Space Spiral

Seaworld San Diego was having similar issues with theirs. Removal wasn't an option with them as it grandfathered in the maximum height for future attractions (although the marker is about a quarter of the way up on the tower). They had a new cabin built by a Japanese firm and rebuilt the lift machinery and installed new controls. While much more reliable than it had been in the recent past (it would get stuck at least twice a month for a while)there are still occasional issues with it. But they say that it was more than worth it.

It was operating today. Wedensday it was shut down, along with all the little shops around it.

It is shut down EVERY time I go. I'm hoping to go on it so I can get one last ride but it's never open.

Both times I've attended the park this season, Space Spiral was operating.

Jrb said:
It was operating today. Wedensday it was shut down, along with all the little shops around it.

The ride and shops in that area close at 9 PM every day.

Even the slightest gust of wind will shut down space spiral. If you ever walk by and see/hear the cables banging up against the tower, chances are, it will be down for the day.

counterweight and cabin sit at the same level when in "off mode".

TwistedWicker77 said:
Even the slightest gust of wind will shut down space spiral. If you ever walk by and see/hear the cables banging up against the tower, chances are, it will be down for the day.

I have heard the cables banging at the front entrance before, it can be very loud.

It's been down every single time we've gone since I was probably 7. (19 now) I guess we've just been unlucky enough to go on days each year that it just so happened to not be operating :/

It was operating today until about mid-afternoon, I'm pretty sure. It just shut down and the cabin was put to the middle as they always do. I didn't get a ride on it, by the time I came back around, no one was entering.

Maverick00 said:

TwistedWicker77 said:
Even the slightest gust of wind will shut down space spiral. If you ever walk by and see/hear the cables banging up against the tower, chances are, it will be down for the day.

I have heard the cables banging at the front entrance before, it can be very loud.

Definitely! If you go on Friday nights during Halloweekends, its pretty eerie because that area of the park doesn't operate except for maxair, wicked twister, and I think troika. So its pretty dark in that corner and all you hear are those cables just slamming from the wind.

Just wondering, do those cables bang up against the tower on a normal calm windy day? Hopefully I go when there is a little bit of a strong wind coming across the lake so I can hear for myself what kind of noise it's making.

As far back as I can remember they slapped against the tower. Back in the early 1970's We used to sleep on the section of the beach that wasn't patrolled to escape the oppressive heat in the dorms. You could hear the cables slapping against the tower with little wind. I don't recall that it was shut down that often then either.

^^ It sounds like when a flag pole has that metal piece that bangs up against it in the wind, but with a little bit deeper slap.

I would have loved to sleep on the beach at night. Why didn't we ever think of that

That's a great idea.

From what I've been told is that some time after I left there it became off limits after closing, and that security patrolled it. A shame really, a lot of fond memories of sleeping under the stars on that beach.

It must be off limits because I don't remember hearing about anybody sleeping out there during the night in recent years. Kind of sad truthfully. I wonder how long until they don't allow employees in the park past a certain time altogether.

During my era there were set corridors that we couldn't deviate from during the hours the park was closed (Marina gate to the Breakers gate) unless there was an event being held at the ballroom or the Coral Dining Room.

I'm not positive they still do it, but there was a time when they'd rake the beach after hours. Not sure I'd want to be run over by a tractor pulling a rake.

They were raking the beach upon my exit on my most recent trip. Dont know if its nightly but they still do it.