Author Topic: Don't pull the yellow cord and other crazy acts  (Read 6847 times)

Firstvisit1967

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Don't pull the yellow cord and other crazy acts
« on: February 25, 2010, 08:55:30 AM »
I was reading the side of Steams post and thought I wonder if anyone has been foolish enough to pull the cord ?  With that what other crazy or foolish things have you seen others do at the park?

I once was part of a cave tour with a lady (at least 65) who had just had knee surgery (three months earlier).  Well she managed to make it to the bottom of the cave with her husband.  Then they had to send help to get her back out.  Other crazy thing was a man that was too big to get back out of the mine raft.

I am sure some of the citizens can tell some real dandies

Junior

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Re: Don't pull the yellow cord and other crazy acts
« Reply #1 on: February 25, 2010, 10:06:26 AM »
In 1979, the boat lift at the Jim Owen's Float Trip ride was upgraded, and instead of boats gently sliding into the channel to begin a trip, they would drop a little bit before heading off the dock. We were instructed to not overload a boat, but sometimes, guests refused to listen to us when too many would scurry into a boat. I stopped dispatching boats for a couple of minutes and explained to the dozen people in the boat that there were four too many, and if I dispatched the boat it would immediately sink, but would continue around the channel due to the strong thrust of water the pumps provided. I told the folks they would get completely wet from the waist down, and explained this as seriously as I could, begging them to get the four extra people out of the boat. They thought I was kidding around. They thought it was a big joke. The people waiting in line to board a boat thought it was a joke, too. I climbed off the dispatch stand, went to our storage building where we had a couple of big scoops made from plastic jugs, and tossed them in the boat. I told the folks when I slipped the boat off the loading dock, it would sink, they would be completely drenched, and if even one of them stood up, I'd have all of them removed by security. Then, I slowly...very slowly, edged the boat out of the loading area, and just like I warned...it immediately sunk. Everyone on the dock laughed so hard, their sides almost split! The people in the boat had a "deer in the headlights look" on their face, but not one of them stood up...they had been warned. As the boat rounded the first curve in the channel, I announced on the microphone when their boat got back to the dock, it had better be totally bailed out and ready for the next group. Seven minutes later, the boat came around...it had been bailed out, and the soaked visitors quietly exited...their shoes squishing with each step as everyone on the dock laughed at them and kidded them. By the way, the other folks on the dock did heed my warning about "eight to a boat only, please!"  :)
"Howdy there folks! My name is Junior Dugan, and I'll be drivin' your diving bell!"

SteamFreak

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Re: Don't pull the yellow cord and other crazy acts
« Reply #2 on: February 25, 2010, 10:08:32 AM »
We get a "false pull" about once a month, they usually occur while a guest is entering/exiting the coaches at the depot. Every one is always treated like the real thing with safety and first aid notified. Not a big deal really. I've never heard of one turning out to be the real thing, but we're always prepared anyway, all conductor staff is trained in CPR.

sdcforever

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Re: Don't pull the yellow cord and other crazy acts
« Reply #3 on: February 25, 2010, 10:23:44 AM »
^^That's hilarious!  Thanks for sharing! :D

haytater

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Re: Don't pull the yellow cord and other crazy acts
« Reply #4 on: February 25, 2010, 04:12:25 PM »
I had a lady using a walker in my cave tour group. I thought, really? you think you're gonna make it down the cathedral room with your walker? She quickly left after the tour guide mentioned the number of stairs.

Junior

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Re: Don't pull the yellow cord and other crazy acts
« Reply #5 on: February 25, 2010, 06:03:55 PM »
While playing Junior at the diving bell in the early '80's I was loading a group in a capsule, and a lady at the end of the line, the last to be seated, got wide eyed, saw water down front from a previous excursion, and told me with all seriousness, "I have the ability to predict the future, it runs in my family, and something bad is going to happen here, very soon." With that, she turned and fled the capsule. There was nervous laughter from a few of the guests, and all I could muster the courage to say is, "maybe she knows something we don't know." A few scattered laughs from the crowd, and the ride proceeded. Everything did go as normal, much to my relief, 'cause she kind of put a bit of fear into me, due to the tone in her voice. (However, during the ride, the diving bell spung a leak, a rock crashed through the wall and water gushed in, the geysers down front gushed gallon after gallon of water, and the ride ended with a massive crash, with no silver recovered. No injuries, and all were able to unload alright. After repairs, we tried for the silver again. Like I said, "just an average day at the office!")  ;)

   This is a true story, though...not made up for this thread, I swear.
"Howdy there folks! My name is Junior Dugan, and I'll be drivin' your diving bell!"

