shirtless in parks-how do you feel

"Take it off!" ;)

Joe C

Most of the Six Flags parks have fairly explicit requirements regarding the wearing of shirts . . .

america: "A shirt, shoes and a bottom (shorts, pants, skirts, etc.) must be worn at all times in the Theme Park."

astroworld: "Shoes and shirts must be worn at all times and are required for admittance to rides."

great adventure: "Shirts and shoes must be worn at all times."

great america: "Shoes and shirts must be worn at all times."

magic mountain: "Shoes and shirts must be worn at all times."

marine world: "Shoes and shirts must be worn at all times while at Six Flags Marine World."

new england: "Shoes and shirts must be worn at all times while in the Theme Park."

new orleans: "Shoes and shirts must be worn at all times while at Six Flags New Orleans."

over georgia: "Shirts and shoes must be worn at all times in the park."

over texas: "Shirts and shoes must be worn at all times."

Mexico: "Underwear required most of the time."

So as long as they don't board the rides shirtless... I've got no problem with it. Hygene is only a problem if they're on the same ride others are going to board with their sweaty back against the ride. If they're walking around the park... who cares? Don't look at them if it bothers you. It's not against the law, it's nothing you don't see at the beach daily, and it's not like everyone's doing it.

If the fatass hairy guys want to walk around... fine, but I may suggest that they purchase a "bro" (or man-zeer) for a little support, to help the jiggling out & make it a little more eye-appealing.

Problem I got is if any parks try to restrict riding shoe-less on dangling-feet rides such as the swings, inverted coasters, and other rides. Some make you have foot-wear... but other parks could care less... I find it more a problem if they restrict you into wearing footwear espeically if you got loose-fitting sandals that can easily come off:
"LOOK OUT BELOW!"

Someone really needs to test those "no pants required" policy at those SF parks sometimes. I can just see the police interview now ;).

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DawgByte II said:

riding shoe-less on dangling-feet rides such as the swings, inverted coasters, and other rides. Some make you have foot-wear... but other parks could care less... I find it more a problem if they restrict you into wearing footwear espeically if you got loose-fitting sandals that can easily come off:
"LOOK OUT BELOW!"

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I asked a worker at BGW once about that policy and I was told that they require shoes because if the ride gets stuck on the lift and they have to evacuate you the stairs are just metal grating and would thus be extremely painful to walk down for a shoeless person.

The reasoning I got from CP and SFWoA both:

"We do not allow certain types of dress or undress in the parks for safety and park reasons"

Both parks went on to tell me pretty much the same story. Where as if a person is let's say topless male or female. If you look at them and not not CP's coasters...they are causing a distraction and the park has a right to ban them from the park or ask them to change their look.

This goes for not only undressed people but other people such as "Goth, Drag, etc." the parks both informed me. This is also another reason why if you get married at either park you are STRICTLY informed you can not cause any distraction and can't wear a dress that looks like a wedding dress. Nor can any of your actions look like a wedding unless they are on a very unpopulated area of the park. Most people I have been told get married on a part of the beach way in the back at CP.

Yes, all types of wear can be debatable as with all things in life, but mostly the parks have a "normal standard" as does the rest of life.

Personally, it doesn't bother me anyway. If they want to and they are comfortable with it, it doesn' hurt anyone, it doesn't interfere with anyone's rights, then more power to them.
*** Edited 4/26/2004 7:06:57 PM UTC by RollerCoasterGod***

I don't have a problem with the Six Flags policies mentioned above but do they count a women's bikini bathing top as a shirt? If so I think men should be able to not wear a shirt...but of course on the rides they should have their shirts on.

I'm not a big fan of Very Cool Guys Without Shirts™.

Ack, I see enough man-boobs at the beach. No need to bring them to themeparks.

There must be some unwritten rule somewhere that the folks you do NOT want to see shirtless or in skimpy bathing suits are always the ones you DO see.

I am a modest kind of guy, so part of me admires those confident enough to yank off their shirts at any given moment. However, I also feel there is an appropriate place and time.

I do cringe at having to sit in a seat following either a shirtless guy or bikini top wearing gal. In addition to being modest, I also have a pension for sanitary decorum. Nothing says yuck like sweaty back marks on a coaster seat.

So I guess my opinion is, in the main park I prefer fully clothed folks. In the waterpark I prefer fully clothed ugly people.

Shaggy

*** Edited 4/26/2004 7:41:18 PM UTC by Shaggy***

I think that everyone should be held to the same standard of conservative taste. Seeing a shirtless man or a woman in a bikini top does not express the level of grandeur and elegance that should be present in a family environment.

Who am I kidding, though? Society nor longer cares about class and dignity, just about what they think is right or feels good to them. So I guess people are just going to insist on taking their shirts off, much to the dismay of children, parents, and anyone with half a social conscience. I'm surprised some idiots haven't started yelling "freedom of speech" on this issue.

When I was a kid, I remeber how uncomfortable it was to be in a queue next to some ****less tatooed teenage boy. It just presents an image that this is what society likes and it was something I couldn't identify with. Then there's tatoo's girlfriend in her bikini top and her shorts unbuttoned and unzipped exposing her bikini bottoms. Yeah, this sort of thing didn't make me intimidated by girls later in life [sarcasm]. And anyone at anytime does not appreciate seeing any more than neccessary of the body of someone who doesn't take care of themself physically.

Ok, so maybe I'm exaggerating slightly, but I wanted to illustrate a point.

Interesting to note that when the Japanese go to Tokyo Disney it is considered a significant affair and in most cases they dress up for the occasion, not down. That had to be taken into account when their version of Splash was built because they would be beside themselves if their nice clothes were ruined by an amusement park ride.

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freedom of speech

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As amusement parks are (generally) private enterprises, not governmental entities, one has no such right on their private property.

The only problem that I have with the shirtless people is when I board a ride after them and they leave sweat and sometimes body odor in the seat where they were sitting. That makes me want to wear the restraint, an OTSR, loosely. It has happened too often.

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Brian Noble said:

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freedom of speech

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As amusement parks are (generally) private enterprises, not governmental entities, one has no such right on their private property.

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I know this well. However, some people (read: the kind of people who would want to remove their shirts) don't understand this distinction and complain anyway.

I figured you might, but this is one of my pet peeves, so I like to harp on it whenever I can.

I'm against exposed man boobs. If women can't expose their breasts, I don't think the men that have them should either. Now where you draw the line on who exactly has man boobs and who doesn't may be a problem...

Possibly a gate that all people would have to walk through to distinguish whether or not they have man boobs?

Rollerhammer, so people who take their shirts off in a park are don't understand things? Get off your high horse and have some tolerance.

IMO this topic should be closed, no one is saying anything new.

Hey man boobs are cool....if you're an ACEr!

Ok, so that was low. :)

-SS