Slide extraction

bonnyprincecharlie · #1 (**permalink**) February 13th, 2012, 06:31 AM

Recently, from the deck of the Epic, I watched the Disney cruisers slide through the wonderful convolutions of the water slide, I asked a fellow cruiser how do they get the people out if there is a problem. He responded they probably have pull away sections that can be opened. Does anyone know the answer to this question

HawkeyeFLA · #2 (**permalink**) February 13th, 2012, 11:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by masogonist

Recently, from the deck of the Epic, I watched the Disney cruisers slide through the wonderful convolutions of the water slide, I asked a fellow cruiser how do they get the people out if there is a problem. He responded they probably have pull away sections that can be opened. Does anyone know the answer to this question

Hmmm, I don't off hand, but if you were looking at the Dream, that is the AquaDuck, which used the same basic technology as Crushin' Gusher at Disney's Typhoon Lagoon water park. The concept of a "Water Coaster" is not new. I do believe one of the larger water parks in Texas actually did it before Disney, but don't quote me on that. But with those 2 slide names, I am sure some Googling will help you out. If I get a chance, I will ask my friend that works at DCL if he knows more.

Kuki · #3 (**permalink**) February 13th, 2012, 12:00 PM

I don't know for sure, but if it were me, I'd just attach a high powered hose to one end, crank it up, and........ WOOOOSH!

HawkeyeFLA · #4 (**permalink**) February 13th, 2012, 12:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kuki

I don't know for sure, but if it were me, I'd just attach a high powered hose to one end, crank it up, and........ WOOOOSH!

Vaccum hose right? More fun that way. :-p

aerospace · #5 (**permalink**) February 13th, 2012, 01:39 PM

If you get stuck in a waterslide it's time to skip the buffet

Paul Motter · #6 (**permalink**) February 13th, 2012, 04:38 PM

I have been in the waterslide and I can tell you it is big enough that a team of people could go in (through a trap door, I am sure there are several) and get that person out, probably on a stretcher.

After all, you ride a two person raft through the thing, so it is pretty big.

bonnyprincecharlie · #7 (**permalink**) February 14th, 2012, 05:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Paul Motter

I have been in the waterslide and I can tell you it is big enough that a team of people could go in (through a trap door, I am sure there are several) and get that person out, probably on a stretcher.

After all, you ride a two person raft through the thing, so it is pretty big.

I guess that sending a rescue team down the tunnel would be the best solution, but I was wondering if there is a team of rescuers among the crewmembers who are ready to leap into action when an emergency occurs or is it something that they will put together. This might be a role that Kuki will want to investigate if he goes on a Disney ship. He can go through the emergency evacuation drill like cruisemates do lifeboat drills. Once he does this he can give an authoritative on the spot report. One rule that he has to remember is that Disney crew people do not point with a single finger, they do a three finger Boy Scout type of hand gesture to point people in the right direction. This information comes from a former Disney crewmember who is now in danger of being done in by a giant mouse for revealing the secret. I appreciate all the ideas about evacuating the tubes maybe Disney wonderkids will be able to incorporate them into a new thrill ride. Did you guys copyright those ideas.

TheTexasKid · #8 (**permalink**) February 15th, 2012, 04:09 PM

I don't know about the Disney theme parks overseas, but here, the three-finger point is not unique to Disney Cruise Line. It is also used at Disneyland and Walt Disney World. That is, as I understand it, the one-finger point is considered an obscene gesture in some parts of the world. So, Disney cast members are taught to point with three-fingers.

bonnyprincecharlie · #9 (**permalink**) February 15th, 2012, 04:31 PM

Chinese patent office has issued new ride patents based on ideas expresssed in email about extraction methods. Supposedly, Disney beat them to the punch, but Disney applied to US patent office and they got bogged down in red tape.

Kuki have you applied to Disney for extraction crew training? this would give you an opportunity to get a real insight into the world of Disney and their customs.

CruisePrincess · #10 (**permalink**) March 1st, 2012, 05:04 PM

I've been on the Aquduck and it is a blast. Getting stuck on it would be the pretty much like getting stuck on a waterslide. Lots of water is pushing any thing in there out. There is someone loading people into tubes an a signal that lets them know when it is safe to send the next person down, he/she wouldn't let someone get in a tube if they might have a problem. There is a height requirment. Little ones get to go on the smaller Mickey slide.

As for training the person helping folks on and the helping them off are lifeguard trained. I slipped once near the Mickey pool (kids only pool) By the time I reached up there were 5 crew members there to give me a hand. I guessed a couple were managing the food stands, and one must have been a life guard? But 2 were in white suits, managment types. For security I suspect they are stationed where they can keep an eye on things. Since Disney has deep pockets I'm sure they do everything they can to avoid lawsuits.

bonnyprincecharlie · #11 (**permalink**) March 4th, 2012, 07:17 PM

The way things are going with recent cruise ship problems I would not be surprised to see Congress investigate safety of tube rides. Somewhat related, recently I was watching a utube presentation in which a worker was going down the cloth escape tube got stuck. I'll bet that there will be the hue and cry for training cruisemates on using these escape tubes on ships equipped with them.

