Can't choose seat on BA?

Hi everyone, this is my first post to the Coasterbuzz forum. I thought there'd be no better place to ask this question than here...

My wife and I recently made a trip to Paramounts Carowinds. It's a local trip, we live about 45 minutes away, and we've been looking forward to the BORG Assimilator ever since we rode X-Flight last year. We decided to wait a few weeks before going to PC to give them time to work out the bugs on BA.

After nearly two hours of waiting in the hot sun (PC could learn a few things from CP about keeping guests cool in the queue), we finally got to the head of the line and the attendant at the top asked us the standard "how many riders are you" question. We told her we were two (me and my wife), and she told us "line 5". Line 5? Yep - line up on line 5. "We want to ride up front" - nope, she said, "Line 5".

Well, we decided this kinda sucked. A flying coaster is no fun from the middle of the train, and after TWO hours, we were willing to hold out for the front. We tried moving back in the line so we could be first in line for the front, that did no good because they seated us from back to front, so being first in line for the next train put us in the BACK.

We rode the ride anyway (a lot rougher than X-Flight, I might add) and went through the queue again and were again told where to sit. I was fuming by this point. This ride wasn't all that and certainly not busy enough to justify the ride ops to assign seating to everyone. After we rode I went and compalined to guest services. They told me we could not choose our seat on BA, no exceptions.

OK now, my wife and I don't have as much coaster experience as some of the members of this forum, I'm sure. Out of the 75 roller coasters we've ridden, we have been allowed to choose our seats on EVERY ONE except BA. What I'd like to know is has anyone else encountered this on any other rides? Part of the fun of riding coasters is choosing where you want to sit. If you want to hold out for the front, that should be your choice.

I understand BA is a new coaster (a least, it's new to PC), so this might just be a temporary thing. But I'm wondering if this was the policy when the coaster was at PGA? Did they let you choose your own seat then?

Thanks,
Pete McCole

That is very odd because in my 13 Borg laps so far this year I have requested for myself and my friends to be placed in the back row EVERY single time and they have been very nice about it and fulfilled my wish. We just stood back while they filled the other rows and we took our desired seat when they filled the 6th. So.... out of 13 rides so far every single one of them has been in the back row. I'm surprised they did not let you do the same.

Also... I believe this policy is part of the new procedures PC is using to make things BETTER than they were when the ride was known as Stealth. So far this year the line has moved very quickly and the performance of the ops has amazed me. After the opening weekends the ride has run amazingly well on the days I have been there.

The same policy applied to Deja at SFOG. Although we once again requested back for one ride and front for one ride and they listened to us both times and very nicely placed us in our requested row. On this coaster it is NEEDED because of the hellish arrangement of seats and tiny station. I really don't think as long as the park listens to requests that these policies create a problem.

Oh... and btw.... the back completely OWNS the front on BA.... G's in the loop are incredible. (Almost pretzel loop incredible) *** Edited 6/9/2004 2:42:00 AM UTC by RollrCoastrCrazy***

I've never had that happen to me on ANY coaster Pete, and I'm sitting at #174 respectively. It's not a terrible idea, but if guests are willing to wait for the front then let them. Other than the front and maybe the back seats, assigned seating would possibly speed things up. By the way- welcome to CoasterBuzz, I hope you enjoy it here. :) *** Edited 6/9/2004 2:38:38 AM UTC by MarimbaGuy87***

I haven't ridden BA, but they probably have a good reason for this.

Im thinking this is to decrease load time and increase capacity, therefore giving everyone a chance to ride. Maybe later this year, and definately next year you should be able to choose.

You were probably assigned to that row to fill it in, which is a very smart thing for the park to do on such a slow loading coaster. I'm sure the operator COULD have asked another couple behind you, though.

Could have....and SHOULD have.

I've been VERY fortunate woth Paramount parks in general in terms of employees. Other than the "one bad apple" supervisor in Stan Mikita's at PKD, and the entire day at PGA, I've encountered VERY few bad employees at their parks. The GOOD ones, almost countless...

I *believe* we got to select our seats on Stealth, but as I mentioned, that was one of those days I've blocked from memory....ugh!

I'm sorry you had one of *those* experiences....I'm thinking it must have been a particularly busy day, esp. considering the wait time. That does NOT excuse the employee from what I would deem "bad customer service". My first trip to PCar was on a hellishly-hot day, and I definitely didn't get the BEST impression of PCar that day. Last Spring the return visit was AWESOME. (Even had the luck of *accidentally* running into some very cool friends, ROFL)....

