Worlds of Adventure adds metal detectors

Not SFWOA, but at Wyandot Lake last week (owned by Six Flags) they were checking peoples bags, but for our school they took one look, didn't go through it at all. I was happy because I got in quicker, but looking back that is a major security flaw.

While the article may be new, the metal detectors are not. They have been there since opening day for both guest entrances and employee entrances.

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Jes
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I think Metal Detectors are good for parks. Of course they won't stop anything like 9-11, but nothing like 9-11 will happen at a amusement park. They only do govermental stuff. But metal dectors can stop a person from bringing a gun in the park to do whatever. The only thing I hate about them is they slow you down entering the park, especially if you have a bag with you.

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Unfortunately , we are just going to have to get used to them. I for one am used to them because they have been at SFGAm for the last 5 or 6 years.

Some of us may think they are a joke, but to alot of guests it gives them a sense of security which makes for happier guests.

And just like in airports and courthouses, you will have to show up to the park a little earlier if you want to get in at a certain time.

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""To be the man, WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!, You got to beat the man""!!!

I don't know about this idea of metal detectors. I mean they are good for keeping weapons out but I look at Cedar Point, who doesn't have metal detectors, and everything is fine to my knowledge. If they are adding metal detectors to stop terrorism, I think they are wasting their money. If someone wanted to attact the park, there are other ways of doing it than bringing something through the front gate. Now if they are adding them to stop weapons period thats cool but I don't think they should do it because of the terrorist attack. Looks like going into amusement parks will be just like going into my high school

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"The opposite of war isn't peace, its creation," Rent.

I tend to agree with Dave's assertion that staffing people to patrol the park and creating a "presence" makes more sense than staffing people to check you at the gate.

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Jeff - Webmaster/Admin - CoasterBuzz.com, Sillynonsense.com
"As far as I can tell it doesn't matter who you are. If you can believe, there's something worth fighting for..." - Garbage, "Parade"

I think it is more a reflection of US society and it's gun culture that means metal detectors need to be installed. It has nothing to do with terrorism. In England, you find metal detectors at airports, and perhaps major government buildings. To my knowledge they exist nowhere else, and I certainly don't feel any less safe.

Jephry: And that last crack about high school is the *real* reason that the detectors showed up. There were already many parks with metal detectors LONG before 9-11 including SFGAm, SFA, PKD. Whereas when my parents got into fights, they used their fists; whereas when *I* got into fights, we picked up bricks or The CLUB; nowadays, people go for a knife or gun. Better to take a second to screen for it than to have an incident.

Oh and the 9-11 thing, that just makes for a good soundbyte.
jeremy
--an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure

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Besides, if we were really shutting down people we disagreed with, would Jeremy (2Hostyl) still be around? :) I think not. - Jeff 1/24/02

Metal detectors are a waste. It's like saying "Guy with metal gun or knife please enter here." Right! I have to give up some of my privacy so that someone bad guy will just figure something else out anyways.

I thought what Disney did and Cedar Point does is very respectable. I will NOT go to a park with detectors. If you want to keep the trash out raise your ticket prices and pay for good TRAINED security guards.

If you feel safe because the metal detectors think again. Criminal may be miss guided, but they generally are not dumb. They'll look for an unguarded staff entrance, or pass it through to their buddy that already has entered. And metal detectors do a great job finding explosives that you really need to worry about. (NOT) Using 9/11 as the reason is a joke. Added security staff is the answer not dumb lame machines run by seasonal help.....

Jeff says:

"I tend to agree with Dave's assertion that staffing people to patrol the park and creating a "presence" makes more sense than staffing people to check you at the gate. "

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I for one like the idea of having both. Checking you at the gate and having a patrol throughout the park.

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""To be the man, WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!, You got to beat the man""!!!

It was like that at Universal and IOA. You saw several security people patrolling the streets of the parks, and they also had a security officer at each entrance turnstile thoroughly checking people's bags as they entered. It could be just a fanny pack or a camera case and they would check every zipper compartment and pocket. Made me feel quite secure, really.

