Throw up? Eek.

Okay this probably sounds weird but I'm sure employees know better than anyone.. How often do these sorts of incidents occur? And does it typically happen on ride or off ride? Do people make it to a more appropriate area typically? I've spotted it twice but once seemed mostly cleaned up and the other not too severe. Also I've heard to get extra hours regardless of department you can help out the sweeps.. Is this true? How often would a sweep come across this situation?

It depends on the ride, really, some get it more than others. People usually will wait until the end of the ride and then barf all over themselves, sometimes they make it to the trash can, but more times than not, it's while they're still on the ride. It really isn't as bad as you think it would be. When I started working at the park in 2010, I was deathly afraid of being around vomit, but it doesn't phase me anymore.

I don't know how the ride operator working as a sweep will work out this summer, just because they're part of Park Services now. But in past years, it would depend largely on staffing.

Cleaning up throw up just comes with the job lol. It seems bad at first but honestly it gets better! It doesn't even bother me anymore. I'm not sure what CP uses but blot out was my life saver at Gadv. It soaks up all of the moisture to make cleanup a bit easier.

Now this is my first season at CP so I'm not entirely sure but I don't think that getting extra hours by helping sweeps will be as easy this season since they are no longer in the same department. Who knows though. If they need the help I'm sure they won't hesitate to get help from operations.

Eh, you just throw some gloves on and spray that off your ride with a hose. Then you wipe it down with sanitizer, run that row empty and you're good. On the midway, you typically use oil-dry, stamp it out and sweep it on up.

I've heard that if you see a ride running an empty train, it's because someone just barfed on it & they're airing it out. One quick run & back to action.
On the other hand, if a ride has had mechanical issues, I believe several test runs are required before they can start loading again.

"Protein Spills" tend to be more frequent on flat rides. The Monster for a long time has been considered one of the major "spin & pukes" on the midway.The late departed Schwabenchin was also noted for it as well.

Generally you can tell what days it will happen more than others. If you get a really hot day where it's close to 100 degrees out, ice cream always seems like a great way to beat the heat. Those two combinations along with walking around all day and heat exhaustion will cause it to happen more than on other days. The first time it will catch you off guard, but after that it will come second nature to clean it up and you will have no problem at all with it.

It's really not that big of an issue to clean up, so I wouldn't be too worried about it. Back in 2011 we had a guest illness probably 2-3 times a day, so it just became a real routine process that was taken care of in less than 10 minutes.

What do you think the danger level is of being thrown up on by another person on the ride? Never seen it but I'm sure it's happened!

Very low -- puke splatters down, not backwards or out....people RARELY throw up while the ride is running -- it mostly happens in the final approach to the station once the person's body has "settled down in the seat" and its coming to a stop. On Magnum, for example, it happens in the waiting area just outside the station.

This is a part of doing Ride Op and it was like that when I worked there in the early 80's and its the same now....

Back in '08 on Raptor, illness happened easily 4-5 times a day, especially on the hotter days.

I've had several...odd encounters regarding people getting sick on rides. One time on Mantis while we were waiting in line we saw them running empty trains, and once I got off the ride, I realized I had a big wet spot, let's just say, in a really bad place for it to be wet. Unknowingly, I had sat in the previous "sick" seat, and it was still wet from being washed. So I had to walk around with that wet spot for awhile.

Another time on Gemini we stopped like usual on the brake run at the end of the ride, but after a few minues both red and blue trains still sat there, and never moved into the station. About 10 minutes later, an employee walked over and told us somebody threw up on a train in the station, so they were cleaning it. So we had a walk out. Not your typical Gemini ride.

Now this is the strangest one. One time while in line for Blue Streak I saw employees cleaning up one of the trains from somebody throwing up in it. I understand that some people eat a lot right before riding, but for one thing, it wasn't even a very hot day. And it was Blue Streak, for crying out loud. If someone threw up on a ride like that, I can only imagine...

^ Someone threw up on Bluestreak when I worked there for a week in 2011!

^I think it might have been 2011 when that happened to me. Do you remember what month it was? The would be funny if it's the same experience.

It was early August!

Oh, then it was a different time. I guess this happens on rides like Blue Streak more than I used to think haha.

My friend worked Blue Streak last year, and they actually had a guest crap themselves as they got onto the train...

LOL