Hmmm Nobody went to great America this year?

I haven't been to a park in a few years. None this year at all, so far. I went to Camelbeach waterpark in PA last year, and it was great. I went to PPP at Knoebels the year before that, and it was a very crowded six hours, running back and forth to the car to get my friend's costume for the freekin' parade, kind of time.

The year before that? One day at Hersheypark. So 2014 was the last satisfying amusement park trip I have had.

I tell kids all the time, get good grades and figure out what you want to do in life. And always have a plan B. And use common sense. I was supposed to be a rock star. I didn't realize how much I relied on my band mates to get me there. When the band broke up, it killed me. I had to figure out who I really was after that, and twenty years later, I'm not so sure I have yet.

I have forgiven them, so that's a step in the right direction.

So I do a really good job at the Service Desk at Walmart. Walmart is a terrible company to work for. They keep you there by filling you with fantasies of moving up in the company. Maybe 2% of their employees ever get past entry level.

Hopefully when I finish writing my book, I'll find a publisher and sell more than a few hundred copies. I should be writing right now.

From the musical Falsettos:

"Life is never what you planned
Life is moments you can't understand"

To echo what Travis said^^, where you start and where you end up are not always the same. Thirty years ago, I was expecting to end up working in an advertising agency. Today, I work in a theater box office, and am grateful that I'm in a place that embraces my eccentricities, and get to exercise my creative chops designing and writing event fliers for ACE.

I am certainly not doing what I had originally planned or being paid accordingly but at least the schedule is good, the commute is short and the dress code is casual. My coworkers are pleasant and appreciative. Nobody is trying to beat me up this year either that's a definite plus.

I was shocked too. The fair grandstand can hold up to 19,000 people. It was packed full for the kiss/motley crue and Carrie Underwood, but it was only about 1/5 used for foxworthy and the cable guy.

There was also a lot of space that was left unused. It was nice to not have to dodge the crowds, and managed to have a decent time. The only thing I am regretting is riding the carnivals rainbow ride. Boring and jittery. Really messed up my back.

Sarcasm is clearly lost on you.

Our state fair concert venue holds 10,000. Some shows are sell-outs and some aren't. Fairs try to book a variety of acts that appeal to a broad range of customers. And who shows up any particular evening with show tickets drives other businesses at the fair as well. For instance, we, as food vendors, watch the schedule and beef up on items that we know will appeal to the concert goers that day.
So rock bands and country singers sell out in Michigan. Country bumpkin comedians don't. But they do well in Branson and Pigeon Forge, so it's all good, and there's nothing shocking about it. Somebody, somewhere on your fairgrounds did well because Foxworthy fans were there, though.

I am continually amazed that folks don't get that a venue can sell just a portion of the seats and still make a profit.

I used to go until it started getting bad/unsafe around the early 2000's. Lots of fights; colossal lines, dirty park. Back in 2013; a friend told me the park had rebounded, still long lines, but the packs of unruly teens/gangs, had been weeded out; security vastly improved, line jumping eliminated, and cleanliness of the park did a 180.

Unfortunately since then; I've seen it slipping right back again. This summer; lots of line jumping, no repercussions. Long, inexplicable lines for food (it's not made to order, you put slice of pizza on plate and serve); monstrous lines just to get in the park, long queues for just about every ride in the park, cleanliness shot down (especially in the restrooms), and the load times are atrocious. I timed Goliath, Raging Bull and XFlight on several occasions, Goliath averaged 3 minutes, XFlight 4 1/2, and Raging Bull 2:45....But too often there are times well exceeding these....Father's Day, Goliath AVERAGED 6 minutes load time, and Raging Bull 5 (went Mother's Day too, only timed Goliath, it ran around 5:25),

Finally, seen lots of "kids" (they look like high school or college age) spitting at riders below them. I complained, and got the response "Well it happens", you'd never get that response at a Cedar Fair, Seaworld or Hershey (Admittedly I haven't been to EVERY Cedar Fair park, but I did 6 this year, and saw at least 1 person escorted out of the park for either unruly behavior or line jumping. Also went to Busch Gardens and didn't see this kind of behavior, period, did see some rude, shouting teens at Hershey, but Security gave them a warning, and they pretty much toned it down significantly).

2018 will be a hiatus year from Six Flags for me, as I see it chain wide problem, (visited SF StLouis, SF Great Adventure and SF America this year as well, and saw same types of problems as SFGA)

Old news, But need to respond to Tbone chop on unruly guests at Cedar Point.

Don't walk directly under the cable cars. Teens spit on you, throw pennies, and have had an entire slushy rain down on my friend and I while taking pictures of the Raptor.

And don't forget about the gum trees around the former mantis, and in the magnum queue. Kids also spit off the swings. And love to play the pushing and shoving game in the queues.

But, the worst crowds I ever saw were at Geauga Lake before six flags. Gangs of thug white trash kids causing all kinds of trouble, calling people names, and acting like complete idiots on rides.
Like moving from seat to seat while a ride is in motion on the himalaya.

Throwing pennies at people, and getting right in your space. One kid tried to crawl into my seat on their falling star type ride, while the ride was moving.

I told him, try it buddy, I will throw you over the edge. Just really bad. But, when six flags took over, the white trash ghetto just disappeared. And under Cedar Fair it was very nice there too. But better under six flags.

Timber-Rider said:

But, when six flags took over, the white trash ghetto just disappeared. And under Cedar Fair it was very nice there too. But better under six flags.

I guess they didn't buy it to close it after all. The white trash ghetto stopped coming. Conspiracy over.

T-R, you should write sketch comedies based upon your experiences at parks and out them on YouTube. You could put a new one out every week - and you could use the sad trombone sound like Debbie Downer and look at the camera every time something happens.

Now Josh... that niche has already been filled. Did no one call ahead to let you know it was coming?