What Really Happened on OPA at Mt. Olympus March 6th 2014?

Around 5:38 PM on Thursday, March 6, 2014, Opa at Mt. Olympus in Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin was operating normally. As the yellow car rounded one of the rides’s many sharp turns, witnesses heard shouting from the ride and saw a rider being ejected. The rider fell almost 17 feet onto the concrete ground and sustained multiple injuries with some of them being severe.
Sources:
s3.documentcloud.org/document...
s3.documentcloud.org/document...
www.news8000.com/news/local-n...
wadeshowsinc.com/rides/byid/303
NL2 Coaster by: slalom1, steamcommunity.com/sharedfile...
Videos used:
• Six Flags America's Ni...
• Opa! POV- Mt. Olympus ...
• Mount Olympus Ride Clo...
• Police: Lap bar failed...
• Twister Coaster 420 Cl...
• Twister Coaster- Luna ...
• Twister Coaster
• Mt. Olympus Resort │Wi...
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Peacewalker - ELFL
Cold War Games - Gabriel Lewis
Rise of the Velcro - Gabriel Lewis
Mission 91 - Autohacker
89 - Ben Elson

[@ZoniesCoasters]

I'm amazed this park hasn't had more severe incidents. This is the only park I've been to where I actually felt unsafe.

[@arkjag2991]

It really does feel like the closest thing we have to a modern day Action Park.

[@JCBro-yg8vd]

It's super sketchy with the way it's operated. I'm surprised it hasn't been investigated more thoroughly.

[@andysorensen1737]

I mostly stuck to the go karts, but even those were sketchy. Legit had a family try to run me off the course for the sin of passing someone. I didn’t say anything because I knew they wouldn’t care/take action.

[@aaronhernandez2971]

Those wood coasters are so sketchy

[@glowstickspinalfluid]

cool, so i'm never going here ever 😀

[@doctorplagus7138]

They violated the number #1 rule of safety, "if it isn't documented, it wasn't done. " I can't imagine anyone operating per legal requirements NOT documenting training. It's the surest way to CYA. Shady, shady, shady!

[@spinba11]

That’s actually a good way to put it

[@DrCranberry]

Mount Olympus has always been shady lmao, it's ran by a family who doesnt give a shit and just wants money

[@avproductions5184]

Right? You know their poorly organized when they can’t produce training papers. You can forge them in 8 hours after the accident if you got your shit together.

[@LuluTheCorgi]

You missed the part where if the issue isn't documented in the first place you can claim you didn't know about it 🧠

[@runaway4441]

I was one of the operator of OPA that day, every worker was J1 from differents countries. Our training consisted in another operator with some time of experience (sometimes was just one day) who teached how play the buttons. In our time there many atracctions had problems and the solution of the mecanic was just temporary.

[@Crocogator]

It's a small detail, but I love when you use the simulator footage for people who've made these rides in-game.

[@thetallguy9068]

The simulator footatge always helps visualize it

[@AmazingRoni]

he actually also asks for them in his discord! i think it's really cool tbh

[@Crocogator]

@@AmazingRoni that IS really cool.

[@ConceptualCoasters]

🫡 didn’t make this one but did fujin raijin 2 and ntg! glad to see they’re appreciated :))

[@AmazingRoni]

@@ConceptualCoasters you DID?? good job mate! it looked so amazing imo!!

[@CZsWorld]

I always wondered how they could close Opa! Because it was the only coaster that they had in their indoor theme park. I guess now I know.

[@Cheeekymonkeeey]

👋

[@Munthebun]

@CZsWorld Omg i love that you follow this channel!! I love your videos

[@katherynedarrah4245]

Can we have a round of applause for the manager immediately activating the EAP?

[@Sin_Lord]

👏

[@Cheese_man76]

👏 good show lad

[@themyofmy]

⭕️👏

[@michael7054]

👏 👏 👏

[@adrianne7882]

👏 👏 👏!!!

[@joehartman8138]

I’m honestly surprised nobody has died at this park. I went in 2014 a couple of days before the slingshot accident. All the rides look held together by duct tape and glue. Maybe they are doing better now I hope.

[@nicks2477]

They're known for this 🤣

[@ciclon5682]

i heard they are much better now.

[@emilyramirez9058]

There have been quite a few deaths at Mt. Olympus. None because of the rides yet. Though there was that kid who trespassed and fell off a water slide during winter

[@YellowTyrant]

As a Wisconsinite whom lives near there I can tell you this, It. Has not. Changed. Their company only cares about buying new buildings to add to their “empire” and neglect everything else. I went there just last year and the rollercoasters looked like they would just fall apart at any moment, especially the Pegasus one, the last sharp turn it takes the track literally tilts a few good inches.

[@ciclon5682]

@@YellowTyrant i dont know about the rest but pegasus,s last turn has always been like that lol. its kinda infamous for it

[@Sp0oki]

This happened to my grandpa, Tony Theisen. It was a very hard time for our family and he unfortunately passed away in 2020. This rollercoaster changed our lives and he was never the same after - he had a permanent severe brain injury.

[@SantaFishes101]

:(

[@Coolixon]

Sure mate

[@thepuncakian2024]

Huh? On this coaster? Or a different coaster?

