History of the kiddie pen and lift advertising on Top Gun @ PKI?

When I rode TG two weeks ago, I noticed that the ride operator put a bunch of little kids into a "kiddie pen" before we dispatched. I thought is was a really great idea, instead of the parent swap that many parks have. Is this something relatively new, or has it always been part of the station? Top Gun is also the first time I've ever heard an advertisement (it was for a Gillette [sponsor of ride] Mach III razor) going up the lift.

Could this be the scary future of corporate parks? Just imagine going up the lift of a hypercoaster and being subjected to a pharmacutical ad including all of the nasty side effects. Mark Shapiro of Six Flags has already talked about naming rights. Can verbal ads on rides be too far away? It was bad enough when ski resorts started putting an ad on every lift pole years ago.

It also holds big kids. ;)

That is hilarious!

PKI has the "penalty boxes" on almost all of its major coasters. Has had them for years.

--Dave Althoff, Jr.

I sort of remember seeing one at the Grizzley at Great America. The idea isn't new.

The irony of course being the castrated profile in order to make it family friendly.

*** Edited 6/28/2006 6:57:51 PM UTC by janfrederick***

I thought that corporate sponsorship wasn't all that new. Wasn't there a water ride at CP that was sponsored by Nestea years ago?

You would be referring to the Mill Race log flume. I believe it was briefly known as the Nestea Plunge back in the 70's.

Tom

Beast has had one for several years, SOB was built with one.

Strangly a friend of mine before accepting the anti onride footage movment was put in one and called it THE PENALTY BOX. He was given a strong lecture by PKI security in the kiddy pen.

As for advertising, I got no problem with a ride being sponsored. Meaning a sign saying sponsored by Gillette or whatever.

However, I goto amusement parks to excape the real world, To me I already pay to ride the rides. I shouldn't have to watch or hear a comercial before it. I call movie theaters and ask them what actual start time of the film is because i don't wanna watch a half hour of commerials for this that and the other. Why'd I go to the theater to begin with?

Chuck, who knows parks can save money on landscaping and such by putting a tractor display, Save on vehicles by having a chevy display ect and sees nothing wrong with that, But I will say advertising being a nuisance to guest is something parks should avoid.

The only corporate name at SFKK so far is the Orville Redenbacher Six Flags Ampitheater, and it's not even on signs yet. Most people call it the Looney Toons Ampitheater. There is, however, a LOT of DC Comics/Looney Toons theming (for example, instead of buying a Flash Pass you now buy a _The Flash_ Pass. *** Edited 6/30/2006 3:41:37 AM UTC by ClarkKentuckyKingdom***

Top Gun has been sponsored by Gillette for many years now. I have never heard of an audio spiel on the lift before though. It used to be immediately after a train pulls into the brake run. Something along the lines of "Gillette Mach 3 hopes you enjoyed your ride on Top Gun." What made it more dumb was that you couldn't really hear it while riding, just while in line, and due to TG's short cycle time, you heard it over and over.