Early Entrance?

They're suppose to... whether they do or not is a different story.

Like I said before, I suspect there's such a low percentage of non-resort guests using the Magnum entrance that it's not worth it to check for passes. CP keeps numbers on everything, including how many people use early entrance at every gate. If they determine it's not worth having the extra staffing back there when there are only a couple of non-resort guests coming though, then it's probably a smart decision. They do have those portable blue gates stashed under Magnum's station, so they're there if they need them.

The early entrance rules are enforced every day of the season at the front gate. I can assure you of that.

I can attest to non-resort guests getting in at the Magnum and Marina Gate. How many? I have no clue. But I do know it happens.

i always go in the marina gate, sometimes they check, sometimes they don't. it all depends. more than likely i'v seen them check though

I've never had them check.

MrScott

Not to mention this year it will be a full hour :D

Even if not many non-resort guests go in the Magnum entrance, they should still check. As many people have stated, resort guests feel "cheated" if they think just anyone can go it. CP heavily advertises the "resort guests get in early" perk, so if it doesn't seem like a perk, they're more likely to stay off-point the next time they visit. They'd be like, "hey, we can save $100 a night and just drive back here in the morning and still get in early!"

Man i'm so happy we get in an hour early now. I will be up 2 hours before the hour early time downing coffee thinking about how Maverick will be and then hit it before everyone else :)

I'm just not looking forward to that long run to the very back of the park. Especially since I usually enter threw the front entrance.

The fact of the matter is that ERT is supposed to be a perk; a perk only for Resort Guests and Joe Cool Club members. While I understand the majority of guests using other gates are resort guests, there are plenty that aren't. To be completely honest with you, it's only the Magnum gate where I've seen a problem. The Marina Gate has always been well managed and the ladies at the Beach Gate run a tight ship as well.

I know of several people who confronted the park about the situation this season, and were merely told that the park would refund their pass. This wasn't the answer they were looking for.

For a few years now CP has been cutting positions wherever possible. It shouldn't be surprising that it applies to more than just the rides department. If they think there is no value to having someone there, then they won't staff it. I'm not saying that's the way it should be, it's just the way it is.

I realize that. But there's no reason, that those at the gates couldn't take that extra couple seconds to verify the passes and resort cards guests are entering with should they not be using the "holding area" method. And I do realize that there can be a bit of a rush in the morning at that time. I guess I'm just saying, it doesn't have to be the way it is. There is an easy way to correct the problem, and it won't cost the park anything.

*** Edited 2/14/2007 7:02:44 AM UTC by DBCP***

DBCP said:
There is an easy way to correct the problem, and it won't cost the park anything.

Like hire better quality employee's that care about their job?

That will cost them. You can't pay nothing and get the worlds best employees. You have to pay for that premium.

I didn't say that... I said just enforce the fact that the employees are actually suppose to be checking IDs and resort cards. If 3 out of four gates can do it, I don't know why the 4th one can't.

Yeah, its not like they have to hire an EXTRA employee to check resort IDs. Its just that they need to ENFORCE an existing rule. Sounds real hard to me. :rolleyes:

The big problem you run into with the Magnum gate is a high volume of people in a very cramped space. I've never worked back there at opening time, but the plaza outside the gate is so small for the volume of people going in that I imagine it would just be a bad idea to hold everyone outside while you filter out who can and cannot come in for the early ride time. The beach and marina gates don't have such a high volume of guests trying to come through, so it's not an issue there. If you set up the portable blue gates by Magnum, it eliminates the situation of creating chaos outside the gate, but requires 1 or 2 extra employees.

Again, I'm not saying that nothing should be done at the Magnum gate, but logistically, that gate has some different challenges.

Edit: ^The challenge with an extra employee is that the position goes away when early entry is done. At that time in the morning, turnstiles and ticket windows are at max staff. In my experience (during Halloweekends anyway), it usually means when you finish working early entry, you stand around being useless for a while until they can find a Ride Pride to get rid of. Either way, regardless of what part of the season it is, someone is stuck with nothing to do. In the days of Freeway, the early entry people would just go do that, but now there's usually not another position to go to. *** Edited 2/15/2007 4:57:11 AM UTC by Ralph Wiggum***

Ralph Wiggum said:
but the plaza outside the gate is so small for the volume of people going in that I imagine it would just be a bad idea to hold everyone outside while you filter out who can and cannot come in for the early ride time.

And that leads to fights. Which I have seen countless times. There are simple solutions to problems like this, and most of those solutions are very obvious maybe even common sense, but if Cedar Point has done nothing about it yet they wont anytime soon.

The most obvious solution, as I see it, would be to simply separate guests before opening the gates for ERT. More often than not, ERT guests are there before the gates open, so why not have an employee simple check credentials then, separate them into their own line which could be let in at the appropriate time?

The last two years they have doe this at both the Magnum and Beach gates on opening weekend, but I've never seen them do it after that weekend when I've been at either gate early.