Which rides do you work?

[dpxtreme]

This has probably been a topic already, but for those of you who work or have worked rides at either Great America park, whch rides have you worked or are certified for?

I currently work at the Santa Clara Great America. These are the rides I was at some point trained for in all my seasons at GA combined:

-Rip Roarin' Rapids
-Logger's Run
-Endeavor (AKA Revolution)
-Spongebob's Boatmobiles (Huss Breakdance)
-Runaway Reptar (AKA Blue Streak or Green Slime Mine Car Coaster
-Dora's Dune Buggies
-Treetop Lookout
-Rain Maze

[Station1]

I was trained (and operated at least once) the following rides: Skytower, Carousel Columbia, Rue Le Dodge, Delta Flyer, RRR, Orleans Orbit, Cajun Carpet, Lobster, Tidal Wave, Revolution, Yankee Clipper, Loggers Run, (all of Kids Kingdon/Fort Fun rides), Blue Streak, Fiddlers Fling, The Edge, Eagles Flight, Barney O', Ameri-Go-Round, Grizzly, Demon, Sky Whirl, Bottoms Up, Whizzer, Triple Play, and even drove the Parking Lot Trams twice.

I never operated the Trolley, Railroad, Skyhawk, Top Gun or Vortex or anything that came later. Most of the rides I helped out on (Edge, Grizzly, Demon, Sky Whirl, Ameri-Go-Round & Fling) I was trained when the park was closed and they needed help operating the rides the empty to put hours on them. Then when hell week would arrive (when the park was open but most of the employees were in school) I was sent up to park ops to take the written test, then when needed I was given my proficiency test on the scene and allowed to operate the rides.

[Nystagmus]

Certified For (operator/attendant for all):
Demon
Raging Bull
Viper
V2
Orbit
Trailblazer
Chubasco
Giant Drop
Ricochet
River Rocker
Attractions
Kiddies
"Lead" (Not a ride, but still a certified lead)
Trolley (No test avail. but operated them during the parades, FUN!)

That's it, sadly. I always had that goal to get my badge completely punched with holes in every avail. spot. Oh well.

[coaster_11]

I've been certified/worked on these rides: Grizzley, Edge, Fiddler's Fling, AGR, Delta Flyer/Eagles Flight (both sides), Triple Wheel (Skywhirl), Barney Oldfield, Demon, Berzerker, Skytower, Columbia Carousel, Rue-Le-Dodge

[Druzik]

During the 1977 thru 1980 seasons, I was a certified ride operator of:
The Columbia
The Pictorium
Hometown and Orleans Place Trolley
Rue le Dodge
Delta Flyer/Eagles Flight
Orleans Orbit
Buzzy Bee
Gulf Coaster
The Lobster
The Tidal Wave
Yankee Clipper
Loggers Run
Scrambler
Yukon Yahoo

In addition, I was a Lead of the following:
1978 - Trolley & Rue le Dodge
1979 - Yankee Clipper
1980 - The Tidal Wave

[NotBill]

Ah, the badge of honor, having your Operator Badge full of holes!!

Mine were:

Tower
Carousel
Dodge
Delta
Condor
Shockwave
Power Dive
Cajun
Rapids
Lobster
Gig
Wolf

Lead Assignments:
Lobster/Gig (Assistant, Then Lead) First Half '91
Carousel/Tower Second Half '91
Condor/Dodge '92

[NotBill]

Oh, and by far my proudest punch -- controls on Rapids. Very tough position and many people assigned to that crew never got controls certification. I was proud I got mine even though I was never permanently assigned to that crew.

[Bush985]

I wont list mine, as it extends pretty much through the whole park, all except most of Kidzville and Nick Central. I even have over half the water park.

