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What's "Disney"?
03-27-2008, 06:45 AM
This I have been wondering about for a while. I have just returned from a trip to Disneyland Resort and SeaWorld. I witnessed a great number of breakdowns, which included, but was not limited to, the following: Journey to Altlantis, Shipwreck Rapids, Alice in Wonderland, and Disneyland Monorail. I have always wondered what, specifically, triggers the infamous "breakdown"? What exactly are the various factors that could cause an attraction to stop? What are the most frequent reasons for a breakdown?

HisKid
03-27-2008, 06:49 AM
I was kind of wondering this myself. Like, how often is it a real safety issue? Last night was the first time that I rode HM in about the last 5 times, that it has NOT broken down somewhere during the ride!

Wallad1075
03-27-2008, 07:32 AM
"Breakdowns" aren't always that, a breakdown. For example on HM, did it come to a complete stop for say, more than a minute or two? Generally people mistake this for when they are loading a guest in a wheelchair or from an ECV. They can slow down or stop the omnimover for easier loading. Same thing happens on Buzz.

Regarding other attractions. The smallest thing can trigger it. Attractions like SM, Matterhorn, etc. ones that have multiple vehicles on the same track at any given timem, are filled with sesnors throughout. If any sensors picks up that two cars are within a unsafe distance of eachother, it is triggered. If a guest jumps out of a vehicle, the attraction goes down.

Probably one of the best systems in use is Indy. The computer systems in each ride vehicle can communicate in a way that they can tell when the loading is taking longer than it should, or is too close to another vehicle, etc. The other ride vehicles on the track at the time can then slow themselves and adapt it into the theme of the attraction. For example, the jeep may stall out, or idle rough for a second or two. While the guest never knows the difference.

Many many factors can come into play. It's not always a mechanical issue. More times than not it's something simple. And just requires a reset of the system and the attraction goes back online. Other times, it can be a mechanical failure of some kind or a guest issue; someone gets sick, hurt, etc.

dznyphreak
03-27-2008, 11:41 AM
Very well put, Wallad1075. More often than not, HM is not broken, it's just slowing down or stopping for handicap loading.

As for other rides, it may be a nuisance, but I'd much rather the ride "break down" than end up crashing into the car in front of me, thanks. Plus, being on the ride when it breaks down can sometimes be more fun than you'd expect. Case in point: Indy breaks down right by the snake, and you get walked through the rest of the ride. Coolest breakdown ever! (Done this on Pinocchio, too, but it was entirely too creepy)

Burnt Toast
03-27-2008, 12:06 PM
A lot of the times breakdowns can also be caused by your fellow Guests doing something stupid; like standing up on a ride, getting out of ride vehicles, being places where they are not supposed to be. I can tell you many stories of Guests breaking down rides by doing something stupid that will make your head spin.

Another way of thinking about it is that an attraction is just one big machine with safety computers that can break itself down for any little reason.

... besides, it's not like the attractions Cast Members are sitting in the back watching American Idol and we purposely breakdown rides. I know I don't like getting yelled at like it's my fault, when sometimes it's caused by a Guest. :P

Bytebear
03-27-2008, 02:20 PM
Very often, the Matterhorn will break down because they are too slow loading and shuttling the cars out. If too many cars back up, the console starts beeping and they have to get a car out before the next car comes in. Sometimes they will take a car to the side track to make room for one more (even with people still in it). They are pretty good at shuffling those cars around when they need to, but if they don't keep up, the ride will shut down. Unfortunately, because they have to walk people down the track, both sides of the attraction will have to close.

Malcon10t
03-27-2008, 02:28 PM
I was kind of wondering this myself. Like, how often is it a real safety issue? Last night was the first time that I rode HM in about the last 5 times, that it has NOT broken down somewhere during the ride!I want to agree with the other poster. HM rarely breaks down. If it stops for less than 2-3 minutes, they are loading or unloading HA guests. I know we have been on it when it took close to 5 minutes to load someone in front of us. When they stop it for us, its rarely longer than 1 minute as we get the dog situated.

HM is also notorious for kids trying to get out and touch stuff, which also triggers a stop.

HisKid
03-27-2008, 02:28 PM
I can tell you many stories of Guests breaking down rides by doing something stupid that will make your head spin.

Yes, please do. Sounds interesting, lol.

