What a difference 10 minutes can make. Cedar Point, 7/13

Just got home from a blah day at CP. The park was packed and we only got a total of 11 rides the entire day.

Since I travel with 3 females, I always try to tell them we need to be on the road 15-20 minutes before I really want to leave. This morning I didn't do this and we were about 10 minutes late leaving. When we got to the parking lot it was about 10 till 9:00 and by the time we were at the resort entrance they were playing the national anthem. The line was backed up to the road tunnel. After we got in we headed straight to Maverick but by then the line was long enough that they were starting to open up the queues.

It was about 9:40 when we got off so instead of our normal pattern of hitting Millie next then TTD we just went to TTD. When we got there, they had not opened the ride yet but the line reached back to the station. This was still short compared to what it would be the rest of the day. After a great ride on TTD we booked it over to Millie. By this time the line was just into the first set of switchbacks.

Begin Rant: After about 15 minutes the group in front of me gets on their cell phone and starts to wave at someone. I told her that if they want to ride with someone else, they need to go join them, and not have the other people jump the line. This did no good and here shows up a 50 year old woman and her 20 something son. Not your typical line jumpers but still douchbags. I lit into her about all the people that they cut in front of and got a sob story about how they wouldn't let her bring on her purse and that she had to get a locker while the rest of her group got in line. I told her that it was still line jumping and that her group should have waited for her at the entrance. If there had been an op at the turnstile in the station I would have reported her. Rant over

Millie gave us a great ride in the next to last row. Much more air then we got during CoasterMania.

Next we took the train over to Frontierland to hit Mean Streak and work our way down to Magnum.

Mean Streak had a line that went out to the entrance. I was kidding the ride ops that they needed to open a queue. They said they had not seen it this busy for quite a while.

The rest of the day was about the same with long lines but decent rides.

We only got 1 lap each on the following

Maverick, TTD, MF, MS, Gemini Red & Blue, Maggie, BS, Raptor, DT, Ferris Wheel and the train.

Not the worse day, but not the best by a long shot.

I always say it, but I can't help it.

As paying guests, we are not tasked with policing the park. I have no problem with something like that, if someone has to put their purse in their locker or whatever. I'll let them join up with their family/group.

It's a different story when a group of "kids" starts jumping under rails and trying to be sneaky. That's what I consider "line jumping" - someone getting separated from their party and being polite/saying excuse me in order to join up with them is fine with me.

I have no problem when they are trying to get a few spaces ahead at the back of the line, but when they are jumping a few hundred people I feel that is too much. These older people are the same ones that taught the group of kids that it is OK for them to pull this crap.

I can however agree that we can disagree on this point :)

Isn't there a sign right at the entrance that says you will not be allowed to have ANYthing on the ride? Especially something like a purse!

Yup, and another that line jumping is cause for removal from the park with no refund. Not to mention a real live ride attendant.

It aggravates me as well because I just would never do it.

Raven-Phile said:

As paying guests, we are not tasked with policing the park.

I agree in full. Plus if the grievance is enough, the whole line will start to complain like they did with a group of line cutters at Firehawlk earlier this season when I was there....

While not our job to be the park police, when someone violates my rights at the park, you can be sure that I will make noise about it. And yes I do feel that it is my right to to be the next to ride immediately after the person that got in line before me.

When you pay to enter a park, which is private property, you essentially waive all "rights" like that, though. Having been in public plenty of times in my lifetime, believe me, I wish the right to be next in line for ANYTHING was guaranteed, but that's just not how life works.

Let's just say for a minute, that you're absolutely unwaivering in your "no one but the guy in front of me when I got in line" policy. What happens, at that point, if a handicapped guest or a parent swap gets placed in your seat? Was there not just someone placed in line between you, and the person who was directly in front of you? You can argue that it's not the same thing, but given your definition, it absolutely is.

The whole idea of thinking it is your right to do anything, aside from basic civil/constitutional - on private property is nonsense, and plays along with the whole sense of entitlement that park enthusiasts seem to have.

OK, you do have a point with the Handicap/VIP. But those are by park policy. Line jumping is against park policy note even a grey area.

Again, we can agree to disagree and not have a debate that will never change either of our minds. :)

I can see both sides to the debate on line jumping. But I do understand where you are coming from Dave. When I went to Kings Island back in May I saw numerous numbers of teens and kids jumping in line to be with their groups. At first it didn't bother me too much but soon after that I started to get a bit upset about it. I mean a lot of times when it happened we had already waited in line for about 20 minutes or so and were halfway through the line. It seemed to happen the most on Diamondback if I remember correctly. It kind of reminds me of Six Flags 'bots' or whatever they are called. Basically you reserve your place in line. Well, these kids didn't have that option but got it anyway when they 'jumped' in line to be with their groups. It is just the thought of showing respect to those who have waited in line before you. Just wait in line and catch up with your group afterward. If you didn't want to ride the ride with them when they did then you should be able to wait and ride with them once you all meet up again. Plain and Simple!

Why do certain park goers feel a sense of entitlement that everyone in their party must ride the same train? Even if that means certain members can dawdle and then pass out dozens of people in line to catch up with their friends. Or that trains can go out 1/4 empty because we can't go on that train, we all wanna ride together.

Frankly, I don't think that most park-goers even understand the negative effect of letting a train go out half-empty (exaggeration, I know) on capacity. I also don't think they grasp the concept that when they move up in line to meet up with other members of their party, everyone behind them is getting on the ride even later because of it.

As far as policing the line, I don't really mind if people do, and I highly recommend, as a former ride op, letting the staff know about it. I was more than happy to send some line jumper all the way to the back of the line, but I, on occasion, had to rely on other guests to make me aware of the situation. Ride ops can't see everything in line, and any help they can get is appreciated I'm sure (I know I did).

I can buy the argument that enlistment in the queue police isn't included in admission, but keep in mind that you, as well as your fellow guests, are accepting the policies of the park, and just as you are under their direction, you are also entitled to the protections offered by their enforcement. You accept that line-jumping is not permissible for you to do, but you also paid to ensure that nobody else does either.

I am all about policing the line, not just to be a douchebag, but because it negatively affects my experience at the park. I have on many occasions asked people around me in line to put out cigarettes. I don't see how asking someone not to line jump is much different.

What would you do if someone tried to line jump in front of you while smoking a cigarette?

I'd turn them into a newt.

Really?

...wait...a line? At Mean Streak?

Maybe there IS something to this end of the world stuff. ;)

Mean Streak had a line of and hour 25 mins, on Oct 11 of last year.

That is impressive for a ride that "nobody likes".