SDC's 2013 Project

[shavethewhales]

If testing is truly underway, this seems like another missed marketing opportunity for SDC. In no way am I trying to bash the park. But given the buzz this project has generated, and knowing how much it's opening is being anticipated, I cannot understand why they wouldn't be promoting every possible new detail about the ride. When the trains arrived, why didn't they post a gallery on the ride site, or their own FB page? If I was running the park, I would have already posted video of the first train to complete a circuit. Show the world the train running from various angles around the ride. Unless it's all just rumored, or something isn't going according to plan, I just don't get why they wouldn't leverage the opportunity to continue the marketing momentum during the slowest period of year.  

I think the park is doing a fine job of continuing the buzz of this ride. Your expectations might be a little skewed because you follow this site and get to hear things a bit early. It takes some time to put these kinds of materials together and they have to make sure there are no surprises.

Here is a great video series the park has been producing, the latest update shows the trains being fabricated and includes a shot of them unloading at the park: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yh9ONvueB9Y

[sanddunerider]

Shave, thanks... good video, i had missed it.

[Junior]

I don't know what the testing schedule is like for OR, but I can tell you, employees are sometimes used to test new rides. I remember well the 1981 season when American Plunge was new. The Juniors from the diving bell gathered two or three weeks before park opening to rehearse and get the attraction ready to go. One day, we got a phone call for the entire crew to report to the plunge right away. We did, and we were some of the first guinea pigs to ride! They put us all in two or three boats, and around and around and around we went while maitinance and construction watched the boats from different angles. Jack Herschend came on by and watched us for a while too. It was fun, but after I don't know how many rides in a row, I was ready to get off the boat! 

[crash]

Wow. It's hard to believe that they are letting riders on already just for safety reasons, but I guess anything is possible. I'm sure that Jack and Pete got their rides in. I always thought it was neat that they take the first ride or that's what I've been told anyways.

[Grapeslie]

Just received a e-mail from ACE about that little event I promised to update you all about.
Seems they have decided against April and moved the date to May 3rd and 4th
They are calling it The Outlaw Run World Premier!
So far no other information other than dates and name but I would expect to hear more soon.
I'll keep you all updated! 

[sanddunerider]

wonder why the delay??

I am surprised they rescheduled that event, with all the tickets out there and the plans people will have to redo now..

By chance the weekend of the 4th is one of my scheduled weekends

[cowboy]

Hey Momma (or anyone else)..........any updates? Is testing going well?

I got excited when I saw SDC was promoting a new video this week, but it was just the "Through the Barrel Roll, Part 2" video we all had already seen.

Jay

[sanddunerider]

Hey Momma (or anyone else)..........any updates? Is testing going well?

I got excited when I saw SDC was promoting a new video this week, but it was just the "Through the Barrel Roll, Part 2" video we all had already seen.

Jay

LOL!!!  I saw that posting and jumped right on it, pulled it  up.......................and  saw that it was an old video..  oh well...  we will see something soon....

roughly 43 more days..

[MissinTheGreenTrams]

We are close to opening day....and I am pretty excited. With that being said, they are running tests on OR right? Who gets the first ride once deemed safe? Seconds? Thirds? Or do they wait until the general public can ride it?

[Wildfire]

They have tested with people.  I was told the first time around (empty) the train failed to make it all the way around.  Took 15 hours to pull the train back to the station.  Since they have been using people they haven't had any trouble completing the circuit.

[DollarCityBoy]

They have tested with people.  I was told the first time around (empty) the train failed to make it all the way around.  Took 15 hours to pull the train back to the station.  Since they have been using people they haven't had any trouble completing the circuit.

wow, that is really interesting. I would think they will have to get that worked out. The train can't strictly run only with passengers.

[MissinTheGreenTrams]

So they dont use test dummies or flour sacks? They just chunk people on and go???!!

[Wildfire]

Not sure if they used dummies also but I know for sure they are testing with people.  The person who told me had an opportunity to ride but was chicken

[shavethewhales]

If the rumor about the train not making it around the tracks the first time empty is true, this will certainly not be the first time this has happened on a major coaster. Plenty of rides have these kinds of issues because of the way they are engineered. I wouldn't worry about it happening during operations though because they'll probably have made adjustments to ensure it doesn't valley under most conditions.

By the way, we are only hearing bits and pieces about the testing process, mostly from third or fourth party sources. Don't assume that what you read on here represents the actual testing that's going on. I'm sure there's been a lot more going on than we know.

[chittlins]

Bit of a sidebar but related to Rocky Mountain, here's a pic of the reworking of the Rattler in San Antonio