You know,
I don't mind walk backs, early openings, late closings, ERT, etc that take place when the park is normally closed to the GP.
I DO have an issue with closing down rides WHILE the park is open.
Last night - I received a mailer informing me of my Gold Pass benefits. A lot of the same stuff as last year, early openings, preffered parking, bring-a-buddy days, etc. They also mentioned something about Twilight Ride Nights. The promo alluded to the fact theat there would be ERT sessions on major rides like Beast and Son of Beast at night. I at first thought how great it would be to have a night ERT on a NIGHT ride. Then I saw the details:
"The Beast queue will be closed at 7:30pm, and will re-open to GOLD PASS HOLDERS ONLY for 2 hours of exclusive ride time" The park is slated to be open till 9:00, that means that John Q. Park Guest just got cheated out of 1.5 hours.
I'm sorry but telling someone who paid $42 to get into the park that they can't ride a ride WHILE THE PARK IS OPEN, while allowing park customers who paid a higher admission price, only available to season ticket holders, is just asking for a public relations nightmare. Just let Tomb Raider be delayed and GR will be wishing for 2000 when they were only defending a delayed opening and not a bogus preffered customer program.
I mean with Fastlane you could at least RIDE the coaster with your Econnomy Class admission ticket.
Twilight Ride Nights Info:
Saturdays during April and May:
April - Son of Beast
May - Beast
Preffered customer programs, upcharge attractions, parks really are competing to see who can anger and annoy their customers the most.
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David Bowers
Mayor, Coasterville
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Off with the trims!
My fellow Americans; Let's Roll!
Woodencoaster.com
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I`ve ridden Son of Beast 67 times!
coastersrz said:
Most of PKI`s attendance comes from season pass sales.
I'm just guessing, but I would think that the percentage of the 3 million or so people that go through PKI's gates every year with a season pass is really pretty small. There's no way in hell that number is over 50%.
That being said, if you don't like it, do patronize PKI, simple as that. Its good business to get as many people with season passes as possible, and obviously this is an attempt to do that.
If you don't like it, don't support it by giving PKI your money.
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If the shoe fits, find another one.
Even if there is only 25% of PKI's customers that hold season passes twilight riding is in april and may. Those are the two lowest attendence months of the season for them. Since school is still in not a lot of peolpe who come will be from very far away. Most likely everyone who comes will live within 3 hours of the park. If they live that close and it is easy to get to PKI they should just buy a pass and plan to go back once more. All i am really saying is in april and may most likely there are a lot more locals (season pass holders) that will go, not peole who have tickets.
I don't like the sounds of this. Giving ERT for early openings is one thing... to close down a major ride for ERT for Pass Holders while the park is open is another.
(Conspiracy theory alert): The regular Queue has turned to the Stand By Queue, thus treating non Fast Pass holders at certain parks like 2nd class citizens. Are we starting to see this now with Pass Holders? Pretty soon, you will have to have a new level of pass holder... a SUPER Pass holder...Certain rides will only be open to Season Pass holders, but they will also be closed to them because the SUPER Pass Holders will have to have their ERT. Oh heck, why not simply close the park to the general public and only let Season Pass holders in. If you want to visit the park once, you pay $95... its a season pass... you can come unlimited times for that $95... 1, 2, 3, 34, 72, etc. But wait... IF you pay $195, you can acually RIDE THE RIDES! Those only paying $95 simply get in the gates... those paying $195 have ERT on all rides... EXCECPT for 5 hours before closing. 5 hours before closing those with EXTRA SUPER Passes (only $250 per season), will get ERT... Unless it is an even numbered day of the month... then EXTRA SPECIAL SUPER Pass holders will get ERT for the 4 hours before closing... Unless it is a month ending in "Y"... then only people who have turned over their bank accounts to the park will be able to ride anything...
(okay... end conspiracy theory)
Wait... the last post was not up there when I posted the latest rant. Only in April or May? Then forget it... no use causing social upheaval over that. Not many people (aside from the die hard "enthusiasts") travel to parks in those months. I can understand it then. During June, July and August... now that would be a different story.
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"I wasn't always this cynical, but then I started kindergarden..."
*** This post was edited by SLFAKE on 3/22/2002. ***
Uhm, The major rides Q usually close about 20 minutes early anyway?
Chuck
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Charles Nungester
Americana is opening in 2002 and needs your support as many company picnics are already schedualed for someplace else, Indivdual visits are very improtant to the parks survival.