[@RealSkyDiver2]

I’m sure being brain damaged runs in that family based on your lie lmao

[@Sp0oki]

@@thepuncakian2024 On this exact coaster - I was in my junior year of high school at the time. It was a horrible time for my family and he was never the same man after.

[@kluaoha731]

I rode Opa dozens of times when I went in 2010 and rain had unfortunately closed down almost everything outside. I was initially surprised to hear the Mt. Olympus doesn't have the greatest track record when it comes to safety, but then I recalled a few things: - sketchy go-kart tracks with violently colliding go-karts - one of those freefall slides with the rolling hills that looked like the rider was going to fly off every time I watched it - the Poseidon's Rage wave pool generates a single 10+ ft tall wave that sends people crashing into each other - coasters well-designed to make projectiles fly off your person Yeah, I suppose it actually adds up

[@themyofmy]

i mean maybe you shouldnt have anything that can fly off when youre riding a coaster :/

[@amiatanamedmichelle5539]

The wave pool is abysmal. I remember being a little girl and landing on a strangers shoulders like a teen couple at a concert. I’ve also seen the pool many a times take a ladies bikini top with the wave.

[@dustinnrussell]

@@amiatanamedmichelle5539 miat

[@TheClevera]

I remember going into that wave pool as a kid with my dad. We went up to the front. We had a good few rounds in the pool before a 10 ft wave sent a grown man crashing into me. His weight dragged me under and pinned me down as the onslaught of waves that followed kept him from getting back up. I was being suffocated by this man's ass. Quite literally, because that's how he landed on me. My dad had been right next to me when I went under and was none the wiser. I could not get out of that pool fast enough. I am not surprised that they have a poor reputation after that fiasco.

[@MidwestBoom]

One of the best wave pools in the world. It's amazing

[@cmbluey98]

I rode this coaster several times around 2012/2013 and remember feeling deeply nervous about the general amount of space allowed by the lap bars. To be fair though I usually feel like any wild mouse type ride is going to result in my death. The Dells and Little Amerricka were the first places I rode coasters and it's a miracle that I ever got on another coaster after some of those janky experiences. ALSO I will NEVER understand why manufacturers are allowed to omit seatbelts as a safety back up. Especially with small time rides often operated at lesser parks and traveling fairs. The boost in capacity is not worth it.

[@renkitty]

When I went to Little Amerricka around the late 2000s or 2010 or so, I rode on a "mouse" ride like this one there, and it was legit one of the most rickety scary rides I've ever been on. Somehow they let a kid like me go on alone, and there were no real safety measures in my car besides a bar with grippy orange foam on it for you to grab onto if you're uh, the size of an adult. Such was not the case for me. I kept being thrown around so much at high heights that I started almost crying, and for the sake of survival I uncomfortably leaned forward enough to wrap my arms around that bar and locked them in place for dear life. After the ride ended I was shaking and when I finally got to have a breather (my slightly older brother was on another ride so he couldn't comfort me until some minutes later, and the adults who brought us were pretty unkind) I noticed that the inner parts of my elbows where I'd been holding the bar were bleeding a bunch because I had put all of my strength into making sure I stayed in place. Genuinely horrific experience and it made me hope nobody would have to go through what I did. When I went to Opa later on, their version of the coaster felt way safer by comparison, but then again it was years before this accident occurred. In general it might just be that they became more and more lax with upkeep as the 2010s went on - I would believe that.

[@Uvlugiak]

@@renkitty sheeeeeesh that’s terrible!! I had a similar experience on space mountain at Disneyland, of all places. Felt way too small for the restraints, all I remember was ducking my head down for the entire ride (even in the picture taken on the ride I’m barely visible), wrapping my arms around the handlebar in front of me, and praying every time that the track jerked and veered to the sides that I wouldn’t get tossed out. Every turn felt like a brush against death. Didn’t suffer bodily harm nearly to the extent you retained, though. Just the existential trauma no kid should endure 🥲 so sorry to hear of your experience, I can’t imagine the pure terror and adrenaline rush that prevented you from realizing how torn up your elbows were getting. Plus the fact that the adults who took you weren’t nice, that’s no good at all :(

[@known1443]

Seatbelts are safety theatre, the ratchet style restraints should just be properly maintained.

[@nbbailey21]

This is totally what I experienced. I was really skinny at that time and nearly went through the side on the 360

[@lightfantastik]

I still haven't been to Little Americka. I drive past it all the time while working as a package courier, but usually it's been the off season or after hours. When it comes to a dedicated trip, who's gonna go there when Six Flags is the same distance (and I had a pass), so I've pretty much just ignored it until work took me by there. Shame to hear they have half-ass operations too. I figured with their family focus, safety would have been a priority.

[@cruehead23]

I actually went to Mt. Olympus in 2015, I had no idea this had happened. I went on all the wooden coasters and had a blast. I was surprised so many people say it's one of the worst parks in America, but it makes more sense now seeing this.

[@Rin_ThePixie]

The coasters are fun, but the park's maintenance and upkeep are definitely terrible.

[@retroryan838]

Mt. Olympus has ruined their park and is ruining the Dells. Notice how the family owned motels on the strip are being taken over by Mt Olympus and they are taking horrible care of the motels. Such a shame.