There are SOME coasters where seats are typically "assigned", but generally, those are pretty rare, and USUALLY, a good op will let you wait it out for a seat you prefer...

Anyhow....welcome to the 'buzz...and try to NOT let that be your ONLY post....;)

Stealth didn't have any assigned seating, but this was one of the many reasons for the 2-3hr wait even on average days.

Usually assigned seating is used on low capacity coasters to help keep the line moving. DL does this, and KBF used to do this with Xcel when it first opened. But even DL will let you wait for a certain seat if you request it.

Batwing had assigned seating when I rode it in its first season(got a second row ride, the only coaster in the park I didn't get to ride in front). When I went with ApolloAndy to Carowinds in May, we hit it first thing at opening and got in the single rider line, which worked better for us. Since they fill up the rows from the single rider line, you have more leverage to let people go before you till there is a front seat available. We waited less than 5 min., and both got on the front at the same time. we went straight back to the line and got in the single rider line for the back. I got the back, Andy got row 2.

Back is better, IMO, but thats the way they run it, and it is technically their park... *** Edited 6/9/2004 5:50:34 PM UTC by TeknoScorpion***

I was at Adventureland once and was told to sit in the very middle of Tornado. The train was only half full, so I took an open lane in the first car. I was told again that I could not sit there and I had to go to the middle. I told the ride op that the middle was not worth my time, and I left the line.

I am not a big fan of assigned seats, and I am not even too fond of parks like CP who assign most seats but still let you wait for the front and back on MF and WT. (It seems now they don't assign as much but if you enter the station late you must take what is left.) They just need to design their stations big enough to allow people to line up. *** Edited 6/9/2004 4:51:47 AM UTC by RavenTTD***

My question to this is...
Does BA have longer ques for the front line or are they all the same size?

RavenTTD,

You should always ask before taking a seat that is not your assigned one. Almost always at Adventure Land, they will grant your requests for seats, as they want you to have an enjoyable time. Although, I have to admit that the Tornado station is not designed very well for its purpose, because of that one stupid turnstile inside it, there is very little room, and a ton to the end of the station where there are no q-rails.

I hate when coasters have that policy. Jack Rabbit at Kennywood loads back to front, which I don't like because I hate the front of Jack Rabbit, it scares the crap out of me.

While I'm not particularly fond of being told where to sit on a coaster, flying coasters are one of the only types that I really don't care where I sit. Unless I'm breaking my neck to look forward, I rarely see the car in front of me. The ground and sky look pretty much the same from any row.

Just sayin'.

Exactly. Every seat on a flyer is a front row seat! And if you really must have the front row, I’d suggest to go on a much less crowded day. If there’s no wait, why would they assign seats?

oncelor- BORG (IIRC) didn't really have 'lines' in the station like most coasters do. There were lines for each row, but only big enough for 4 people. You stand at the top of the steps until the Ops tell you to go get in one of those rows. Only 1 trains worth of people are in the line in the station at one time.

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While I'm not particularly fond of being told where to sit on a coaster, flying coasters are one of the only types that I really don't care where I sit. Unless I'm breaking my neck to look forward, I rarely see the car in front of me.

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Very true, as far as visuals go. But I agree with Clint, on Stealth I always chose the last car, for no other reason than the mind blowing G's entering and exiting the verticle loop. And also for the unique visual in the loop of watching the front car wrap around in front of you, was kinda cool to wave to the people in the front car while having the wind practically knocked out of you from the G's.

I like CP's version. Most of the rides you can choose, and on others you can wait for front or back.

Got two more backseat rides today.... nice ride ops too. I don't know but you must have caught that girl at a bad time or something. Anyways.... why would u ride FRONT on borg... the fun is in the back :)

Unless I missed it, no one mentioned that Millenium Force had assigned seats when it first opened.

I've ridden Batwing somewhere between 50 and 100 times in just about every seat. I think that it is one of the coasters where the row makes the least difference visually. It does ride a little rougher in back. I actually prefer the middle of the train since the dropping sensation at the top of the loop is greatest there.

Vater beat me to it. I was wondering why the front would matter on a flyer.

Jim Fisher - Someone did say something about MF. The difference is that CP has a front row que that is separate.