Six Flags New Orleans transformation from Jazzland in high gear

This strikes me as being the ultimate test for Six Flags, and if I were an investor, I'd be watching this very closely. The very things stated in the article regarding the shortcomings of Jazzland are exactly the things that some of us associate some of the other parks with. If they can maintain a level of customer service not seen before in some other parks (SFWoA comes to mind), I think they've got a real shot at retaining their customer base down there.

I've said it many times before... it's all about customer service, stupid!

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Jeff - Webmaster/Admin - CoasterBuzz.com - Sillynonsense.com
"The world rotates to The Ultra-Heavy Beat!" - KMFDM

I couldn't agree more, Jeff.

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"God put animals here for us to eat them! I didn't rise to the top of the food chain just to have a salad!" - Bassistist

While customer service has a lot to do with returning to a park, I say even more has to do with safety. If you don't have a safe park, customer service can be thrown out the window. They should go hand in hand, but there's the other hand in case some forgot. ;)

-"roller coaster 1 isn't safe" or
-"roller coaster 1 doesn't have three train operation and a fast crew"

-Danny

There are very few parks that I wouldn't consider safe. There are a bunch of parks that have lousy customer service.

As an industry average, you chances of dying in a ride accident are less than your chances of dying in an automobile accident on the trip if you live just 3 miles from the park. The danger is in the minds of reporters and Congressman Ed Markey. Actually while you are in the park, you are more likely to die from the heat than from a ride accident.

I hope Six Flags does a great jog of reviving this park. They do need to update their map on the website. It still says Jazzland and shows the park as it was last year.

Well, safety doesn't only include whether or not you'll die on a ride, but it includes making sure the bathroom floors aren't slippery, making sure food is properly made, making sure your ride won't stall or break (boomerangs, water rides, brake systems, etc.), making sure the employees aren't careless and forget to close a gate to a restricted and potentially dangerous area, etc. With that said, there are very, very few parks I would consider to have lousy customer service or to be unsafe.

-Danny

It will eventually go downhill, IMO... we saw it with SFWoA...

SFDL did fine in 1999 as a six flags park, but since then, it's been going downhill (customer service-wise) more and more.... if not this year, i have a feeling many peoples thoughts will be changing after a year or two passes, heck, it may even happen this year....

We did see SFWoA go downhill from its opening year in 2000. However, when I went back in 2002 I definately saw an improvement in the park by season's end. During the offseason I've also seen, despite not having much money to work with for improvements on the park, that they are spending the money to improve Raging Wolf Bobs and Villain.

After reading this article I think Six Flags does have a shot at turning this park around. They spent more than they probably needed to in addition to moving two roller coasters. However, just like Jeff said, it's all about the customer service, lets hope they deliver.

-Rob Willi

SFKK and SFOG were both running exceptionally well overall this season and SFWOA had one train op for most coasters, but nonexistant lines, so I didn't mind. Their ops and the people I met working their were nice and pretty funny and everything was clean, so I think they were right where they should be. Some rides weren't running at SFWOA and DV was closed at SFOG, but besides that everything was good. I always enjoy the customer service at parks who let you buy cameras there and then tell you to not use them. :)

I still haven't decided if I would rather go to a park with three train op and over an hour wait for some major attractions or a park with one train op and walk on rides. Hmm... I really do love SFKK. They have a satisfying middle ground.

-Danny, noting the safety of the Fun Spot Zyklon ;)*** This post was edited by Koaster King 3/31/2003 4:34:54 PM ***

According to some people who have gone to the park either to the H&R Block private party or the pre-season season pass processing, the staff are welcoming and very pleasant. Let's just hope it remains that way! Although customer service is extremely important, one of the main reasons for the failure of Jazzland was the park's appearance of not being complete when it opened in 2000. When people came in to see it for the first time, they were let down by the lack of shade, among other things. Six Flags seems to be addressing this problem quite well by creating shade over 60% of the midways by either shade structures or trees. The transformation of the park is going quite well and I can hardly recognize it from some pictures! I'll be going Thursday to get my season pass processed so I won't have to wait in a line to do so on opening day (This Saturday!).

Hmmm, my two cents:

I have been to quite a few Six Flags parks, and like everyone else here, I must say that customer service leaves a LOT to be desired. What other chain of parks has such a bad reputation when it comes to basic human interaction with their GUEST, not customer, guest.

And it's usually hit or miss with the parks. SFOG good, SFNE BAD, SFGA good, SFWoA BAD. Great coasters and rides may bring the crowds in, but outstanding treament of your guest will keep them coming back.

Best of luck with SFNO, but start with good guest relations and the crowds and rewards will follow.

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While SF does have *the bad rep*, it really isn't fair to lump the chain together. There are certain parks in other chains who have certainly left at least as much to be desired...

Paramount and Cedar Fair both have their *poorly run* parks, in my experience. The management AT the park seems to make WAY more difference in how a park is run than what CHAIN it belongs to. Now, "if I ran the zoo", those parks that do well (SFoG), their managers would move UP the corporate ladder and assume responsibility over a wider area. Those parks that do POORLY, those managers would either move DOWN the ladder, or find a pink slip in their pay envelopes. But of course, no one's going to put *me* in charge of the zoo anyway....I'm saltier than a pretzel loop!

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Dr. Thrill IS my family practitioner
"As clear as mud for over 35 years"...and still going STRONG...thanks, redman...

I'll never visit SF New Orleans if it will be anything like SFWoA. I think Six Flags needs to wake up and smell the cotton candy. -They need to work on customer satisfaction, not build more coasters. It's good to build new thrill rides each year, but remember what an amusement park is all about. Keeping your guests happy.

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YOUNGSTOWN 2010