[@A_random_guy_on_YouTube-]

​@@retroryan838I go there a lot and it's really fun and it's really cool but I feel like the person who owns this place should take a better care of it

[@mike07646]

I don't understand it. The woman "witness" stated that she was nervous about the lap bars being loose and had to "hold her own bar down during the entire ride". Yet, when they got back to the station and got off the ride, didn't say or mention anything at all to the operators or ride crew to notify them that there may be an issue? She just went along her day thinking ... 'I live, it's not my problem'?

[@Maluuh]

Probably used to being called dramatic and didn't trust her own gut

[@maniczzz]

This happened to me once and I reported it immediately. How could you not? That’s terrifying! And dangerous!

[@surfinshinji6845]

Did a little more reading on this. The victim was 63 and spent three weeks in a coma with a traumatic brain injury, in addition to breaking his back, neck, wrist and toes. His wife would end up divorcing him because of changes in his personality and temperament after the accident. To quote her: “My life changed forever. I’m not the same person; neither is he.” So while thankfully this accident wasn't fatal, it still ended up causing a lot of grief and negatively affecting the lives of friends and family.

[@botdfbvb]

"In sickness and in health" goes out the window when it doesn't benefit them I guess. (This isn't about women, it's about people in general that take the oath then dip out when things get tough)

[@madeline3868]

The personality changes when someone sustains a TBI can be impossible to deal with. Overnight they become a different person. In a similar vein when working with cancer patients providers are taught to handle the knowledge and that a womens husband will leave her due to the diagnosis. The same training doesn’t apply to men that get diagnosed as the wife will stay

[@ehfoiwehfowjedioheoih4829]

Woman moment

[@SilveniumTheDrifter]

My dad got a TBI after we went to the beach, a wave knocked him over, and he hit his head on a rock. He was in a coma for a week or so. I try to remember him as the person he was before it happened and not the person that slowly became more confused, angry and irritated as time went on. Within a few years of the accident, he took his own life. :/

[@existential_horror5045]

@@ehfoiwehfowjedioheoih4829i mean, most of the time when a spouse leaves due to a diagnosis it's a man. just saying

[@bironshark]

I went to mount Olympus in the late 2000s, I remember that I didn’t meet the height requirement but the operator still let me ride. At the time I was thrilled, but looking back on it that was very unsafe and could’ve ended very badly.

[@amiatanamedmichelle5539]

I’m so glad to finally see a video about this incident. Mount Olympus was my family’s summer vacation every year in the late 2000s. While I have fond memories there, the park is TERRIFYING. All the rides are rickety and poorly maintained. The main example that comes to my mind is the Trojan Horse go cart track. As far as I know, you can no longer drive up the horse. But when you were able to, it sounded as though the carts above you on the track were going to fall through the wooden flooring. OPA was a ride I went on many of times as a kid. The restraints were incredibly poor. My parents made sure to sit on the edges because of the looseness of the restraints on children, even those who are well above the height restrictions. Through the turns you could feel yourself slide to the edges of the car. There’s actually a picture my parents have of my little brother crying at the height bar at the beginning of the ride because he wasn’t tall enough. He was sad he never got a chance to ride before we stopped going, but in hindsight it was a good thing.

[@Gigidag77]

The ride translating to "GRANDPA!" in my native German language still cracks me up, lol

[@pingucraft95]

Same lol

[@jillclijsters]

And in Dutch /Flemish

[@bonajo13125]

It means older brother (from a female's pov) {okay, oppa, but same thing ;p} in Korean. I chuckled when I saw the name.

[@arrisogorman4409]

Exactly what I was thinking lol

[@aidanmanning775]

I was on Opa the morning of the accident, my family found ourselves at a new hotel for the remainder of our vacation after hearing the news!

[@rachelschendel2476]

Did you get a refund or?

[@Scaralancer]

The accident victim, 63 year old Anthony Tielsen did survive the accident and went on to live until 2020 when this funeral notice was published online with a photograph of a smiling older man who very much resembled the same man: Anthony "Tony" J. Theisen, age 70, of Fremont, passed away unexpectedly on Sunday, December 27, 2020, at ThedaCare Regional Medical Center in Neenah.

[@AmazingRoni]

great video dude! throwing me back into my ADHD hyperfixation on roller coasters again. gotta be one of my favorite interests lol

[@themyofmy]

🤝

[@leanicole2853]

We’re all in this together ✊😔

[@thetallguy9068]

It's always a good day when you release a new coaster breakdown!

[@zachcoastercrazy4032]

I have visited mout Olympus once in 2021. It was not too sketchy, not at all, and they were retracking a ride, which showed they at least cared a bit. But yeah, their track record isn't the best. Let's hope they change that

[@johnnybull96]

When I was younger I used to love this park. But when I got older and came back knowing what I know as a ride operator I seen how many safeties they break and just the lack of awareness. Jumping across the station track. Attendant being on their phone. Not caring about weight restricting. It's crazy I remember all of me and my co-workers would talk about how we would not like to work there because being held liable for an accident when park is just full of accidents waiting to happen.

