Happy National Roller Coaster Day!
While it seems everyday is now a holiday – this is one I can get behind!
So after work today, be sure to get out to your local amusement park and celebrate National Roller Coaster Day!
Social Media and the Amusement Park: Don’t Take Yelp Lightly
Despite your personal opinion of the site, Yelp.com has become the de facto review source for many users on the internet. The site says that it’s “Real People, Real Reviews,” and with your amusement park being a major business in the area, chances are someone has already reviewed you and / or created a page for your park. So, how do you monitor and work Yelp to your needs? Read on:
1.) Create an officially moderated Yelp business page, then have it verified:
Multiple pages created by guests only add to confusion in search results and SEO. Plus, misinformation will spread faster.
When searching “Six Flags” in the Bay Area, these are the top four results. Note how there’s seemingly multiple accounts for the park, with reviews about the park in each one. This only makes people confused when they’re trying to find you online. True, the more of you out there, the better for SEO – but not in this case.
By creating an official, park moderated page, Yelp will be more inclined to remove errant listings, making it easier for people to find and review you. Plus, it makes it far easier to respond to guests when there’s only one place to go.
2.) Monitor, monitor, MONITOR!
Is this really an accurate review? Hardly – so why allow it to sit for others to view?
It should go without saying, but Yelp is yet another place that you need to be monitoring your image online. Just like your Facebook, Twitter and other social media accounts, Yelp should be monitored closely to make sure that any reviews placed on it are fair, accurate and not derogatory towards your business.
For example, the posting above – is it really an accurate portrayal of the park? Absolutely NOT! So why then would you allow it to stay up, for others to view 24/7? Yelp also gives you the ability to flag reviews for abuse – which is what this one should have done to it.
At the very least – a post like this should be responded to from the park’s official account with accurate information. 95% of angry guests will be quelled once they see the park responding directly to them. Don’t think of it as damage control – think of it more as an opportunity to make a new sale by bringing a guest back. Who knows – they just might upgrade to a season pass…
3.) When you’re wrong – admit it.
Would you eat at a “C” graded restaurant? How people portray you on Yelp has a major impact on decisions to visit.
Look, we’re all human, so we’re not perfect. Mistakes sometimes happen, so it’s up to you to recognize these and make them right wherever possible. But completely ignoring your internet footprint (especially on Yelp) isn’t going to make bad reviews go away.
If a bad review comes in, try to contact the guest first, off of Yelp. Get more information, and then proceed to see what can be done to correct it in the future. Remember that the sooner you contact an angry guest, the better the park looks in their eyes for wanting to assist.
4.) When all else fails, pay Yelp.
Ever wonder why some companies NEVER have a bad review on Yelp? Is it because of the service or business? Maybe. Mot likely, it’s because they pay for those reviews.
You heard right. What most people don’t know, is that companies can actually PAY to look better on Yelp. Yes, call it a shakedown, call it what you will. But the good news – you don’t have to give money to Yelp.
Just by monitoring and responding to reviews through your own company, much as you would with a customer service agent over the phone, or guest service manager would in the park – you’ll see your numbers trend upwards. At the very least, you’ll start getting a better pulse about what your guests are having issues with, and can adapt your business model around it.
Review my prior posts about “Social Media and the Amusement Park” here.
About the Author:
Kris Rowberry has been following the amusement industry for over 15 years. He is the creator and host of both “The Lost Parks of Northern California” and “Great American Thrills®“
Featured on “This Week in Photo” Podcast!
If you haven’t already, check me out on the “This Week in Photo” podcast! We’ll discuss photo composition, the impetus for me getting into photography…and of course, nausea.
Enjoy, everyone!
Learn more about Frederick’s work at: www.thisweekinphoto.com
Texas Giant: Leave the Speculation at Home
It’s only natural to want to try and speculate on what exactly happened last Friday night at Six Flags Over Texas. I’ve even caught myself doing it on occasion to friends or co-workers, who have asked me about the unfolding situation.
But that doesn’t mean it’s right.
With inaccurate eyewitness reports, the urge to find out as much information as possible before anyone else has it – we as humans tend to want to fill in the facts when there’s an unknown. The speculation had already begun today, as well as recommendations for change, despite not even knowing what exactly occurred.
