Turn left

I remember reading that the enthusiast wisdom is to always go left because most people go right. However, I remember reading that there is a park or a couple parks that for whatever reason go against that wisdom. Which park(s) is that?

Well, we don't go left if the big Giga Coaster is to the right...

Honestly, I think anymore it depends on the park and the year. Lets take Kings Island for instance, a park I'm most familiar with. There was a time when customers eager to ride the 'new one' would line up behind the chains on the left side of the street. Son of Beast, Delirium, Firehawk, Flight of Fear, etc. Then there's the years where the right side was good for Beast, Stunt Track, and currently Diamondback.

I think the left side/right side thing was the invention of a travel writer somewhere, and works best with parks that are wagon wheel style layouts. Along with that advice was 'start in the back and work forward' for shortest morning lines, right? And volumes have been written about the best place to start at Cedar Point, and there's still no standard agreement. :-)

And thank you for including us in with groups that follow conventional wisdom!

I thought the turn right phenomenon was only for shopping malls and grocery stores.

The first time I ever heard of this was when IOA was first opened. Designers claimed that this more adventuress were expected to go to the left, in which they would find Marvel Superhero Island, and those looking for less adventure would probably go to the right, in which they would find Suess Island.

I also read about this in an article about lines at parks. When I get home, I will look for and link to it.

The main park where I've seen the left or right thing in action was Six Flags Great America. The park is basically a circle, so guests have to choose what way to go in the morning. You can go left to ride Superman Ultimate Flight and Batman the Dark Knight which have realtively low capacity. If you go right, you get Raging Bull and Viper, and you also get first dibs on the water park. I've always went left to get a front row ride on Superman and quickly get to V2 and Batman to get my walk on rides before the crowds get there. Then I get walk ons or 5 min waits on everything until Raging Bull where I get a nice 15-20 min wait. The problem with that theory is that Viper gets 30-40 min right around when the water park opens so I get stuck in that line and miss the short lines for the water park. Now that X-Flight and NAMTAB are here, who knows what crowd habits will be? I haven't been there sense 2010.

Now that I am home and away from the hot dog roasting and Smores around the fire pit, I can link this article. It has been saved in my favorites for ages.

I haven't been to Great America in a long time. But, I think what tyler boes said is a good idea, as most people head into the park going toward the Whizzer. There really aren't that many rides in the hometown square area so the lines fill up quick. There are a lot more rides on the Superman side, though in my case, I usually head straight to Batman, as most people hit the closest rides first. then I would work my way back to do V2, and Superman, then hopt the train back to Iron Wolf and American Eagle, as everyone is still in the front of the park. but, now that Iron Wolf is no longer there, I may need a different plan. It's been many years since I have been there. Ragin Cajun, x-flight, and The Dark Knight would all be new to me, along with many other rides. If driving though Chicago didn't suck so badly, I would seriously think of going there again.
As for Cedar point, when I enter I go to the back of the park and work my way to the front. The last time i did it, it paid off greatly, because I was able to get on Top Thrill Dragster shortly after it opened, with little wait, followed by a no wait ride on Corkscrew, 15 minutes for Magnum, about 10 for Gemini, and a walk on ride on Mean Streak. But, in doing all of those rides first, and getting to Maverick, it already had a 2 hour wait. After that, circled around and did mantis in a half hour, and M-Force in 45 minutes. But, at least I go to ride them all. Then a 10 minute wait for Iron Dragon, and did the carni rides up until Raptor, with a quick spin on Cedar Downs. Before getting in line for Raptor which started at entry at 2 hours, down to 30 minutes when I arrived.The longest wait was surprisingly for Disaster Transport, which was moving very slow. (glad it's gone now) And, Max Air, which had a 40 minute wait. Then 2 back to back no wait rides on Wicked Twister, front seat, and back seat. Loved Wicked Twister! Then I went back through the park and did re-rides. The only ride I did not get a second ride on was Maverick, as the line was at 2 hours and 45 minutes. I did get in line for Mine Ride, but the line was out to the midway, and going very slow. Heard they were only loading 2 trains, and only filling half of each train from what I could tell, so I got out of line, and went on Skyhawk. 30 minute wait, and the waveswinger. Took another 45 minute wait ride on M-force, then back to Mantis. Ate dinner at Panda Express in frontier town, and sent the rest of the night in the front of the park, doing Raptor, carni rides, and blue streak. With multiple rides on Blue Streak, with no wait.

Holy wall of text. lol That is really hard to read, man. You need to lay off the hallucinogenic pot brownies.

A) Paragraphs are your friend

B) The Marriott's Great America parks were designed to encourage patrons to go to the right as they moved through the park. Most parks were not.

The right/left phenomenon really shows itself at the Disney parks where the queues often divide into two lanes. Almost always the lane to the left will be shorter. I have skipped past hordes of people lined up for right lanes when the left is virtually half the length.

You would think with all if the international tourists there would be a better split!

On what side do they drive in Brazil?

What I want to know is who decides they want to be a queue specialist and where do they go to get that kind of job?! Too funny.

I'd be interested to know the park pattern at IOA now that Harry Potter is in the back right side of the park. Used to be more people went left so they could hit Spidey and Hulk.

Three of Great Adventure's last four "major" (in one case, I'm using that term VERY loosely) coaster installations have been to the left side of the park. The only ride at the right end that still consistently draws a longish line is Nitro, and that remains a yellow and blue (not purple) people eater. I got on line yesterday and today at the 60-minute marker for Nitro, and was on in less than twenty. With Ka, Toro, and Green Lantern to the left, that's where most go, including yours truly. Today I went right, since I only got one spin on Nitro yesterday. But it wasn't open as of 11am, and the line formed very quickly.

Sorry about the post LostKause. Unfortunately, I can't post to the forums using the desktop view, because the comment box will not load, so I have to make a majority of my posts using "Mobile View."And, even though I try to write my text in paragraphs, it still shows up all thrown together as it is one big sentence. I hate that!! But, there is nothing I can do about it. My dial up connection is aparently too slow, and not everything on coasterbuzz works for me.