letter to editor attacks SFWoA
Koaster King said:
People should know what to expect from a park and no go blindly to it. If SFWOA doesn't have whales, go to the ocean or go to a real SeaWorld park in Florida. It's not like SF should care since it isn't competition with WOA. Good deal.
Um...okay??? You claim that people who don't like the whaleless situation should just go elsewhere, and then claim those other places aren't competition for SFWoA. How, exactly, do you figure? If you're telling people to go elsewhere, it's competition. If people go elsewhere for a similar (albeit better) service then it's competition. While people probably would not normally have to decide between going to, say, SeaWorld Orlando or SFWoA, if people *are* considering such a choice, then the two parks *are* in competition. That's the definition of competition. I don't know how you could attempt to pass off such a ridiculously contradictory claim.
While I don't think SFWoA is the hell on earth many seem to (that would be the Montreal and Kentucky parks), SFWoA definitely has some major issues to improve upon. However, there are larger issues at fault for the park's failure to reach its projected attendance goals.
-Nate
I'll admit to having great days at WoA, but I've also seen the park at it's worse. I'll also admit that they did a lot better this past year than the past two years. But why do you think there aren't any lines at the park? It's because people don't want to go there and be raped every time they turn the corner. They've been there, done that and didn't like it.
As Jeff said, CP and PKI have had increases in their attendance the last two years while WoA has taken a pretty big beating. Yes CP and PKI have had better additions as far as rides go the past couple years, but they also have kept their park operations and guest relations top notch. Now if you want to think that WoA has comparable guest relations, ride up-time, cleaniness, food and employees, that's your perogative and right, but I'll bet most people (GP) would think otherwise and the GP is where the money is.
Not every park it perfect, but if the effort isn't there (which is wasn't at WoA the past couple years) people are not going to return or visit if they've heard bad things from others who had a bad visit. Word of mouth can hurt just as easily as it can help.
1ej
-----------
I feel fantastic. *** Edited 1/2/2004 3:16:40 AM UTC by Craig the Coaster Freak***
In operations and ride uptime, I don't think and have never said they could even hold a candle to PKI and CP. That's completely fabricated by yourself from what I originally said. I have found cleanliness to be about equal at all three and if there's a random piece of trash here and there (like I've seen with all of them), it's excusable since it could likely have been dropped there recently. Food and employees are definitely better at PKI and CP. I was noting SFWOA's as being acceptable and nothing more. All that I want everyone to realize (those who haven't been there since 2001 or 2002) is that I've seen improvement and maybe they're changing for the better. What I saw this year and what the GP saw this year isn't reflected in the attendance. 01-02 and the additions for 2003 and competition from CP with adding TTD reflects that. Fair?
-Danny
Only 4.7 Billion gallons of water flowed over Niagara Falls in the 6-7PM hour this evening compared to the normal 5 billion per hour that normally flows. Analysts perdict at the current rate Niagara Falls will be no more than a measily home shower within the next 5 years. Deatails at 11.
1ej
Who's consumption of a 20 oz. bottle of water makes him a water expert.
*** Edited 1/2/2004 3:29:02 AM UTC by 1EyedJack***
Many employees are very hard working at that park but the morale starts to drop when the department gets budget cuts and little respect for a job well done. My crew kept with it very well in my opinion but the magic starts to fade when the person in charge of the place remains isolated in his office and is completly delusuional to what happens on the midways.
-Bigkirby
Fate is the path of least resistance.
Craig the Coaster Freak said:
No offense, but I have to believe an established amusement industry magazine over your personal observations. Unless you are an expert in that field somehow, I'll believe Amusement Business.-----------
I still have a betamax VCR I bought in the early 80s, becuase some analyst who doubled as a sale person told me that VHS wouldnt last. It was a Sony, how could you go wrong??
You have to take what you read with a grain of salt. I have AOL uses sending me hoax E-mail and IMs all the time. If they read it somewhere, it HAS to be true!! I still want to know who this analyst is, and where he got his figures from.
1ej
Ant' - being stoopid!
Fate is the path of least resistance.
*None* of my comments are personal, so please don't take them that way and I don't take any as personal either. Well, maybe yours Lori (;)). We're talking about parks, not world peace here.
