Virtual Ride Controls

Ha, you're welcome.

Yea, I never thought about the loose articles thing. That's done thing I still don't understand. It would be awesome if they had bins at all the stations. Who cares..It's probably just a money trick. All the lockers around MF and TTD.

I always found it fun to work Entrance. I actually liked being cussed out by guests whos kids were too short. Made my day interesting. Hardest part about entrance was staying awake.

Also, isn't Gemini fully computer controlled now as of the '04 Season?

yea..ive never worked entrance...and now that i have a ride with one, i can't work it...

Which coasters have bins to put loose articles in?

Raptor, Wicked Twister, and Power Tower. I seem to remember Mantis having them too, but I'm not certain.

rathofdoom said:
Ha, you're welcome.

Yea, I never thought about the loose articles thing. That's done thing I still don't understand. It would be awesome if they had bins at all the stations. Who cares..It's probably just a money trick. All the lockers around MF and TTD.

Its not a money thing...well, not completely a money thing. Both MF and TTD have dual stations, meaning there are different load and unload stations. This means that bins wouldn't work, so you're stuck with having a locker, or getting some cargo pants.

The only thing about Gemini that was changed in '04 was the addition of the airgates, dispatch enable and the removal of the 3rd red and blue trains. The dispatch enable might prevent you from A-setting now, but I can't remember.

A reason for not putting in bins to place loose articles has a lot to do with getting people on and off the ride quickly. Extra people hanging around on the platform getting their things and waiting for their friends to get their things just causes chaos. Can you imagine Magnum trying to hit interval if there were a trainfull of guests going through their bins before exiting. Cedar Point is known for its ride capacities and little things like loose articles sitting on platforms or in bins has a big impact on the ability of a crew to get the trains in and out of the station as quickly as possible.
I tell people all the time that there are all day lockers at the front of the park that can be reopened as many times as needed. That is really the best way to go if you're a guest and you feel the need to carry things with you during the day.

Also entrance is no way an easy position if you're doing your job correctly. Dragster entrance is the most difficult position at the ride in my opinion. You have to be alert and aware of every person entering the line, whether they are carrying anything, have glasses, have cargo pockets to put the glasses, and whether or not the meet the height requirement. At the same time you are constantly filling out special access books, managing the freeway entrance, making sure the wait time board is correct, and helping people use the test seat.

Gomez said:
Raptor, Wicked Twister, and Power Tower. I seem to remember Mantis having them too, but I'm not certain.

Wicked Twister does not allow loose articles in line. There are shelves for hats, glasses, and shoes. No backpacks, purses, stuffed animals, etc. are allowed in line.

MantisSam said:
I have a question for Jeff too. Have you ever actually worked at the point to know how it is for all of us in rides??

Nope, and I don't have to. I'm good friends with one of your former crew mates who says one day on the ride and you can run it in your sleep. He also has some things to say about you and your ability to operate the ride, but since I don't know you I won't go there.

I've operated far more complicated machines that roller coasters. Don't embarrass the Nintendo generation and claim it's difficult.

LOL...nice

These forums need a good burn icon. You know, for high quality burns, such as that one.

Don't cry for me, Argentina.
*** Edited 2/22/2005 4:17:20 AM UTC by bholcomb***

Entrance is the most annoying position, in my opinion. You have to constantly be watching for people who are hiding loose articles from you. For some reason people think that if they hide them from the entrance person that we will let them ride, even though they have another 2-3 ride ops to pass before they can get on the ride. And by the time they get to those other positions they have waited in line a while and act all pissed off when they are told they need to go put it in a locker. Basketballs cause the biggest problems and should be given without air in them. The head of merchandise and park operations should really get together and remedy the situation as it would make our lives much easier.

Jeff said:

MantisSam said:
I have a question for Jeff too. Have you ever actually worked at the point to know how it is for all of us in rides??

Nope, and I don't have to. I'm good friends with one of your former crew mates who says one day on the ride and you can run it in your sleep. He also has some things to say about you and your ability to operate the ride, but since I don't know you I won't go there.

I've operated far more complicated machines that roller coasters. Don't embarrass the Nintendo generation and claim it's difficult.

I would love to know who this crew mate was.
*** Edited 2/22/2005 5:33:31 PM UTC by MantisSam***

Careful Sam, you have alot more to loose than Jeff if you keep arguing in this public forum.

MantisSam said:

Yeah the operating manuals do look easy but have you ever seen the control booth at Mantis. There is so many different buttons that have to be pushed just to load the train. You have like 8 row buttons and seat release, harness release, and a lock button. Plus even more that are used very time a train is loaded. There is also two dispatch buttons in the station alone that have to be pressed. It doesn't make it a very easy job to work controls. Your fingers get so sore after awhile too.

And as for the pet peeves, I have to agree with gravity. It does get a little annoy to be told that your job is easy from people who don't really understand what all you do in a day.

I have a question for Jeff too. Have you ever actually worked at the point to know how it is for all of us in rides??

I do agree that Mantis controls makes your fingers sore, but it certainly isn't hard.

The hardest ride at CP to operate is the CP&LE steam locomotives. If the crown sheet gets exposed, you blow the loco and yourself to Kingda Ka. Very hot and dirty work too.

Jesmcsel said:
Careful Sam, you have alot more to loose than Jeff if you keep arguing in this public forum.

All i wanted to know was who said things about me. I don't think that Jeff, being the head of the website, has the right to say that people he doesn't even know don't know how to do their job. I believe I know who said it and he also has no right to be talking about me. I think that if cedar point thought i was a bad ride operator that maybe they would not of hired me back. But they did.
*** Edited 2/22/2005 5:40:35 PM UTC by MantisSam***

Then why did they move you from Mantis to the Cadillac cars???...even though it may be random assignments...i would think they would at least hire you back on the same ride if you were doing such an outstanding job.
*** Edited 2/22/2005 8:01:14 PM UTC by MeanStreaker***

CP_bound said:
Basketballs cause the biggest problems and should be given without air in them. The head of merchandise and park operations should really get together and remedy the situation as it would make our lives much easier.

But it's not about you. And, how many times do you think people would play for a deflated B-Ball. No one wants them. I take the one I win home and it sits in my closet, used 1/1000 of the time Mr. Spalding is used. That's half the fun of winning the prize is getting to carry it around.

Ohio State said:
The only thing about Gemini that was changed in '04 was the addition of the airgates, dispatch enable and the removal of the 3rd red and blue trains. The dispatch enable might prevent you from A-setting now, but I can't remember.

If that is true, how do you explain the prox sensors on the track? I think the control system was modified more than you think, though they do still park the trains manually.

*** Edited 2/22/2005 8:57:33 PM UTC by Pete***

A proximity sensor is just as much of an input as a photoeye or limit switch. They wire in exactly the same too. They are more reliable than limit switches and are less susceptible to rain than photoeyes.

I'm not saying they didn't change it over, but it isn't conclusive because of a few sensors.