Free admission promo causes chaos at Six Flags Over Georgia

Wow, when I first heard of this, I just assumed that they were being dicks and closed the gate because they didn't want to give away that many freebies... but 15,000 people through the gates in the first 15 minutes? Holy crap!

My understanding of the situation is Six Flags/Q100 agreed to let 3,000 in for free.

Six Flags publicly said they would only let 3,000 in. Q100 didn't. Someone on another board said they even called Q100 yesterday and Q100 said that Six Flags was lying, they were letting in whoever was in line in time, even if it was more than 3,000.

IMO, Q100 is to blame, and Six Flags would be smart to not do promotions with them again.

Damn, that's ridicous. 15,000 people on the first 15 minutes. Now, if only Six Flags Great Adventure were to do that! Talk about 4 hour waits on the Scream Machine lol, I'd rather just pay full price on a regular day then to deal with that...

I agree with Gonch. Chevy buys out the park, and they only allow Chevy people's families in the park. Now, there are a limited amount of people they allow. This was all Q100's fault. Stop blaming SFOG! They agreed to do it, but it was all Q100's fault. I looked at there regular prices, and they are charging high for what they have, or don't have there.

They don't have a waterpark, and a lot of flats. They have a interactive play area, but it's not worth $50 for one day plus parking prices. They should have those admission prices lower so people wouldn't be going nuts over a free day. Don't get me wrong because I love the park, but it has a lot less than other SF parks have.

PKI had bring a friend free days which provided a visiting experience for free that had most never wanting to come back.

A simple free ticket with your pass would have aleviated and spread out the massive crowds of those days.

Chuck

Every year, WPLJ FM in New York has a family night event at Rye PLayland. The event is always held on a Monday night, (THe park is always closed on Mondays, except for occasional private events)

The listeners send a slelf-addressed stamped envelope and a ticket request for up to 6 badges (passes). According to the promotions department - ten thousand are given away.

I was lucky to win last summer. The park was CROWDED, but it was a very nice - well behaved family oriented crowd. (Not a night to hit ride after ride with minimal wait, but a fun night) (Parking was included too - but food was available from the usual fast food choices at the park.) (I went there VERY early and I even went to the pool before the event.

That (to me) is a way to do a station buyout right.

By the way...some years the night was cancelled due to rain, but rescheduled for the week after.

Sending listeners en-mass was a poor decision from the radio station. i love radio, but certain stunts in hte name of publicity, have tampered with sanity and reason, ie Wee for a Wie.

Radio and park promotiions have been and continue to be a great combination for all concerned IF THEY ARE DONE RIGHT!

HEy Spinout, I agree. I was born on the same day that SFOG opened its gates in 1967. It will be 40 this year. The last time I went to SFOG was when Z-force first opened and that was over 16 years ago. The prices are too high at $50 a pop and then you have the high food prices. Lake Winnie up near TN is a lot better deal even though they don't have the major rides as SFOG. They do have some rides that are listed on the historic registery.

^^Richie said: "Sending listeners en-mass was a poor decision from the radio station. i love radio, but certain stunts in hte name of publicity, have tampered with sanity and reason, ie Wee for a Wie."

Why am I reminded so distinctly of the WKRP turkey debacle? :)

"As God is my witness, I swear I thought turkeys could fly."

Here are some more pics of the traffic mess.

http://lpe.ajc.com/gallery/view/metro/0407/sixflags/*** This post was edited by Crashmando 4/6/2007 1:05:10 PM ***

Six Flags is officially open! First Fights of the year!
People really are fighting to get in there! and to think Cedar Point claims to be number one with no fist fights to back it up. (just kidding)

This should have been done like Ozz-"free"-fest is being done this year. People seem to forget, humans ARE animals lol.
*** This post was edited by P18 4/6/2007 5:39:55 PM ***

If you ask to throw a party at my house and tell me 20 people are showing up and I agree to it - your guests can't get pissed when 200 show up and I can't accomodate them.

I don't know about "pissed." But if you own a multimillion dollar home with fixed capital entities (rides) and you throw a "free" Snoop Dog/GWAR concert at your home...we would be free to question your judgement...wouldn't we?

