I am wondering what CP rules are for running rides in the rain.
I will be there next week and there is a high chance for rain.
I think in years past, rides would shut down.
My home park KI, will run rides in the rain as long as it is not storming.
Is this true for CP?
If it’s pouring, then all rides will close. If it’s sprinkiling or light rain, then some rides will close but others will operate. I’m not sure, but I think it has to do with whether or not the ride has magnetic brakes. If they use a braking system that actually makes contact with the train (like Magnum) then it can’t operate in the rain because the train has potential to slip through the brake run.
1999: First visit
Halloweekends- Harvest Fear, Tombstone Terror-Tory
Ride Operations- Professor Delbert’s Frontier Fling
I think they take some trains off the track in light rain, maybe even going to single train operation, but many of the coasters continue running as well as the flat rides.
I'd rather be in my boat with a drink on the rocks,
than in the drink with a boat on the rocks.
Rain in the summer is typically accompanied with at least some electrical activity and that will shut things down regardless of the severity of the rain. But we are early in the season.
Last June they closed everything about 30 minutes before the first drops fell. I’m sure if they feel it will be bad they close ASAP to get ready. I’ve seen some coaster run in mild rain but I’m sure it depends on each weather event as to what will operate.
First ride; Magnum 1994
Below is the official list for inclement weather. This list is fairly out of date, but I'd probably rank Valravn and Steel Vengeance under "Steady Rain." Basically, the older the ride/coaster, the more likely it is to run in rainy conditions. I will note that in my experience CP is much more conservative with running rides in the rain compared to KI, so I'd be prepared for some rides to be closed beyond the weather condition boundaries stated below. Similarly, since transferring trains takes time, coasters are more likely to just close for passing showers rather than removing a train. Conversely, if the rain will be around for a while (say, longer than an hour or two), they will try to keep coasters open/remove trains rather than just shut down.
Sunday I got a rain ride on SV. An isolated shower came in after we waited 90 minutes for a rain delay (lots of lightning during the delay). That thing was squeaking everywhere it was so fun.
SV ruins all other rides.
Cedar Point has the most conservative rain policy I have ever seen. It all started after the Magnum incident in 2007.
The worst I've experienced was at SF Great America. There were intermittent showers all day, and every time it rained for more than a minute, all the coasters would close for half an hour. I'm not exaggerating -- I checked my watch. Typically we could get one ride in between showers, then the sun would come out during the 30-minute downtime, as if to mock us. I don't know if that's the policy chain-wide or just at GrAm. This is the same park that, on my first visit, closed 2 hours early on a rainy day, just as the storm finally passed. (Yes, I have a terrible record with that park and rainy days, but I did finally have a good, dry visit courtesy of a free ACE ticket eventually!)
Huh, that's odd. Why would the wettest ride in the park close for rain?
...
HEY RIDEMAN (or anyone else who might know). WHY DOES SRF CLOSE FOR HEAVY RAIN?
Proud 5th Liner and CP fan since 1986.
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