The WindSeeker registered an inaccurate read in an electrical safety switch, Blazey said, though there was no actual problem with the ride. It stopped all motion automatically as a safety measure.

There were 15 people on the ride, which stalled as they were on their way to the top of the 300-foot pillar around 7:20 p.m. Maintenance crews had to manually raise the ride the rest of the way to the top before they could lower it to the ground, Blazey said. The process took about three hours; no one was hurt.

http://www.ocregister.com/entertainment/ride-370811-park-WindSeeker.html

At least when Cedar Point's broke down, riders only had to be manually cranked downwards. Those already afraid of the ride must have been absolutely petrified when they realized they were being hand-cranked to the top.

At least at 7:20pm, dehydration and sunburn probably weren't issues. I hope they all received just compensation, as a 3-hour evacuation time is ridiculous from a guest standpoint.

I hope nobody was like: "Wow, only 15 people, this should be a walk on... I'll just take care of this nature call AFTER this ride"...

^Thats why I always make sure before I get on. That is like my worst nightmare .

I hope nobody was like: "Wow, only 15 people, this should be a walk on... I'll just take care of this nature call AFTER this ride"...

"How strange! I'm getting rained on, and there are no clouds to be seen..." - Knott's Maintenance Staff

Three hours is nuts.

We should start making sure that it makes the news when any other ride goes down.

We should start making sure that it makes the news when any other ride goes down.

Being stuck on a ride for three hours is pretty unusual and I would say that warrants the event being newsworthy.

I rode WindSeeker this past weekend and have to say, I was completely unnerved. I have no idea how those people lasted up there for 3 hours.

I have ridden it before, but Friday night was windy. Well when we got about 3/4 of the way up, the wind blew just as I decided to turn and look outward (to the right - I was seated on the outside seat.) It caused me to panic and I spent the rest of the ride looking down at the center of the two seats holding on for dear life.

I'm not usually afraid of heights - when I feel secure - but I sure didn't feel secure on WindSeeker.

I do think part of it is my subconcious. It's as though my mind expects the chair to drop from underneath me at any given time - like a Drop Tower.

A family member said KI's WindSeeker was stuck at the top for a while on Sunday. Haven't gotten all the details, but she posted a pic on facebook of KI's. I'll try to post it later to share.

We should start making sure that it makes the news when any other ride goes down.

Be careful what you wish for. Great Adventure, being in the NY/NJ\Philly media markets puts up with nearly perzactly that.

I think almost every WindSeeker at the CF Parks has had a problem like this. I know when I went to Carowinds two months ago their was an evac for WindSeeker that also lasted 3 hours.

Prototypes....

Few park chains buy four prototypes their first year out!

Why dont they have a manual over ride? YOu think being that high up maintenance would be able to over ride the rides computer and bring them safely down in a few minutes.

Why dont they have a manual over ride? YOu think being that high up maintenance would be able to over ride the rides computer and bring them safely down in a few minutes.

Apparently because the ride was designed not to run at all if a fault is detected, so the gondola must be lowered by hand. Which apparently takes 3 hours. If someone would have had a medical issue while stuck at 300', that wait could have been very bad.

15 people on the ride? Could the problem at fault be the fact that the ride was running at less than 1/4 the intended capacity? Who knows, it was probably imbalanced.

15 people on the ride? Could the problem at fault be the fact that the ride was running at less than 1/4 the intended capacity?

I doubt that would be why. I've been on the same WindSeeker when there were only a few people on, and it ran just fine. Sometimes they run it half full, or quarter full if there aren't enough riders. I've always seen somebody with a clipboard and a chart telling people where to sit.

(Also, they run it empty when they test it.)

15 people on the ride?

If you ask me, that is indeed a problem. Just of a different nature...

And on a Friday evening...

I have a question. How does the ride operate at such heights with the wind whipping around?

I have been on the ground, then go to the top of the Eifel Tower, and the wind is strong, up the high, but down below on the ground, the wind is minimal.

15 people on the ride? Could the problem at fault be the fact that the ride was running at less than 1/4 the intended capacity?

I doubt that would be why. I've been on the same WindSeeker when there were only a few people on, and it ran just fine. Sometimes they run it half full, or quarter full if there aren't enough riders. I've always seen somebody with a clipboard and a chart telling people where to sit.

(Also, they run it empty when they test it.)

Balancing is a meticulous task. Why do you think the ride operators are so strict about where guests are placed on Giant Wheel @ the Point? How about the Monster at the Island of Kings? WindSeekers? If a gondola, arm, or other means of conveyance is offbalance by the slightest, it will totally mess up how the ride performs, and could possibly end up in an injury or two.

Balancing might have been part of the issue, but I don't think it was due to 15 people being on it.

Whether 15 or 64 people are riding, there is just as much of a chance to be weighted wrong, which is what I was going for.

Ah, I understand where you are coming from now, kblanken. I should have rephrased my query. What I was getting at is could the problem be that due to the low number of riders, the operators told the guests they could sit wherever they please, thus imbalancing the gondola? If I'm not mistaken, the reason for the Carowinds' dilemma was for the sole reason of improper balancing.

I have a question. How does the ride operate at such heights with the wind whipping around?

I have been on the ground, then go to the top of the Eifel Tower, and the wind is strong, up the high, but down below on the ground, the wind is minimal.

I am gonna comment on myself to complete my query. As my comment elludes, the wind is quite strong when I am on the observation deck, and WindSeeker is just about the same height as the tower.

The last time I rode WindSeeker was last year during one of the last Saturday nights of the season. I will never do that again. I think I just about froze to death...I will only be riding it during warm days/nights from now on.

They are strict on where you sit on the Giant Wheel? I remember my group had 2 of the heaviest people on one side and a small person on the other they didnt say a world.

Opposite sides of the Wheel need balancing, far more than individual gondolas.

If a gondola, arm, or other means of conveyance is offbalance by the slightest, it will totally mess up how the ride performs, and could possibly end up in an injury or two.

An injury or two? Unlikely. A computer error or something similar? Possibly.

If a gondola, arm, or other means of conveyance is offbalance by the slightest, it will totally mess up how the ride performs, and could possibly end up in an injury or two.

An injury or two? Unlikely. A computer error or something similar? Possibly.

Anything's possible. I am in no way an expert, but on something like The Monster, couldn't the pull on one arm without a counteracting pull on the opposite result in the Camden Park incident of last year? I am not sure the exact logistics of what caused the Camden Park incident, so any and all help is appreciated.

Not trying to sound like a know it all or a jerk, but I would like to know your thoughts.

Camden Park's incident was caused by metal fatigue. Note that a well known park removed its similar vintage Spider thereafter. Balancing on Spider and Monster rides is nowhere near as critical to the ride as it is for Ferris Wheels. Octopi are another story (and seldom seen nowadays).

Just saw on the weather channel of all places that Knott's WindSeeker has stalled with riders aboard again today.