Cedar Point Operations

I just got back from a one day trip to Cedar Point, and while I was there I noticed what seemed to be a few changes to "standard operating procedure" compared to my visit last year.

I have a Maxx Pass from Kings Island. I called ahead before arriving at Cedar Point to see if there was any special procedure I needed to follow to use my pass. I was told to go through the season pass turnstiles, but once at the park, I had to go to Guest Relations and have my pass scanned while I signed a paper and indicated my home park. Is this procedure standard at all parks? Is a system that will allow scanning of the Maxx passes at the entrances in the works?

On two occasions, a ride-op asked a rider to place his loose articles in a bin. The guest then asked the operator to take the item, but the op responded that he could not touch the article. Has this practice been established at all Cedar Fair parks, or only Cedar Point? In either case, when?

On Wicked Twister and Top Thrill Dragster, riders had boarded the train, and for whatever reason, the restraints had to be released and re-checked. Everytime the restraints were released, the ride-ops announced that the "restraints have been purposely released." While this isn't of major concern, I found it interesting that the ops consistently emphasized that they restraints were being released on purpose. Again, is this a new practice?

When I worked at Cedar Point in 2005, we also couldn't touch a guest's items. The same goes for announcing that the restraints had been released purposely. People already freak out enough when they get in and can't immediately lock their restraints. Reassuring them another time is another step to make their experience better.

I've always had to sign in with my Worlds of Fun pass. *** Edited 6/13/2007 4:29:46 AM UTC by Acoustic Viscosity***

Doesn't sound like anything has changed.

Honestly, I see it as, a liability issue. If a guest comes back and it's gone. They're going to say well so-and-so took my purse, and now I'm going to complain at Guest Relations about it... So if the Guest takes it over there, they're SOL ;). I believe this is at all the previous CF parks. (removes sarcastic remark). *** Edited 6/13/2007 2:13:20 AM UTC by crombiedude11***

The same applies to physically helping guests in and out of cars. We were not allowed and it was really hard to watch when an extra set of hands would have made a big difference.

*grumble*stupid sue happy people*grumble*

Doesn't sound like anything has really changed. I think that's been the "official" policy for years. If you saw otherwise in the past, it was probably just an op using his/her judgement. If something happened, they'd have probably gotten in trouble or had to pay for whatever was lost/damaged. In my opinion, releasing an entire train of restraints or even a car's worth to let someone out to put their stuff in a bin is pretty stupid - especially in cases where it could cause the ride to set up (ie Magnum).

In general, CP has been pretty lame with these safety related changes - only taking the cheapest, most obvious courses of action, covering their own asses at every step, guest experience be damned. Rider throughput has dropped in almost every instance where they've put bins on the platform. What they should do is put the lockers like IOA has (free for the first x amount of time) near the entrances to major rides and eliminate all loose articles at the entrances. Then there is no screwing around on the platforms. Will it happen? I'm not really counting on it.

There are countless examples of CP simply band-aiding the problem and not really fixing it. Raptor runs fine for 10 years and one day they end up with two trains on the lift. Rather than fix the bald drive tires, worn brakes, or whatever might have caused the problem, they make it so they train takes 20 seconds to park. Look at how Mine Ride parks too. Something goes wrong on Corkscrew after 30 years of no problems. Let's install seatbelts! Now after the Magnum incident, you're seeing them shut down more things than ever in the rain and run less trains in the rain. I hope to God that the third train actually comes back someday, but I'm a bit worried it's not going to happen to be honest.

I'm all for safety, but when there are decades of incident free operation in all sorts of conditions, you need to fix the real problem and not make a bunch of needless changes that have nothing to do with the real problem and make it harder for the guest to have an enjoyable day.

I could add the problems with Mean Streak overshooting and constant problems with restraints not opening but I won't. ;)

As far as Season Pass handling.... I have had a Knott's Pass for years...and every park had a different way, but mostly had to go via a customer relations office/window at the visiting park.

This year, I have the Maxx Pass, purchased at Michigan's Adventure. I went to Great America in Santa Clara last week, and walked right thru the regular entrance just like everyone else.

They seem to scan just fine at the Paramount parks.

As far as I can tell, if you're using a CF pass from another park:

-At the former Paramount parks the passes scan at the gate.

-At the longtime CF parks it's the ol' Guest Relations routine.

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MDOmnis said:
In general, CP has been pretty lame with these safety related changes - only taking the cheapest, most obvious courses of action, covering their own asses at every step, guest experience be damned.

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When I was at HW last year, the ride ops wouldn't take something and put it in a bin on the Voyage. And I'm sure most (if not all) would agree HW doesn't undercut in the guest experience department. I'm sure it's just a legal thing, which is understandable considering how sue-happy people have been in recent years.

With the exception being CP at GL, or GL at CP.

I've worked at a couple of parks as a ride op so will explain the procedure. Not sure if it's a change at CP but fairly common at most parks:

The not handling guest items is common at a lot of parks. If a ride attendant were to grab a bag from a guest and drop it, then guest could try to hold park responsible for the broken digital camera inside. Also as was stated above, handing a ride op an item could give the guest the impression that it was going to be supervised while they were on the ride. Therefore if the item was stolen, they would hold park responsible.

For the restraint opening spiel, it just makes guests more comfortable to have a locked restraint pop open. I've seen people freak when an restraint pops open, start screaming for attendant or jump out of the train thinking there is something wrong with the ride or their seat. By eliminating people freaking out, makes it easier for attendants to recheck the restraints and dispatch the train.

Yeah I'd have to agree that nothing has really changed.

And while the seat-belts on Corkscrew are annoying, so is the heightened security at airports. Things like extra seat-belts just make rides safer in my opinion. They may be doing it just to please the lawyers, but remember, lawyers are pleased when people aren't suing, and people don't sue unless something happens to them. So in the end we really are being helped. There is some merit to fixing problems like Magnum's a bit more "fully" though.

It sucks people sue like mad today because it ruins a lot of stuff for us that dont.

^ So your saying that a ride operator not handling your items has ruined your experiance at a park?

You have a right to your opinion, but that just seems a little exteme.

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CoasterKrazy said:

I was told to go through the season pass turnstiles, but once at the park, I had to go to Guest Relations and have my pass scanned while I signed a paper and indicated my home park.

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What's funny about this, is all three times during my trip to CP this year with my KI Maxx Pass there was never any scanning and I just flashed them the pass and signed in!!

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bobthecoasterguy said:
When I was at HW last year, the ride ops wouldn't take something and put it in a bin on the Voyage.

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I've visited in 1998 - 2001 and then again just last month, every time they've been fine with taking items and putting them in the bin.

On the Voyage they would even take purses and cameras and those sorts of things, put them in a locker, and then hand people the key as they were waiting for dispatch, which I thought was nice but also a bit above-and-beyond, even for Holiday World.

So obviously the policy has changed or enforcement has changed.

^^I did the same with my Dominion pass until last Thursday's visit to CP. I had to sign my name and they scanned the pass. That was a first for me, too. *** Edited 6/13/2007 1:06:02 PM UTC by Jess***