I think it is funny how the ride op never seems to say "clear" on time. They always miss it and say it right after it has launched. It's fun to, while in line, to watch unsuspecting people have their heads not against the head rest, talking to their friend or something like that. Then everybody's head gets whipped back when it launches. Though I know when it's going to launch because those white things click and then about 1 or 2 seconds later it launches. Just thought it was funny how the op always says it while it launches instead of before and everybody gets a nice suprise. :)
Same with Poltergeist at SFFT. Sometimes the ops will play with you.
The ones that are kinda sick of the day will always count "5...4..3..2..1...launch" and you'll be ready for it. Those who are having a little 'fun' with the guests do it differently.
"5..4..3..AAUUGHH" They go a nice job of catching you off guard, and it's really fun to hear people wail when the train is shot.
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Loopscrew.com
6/8/01
LOL, the BEST ride ops that do that are on Superman The Escape. They don't even tell you when you're going to be launched or anything. They just check to see if you're in right, and walk away. Most of the time, one of the ops starts a conversation with one of the riders and in the middle of the conversation...VOOOOM! You're shot out and going 100 MPH. It's soooo fun:)
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What I like is when they play with you a little like GenuineCynic stated. The V2 ops at SFMW will sometimes countdown, but not finish it before you launch. I have also seen people looking at other people and talking with people in line while on the ride, totally oblivious to the fact that the coaster is just about ready to launch. Their head hits the seats, their eyes get REAL big, and they start screaming. Classic! :)
The ride op's at SFGAm's Vertical Velocity get the timing right.
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Current Favorite Coasters:
1)Raging Bull 2)Millennium Force 3)Medusa (SFMW) 4)Vertical Velocity (SFGAm) 5)Incredible Hulk, The
The most evil trick I have ever seen played on a launched coaster was Greezed Lightnin' at Six Flags Astroworld.
Heard over the speaker system "Due to technical problems with the ride, we need to release the lapbars. Please raise to hands clear of the lapbars." ... and like idiots, they complied. Woosh. 0-60, 3.4 seconds.
Or of course.. do "3...2....1...*long pause*... uh.. whats going o... *whoooooooooooooosh*
Gotta love it! I love it when ops do stuff like this. Also on Big Shot on top of the Stratosphere, that was insane! I loved the false count down I received... *droooool*... must, go, back, to, Las Vegas!
Its good when they don't do it "all" the time though, because its obvious to everybody then. The point is they have to do it "normal" most of the time, and every once in a while do the false countdown (or just not at all)
Alan Jacyszyn
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SFDLnet: The Ultimate Darien Lake Guide
http://sfdl.coasterbuzz.com - SFDLnet Coaster Chat! August 6th, 7:00 PM EST
Its still pretty hard to fool people on the Premier LIM rides... You can hear all the brakes releasing in sequence before the train launches.
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.:| Brandon Rodriguez |:.
http://www.coasters2k.com
You can hear it on Mr. Freeze.. But hadn't noticed it on Poltergeist..But haven't been on that in awhile. Hey..anyone know why Premier LIM coasters are so LOUD? Poltergeist in particular has a huge roar while it's running. Can be heard across the park.
Want loud - S:TE is like being at an airport!
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STE doesn't have a fast launch though, it takes awhile to get up to 100mph so it is not one of those heart pounding launched.
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"Villain-Once You Drop, The Fun Don't Stop!"~SFWoA Rules In 2001~X Marks The Spot In 2001(SFWoA)~With SFWoA ANYTHING Is Possible!
Yeah, I can see the fun in surprising people, but isn't it also a little dangerous. Someone could really hurt themselves. Afterall whiplash is one of the easiest things to get and hardest to disproove! If they aren't careful, some smart people will get compensation!
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"'cos you know, it's strange! You stand in a library and go "AAAAARRRRGGGHHHH" and everyone just kinda stares at you, but if you do the same thing on a aeroplane everyone joins in!"
I agree with Xen, it can be dangerous. S:TE and T.o.T have signs saying to hold your head back. I do this everytime to avoid a headache. They may take a while to hit 100mph, but that initial slam is out of this world! The only other launched coasters I've been on are the Hulk & Golden Loop (Schwarzkopf weight-launched Shuttle Loop) & they are nowhere as powerful.
I hope the ride ops don't mess around on Hypersonic XLC & Dodonpa. They go from 0-80mph & 0-107mph respectively in 1.8 secs! How come Dodonpa can go faster in the same time? I read that the prototype, TA2K, did 0-80mph in 1.47 secs
that is funny. Especially when there waving at someone it zooms to the spike. I laugh everytime.
The strongest launch I've experienced was RnRC at MGM. I thought it was so much more intense than the Chiller...but I've not experienced false launch counts. I hope that I do some day...it would be pretty cool.
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Jman
Webmaster: Gravibulb Coasters
http://balder.prohosting.com/gravbulb/coasters/
They did a few false launch counts at PKI for FoF. It was great they did the infamous "5...4...3...2..1..launch.....umm....OH CRAP! THATS NOT RIGHT! then... WHOOOOOOSH!".
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MF Drops-25
SOB Rides-4
dodonpa is launching at the same aount but at a higher rate of speed because it is using ore compressed air
I noticed the Ride Ops on SUE were having fun with the Guests too when I went earlier this year, It was funny.
Sometimes, the Ride Op in the control station would start a conversation with someone in the front row and without warning Launch you catching you complety out.
Another Thing I noticed they were doing was, After they said Clear, If the Ride Op saw someone in the front row expecting the launch to come straight away(Like putting their arms out) The Ride Op would temporarly stop the launch, and when the person complained to the Ride Op in the control Station why the Ride had'nt started, The Ride Op would suddendly Launch the Ride catching you Out again. It was Hilarious, It happened a Few Times throughout the day.
On Chiller there was this goofy lady that said, "5, 4, 3, [launch], 2, 1" Sometimes they don't even say anything.
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Taipan said:
"I hope the ride ops don't mess around on Hypersonic XLC & Dodonpa."
Well, Hypersonic has a drag strip traffic light type thing. Red, yellow, green, go. You really can't trick people on that. Of course, if Stan Checketts is sicker than we thought (quite possible), he could "program" the lights, as well as programming the autorollbacks. Evil.
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Joshua Wilcox The following statement is true.
The preceding statement is false.