HisKid
03-27-2008, 02:31 PM
My apologies if this sounded rude. It was not intended to be so. I was just surprised that it had happened so often. It WAS the few minute stopping thing that you mentioned, so perhaps the slow loading issue was the cause (although on ONE of the nights, it stopped 3 times, and that was on a night when the ride had been completely shut down earlier). I never would have thought of the loading thing, so I really appreciate the insight. One of the things I love about DL is figuring out how a lot of the things work. It boggles the mind to think of how many things have to be coordinated "just so" for all to come out as intended.


I want to agree with the other poster. HM rarely breaks down. If it stops for less than 2-3 minutes, they are loading or unloading HA guests. I know we have been on it when it took close to 5 minutes to load someone in front of us. When they stop it for us, its rarely longer than 1 minute as we get the dog situated.

HM is also notorious for kids trying to get out and touch stuff, which also triggers a stop.

yohomama212
03-27-2008, 02:39 PM
I've boarded POTC right after they had to cycle all the boats through empty in the middle of the day (I know this because the CMs were asking each other which boat went out first). Something like that isn't a stupid guest or a HA loading. What would cause something like that? Boarding after that always makes me nervous!

Elizabeth

What's "Disney"?
03-27-2008, 03:17 PM
I've boarded POTC right after they had to cycle all the boats through empty in the middle of the day (I know this because the CMs were asking each other which boat went out first). Something like that isn't a stupid guest or a HA loading. What would cause something like that? Boarding after that always makes me nervous!

Elizabeth

Yeah...I've seen cast members cycle all the boats empty through Peter Pan before, too. I always wonder what exactly happened.

kimmybear
03-27-2008, 04:52 PM
They can slow down or stop the omnimover for easier loading. Same thing happens on Buzz.


on a side note- this is when you KEEP shooting the targets and boost your score!!! :D

dznyphreak
03-27-2008, 05:55 PM
on a side note- this is when you KEEP shooting the targets and boost your score!!! :D
So true! How else would you hit the "secret" target(s)???

I credit this for helping me get my newest high score.

biolabetty
03-27-2008, 11:27 PM
This last Sunday, we had literally just stepped off of Indiana Jones. When we got to the entrance, the ride had been closed. We were trying to figure out why since we had just been on it less than 3 minutes before, and everything was working then.

PanFan
03-28-2008, 12:43 AM
For the dark rides in FL, they often breakdown for station backups. Similar to the Matterhorn (and from what I understand Space as well), if the cars get stacked too far into the end of the attraction, they run out of parking spaces and the ride shuts down. This can happen when guests take too long getting in or out of the cars. Alice, Toad, and Roger all have sensors on the cars that shut down the ride when they are tripped while the vehicle is in motion (so PLEASE stay behind the yellow lines!).

Storybook can go down for a boat derailing or dying on the canal (they're battery powered and if they weren't charged correctly they can lose power and die), but those don't take too long to fix. As everyone knows by now, IASW can go down for a bottomed out boat, but also because the system freaks out sometimes (hopefully they'll fix this when we reopen) and shuts off and we can't move the station belts without powering down and back up. Sometimes the ducks land on the point belts and the system thinks there's a boat there that shouldn't be and shuts down! Attractions can also go down for show effects not working properly, at the lead's discretion.

PanFan
03-28-2008, 12:47 AM
On the Matterhorn not too long ago, the tower CM E-stopped the ride because a guy in a sled going up the lift wouldn't put his feet down even though she spieled to him a number of times. Security was waiting for him when we got him evacuated ;) Sometimes kids exiting Pinocchio will run into the last room in search of mom and dad. The last time I wanted to ride HM, it was down because someone "got sick" all over the ride.

Bolivar
03-28-2008, 07:36 AM
I have been on HM when it has broken down, so while it may be rare it does happen. We sat there for a while, then the lights came on and we had to go out walk out through a stairway.

danyoung
03-28-2008, 07:51 AM
Attractions can also go down for show effects not working properly, at the lead's discretion.

I'd like to say that I wish more leads actually did this. Many attractions would be better off closed for a bit than for people to see them with improperly working effects.

potzbie
03-28-2008, 05:20 PM
I have just returned from a trip to Disneyland Resort and SeaWorld. I witnessed a great number of breakdowns, which included, but was not limited to, the following: Journey to Altlantis, Shipwreck Rapids, Alice in Wonderland, and Disneyland Monorail.

Disneyland [Resort, in Anaheim], does not have Journey to Atlantis, nor Shipwreck Rapids.

Do you mean, Walt Disney World? Magic Kingdom?

yohomama212
03-28-2008, 05:28 PM
Disneyland [Resort, in Anaheim], does not have Journey to Atlantis, nor Shipwreck Rapids.

