Best Park Employee Experience

Time to turn the tables.

This one is an observed experience, not an experienced experience. ERT on Raptor: dad and son, last row. Son's first time on Raptor (obviously). Son absolutely terrified, tears streaming down his face. I was waiting for the next train in. While the ride op was checking harnesses, he took the time to talk Son down into mere panic. I'm married to a psychiatrist, but this guy was *good*. Granted, the op probably wouldn't have taken the time if the trains hadn't been only half full, since dispatch is king, but I thought it was darn human.

I have had that happen to many times at Magnum. Most of the time that you encounter and situation like the upset child, you try to catch it while the group is waiting to ride on the playform. Sometimes you can have the problem resolved before loading the train. Other times, the parent(s) are screaming at you that there child can ride and its the parents decision and blah blah blah. There were a few times at Magnum that we set up over a scared child, but its not a biggie.

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Mark Magnum Crew 2k2

I'm a huge stickler for listening to the child. I talk directly to the child, completely ignoring the parent. If the child looks at me in the eyes and says "I want to ride" then fine. But most of them are like "get me out of here!!" The parents tend to yell at us and say "he's riding." I don't care what the parent says, the child is the one to make the decision here. I don't think they realize how damanaging that can do to a child. I, too, will set up over a child...it's just wrong to send a kid that's too terrified.

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~Sabrina~
2001 Gemini
2002 Gemini/Corkscrew/Live E: Hooray for Hollywood

Added note...thanks for giving us a good expierence...it helps to know that people care for once.

We get the exact same thing in Camp Snoopy, Gemini Witch ;especially on Woodstock but with that ride we don;t have to worry about set-ups.
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Pugsly,The Coaster Jester Of Cedar Point.

I see people include the word set up here and I just get this sudden urge to start running down the toward the lift and safeties. Or i can be like Bryan from Maggie and play slip and slide on the cat walk. Good thing that happened on my day off or I would have probably let the MIB (sorry Jeff) totally take over!

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Mark Magnum Crew 2k2
*** This post was edited by Mark, the New Magnum Guy 9/11/2002 9:56:39 PM ***