An idea for CP concerning a new system.

For a system like this to work CP would need to put in a better mass transit system first.

If you were at Maverick, and found out Raptor had a short wait time, that could substantually change by the time you walked or took the train even half way there.

Getting from one end of the park to another needs more improvement especially since most of the popular attractions are not clustered (intentionally). Where as Disney has monorails, busses, trains, and other transportation methods to get from one end of the park system to another. Something like this would work for them because the other logistical issues have already been addressed.

I feel sorry for anyone that get's even a blister while visiting CP and cannot "hoof it" back and forth because that is the only transportation method available outside of the cable cars and train to get around. Other parks have figured this out - why not CP? I know my feet ache after a two day visit.

Another benefit would be knowing a ride is down and, if possible, estimated downtime. So if you have monitors that show that TTD is down, the guests won't haul over there only to be disappointed.

What kind of "mass transit" do you want them to put in? They are not a city.

Disney has monorails and busses to get from one PARK to another, not to get from FrontierLand to TomorrowLand. Disney has a train that makes 3 stops, Main Street USA, FrontierLand and Mickey's ToonTown. That is the only "mass transit" still at a Disney Park.

Some sort of horse drawn carrige, another cable car (replace the Frontier Lift), a non-tracked train (Universal's sort of backlot Tram), or come up with something totally new and different. The feature would be a real plus especially for those with small children and lots to carry!

Of course, a lot of $ would be lost on those barrel foot massagers in Frontier Town! So perhaps they are already aware of the problem.

This has come up many times. Honestly the rather low-tech solution Universal Orlando uses would be good enough for me. I think they have two (three?) signs per park, one near the front, one near the back, which works since they're mostly circular. Entrance ride ops call in to park ops once every 15 to 20 minutes with the current wait time and they're updated. The only significant overhead comes from the initial investment in the signs.

A horse drawn carriage?

A non-tracked train?

Have you been hanging out with Charlie Rogers and Ron Mexico again?

For a system like this to work CP would need to put in a better mass transit system first.

If you were at Maverick, and found out Raptor had a short wait time, that could substantually change by the time you walked or took the train even half way there.

If the signs were at each entrance, then people could just look at them on their way to Maverick and then decide.
*** Edited 9/7/2007 5:08:06 PM UTC by Ryan06***

Epcot has boats as "mass transit" in the park. Animal Kingdom used to before they removed them :(. But yeah, Disney's other mass transit is for the resort, not each park.

I like the idea of the manual ride signs near Coasters. It would be another nice way to put an employee there to chat with guests. Remember that story about Sea World and how important customer service is to guests? Even having an employee stand there and answer lame questions goes a long way.

Ah, I forgot about the boats in EPCOT.

Put cell phones in your lockers, and use zipper cargo pants. Parents also tend to not go on rides as much. You could use storage bins also to put your phones in.

It is the best way I think because you don't have any ugly signs, you can access it anywhere while on the go.

All the ride operators do is ensure no big toys are brought in line, children are tall enough, and change the ride wait times. I think it is fairly simple, and something that is cost effective.

Also I would pay $5 a ride if CP had a 5 person capacity golf cart system that had a one way "lane" that went around the park and you could hail a golf cart down, and get a ride. I think this would be easy money, but WAY annoying.

I know some people like myself would use it when the old dogs are tired.

Golf carts inside the park? Have you been to the park on a crowded day? You can barely move with just people. I can only imagine what it would be like with golf carts too. They're annoying enough at the airport - we don't need them at CP too.

I'm not really a fan of the cell phone idea... but as Jugga said on the previous page, I would love if Cedar Point added two signs (one in the front, one near the back area or by TTD) with wait times. It would also be nice to see show times and if a ride is town. I hate walking around to every ride in the park to find a line that isn't too long.

I think Jeff has the right idea. Put a sign near on the Main Midway near Raptor, one somewhere near Dragster/Magnum, one near Millennium/beginning of Frontier Trail, and one at the very back near Maverick/Mean Streak. They could keep the manual turn-wheel sign at each ride entrance as they have now, just have the ride op who is sitting up at the entrance radio it in to a "control centre" which would list all of the wait times for the major rides or if a ride is down. They wouldn't have to list every coaster, just big rides like Raptor, maXair, Wicked Twister, Millennium, Power Tower, Dragster, Magnum, Maverick, Skyhawk, and maybe Mean Streak and Gemini. I would be so happy to see this. Word's can't describe how frustrated I get when I walk from Magnum or Millennium up to Raptor and it is down or has a huge line.

"So I think it would be great if the park had the system that displayed ride wait times. I understand they have been expansive to implement, but has anyone ever thought of this."

It seems to me that the current wait time signs work quite well. Take a look at the que and judge for yourself. Seems silly to pay a buck a call or text message every time MF, TTD or WT breaks down for a few minutes.

As has been said many times before.......you cannot compare CP to Disney.

Ride times are not that important to me. When the line is long I walk over to some other ride, or I wait in line . There`s nothing bad about walking. It`s good for you. More people should it... They know they need it !

^^I think the text message system, while a neat idea, would be very unlikely. I think we understand the current system works fine, that's why it should be kept but also have a new system that lists the wait time around the park. This isn't comparing CP to Disney, it's just taking a system that works well at one park and bringing it to another park

^No one is saying walking is bad, it's just a matter of making a system that could show you a wait time for Raptor when you are leaving Maverick so you can choose to go there since the line is short, or go to Magnum instead since it has a short line and Raptor is still over an hour. You will still be walking all over the park, it's just a matter of doing it at different times in order to get more rides in.

I've not used one, but apparently Six Flags' new gold Q-bots not only reserve ride times, but also show you what the current wait is for any ride in the park. I'm not saying Cedar Point should get something like that, I'm just throwing it out here.

JuggaLotus said:
Disney also implemented it on every ride that uses fastpass. The system not only relays information to the electronic boards and the ride entrances, but also ties into the FP system to provide an accurate window.

So there is a lot more to their queue management system than simply reporting times.

Disney has implemented the card readers to measure wait times on almost all rides regardless of FastPasses or not. Just some intresting facts regarding the cards: a new one is cycled through the line roughly every three/four minutes. As for people at CP not caring about them... the ride ops can just be sure to hand them out to guests that look like they will care. Disney isn't the only one with a system like such, Consign AG (the company behind the control systems for many rides) actually promoted a product they have(had? it isn't on their website anymore) where by putting a counter at the entrance to the line and at the exit and tell it into the computer which would know the amount of trains on the track is could judge the wait time. That would solve the problem with people carrying cards around.

Just how good is Disney's wait time reporting system? Not only can the times be viewed on the "tip boards" throughout the park they can also be viewed online on the Disney employee website (granted you have to be logged in from Disney location but one can then check the wait times for any Disney park). I heard stories of people checking the online tip boards after work at the Magic Kingdom to see if it was worth stopping on MGM later that night.

Here is a fun fact: you'll notice the tip board on Main Street is all done by hand as an electronic system would ruin the feel of Main Street.
*** Edited 9/8/2007 3:09:34 AM UTC by Andrew***

^ It's done by hand on Hollywood Boulevard for the same reason. :)