People were already getting in front of the media, illustrating, “…where she fell out,” and were even calling for “Over the Shoulder Restraints” or OTSR on more rides, as if they would have clearly prevented this accident from occurring. All of this was being done without any formal information on what exactly happened.
Speculation can only lead us as a society to a skewed, unwarranted perception of the event. Currently, that misconception is: “…because someone died on a roller coaster – ALL OF THEM must be dangerous!”
Nothing could be further from the truth.
The truth is this, folks: You’re more likely to be hurt riding an ESCALATOR at the mall than you are on a looping roller coaster. Parks don’t want accidents – they want you to feel safe. It’s very much a “self-policing” industry. Gone are the days of the Roaring 20’s, where rides that killed became MORE popular.
While we live in an age of instant communication, instant answers – this is one event that we must wait for. Only time will tell what happens next in this investigation – but can’t we all just give this investigation just that, a little TIME?
A Difficult Day for the Amusement Industry, But Don’t Rush To Judgment
An unprecedented two major news-making events took place at two separate amusement parks in the U.S. within minutes of each other on Friday, bringing up the inevitable media hype over ride safety.
At Six Flags Over Texas and Cedar Point, two major incidents occurred that have splashed across the media.
In the wake of yesterday’s tragic event and subsequent investigation at Six Flags Over Texas, Iron Rattler at Six Flags Fiesta Texas has been closed as a precautionary measure, according to a park representative. The ride features the same style of “Iron Horse” track as the Texas Giant and same train manufacturer, Gerstlauer of Germany.
Our thoughts and prayers go out to everyone involved in today’s tragic events.
When reporting news, there’s always the possibility of reporting inaccurate information. When the story is breaking, that risk is even bigger. These stories are no different.
One of the more glaring items that stands out to me is from the The Dallas Morning News. They reported that eyewitness, Carmen Brown, who was in the loading station of the Texas Giant, “…said the woman had expressed concern to a park employee that she was not secured correctly in her seat.”
“He (the ride attendant) was basically nonchalant,” Brown said. “He was, like, ‘As long as you heard it click, you’re fine.’ Hers was the only one that went down once, and she didn’t feel safe. But they let her still get on the ride.”
Here’s the problem – the Texas Giant doesn’t use “clicking” restraints. In fact, according to Gerstlauer, the manufacturer of the trains for the Texas Giant, “The cars feature four self-restraining seats with T-shaped lapbars.” It continues, “The use of redundant hydraulic cylinders ensures that each lap bar can be infinitely adjusted and offers maximum security.” in other words, these restraints come down in silence.
As I was just out at Six Flags Over Texas about five weeks ago, I can attest to this fact. The Texas Giant also features an electronic indicator light on each train, (one for each restraint) which alerts operators if a restraint is too high for safety. The light turns from red to green.
It should not be lost on anyone, but you should know – your odds are far greater of being injured DRIVING to your local amusement park then they are INSIDE your local amusement park. In addition, if you do not feel confident in a ride – you always, ALWAYS have the choice of simply asking to be let out.
Illegal POV Filming – When Will They Learn?
I hate to be a broken record – but if you’ve been reading my writings on illegal, handheld POV filming on rides – then watching this video should come as no surprise to you.
If you think filming on rides is harmless behavior – how would YOU like to be hit with a GoPro Hero3 at 55mph?
Thankfully, no one was apparently injured in this situation.
Here’s the kicker – while the ride starts well after the train has been dispatched and out of the eyesight of ride employees – the lift has not one, but TWO cameras on it. There’s got to be a better way of preventing this – and there is!
Advertising in an Amusement Park – Practice what you Preach!
This large, banner ad is currently up at Six Flags Over Texas, hanging on the outside of the “La Vibora” bobsled coaster station. It’s promoting MetroPCS – but the cute green Android figures aren’t what caught my eye…it’s the fact that the ad is encouraging people to have their phones out on rides:
It’s okay to film and photograph on rides with your phone, according to this ad – but not according to park rules and announcements.
Don’t believe me? Check out the figure with the “M” on their shirt. Yup. They’re snapping a photo while the ride is going. What’s even more troubling – they’re snapping a photo on what appears to be a swing ride – an attraction that had just debuted when I visited this year (2013); in fact, it’s the tallest in the world at 400 feet.
It also happens to be located next to the main roadway entrance to the park. Boy, that be a heck of a way to start your day when you’re driving into the park and your windshield shatters from a loose cell phone, don’t you think?
