Existing Roller Coaster Anaconda

[b.mac]

I'm not sure how they determine those numbers, wonderfully turnstile-free as they are. But 2021 definitely felt crowded. Also ops on Dominator seemed horrible but a lot of it appeared to be newb factor. It was always something, people finding out they're too big now, chickening out, trying to wear hats, you name it.

All of the major rides have a button on the op panel that counts open seats per dispatch so it's pushed for every open seat on each train sent out. Then at the end of the hour the ride spits out the total ridership for each hour along with the number of dispatches.

Don't think of it as something super fancy because it's only as accurate as the ride's programmed clock time is.

 

[Jonesta6]

All of the major rides have a button on the op panel that counts open seats per dispatch so it's pushed for every open seat on each train sent out. Then at the end of the hour the ride spits out the total ridership for each hour along with the number of dispatches.

Don't think of it as something super fancy because it's only as accurate as the ride's programmed clock time is.

Same idea as the smaller rides having a hand-counting clicker and a clipboard?

 

[Gavin]

Yes, some of the newer ride computers (except I305) will keep running totals throughout the day. All rides record capacity and downtime on a sheet and turn it in at the end of the night.

 

[Mushroom]

Yes, some of the newer ride computers (except I305) will keep running totals throughout the day. All rides record capacity and downtime on a sheet and turn it in at the end of the night.

I’ve seen associates in the ride booths handing off an iPad during shift changes this year. I wonder if they’ve finally switched to keeping track of capacity (as well as other operational procedures) digitally now?

 

[I305Evan]

I’ve seen associates in the ride booths handing off an iPad during shift changes this year. I wonder if they’ve finally switched to keeping track of capacity (as well as other operational procedures) digitally now?

Yup, I believe everything is electronic now. Checklists, capacity sheets, and rotation sheets are all electronic now. The entire park also has a new time and attendance system where team members can clock in with their cell phone now once they're in the park.
Edit: To add, I believe team members will still need to use their system for counting riders and cycles whether that is by the built in capacity counter within the PLC system. Or with manual clickers. The tablets are just a means for data entry.

 

[cschnizer]

rotation sheets are all electronic now.

Is it improved from having to write rotations on a grid? If so, it would be super helpful for rotations at BGW.

 

[Thikilupe]

I think they should get new S&S trains for Anaconda like they did for Loc Ness Monster, and do the necessary upkeep busch gardens does because that ride is amazingly smooth. I think adding something to the lake like a T Rex coaster, or something similar would be so cool, and the skyline would look amazing with Anaconda and Intimidator complimenting it. I don't care if they don't like sharing rides.. KD needs a big drop. They are just so much fun, and BG just announced another one of a kind coaster for 2023, so KD REALLY needs to step it up by now. Replace Volcano with a wing coaster, replace the trains for Anaconda, add a big drop or t Rex near the lake, get RMC to redo racer 75 with no change to the layout but delete the last hill and add a launch near the end like boost in a race 😉 I'm telling you this park just has so much potential.

 

[Jonesta6]

So a few things with that:

-RMC has pulled the T-Rex concept from the market so not sure how KD would get the world's first.

-I don't think just new trains will smoothen out Anaconda. You have to keep in mind that Arrow didn't overbuild this one like they did with Nessie; while I do believe the park maintenance team does their best there's just so much they can do because of how Arrow designed and built their coasters.

-KD already has a ride nearby with a crazy insane drop. I-305 is literally a few steps away.

-Not sure what you're thinking with adding a launch to R75... Definitely doesn't need one. If you're looking for racing enhancements I'd think something along the lines of proper operations for the lift synchros to do their thing, maybe some strategic placement of manipulable trims and some kind of finish line indicator could be a good start.

 

[Crunchewy]

T-rex was always one of these things that enthusiasts wanted because it was associated with RMC, not because it was actually an interesting concept. Unlike Raptors you don't straddle the track, so the only difference from an i-box RMC was that it was a large, single rail. Maybe that would have reduced costs, though. But I guess not given that they dropped it.