-Danny
Craig the Coaster Freak said:
No offense, but I have to believe an established amusement industry magazine over your personal observations. Unless you are an expert in that field somehow, I'll believe Amusement Business.-----------
According to the IRAA, they are loosing MILLIONS and MILLIONS of dollars on illegally copied music. THat is from a horses analyst sitting behind a desk who is not in the field.
http://svenrox.com/b2/b2print.php?p=2113
Awful darn funny CD sales are up 8% when you get the TRUE FIGURES.
http://www.azoz.com/music/features/0008.html
If I read it... It MUST be true!!!
http://www.wired.com/news/business/0,1367,35848,00.html *** Edited 1/2/2004 4:01:17 AM UTC by 1EyedJack***
I just find it funny that some people read one comment "To an editor" and they think it represents the public as a whole. It seems to me very well that this is indeed a coaster enthusiasts insider (or maybe someone from this site) due to some of the comments in it that "normal peeps" wouldn't notice or compare, or comment on ;) Either way I don't take editor notes with a grain of salt good or bad. I say, "That's nice. Get a life. And move on."
Moving on.
"The Future of Roller CoasterS"
-RollerCoasterGod
*** Edited 1/2/2004 4:21:13 AM UTC by RollerCoasterGod***
The problems of the first few Six Flags years has reached much further into the future than the park expected. I believe that a lot of others have had the same negative experiences that I have had and have decided not to go back as well. They need to be straight with the public and say,"We admit that we have screwed up in the past and we are willing to try harder."
I wish the park well, but I don't really care to go back. I will go to a park that treats me and my party right, even if it is another SF park.
I only rant about SFWOA about once a year. Forgive me if I sound like an angry butthole. Let me state that although I've worked for CP in the past, I don't consider it one of my favorites. I MUCH prefer PKI, so please do not feel that I am comparing CP to WOA.
It couldn't have anything to do with the fact that both market to Columbus, could it?
Koaster King said:
Since when is SFWOA in competition with PKI?
1Eye... AB is a respected industry trade rag. Journalists who work on trade rags are not beat reporters for small town papers. They know their industries and have a great deal of integrity. I know because I've worked with them.
I also know that AB's estimate for the park was too high. That I know to be fact. The industry is a very small community, and word gets around.
I agree with others that it's a tired debate, but I don't know why people are so quick to come to the park's defense. It doesn't change the reality of the situation.
Jeff - Editor - CoasterBuzz.com - My Blog
Jeff said:
1Eye... AB is a respected industry trade rag. Journalists who work on trade rags are not beat reporters for small town papers. They know their industries and have a great deal of integrity. I know because I've worked with them.The IRAA is supposed to know what is going on with CD sales too, but it is odvious they dont.
-Danny
Why don't we hear anything?
Pull the patch off your good eye already!
-CO
NOTE: Severe fecal impaction may render the above words highly debatable.
From my experience working at the park, there were problems that I saw firsthand: not enough employees to staff rides, trash not being picked up in a timely fashion, rides not running (Iron Eagle from July on, and Typhoon Seacoaster until August), not to mention rides not being run to capacity such as Batwing which is still plagued with problems (cross your fingers for this year). The problems of a park like SFWOA could spread like a disease, if someone doesn't step in and make drastic changes. And, if they could make drastic changes, they need to be upfront like other businesses and put up an "Under New Management" sign. I can dream.
bigkirby said:
As an employee of Worlds of Adventure, I can say without a doubt that I love the park. But there is a severe gap between the GM (who absolutly refuses to talk to guests or employees below fulltime) and the rest of the staff. It can be very disheartening to see the place you care about fail because of poor desicions at the top.Many employees are very hard working at that park but the morale starts to drop when the department gets budget cuts and little respect for a job well done. My crew kept with it very well in my opinion but the magic starts to fade when the person in charge of the place remains isolated in his office and is completly delusuional to what happens on the midways.
If that's true then that is one of the most horrible things I've ever heard! GMs are supposed to be people persons who are out and about supporting their staff and greeting their customers. I've seen many GMs (not just at amusement parks) working in very low positions and talking to customers. That alone definitely can attribute some of the park's problems. *** Edited 1/2/2004 5:35:14 AM UTC by Cameraman***
You must be logged in to post