Did anybody see what happened out here in Vegas over the NBA All-Star weekend? Half the stuff never made national news...but people DIED due to poor planning and poor judgment by our city officials.

This is a societal issue in general as far as poor behavior. Stipid business decisions are generally consistent with the Six Flags name. Jeff nailed this one. Why in God's green earth would you want bunch of cheap people at your park?

This incident drove away a percentage more of that "family" crowd we ALWAYS hear them begging for.

Radio station/Six Flags/City of Atlanta...all dropped the ball on this one. At least people did no die like they did in my hometown!

*** This post was edited by Jeffrey R Smith 4/6/2007 7:01:19 PM ***

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I don't know about "pissed." But if you own a multimillion dollar home with fixed capital entities (rides) and you throw a "free" Snoop Dog/GWAR concert at your home...we would be free to question your judgement...wouldn't we?

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Not if I didn't throw the concert.

That's the distinction that seems to be lost here.

So Snoop Dogg/GWAR promoters come to me and say we want to do a free concert event at your multimillion dollar, fixed capital entity home and I agree with the condition that they're in charge of the event and all promotion and details - my home is merely the chosen site for the event. It holds X number of people and has these ammenties and capabilities as a concert venue is understood. Now it's out of my hands and I trust the concert promoters to have their sh!t together. It's not my concert to promote, I've communicated the limitations and the offer to the promoters.

For the next couple of weeks there are commercials, ads and whatnot all over town hyping the free concert at lovely Gonch manor. Everyone who shows up by 7pm gets in free!

It's not my fault when they don't plan appropriately and more people show up than my home holds and wackiness ensues. Could I be liable for things that happen on my property? Of course. Is it my fault things got so far out of hand? Not even close.

Everyone just seems to ignore th difference between 'promotion coordinators' and 'promotion venue' - big difference! SF did nothing here but allow Q100 to use their park for their promotion (and I would presume established the limitations up front) - Q100 dropped the ball.

I know everyone likes to hate on Six Flags, but it was essentially a buyout by a radio station. It's a private event where the park gave them a predetermined limit on the number of entries. That limit was said to be 3,000. Six Flags presumably staffed the park for an expected crowd of that number.

So why the hell would the station just make it a free-for-all? Did they seriously think that fewer than 3,000 people would show up? Why wasn't this a call-in promo?

Six Flags did the right thing and let what was probably 10-times the number of people in to the park than what they originally contracted for. They should be commended for not making this fiasco worse.

You can't put 10 pounds of potatoes in a 5 pound sack. They had to cut it off somewhere.

Thank you. :)

Lets not forget that 75% of the "people" you are seeing in interviews and in photos are not even old enough to drive to the park... so how did they get to the park? By the ones who are really at fault, TERRIBLE parents. I for one would not allow my 10 - 15 year old got to a Snoop Dog concert, or even listen to that sh*t. As well I would not expect Six Flags to babysit my child for free, whilst I go out and do things quite unsavory. There is a huge social issue, but that makes me realize why others in the world hate America, with our behavior we look like a bunch of a**es.

.....and the man in the back said:
EVERYONE ATTACK!
and we turned into a Ballroom Blitz
ballroom blitz!
;)

If Six Flags is goning to protect their image, they need to have some policy to control the crowds and keep the wrong elements out. This park is located very close to inner city neighborhoods where potential problems can be created.

They should remember what happened at Lake Winnie. Six Flags isn't going to bar unaccompanied teens but they have to make sure that if they come, they will be there for the right reasons (and that includes both having good fun and spending money).

Radio stations also have to be careful about their promotions so that they don't backfire. Once a radio promotion in Pittsburgh caused over 100, 000 phone calls to be made at almost the same time, crashing the local phone system.

*** This post was edited by Arthur Bahl 4/7/2007 11:22:48 AM ***

hey Arthur, I agree with you about Lake Winnie and SF should do the same have a limit to the age that they can get in alone without thier parents. I saw the photos of the teens getting out of their parents' cars on the interstate and the parents are using the park as a babysitter. It's the parent's fault for doing that more than SF. There have been fights and line-breakers and most of them are teens. IT's time that SF gets real and not allow kids get into the park without a parent or guardian.