CoastrGlxy
Posts: 358
Registered: 5/23/2005
Rank: Silver Critic
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 8/20/2005 12:20:26 PM
Something that has added to the greatest coasters I've been on was a lively station and ride operator. You know they have to run these trains hundreds of times, but sometimes ride ops like to have fun with it and really get the riders and whole station into it. For example, Apollo's Chariot has always had a pretty live station with trains applauding and screaming while leaving and entering the station. And on my recent trip to New England both S:ROS and especially Boulderdash had pretty good station morale.
What are some of livliest stations out there? With ride ops that moonlight as disc jockeys and ecstatic riders applausing as they enter the station. I would assume, Cedar Point would have some stations that are pretty lively. What about out west?
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obi1sgirl
Posts: 31
Registered: 8/11/2005
Rank: Coaster Critic
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 8/20/2005 6:19:15 PM
Last time I was at CP, the operator and checkers at Magnum were having a fabulous time joking around and having fun with the spiel, making it more interesting.  The unloading station at Millennium Force always gets huge cheers when asked how the ride was.
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BobFunland
Posts: 7962
Registered: 8/9/2001
Rank: Site Moderator
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8/21/2005 1:56:39 PM
They seemed to work the crowd well at Lightning Racer. Beating the other train and seeing their looks of dejection that you would normally associate with seeing one's dog run over by a car was pretty fun.
CP didn't seem to have such lively stations, so long as I am getting the right idea of the term "lively". They had their "we think we are from the grace of God" spiels but the ops weren't all that friendly, just average in that category if you ask me.
The ops for Boulder Dash were pumping during ERT a few weeks ago too, and from what everyone says the "station" for High Speed Thrill Coaster can be cool if thta Ron guy is there. There was a ride op on the Silver Comet named Michelle (I believe, can't remeber now) that gave high fives too..
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coaster05
Posts: 6207
Registered: 2/29/2004
Rank: Platinum Critic
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8/21/2005 4:01:28 PM
I had good ops for Bouldar Dash. The one guy was really enjoying himself.
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adriahna
Posts: 4692
Registered: 6/4/2003
Rank: Site Moderator
Skooter Junkie
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8/21/2005 5:00:12 PM
Boulder Dash - at least most recently - they were all having a good time, and kept everyone happy.
The best ever, though, was the Beast, at least back in the late 80's - early 90's. They always played great classic rock (Queen, Pink Floyd, that sort of stuff) over the speakers, and the people in line would cheer the riders on as they left the station and came back. There was something very communal and friendly about the whole thing, and I miss it.
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coaster05
Posts: 6207
Registered: 2/29/2004
Rank: Platinum Critic
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8/21/2005 7:45:31 PM
I also miss the Kings Island feel before Paramount. when they first bought it I thought they added some neat things, however now it feels way to corporate and I feel their souvenirs suck.
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Dukeis#1
Posts: 138
Registered: 12/2/2004
Rank: Bronze Critic
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8/21/2005 7:50:12 PM
I miss pre-Paramount Carowinds. 
Thunderhead at Dollywood has a wonderful crew. They always do a great job of getting everyone pumped up for the ride, and are very friendly.
The station fly-through is cool as well, because whenever a train roars by the entire station shakes and freaks out all the peeps in the que. 
"Let the Thunder roll!!!!!!!!!"
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Dollywood...It's Homespun Fun!
Message updated 8/21/2005 7:51:37 PM by Dukeis#1
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larrygator
Posts: 4654
Registered: 11/7/2002
Rank: Platinum Critic
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8/22/2005 2:43:47 AM
I have to agree with some already stated opinions. Lightning Racer, Thunderhead and Boulder Dash all have lively stations led by very enthusiast ride ops.
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hrrytraver
Posts: 1270
Registered: 7/16/2005
Rank: Platinum Critic
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8/22/2005 9:29:46 AM
adriahna- i remember the beast that way too, in '93. it really transformed the night ride experience, the crazy energy in the station. i really need to post a review of that thing soon.....
