SFWoa 6/11, or, "How NOT to run a park"
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I know this is a week out of date, but I haven't had time to do much online stuff lately....
Going with a group of non-enthusiasts is always fun, but when they start complaining about some of the things that get complained about on here, you know it's a problem. It's not just enthusiasts who are disgusted at certain park issues....
Myself and 3 non enthusiasts arrived at 10 to see X-flight testing. Hey, the day was looking like it was going to start off well. (It didn't stay like that for very long.)
At 10:15 they let people into the park. Instead of letting people trickle through the gates and find their way to a queue like some parks, a mass about about 1000 people gathered behind a plastic chain and 1 cop on the way to X-flight. Prior to 11 there were near riotous conditions with people screaming "Let us in". Not fun. When the chain was dropped it was an UGLY scene. 1000 people started running. I must have personally seen 6 or more people get run over, pushed, and basically assaulted by folks trying to get ahead. One person I even saw get injured as they were pushed very hard into a garbage can. After that disgraceful example of crowd control I thought it couldn't get any worse. I was wrong. The mass of people were stopped behind a gate being held up by just a middle aged gentleman, and a teenage girl. (Not ample enough crowd control!) When that gate was finally opened the stampede to the queue entrance was shameful. Pushing, shoving, running....I can't believe a park would operate like this. How many people need to get hurt? Does someone need to get trampeled to death before they do something about this? When the mass of people reached the queue entrance it was like trying to get a golf ball through a straw. Since the entrance is so narrow people were line jumping left and right. The 2 or 3 staff there struggled to keep it under control, but how they fight 1000 people? It didn't work.
Eventually we got to ride. (One train operation) A nice ride, but some things need to be fixed before the flying Dutchman becomes a world class ride. (With the wheel gaps I fear they will deteriorate like the SLCs) At 11:30 when we got off they said the line was well over 2 hours. (Why not put the second train on? They've done it before)
At around 1:00 X-flight broke down for almost 5 hours. I was strolling past it at around 5:30ish when I saw the gate reopen. We strolled on in before people noticed it was open and got the first train out, however one of the cars was roped off. (Making waits even longer. The next day it was still just running one train minus one blocked off car. That wait must have been REALLY fun)
Mind Eraser - Down all day
Batman Knight Flight - Down all day
Time for a bathroom break.....5 sinks, 5 soap dispensors. Take a guess at how many had soap in them? (If you said "0" wou would be right)
Time to rent a locker. $7 ??!!!!!! You have to be kidding me!
Most of the rides were operating 1 train with the exception of Villain. Not terrible waits, but it would be better without waiting next to people smoking and stepping over lots of litter.
I could go on and describe rides many of you have ridden or rant and rave about the poor state of the park, but I won't. To sum up the day: Good rides (some GREAT!), but man....how can you run a park like that?
(Watch for my next trip report....Kennywood 6/13/01 - or - "How to run a park!")
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- Peabody
Going with a group of non-enthusiasts is always fun, but when they start complaining about some of the things that get complained about on here, you know it's a problem. It's not just enthusiasts who are disgusted at certain park issues....
Myself and 3 non enthusiasts arrived at 10 to see X-flight testing. Hey, the day was looking like it was going to start off well. (It didn't stay like that for very long.)
At 10:15 they let people into the park. Instead of letting people trickle through the gates and find their way to a queue like some parks, a mass about about 1000 people gathered behind a plastic chain and 1 cop on the way to X-flight. Prior to 11 there were near riotous conditions with people screaming "Let us in". Not fun. When the chain was dropped it was an UGLY scene. 1000 people started running. I must have personally seen 6 or more people get run over, pushed, and basically assaulted by folks trying to get ahead. One person I even saw get injured as they were pushed very hard into a garbage can. After that disgraceful example of crowd control I thought it couldn't get any worse. I was wrong. The mass of people were stopped behind a gate being held up by just a middle aged gentleman, and a teenage girl. (Not ample enough crowd control!) When that gate was finally opened the stampede to the queue entrance was shameful. Pushing, shoving, running....I can't believe a park would operate like this. How many people need to get hurt? Does someone need to get trampeled to death before they do something about this? When the mass of people reached the queue entrance it was like trying to get a golf ball through a straw. Since the entrance is so narrow people were line jumping left and right. The 2 or 3 staff there struggled to keep it under control, but how they fight 1000 people? It didn't work.