If you’ve read my previous post on this topic, this epidemic of cell phone filming is only going to become worse as the Millennial generation becomes of the age to own a cell phone. Showing ads like this, then telling them to not have loose articles aboard the ride? It just wreaks of, “What were they thinking?!?” and it’s just plain DUMB in my opinion.
Seriously – how did this ad proof get by both the corporate offices AND the local marketing officials?!?
“But loose cell phones never hit people or fall out of hands! They’re not as big of a threat as you make them out to be!”
I probably would have confided to you that I’ve never seen an injury as a result of a phone getting loose and hitting someone…though I do have proof that phones are coming loose:
Cell phone carnage under Mr. Freeze: Reverse Blast at Six Flags St. Louis.
That was before this past weekend, however. That’s when I DID witness several people get injured by a loose cell phone at the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk. The guest whipped out their cell phone after concealing it on the “Double Shot” freefall tower attraction just as it launched – and wouldn’t you know it – the phone got loose, fell 125 feet and promptly smashed into guests waiting in line.
This madness simply has to stop – before someone else is either injured or outright KILLED by a flying, loose article. Ads like this aren’t doing the parks any favors. They’re literally shooting themselves in the proverbial foot.
“I think you’re reading into this ad a little too much – people don’t get encouraged by ads or do what they say…”
You sure about that? Because I’m lovin’ it.
You thought of McDonald’s just now, didn’t you? Feeling a bit hungry all of a sudden? As much as we don’ t like to think it, advertising is a very powerful tool to control behavior – so to encourage the very behavior you’re trying to eliminate in your safety spiels and park map rules is well – not the smartest move in my book.
My point is this – advertise all you want to your guests, but at the very least, practice what you preach!
Review my prior posts about “Social Media and the Amusement Park” here.
About the Author:
Kris Rowberry has been following the amusement industry for over 15 years. He is the creator and host of both “The Lost Parks of Northern California” and “Great American Thrills®“
Photo of the Day: Batman – the Dark Knight at Six Flags New England
There’s nothing like a custom roller coaster layout to get an enthusiast excited. Batman: The Dark Knight is a custom designed B&M “floorless” coaster.
You got to love the facial expressions I find in these shots! Always a delight when I’m post processing these types of photos.
Big thanks goes out to my friends at BorrowLenses for allowing me to capture such beautiful photos with their gear.
Interested in purchasing / using some of my photos? Check out my 500px: http://500px.com/GreatAmericanThrills
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Photo of the Day: Iron Rattler at Six Flags Fiesta Texas
There are roller coasters – and then they’re EPIC roller coasters. Iron Rattler at Six Flags Fiesta Texas is one of those attractions that takes your breath away.
Once the tallest wooden coaster on Earth, the Rattler was transformed this past off season to include Rocky Mountain Construction’s Iron Horse Track (similar to the track on Texas Giant just a few hours north). The ride is now smooth, powerful and FORCEFUL – definitely a steel coaster that should rank in your top three in the world after you ride it.
Did we mention there’s a clever inversion on it, too?
A HUGE thanks goes out to my friends at BorrowLenses for allowing me to capture such beautiful photos with their gear.
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Coaster “Bender” Trip – Vital Stats
9 – Number of days the trip lasted
5,968 – Total mileage flown
3 – Number of rental car models I rented
4 – Number of Six Flags parks visited
6 – Number of wooden coasters on the trip
3 – Number of coasters missed (2 closed, one required child accompaniment)
$493.93 – Estimated amount of money saved by upgrading to a GOLD Six Flags Season Pass
1 – Number of Cicadas encountered (On the motel door / eyehole in Spiringfield, MA…thankfully only molting).
Caption Contest: Facebook Face Recognition FAIL
While working on editing photos from my recent marathon trip across the country these past two weeks, I couldn’t help but laugh at what Facebook thought was a face…it’s actually a wheel bogey from the “epic” Iron Rattler at Six Flags Fiesta Texas.
What’s your best caption for this shot?
Photo of the Day: Boomerang at Six Flags St. Louis
Yesterday, Six Flags St. Louis unveiled their latest coaster in their collection and Great American Thrills was there on OPENING DAY to see what the venerable Vekoma design had in store for guests.
