Different name, same old game. That's Six Flags Ohio.
Since the park was hardly in any decent condition for opening day, I thought I'd give it another whirl. It was a short operating day with physics kids, but as I suspected, most were gone by 4 p.m.
Villain: I watched some loser 15-year old kid scribble something on the queue rail in the already disgustingly vandalized area. When I got to the platform, I notified a crew member who simply responded, "What do you want me to do about it?" That aside, I'm more sure than ever after a dozen rides so far that this is my favorite woodie.
Batman: Line jumpers everywhere. Again, I notify a crew member who blows it off. It's one thing if they want their property to look like a slum, but quite another when some jerk thinks they don't have to wait in line. Glad to see so much teen smoking as well. Oh, and the ride was OK, but it seemed rough in the turns. The guide wheels appeared to be extremely warn. They also managed to stack two-train operation with six people on the platform. On both of my rides, I nearly tripped and fell over the bookbags, stuffed animals and other crap all over the platform.
Superman: Line jumpers again. Since the park folk wouldn't do anything, I took matters in to my own hands. I told the kiddies that they could get behind me or get booted when I got up there to tattle. They chose wisely. It was interesting that the ride ops aren't doing their rigorous test to make sure the flight-line is clear. They used to do the whole "look both ways" and such, but no more. Still love this ride more than any shuttle-style ride.
Up to this point, I was alone enjoying a half-day off, so I had to leave to pick-up Steph from work about 15 minutes away. On my way out, I head toward one of the two open turnstiles to hear, "NO! You can't go out there!" This from some teen age girl addressing me like a nine-year old that just punched a stranger in the mall. "That's only for re-e琀爀礀⸀∀ 䜀攀攀Ⰰ 琀栀攀 猀椀最渀 猀愀椀搀 ∀攀砀椀琀⸀∀ 䴀礀 洀椀猀琀愀欀攀⸀㰀戀爀㸀㰀戀爀㸀吀栀椀渀最猀 搀椀搀 渀漀琀 最攀琀 愀渀礀 戀攀琀琀攀爀 眀栀攀渀 䤀 爀攀琀甀爀渀攀搀⸀ 伀渀 䈀椀最 䐀椀瀀瀀攀爀Ⰰ 琀栀攀 爀椀搀攀 漀瀀 洀攀愀猀甀爀攀搀 愀 氀椀琀琀氀攀 最椀爀氀 椀渀 琀栀攀 琀爀愀椀渀 眀栀漀 眀愀猀 愀琀 氀攀愀猀琀 琀漀 ㈀ 椀渀挀栀攀猀 猀栀漀爀琀攀爀 琀栀愀渀 栀椀猀 猀琀椀挀欀⸀ 一椀挀攀⸀ 䜀漀漀搀 琀栀椀渀最 琀栀攀爀攀 眀攀爀攀 渀漀 猀琀愀琀攀 椀渀猀瀀攀挀琀漀爀猀 琀栀攀爀攀⸀㰀戀爀㸀㰀戀爀㸀伀渀 琀栀攀 戀漀漀洀攀爀愀渀最Ⰰ 琀栀攀 爀椀搀攀 漀瀀 眀漀甀氀搀 挀栀攀挀欀 爀攀猀琀爀愀椀渀琀猀 琀栀攀渀 琀愀欀攀 愀 氀椀琀琀氀攀 渀愀瀀 漀渀 愀 猀琀漀漀氀 漀渀 琀栀攀 瀀氀愀琀昀漀爀洀⸀㰀戀爀㸀㰀戀爀㸀䄀猀 昀漀爀 琀栀攀 爀攀猀琀 漀昀 琀栀攀 瀀愀爀欀Ⰰ 洀漀猀琀 漀昀 琀栀攀 欀椀搀猀 猀琀甀昀昀 愀渀搀 眀愀琀攀爀 瀀愀爀欀 愀爀攀渀✀琀 昀椀渀椀猀栀攀搀⸀ 刀漀愀搀爀甀渀渀攀爀 䔀砀瀀爀攀猀猀 搀漀攀猀渀✀琀 愀瀀瀀攀愀爀 琀漀 戀攀 爀攀愀搀礀 攀椀琀栀攀爀⸀㰀戀爀㸀㰀戀爀㸀圀栀愀琀 愀 猀愀搀 猀琀愀琀攀 漀昀 愀昀昀愀椀爀猀⸀ 圀漀爀氀搀ⴀ挀氀愀猀猀 爀椀搀攀猀Ⰰ 戀甀琀 琀栀攀 瀀氀愀挀攀 椀猀 漀瀀攀爀愀琀攀搀 氀椀欀攀 愀 挀愀爀渀椀瘀愀氀⸀ 一漀 愀洀漀甀渀琀 漀昀 氀愀渀搀猀挀愀瀀椀渀最 愀渀搀 䰀漀漀渀礀 吀漀漀渀猀 眀椀氀氀 洀愀欀攀 甀瀀 昀漀爀 琀栀攀 樀漀欀攀 琀栀愀琀 琀栀椀猀 瀀愀爀欀 椀猀⸀ 夀漀甀 猀栀漀甀氀搀 渀攀瘀攀爀 氀攀愀瘀攀 愀渀 愀洀甀猀攀洀攀渀琀 瀀愀爀欀 戀攀椀渀最 瀀椀猀猀攀搀 漀昀昀Ⰰ 戀甀琀 欀攀攀瀀椀渀最 椀渀 琀栀攀 䜀攀愀甀最愀 䰀愀欀攀 琀爀愀搀椀琀椀漀渀Ⰰ 椀琀✀猀 眀栀愀琀 栀愀瀀瀀攀渀猀 栀攀爀攀 愀氀洀漀猀琀 攀瘀攀爀礀 琀椀洀攀⸀ 䤀✀氀氀 戀攀 栀椀琀琀椀渀最 匀䘀䄀 愀渀搀 匀䘀䜀䄀洀 椀渀 琀栀攀 渀攀砀琀 琀眀漀 眀攀攀欀猀Ⰰ 愀渀搀 䤀 栀漀瀀攀 琀栀愀琀 琀栀攀礀✀爀攀 渀漀琀 琀栀椀猀 挀氀甀攀氀攀猀猀⸀㰀戀爀㸀㰀戀爀㸀ⴀⴀⴀⴀⴀⴀⴀⴀⴀⴀⴀⴀⴀ㰀戀爀㸀䨀攀昀昀㰀戀爀㸀圀攀戀洀愀猀琀攀爀⼀䄀搀洀椀渀 ⴀ 䌀漀愀猀琀攀爀䈀甀稀稀⸀挀漀洀
So the ride ops are a bunch of slackers, don't forget, this is a boring repetitave job. Most of them do not realize how passionate some riders (like yourself) are about the "whole experience,"
not just the ride itself. If you are there alone, it is hard not to notice things like that, I try to go with others so I can be distracted from the morons who surround me.