Eventually we got to ride. (One train operation) A nice ride, but some things need to be fixed before the flying Dutchman becomes a world class ride. (With the wheel gaps I fear they will deteriorate like the SLCs) At 11:30 when we got off they said the line was well over 2 hours. (Why not put the second train on? They've done it before)
At around 1:00 X-flight broke down for almost 5 hours. I was strolling past it at around 5:30ish when I saw the gate reopen. We strolled on in before people noticed it was open and got the first train out, however one of the cars was roped off. (Making waits even longer. The next day it was still just running one train minus one blocked off car. That wait must have been REALLY fun)
Mind Eraser - Down all day
Batman Knight Flight - Down all day
Time for a bathroom break.....5 sinks, 5 soap dispensors. Take a guess at how many had soap in them? (If you said "0" wou would be right)
Time to rent a locker. $7 ??!!!!!! You have to be kidding me!
Most of the rides were operating 1 train with the exception of Villain. Not terrible waits, but it would be better without waiting next to people smoking and stepping over lots of litter.
I could go on and describe rides many of you have ridden or rant and rave about the poor state of the park, but I won't. To sum up the day: Good rides (some GREAT!), but man....how can you run a park like that?
(Watch for my next trip report....Kennywood 6/13/01 - or - "How to run a park!")
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- Peabody
They should run X-Flight like they ran Batwing today. Instead of letting everyone pile into the station they only let 2 trains worth of people in at a time. The rest of the people wait outside in a covered queue, until you get near the stairs where it's back out in the sun for a little while. It was very orderly. Our 2nd train also should be on line by the weekend I heard from the main Batwing mechanic. All it needs is to be inspected by the state of Maryland. From what I could see it works judging by the green lights on the side. I'm sure glad SFA is my homepark judging by peoples comments about SFWOA.
You talk about the stampede that happened at the park and I agree that it is something that needs to be controlled but when someone posted the so called "Running of the Bulls" at CP and saying it was also dangerous, alot of the responses were that its not a big deal. Now I ask you people that have been to both CP and SFWOA. Is it accepted at one park and not another? Its basically the same situation and both parks should crack down on it. Both parks cater to families so people with small children should not be subjected to this ridiculous so called tradition at CP. Dont flame me for this, but I feel it is an issue.
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""Coaster riding is a disease and SFGAm is the cure!!!!!!!"" *** This post was edited by Chitown on 6/20/2001. ***
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""Coaster riding is a disease and SFGAm is the cure!!!!!!!"" *** This post was edited by Chitown on 6/20/2001. ***
Well you see at The Point everyone is held at the main midway. Everyone who runs has a specific ride they want to get to. By the time they get around the Corkscrew area, there isn't too many people that you see anymore. While at SFGL, since the freakin midways are soooooo small, and X-Flight is right around the corner, it's a bigger "surge". Niether one is right (however I participate in the Cedar Point version), it's just that I feil that Cedar Point's is more safe I guess you could say.
_________________
"We took pop music and we kicked its arse"
http://fly.to/christopherpeeper
_________________
"We took pop music and we kicked its arse"
http://fly.to/christopherpeeper
It is definitely an issue… its only a matter of time before someone gets seriously hurt. Sure, it seems like it’s “not a big deal” but so did running to the front row of Who concerts in the 70’s.
Disney does an excellent job of controlling this by having a couple of employees walk a large rope to the main attractions and there is no reason other parks can’t do this.… Granted, the clientele at Disney and SF parks are different, but if you had a couple of Sheriff Deputies walking the rope there would be no problems.
Disney does an excellent job of controlling this by having a couple of employees walk a large rope to the main attractions and there is no reason other parks can’t do this.… Granted, the clientele at Disney and SF parks are different, but if you had a couple of Sheriff Deputies walking the rope there would be no problems.
I tend to defend Six Flags parks most of the time. I must admit that (due to all of the "less than stellar" TR's) SFWoA really seems to have their heads up where the sun don't shine. Two major coasters down ALL DAY, in the middle of June?!? That is just plain LAZY!!