Amazingly, the ride is SMOOTH for a Vekoma – and the park is working diligently to improve the catch on the second hill to eliminate that traditional “thud” that’s so common on this model. The ride sits between the Tidal Wave flume, Sky Screamer and venerable Screamin’ Eagle wooden coaster at the top of the park.
Big thanks goes out to my friends at BorrowLenses for allowing me to capture such beautiful photos with their gear.
Interested in purchasing / using some of my photos? Check out my 500px: http://500px.com/GreatAmericanThrills
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Photo of the Day: Loose Articles under Mr. Freeze
This is the reason that parks don’t want you to have loose articles onboard roller coasters – because this is almost ALWAYS their fate!
Big thanks goes out to my friends at BorrowLenses for allowing me to capture such beautiful photos with their gear.
Interested in purchasing / using some of my photos? Check out my 500px: http://500px.com/GreatAmericanThrills
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Photo of the Day: Bizarro at Six Flags New England
Originally called Riverside Park, Six Flags New England is by definition the oldest in the chain (opened in 1840) – however, it has only been a Six Flags branded park since 1999.
One of the first major attractions added was Superman: Ride of Steel. The ride was recently re-themed to Bizzaro, complete with mist, sound and lighting effects (That weren’t on during my visit – which wasn’t a bad thing, actually.)
This coaster has won several Golden Tickets (Five in total) – and it’s easy to see why – this turn has become the de-facto “photo” of SFNE and was even featured in an episode of Family Guy! (See below)
Big thanks goes out to my friends at BorrowLenses for allowing me to capture such beautiful photos with their gear.
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Photo of the Day: Roar! at Six Flags Discovery Kingdom
When it opened in 1998, Roar! was the first modern wooden coaster to feature “Millennium Flyer” trains. Using patents and designs from the 1920’s, Great Coasters, International were able to make this version of Roar! with tighter curves and sharper transitions, simply because the trains’ were able to negotiate them better. All GCI installations since now feature these “throwback” trains.
Sadly, this coaster has deteriorated rapidly in the past few years – and is so rough, that I’d have to recommend a PASS on riding it – which is hard to do, considering it’s amazing layout and speed.
Big thanks goes out to my friends at BorrowLenses for allowing me to capture such beautiful photos with their gear.
Interested in purchasing / using some of my photos? Check out my 500px: http://500px.com/GreatAmericanThrills
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Photo of the Day: El Toro at Six Flags Great Adventure
Since opening on June 11th, 2006 – El Toro has maintained the #2 or #1 spot in the world for wooden roller coasters. With the second steepest drop in the world (78 degrees), speeds up to 70 mph and airtime hills that would make any coaster phobic just looking at them, you can see why this next generation wooden coaster ranks so high.
I swear that I caught Bubba the Love Sponge and (then) wife Heather Clem in the front row that day. Can anyone validate that claim?
Consistently ranked the #1 wooden roller coaster in the world since opening. The smiles say it all.
Big thanks goes out to my friends at BorrowLenses for allowing me to capture such beautiful photos with their gear.
Interested in purchasing / using some of my photos? Check out my 500px: http://500px.com/GreatAmericanThrills
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Social Media and Your Amusement Park
Arguably, the biggest change in terms of marketing in the past decade has to be the meteoric rise of social media.
In the past (referred to as web 1.0), parks and attractions had fan pages or message boards that covered daily events or changes. In some cases, these outlets also promoted the park in a positive light, but that wasn’t always guaranteed.
Today (in web 2.0), parks now have the ability to schedule and control messages to potential and repeat customers on an ongoing, daily basis. Even the best television campaign could not reach such a targeted audience.
But, being relatively new to the game, many parks don’t quite understand how to use social media properly to benefit them. Sadly, in many cases, parks are shooting themselves in the digital foot.
So how then can your park or attraction avoid the most common pitfalls of social media?
1.) Social media means just that – BE SOCIAL!
The point of social media is to start (or maintain) a conversation. Whether it’s between you and your customers, or your customers and potential customers – once a story or idea starts online it can quickly lead to revenue, if it gains enough traction and virality.
However, simply throwing up a daily update on something cool about the park is not going to reach most of your audience. Just because you have 50,000 likes on Facebook, does not mean all 50,000 are seeing your post.
Not everyone enjoys pretty pictures – some are more engaged with a “What’s this Part” or “Flashback Friday” post. Create a weekly checklist of specific post types so that you can reach a greater majority of your online audience.