[@YellowTyrant]

Hello Wisconsinite here! I’ve been to MT Olympus quite a few times, once around 2018 and just last year, I will say that the rollercoasters looked hella sketchy, I rode both the Zeus one and the Pegasus one, the latter was very “jostley” it made me almost loose my cookies but I already have motion sickness to begin with. not only that the track would bend a few inches whenever the carts made a sharp turn, like it could fall apart at any moment. This year I skipped out on the rides and went to the water park, the lazy river was absolutely crazy, it was pretty overcrowded and went immensely fast for a lazy river. My brother almost drowned a few times due to drunk people not paying attention in the lazy river itself. not only that most of the employees were very distracted and negligent, most of the time on their phone, there were a few lifeguards that were attentive, funny thing when I was there this year an ambulance had to be called in due to someone getting hurt. The one good thing I’d say about my trip is that the Starbucks was pretty nice, although white chocolate iced lattes are enough to win me over. I really hope they decide to up their security and safety protocols before someone gets hurt, it’s inevitable and sadly I feel nothing will be done until there’s someone dead and the family suing for damages. I’ll say I definitely enjoyed Noah’s Ark more waterpark wise, haven’t been there in years though so I don’t know how Noah’s Ark is now,

[@KryptidKaty]

Hiya neighbor! Another Wisconsinite here, also been dozens of times as a kid and teen, including on Opa when it was new (it was my favorite ride at the time). They've definitely always had issues with staff (not checking belts/lap bars, ignoring passenger height needed to ride, letting people make bad decisions on the go karts, ignoring people drowning in the wave pool, etc). I don't remember ever being hesitant of the rides themselves until I went back in 2015ish like 6 months prior to their slingshot incident. Don't get me wrong, it's never been a fantastic park, but man did it feel like they started at at the bottom and kept digging. Honestly kind of a miracle more people haven't been seriously injured.

[@rachelschendel2476]

I agree Noahs Ark Waterpark, Chula Vista, Great Wolf, Kahlahari, Wilderness, etc are better honestly.

[@rachelschendel2476]

When I was 12, my 12 year old fríend passed out and turned white/pale in Poseidon's Rage and no lifeguard seemed to notice. Thank God my mom and I went with her and looked for her when we couldnt find her after the wave.

[@beexo3587]

I was at My Olympus a few years ago and on Hades, a maintenance worker was working on something in the station track while the train was cycling the track with guests on it. He jumped into the track when the train dispatched and jumped out before the train returned to the station. He repeated this at least 5 times.

[@ramonmartinez2843]

Mt Olympus has had a long history of rides breaking down and nearly killing people. In 2015 one of the cables on their slingshot ride snapped right as the ride was about to begin, and in 2013 a 10 year old girl was knocked unconscious on their teacups ride. This whole park is a giant hazard. The only reason it hasn't gone out of business is because they charge very cheap for park tickets. A family can buy 5 tickets here for the price of 1 Six Flags ticket

[@themyofmy]

HOW DO YOU MESS UP A TEACUPS RIDE???

[@logan_page]

I worked at Michigan’s Adventure (a Cedar Fair park) for a summer, and it’s always shocking to hear stories like these. It’s really not hard to train your staff to operate and check rides for maximum safety, and even less hard to follow said operating and safety procedures.

[@CoasterCollege]

Cedar fair really is the gold standard

[@logan_page]

@@CoasterCollege They always told us to prioritize safety over throughput, as any responsible park should. Nothing but good things to say about my time there.

[@micoasters]

Glad you did this, I have all ways wondered what happened

[@alaeriia01]

I always assumed Mt Olympus are incompetent to the point of dangerous operations.

[@themyofmy]

​@@alaeriia01you assumed right i spose

[@Jawon789]

I love the “what really happened” series now I know what acaully happened unlike what the news says 💀

[@dylanalgate8130]

The news gets so much wrong and scares the GP. It’s ridiculous

[@tomashernandez3076]

Many local stations also only have a limited time, so details can sometimes even be left out.

[@someonethere1122]

Ive lived in Wisconsin my whole life and used to go to My Olympus every summer starting in 1998. Stopped going in 2013 as park operations and maintenance had just gotten steadily worse and worse every year. The last year I went we got stuck on Hades on that first hill after the second tunnel and had to climb down the side of the ride. Hades got stuck at that same hill six other times that summer lol. Adding onto this with another observation I just remembered. Timber falls used to have a roller coaster called Avalanche and while it shook you to hell that coaster was more properly maintained than any ride at Mt Olympus and Timber Falls is a Mini golf park lmao.

[@Cyber_kumo]

My brother went to Mt Olympus over 10 years ago. He told me when he rode on Hades, it was really sketchy. The ride vehicle had a big hole in the floor and they were performing maintenance on the support structure near the end of the ride while the ride was still operating.

[@aaronhernandez2971]

If anything, hades is the only safe ride. It’s too modern.

[@nonyabizz3533]

@@aaronhernandez2971 not even close. Hades is horribly bone crushing. Worst ride ever

[@emilyramirez9058]

I love going to Mt. Olympus. The rush of adrenaline you get on the rides can't compare to the amount of back and shoulder pain you get. Each time I visit, the rides become more and more rough

[@alaeriia01]

I visited Mt Olympus in 2013 with Theme Park Review. We had an hour of ERT on Hades 360, and they just let us on without actually doing morning testing.

