Alton bans PDAs?

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/article1198732.ece

Didn't really think this blurb was exactly *news* worthy or anything but...uh....what?

Let's hope SF isn't taking notes!

When I read the thread title, I thought it was about people making out in the park. :)

Just what we need more government and corporation control.

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RatherGoodBear said:
When I read the thread title, I thought it was about people making out in the park.

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That, at least, is somewhat normal. My brain went to Food Network and a very angry show host...Good god I need sleep.

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RatherGoodBear said:
When I read the thread title, I thought it was about people making out in the park. :)

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LOL! Exactly what I was thinking...

Sounds more like a new marketing campaign than anything, to me.

I don't think it's about corporate control, so much as it is taking the "Log off/Ride On" or whatever it was thing to the next level.

Basically, if one of the "PDA Police" sees a parent doing work instead of paying attention to their kids and having a fun, family day; They will approach them with a "Now, sir/ma'am, we can't have any of that today... Let me have that phone/PDA, and you can pick it up on your way out."

I don't see this as so much of a ban, as it is a way to pull people away from their work, because obviously they aren't going to do it themselves. I mean, when I was at WDW, I checked my work email a couple of times. Felt like I was slacking if I didn't. Unfortunately, that's how we're made to feel these days.

-Josh

WOW - I can't believe people would allow this to happen or even be considered. First smoking now PDAs?

The few minutes I would spend on a PDA would allow me to spend HOURS with my kids - and for ANYONE to confiscate (even temporarily) my phone/PDA - there would be HELL to pay if it were me.

This article and policy really gets my blood boiling.

^ Sounds to me, like you're exactly the kind of person they are looking to target. Someone who needs to step away from work for a few hours, before it gives you a coronary.

Yeah, good luck with that. I'm typically one to stand up and say that people are too connected, but whatever, you can't dictate this kind of crap.

Don't own a PDA, don't own a laptop. More often than not, my cell phone is in the car because I hate the idea of having to leave it in a cubby if I'm not wearing cargoes.

When I'm on vacation, even if it's just a day, I'm not working. My rule is, don't try to prove you're indispensable because you will be-- you'll find yourself forever on call. I feel for me to be a good manager, I must be able to delegate work for days I'm out and trust that my people are capable enough to do what they're told to do.

Finally! Someplace that will tp help people disconnect! Do you guys realize that the average American takes less that two weeks of vaca a year? At this point, taking a 3-day weekend is comnsidard a long vacation.

Hear our rallying cry: BRING BACK VACATION!!!!

What does the average American have to do with it? This park is in the UK.

I know the park is in the UK, as I'm sure most of us here do.

The Alton policy "could" become a trend or adopted by a US park and that concerns me.

Yes, the policy may be targeted to people like myself - but who the f$#k is Alton Tower to dictate MY PERSONAL behavior on their property.

Once you start down a path like this - where do you stop - Dictate when I go to bed?

This policy "scares" me.

Reading this on the Alton website sounds very much like a publicity stunt to me - and making a social point about cutting the digital umbilical chord. Hardly something to freak out about.

I remember there was a kid's themed restaurant in my city when I was young that had a "fun clothing only, no ties" policy, and if you showed up wearing a tie they would pin you down and snip it off with scissors. Just be happy they aren't collecting the PDA's and throwing them in a wood chipper! Now that would be an attraction! :)

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Odd Todd said:
Reading this on the Alton website sounds very much like a publicity stunt to me...

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Yup.

Wasn't it Alton that did the "Skip work for a day" thing a season or two ago that got people all up in arms?

I saw tons of people messing with their phones/PDA/whatever yesterday at Kings Island...

...I'd wager that a majority of them were under 18.

I'd also wager that that majority wasn't checking in with work. ;)

I'm definately the first person to tell people to leave the stupid things at home and get a life. At the same time, I think this is perhaps the stupidest policy ever intoduced in a theme park to date.

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Hopman said:
Finally! Someplace that will help people disconnect! Do you guys realize that the average American takes less that two weeks of vacation a year? At this point, taking a 3-day weekend is considered a long vacation.

Hear our rallying cry: BRING BACK VACATION!!!!

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I got out a book a few years ago by one of those psychologist who comes up with the tests that some companies make you take before you're considered for employment.

They have a scale of 1-5 ranging from Strongly Disagree to Strongly Agree for each question and they give you limited time for each since its (usually) self-guided on a computer. Questions are also frequently asked more than once using different language and phrasing.

Two of the sample questions were something like "I think American's don't get enough vacation time in comparison to European's," or "I don't think American's get enough vacation time." These questions could clearly eliminate you right out of the gates if some of your other numbers aren't adding up well either.

Why? Because your boss is most likely American-bred and could give a rat's ass about what kind of time a European is getting for their vacation time.

People who obsessively check their work e-mail with their Crackberry are one thing, but I've found in the year that I've had my iPhone that being able to look at the weather radar is a huge asset. There are some good uses for the technology in an amusement park.

Absolutely. I wouldn't go back from a PDA phone since I've had one for quite some time now. I personally have taken steps to make sure I don't use it for work, because it is my personal phone, and I pay for it, not them.

Checking my work email from my laptop while on vacation, however... Guilty as charged. I'm trying not to be like that, but I want to know what I'm looking at when I get back.

Josh

My Dad has been known to take his laptop with him on vaction, but ONLY becuase it has mapping software on it.