-RD

[holydumb26]

Throughout the 2005-2006 seasons I have been certified at the Gurnee park for

Batman the Ride Operator and Attendant
East River Crawler Operator
Whirligig Operator
Kiddies
American Eagle Attendant
Deja Vu Operator and Attendant
Demon Operator and Attendant
Viper Operator and Attendant
Raging Bull Operator and Attendant
Orbit Operator and Attendant
Chubasco Operator
River Rocker Operator
Ricochet Operator
Giant Drop Operator and Attendant

and the sadly departed

Trailblaizer Operator

[ElkGroveGroovin]

From 2000 - 2003 Seasons:

1) Orbit - control
2) Rip Roaring Rapids - control
3) Top Gun - Control
4) Vortex* - Safety
5) Triple Play* - Control
6) Berserker* - Control
7) Whitewater Falls* - Control
Demon* - Control
9) Barney's* - Level 1
10) Invertigo* - Control
11) Drop Zone* - Control
12) Grizzly* - Control
13) Kidzville
14) Logger's Run* - Control
15) Greased Lightnin' (Tidal Wave)* - Control
16) AFX* - Control
17) Stealth* - Control

* Was a ride supervisor when certified. Ah how I miss those days.

[RandyV]

So I have to ask -- how exactly did they go about training you guys? Did they have you shadow a shift, run the ride before the park opened, etc. Just curious -- it's something I never really thought about.

I always wanted to work at the park during the summers, but I lived way too far away to make it possible.

[RagingBullFan]

For me while not exactly "certified" to run the rides I do run them every morning and at downtimes... (If you catch my drift...)

For training of Operators its usually a shadowing/training period where all the operations of the ride are described (Usually before park opens). And then in order to operate a ride with multiple trains the employee must pass a written exam to be sure they know how to operate the ride in a variety of situations.

With the rides in AUTO mode dispatching is usually as easy as follow the blinking lights. The key is to know what to do with different situations, i.e. guest in the ride area, guest illness, things of that nature.

When the ride is in manual for Maintenance employees... Thats a whole different story...

[Nystagmus]

To attach what RBFan said...

When I first started, you had to go through general orientation and kiddies orientation. From there, you were train on attendant for a ride and then operator (or single) for a ride. (Operator means you can operate the ride from the main panel and single means that you can operate the ride by yourself, without an attendant).

Attendant training is very basic. How to load the ride, check harnesses, what to do in X situation, etc. Operator is the same thing except you have a few more controls to learn.

On coasters it is the same just a lot more information to cover. However, like RBFan said, you just follow the blinking lights and you'll be good to go. But, the rides are a lot more fun when maintenance enable is in the up position.

You learn how to operate the ride through your lead or section trainer. Then you have to run the ride for a certain number of times. After that, you read the manual and then take the test. I was always surprised when someone would fail those tests. It's not like they're that hard.

Anyways, training is very in-depth and they do all they can to prepare you for whatever will occur. But, as one of my trainees said it best, "You know what to do when it finally happens. Only then will you never forget." (She said this b/c I made her operate the ride and during her first run as an operator a person walked into the ride area. So, she, probably to this day, knows exactly what to do should a person walk in to the ride area.)

[retlawfan]

I don’t remember exactly which year(s) it was, but near the end of the season(s) in about 1990-1991, I was trained on many rides as a loader/unloader, and on a few as the sole operator(small carousel, for example). I wasn’t even in the rides department. I would work my regular shift, then work a few hours in rides. I think I worked the small carousel, triple wheel and loggers run/yankee clipper. I think there were more, but I do not remember them now.

[BrianPlencner]

I worked the following rides in 1991 and 1992.
-- Railroad
-- Triple Play
-- Hometown Fun Machine

I also operated the Trolley during the nightly parade in 1992.

What I liked about the Railroad was it was one of the more relaxing rides in the park. Not only that, but it allowed me to see the whole park all day long!

I aso want to point out that when I operated HTFM, it was before they updated the operator panel. To start the ride, you had to push down two joysticks, and then keep one of them down during the entire ride cycle. At the end of my shift, my hands were always sore! Ahh well, it was worth it.

--Brian