Rides faster at night?

[Random Villains]

So I was at California Adventure Sunday, and I went on the Maliboomer and California Screaming during the day, we went back later that night and rode the rides and to me, it seemed like they were a little faster. Do they up the speed of the rides a bit at night? Or was it just me?

 

[todzwife]

I have no idea but DH and I noticed the same thing on Splash a few years ago. We thought we were going crazy LOL!

 

[Lillybelly]

I've noticed the same thing. I wonder if the darkness has something to do with it because the only ride I haven't noticed it on is Space?!?

 

[Albort]

i doubt it, changing the ride speed would require the ride to shut down and be recalibrated.

I know though, Splash has a control on water levels, in the winter or cold times, you dont get as wet as the summer times... Summer, i remember seeing this HUGE wave come over us and soaked us to the max. but winter, i barely got wet

 

[Golfing Goofy]

We were there last week and we had the exact same discussion. It felt like Big Thunder Mtn was sooo much faster at night. Maybe our minds are playing tricks on us...

 

[prettyprincessbelle]

We were there last week and we had the exact same discussion. It felt like Big Thunder Mtn was sooo much faster at night. Maybe our minds are playing tricks on us...

I've felt that too... It probably is just our crazy minds towards the end of the day since we're all so tired being there all day..

 

[garate55]

It is just the darkness, everything seems faster at night because of the depth of view.

Sorry to ruin the fun but I had to say something and that's all that came out.

 

[mattb6565]

We got soaked a couple of weeks ago and it was coooooold. Who can I go after for not adjusting the water level??!?!

i doubt it, changing the ride speed would require the ride to shut down and be recalibrated.

I know though, Splash has a control on water levels, in the winter or cold times, you dont get as wet as the summer times... Summer, i remember seeing this HUGE wave come over us and soaked us to the max. but winter, i barely got wet

 

[todzwife]

It is just the darkness, everything seems faster at night because of the depth of view.

Sorry to ruin the fun but I had to say something and that's all that came out.

I figured that it had something to do w/ sight and perception. LOL!

 

[Mrs. Bee]

Actually, the rides are a little quicker at night. Well, rollercoasters are anyway. Basically it's because of the stuff they put on the track (not exactly sure what it is.) But when the track is "cold"...when it first opens in the morning...it is a bit slower. By the time it gets later in the day, the track doesn't have a substance (again, not sure what it is) on the track anymore so the ride goes slightly faster. However, if a ride malfunctions and has to be shut down during the day, it becomes "cold" when it reopens.

I read that somewhere. Not sure if it's true or not...but I think it makes sense.

 

[Nora94]

According to what I understand of physics and ride inertia the speed must remain constant all the time the ride is run or there is an issue that would not be pleasant!
Nora

 

[EnnEss]

Actually, the rides are a little quicker at night. Well, rollercoasters are anyway. Basically it's because of the stuff they put on the track (not exactly sure what it is.) But when the track is "cold"...when it first opens in the morning...it is a bit slower. By the time it gets later in the day, the track doesn't have a substance (again, not sure what it is) on the track anymore so the ride goes slightly faster. However, if a ride malfunctions and has to be shut down during the day, it becomes "cold" when it reopens.

I read that somewhere. Not sure if it's true or not...but I think it makes sense.

I dont think roller coaster maintenance includes coating an entire track every night, but I could be wrong. The ride speed would have to be nearly identical all the time since most DL coasters rely heavily on gravity.

 

[Lotto]

We were in DLP and we found that Big Thunder mountain was faster at night then during the day. I'd say it's just the mind playing tricks.

 

[Mrs. Bee]

Here is where I read that...not sure if it's accurate or not, but it makes sense. It's towards the bottom in castmembers comments. I remembered it incorrectly...it's not on the track, it's on the wheels.

http://www.ultimateorlando.com/extinct/archive/space/orlando.htm

Here is what is says....

"The speed of the trains is greatly affected by the weight of the train, but it also has to do with the time of day. In the mornings, the trains are what we call cold. The grease on the wheels is thick and looks like play-doh or some type of black putty, during the day however, the trains heat up and the grease gets thin like a water type lubricant causing the trains to go much faster at night. The only exception to this rule is if we have a breakdown which would cause all of the trains to become "cold" again. As the trains heat up during the day, we raise the dispatch interval, or "the time the train leaves the dispatch break and enters the 'gravity area'". In the mornings, a train leaves the dispatch every 29 seconds and has a complete running time of about 2:45. As the day goes on, we 'dial down' the dispatch interval to 21 seconds and the trains make a complete circuit in about two minutes a only about 20 or 21 seconds. The top speed for the morning on average is about 25 mph where the top speed later on in the day is anywhere between 29 and 32 depending as you said, on the weight of the train"