Will's message. I applaud them for their approach to this difficult story.

My heart is still broken for this loss.

Rider X

Coaster Rider, I think you're rgiht on the call letter mix up, I have corrected the original post to reflect that, I looked at the cable number and then did the calls from memory, not good when you're emotional and tired....

Both my finance and I found the story in reference to be just awful, and couldn't believe how the story was put together.