Worlds of Fun retiring classic rotor amusement ride

While I have to admit that these are not the greatest rides ever designed and built, I also have to say I'm sad to see them go. I'm not sure where they are still at, as all of the parks I can think of that had one have retired them. Now the physics text books will have to come up with new examples, as in a few years, the kids will not know what a rotor was.

I have to wonder if these have become maintenance headaches as they have gotten older. I haven't ridden a Rotor since 1999 when Geauga Lake got rid of theirs. I actually considered a trip to WoF next year just to ride this, won't be making that trip.

Maybe Dorney will be getting a ride addition for 2018 now.

I hate to just keep re-hashing the same old Trope, but...

"This sounds like it would be perfect for Knoebels."

I remember riding the one at Hershey when I was a kid in the late 70s and they used to let us do all sorts of things (like turn side ways or lean forward). Then at some point in the early 80s, there must have been an accident on one somewhere, because they became much more strict about doing anything "unusual" during the ride. I also think I remember the floor dropping a couple of feet in the 70s, but then only about a foot or so in the 80s.

I remember hearing about the ride as a kid that the "floor would drop out" made me think that a bottomless pit opened up under the ride. LOL

Oh well, times change. I wonder if they are going to replace it with another flat at some point?

SVLFever said:

I remember riding the one at Hershey when I was a kid in the late 70s and they used to let us do all sorts of things (like turn side ways or lean forward). Then at some point in the early 80s, there must have been an accident on one somewhere, because they became much more strict about doing anything "unusual" during the ride. I also think I remember the floor dropping a couple of feet in the 70s, but then only about a foot or so in the 80s.

This was the same with the one that was at Riverside/SFNE. Remember people crawling upside down and sideways, then in the 80s anything other than staying upright would result in a verbal warning and then remember them stopping to pull someone off. Kid memory also had the floor going way down, like ten feet, then in the 80s just going down a foot or two. No idea if this actually was the case or not.

SVLFever said:

I remember riding the one at Hershey when I was a kid

The most genius thing about that Rotor was the restroom placement right next door. When I was 14 my friend and I were trying to impress a couple girls we'd just met and as we exited the Rotor I smoothly sauntered over to the restroom, made a beeline for the nearest stall and violently expelled my lunch.

Cleaned up, walked out, and they were none the wiser.

^Well played Vater!