SFGAdv locker policy backlash hits Consumerist.com

http://tinyurl.com/5xje59

156 comments from the (mostly) GP and counting.

General consensus-

-SF likes to nickel and dime, even worse when food prices are so high.

-Hershey, Dorney, Knoebels are better alternatives.

-Universal gets it right with free lockers.

-Dark Knight is crummy.

Thought it might be an interesting read for some of us. *** Edited 6/11/2008 8:47:14 PM UTC by matt.***

It hit Fark too. :)

Someone linked to NPN in the Consumerist post so I found that discussion that way ... I know that the audience on that site is skewed but people seem really mad about it.

But I've read that people in the parks don't complain that much and 'appreciate' the faster moving lines.

Anyone seen any problems from the policy in the parks?

Mike

As someone very sagely pointed out to me when I was saying that the only good things about the lockers are that they slow down the mess at the loading stations, even if YOU are smart enough to listen to the rules and not ride with flipflops or bags, there are ALWAYS at least two people who get on the ride, lock themselves into the harness, and then are yelled at to get off the ride and either put their shoes back on/get their bag off the platform/get out of line and re-enter at the end once you've locked your bag up. This means you save no time at the loading docks after all. Thus, the price gouging for lockers seems pointless and greedy.

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bunky666 said:
...even if YOU are smart enough to listen to the rules and not ride with flipflops or bags, there are ALWAYS at least two people who get on the ride, lock themselves into the harness, and then are yelled at to get off the ride and either put their shoes back on/get their bag off the platform/get out of line and re-enter at the end once you've locked your bag up. This means you save no time at the loading docks after all.

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So it's lack of understanding the policy that's the problem, not the policy itself.

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Thus, the price gouging for lockers seems pointless and greedy.

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Funny, I come to a different conclusion:

People are stupid.

Ehehehehehe...well, yes, I come to THAT conclusion as well, but there are so many parks where they announce the rules and post them all over the park and then don't enforce them. Why would Six Flags be any different? Can't fault them for trying...well, yes you can. Hehehehe...You know, for every ride I got on and people specifically were told they couldn't bring bags and shoes on the ride platform by the HOSTS at the beginning of the ride, people still stubbornly brought their stuff with them. Perhaps it IS stupidity, but their stupidity holds up my ride time, and the lockers STILL seem greedy. It's not the lack of understanding of the policy because Great Adventure announced it every five minutes on the loudspeakers as well as reminded people before every ride. You've got it right, L.G. People are quite often one fry short of a Happy Meal. Someday Social Darwinism will kick in and the idiots will no longer be able to breed. Until then, we'll be the ones sitting on the ride going "GET A LOCKER LIKE EVERYONE ELSE, MORON!!!" :)

I honestly like the cheap lockers and went out of my way to use one at Great Adventure for Superman. But then again I don't bring tons of crap with me into the park, just what fits in my pockets.

Unfortunately, I HAVE to carry a lot of stuff with me to the park like cash and sunblock and a hat because I am VERY fair and cook like a mofo if I don't put on the sunblock every 45 minutes or so. Plus, I need the cash and the credit cards for the ridiculous food and the 5 drinks or so that I usually get because I've been lugging my hefty bum around all day in 100 degree heat. Not to mention deodarent so as not to offend anyone and Dramamine so I can get on nearly anything without getting a headache. I would wear cargo shorts, but I don't trust them cuz I lost stuff out of them while on an amusement ride before...plus, I'm a girl and we don't look as good with a big ole baggy pair of shorts with pockets sticking out at our hips and thighs. Mostly guys can get away with that look. :)

I think this is the worst thing the park could have done in a year when gas prices are going up, the economy is going down, and people are spending less on travel. Raising parking prices, adding an extra charge just to carry stuff around with you, and gouging on food and drink is going to drive people away and cause a lot of negative backlash that could last for many years to come.

Raising the parking prices already looked like gouging to most park-goers. This will be the nail in many visitors coffins for further visits for some time to come.

Luckily, the last time I was at Great Adventure was about 13 years ago, so I didn't even remember what the policy was previously, I was already annoyed enough by it. Yeah, and parking was RIDICULOUS. The food seemed okay in terms of what you paid for versus what you got. I paid 10 bucks and got a HUGE basket of fries, onion rings, and like, 10 ginormous chicken strips, as well as a fairly large iced tea. The lockers were what tipped me over into the red zone, but I actually kind of liked being burden-free for my wait and my loading time. I just didn't like the prices. It should be free.

The main problem I have with this policy is they are making people put every bag in lockers. There should be no reason for me to have to put a fanny pack in a locker. It locks around my waist and is secure. It isn't going anywhere. I've ridden with it in countless parks, on countless rides for many years, on rides much more aggressive than a stupid mouse and never had a problem. When they are making you put fanny packs in a locker, that's money grubbing.

