More Alcohol at Parks Please and Thanks BGT

I dont think anyone's mentioned it yet, but another park that does not sell alcohol is Kennywood. I kinda wish they did, it would help their attendance, I know of several people that shy on going to the park because they dont sell alcohol, sad as that is.

Amusement/theme parks---even those that sell liquor readily---rarely seem to have many obviously drunk patrons. I'm not entirely sure why. Possibly because drunkenness is not conducive to walking around in all that heat and spinning/dropping/flipping. Maybe because beers are too expensive to drink six of them. On the other hand, at a typical Michigan home football game, where alcohol is not sold at all, there is at least one (and usually more than one) obnoxious drunk within earshot of my seat, even on the hot early fall days.

I have to agree with RollerCoasterGod on this one. I think with the direction this industry is going in the area of safety, this topic could eventually come into play. You never want to downplay any situation, even if it could possibly only happen once or twice every few years. If an incident does happen, it's very difficult to legally push the blame off the park, even if it is quite obvious that the patron is truly at fault. Injuries look bad on the park regardless. There's no way to get around that. It may take a while, but I'm sure this issue will come up. I know BGT is experimenting with the 2 beer ticket rule. They may see that this could be a possible issue and choose to neglect this. Only time will tell. *** Edited 7/31/2004 10:25:58 PM UTC by Jon Smith***

Yeah, but you're not basing this on any data at all. Like I said, show me where amusement park accidents have been caused by guest consumption of alcohol. If you can't do that (and you can't), then you're introducing a solution for a non-existent problem.

Also, with regards to the thing about it being a "family" oriented place, I can't remember a family gathering ever in my life where we didn't have alcohol. Does that make my family anti-family or immoral?

As hard as it is for some people to believe, alcohol is not consumed only for the purpose of getting blasted, and on any given day I can assure you that there are more disrespectful and obnoxious teenagers at a park than there are obnoxious drunks. Maybe we should ban them instead.

(Disclaimer: I don't have anything against teens, seeing as how I coach them and all. I'm only making a point for perspective's sake.) *** Edited 8/1/2004 1:02:53 AM UTC by Jeff***

Banning obnoxious teenagers? <raising drink> HERE, HERE! ;)

As for a non existent problem? I'll quote the following from U.S. News and World Repor "Fatal Attractions", Sept. 13, 1999 in reguards to theme park safety. "75%-90% of accidents are caused by horseplay, alcohol, or stupidity on the part of riders."

So yes, alcohol is stated as a factor. There is no exact percent, I give anyone that, but if there is a percent, then there is a problem.

Just because you had alcohol at a family gathering dosen't make you immoral or anti-family. Heck, I'm all for having parties like that. Again a theme park is a different place than a family gathering...unless of course your at the park.

No one has said anyone is better just because someone drinks and they don't.

The point is. The norm of this nation doesn't drink alcohol. The norm of the U.S.A doesn't drink alcohol at theme parks. The norm does in Europe.

Wether we "the norm" or we the "not the norm" like it, theme parks have to constantly adjust for the "the norm." Like I said, changes are coming, and in the end, it's all about protecting theme parks and riders safety.

I agree most can drink responsible.

It just takes less than 1% to mess that up. Same thing it takes that 1% of teenagers to give the others a bad rap.

I hope stuff doesn't ever happen. But at the same time, if a parks don't take pretective measures to stop them. Then when they do happen, people will cry foul...as they almost always do.

As for one ride/situation of the top of my head. Does anyone have any record of any alcohol envolved on Black Monday down at PKI? Correct me if I'm wrong, but wasn't alcohol PARTLY to blame for the one lady? I was also wondering about Grad night down there at PKI? I think there were also a few incdents down there envolving alcohol a while back?

I'm also wondering what has some Ohio parks done to toughen up some of the drinking rules. If anyone has noticed the progression over the past couple of years.

I have enjoyed reading everyone's posts on this interesting thread. The thing I love about Cedar Point(my home park) is that you can carry your beer around the park with you. While visiting PKI we were shocked that you couldn't do that. You basically had to drink the beer where you bought it, which boiled down to not being able to drink and smoke a cigarette at the same time. I brought that up because my buddy was agog at the thought of not being able to do both at the same time. BGW had really great beer. BGW had really great everything, actually. ;)
The bottom line is I will have a few beers while at a park that sells it. I know how many hours it takes for my body to process the alcohol so I know when to stop if I am driving. An expensive DUI isn't on my list of possibilites. On those rare instances when I am not driving I will have a few more. Riding a coaster( which by the way is not operating a "Machine") with a buzz is fun. Coaster buzz. :)

I agree with Jeff; I have never heard of a ride accident that was alcohol related. I suppose every now and then you will get a drunk who is out of control, but that's what security is for.

