If you hear a “slight delay” at opening, it’s usually us finishing pre-op checks — torquing lap bar bolts to spec and running about 20 empty cycles so drives and bearings come up to temperature evenly. Do you notice rides running smoother after 10 a.m? Our logs show fewer nuisance faults once everything’s warmed.
Makes sense why it’s smoother after 10 a.m., but , hearing “slight delay” at rope drop still stings. Could you add an app banner like “warming up: about 20 empty cycles while we finish torquing lap bar bolts” so expectations are set, or even a quick sign at the queue? FWIW, coasters warming up is a thing — Hershey's Chocolate World: A more richly themed alternative to Hersheypark?.
I’m with @lucas_hm57 — could the app show ‘first dispatch about 9:10’ plus a tiny ‘X test cycles left’ counter with a wrench icon so it’s clear it’s intentional? If live timing’s hard, a queue screen or QR at the entrance would work; does that cycle count swing a lot on colder mornings?
Post a “first dispatch window 9:05–9:15” on the ride page with a note like “torquing lap bar bolts + 20 empty cycles” so it reads as planned, not broken. @lucas_hm57 I’d skip a live countdown; if a torque re-check eats two minutes, a missed timer stings more than a window.
those delays can be frustrating! I get that pre-op checks are crucial, but it would be great if we could have a little more transparency. Maybe a quick notification right before opening could ease the pain of waiting?