So now they've changed from gang members to gang bangers. I wouldn't want anyone to point out that they're line jumpin, they might do a ride-by shooting on Raging Bull.
Clarification: By "thug" I mean people who break laws or otherwise show the kind of disrespect we're referring to, NOT a general age, social, or personality group. And I think it's safe to assume that everyone else implies the same unless they say otherwise. So let's not get up in arms about something said because of the words and not the intent. Remember how political correctness was started...
Security doing their job much better would probably do wonders. If training would be a better option than more hiring then I'm all for it. Maybe SF does have enough spare money around to handle the problem without price hikes, I don't know (of course they have plenty of extra money; I'm taking into account they're a business and therefore not willing to dip too far into their profits). I'd be in favor of them doing that, but I don't think that could happen and thus I'd be willing to settle for paying more. I just want to pay for a better park. And, once again, I'm not talking "big" price increases, just slight ones to handle a little bit of extra costs. But this debate isn't going anywhere, so I'll leave it at that -- there's enough back there for people to see where I'm coming from.
I would consider people low lifes when they feel the need to use profane language continually while in public with no regards to who may be able to hear it and say very loud so everybody can hear it. Also when they line skip and then them and their friends threaten anyone who might complain about their actions to park security. I find this behavior often and dont enjoy a day at the parks where gang bangers and wanna be's dress the part and act out in a loud/profane manner to draw attention to themselves. Ive been a police officer for almost 20 yrs and im very knowledgable about gang type behaviour and have seen it at Six Flag parks with Great America being the worst ive been too. Why else do you think you have to pass thru a metal detector to get into Six Flags parks. I dont have to do that when i go to wdw or a universal/Busch Gardens Park. They keep the weapons out of the park but that doesnt change the bahaviour of those people when they come into the park. Six Flags parks for whatever reason attract in my opinion more low life/thug type patrons that i dont see in the other parks i go to. Im sure the other parks have them but ive had alot of bad experiences at Six Flags parks with rowdy/profane behavior from ususally groups of teenagers who enjoy trash talking in public as if they were in their frontroom and that takes away from a good day at the park.
So, Jeff, you touched on an interesting point, but you didn't elaborate on it. What you said was something like, "Why do some shopping malls have such a problem...?" But there is an interesting key word in there. The key word is "some".
Why is it that SOME shopping malls have problems with juvenile delinquents? Why do SOME parks have problems with behaviorally challenged customers? If it is such a problem, why does the problem seem to be limited to SOME parks rather than ALL parks? Even at that, why is it that SOME parks have problems and it doesn't seem to be related to the admission price?
Consider Kings Island and Cedar Point...both cost about the same, Kings Island has a 'rougher' crowd. Okay, maybe it's because of Cincinnati. In that case, compare Kings Island and Geauga Lake...again, Geauga Lake has a "rougher" crowd than Kings Island. But then, Geauga Lake is cheaper than Kings Island. But Kennywood is cheaper than both, located in a rougher neighborhood than either...and it's still got a nicer crowd.
No, I think there is more to the equation than location and economics, though those are both factors. I suggest that there are other factors to look at. What kind of an atmosphere is the park providing? The "broken window theory" works here: untreated graffiti begets more graffiti. Destruction breeds destruction. And it goes beyond the physical plant. Surliness and nastiness lead to more surliness and nastiness, too. If the employees are rude, the customers will be rude right back. If the park clearly doesn't care about its condition or its collective attitude, neither do the customers. That's just how the world works.
Demographics makes a difference as well; I'm interested in seeing if the atmosphere in the Millennium Force queue at Cedar Point changes this season with the lower height requirement. If the park is structured to encourage families does it moderate everyone's behavior?
--Dave Althoff, Jr.