Many people claim that it is a cost/labor issue. I will explain how this does not hold water. The cost of labor low. Let's say put only 3 operators on a ride like BKF and ME (one in the booth, 2 on restraints) They make what, $8 per hour (probabaly less) and let's say that they keep it open 10 hours (noon to 10pm) a day. That's $80 per person or $240 per ride, or around $500 or so for the 2 rides in staffing. $500 is the cost of roughly 13 full price admissions at $39 each. 13 admissions, and haw many people are there on an average day?? Maybe (probabaly) I have oversimplified the situation because there are other costs involved. (electricity, maintainance staff, whatever) But come on, SFWoA, GET WITH THE PROGRAM.
After hearing all of these bad TR's I have (almost) no desire to go there on my 2002 trip.
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"X" marks the spot in 2001!
Many people claim that it is a cost/labor issue. I will explain how this does not hold water. The cost of labor low. Let's say put only 3 operators on a ride like BKF and ME (one in the booth, 2 on restraints) They make what, $8 per hour (probabaly less) and let's say that they keep it open 10 hours (noon to 10pm) a day. That's $80 per person or $240 per ride, or around $500 or so for the 2 rides in staffing. $500 is the cost of roughly 13 full price admissions at $39 each. 13 admissions, and haw many people are there on an average day?? Maybe (probabaly) I have oversimplified the situation because there are other costs involved. (electricity, maintainance staff, whatever) But come on, SFWoA, GET WITH THE PROGRAM.
After hearing all of these bad TR's I have (almost) no desire to go there on my 2002 trip.
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"X" marks the spot in 2001!
SF closed ALL boomerang coaster at EVERY SF park due to continuous problems with them getting stuck in the boomerang element
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USSOCCER
http://tpr.homestead.com
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USSOCCER
http://tpr.homestead.com
Well if you don't go you will miss out on a great park with great rides! If you want to be gullible and believe all this nonsense, go right ahead. I'll have less people in line in front of me when I visit. But I suggest you think for yourself and make your own judgements. Yes there are issues with x-flight and last week the villain was up and down. OK that's not the greatest. But the park is not a filthy ghetto with the world's rudest employees like these people will have you believe.
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"SFWoA bashing IS a sporting event at Coasterbuzz"
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"SFWoA bashing IS a sporting event at Coasterbuzz"
I wouldn't tell anyone not to go. After all, if you like coasters, they have some good ones there.
While some people get extremely defensive about the so called "SFWOA bashing" and have you believe that those who speak negatively have "hidden agendas", I just have one question: Was it wrong of me to expect to find soap in the Bathrooms at 11:30AM? Sure coasters break in all parks, but is it too much to ask for a bathroom with soap in at least one of the 5 dispensers? (A recent park we visited not only had soap in the bathrooms, but hand sanitizer outside the facilities. That was nice!)
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- Peabody
While some people get extremely defensive about the so called "SFWOA bashing" and have you believe that those who speak negatively have "hidden agendas", I just have one question: Was it wrong of me to expect to find soap in the Bathrooms at 11:30AM? Sure coasters break in all parks, but is it too much to ask for a bathroom with soap in at least one of the 5 dispensers? (A recent park we visited not only had soap in the bathrooms, but hand sanitizer outside the facilities. That was nice!)
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- Peabody
Oh man Peabody, you are lying. That is not a valid statement. You are over-exagerrating. Man get out of my lines. I don't see trash. Over exagerater. Let me guess, they started a riot too? Geesh lame-o, find your own dish soap.
SFGL rules
_________________
"We took pop music and we kicked its arse"
http://fly.to/christopherpeeper
(sarcasm)
SFGL rules
_________________
"We took pop music and we kicked its arse"
http://fly.to/christopherpeeper
(sarcasm)
Peabody, I did not say anything about your trip report! Yes you have every right to expect soap in the bathrooms at any time of the days. That is a legitimate complaint. Did I ever say SFWoA is perfect? NO But SOME people are feeling threatened (I don't know why 3 great parks in OHIO benefits us all) and they feel the need to put down SFWoA.
I hate to see people say "I was gonna visit SFWoA but now I don't think I will." So I replied to them.
christopherpeeper, if you had written the TR people would have been rioting in the bathroom because they couldn't find soap. and people would have began torching the Bathroom. but in reality two people were complaining and one guy lit up a smoke.