2.) Always promoting an item or product is social media poison.
Yes, we’re all looking for a quick return on investment, but consider this: If you throw away junk mail whenever it comes in your mailbox at home, why wouldn’t you do the same if presented with the same situation on your social media channels?
While a thinly veiled call to action is okay every now and then, it’s not good to fill your feed up with “BUY THIS!” in each and every post you put out. Simply put, lose the 1960’s “Mad Men” advertising jargon that we all have had been beaten into our heads over our lives, and be more, “real.”
That being said, don’t forget that your social media posts are a major (and instant) public-facing outlet that has the potential to reach millions if something goes awry.
Simply put, social media is not something you assign your seasonal marketing intern as a fun project. It should be a full-time position, as it can actually keep your audience engaged (and spending money) even in the off-seasons.
3.) While your park or attraction may close for the night, your social media feeds don’t.
Remember that the internet is on 24/7/365. While a majority of posts are made between 8:00am and 8:00pm, that can change depending on your audience and operating hours. Responding to posts, both good and bad, in a timely manner can mean the difference between closing a sale and losing a customer for life.
In addition, the larger your social media audience becomes, the more susceptible you become to nefarious postings, such as links to pornography on your public facing wall or feed. The faster you can pull them down, the less people will have seen it.
4.) Negative feedback on your social media feed is an opportunity, not blight.
The absolute, worst behavior a park could do when managing negative feedback on social media is to simply ignore it. There are very limited circumstances where a deleted comment or all-out ban from the page could be necessary, but if managed properly, these situations are rare.
Nothing will make an angry guest feel better than to know that someone is listening or trying to rectify the situation. Even if it’s simply re-iterating a policy that the guest does not agree with, it’s still better to show the effort to others on the feed than to delete it or worse, ignore it altogether.
5.) Stir (and track) conversation with park centric hash tags, but don’t make it too complicated
Remember the old “Kodak Photo Spot” in your park? Hash tags are the new photo spot. Create a simple one to see what people are doing and saying in your park, along with mentions of things that people may talk about, such as new attractions.
Because you’ll be tracking mentions and hash tags, you’ll quickly discover that a good majority of your social media content literally writes or creates itself. You can share guest photos, positive experiences and interact directly with them. I guarantee they’ll want to share with all their friends and family that, “…’So and So Park’ re-tweeted my pic!” That’s social media at work.
6.) Use cell phone photos only when absolutely necessary – have a DSLR with you.
Cell phone cameras are convenient, yes – but they have limitations in terms of quality. While it’s easy to post an update from inside your park via phone, try to resist. A higher quality photo – from a SLR style camera – will allow you to add logo watermarks back in the office. A higher quality photo will also encourage people to save it on their desktop or share it with others – where it will always be in front of them at work, home or their mobile device. And your logo is right there next to it.
Shares and re-tweets, however can be cell phone shots – as these are directly from guests. A higher quality photo automatically sets the parks’ content above the guests, so it becomes more recognizable.
7.) Use the outlets that work the best for your skill and for your park.
While it’s not a bad idea to get your feet in the water on as many of the popular social networks as possible – beware that they all have different audiences and content requirements. Google+ tends to be a more educated, affluent crowd. Instagram requires only photos, while Pinterest is weighted heavily towards women.
Don’t try to overreach when you first start off – go with the outlets that make most sense to you and your audience. Once you’re comfortable, slowly begin to expand. Sometimes too much of a good thing is well, too much!
Review my prior posts about “Social Media and the Amusement Park” here.
About the Author:
Kris Rowberry has been following the amusement industry for over 15 years. He is the creator and host of both “The Lost Parks of Northern California” and “Great American Thrills®“
Photo of the Day: Honolulu Halfpipe at Waterworld Concord
Whenever I’m walking around a park, I’ve always got my camera ready – just in case an opportunity presents itself. Of course, at a waterpark it tends to be a bit more difficult. Not only do you have to worry about the water hitting your camera, but you’ve also got to be careful not to look like a total creep taking photos of half naked people. (Unless that’s what you’re doing, in which case please stand out so security can escort you out).
Thankfully, I didn’t have to worry about that second part when I took this shot – I was working for the park at the time and in full uniform, too. “Honolulu Halfpipe” sends riders sloshing back and forth until they stop at the bottom – and simply step out to the side of the half-pipe. Great for the quick shot of “airtime,” too!