[@CoasterCollege]

Oh my

[@alaeriia01]

@@CoasterCollege There's another story going around about them performing maintenance on something in Hades' station _while the ride was running,_ but I didn't see that one. Apparently, there was a guy in the track well doing something with a hammer and a can of WD-40. When the train hit the brakes, he'd climb up and chill in the station while Mt Olympus took their sweet-ass time with the dispatch, then back down he'd go with his WD-40 and hammer. I'd classify this as "rumor", though.

[@kieserite]

This was one of my favorite rides as a kid and I always wondered why it randomly went away. Thank you for this.😊

[@FuriosasWarRig]

I adore these videos so much, I get so excited when a new one is out

[@offrails]

I went to Mt Olympus in 2007, and I definitely questioned the safety practices of that park - almost every coaster had at least one row roped off due to seats missing, etc. The last row of Cyclops had signs posted saying that it was limited to people 18 and up due to the insane ejector airtime in that row, but it was not enforced by any means.

[@justinkoepsell5904]

I was going through the comments expecting something about the Cyclops. I went on it in 2007 or maybe 2008. I was in the back row and got enough air time I landed on the top of the back of the seat and fortunately bounced back into the seat.

[@michael7054]

Great video! I really hope you get to 100,000 subscribers soon! You definitely deserve it!

[@amateurorator]

I am blown away by the alleged “operator tried to flee”, not the first time we’ve heard something like that. That is almost more terrifying then some accidents themselves! The person responsible for pressing the buttons just…running away??? Talk about being trapped 😮

[@-Ghostess]

Still pushing for merch that says "On the morning of the accident the ride in question was functioning normally, however..."

[@ParityS]

When I was little, I went to this park multiple times per summer. I absolutely loved it. Now that I'm older, I can see how severely sketchy a lot of things in this park are.

[@FunkAndFluff]

Mt. Olympus is one of the few parks where I'd prefer there to be seatbelts.

[@KevintheRhea]

I love these videos so much, I really get so excited every time I get a notification

[@jbell6585]

I've been to Mt. Olympus multiple times. The last time that I went was for my birthday back in 2013. We were standing by the Cyclops ride when a coaster was going by and we saw a piece of wood (a 2x4 about a foot long) from the ride fly off of it. We decided to never ride on that one. Not only is it super sketchy, but the one time that I actually did go on it, you could actually feel the ride shake as it went on corners. I'm very surprised that no accidents have happened on this specific coaster. Also, the majority of the outdoor rides for Mt. Olympus are made out of wood, even their biggest coaster, Hades. Luckily, I never went on OPA or any of the other indoor rides.

[@Jakeyboyofjoy4]

Thanks for the great video. So cool to learn about. I Appreciate your attention to detail.

[@CoasterCollege]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@bruhbigchungus]

It’s so annoying when you know these types of accidents could be avoided so easily.

[@Ms3queen]

Living in Wisconsin, Mt. Olympus is one of the most accessible water and theme parks. The admission price is relatively affordable and they have a variety of things to do there. On one visit with a friend for her birthday, we rode the Opa many times. This was, oddly enough, one of the rides I felt safest in. So when, a few years after, the incident happened, I was very surprised! It was something of a local outrage.

[@robertjonez5]

Where do you get all this information from? The stories on this channel are so much different than other ones.

[@CoasterCollege]

Official accident reports. They can be very hard to find, leading to most channels not using them. I always link them in the description so others can check my work and reference them as needed.

[@paytonpope4831]

This used to be my favorite ride as a kid! One year we went back and it wasn't there, we always wondered what happened to it!

[@dustinnrussell]

same lmao, ig now we know

[@hondoklaatu1904]

I love your videos! Always well researched and informative. I know it's not really your thing but it might be interesting to have just to have a video all about small, local amusement parks. For example Beech Bend near Bowling Green, Kentucky and Camden Park, Huntington, West Virginia.

[@gunmunz]

Never been to Mt Olympus but I did work as an operator on a Zamperla twister at Fantasy Island (called the Crazy Mouse exact same layout and cars) The operator in charge of loading ethier was improperly trained or was neglectful as SOP at my park included pulling on the lap bars to make sure they were locked

[@ponderery]

is this fantasy island in the uk/skegness area? cuz I used to adore riding it there XD

[@gunmunz]

@ponderery no this one is in New York, it shut down in 2019 right before covid

[@ponderery]

@@gunmunz ah shame

[@Sleetfall]

I've been to mount olympus before. Overall, I just didn't have a good feeling about the park, and ended up leaving without riding anything. Some of the operators seemed to have no idea what they were doing, and the park overall just didn't feel quite right.

[@wisedumbteeth6298]

I went here on a field trip in middle school. I didn’t feel unsafe but didn’t get to ride much because we needed to be with a buddy at all times. However, small low budget parks and fairs were the norm for me at the time, so that’s probably why it seemed normal to me. The go carts were more fun than what most parks have.

[@GermiesCoasterYard]

I recall a POV of Hades 360 in which the ride is sitting on the holding brake and you can see an operator cross the tracks. Even at the small park where I currently work, that's a big no no! Safety needs to be omnipresent in this industry, but that's unfortunately rarely 100% the case.