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tacoking
Posts: 9914
Registered: 2/19/2003
Rank: Platinum Critic
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8/22/2005 5:47:09 PM
I love the ops in the Revenge of the Mummy station. It's not exactly a "happy" station, but they are really into it most of the time. Carrying scarabs around, saying such things like "He will get your soul...I mean, have a good ride", and all sorts of things like that.
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bb_dg
Posts: 3568
Registered: 7/31/2001
Rank: Site Moderator
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8/22/2005 6:07:50 PM
best ive ever experienced was during an ERT session on excalibur at funtown in maine. those ride ops were nothing short of insane. i dont know what they were on but it made for the single best ERT session ive ever been apart of.
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coasterSS
Posts: 3249
Registered: 10/1/2004
Rank: Platinum Critic
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8/22/2005 10:10:09 PM
The ops at Thunderhead are awesome, they are always cracking jokes about how if you ride Thunderhead, you will get 3 free rides on Blazing Fury (Considering that all the rides are free to ride with admission to the park), and some of the people in the queue actually get worked up that they will get 3 free rides on Blazing Fury!
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larrygator
Posts: 4654
Registered: 11/7/2002
Rank: Platinum Critic
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8/22/2005 10:14:45 PM
people in Tennessee ain't so smart
^FYI - that is sarcasm!
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Hercules
Posts: 4037
Registered: 10/13/2004
Rank: Platinum Critic
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8/22/2005 10:15:47 PM
I'll definately agree with the ops on Boulder Dash. Those were some crazy/weird people. They were a lot of fun. I have to agree with Lightning Racer too with the whole racing set up and how it was announced which train won. That really got people going.
I have a lot of fun with the Nitro crew. I can't wait until experience the DJ's pumping the music there on one of my visits.
The first season of Storm Runner last year was great. The station was roaring with this buzz of excitement. The ops were very professional and kind of quite, yet very fast and efficient. But what really made it was with the people constantly cheering as they came back into the station. One train was a group that knew eachother and they were clapping and chanting until they were lauched and came back into the station just as wild was when they left. I can't imagine what they were like when they were on the ride. They probably couldn't get a word out though.
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coasterSS
Posts: 3249
Registered: 10/1/2004
Rank: Platinum Critic
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8/23/2005 9:00:10 PM
Quote:
larrygator said:
people in Tennessee ain't so smart
^FYI - that is sarcasm! |
You didn't need to say that is sarcasm, because it is true. They can't drive worth crap, they usually don't have all their teeth, and they plain out stink!
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Dollywood 2006 - Better than ever
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larrygator
Posts: 4654
Registered: 11/7/2002
Rank: Platinum Critic
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8/23/2005 11:51:17 PM
well it is sarcasm because I don't stereotype groups of people
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Canobie Coaster
Posts: 2694
Registered: 7/26/2005
Rank: Platinum Critic
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8/24/2005 7:16:59 AM
Lightning Racer at Hershey Park, really gets people excited in line when their train wins. Excalibur at Funtown U.S.A. has active workers, and they race to load and check their side of the train first. Also, they ride the back of the train until the train is almost out of the station, and then they jump off.
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coasterSS
Posts: 3249
Registered: 10/1/2004
Rank: Platinum Critic
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8/24/2005 7:21:08 AM
Quote:
larrygator said:
well it is sarcasm because I don't stereotype groups of people |
Angry Mobs of people from Tennessee are in my near future!
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adriahna
Posts: 4692
Registered: 6/4/2003
Rank: Site Moderator
Skooter Junkie
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8/24/2005 12:12:52 PM
Just wanted to add, after having ridden last night:
Kingda Ka. Daytime not so much, but nighttime? Forget about it. Everyone was cheering like a bunch of freaks. It really reflected the ride itself, and I hope that this spirit doesn't change. Very cool.
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