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View Full Version : GRR Rafts Spin?



Brown Monkey
02-27-2002, 06:57 PM
I was just at California Adventure on Sunday and I noticed that the GRR rafts were not spinning!!! :( What happened? I thought that they had fixed it. Does anyone know if it will be working again soon? It was dissapointing watching the ride without it. That spin was the best part.

Just a little side note that the crowds at DCA on Sunday were great! It was the busiest out of the times that I've gone. I'm glad to see alot of people at DCA. It makes it funner.

P.S. Will they EVER put bee bodies back on the Orange Stinger? And will they ever remove that ugly Luminaria Island? Ughh!

Uncle Dick
02-27-2002, 07:39 PM
Originally posted by Brown Monkey
I was just at California Adventure on Sunday and I noticed that the GRR rafts were not spinning!!! :( What happened? I thought that they had fixed it. Does anyone know if it will be working again soon? It was dissapointing watching the ride without it. That spin was the best part.
The spin is currently working just under 50% of the time. Of the past six or so rides I've taken on it, it's spun twice, I think. The other day, I rode it twice in a row. The first time it spun but the second time... nothing. It's really a shame, too, because the second drop is pretty tame without the spin.


Just a little side note that the crowds at DCA on Sunday were great! It was the busiest out of the times that I've gone. I'm glad to see alot of people at DCA. It makes it funner.
Whoa! You like the crowds??? One of the best things about DCA, IMHO, is the total lack of people. There's no wait for anything with Single Rider, just the way I like it. BTW, I wonder if they plan on removing Fastpass from It's Tough to Be a Bug and MuppetVision 3D, since neither attraction needs it.....

Nigel2
02-27-2002, 09:55 PM
Originally posted by Brown Monkey

And will they ever remove that ugly Luminaria Island? Ughh!

Well probably not since it is attacted to the floor of the lagoon. Also are those "party boats" that say "Paradise Pier Tours" (or something like that) what they use to set up for Luminaria? If so I have to say good job with theming.:) Also what is with that cage on PP? You know the one with the map on it and it looks like a ticket or info booth.

bluepearl
02-28-2002, 12:09 AM
Originally posted by Nigel2
Also are those "party boats" that say "Paradise Pier Tours" (or something like that) what they use to set up for Luminaria? If so I have to say good job with theming.:) Also what is with that cage on PP? You know the one with the map on it and it looks like a ticket or info booth.

I think those boats were used to set the presents and stuff up for LuminAria. Random note, I never saw the show; I planned to see it the opening day and just never got around to watching it. But I did see those little boats zoom across the lagoon setting up for the show.

Also, I'm curious about that booth as well! Perhaps it's supposed to be just another theming prop; somewhere you could've purchased tickets to boart the carnival rides. Any other ideas or concrete facts?

Nigel2
02-28-2002, 12:21 AM
Mabey it was intended to be an info booth? It would have been interesting if they did the "tours" of the lagoon, if the lagoon was larger, or do what EPCOT does, have a "ferry" service to the other side (again if it was larger).

Ghoulish Delight
02-28-2002, 07:17 AM
To answer Brown Monkey's other question, I doubt they will ever put the bee butts back on. They were removed because they would smack into each other, chipping them, making it a maintanance nightmare. And short of removing some swings they can't prevent that from happening. Oh well, I'm just glad I got a couple pictures of the butts while they existed.

And I don't think Brown Monkey enjoys crowded days, per se. I think he's just saying it's nice to see people being interested in DCA. Gives us hope that it will continue to grow and one day be a bonefide success. Of course, the crowds could also be explained by the fact that half of Disneyland is CLOSED!

Brown Monkey
03-02-2002, 04:56 PM
You're exactly right Ghoulish. Sorry I didn't make myself clear enough. I don't "enjoy" crowded days, per se. I'm not sure anyone does. But if you go to any good theme park, you should expect to see big crowds. It comes with the territory. It's a sign of success. And this is what I expected when I first went to DCA, only to find the opposite. A very light crowd.

Although it was great being able to go on any attraction with almost no wait, it made me feel kinda sad and a bit disappointed that the park wasn't a hit right out the box. And the light attendance was a sure sign.

But the last time I went, I was pleasantly surprised to see so many people enjoying the park. It meant that DCA was doing better. And it gave me hope for the future that the park will only continue to get better.

More people means more profit. And more profit means more chances for improvement at the park. And more improvement means more people! <singing> "It's the Circle of Life..." :D

Uncle Dick
03-02-2002, 07:34 PM
Originally posted by Brown Monkey
More people means more profit. And more profit means more chances for improvement at the park. And more improvement means more people! <singing> "It's the Circle of Life..." :D

You're absolutely right. Now that I'm an official Disneyland Resort CM, I can appreciate the more crowded days at the parks (since they determine how much money I make!).

disneyholic family
03-03-2002, 02:06 PM
when the spin is working, just how much does it spin?..
i mean, we're not talking mad (throw-up) tea party are we?...

Uncle Dick
03-03-2002, 02:16 PM
Originally posted by disneyholic family
when the spin is working, just how much does it spin?..
i mean, we're not talking mad (throw-up) tea party are we?...
Naw, it's not insane spinage. You can definitely feel the centripetal forces working but it's more "fun" than nausea inducing. Plus, since you're on an incline, you get this weird uneven spinning thing going on (feels faster on the way down and slower on the way up, giving the "whip around" effect at the bottom of the spin).