[@lightfantastik]

[*edit: the following statement is incorrect, but rather than correcting it, I'm leaving it due to a point I make further in the discussion] Gotta give the two sideways thumbs hand signal & get a confirmation from your crewmates before crossing over the track. I've never worked in a park, and even I've picked that up (IDK if it's a universal hand signal, but I've seen it at two different chains at least, first noticing at BGT)

[@GermiesCoasterYard]

@@lightfantastik Both parks I’ve worked for have you cross your wrists over your head, but you can still only cross over the train. Unless a ride is locked out, I really don’t see any reason someone should be on the track to begin with. I can’t think of any situation in which it isn’t a workplace hazard, given that no track is meant to be a walking surface (even GCI’s with designated crossover points still only use those as a means to get to one catwalk from another).

[@GermiesCoasterYard]

@@lightfantastik Both parks I’ve worked for have you cross your wrists over your head, but you can still only cross over the train. Unless a ride is locked out, I really don’t see any reason someone should be on the track to begin with. I can’t think of any situation in which it isn’t a workplace hazard, given that no track is meant to be a walking surface (even GCI’s with designated crossover points still only use those as a means to get to one catwalk from another).

[@lightfantastik]

@@GermiesCoasterYard oh wait! The thing I described is the signal to unlock the restraints - I totally got that mixed up. You're right on the arms crossed over the head. I was wrong - just goes to show how important they are as well as training. If the ride ops are left to figure it out for themselves, they're going to make mistakes like I just did.

[@RANDOMBFFSHOW]

God, that footage of the slingshot failing at the end of the video gave me chills.....

[@ItsTheBeanBandit]

I love this guy and this series! ❤❤❤

[@ItsTheBeanBandit]

I’m always staring at my notifications just to make sure you haven’t released a video i haven’t watched

[@fo-ef8qo]

raging Cajun at SFA is unironically incredible. my friend and I got absolutely obliterated on it last summer.

[@CoasterCollege]

I'm riding it for the first time tomorrow, looking forward to it!

[@bohottie]

This park is shady AF. The fact that this is only major incident that has occurred is mind boggling.

[@PrimevalDemon]

Wow what is the game/ software for the simulated/ animated recreation seen during the segment detailing the pawl wear and degraded parts?

[@eclipticallyawesome]

I went last summer and I remember just how decrepit and run down everything seemed. They weren’t advertising it like that though, and I’m surprised by how well they were able to cover this all up. All I can say now is that I’m thankful that none of this us were injured, and I strongly encourage anyone who plans to visit this park, especially if you are bringing kids or other vulnerable people along, to do your research before visiting.

[@spacebird8758]

There's a similar ride called Ricochet at Carowinds. The car doesn't spin, but the turns are still very sharp. I only realized while looking at the track layout.

[@ErisIsAnAbomination]

Not surprised by this at all. I know Coaster Studios briefly mentioned this accident in his video but as soon as he mentioned that park employees would allow you to have your phone out on roller coasters and that security/bag checks were only active half the time, I just KNEW a tragedy would have happened here.

[@mistyzandonia9549]

Visited the park a few times growing up and even went on the ride 2 years before the accident. It was definitely the most unsafe I have ever felt on a ride since I was thrown around in the seat to the point my dad had to hold me in place.

[@meowingpeeps9153]

Me and my family went to Mt. Olympus in 2022. We went on all the rollercoasters and on the Medusa water slide. They had a scale you had to stand on to get your weight. When we went they took everything seriously. Made sure that all loose items were in the buckets to the side. Even double checking lap bars. I don't know if this is how everyday is or if we just got good cast members.

[@CoasterCollege]

Good to hear that they aren't always bad!

[@victorhancock3109]

I went to Mt. Olympus in 2013. It's definitely one of the poorest maintained parks in the Dells. I was a teenager at the time, so I enjoyed all the rides anyways, but the coasters were visibly poorly maintained. Funny thing is I remember Opa being my favorite. I actually didn't know before now it had an accident and was removed, and I can't help but feel disappointed even though I know I would never go back to that park anyways lol

[@mandrakeblake-tw1uv]

Can you make a video about the Mutirama incident?

[@leah5595]

I've gone to mount Olympus many times. I have never felt fully safe going there. I was next in line for hades and it was at the start of a thunderstorm. They sent our car right after a huge bolt of lightning and thunder

[@lightfantastik]

I lived and worked in the Dells for a summer about 15 years ago (not there). They're sketchy AF, but get away with everything because they seem to own half the damn town. While it's great to have coasters in Wisconsin (really good ones if they were maintained properly!), I really wish they'd sell the place to someone better equipped to operate it properly.

[@luie1]

I believe in 2012 or 2013, for sure more than 10 years ago I was on Cyclops at Mt Olympus with a friend of mine, while we were 3/4 of the way through the ride, the seat belt became unbuckled and we both had to rely on the bar only to hang on. We couldn't get buckled back during the ride as we were moving around on the coaster seat. As we left we told the attendant the seat belt became unbuckled but couldn't check if it was a issue or not, or if they kept loading people there or not, as you need to clear the platform for your safety. Never rode on their coasters there after.