I would guess that during April and May, the lines are pretty short anyway (especially 1.5 hours before closing). This plan seems kind of silly... Why give Super Passholders walk-ons when the normal line would only be 10 minutes???
kip099 said:
Yeah, the lines close early... but that is so the line is empty at park closing. They are talking about closing the line to the paying public 1.5 hours early... BIG difference.I would guess that during April and May, the lines are pretty short anyway (especially 1.5 hours before closing). This plan seems kind of silly... Why give Super Passholders walk-ons when the normal line would only be 10 minutes???
Whoops, I thought they were only shutting the Q half hour till closing, No, I don't think it's right to exclude paying customers for park opening hours, However I have been at the park before when there were events or something I was not part of and PKI post this stuff clearly like SOB will close at 7pm tonight for a special group outing or something like that.
Chuck, who absolutely loves the early ride times and sees no problem at all with that because it dose not interfear at all with anybody who comes for the 10-10 regular hours but sees possible problems with the close early things. Boy will that great GR staff get a work out.
Chuck,
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Charles Nungester
Americana is opening in 2002 and needs your support as many company picnics are already schedualed for someplace else, Indivdual visits are very improtant to the parks survival.
David,
I personally don't care much for prefered parking or those horrible Fast Lane things and don't know if I am going to be able to take advantage of the Gold Pass perks this year, but I also understand that the park has also choosen April and May as the days to offer this service to pass holders. You and I both know that those days in May and April can either be busy, or totally dead. Just be glad the park didn't do it during June-August.
About the only 'extra charge' thing I don't mind paying for once in a while is for things like a Skycoaster. I love those things. Also, I sometimes don't understand why some people get bent out of shape with the addition of another added-cost thriller like the Sling Shot. If I am not mistaken, the brochures clearly state what is added cost and what is not so people can plan their day according. My guess is those things are aimed more for season pass holders than non-season pass holders.
-Sean
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Off with the trims!
My fellow Americans; Let's Roll!
Woodencoaster.com
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I`ve ridden Son of Beast 67 times!
let's sit in the shoes of an average person coming to pki. let's consider memorial day weekend. johnny gp lives in detroit and decides to drive his family down to pki for the weekend for a little get away. well they arrive at the park on saturday ready for an exciting day. throughout the day johnny gp tells his 12 year old son about how awesome a night ride on the beast is. the son is totally excited about this and about 9 pm father and son stroll back to rivertown only to be told that the ride is closed while they look on watching gold season pass holders sprinting through the queues for "one last lap"
there is something very wrong with this picture. there is a reason why people by season passes. obviously these people are going to be more loyal to the park simply because they can continually get in throughout the season. for people buying an individual pass it is the parks job to make sure they have a great day in order for them to come back for repeat visits in the future.
i love pki and the way that they have marketed their park but in my opinion this is ethically wrong. the beast is quite possibly one of the most popular night rides at any park in the world and to close that off on 4 saturdays in a row to the general public is simply wrong. regardless of whether or not most people come from a local area. it is still wrong. if the park is open till 10 then so should the beast.
Most People do not visit a park just for one ride. Then come for the experiance and the good times. Most people do not get upset at the fact that they cannot ride one attraction.
Also, why is it assumed that the General Public (GP) are so stupid. Or better yet, that we are not part of the GP. Is it becuase we are season pass holders, or members of Coasterbuzz that we know more about how to market a park promotion? What excludes any of us from the General Public?
Also, I would think that the marketing department at each park would way these consquences already... Why get upset about it here.
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Planned Parks for this summer: SFoGa, CP, SFWoA, SFGAm, SFKK, PKI, MA, SFStL, HW, KW. Is 10 enough?
Cornerstone Festival 2002... I will be there
*** This post was edited by James K on 3/23/2002. ***
Jonathan,
You have to remember that the park probably will have a sign stating the ride will be closed earlier in the day. While I can clearly see your point, I am sure the park will be trying to do everything possible for those that feel like they are cheated.
-Sean
All I know, if the sign says the ride's closed that day, then it's closed that day. Can't ride what's broken.
If the ride breaks in the afternoon, it's broken, I can't ride anymore.
But, if I knew a ride was going to close early for Gold Pass Members, the "GOLD" is all I need to know to ruin my day. Especially a ride I've been hearing about for a better part of my life, The Beast.
This is the time of season I can plan our long trips, before May. Night rides are thought of, & that planning is very important to two limited incomes people. After May, we live in a touristy town, & if we're going to have any income we have to work when it's busy, so late summer travel is near impossible. I was thinking of PKI late this spring, but now.......
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