 

[Jonesta6]

I always thought of it as the beefed up version of Raptor track - can do all of the same things, but just allows for larger/wider trains and higher elevations

 

[Crunchewy]

I always thought of it as the beefed up version of Raptor track - can do all of the same things, but just allows for larger/wider trains and higher elevations

Without straddling the rail there's really no difference in ride-experience from a traditional two-across seating, two rail track. It looks different, but otherwise it's the same. If there's some cost-benefit it would still make sense to build them, but if they've dropped the idea then I guess they determined that there was none.

 

[warfelg]

Without straddling the rail there's really no difference in ride-experience from a traditional two-across seating, two rail track. It looks different, but otherwise it's the same. If there's some cost-benefit it would still make sense to build them, but if they've dropped the idea then I guess they determined that there was none.

IIRC there was the combination of lack of enthusiasm from parks, Raptor track not taking off the way they hoped, and a basic backlog of conversions that caused them to drop it.

 

[Coasterguy95]

I think they should get new S&S trains for Anaconda like they did for Loc Ness Monster, and do the necessary upkeep busch gardens does because that ride is amazingly smooth. I think adding something to the lake like a T Rex coaster, or something similar would be so cool, and the skyline would look amazing with Anaconda and Intimidator complimenting it. I don't care if they don't like sharing rides.. KD needs a big drop. They are just so much fun, and BG just announced another one of a kind coaster for 2023, so KD REALLY needs to step it up by now. Replace Volcano with a wing coaster, replace the trains for Anaconda, add a big drop or t Rex near the lake, get RMC to redo racer 75 with no change to the layout but delete the last hill and add a launch near the end like boost in a race 😉 I'm telling you this park just has so much potential.

Kd literally has the best 1-2 punch in the state, hell id argue the country and even the world but someone would say steel vengeance and maverick, which I can respect.
But also, no way they’re gonna do a launched rmc racer. First off, twisted Timbers is steps away. Second, the Lightning rod fiasco. Third, while that would be cool, it’s not gonna happen.
The s and s trains maybe, but really anaconda didn’t have much headbanging for me or my dad when we rode it, it was just
Boring.
Also T. rex is dead. It’s done for imo. Nobody is gonna bite for it till it’s been proven on a smaller scale, and judging by how much I hate jersey devil, yeah no.
As cool as it would be, none of this would happen.

 

[warfelg]

That’s one bold statement.

 

[Coasterguy95]

That’s one bold statement.

 

[cschnizer]

I listened to a presentation from I think one of the maintenance guys at Busch and he said that manufacturers such as S&S can retrack steel coasters. Not sure if it's happened before but maybe Anaconda could benefit from this? If I were to retrack it I would take out the MCBR and the cramped butterfly element, and instead have the track use the rest of the space on the lake before connecting with the curve into the corkscrews.

 

[Jonesta6]

Retracking to me isn't the same thing as changing a layout with all of the calculations and construction required for that.

If they were going to do all of that, why not go for a Morgan refurb like Phantom's Revenge? Would be both a retracking and a layout change while still keeping elements of the original Arrow design/build.

 

[Gavin]

 

[cschnizer]

I've seen that effect go off a few times in the past decade, but it was never working consistently. While this may just be something KD decided to do while they were at it, I hope this is a sign that further improvements are coming to Anaconda likely as part of the next phase of Jungle X-Pedition (unless they decide to remove it. Will they? I don't know). I've mentioned in the past the idea of retracking the ride, but why go to Morgan when you have S&S who still makes Arrow parts? Considering Morgan's defunct, would Chance Rides even do something like that?

 

[AIR]

If retracking was necessary, a bid for the project would go out to several companies and KD would pick the best fit for them. It doesn't even necessarily have to be a company who has made Arrow style track in the past. If it's a small element of track, a metal fabricator shop anywhere could manufacture it. A larger scale retrack would more than likely be an amusement ride manufacturer though; likely Premier being cheap and geographically close.