[@torta31]

I remember how close you can get to the wooden roller coasters. There's this one section where you can stick your hand out and touch the track if no one is looking. Scary stuff.

[@Ic.ceyizz]

I went to this park maybe 2-3 times per year since I live in Wisconsin. This is the only water park / theme park I had several bad experiences with. Everytime I go there the wave pool is insane even if you’re in the shallow end. My friend did smth wrong with her knee just walking in the wave pool shallow end with all that force and Ive multiple times cut open my leg. Their roller coasters still make me feel a bit uneasy with the restraints and how old they are. Everytime I go they are always fixing a ride there. I also went on this water slide one of the raft ones and not even lieing almost went off the side. I’ve been on lots of raft rides so I know that there is always a bit of raft possibly close to the side but let me tell you we were like halfway off almost the side. On their body slides I have multiple cuts and bruises from and I followed the correct procedures of how I should be laying down. I’ve been to many waterparks and theme parks in my life to know this is not a safe one.

[@kso808]

I grew up in Wisconsin in the 1960s, and remember visiting Wisconsin Dells then, when they only had outdoor children’s attractions, but no amusement rides, either outdoors or in. I’ve yet to ride a spinning mouse, but would like very much to, since they seem like a lot of fun.

[@ninjagirl226]

I’ve done Ragin Cajun. It was a fun little ride. But it hurt my knee a bit granted I also ran a half marathon that day so it wasn’t fully the ride’s fault.

[@me-myself-i787]

I have ridden Ice Mountain at Winter Wonderland, and it was quite fun, but also quite janky and at the end, when it was spinning really fast, it just suddenly stopped which was quite uncomfortable. I much prefer ordinary spinning coasters from Gerstlauer, Maurer, Mack, etc.

[@Joypyf]

Please do a video detailing all ride incidents at Mt. Olympus!! 🙈

[@keith_5584]

I hope the person was at least compensated and able to rebuild their life somewhat. The operator fleeing is suspicious to me, not as if they are to blame, but as if someone else was trying to cover something up and they had an feeling about it. They are ABSOLUTELY guilty of not immediately hitting that ESTOP the second they even suspect an injury. You do not take chances like that, another car could have struck them, or a catastrophic failure could have happened while they hesitated. Not everyone can handle an accident or the responsibility of people trusting their lives to you, and that is ok. The employer is partially or fully at fault for placing them their and not emphasizing and/or not properly training them on emergency preparedness. A blind dry run is all it takes to screen that out. You quickly run to the operator urgently while no cars are occupied or something similar and tell them to immediately stop the ride

[@bookcat123]

I mean… one person who was not there when they took initial statements from witnesses says the operator tried to run but she was the hero who made them stop the ride, she just left immediately afterward without talking to anyone. Meanwhile presumably dozens of people who were actually there when statements were taken say simply that the operator stopped the ride and make no mention of some mysterious disappearing hero. Not 100% that she’s a liar, but definitely questioning that. 😏

[@pinkdarkboy7127]

@@bookcat123 Also she just happened to have been riding the ride in the exact seat the guy got thrown from mere minutes before it happened to him. She's definitely a liar that wants to somehow make a tragedy about herself. Like wtf, Grandma, get a hobby.

[@leabtrfly]

I rode this coaster the weekend before this happened. I was 8 months pregnant , they still let me on, and the bar still didn’t properly restrain me. I felt like I was holding myself in with all my strength. I’ve never rode another coaster or carnival ride since. Sadly i wasn’t too surprised and felt greatful it wasn’t me.

[@dindog22]

this is the same manufacturer as the new Wild Mouse that we're getting at Cedar Point. are the restraints the same or have they been improved in the years since this accident? also do you know which ride or area you will be working this year?

[@travisvanalst4698]

This isn’t an incident that the ride needed improvement for. It seems there was neglect on the end of Mt Olympus for proper training, failure to research ride maintenance update 3 years prior, and failure to maintain the ride.

[@themeparkreel]

Zamperla are very safe they arent at fault here. Mount Olympus failed to do the new safety checks. but actually within the last few years Zamperla has changed the restraints to make them more comfortable and more restrictive

[@CoasterCollege]

The new twister coasters use hydraulic restraints. I will be an area over guest experience.

[@softestmelody]

I’ve went to a local Wade show that had the Mighty Mouse ride a few years ago..rode it and everything was fine thankfully. This gave me chills

[@original_demonic]

I have been in this type of rollercoaster before (the track is called a wild mouse) and I’ve never felt unsafe on them because the people running the ride were vigilant and there was usually a cart or two out of order, which meant they had checked them. The one I’ve been on most is Pinball X in Hastings, which I’ve never felt unsafe on. My partner did however trap their groin in the lap bar, which made it a very uncomfortable and painful ride 😂. I have been in my fair share of fairground rides that shouldn’t have been run by the operator that was. My biggest one being a bouncer that was never locked down. The outside lock to the lap bar was never even checked and wasn’t pulled down. Also there was no safety other than that. I had to use my foot while the ride was beginning to run to try and slide the latch in place. Luckily I managed to do it before it began jolting, but I still spent the entire time holding the bar in order to try and protect my cousin from flying out if I hadn’t locked it correctly. Chances are, I wouldn’t have been able to actually hold it, but I still tried. I promised to never go on it again.