Junior

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Re: Don't pull the yellow cord and other crazy acts
« Reply #6 on: February 25, 2010, 06:08:44 PM »
Oh, yeah...and there was the time about 1980 or 1981 that a kid got sick in the ballroom at Tom Sawyer's landing with diarrhea...needless to say, the ballroom was closed, and overnight all the balls were removed with scoop shovels, washed down with a hose, and placed back in the ballroom. Back to normal the next day, with no guests the wiser.
"Howdy there folks! My name is Junior Dugan, and I'll be drivin' your diving bell!"

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Re: Don't pull the yellow cord and other crazy acts
« Reply #7 on: February 25, 2010, 06:45:58 PM »
Along these same lines, I've seen seriously obese people trying to get onto a ride with restraints.  I don't know what the protocol for the staff is, but on both occasions, the guests were allowed to sit in the vehicle - once at Fire-in-the-Hole and once at Wildfire - and the operators proceeded to attempt to lower the restraint bar or harness.  They literally pushed the restraints with their full bodies to try to get them latched.  On FitH, the guest finally got the idea that she couldn't comfortably or safely ride.  On WF, the guest was asked to switch to a larger seat in a different row (I didn't know there was a difference.), but after muscles couldn't close the restraint, and after enough time had been wasted, he finally gave up.  As sad as these both were, it was pretty cartoonish to watch the SDC citizens try to cram them into the rides.
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Swoosh

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Re: Don't pull the yellow cord and other crazy acts
« Reply #8 on: February 25, 2010, 06:49:03 PM »
^Yeah if they cannot fit into a regular sized seat, they have to move to a "big boy" seat on Wildfire.  These are the seats with the double seat belts on them.  They are a little "bigger" to accomodate guests "with larger attribute dimensions and proportions" -- if that still does not work, they have to take the WOS (Walk of Shame).
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marolinesdad

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Re: Don't pull the yellow cord and other crazy acts
« Reply #9 on: February 25, 2010, 10:25:44 PM »
Not all of us can be thin like Swoosh.  I have to sit in the Fat Boy Seat on Wildfire... 
« Last Edit: February 25, 2010, 10:41:29 PM by oklaSDCfan »
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Firstvisit1967

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Re: Don't pull the yellow cord and other crazy acts
« Reply #10 on: February 26, 2010, 08:39:54 AM »
The float trip story is great.  I would have paid money to watch that.
I wonder if anyone ever had trouble with the tree house. 

I did see a man bounce his wife off her feet one the swinging bridge.  I am not sure which was the bigger laugh.  Her falling or her getting up and getting after him.

Junior

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Re: Don't pull the yellow cord and other crazy acts
« Reply #11 on: February 26, 2010, 09:25:05 AM »
Back in the early '80's there was an incident on the swinging bridge. It was Young Christians weekend. Too many kids got on the bridge...well overloading it beyond any reasonable normal load...and began bouncing...and bouncing...and before park personnel could get to them, one of the steel cables below gave way. the bridge had a noticable tilt to one side, but held, thank God. Everyone got off safely. Then park personnel had to close the bridge. It was closed for many, many weeks at the beginning of that year. Maybe I should not say this, but I will. We citizens jokingly called Young Christians Weekend "Young Heathens Weekend," because so many kids in church groups were unleashed on the park without adult supervision, and often got into mischief. Teens will be teens, and if mom and dad or the group leader is not around...trouble will follow.
"Howdy there folks! My name is Junior Dugan, and I'll be drivin' your diving bell!"

slow_walker

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Re: Don't pull the yellow cord and other crazy acts
« Reply #12 on: February 26, 2010, 10:26:16 AM »
I remember going to the park during the time the swinging bridge was closed. I was so disappointed.

rubedugans

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Re: Don't pull the yellow cord and other crazy acts
« Reply #13 on: February 26, 2010, 12:05:55 PM »
Nothing new for us to hear there Junior,  It has been collectively by some members here as that for a while now
There is more in depth discussion regarding the weekend here:
http://sdcfans.com/forums/index.php?topic=462.0

As I said there:
I have been in on this weekend in years past, and I did see the same as you all are discussing (heathen behavior), but I did see some very strong in their faith and who were very polite and well behaved, and unfortunately they are all associated with these "heathens". This was 3-4 years ago, and I know much has changed, but I left that weekend with hope for our future. One bad apple spoils the whole bunch-cannot say it enough as a teacher!

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Re: Don't pull the yellow cord and other crazy acts
« Reply #14 on: February 26, 2010, 04:22:58 PM »
It's really more fun to actually swing the bridge left to right than bounce on it anyway.  After all it is a swinging bridge.  If they didn't want people swinging on it (or bouncing), they should call it a suspension bridge.
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