Disaster Transport

One correction, Pete...

DAVE was the robot in the control room, the one that looked a little like a TOPO if you remember those things. He was running the show (ineptly, though he didn't know he was inept). The robot running the repair bay was FRANC, who sounded like he was modeled after Marvin from The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. I think it was FRANC's personality resemblance to Marvin that prompted me to nickname the disembodied voice of the inflight computer, "Eddie." If you are familiar with HHGG, then you know what I am talking about. Especially if you've heard the radio version.

Anyway, I remember never getting to spend enough time in the control room to know what that was all about, and instead getting to spend most of my waiting time hearing FRANC complain. Apparently FRANC used to be in charge of Master Control until DAVE came along, at which point DAVE took over the Control Room and FRANC took over the repair bay. There he was, a brain the size of a planet and they have him overseeing incompetent repair robots...

--Dave Althoff, Jr.

Moving this thing to MiAdv is the best idea I've heard yet. A total theming change for it's reopening would be in order. The possibilities! A family coaster, with family theming, at a family park.

And it would be relativly easy to move, too.

MrScott

Does anyone remember this?

The part RIGHT after you board the coaster, and right before the lift hill. Remember Dave would scream in a crazy Voice "I'm Losing Control!"

I miss that...

I think i do remember that.

"Hello I am the in-flight computer. Please stand by while I load the cargo.." some sort of sound plays.. "Cargo Loaded!" then you would ascend the lift.

The "I'm losing control!" part came after the 2nd room into the final DARK part of the ride which once you came to the brakes you would hear if I remember right was "Another safe shuttle to Alaska.." or something like that..

It was a rather cool ride to me when I was younger and used to ride it alot more.. *** Edited 5/26/2004 1:47:09 AM UTC by Gatezz***

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Does anyone remember this?

The part RIGHT after you board the coaster, and right before the lift hill. Remember Dave would scream in a crazy Voice "I'm Losing Control!"

I miss that...

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Yes, that was one of the most memorable moments of the ride for me back in the day, and I miss that part as well. What humorous for me though, was every time I rode it there always seemed to be a few people in the train (who were not with our group) who thought that an actual major malfunction of the ride just occured, and that was the ride op on the p.a. panicking. There was always someone on my train who thought that until about ten seconds into the ride they figured out what it was meant to be. I would always laugh and shake my head because I knew someone would do it everytime. I do know a lot of people do not care for the ride (including the park's C.E.O.), but personally like it to an extent. There might be one or two rides I would rather see gone first if that was the situation, but for a new record breaker I would personally help dismantle it. It is a good ride for those who arent ready to ride the larger rides yet, and thats why it still exists. *** Edited 5/26/2004 1:47:41 AM UTC by cheese_on_a_stick***

When I was there in 2k and 2k1, I remember that I'm losing control when we were stopped on the mid course brakes. The train would stop for a bit, then I'M LOSING CONTROL, and we would go down. I guess they only did that when running all the trains.

Dave, yes, thanks for corrections. I could only remember one robot's name, and I got it mixed up.

When the ride first opened, at least for a short time, they filled the control room and held the line until the video finished. I think that irritated many riders though, because the bad accustics made it almost impossible to understand what was going on unless you were in a certain proximity to a speaker.

Top of the lift - "Uh oh, Space Pirates dead ahead. (This part I'm a little sketchy on) Try some (basic?) maneuvers"

After the last brake run - "Look out! We're gonna crash."

Yeah, those were some great times with the old DT. I agree, with the best part being the "im losing control part only i rmember more to it than that. I remember the brakes stopped you and held you there for a miniute then all of a sudden you'd see shots of light everywhere and firecracker sounds, the youd hear out loud "WERE LOSING CONTROL! WERE LOSING CONTROL! AHHHHHHHH!" then you drop and go throuh the rest of the ride.
I also remember all the robots and posters, the line for the ride used to be VERY entertaining but now its just crap! Bring it back CP bring it back!

*sigh* what a little investment in re-theming the ride could do. Having a black lit hallway with neon hand prints is about the most random thing EVER to stick in the queue for DT. The employees still use the old speil from the days when the ride was properly themed, and every time I've ridden recently you always hear a big "huh?" from the train when the unload position says "welcome to Alaska!" With as much money as the park spends in improvements every year, you would think surely someone could budget a few clams for DT. Either "Improve it or Remove it" I say.

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JuggaLotus said:

And I swear, and maybe someone can back me up on this, but on the "Athens" travel poster there was a naked chick in the pool. I swear to God there was, but since they have removed the poster, there's no way to go back and check.

John

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I can back you up on that, John. She was there. ;)

Those were the days!

I just have to say Disaster Transport was great the first couple years when the theming was at top notch with the robot and everything moving around. The crates up top in the 3rd room still move but they are slower than snails. I wonder why they even slowed those down. Now I think DT is not worth more than a 10 minute wait, unless you are sweatign your ass off in 90 degree weather because the air conditioning is pretty nice. The 1 dollar charge for the 3D glasses is HORRIBLE. I mean some of the visuals are enhanced but after a while I get a headache and I think Cedar Point should just hand those out. When i see a family with a few kids or more, I just think its wrong for them to dish out that money. They should have a bin at the end of the ride to dispose of the glasses and use them for other guests. C'mon CP, dont worry about a dollar!

Richard 2000

The top of the hill went...

"Uh-oh space pirates dead ahead! I'm taking evasive maneuvers!"

The DT audio as I remember it:

(vehicle moves from downtrack station to staging area under the steaming gadget with the flashing "OVERHEATING" light)

"This is your inflight computer. Stand clear of the cargo loading doors..." {KA-CHUNK!} "...Cargo loaded!"

(I don't remember if there was a "Clear for take-off" in there as well or not)

There was a loud, annoying beeping noise on the lift hill.

At the top of the lift:

"Hang on, orbit achieved!...
...Uh-oh, space pirates, dead ahead. I'm taking evasive maneuvers."

At the first block brake:
(some squeaking noises)

At the second block brake:
"I'm losing control! I'm losing control!"

Coming past the glacier just before the final brake run:
"We're gonna crash!"

On the final brake run, waiting to pull into the station:

"This is ground control." (There is more, but it seems that every time I heard it someone invoked a Major Tom reference, and now I don't remember the rest of it...)

--Dave Althoff, Jr.

That's pretty good Rideman! Bringing back fond memories talking about this ride. Anyone remember the music they used to play while you were waiting in line? It was Dispatch Master Transport music and I seem to remember the slogan "We get you there in 5 minutes or we don't get you there at all!" that would pipe in every once in a while over the music.

The music had a kind of a "newage" (rhymes with "sewage") sound to is, right?

--Dave Althoff, Jr.

Yeah it was kind of a piano/sythnisizer style of music, i have the beat and sound in my head but it's hard to describe it..

I would love to find the music somewhere!

I never knew DT was that interesting of a ride. I knew there was more theming but nothing all that elabrate. It was like that when I didn't even know what Cedar Point or a roller coaster even was.

"We're losing control!" was my absolute favorite part of DT. My good friend and I used to ride that ride solely for that purpose. The last time we went together, it was raining and DT was the last ride to close, so I remember riding it with our CP blue ponchos on, and screaming along "we're losing control!" and we made the kids in front of us cry. I feel bad now (10 years later) but thought it was a little funny then. (I'm horrible.) Regardless, my husband and I still ride it, even though it's not our favorite. God Bless the A/C!!! : )