RubberDucky said, "nothing like 9-11 will ever happen at an amusement park." That is a pretty bold thing to say.

The suicide bombers over in Israel are bombing what? Busses, churches, nightclubs, etc. They aren't bombing military installations. Why is that? Well, I think there are varrying reasons. One, military installations are more "prepared" for things like that to happen. Second, the public will put more pressure on the government to respond if THEY are the targets.

That said, what is being protected most in the U.S. right now? Airports, D.C., New York, Nuclear Plants, etc. What better way for a terrorist to hit America where it hurts than to hit a Disney, Six Flags or other popular location where thousands will be gathered?

Now, I don't want to get anyone all in a tizzy b/c there isn't much sense in it. I do want, however, for the American public to give up the notion that it can't happen here. It can, and it has. Those of us who attend parks frequently might see something that we know doesn't look right and it is incumbent upon us to bring it to the attention of park authorities.

OMG, it's just a metal detector. Saying you aren't going to a park with them is so stupid and immature. Yeah, it will slow the lines to get in a little. So what?? The rides aren't going any where! Just get there earlier. Amusement parks are supposed to be fun and crying over a damn metal detector is crazy. Oh well, I doesn't matter to me though. If you don't go to a park w/ metal detector, that will just make lines for me a little less.

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jeffgn said: "Right! I have to give up some of my privacy so that someone bad guy will just figure something else out anyways."

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Why would you be giving up your privacy? And why would a machine rob you of privacy where a human security guard would not? I'm finding your rationale rather confusing here...........

wahoo skipper said:

"Those of us who attend parks frequently might see something that we know doesn't look right and it is incumbent upon us to bring it to the attention of park authorities."

Let's see, here. First there were CBuzz park inspectors, then CBuzz engineers, next came Hostyl's CBuzz financial analysts, and now there's CBuzz security? I think we should leave the policing to the police (for better or worse). I've seen enthusiasts "get their panties in a twist" over the silliest things, so I really don't need to see the response when the s!*@ hits the fan.

-chris

"drop rides, not bombs."

"I don't know about this idea of metal detectors. I mean they are good for keeping weapons out but I look at Cedar Point, who doesn't have metal detectors,"

...Yet. SFWOA didn't have them either, until now.

Exactly, just give it time and I bet you will be scanned at CP in the near future.

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""To be the man, WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!, You got to beat the man""!!!

I don't know anything about CBuzz this or CBuzz that, what I do know is that the government has asked citizens to be on alert and if we see something suspicious to bring it to the attention of authorities.

As frequent parks guests, it shouldn't be too hard to see if something is out of the ordinary. I am not suggesting we start "taking down" suspicious looking people, but I am saying that if you see a backpack under the Mean Streak it might not be a bad idea to tell someone. *** This post was edited by wahoo skipper on 6/7/2002. ***

I've seen a few replies to my statement. I figure I need to clarify something.

1. Standing in line doesn't bother me. (Obviously I go to parks....)

2. Ever been to the airport? What happens when you go through? Beep. Empty your pockets. Beep. Please step over here. They wave the wonder bar over you. Here is the pin holding up your pants (Or what ever.) Kind of embarracing. Everyone see whats in your pockets. If there is an immedate threat to me or my kids safety then fine. If not then I'm not doing it.

3. As far as CP goes. (Obviously CP is my home park. :). I'm not sure there is a good way for them to do it. Sure put it at the gate. Then joe bad guy passes gun through fence or over fence by lockers. Several thousand dollars worth of equipment down the tubes....But everyone feels safe because nobody can get a gun or knife through the front gate...

4. By the way how many incidents with guns and knifes happen a year at the park anyways? Drunks probably cause more of a problem, should they stop serving beer?

I just say show me the threat and effective way to resolve it and I'm happy. Don't do politcally motivated grandstanding and some show of meaningless policy.

Add more trained security, put good meaningful policies in place, and watch everyone.