Typical GP TR from SFGAdv?

First off, I have to give credit to redman for pointing this out elsewhere. I'm just ripping the info off and bringing it here. :)

First off, read the article.

Some points:

1. The writer whines about the prices of a season pass at $80 while we tend to agree that's the one thing that's grossly underpriced at SF.

2. Even though the writer constantly complains about the prices, the family still sucks it up and pays. (season passes when they knew cheaper admission was offered, preferred parking, food inside)

3. Not one complaint about operations. Many about crowds, long waits and even traffic, but not a single complaint about poor operations.

4. Not a single mention of FlashPass, Q-bot or line cutting at all.

5. Not a single recommendation of 'don't go', but rather tips on how to make the most of your visit when/if you decide to go.

My guess?

This is a totally typical trip report that shows how the average guest really sees things.

Thanks for the "finder's credit", Gonch... :)

While I usually tend to agree with you about these things, I do have to point out the fact that perhaps since the GP didnt even go on a ride it would be hard for her to mention about park operations.

What this article does point out though is that SFGAdv was so packed she did not enjoy/feel she got a fair deal on her admission ticket. She did not go into an enthusiast style rant about this, but surfice to say the mood I got out of that article was that she did not have the best of times (allthough she admits she hurt herself by arriving too late in the day.) That is a huge problem because the good parks can be packed to the gills and still leave people smiling. For instance two weeks ago I went to CP on a Saturday, the place was absolutly jammed, yet everyone (myself included) was still in a good mood and enjoying themselves, and that doesnt even compare to what Orlando does, heck my best week at WDW I ever had was the week before Easter, where the queues were full everyday from 12-8! Weither it be limiting entrance, improving operations or something else Six Flags has to find a way to keep their customers smiling again, because those are the guests that tend to come back.

1. Season Pass Prices: x*4 for the tyical family...easier to see why they'd complain about that, with the likelihood of 1-2 visits/season, as oposed to a single enthusiast, likely to visit 10 or more times/season, paying for ONE pass.

2. "Suck it up and pay the prices"...I am under this weird belief that that plays better in the Northeast (and other metropolis locations) where 100 bucks doesn't go very far ANYWHERE....

3. The only thing GPers seem to "fairly consistently" notice about poor operations is the IDLE trains/cars/ride vehicles that are stationed at the transfer tracks, in plain sight. (Notice that Montu, Kumba, Gwazi, Hulk, and DD all do a decent job of *hiding* the spare trains)... ;)

4. Maybe too dark to SEE all the line-jumping?

5. It's an AMUSEMENT park, who DOESN'T want to go? ;)

On the whole, yeah, I'd say that that IS fairly typical....which explains why GAdv can operate the way it does and remain profitable....that and the fact that NYC, Jersey, and Philly give GAdv a large enough demographic base to be able to tick off MILLIONS without it really impacting them negatively...

And considering how much you hear about Dorney while in the NJ area, I'd say GAdv has a near-monopoly of the amusement business in the megalopolis... ;)
*** Edited 10/24/2006 8:21:38 PM UTC by rollergator***

Fairest post ever on the subject, Gator. :)

I generally agree with you on all points.

I think the GP notice the slow-moving lines with regards to poor operations as well. I just don't think they fully understand that it is because of slow ride ops or understaffed rides.

Basically, they see the effects, but they don't draw the correlation.

I think that article was written by you Gonch.

^Not unless he got a sex change and moved to New York.

Face it, some parks are not worth going to during Fright Fest or whatever a park calls their celebration near the end of the season. I was warned by several people at the ACE event not to even to think about going to BGE the weekend of the Nov. 4th (got to work anyway) They were still going since they were, well, hardcore coaster enthusiasts. They said they usually get somewhere between 30,000-50,000 people and you should expect one ride on anything in the park.

Machine guns? Has anyone else seen this at SFGAdv? I don't recall ever seeing security at any theme park with machine guns...

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eightdotthree said:
I think that article was written by you Gonch.

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LOL! Under my pen name of Beth J. Harpaz even. :)

The writer is a travel editor, so she probably went there with the intent of writing an article about a park's Halloween event. Otherwise, she may have said "[\\\\\\> this, we're outahere." (that was my attempt at drawing a screw :) )

If you don't even bother getting in line, you don't know who's line jumping, how many trains are running or how often a train is dispatched, unless you watch the lift hill or launch.

"We'd spent hundreds of dollars, gone on hardly any rides and experienced two Halloween-themed events that were about as terrifying as an episode of SpongeBob. Time to go home." OK, she's not saying don't go, but she's not exactly saying can't wait to come back either.

Amusement parks should be trying to create enthusiasts for their individual parks.

The general public however is who matters, I highly doubt Star Wars is created with only fanboys in mind.

While they never say "dont go" the author does state:

"and swear that we would never subject ourselves to the horrors of Fright Fest again."

That more or less tells you that it wasn't a very good experience, and it indirectly tells others not to waste their time and money.... Just the overall tone of the article implies that too.

Possibly, but SFGAd isn't the only park that generates some of its largest crowds in October. CP's biggest crowds each season seem to be these days too. Last saturday apparently topped 45K, if the reports on PointBuzz are to be believed.

These Halloween events are big business.

But machine guns? Is that exaggeration or actual machine guns?

Don't know if it's worth anything, but I sent the woman an e-mail telling her she'd have spent less and gotten to do more at Dorney. What the heck, Dorney could use the plug. Anything to increase the value of my CF shares. :)

Ha! That's great, RGB. Let us know if she responds.