[@Pandaborgie]

One event happed to me on hades 360. I was sitting in car 7 on the right. The ride operators shake the seat belts and pull hard on the restraint with their body weight. The girl in front of me got her seatbelt shaken but when it was shaked it came out. The horror look on her face when the operator buckled it back in and moved on to me was scary. Luckily she was safe. The seatbelt stayed in throughout the duration of the ride. And yet they didn't even care.

[@Cheeekymonkeeey]

Is that the indoor amusement park at Cleveland IX center?

[@KKISCRAZYFUL]

I never knew this happened but I've been to Mt. Olympus plenty of time because its affordable. But the safety is sketchy, I'm not surprised this happened

[@AnotherSwissYoutubeUser]

Reverchon first came up with this ride Concept, Zamperla licensed it in 2007.

[@ZefDavenport]

I would like for you to take a look into "El Pendulo" accident, in Tibidabo (Catalonia, 2010). It happened in my country, but not much information was released, and I would like to see if you can find what really happened.

[@Cypher791]

🎢😯.. I just remembered something like this happening at M&Ds in Scotland in 2005.. my bar completely unlocked in the middle of the ride and I just pulled it back and slammed it down, it locked again but.. I never really appreciated how dangerous that had been, I never even reported that incident… 14 years old I just walked away afterwards..

[@raeisgay426]

ive been thinking about this a lot lately, this is such weird timing!! still sad i never got the chance to ride before it closed down…

[@handsomejack7932]

Have been to the park a couple times. Still one of my favorite parks.

[@Zkeleton969]

I remember going to the giant wave pool in mt Olympus. I was really small back then, and the waves hit me right in the face and nearly pulled me under. It was friggin terrifying.

[@RatKingCerf]

I remember this ride due to accidentally hitting one of the the emergency stop when i leaned against a pillar ages ago

[@jeremyblade7561]

I was at Mt. Olympus around 2010. I rode all the coasters including OPA, think it was even the yellow car... Everything seemed maintained well enough, but that was years before this accident.

[@nicolletteaho876]

i always wondered why there was so much empty space when i went to the indoor part of mt olympus in 2015 now i know why. this is so extremely sad. edit: i remember there drop tower lap bars like never worked right

[@DIEXBOXDIE]

Went there in 2019 with two friends. Very nice suite. Once you opened the door, it was over. No staff at the motel. Shoddy elevators. Parking lot full of local kids at 1:30am. Absolutely nothing fun for adults at the modern indoor theme park. So we hit the water park. Air was thick with the the smells of piss and chlorine. We went home with 36+ hours left on our suite, because going home and playing some Call of Duty sounded more fun than anything Mt Olympus had to offer.

[@eddavis9506]

I HAVE BEEN TO MT.OLYMPUS AND THIS WAS ONE OF MY FAVORITE RIDES THE FIRST YEAR IT WAS GONE WE WERE WONDERING WHAT HAPPENS NOW WE KNOW. ALSO I FEEL MOST RIDES ARE OPERATED CORRECTLY HOWEVER SOME WOODEN COATERS ARE EXTREMELY ROUGH.

[@freshrot420]

I get people want to trust the parks, but I don't see how everyone has such little self preservation. When I was younger and bothered with rides like these, I'd always pull the bars/harnesses as tight as possible, trying to get one more click, then push against it to make sure it stayed locked, before the rides ever left the station. Even then I'd still hold on for dear life, although that was to also minimize jostling. I've never understood why people want to throw their arms up, like it somehow increases enjoyment.

[@sethradspinner]

They have bad operations because all four wooden roller coasters run with just one train. In addition you have to be 18 or older to ride in the last car.

[@naarahjanemorris3121]

Yes Definitely well done manager for alerting EAP, I'm from the UK I don't like the waltzers or the twister rides, so I wouldn't go on this ride so many violations of safety OMG I won't go back to Alton Towers after the bad feeling I got before the smiler ride accident before it happened I knew riders would lose legs I hope the rider is OK & healing from there injuries this should never of happened if the locking mechanism wasn't worn out I'm glad they took it down all parks need to keep inspections upto date & logged.

[@crowflying3965]

The one time I went to Mt Olympus I avoided most of the rides and stayed on the water attractions. You could make a series just about the dells with all of its problems

[@me-myself-i787]

The water rides are probably more dangerous than the rollercoasters.

[@crowflying3965]

@@me-myself-i787 probably! Luckily I survived

[@njdotson]

I was wondering why nothing was at that park when I was there so long ago, but I finally figured it out

[@iquitokay]

What was the first Chinese-made coaster to have an inversion? ("Ring" Coasters)

[@beastjared]

I went to mt Olympus once, it was by far pretty sketchy

[@jackdoyle2611]

I rode this at the Missouri State Fair last year and I was cackling when I found out it was Opa

[@sebastianllaurador4636]

Can you do a What Really Happened on The Rat at Loudoun Castle?

[@jaydenfreie4151]

My Olympus is technically my home park, but I let Six Flags Great America hold that title instead. It was always sketchy there but the ride ops were always pretty decent. The cyclops roller coaster chassis actually hits the side of the wood in the loading area break run. There is a visible dent yet no changes whatsoever.