People just do not relise how dangerous loose items can be on coasters! I have no problem with it! A friend of mine got hit by a flying cell phone while riding on a coaster, very painful, 10 stitches and a ruined day at the park! Here is the kicker he kept the cell phone and the person it belonged to wanted security to make him give the cell phone back to her!! He told her do a counter suit against me to get it back because I am suing you! This girl showed no remorse about what happened to him all she cared about was her phone! Some people are just ignorant and stupid!

Oh yea, I forgot why not just wear cargo pants like I do!

I think that this policy sucks in all, but I havent seen anybody complain out loud at the park. Being a Six Flags stockholder(haha I know point and laugh at me) I think that it adds some money in the bank for the chains recovery and it gives Shapiro the ability to tell the stockholders that they are improving the experience by offering shorter lines. Oh and if I didnt say it before I hate the locker policy a lot, but I just dont bring anything into the park and if I do, I always wear cargo pants, so I have no worries.

Cargo pants may be sufficient for a guy. I know I rarely need to carry anything into a park. Women on the other hand usually need to take a few things with them as they go through their day at a park. Maybe the ACLU will go after Six Flags because of that ;) LOL

Other people affected by this are people requiring medications, especially diabetics.

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Lord Gonchar said:
So it's lack of understanding the policy that's the problem, not the policy itself.

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Lord Gonchar said:
Funny, I come to a different conclusion:

People are stupid.

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I'm on board with most ideas behind Gonchland but I don't think inviting people in, taking their money, and then blaming them for not understanding park policy is on the road to profit.

Oh, wouldn't that be rich if that happened, KTS! Hehehehe....I see no problem with people having to lock up all loose items. If you've got cell phones and cameras and stuff like that and it's not secure, someone could really get hurt (see above post for poor dude who got nailed by cell phone). Plus, I know it's a long shot, but what if something loose gets stuck in the tracks or in the wheels and causes an accident? Maybe I've seen FD3 too many times, but I think it could happen, or at the least, it could somehow damage the ride itself.

Audioslaved, if you look at the above posts though, you'll see that the problem is is that a LARGE number of guests PER TRAIN per coaster bring crap on the rides anyway, get locked up in their restraints, and then the ride attendants have to unlock all the restraints, kick the people off the ride to go get a locker or grab their flippies and sit on them. Then the whole ride has to be re-checked and THEN dispatched. If everyone listened to the policy of the lockers, they would work, but unfortunately, the dispatches are if anything slowed down because of noncompliance.

Plus, the issue here is not necessarily the lockers themselves but the fact that we have to pay for them. We're gouged enough by 15-25 dollar parking when most parks are only 5-10 dollars at the most, and admission is more expensive than just about anywhere but Disney and Universal. Shapiro should tell the truth, that the lockers are ticking people off, people are not listening, ride dispatches are NOT faster for the service, and the dollar fee is ridiculous (I ended up paying an extra 13 bucks or so, bringing my total cost for the day with admission, preferred parking, lockers, food, and drinks to approximately 150 bucks. Not to mention gas and tolls to the park). Give us a break, SF! We love you, show some love back!

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matt. said:
I'm on board with most ideas behind Gonchland but I don't think inviting people in, taking their money, and then blaming them for not understanding park policy is on the road to profit.

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Only in the context of the post I was replying to does my response hold true. You can't say the policy sucks because people don't understand it. That's all I meant.

It's like anything SF has done for the past few seasons:

1. Implement a new policy that tries to improve things and/or drives revenue.

2. Watch people bitch and moan endlessly.

3. Wait a season or so.

4. Said policy is now just how it is and people have been conditioned to another change.

The locker thing is now at stage 2. :)

Someone clear this up for me...

Assume for the moment that I have really big pockets, a waist pack that demonstrably can't come off, and a palm-sized DV camera.

if I stick the camera in my really big pocket, that's OK, even though the pocket location is not adjustable and the lump in there might actually interfere with my position in the seat or with the restraining device. But if I stick the camera in the waist pack, which can be adjusted enough to insure that it does not interfere in any way with the seat or the restraining device, I have to leave that behind at the ride entrance?

I'm just trying to get some answers here; I'm planning my first time ever trip to Great Adventure later this month....

--Dave Althoff, Jr.

I am wondering also. They have these lockers at SFOG. There was no problems with me wearing my waistpack. Can anyone verify how strick they are being at SFGADV?

The downside to the way its set up is it clogs the entrance. You have mob of people standing there not knowing what to do and then trying to get lockers. And at the same time have us just trying to get through, no locker needed.

Now, I don't mind paying $1 for locker when needed. I do it at CP on occasion. My problem is th 2 hr limit, and having to do this on every coaster. Eliminate the limit. That would be a nice compromise to everyone. If you are planning on riding for a while, get locker and then make rounds to coasters and then come back. It is a shame that they are getting that greedy making you pay for locker at each ride.