Do you mean, Walt Disney World? Magic Kingdom?

I do believe the OP did mention SeaWorld in their post. They do have those rides there.

Elizabeth

Toocherie
03-28-2008, 05:42 PM
For the dark rides in FL, they often breakdown for station backups. Similar to the Matterhorn (and from what I understand Space as well), if the cars get stacked too far into the end of the attraction, they run out of parking spaces and the ride shuts down. This can happen when guests take too long getting in or out of the cars. Alice, Toad, and Roger all have sensors on the cars that shut down the ride when they are tripped while the vehicle is in motion (so PLEASE stay behind the yellow lines!).

so, I must be dense, because I'm not following this . . . . why does the whole ride shut down? is there not a way to stop additional "cars" from going in until the ones that are already there have come out and there are more "parking spaces"? kind of like the shutdowns on HM for handicapped loading?

Mermaid
03-28-2008, 06:10 PM
I have a question about the feet up thing. I was on Indy and I was holding my feet off the floor for some extra "bounce." Not on my seat or anything just a few inches. A CM came on and said "put your feet down." So, I did. I honestly had NO idea it was against the rules and I had done it before, but not every time. I was wondering how she knew? Is there a sensor? I was so afraid I was going to get pulled aside when we got off... but we didn't. I really had no clue and didn't mean to be bad!!

PanFan
03-28-2008, 06:18 PM
I'd like to say that I wish more leads actually did this. Many attractions would be better off closed for a bit than for people to see them with improperly working effects.

A lot of times we don't know a show effect has gone wrong since we're in the station working the ride rather than riding it. Sometimes CM's will go on a "show check" and make sure everything is working, but usually we leave it up to the guests to let us know if something is wrong. So if you see a show effect not working, let someone working the ride know and you may find it shut down soon after.


so, I must be dense, because I'm not following this . . . . why does the whole ride shut down? is there not a way to stop additional "cars" from going in until the ones that are already there have come out and there are more "parking spaces"? kind of like the shutdowns on HM for handicapped loading?

We're supposed to keep the stations stacked with at least 3 cars to avoid backing up at unload, but this doesn't always happen. Sometimes the CM at the dispatch console doesn't realize there's a problem at unload until they've sent in a bunch and don't have enough left past unload before dispatch to prevent a breakdown. I wish I could draw a picture to better explain what happens. I'll try to describe the scenario with Peter Pan to see if that helps.

There are (I think) 9 parking spaces: Dispatch, Ready 1, Ready 2, Ready 3, Unload, Hold 1, Hold 2, Hold 3, and Hold 4 (there may be only 2 Ready positions, I can't remember). Hold 2 is next to the mermaids, Hold 3 is by the door with Smee, and Hold 4 is by Captain Hook with the crocodile. There are something like 25 zones beginning with zone 1 as you leave Dispatch and are entering the nursery to zone 25(ish) by Peter at the Helm. I don't know exactly when the breakdown threshold is, but basically when a boat is parked in Hold 4 and another boat enters zone 25, the ride will automatically shut down to prevent all of the boats in the attraction from slamming into each other. The zones aren't designed to be parking spots, so when one needs to stop there, that's something irregular and the ride E-stops.

So if you have a guest who's having a difficult time getting into or out of the boat at Unload, boats are continuing to come in behind them and are parking in the Hold spaces. In the meantime, the CM at Dispatch is sending boats into the ride like normal. They may send two boats in before they realize there's an issue at Unload and stop sending them in. There are a total of 14 boats on the track and 9 parking spots. Two of those are empty because Dispatch sent in 2 boats without Unload advancing. Now there are only 7 parking spots which are now full with another 7 boats coming in behind them. As soon as the next boat which needs to park comes into zone 25, the ride shuts down.

The situation is very similar at the other dark rides like Toad, Pinocchio, Alice, and Snow White. There are more cars on the track than there are parking spots and if an issue prevents the normal advancing of vehicles and they start to backup, a breakdown is inevitable. I don't know if that helped or just confused you more, but it's just how the rides are designed.

What's "Disney"?
03-28-2008, 06:33 PM
Thanks much for the detailed explanation, PanFan!

Bytebear
03-29-2008, 09:09 AM
Space Mountain doesn't have the problem nearly as much as it used to. When they did the rebuild a couple years ago, they added the sliding track at the load station to allow a car to load at their leisure for guests who need it and then just slide it into the queue. Before they had to rush the loads even with disabled guests.