Thanks to my friends at BorrowLenses for allowing me to capture such beautiful photos with their gear.
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Photo of the Day: Thunder Run at Six Flags Kentucky Kingdom
Just shouting distance from both Churchill Downs and sitting between the flight path to Louisville Int’l Airport, (Then) Six Flags Kentucky Kingdom had a tough life. The park was poorly designed, owing to it’s confusing layout and bisected sections. While it WAS part of the Six Flags chain, it stood on state fair land – and had to relinquish control (and profits) of all it’s rides and attractions for two weeks, while the state fair was occurring.
When I visited in 2008, the back half the park was closed due to financial reasons. The park closed that next year.
Closed for several years now, Kentucky Kingdom park is looking to make a comeback in the next few months by re-launching without a major brand behind it. (I.E. it is no longer part of the Six Flags brand).
Ed Hart, the former park president who famously posed for this photo,will once again head operations.
Thunder Run was a highlight of the park, even in the “lean” years before it closed.
As always, a big thanks to my friends at BorrowLenses for allowing me to capture such beautiful photos with their gear.
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Photo of the Day: Tatsu at Six Flags Magic Mountain
When you build a ride at Six Flags Magic Mountain, there’s an expectation that it has to be bigger and badder than the rest. Tatsu is definitely one of those coasters.
Built on the top of the large hill that defines the park, Tatsu is easily the most intense flying coaster built by Bolliger and Mabillard. I dare you to find a better lift on a ride – as you climb, the terrain falls below you, giving the illusion of rising much faster than you actually are!
When it opened, Tatsu featured the largest inversion on a flying coaster – the VERY intense “pretzel loop” element.
As always, a big thanks to my friends at BorrowLenses for allowing me to capture such beautiful photos with their gear.
Interested in purchasing / using some of my photos? Check out my 500px: http://500px.com/GreatAmericanThrills
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Cirque Dreams Splashtastic at Six Flags Discovery Kingdom (Show Review)
Yesterday evening, Six Flags Discovery Kingdom was kind enough to invite Great American Thrills™ out to the park for an exclusive preview of their latest entertainment offering – “Cirque Dreams – Splashtastic.”
The colors of the performance – just like the performers – are vibrant & stand out.
This program is unlike anything we’ve experienced here at a Northern California park – it’s very glitzy and the production value is VERY high. If you were a fan of the “Marriott Era” of entertainment offerings at, say Great America, or the quality of shows that Disney parks offer – then this show will bring back good memories for you.
It also sets a very high precedent for entertainment offerings in the coming years at all the Bay Area amusement / theme parks. (I.E. You’re on notice!) Unlike many other shows at parks which are produced in-house, Cirque Dreams – Splashtastic is a partnership between Six Flags Discovery Kingdom and Cirque Productions.
There are seven individual performances in all, this one featuring a hula loop artist.
If you’ve ever been to a “cirque” style show before, you’ll see many of those elements in the program (we can’t really call this a show – it’s much more than that). The program features a showcase of talents, that as the park says, “…combines the grace, power and agility of our bottlenose dolphins and the amazing spectacle of of true performance artists…”
If you don’t feel out of shape after looking at this, you must be one of these two performers!
As you would expect, the entire program is themed with an aquatic flair to it. Costumes mimic sea life, actors are adorned with prosthetics to give them a more “fishy” quality and the entire amphitheater (formerly Dolphin Harbor Stadium) is adorned with colorful graphics strewn about the facility.
There are seven parts to the show in all, each with their own featured characters and skills on display. During pre-production of the show, nearly 300 acts auditioned to be one of those seven featured performances.
The pace is good and the program keeps moving for the most part with no real lag time. During the human performances, the dolphins show off their stuff as well, including a particularly entertaining dolphin hula hoop behavior that you’ll simply have to see for yourself.
The show was created, produced and directed by Neil Goldberg, an acclaimed Broadway director who also founded the Cirque Dreams troupe over 20 years ago. In other words, this guy knows what he’s doing.
“Our goal was to complement the personalities of the dolphins and performers through playfulness…and unparalleled showmanship,” said Goldberg. “It will be one of those unique, memorable entertainment attractions rarely experienced.”
I’ll be posting a full, exclusive interview with Goldberg later this week.
