The anticipation is growing. You are strapped in, heading up to the top of the coaster lift. You hear the familiar clacking and clanging all coasters make before that amazing first drop... then... nothing. The train just stops. What happens now?
It's really rare for this scenario to happen at SeaWorld San Antonio , but our team members are ready for those few occasions when a coaster comes to a stop for any reason. All SeaWorld Ride Operations team members attend a series of Ride Scenario trainings on just what to do if and when they face this situation with guests.
When a coaster stops working, the rides team for each coaster does their best to get the ride up and running safely as soon as possible because, let's face it, who wants to miss out on the great rides at SeaWorld. Due to all of the safety features built into coasters these days, something as small as a power blip can shut down a ride.
Now the procedure isn't to escort guests off the ride just any time. If it looks like guests will be waiting longer than 7-10 minutes, then the team begins escorting guests off the ride; that's what they were practicing again last night, escorting guests off the ride. Keep in mind, these team members have been practicing these different scenarios, on average, several times a month since January.
The team members took turns, on their respective rides, role playing the escorts and the guests on the ride. It was interesting to watch because the team members actually asked questions and reacted similarly to what I would expect if I were on the ride in this situation. They gave each other feedback and even coached one another.
Want to know more? This post continues at SeaWorld San Antonio's Main blog.