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"SFWoA bashing IS a sporting event at Coasterbuzz" *** This post was edited by G-Money on 6/20/2001. ***
I hate to see people say "I was gonna visit SFWoA but now I don't think I will." So I replied to them.
christopherpeeper, if you had written the TR people would have been rioting in the bathroom because they couldn't find soap. and people would have began torching the Bathroom. but in reality two people were complaining and one guy lit up a smoke.
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"SFWoA bashing IS a sporting event at Coasterbuzz" *** This post was edited by G-Money on 6/20/2001. ***
G-Money said:
"Did I ever say SFWoA is perfect? NO But SOME people are feeling threatened (I don't know why 2 great parks in OHIO benefits us all) and they feel the need to put down SFWoA."
Two great parks in Ohio? Oh yes, Cedar Point and Paramount's Kings Island. Thanks for pointing that out. 2 great parks and one poorly operated park with great coasters.
(That's MHO of course)
G-Money: I wasn't responding to your comments. I also encourage everyone who likes to ride coasters to visit the place. There are some great rides there!
ChristopherPeeper: You are right, I must be lying, as I had nothing better to do with my time than make up a story about bathrooms without soap and seeing a guy get his arm hurt during the rush to X-flight.
After visiting parks for years litter, line-jumping, ride breakdowns, etc. are all common happenings in any park. How the park deals with these situations seems to set aside the world-class operations from those that leave much to be desired. I would LOVE to see SFWoa turn into a world-class park in the overall sense. But, while they have some great rides now, I'd sure like to see the quality of the park and operations match the quality of some of their rides.
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- Peabody *** This post was edited by Peabody on 6/21/2001. ***
ChristopherPeeper: You are right, I must be lying, as I had nothing better to do with my time than make up a story about bathrooms without soap and seeing a guy get his arm hurt during the rush to X-flight.
After visiting parks for years litter, line-jumping, ride breakdowns, etc. are all common happenings in any park. How the park deals with these situations seems to set aside the world-class operations from those that leave much to be desired. I would LOVE to see SFWoa turn into a world-class park in the overall sense. But, while they have some great rides now, I'd sure like to see the quality of the park and operations match the quality of some of their rides.
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- Peabody *** This post was edited by Peabody on 6/21/2001. ***
Peabody, I was being completly sarcastic.....I agree with everything you have said. G-Money can't live with the fact nobody is impressed w/ SFGL.
_________________
"We took pop music and we kicked its arse"
http://fly.to/christopherpeeper
_________________
"We took pop music and we kicked its arse"
http://fly.to/christopherpeeper
You guys really need to get over yourselves and stop speaking for me. I can speak for myself thank you very much, and I really like the park. When you say "nobody" likes the park, that's the first lie, and the type of over the top statement that defenders of the park speak about. The park does have some issues but isn't NEARLY as bad as some people make it out to be. Don't get me started on some of the crap I have seen at other Ohio parks this year. When you start complaining about soap in a friggin bathroom, or whining because a ride op didn't kiss your butt, I have to wonder where the REAL issues are. I could go down the line of parks and complain about things like soap and make ALL of them look bad if I wanted. The point is, lay off. If you don't like the park, don't go, but the sudden trip reports where people go out of their way to bash the park is just plain mean-spirited and boring.
So don't speak for me, nor my friends who went to the park with me who all agreed that the park will give Cedar Point a big time run for their money. And the animal side of this park is absolutely beautiful with wild life and family attractions, and the wild rides side contains the best collection of coasters in Ohio has down IMO.
BTW, stop ganging up on people who decide to defend a park they like. You'd do the same if someone bashed a park you like, and yes it IS bashing. If your going to do it, at least own up to it. This is anything but constructive critisism.
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"Hi, my name is Lara Croft. Welcome to my world". *** This post was edited by OutKast on 6/21/2001. ***
So don't speak for me, nor my friends who went to the park with me who all agreed that the park will give Cedar Point a big time run for their money. And the animal side of this park is absolutely beautiful with wild life and family attractions, and the wild rides side contains the best collection of coasters in Ohio has down IMO.
BTW, stop ganging up on people who decide to defend a park they like. You'd do the same if someone bashed a park you like, and yes it IS bashing. If your going to do it, at least own up to it. This is anything but constructive critisism.
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"Hi, my name is Lara Croft. Welcome to my world". *** This post was edited by OutKast on 6/21/2001. ***
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