Colorful characters abound in this production – the first for a Northern California amusement park.
The only thing that I can find wrong with the show, is that it has a limited run – just from Memorial Day Weekend though August 11th. But in a way, that works – it makes it a limited engagement, so the performances are better and more special to those who witness them as spectators. It’s quality over quantity, and something that most parks would not think twice about.
I’ll be posting a full interview with the Creator and Director of Cirque Dreams Splashtastic, Neil Goldberg, later this week.
The dolphins are not always at center stage, unlike how most aquatic shows tend to be – rather, they work in tandem with the performers to create a sort of serendipity on stage.
For now – get your plans in now and get out to Six Flags Discovery Kingdom to experience this one of a kind piece of amusement park entertainment – it’s certainly worth the trip.
As always, Great American Thrills™ would like to thank those who made this post possible: Neil Goldberg, Nancy Chan, Lee Munro as well as the entire staff and crew of Six Flags Discovery Kingdom and Cirque Dreams – Splashtastic!
The entire cast takes a bow at the end of the program – to a standing ovation no less – during the first public performance.
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Top Five Most Terrifying Amusement Park Mishaps of All Time
You see it all the time come the summer months, “Killer ride injures passengers,” “Man dies after roller coaster ride.” Heck, search, “roller coaster accident” on YouTube, and you’ll find no shortage of videos – mostly of rides undergoing a “safety cut out” where all trains simply stop where ever they are in the circuit.
While these “stories” are mostly media spin, incidents have and still do occur – however many are a direct result of disobeying park rules and regulations. With that being said, here now are the five most terrifying (actual) amusement park mishaps:
5. Happiest Place on Earth?
Monorail track is not an alternative to the front gate.
Disneyland has certainly seen it’s fair share of problems over the years. Nine people have been killed in the park (although officially they all died ‘on the way to the hospital,‘ as no one ever dies in Disneyland‘).
Seven of the nine deaths can be directly attributed to disobeying park rules or trespassing. Two have drowned in the Rivers of America. An employee who wasn’t aware of her surroundings was crushed in the “America Sings” Theater.
But the one we’ll focus on is the story of Thomas Guy Cleveland, who at 19 years old, had the brilliant idea of getting into the park via the monorail track.
Amazingly, he scaled the 15 foot track, avoided the 240V power line and began his trek to get into Disneyland immortality.
When security spotted him – naturally he began to run down the beam to avoid them. What he didn’t realize, was that they were trying to warn him that a monorail was approaching and that he should jump off the beam.
He didn’t jump off – and he didn’t get into the park for free, either.
This is certainly not the first time that someone has been killed jumping fences or at least trying to at an amusement park. This kid is lucky he still has life after diving into Jurassic Park: The Ride to retrieve his lost hat – while the ride was running. Not the brightest bulb in the set. Even if you’re not a fan of amusement parks – this video will make you cringe.
It just proves – you can’t stop stupid – no matter how many fences, gates and signs you put up.
4. Perilous Plunge – Knott’s Berry Farm, CA (2000-2012)
Perilous Plunge was plagued with delays, malfunctions and modifications in its’ 12 year run. (Photo by Knott’s Berry Farm.)
When it opened in 2000, Perilous Plunge was the tallest, fastest, steepest (and wettest) flume ride in the world.
It was also the most temperamental advanced water ride of its’ time, requiring complete computer control and even a magnetic braking system built into the base of the ride to stop it in the limited space available for a splashdown pool.
During a special event at the park, a woman somehow slipped out of the ride’s lap bar restraint system on the drop, killing her instantly. Investigators believed that because she was so overweight, her mass shifted violently in the steep drop, causing her to fall out.
The boats on the ride were later modified with 5-point racing harnesses as additional restraints – then converted to standard, over the shoulder “horse collar” restraints. The entire attraction was scrapped in late 2012 for future expansion.
3. Crystal Beach Cyclone – Ontario, CN (1927-1946)
Traver’s most successful of his “terrifying triplets.”
The most famous of Harry Traver’s designs, the Cyclone was and still is considered to be the most intense roller coaster ever built. With speeds approaching 55 mph and g forces in excess of +5, there aren’t many steel coasters today that can pull that off. (And the Cyclone was wood, with a steel lattice structure.)
Considering the ride ran for nearly 20 years with only a single fatality was mind boggling – how it happened is even more head turning (Literally).