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Gotta ride 'em all!
Please, that's such a lame excuse. If you don't like your job, quit. We just went through this on Guide to The Point (see: "CP Cops apathy toward job"). I grow so tired of people who make excuses for mediocrity and a lack of responsibility. It's always someone else at fault for ones indifference to their job. What a joke.
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Jeff
Webmaster/Admin - CoasterBuzz.com
Hey Jeff SFGAm should be okay but watch out, I think the operations at SFA (last yeat) are much worse then SFO.
Jeff, are you definitely going to SFGAm on June 12th?
Still not sure... depends on what my travel agent hooks me up with at work. Of course, I need to get off my can and actually book the flight! I'll be staying in Rosemont, which I'm told is out-of-town and less than 30 minutes to Gurnee.
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Jeff
Webmaster/Admin - CoasterBuzz.com
Why would you even subject yourself to Physics Day anyway, knowing that a bunch of unruly kids would make your time there just miserable.
And I'm sure the kids were giving the ride ops some hassle as well. I'll find out for myself if the ride ops have changed as I head out there after work tomorrow.
Michael
You take time off when you can... that day was my day.
As far as employees go, there are no excuses to be rude to anyone, especially in the leisure and hospitality industry.
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Jeff
Webmaster/Admin - CoasterBuzz.com
Now I see what an extra $40 million dollars pays for in the off season---Apathy. This park is the NBA all over again. I can't wait to miss it this summer. I really want to go, too, but scheduling is tough. Thanks for the report, though negative, it sheds some light on the '5th place' park in Ohio. Mohican and Cuyahoga Valley can be ranked ahead of them for the time being...
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There's nothing like a woodie...
Jeff, if you are going to be staying in Rosemont than be prepared for traffic. Its right next to OHare and its a business mans town. You would make it to the park in 30 minutes if you dont run into traffic and you travel at a good rate of speed. If you are going to rent a car I would suggest getting a room by the park. They have plenty of hotels by SF and by Gurnee Mills. Keep me posted on your definite date.
Has anybody written formal complaints with the owners/management of these parks? Are they really that apathetic? I know they must hate repaints and all the other associated costs. If they knew enough coaster enthusiasts (and others) were fed up with bad service and apathy, perhaps they could enforce a change. I've seen turnarounds before (example: Islands of Adventure has found ways to combat their grafitti problem AND ride op attitude problems). Maybe if a few concerned riders took Polaroids (with flash so they know they're being filmed) and started capturting the violators on film the kids might get the hint. It made me sick at Great America to see Superman getting the grafitti treatment on it's SECOND day. But I did see line jumpers thrown out of the park FOUR times that day (partly due to observant ACE members who pointed them out). Maybe a Coaster version of the Guardian Angels could be formed... just please don't make me wear a beret!
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"You have to scale a lot of lift hills to coast easily..."
Jeff,
Sounds like your trip to SFO was not the best.
Sure is a shame how quickly vandals can deface a ride que. I used to think that this sort of thing took months to accumulate. It's almost as if someone were handing out keys and marks-a-lot at the entrance to The Villain.
As for line jumping...good for you. This seems to be a problem with just about most parks I have ever visited. It's not often that I see anything being done about it. Once, I was waiting in line for the skylift at the San Diego Zoo when this happened. I kept calm until we reached the loading station. Once there, the operator was informed and the jumpers were removed from the line. Although, removal from the park is what they deserved. Rules are rules.
On a lighter note... I thought the Looney Tunes music in the park was a nice touch. However, I would have liked to have seen a little bit more landscaping. Also, the rides seem to be fairly packed together.
Sfa has good service, atleast this year. They respond to line jumpers and smokres and they enjoy their jobs. Don't be so quick to judge a park at first glance, try again another time.
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Six Flags America IS a Six Flags park!