HawkeyeFLA · #12 (**permalink**) March 5th, 2012, 12:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheTexasKid

I don't know about the Disney theme parks overseas, but here, the three-finger point is not unique to Disney Cruise Line. It is also used at Disneyland and Walt Disney World. That is, as I understand it, the one-finger point is considered an obscene gesture in some parts of the world. So, Disney cast members are taught to point with three-fingers.

2 fingers, not 3. At least for Castmembers at WDW.

bonnyprincecharlie · #13 (**permalink**) March 9th, 2012, 06:28 PM

Disney person who said three fingers was naval. Thank you for checking.

HawkeyeFLA · #14 (**permalink**) March 9th, 2012, 07:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by masogonist

Disney person who said three fingers was naval. Thank you for checking.

, you're welcome. Tho I didn't exactly have to check any thing out to find this out, since I do the 2 finger point daily. :-p

Queen of Oakville · #15 (**permalink**) March 21st, 2012, 01:30 PM

Well, I can answer this question!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

They shut off the water. This locks the raft in place. They then have trap doors that DCL can crawl through to rescue you.

It then takes 20 minutes to power up the slide again to get the water flowing. They give you the option to keep waiting or come back another time.

I waited. We had a girl who was too light .... not sure how this affects it but I guess you need to be heavy enough to weight down the raft or something. After that happened, they made a 2-person ride mandatory. I think there has something to do with wind in the tunnel, and maybe the wind lifts the raft so the front end lodges against the top of the tube? The girl was not too phased, and they brought her back on (to the front of the line) with her mother so she could ride when the slide resumed.

bonnyprincecharlie · #16 (**permalink**) March 21st, 2012, 07:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Queen of Oakville

Well, I can answer this question!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

They shut off the water. This locks the raft in place. They then have trap doors that DCL can crawl through to rescue you.

It then takes 20 minutes to power up the slide again to get the water flowing. They give you the option to keep waiting or come back another time.

I waited. We had a girl who was too light .... not sure how this affects it but I guess you need to be heavy enough to weight down the raft or something. After that happened, they made a 2-person ride mandatory. I think there has something to do with wind in the tunnel, and maybe the wind lifts the raft so the front end lodges against the top of the tube? The girl was not too phased, and they brought her back on (to the front of the line) with her mother so she could ride when the slide resumed.

One small question that you may or not know the answer. Do you know if there were any other rafts in tube at time of jamup and if there were other rafts were those people taken out through the trap doors. The little girl sounds like a real trooper. I hope they gave her a week at Disney World in addition to putting her at the front of the line. I would have panicked and started to find the exit by crawling down the tube.

Thanks again for the information.

Queen of Oakville · #17 (**permalink**) March 21st, 2012, 08:30 PM

Bonny - lol I highly doubt they gave her anything - it wasn't DCL's fault! They do time the rafts. The rafts come up on a conveyer belt. The operator pulls them off the belt and drops it on a launch belt. Then they press a launch button (some are quite comical getting everyone to shout 1,2,3 have fun!). The operator has a screen that shows him/her several vantage points in the tunnel. There is probably a trigger area where the float has to pass through before the next one is launched. I don't think there are more then two floats in the tube at any one time.

bonnyprincecharlie · #18 (**permalink**) March 22nd, 2012, 12:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Queen of Oakville

Bonny - lol I highly doubt they gave her anything - it wasn't DCL's fault! They do time the rafts. The rafts come up on a conveyer belt. The operator pulls them off the belt and drops it on a launch belt. Then they press a launch button (some are quite comical getting everyone to shout 1,2,3 have fun!). The operator has a screen that shows him/her several vantage points in the tunnel. There is probably a trigger area where the float has to pass through before the next one is launched. I don't think there are more then two floats in the tube at any one time.

Thank you for the expanded explanation.

ChadH · #19 (**permalink**) May 14th, 2012, 12:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Queen of Oakville

Well, I can answer this question!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

They shut off the water. This locks the raft in place. They then have trap doors that DCL can crawl through to rescue you.

It then takes 20 minutes to power up the slide again to get the water flowing. They give you the option to keep waiting or come back another time.

I waited. We had a girl who was too light .... not sure how this affects it but I guess you need to be heavy enough to weight down the raft or something. After that happened, they made a 2-person ride mandatory. I think there has something to do with wind in the tunnel, and maybe the wind lifts the raft so the front end lodges against the top of the tube? The girl was not too phased, and they brought her back on (to the front of the line) with her mother so she could ride when the slide resumed.

Thanks a lot for this answer - we just got back from the Dream and had been wondering what they would do. Guess my theory of - they send a cast member down the shoot to push you along was wrong. We saw a couple of single tubes while we were waiting in line and thought the cast must use those to ride down and get anyone that's stuck.