Turns out in 1938 – on opening day of the season, no less – Amos Wiedrich allegedly stood up to take his coat off, after the ride had begun. Because he was out of his seat on the first drop, he simply fell out from the forces. To ad insult to injury, he was hit seconds later by the train he had been riding in when it came back around through the circuit.
Oh, did we mention this was the only roller coaster in history to have a Nurse’s Station at the exit? (Apparently it was all for show, but considering the damage this ride could have done, it may have been a worthy investment to keep the insurance down!)
2. Action Park “Cannonball Run” – Vernon, NJ (1985-sporadically into 1996)
Someone apparently thought this was a good idea.
Yes, you heard me right, looping water slide. Long before parks were marketing 45 degree pitched slides as “looping” Action Park in New Jersey had them beat with a bona fide vertical looping water slide.
According to most reports, the ride was open for one month in the summer of 1985, then was opened sporadically through 1996, when it was eventually torn down.
By principle, it *should* have worked – but that wasn’t the case…ever.
Concussions, abrasions and the possibility of being stuck in the slide were all risks people were willing to take to get on this ride – well, that and allegedly $100 bills that park management bribed them with to try it.
You can read a first hand account of the ride from someone who actually experienced it here.
On a related side note – Action Park (and many of it’s “groundbreaking, people breaking” attractions) was closed in 1996, and re-opened as Mountain Creek Resort in 1997. All of the non-conforming (i.e. unsafe) rides, including the looping waterslide were destroyed – with newer, safer ones replacing them (Though, that’s up for debate).
1. Lightning – Revere Beach, MA (1927-1933)
Revere Beach’s “Lightning”
The last of Harry Traver’s infamous “Terrifying Triplets” – Lightning was so twisted, most riders could not handle the brutal forces exerted on them.
On the second day of operation, a young girl was somehow ejected from the ride and died after hitting the track below. According to lore, the ride was shut down for 20 minutes, “…so they could remove the body.”
That’s right – the ride was back up and running after only 20 minutes. Odds are, the line increased quite a bit, too.
Back in the 1920’s it wasn’t unheard of for a ride to become more popular after it killed someone. Today, we have a bit higher standards and regards for our personal safety, thankfully.
Roar! at Six Flags Discovery Kingdom in Vallejo, CA
Sharp eyed coaster fans will notice that both the Lighting and Cyclone first drops have a modern counterpart. Both the “Roar” wooden coasters at Six Flags Discovery Kingdom and Six Flags America share the similar first drop with Traver’s triplets.
So, will we ever see another Crystal Beach Cyclone, or looping water slide? At the rate safety technology is going – I certainly wouldn’t put it out of the realm of possibility. Just look at how far we’ve come in just the past 90 years!
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And there you have it – ten of the most terrifying amusement park mishaps of all time.
It should be noted, that while awful and scary as some of these incidents are, they are also an infinitely tiny minority of the total rides taken over the course of history.
Many of these instances occurred before the advent of safety regulations, government oversight, understanding of g-forces or restraint technology.
The odds of you being injured at a modern amusement park are actually lower than when you are driving to the park itself. So be smart – obey the park rules and you’ll have a fun and safe time!
Featured Post on BorrowLenses Blog
Hey everybody!
I was just featured on the BorrowLenses.com blog, giving away some of my Top Ten Amusement Park Photo Tips. (Hint – use a nice camera and have tons of patience!)
You can find the link to the blog post by clicking here:
Or using this hyperlink:
http://www.borrowlenses.com/blog/2013/04/top-ten-tips-for-amazing-amusement-park-photography/
Why Buy New – When You Can Buy USED?
Fans of the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk should recognize this coaster “under construction.”
Yep, it’s the former Hurricane, with a new coat of paint and in a MUCH LESS salty environment (Not to mention drier, too!)
When old roller coaster or thrill ride eventually gets retired (Woodies are the lone exception – as they’re constantly being replaced) many of them are actually sold to smaller, “mom and pop” parks where they’re appreciated for many years after their first installation.
There’s even websites, such as this one, which could be considered the “Craiglist” of the Coaster – where all sorts of new and used rides are bought, sold and traded between parks.
So unless your favorite ride was completely torn down…
…there’s a good possibility that it was just “re-located.”
Now, the thrill of the chase is on!
Great American Thrills® 
