Michigan's Adventure 2015 ERT disappearing

Checking out the season pass benefits for MI Adventure this year and the ERT seems pretty lame. There is no early entry for any rides except for the Funnel of Fear in the water park and the kid's Beach Party, and those are only on 6 select days of the season. I guess it didn't seem worth their while to continue opening a couple rides just a half an hour early. I realize ERT is a perk that they don't have to provide, but last year was really great when they did, so I'm a bit disappointed.

Market can't support it. ;)

This doesn't surprise me. I've been there twice, and there was barely a line for any of the dry rides while the water park was open. You can get on all the rides many times without ERT, so what's the point? A better passholder perk would be fast pass to the tornado shelters. ;)

Nicole Wood said:

I guess it didn't seem worth their while to continue opening a couple rides just a half an hour early.

Or maybe it seemed worth their while to offer ERT on attractions that would attract the most interest across their season pass holder base.

Or maybe, just maybe, they're doing it so they can raise ticket prices again.

If they don't raise prices, they won't be able to not install the RMC Tight-Whitey Twister coaster.

Anything that disappears at a Cedar Fair park can usually be found at Dorney the following year.

Another dig at Dorney, a park I like a lot - except for the excessively restrictive policy on re-rides. But why get rid of Hang Time? I understand that it was getting old; still, as of last season it was operating well and was far superior to the lame top spin ride at Great Adventure. I thought that Hang Time was the best flat ride in the park and will miss it a lot.

We were there in July last year.

Granted, I'm a Floridian and all, but it wasn't even warm enough for waterpark rides until after noon...pretty much from 1-4pm. The waterpark did look nice, but seriously, it was JULY.

The only ERT that MIA could offer that would excite me would be some nighttime Timbers....

Mid(night)-Timbers even.

rollergator said:

Granted, I'm a Floridian and all...

Well, there's your problem. That pretty much disqualifies you from a lot of things.

Bobbie1951 said:

I thought that Hang Time was the best flat ride in the park and will miss it a lot.

Did they get rid of Meteor? That one got my vote. Top spins suck in general because parks never run them to their full potential. You'd get like two flips and the cycle would be over.

Lord Gonchar said:

rollergator said:

Granted, I'm a Floridian and all...

Well, there's your problem. That pretty much disqualifies you from a lot of things.

Except downright kookiness.

bjames said:

Bobbie1951 said:

I thought that Hang Time was the best flat ride in the park and will miss it a lot.

Did they get rid of Meteor? That one got my vote. Top spins suck in general because parks never run them to their full potential. You'd get like two flips and the cycle would be over.

Meteor's still there, thankfully. My favorite flat in the park.

rollergator said:

The only ERT that MIA could offer that would excite me would be some nighttime Timbers....

Mid(night)-Timbers even.

Except that due to local noise ordinances, they can not operate that late. (or so I've been told)

BJames said:
Top spins suck in general because parks never run them to their full potential. You'd get like two flips and the cycle would be over.

Darien Lake's Top Spin used to be insane. They would run a cycle that would get a couple good flips and hang you upside down, then park the ride. The ride op would say it's about to get intense and ask if anyone wanted to get off the ride. They would then run a second, shorter cycle but there was a part where the bench would flip 6-8 times consecutively. That ride literally turned my wife green...

Now the Top Spin at Darien Lake barely runs at all, they have a 198lb weight limit (any other Top Spins have that?) and the cycle is short, barely flips, and has only a couple spots where they even lock the bench.

On the topic of ERT at MA. I don't think it is needed for the dry rides. However, if they were to open the water park an hour earlier for season pass holders, that might raise the sale of MA's season pass sales, and Platinum pass holders who visit the other parks might like it as well. As, it might give them a reason to want to visit. (Very slim though)

I think it is more a question of staffing and crowd control. I don't think MA would have the desire to staff special ride sessions at the water park. A majority of the park's regular visitors get there an hour before the water park opens, and ride the rides first, then go to the water park. I think it would be very similar to what happened to me at Cedar Point, where they just open everything on those days early for everyone, and don't bother to check for pass holders. Then there would be no reason to have special staffing. (though it's very unfair to people who expected it to be a good deal.)

Not having the perk, might also boost the sales of their fast lane tickets. Which are a complete waste of Money at MA if you ask me. Spending big bucks to wait 15 to 20 minutes less then normal, has to be the spoils of someone who hates to wait. The type of person who screams at their Microwave while it takes a minute to boil water.

I'm sure that rides that might get early ERT might be good for pass holders if it was actually observed by park employees. but, I would bet that it won't be. If it is anything like Cedar Point was, the early ERT would just result in longer lines for the popular rides from the get go. But, MA is not like Cedar Point, you will probably wait less time by going to the more popular rides during the middle of the day, or to the water park just a few hours before it closes. At that time most people have had their fill of the slides, and start heading to the rides, which usually have longer lines toward the end of the day. The best time to ride the rides is between 1 and 4, while everyone else is mobbing the water park.

Timber-Rider said:

Spending big bucks to wait 15 to 20 minutes less then normal, has to be the spoils of someone who hates to wait.

Pretty much.

Pretty smart of the park to take advantage of the someones who hate to wait.

I'd say that the parks are more taking advantage of the people who have to wait, by giving them a longer wait because they didn't pay more.

And if those who are waiting on line used a season pass to enter the park, they chose to spend more money upfront on a pass rather than wait and buy a ticket at the gate for each visit. Six of one....

You know what's just as sucky as Michigans Adventures? Beating dead horses.