When an attraction stops running....

[CaseyJr]

Just curious about what causes an attraction or ride to shut down during operation. Of course, I do understand that there would be so many different things that could go wrong or happen at any given time, on any given attraction, so this is more a "speculation" than an actual question. (for example, I figure that a lot of time the brief stops are to load or unload a handicapped person.)

I guess I started thinking about this in May when we had to stand through a long wait (with repeated announcements for the delay) for Mission Space. A lot of people left, but we stuck it out. Maybe I'm naive, but I trust DISNEY and didn't feel there was a safety issue there. Anyway, I wondered if someone maybe threw up in one of the capsules, and they were having to sanitize it (OK, I know it sounds gross, but you know it's got to happen).

That lead me to contemplate all the other "delays" either I've experienced or those I read about on the DIS Boards.

What do y'all think?

 

[georgina]

We had a long delay while waiting for Mission Space too, which I assumed was to clean up a capsule. We also sat in one place on Pirates of the Caribbean for 15 or 20 minutes, I have no guess as to why. It was a nice day when we went in, and by the time we got out, there was a thunderstorm raging.

We have often experienced short delays on the continuously loading rides like Haunted Manson, Buzz, Spaceship Earth, etc, which I assumed were caused by loading and unloading.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

Many years ago, I was on the front end of a delay--in fact, the cause of the delay. My shoe slipped off as I boarded onto Space Mountain. It fell into the track and they sent me on through the ride--and after i got off there was probably a 10 minute or so delay. But since my shoe was in the track of the boarding area--I am sure many people got to watch for my shoe retrieval.

So maybe lots of people lose their shoes as I did

 

[InstImpres]

Not sure about MS but with many MK rides a short delay is for wheelchair loading and unloading. There are rides that require transfer or some that just take longer to secure a wheelchart of EWC in place.

 

[bubba's mom]

when we were at MK, BTMRR shut down because of a computer glitch they were trying to work out......they never did. i asked a CM what to do with the fast pass i held...they said they were allowing FP holders to use them at any other FP attraction in the park except Mickey's Philharmagic. no problem. ds favorite rides were buzz & space mtn. walked past buzz and standby line wasn't bad, so we decided to check out space mtn. the line went half way out of tomorrowland!!!! so, we FP space and just as we approached the CM, the first or second person in the standby line said something to him and he turned his back and never took our FP!! we went right thru and then used the FP for Buzz. good thing we did it that way, they took the FP at buzz. this all happened about 1/2 hour before wishes started, so we didn't want to be stuck in a line or on a ride for this......
btw Lisa loves Pooh...i think it's a shame (but also funny) you lost your shoe....were you wearing sneakers or flip flops?? i can't understand how you lost your shoe????

 

[PieInYourEye]

I was on TTA last weekend. We stopped once and someone announced that you must remain seated. Then, when we were in a tunnel, the ride stopped completely. We were stopped for about a half hour. Each car coming running into the one in front. The emergency lights came on and someone showed up to escort us off the ride.

Apparently some teens were jumping in their car and the sensors stopped the rid.

It was hot and uncomfortable!

 

[disneycm25]

We were on Spaceship Earth last month when the ride stopped. After about 20 minutes we were told that the ride was closing. We were escorted off the ride by a CM because someone had jumped out of one of the cars.

 

[Safari Steve]

Most of the time, delays are caused by other guests in the load/unload areas. Many attractions have very tight "dispatch intervals" and the person in the third row who has to take a photo of his family on the boat and will not sit down even when asked to do so, can cause the whole attraction to back up and even stop. Sometimes it's a person who gets out -or tries to get out- of the ride vehicle mid-ride.
Sometimes it's a person who trips a sensor by not keeping their hands and arms inside the vehicle.
Sometimes it's a person who climbs out on the wrong side of the ride vehicle at the unload point (I saw this way too many times at Haunted Mansion...)
Sometimes it's a family of six who insist on trying to fit into a ride vehicle designed specifically for two adults (also saw this way too many times at HM).
Sometimes it's someone's hat or another loose article landing on a sensor which causes the ride system to stop itself.
Only very rarely is it due to the ride having a technical problem, but almost every time, most people assume that "the ride broke."

 

[Cruisingmama]

when i was at mk with my dd and dgd they talked me into going on space mountain .I don't like roller coasters or heights but did splash mountain o.k. so I thought this will be o.k. where it is dark. Boy was I wrong. Something happened to the ride and they couldnot get the music to play or the lights to work. We were in bright regular lights in a warehouse on a roller coaster. I didn't like it but am going to try it again in Nov. and hope it works. They shut it down after that for the rest of the day. Counting the days for our trip!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[safetymom]

We were stopped the other day at the last hill before you go down the final hill on Splash Mt.

It was my first time riding the ride and didn't like being stuck there.

 

[Leota]

We got stuck & walked out of the Original Imagination ride - Apparently a cloud was not moving out of the way of our vehicle. I thought it was kind of cool getting stuck (it WAS one of our favorite attractions) & then getting to see it with the lights on.