That's a broad generalization. Give me hard facts. Heck, give me an example of one injury that was alcohol related and the real cause of the injury. While the rider on the KI Flight Commander might have been drunk, it was a flaw in the restraint that led to fall.

"The norm of this nation doesn't drink alcohol" is the single most ridiculous thing I've ever heard you say, especially given that you did or do work at a restaurant, an Italian restaurant at that! A 2003 Gallup poll showed that 60% of Americans "occasionally" consume alcohol. So much for your "norm" theory.

Normal America is so abstract anyhow. Don't speak for the "Vast Majority" you don't belong to, God.

I live in the bible belt, and yes, there are alot that don't drink here. But they're not the majority. And as for Riding coasters drunk vs. operating machinery drunk, the person operating the ride is (very likely) sober. That is as stupid an argument as I've ever heard on this board. Its no different than riding home drunk from a bar in a taxi driven by someone sobre. Before you make an argument, make sure its logical.

Now for my POV. I'm glad things are the way they are at parks. I think Malibu is stressing too much about a non issue. Theme parks don't need drunks. That being said, the people that I see at parks drinking are rarely drunk. If you can't party without alcohol(and don't even try that "Its a gay thing", I can bet I am aquaintenced(sp?) with just as many gay people as you, and I've never ever seen that, then you have some type of problem. I'm not saying you have a drinking problem, but if you have to have alcohol to have fun at a park, then something may need to be looked at there, but thats just my humble opinion.

I don't drink @ parks (or atleast I haven't), but I won't rule it out as ever happening. I've not been to a Busch park as of yet, though. But I'm glad that parks do regulate alcohol the way they do. I'm not saying that if there were more places that served alcohol then we'd have more drunks at parks, but its a possibility. I go to escape the Drunks, Druggies, Thugs, Pimps, and Hos around here, not have them follow me to a park.

Disclaimer: This opinion was soley stated as my own and does not speak for anybody else, but you can agree with me if you want.:)

Superman after a smoke in the parking lot = *SUPER* MAN! I was flying high...

As for drinking, the guy with the page long Redundant BS has no valid points. Beers are so over-priced that no one really gets Hammer Red anyways.

Is tailgating legal at amusement parks?

If everyone would just smoke, and stop worrying about beer. Everyone would just be so much more happier. ;) Peace, Love, and all that!!!

I willa appologize to Jeff and others for saying the norm doesn't drink alcohol. By me saying that is sounds like they never drink. I want to be mor clear by saying they don't drink regularly.

I can say what I say, because I'm in pretty good postion.

As Jeff stated. I have started out working for the number one restaurant overall in the U.S.A. according to Restaurant magazine, which covers every type of chain food establishment in the U.S.A.

I now currently work for Brinker. Who has a HUGE HUGE stake in a lot of this. I train GM's and write the books for Brinker restaurants on Customer Service, and my home store is in Ohio (stop by and say hi :) ) Anyway, I also just graduate with a Mech. Eng. degree and am also making the transition from Restaurant customer service into the theme park world and merging the two (hence the passion of these subjects.) So try to not to take offense to anything, it's all in clean fun.

Now as for figures in Alcohol. According to Brinker. Average restaurants (in general) make 400% profit when you buy non-beer alcohol. Just check the prices at your local grocery store compared to your favorite restaurant. Almost anyone that can pull that off it seems like a no brainer if you're looking to make money.

Now I can also tell you Brinker spends Millions of dollars fighting over stupid lawsuits, including Alcohol related ones. From talking to MANY people, I can assure you this is the norm for many large companies that sell alcohol. Hence why I would put many large parks into this category. And without seeing their actual paperwork. You have to assume that they have the same situation...especially with as easy of a target theme parks are now a days.

I can also tell you that our latest polls show that 40% of Brinker's Guest in the nation (which is a heck of a lot of people considering they also own Chiles) drink alcohol...hence that's where my numbers come from. If the "norm" all drank, it would make the servers job a HECK of a lot easier. Mind you with the occasitional drink as Jeff mentioned, everyone has to take in account where, when, and time (ie, after work, dinner, at night, etc.)

Not trying to be rude, but doesn't it make sense that if the "norm" drank (especially at amusement parks) we would see A LOT more "bars" popping up all over the midways. Instead, we see the roughly the opposite. And my above posts I state why I believe that.

