With the pending hurricane Idalia nearing Florida’s Busch Gardens, I started to wonder how many have been on an attraction when the weather turns.
We were waiting for Hulk at IOA, it got dark really fast, and the heavens opened up. We were the next to get on the ride but we had to back up as the current riders had to disembark. If that train left, they would have been soaked.
And the sting of the rain hitting you in the face as you travel 60 MPH.
The rain never stopped that day and we had to leave the park since it was later in the day anyway.
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Evacuating riders from a coaster in the rain is not fun, either. People naturally want to run for cover as soon as they are out of the train, but you really need them walking carefully... and that means slowly. Umbrellas help. (Former Big Thunder Railroad cast member, BTW.)
A rain shower started as soon as I took off on Hagrid's once. It was like getting pelted in the face by an airsoft gun.
The worst coaster ride of my life was on Mako. We were sat in the station, I was in the front row.
Literally as the gate opened and we headed for the lift hill, the torrential rain started ... but off we went.
I'll never forget it. Even trying to cover my face was a waste of time. We got back to the station, and I might as well have jumped into the lake by the ride.
An absolute shocker ......
As far as riding... we got absolutely pelted on Millennium Force about *mumbles* years ago.
But I'm with Robert. Working Winnie the Pooh at Disneyland a decade ago, the whole track flume flooded while guests were on the ride. We ended up needing to evacuate the guests who didn't make it back to the station before said flooding, which was not a great experience.
The silver lining was we got "rain pay" and were able to leave early while getting paid for our whole shift. The bad news? I drove home in my 1993 Toyota Tercel (which didn't have great climate control) while soaking wet in my costume.
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Not a severe weather story but one of my fondest theme park memories is being at Opryland in Nashville riding Grizzly River Rampage when it started to rain. The line cleared out and we were soaked anyway so opted to just stay on the ride for 4-5 laps. Remember laughing with my parents and brother as we all walked off drenched head to toe. Good times.