As for why the ride was running at high speed, well...I was told that it was an experiment. Which suggests a thing or two about the new attraction set to open "in that location in 2003."
--Dave Althoff, Jr.
It was indeed an experiment......
I was there on Sunday, and now hold the distinction of being the last Guest to ride Phantom Theatre! (Provided the park is not sneaky and re-opens the attraction today or such ;-))
I have to admit it was terribly bittersweet for me. Phantom Theater was, without a doubt one of the highlight rides at PKI for me. I rode it 4 times yesterday so I could take note of all the little things (like posters on the wall, props etc) for posterity's and trivia's sake. I even stood outside casually for a good while catching reactions of folks to the closure sign. For the most part, people were shocked and I even heard a lot of "Oh No's!". That sign drummed up a lot of last minute business.
It was kind of like when a Broadway show announces going dark, typically there is a last minute rush of people that want to see it. I think a lot of kids that normally avoided it were convinced to finally go on by their parents due to the fact that it will no longer be there.
I find it extremely fitting that Phantom THEATER went out in true theatre style.
Shaggy
Shaggy said:I was there on Sunday, and now hold the distinction of being the last Guest to ride Phantom Theatre! (Provided the park is not sneaky and re-opens the attraction today or such ;-))
I Dont Know Shaggy. I think you got hosed on that one cuz I believe I was the last one to ride it. I waited right when the fireworks went off and walked on.
But as for what is going in therre next year, I have no clue. Im guessin sum sort of scooby doo ride, but we will have to see next year (or at least until they announce it)
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My mom says God has a plan for everyone... I guess I was Plan B
I didn't get hosed. :-)
I convinced the ride op closing the ride, whom I knew, to allow me on the ride as he was closing the gates/doors. He was kind enough to grant my request.
There was myself, and a man and his daughter both wishing to be the last "guests" so we compromised and rode together.
Notice I said "guest." Employees were allowed final rides after us. That fortunately is how I knew we were indeed the last guests. Employees were allowed on only after we had boarded.
Never the less, the ride has so many cars essentially lots of folks were the "last" to ride ;-)
Shaggy
*** This post was edited by Shaggy on 7/15/2002. ***
Alright Shaggy you win. No hard feelings :) . But in your first post you mentioned hearing oh no's, it was prolly from teen-age girls and boys who cant make out with their bf/gf's anymore... so you know what that means, more of it going on in queue lines *yuk* (no offensive if your one of those people who do that. he he he) welp, i gotta go get ready cuz im going back to pki today, just to make sure its closed.
~Flo
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My mom says God has a plan for everyone... I guess I was Plan B
Absolutely no hard feelings. I really didn't mean to brag about the "last one" thing. Actually I meant it more as a sad note. I am *sad* to say I was one of the last to ride it. I wish I did even have the opportunity to say I that. I hate to see it close and will miss the ride.
However, I understand that PKI must change and update. PT had seen it's day and is due a re-hab. But the ride has developed sort of a "cult" following. It will be hard for me to get used to going to the park and not being able to ride it. It was a must do everytime I visited.
Shaggy
So why was it running at double speed? It made my last ride a very bad experience....
Can you give more hints?
Shaggy said:
However, I understand that PKI must change and update. PT had seen it's day and is due a re-hab. But the ride has developed sort of a "cult" following. It will be hard for me to get used to going to the park and not being able to ride it. It was a must do everytime I visited.
Shaggy
I do the exact same thing. Every time I go to PKI, I make a trip over to Phantom Theater. It is almost always my last ride of the day. I will miss it a lot. I was there the first year it opened. Ten years ago, I was five years old, and those ghosts were really scary! Too bad it's gone, but hopefully, PKI will put another ride in there that we'll be able to ride for the next ten years...
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Intelligence is a God given gift: Know how to use it.
It was definitely sped up, but I don't think it was *double* speed necessarily.
I have not been told officially why the speed was increased, but here are my observations and thoughts.
- The ride speed was definitely increased having nothing to do with the need to raise the capacity for this weekend... crowds did not dictate that. So obviously there were other motives for it.
- Only every other car was loaded because of the speed on the turn-table. If every car was being loaded, then people would not have made it on/off the car in time. People were having a hard enough time loading every other.
- The ride, IMO, was not a bad one due to increased speed. The effects were still visible and you missed nothing.
- Obviously PKI is testing the ride conveyance system for *possible* increased speed. A keen eye might percieve this as the park *perhaps* testing the ride system to make sure that it will withstand a faster momentum for a future retro-fit of an attraction that requires a faster pace.
- Loading every other car *may* suggest that the attraction *may* not contain as many cars as PT and the new attraction *may* require a broader space between riders/cars for possible effect "re-setting."
- The park was most likely testing the ability of riders to see if they could load/unload quickly enough at a faster rate as well.
So just think about it... a faster speed due to more space between cars possibly being needed in the future. When you think of other *dark ride* type attractions you get a better idea.
I do have a bit of concern over the conveyance system moving at such a pace. It seemed the cars were shuffling around a bit because of the increased speed. The riders really did not feel any different sensations other than having to look at passing visuals more quickly. However the ride felt "rickety" to me at the faster speed. And *if* this is to remain as the conveyance system I hope that the 10-year old ride can hold up. I will say this, Morgan did a heck of a job on that ride system, that thing has run for 10 years with very little downtime!
Now these are just my humble observations. And I am sure PKI is way ahead of the game on this. However, it is pretty obvious to me what is going on.
Shaggy
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Shaggy
A.K.A. John K.
*** This post was edited by Shaggy on 7/15/2002. ***
I dont know if any of you have seen this site but it has a lot on the Phantom Theater. http://dafe.org/attractions/darkrides/phantom/phantom.htm I agree Shaggy, it did seem a little rickety around some of the bends. I also noticed that the working lights were on under the track during saturday
*** This post was edited by Beast_rocks on 7/15/2002. ***
I was at PKI yesterday (7-14) as well and experienced my last ride on PT. It was very nice to see a good amount of people in line as I approached the theater. The other reason I was glad that there was a line was because it gave me a chance to experience the walk back to the doom buggies a little more- Maestro on the organ, the moving portraits, the signage, etc.
My ride was a little overwhelming due to the fact that as I was taking it all in, I was instantly remembering my first PT ride in 1992 and how I was a nervous 12-year-old; not knowing if something would "grab me" during the attraction.
Leaving my doom buggy for the last time, I got my last glance at the security monitors at the ride ops booth and exited the building to listen to the Maestro recording outside. You'll be back... you'll be baaack! Yahahaha! If only that was the case... Farewell Phantom Theater. As much as I'll miss it, as others have said, I'm looking forward to 2003 for a new experience in the old building.
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OHIcOaster
"Back seat, no hands."
*** This post was edited by OHIcOaster on 7/15/2002. ***
Teenage Ninja....
Scooby Doo's Haunted Mansion? You sound pretty sure about that.
Shaggy
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Shaggy
A.K.A. John K.
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CBCon Quote "We didn't even get wet"......30 seconds later you hear plop, then splash!!!!
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Coney Island (Cincinnati) ride operator
I had just exited Phantom Theater, as it turned out, for the last time. Out on the midway a very young girl...we're talking barely self-ambulatory here...pointed to the ride exit and asked her attending guardian:
"Mommy, does Scooby Doo live in there?"
I didn't hear if she got an answer. I wondered if I should pipe up, "No. Well, not yet, anyway..."
--Dave Althoff, Jr.
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Tuesday's Gone With The Wind.
Elijah Rock.
Is it written in the stars?
La Vie Boheme!!!
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