At the rate people are refusing to be responsible for their own actions, it falls on the park. I think big parks still have enough money to protect themselves, but for how long can they and the little guys last?
*** Edited 8/1/2004 6:40:34 AM UTC by RollerCoasterGod***

First off, that long post has what to do with Alcohol @ parks?

Second, the reason you don't see Bars popping up all over the midway is for the same reason as you don't see only Coasters @ amusment parks. Its called Moderation. It has nothing to do with the norm. If drinking wasn't the norm, then every gas station that sells beverages in WV would not sell alcohol.

But as has been stated before, Most parks have alcohol readily available. They just don't want people drunk all over the parks, with good reason.

Saying that Brinkers "only" has 40% drink dosen't mean anything. People kill me when they say majority of such and such companies do this, so that must be the way america is as a whole. I live in a state where alot of people don't leave(and I can say that because I know most of my family;), WV. They can't afford "Middle" to "Upper" class resturaunts that serve alcohol. State Statistics show that Employeement rate is low, economy is low, and wellfare is high. Guess what, there are alot of other states that are the same.

Just because a company has a large or a little amt of people doing something only reflects their "target audience", not "the norm" of america, bub.

Sometimes you have to admit when you are wrong.

Note: Admitting you are wrong doesn't mean that you should give an unnecessarily long post full of garbage that doesn't apply to what we are talking about.

As for Tekno's above very last statemtent...And people said that about Walmart before they took over the world too. And what's their stance on alcohol ;)

When leaders/companies succeed, people follow. That's a way of life. If someone doesn't believe that, then they need take business 101

Again 40% of a couple hundred million is a pretty freakn' good idea of Americans.

Don't even get me started on the Welfare and Alcohol debate ;) j/k

***edit: as for those who don't know what a couple of us are saying in some posts....keep up with the lively debate with responses from the above posts ;) *** Edited 8/1/2004 6:43:44 AM UTC by RollerCoasterGod***

My problem with alcohol in the parks isn't really a problem with alcohol at all. My agenda is entirely different. I'm often annoyed at the hypocrisy in this country when it comes to 'legal' vs 'illegal' drugs.

My problem is that one drug is perfectly acceptable, a staple of the economy and treated as a joke while other much less dangerous drugs are criminalized.

I'm just jealous that my drugs of choice aren't sold at the parks, let alone legal :)

And even with my fondness for certain inhaled plants, my theme park experience while under the influence of aforementioned drugs of choice is very limited.

Although one of my funniest park experiences came courtesy of one of those times. I'll leave out names to protect the innocent, but while riding a certain S&S tower ride with a friend who is all "dark, kind of brooding, quiet, psuedo-intellectual, into techno-goth, that sort of thing." We reached the top of the drop side and while waiting to drop, he kind of started watching the other side and focusing on the air noises. Just zoning in general. Suddenly we dropped and this guy screams totally like a teenage girl. All high pitched and piercing. One of those "my sides hurt" laughing frenzies followed.

...maybe you need to know the guy, but I'm chuckling just thinking about it.

I dunno, I've never been of the "need beer (or fill in the blank with whatever) to have a good time" sort of person. The only time I've ever had a drink at a park was HHN at IOA, and that was still just one. I had to try their "embalming fluid" - who could pass that up?

Even the handful of times I've been in a park under the influence of any substance, it's not necessarily more fun - just 'different'.

And nowadays I have the kids with me practically 24/7 - especially as far as park trips go. I am one who doesn't mix and drugs (alcohol included) with the kids. There's something entirely wrong (my opinion) with getting buzzed around your children in any capacity. If I need 'adult time', I have to wait until I'm sans children for an extended period...then the gloves come off :)

Ya want to talk about Wal-Mart and alcohol? I worked there for 4 years. Wal-Mart sells Beer, wine, and malt liquor. They have been thinking about adding a liquor dept as well. Infact, they thought about it alot lately, this coming from their new CEO of the last couple of years.

But when you're focused on building a few houndred Wal-Marts around the world a week, and then have to go back and apply for liquor licenses (and fight for them, its very hard to get them in some states, and of course there are ABC stores in other states so that they are the only ones that sell it), then it becomes a hassel. I found that out working in mgt. @ wal-mart(food side), and at my last job, mgt. @ sheetz.

And as for their stance, Wal-Marts in other countries do sell liquor.

I think you have to be drunk to go to Wal-Mart. ;)

And work there for any amount of time...Oopps! Did I say that out loud?

:)

clint-who is sobre while at work...I swear!