MammaSilva
03-03-2002, 03:44 PM
I get motion sickness VERY easily but LOVE the spin! It really doesn't last all that long,and I never feel sick at the end of the spinning part. we never actually counted revolutions but it doesn't seem like it was more than 3 or 4 times....someone feel free to correct me if I am wrong, like I say we never actually counted, it is just fun to have that pause at the top of the "falls" kind of like that last climb on splash, then when the gate opens off you go! We really really like this ride :)

Brown Monkey
03-03-2002, 08:40 PM
Bottom line is that the spin just makes the whole experience 10 times funner. I'm not sure, but i think that GRR is the only raft ride to have it, right?

Cadaverous Pallor
03-03-2002, 08:52 PM
Originally posted by Brown Monkey
Bottom line is that the spin just makes the whole experience 10 times funner. I'm not sure, but i think that GRR is the only raft ride to have it, right?
Correct. The spin mechanism (don't ask me how it works!) is a brand new invention that Disney patented.

BTW, it was working fine today. I'm so glad it's back! :)

disneyholic family
03-03-2002, 10:57 PM
yes i read that disney added the spin after people said that Kali River Rapids (in the AK) was a wimp ride...something i don't agree with as it happens..
but anyway, the claim is that because of that, they added the spin to grizzly....
as for Kali....we LOVE it so i'm sure we'll love grizzly too....
when kali opened at the same time as everything else in the AK we would go there first and ride it 4 times in a row (they never made you get off because no one else was there, no matter how crowded the park....people are afraid of getting wet.....we use ponchos and don't care if people think we're strange)......
now that kali only opens an hour later we do dinosaur about 3 or 4 times first, then head over to Kali.....you have to get out now but they don't make you run the whole way around to get back on....you can turn around at the fastpass point....(if there's no crowd, which there still isn't even at that hour)....

anyway...bottom line is i have no doubt we'll love grizzly and ride it as many times as is possible given the crowds or lack thereof....

Cadaverous Pallor
03-04-2002, 07:38 AM
FYI Beth....GRR has one of the longest lines in DCA as long as the sun shines. I'm surprised at the lack of crowds for your water ride....seems that no one in CA is scared of getting wet, even though GRR is pretty good at getting the whole boat soaked.

Unless, of course, a certain person puts their legs up and blocks the splash for another certain lucky person. :D ;)

Not Afraid
03-04-2002, 09:11 AM
Originally posted by Cadaverous Pallor
Unless, of course, a certain person puts their legs up and blocks the splash for another certain lucky person. :D ;)

I have no idea what you're talking about!:D

disneyholic family
03-04-2002, 10:26 AM
no no no.......kali has a SUPER LONGGGGGGGGGGGGGG line as well.....that is if you're stupid enough (or masochistic enough) to stay in the scorching hot AK past noon....

the trick about kali is every single guide book recommends that people start with kilimanjaro and save kali for much later because they'll get soaked.....as a result, the crowd is much more manageable in the first hour that kali's open....
later on you can't get near it without a fastpass....

and you DO get soaked....to the bone (even with a poncho on you get wet....the water has a way of getting under it somehow...you're just not AS wet......)

Nigel2
03-04-2002, 09:27 PM
I am surprised they didn't make the rafts for GRR like the KRR ones, it would keep more stuff dry, but the lockers work so thats good. Still on a busy day GRR is shorter than KRR, but that isn't saying much.

disneyholic family
03-05-2002, 12:30 PM
are the grizzly rafts smaller than the kali rafts?..
i'm trying to remember how many seat kali has....
you seatbelt together by twos (that is, you share a seatbelt with another person.....so there are two seats, then stairs then two seats then stairs and so on.....but i can't remember how many sets of two there are.....maybe 10 seats all together?....or is it only 8?.....
in any case, how big are the grizzly rafts?...(how many people can ride together?)

MammaSilva
03-05-2002, 12:37 PM
GRR rafts hold 8 people :)

Ghoulish Delight
03-05-2002, 12:55 PM
I always liked what Knott's did on Bigfoot Rapids. There's a big plastic pouch in the middle with a zippered top. Toss all your stuff in there, nothing gets soaked (although, there's usually some water in there, so it doesn't stay completely dry, but it's far better than the alternative). Is that what they do on Kali?

disneyholic family
03-05-2002, 08:28 PM
oh gee...how to describe it...
maybe it's the same as on grizzly...
the raft is round...the center of the raft is raised up about at the height of your thighs i think.....it's also round ....the top of it is hollow with covers for putting your stuff away....there are two covers that lift up each covering half of the circular area....
you have to be careful to put things in there in a way that the covers can close flat or else water can get in, but even if you do close it flat somehow stuff gets kind of wet anyway....possibly because there's always a little water in there to begin with...
also, on the outside of this center area, down towards the bottom is a bar to put your feet on if you want to...
although they'll still get wet even if they're raised up off the floor..
the water comes in like a deluge .....we always take our sandals off and throw them in the bin....
i should note that i usually put my purse, my husband's belly pack and our packpack into a big trash bag before putting them into the bin.....that way it all stays dry....(so imagine us.....there we are.....all 4 of us draped in our ponchos, carrying our sandals in our hands, and me carrying the big trash bag of stuff in my arms as we jump out of the raft and run around to get back into line.....
not a pretty picture i'm sure...
but who cares.....it's fun....and no one knows us there anyway....:D )

Nigel2
03-06-2002, 08:57 PM
Originally posted by disneyholic family
are the grizzly rafts smaller than the kali rafts?..
i'm trying to remember how many seat kali has....
you seatbelt together by twos (that is, you share a seatbelt with another person.....so there are two seats, then stairs then two seats then stairs and so on.....but i can't remember how many sets of two there are.....maybe 10 seats all together?....or is it only 8?.....
in any case, how big are the grizzly rafts?...(how many people can ride together?)

I think this may have been covered enough for you but...

I don't know about the number of seats but in general the rafts have more space in them, GRR is just 2 sides of seats while KRR has them in 2 seat things and they also have the bin to keep stuff dry.