Cat in the Hat Not Spinning?

[UniversalCrazy]

Mine didn't spin either a couple weeks ago. Well, it might be because it just got running again from a break down. Who knows. Still the same old dark ride though.

 

[Ajstriker26]

Sounds eerily similar to the Dragons not dueling... After all, safety is a theme parks #1 concern

 

[JungleSkip]

There's more to this story. I wouldn't be surprised to see this ride closed for an extended period of time some point soon.

 

[Clive]

There's more to this story. I wouldn't be surprised to see this ride closed for an extended period of time some point soon.

Oh dear. What is it about Islands building rides with ambitious technical quirks on otherwise fairly basic attractions (Dueling Dragons, Cat's spinning) that last for 15 years... and then require removal? Hm. Looking forward to hearing more.

 

[maxairmike]

There's more to this story. I wouldn't be surprised to see this ride closed for an extended period of time some point soon.

Yep, this is major. Currently the front row is pretty restrictive in terms of who can ride there. Even if you fit with ease on FJ, Hulk, Dragons, etc., if you're a bigger person, don't expect to be in the front row on Cat for a while.

 

[JungleSkip]

Yep, this is major. Currently the front row is pretty restrictive in terms of who can ride there. Even if you fit with ease on FJ, Hulk, Dragons, etc., if you're a bigger person, don't expect to be in the front row on Cat for a while.

Ah, so they moved the size restrictions to only the front row. Good news for people who want to ride, but was hoping that would force a closure/refurb.

 

[Nitro_230]

They're the same size restrictions (using the same indicator arrows) they had the last two times it stopped spinning. The first time the lap bars got tightened up, the second the nets appeared. But neither time was the ride taken down.

 

[Cheezbat]

Rode it today...man does it suck and feel so 'kiddie' without the spinning. Even the family behind me was talking about how boring the ride was.

This needs to be fixed ASAP.

 

[Cecilia]

I rode twice this week and like everyone else said, there was no spin. I noticed that there are a lot more personnel at loading, and they have gotten VERY strict about the lapbars. The TMs got really aggressive with restrictions with any families that had small children. I hadn't seen them segregate riders by size, though. My father is a pretty big guy, but he still got to sit in the front row of the car.

 

[Paul9251]

I thought I remember reading something that said the spinning function could be disabled per request of a guest. Could be wrong though.

 

[Spideyfreak]

^Originally, yes. I believe it can be disabled from controls by either retracting the unlocking mechanism or by (and more inconveniently) putting the RVs in evac mode.

I was told that the problem with the first method is that once it's disabled, it's hard to reset it in time for the next RV.

Overall it was pretty much a complete pain in the ass to honor that request.

 

[Cheezbat]

I hope this isn't a permanent change. If they want a dark ride without spinning, I say build a new one based off of the Grinch or Lorax. Let the Cat spin!

 

[Nitro_230]

^Originally, yes. I believe it can be disabled from controls by either retracting the unlocking mechanism or by (and more inconveniently) putting the RVs in evac mode.

I was told that the problem with the first method is that once it's disabled, it's hard to reset it in time for the next RV.

Overall it was pretty much a complete pain in the ass to honor that request.

The intent was never to offer a no spin option. The ride with the spin is how it was approved by Dr. Seuss' widow.

The control booth can turn the spin off at the push of a button. But since it dispatches the RVs in pairs it's not that easy to do one and not the other.

It does not "retract the unlocking mechanism" pr "put the RVs in evac mode". The unlocking mechanism is a physical piece screwed to the solid floor, and Cat in the Hat doesn't have an evac mode.

The RV receives a signal right after it leaves the station and gets unlocked that it should run the spin profile. If it does not receive that signal it is unlocked but does not spin, the push button simply turns off that signal.

 

[IzzyB]

They were always pretty strict with kids who could ride, but I couldn't imagine a three your old with no disabilities being turned down to ride the ride. They always had a fit with my son, but he was disabled. They always let him go because I could sit him a way next to me where he could pass the lift your arm and see if he does not fall rule. I also never had issues with him even coming close to falling out, but oh geez, I am a parent that cares and held on to him like I should - lol

Now I will say, getting a three year old to always listen and hold on to the bar, that may not happen, which again, comes back to the parents knowing their kids and holding on to them.

 

[Thatguyoverwhere]

I wonder if, since it seems the spinning was disabled by request of some visitor(s), we could undo this decision by complaining to whoever would make the decision whether or not to enable it until they bring it back...?

 

[OLSinFLA]

I could live with less spinning but with NO movement at all (The car just rides along like a Disney dark ride) it became boring, fast

 

[Cole]

Does anybody have a video of it not spinning? Really curious to see how it's like, it's probably my most ridden dark ride and I've never seen it not spin

 

[awhen]

Now I will say, getting a three year old to always listen and hold on to the bar, that may not happen, which again, comes back to the parents knowing their kids and holding on to them.

I have a four year old who's not yet tall enough for the trolley. He loves this ride and we've never had any problem front or back. He also misses the spinning. I'm not a fan of spinning, but I thought it spun just enough to not trigger my aversion to it.

I will say the ride loses some focus by having you facing straight ahead the entire time. There are many scenes where you are clearly intended to be facing a set, and instead you have the set to one side of you, and relatively unadorned wall on the other. If they could just put enough motion back to fix this that might be a happy medium.

 

[JungleSkip]

I wonder if, since it seems the spinning was disabled by request of some visitor(s), we could undo this decision by complaining to whoever would make the decision whether or not to enable it until they bring it back...?

The non-spinning had nothing to do with a request from guests

 

[Nitro_230]

I wonder if, since it seems the spinning was disabled by request of some visitor(s), we could undo this decision by complaining to whoever would make the decision whether or not to enable it until they bring it back...?

And when it does spin they don't honor the request to turn it off. The ability to turn it off is used for TMs only for various reasons.