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View Full Version : Finally saw the wave machine on at DCA



justagrrl
03-01-2002, 03:06 PM
I finally saw the wave machine going at DCA over by the coaster launch area. That was pretty cool. It's never been on before in any of our many visits to the area.

Why don't they run it more often?

Dlandmom
03-01-2002, 03:25 PM
What does it do?

MonorailMan
03-01-2002, 04:00 PM
Let's See, It's A Wave Machine:

1. Makes People Wave. No.
2. Waves At People. No
3. Makes Waves In The Water. Yes.

Uncle Dick
03-01-2002, 07:14 PM
Originally posted by justagrrl
I finally saw the wave machine going at DCA over by the coaster launch area. That was pretty cool. It's never been on before in any of our many visits to the area.

Why don't they run it more often?

I dunno, although I suspect that the Luminaria set up (and perhaps problems getting the wave effect working) contributed to its downtime. It looks pretty nice crashing against the rocks lining California Screaming (although I'd be very put out if that green liquid they call "water" splashed me while I was waiting launch).

disneynut
03-01-2002, 08:09 PM
I didn't even know there was one over there.

Nigel2
03-01-2002, 09:55 PM
I remember reading that that wave effect cost a whole lot of money and was specially developed by some european company. But odds are it was shut off for the duration of luminaria... but I have no idea why. I would say make the waves go across the lagoon but that would create a whole lot of problems.

Dlandmom
03-02-2002, 12:34 PM
Originally posted by MonorailMan
Let's See, It's A Wave Machine:

1. Makes People Wave. No.
2. Waves At People. No
3. Makes Waves In The Water. Yes.

Yes, thank you...I had NO idea...that's what was meant.

Let me rephrase...what effect is it supposed to provide? Does it create waves across the entire lagoon area? Is it just an isolated part? How big are the waves? Is it supposed to represent waves at Malibu? Hmm, let me think about how many other ways to ask the question....

Seriously, what was it supposed to do?! Is it a huge effect, or could it have been working and I just never noticed it?

blusilva
03-02-2002, 05:04 PM
Oh, now see, when you said "wave effect", I thought you meant the wave fountain at the big glittery sun thingie. I had no idea there were supposed to be waves in the pool. :)

Brown Monkey
03-02-2002, 05:15 PM
Finally! I little, but very much appreciated, effect that they remembered to fix!

Uncle Dick
03-02-2002, 07:43 PM
Originally posted by Dlandmom


Yes, thank you...I had NO idea...that's what was meant.

Let me rephrase...what effect is it supposed to provide?
I assume it's supposed the create the effect that you really are at a bay (a Paradise Bay, if you will ;)) and that the waves are coming in from "the ocean" (aka Timon parking lot).


Does it create waves across the entire lagoon area?
Not really. The north west side of the bay does have an increased "choppiness" though that actually looks quite nice.


Is it just an isolated part?
For all intents and purposes, the waves don't go much farther than the end of the Avalon Cove seating area.


How big are the waves?
Small. Smaller than what you would normally find at any beach in California, but the "crashing" against the rocks parallel to California Screamin' creates some impressive splashes (impressive enough to soak me in the front seat of the coaster).


Seriously, what was it supposed to do?! Is it a huge effect, or could it have been working and I just never noticed it?
I hadn't noticed it before this week, but it's not really understated enough to have have escaped my detection all this time (especially while on board the coaster), so my guess would be that either the effect was turned off for the holiday season, or they just got it to start working properly.

Nigel2
03-02-2002, 09:17 PM
Since this is somewhat related... why do they "hose" down the launch for CS? Is it to make the cars "glide" when they start or does it cool off the system, or is it just for kicks?:)

Uncle Dick
03-02-2002, 09:24 PM
Originally posted by Nigel2
Since this is somewhat related... why do they "hose" down the launch for CS? Is it to make the cars "glide" when they start or does it cool off the system, or is it just for kicks?:)
I assume it's a combination of the first two but mostly for cooling. If you notice, the area where the water sprays is the only place where the white accelerator thingys are connected in one contiguous block which probably cuts down on heat dissipation significantly. That's only a guess, of course.

Nigel2
03-02-2002, 09:29 PM
Since I beleive they are magnets like superman they probably heat up like induction "burners". The way the burners work is that you can have it on high and put your hand on the surface and not feel a thing but using a special pan that responds to the magents the pan gets very very hot in a short amount of time which may be similar to the way the launch system works.