There was a family a few cars ahead of us, tho, in which the parents were freaking out. That led to their children freaking out.
The parents then pulled the two little ones out of the car & started walking down the tracks in the dark. Then they finally came to their senses about that & climbed into the car in front of us. I wish they hadn't because the parents just kept babbling "Oh My God - We're going to die in here" & such nonsense, which was a bit over the top given the circumstances.

We just kept singing "One Little Spark", which was playing over & over & trying to set an example of calm & humor for the poor little kids of the freaked out parents.....

 

[*Fantasia*]

Delay or stopped, maybe someone needs a special assistance to get on or get off the ride.

 

[PneumaticTransit]

I have work in the Maintenance Base at Epcot and can anwer your question in two words: Protein Spill.
As a Base Coordinator, we have to track ALL of the downtimes for attractions. If you waited in line longer than expected at Mission Space, it's probably because someone got sick. They have four centrifuges that can hold 40 people each. There had been instances were the ride was stopped over 20 times in a 8 hour shift because people were getting sick. So heed the motion sickness warning for this ride! Do not close your eyes, keep your head back and look forward at all times.
Good news though, they have added "Space Sickness Bags" to the capsules and a "convience area" at the exit of the ride if you do get sick.
The capsules are very small, and they spin up to 30mph, so if someone gets sick, it can take a while to clean it out of all the little switches. Sometimes they even have to remove the control panels or floor grates.
Mission Space also has a LOT of security/safety read outs. The ride gets stopped if something doesn't report back perfectly. In the loading area, there is a special camera that knows exactly what the room should like like after everyone is loaded. If someone accidently drops something outside the capsule or leaves a bag leaning against the wall - it has to be "retrained" which can cause a delay.
As for other rides, it is usually minor problems. Rides are commonly stopped for guest needed special assistance loading or unloading. Audio problems, animatronics problems, trash pickups.
For example, Maelstrom in Norway has "boat switches" where a lever moves the boat from one canal way to another canal way. If the boat is overloaded it can cause the boat switch to malfunction and that causes a downtime.
Also, you would not believe the amount of people who simply get out of the ride vehicle in the middle of the ride. (SSE, Universe of Energy, etc...) There are lasers, motion detectors, and sensor pads everywhere.... if you get off a ride - we will know. And the ride will be stopped and evacuated. Not a good idea, I'm sure everyone heard about the gentleman who got off Splash Mountain to take pictures.
Remember "Follow the Rules of the Jungle"

 

[StaceyA]

Originally posted by PneumaticTransit
Also, you would not believe the amount of people who simply get out of the ride vehicle in the middle of the ride. (SSE, Universe of Energy, etc...) There are lasers, motion detectors, and sensor pads everywhere.... if you get off a ride - we will know. And the ride will be stopped and evacuated. Not a good idea, I'm sure everyone heard about the gentleman who got off Splash Mountain to take pictures.
Remember "Follow the Rules of the Jungle"

This seriously floors me!
I would just about pass out if I saw someone just get up and get out of a ride!

I was in Tower of Terror once and it stopped after the drop, the lights came on and they announced for us to stay calm.

After about 15 to 20 mins someone came and got us, they actually removed a side panal and we had to climb out that way.

They offered us FP's to get go back on but nuthin doin! I didn't ride it again that trip!

 

[CaseyJr]

I just can't imagine someone getting out of a ride (though didn't someone get killed a few years ago on SplM when he got out and got trapped by the logs -- or something like that?) What are people thinking!

This past May, DS & I were behind a family on SplM who had a little girl who was terrified -- she screamed and cried from the time they were in line. I sooo wanted to mention "kid swap" to them, but they didn't seem the type to take suggestions from strangers. We felt so sorry for the child. What if that little girl had bolted during the ride?

OK, now to the GROSS part: Has anyone ever been in a ride like MS when someone else in the car or "capsule" throws up? The thought of that happening to me scares me more than the ride itself! UGH!!!

 

[Sporty]

A few years ago we were on TOT and were about a foot from the "Drop" elevator when the ride stopped and the lights went on. After about 15 minutes we finally pulled into the elevator and got to "drop" in the light. Cast Members were great when we got off and explained that somebody had gone through a door they weren't supposed to and the ride stopped. All was fine and they escorted those of us that wanted to ride again (in the dark this time) back to the loading area. There were a few first time riders who were quite scared but wanted to experience the ride the way it was meant to be experienced. TOT is my favorite ride but I must say we always think about the time we were "stuck".

 

[gibmom]

Last trip to WDW we were stopped and delayed on the monarail. When we finally stopped at one of the hotels they announced that everyone was to exit the train and wait for another train. However, it turned out that a group of teens had been in one of the cars causing trouble. When the kids left we were told there was no mechanical problem and we could now get back on the train. It was weird.

 

[CaseyJr]

I'm glad to know that the DISNEY folks do monitor the rides/attractions the way they do. I never realized there were as many of the "security" or "stupid people" monitors and back-ups as there seem to be.

 

[bajanswife]

I too am more afraid of getting puked on than I am of the ride itself! I don't think I'll ever try it for that reason. I would just go nuts if I were trapped in a tiny spinning capsule with someone who was puking! Ugh .. no thanks!