Golden Ticket Awards: How Cedar Point can improve

The Streak as it should always be. Changes they made are so disappointing

I miss the way it used to be. Those seat dividers kill my hips some days. I remember there being dots or numbers painted on the platform to stand on. It's been so long it's weird to think of no gates and yet nobody died...

Lol @ "Cedar Point's maintenance team is top notch". *sigh* if only you knew the half of it. The maintenance team does bust their butts to get things done, yes! But that department could use some extra training. And they need to start from top to bottom.

TwistedWicker77 said:

But that department could use some extra training. And they need to start from top to bottom.

3-4 years ago I was amazed at the up time of most of the rides. It seems that the ride up time has dropped very significantly over the past 2 seasons, but maybe that's a fluke. I've been troubleshooting electrical signal systems and some structural things for over 10 years in my current line of work. It seems to me that they are some combination of under trained, are doing quick fixes while not addressing underlying problems, and/or lack experience.

That said, I've never seen dispatches as slow as they were this past weekend, nor have I seen so many unhappy employees around the park before.

I think the understaff/unhappy employees and maintenances differences may be due to CF focusing on the financial goals of Fun Forward 2.0 at the detriment of the guest experience. They were on track early in the season to hit the goal a year early and that faded as the season went on, which they blamed on weather (which was seasonally above average).

The park was just kinda of meh this year. We did our trips (from Wisconsin) in May, June and July, but felt no desire for a return in August or September and we are also skipping Halloweekends.

Looking forward to next year and hopefully staffing is back in order.

Things that in my opinion, Cedar Point needs to focus on:

1) the employees -
There is no reason for the living conditions to be the way they are. Cramming 4 people into a dorm is ridiculous. Not to mention how dirty they are. Constant bed bugs, filthy restrooms, and basically no food options available at Commons is ridiculous. I don't think people realize how many folks come to CP without a car. It's not easy always bumming a ride to go to the store or a restaurant. Especially for the internationals who come here. This is the impression we're giving them? Also, how big of a slap in the face is it for the employees who have worked all season long from start to finish continue to receive the same pay rate for these low staffing times? ESPECIALLY when CP is hiring in temps who will be making $15 an hour. That is more than $5 than what a typical first year ride op makes. How sad. It's nice if you're a shareholder in the company, but this current management hasn't really shown much love to the employees. I would like to see Ouimet and his crew stay at Commons or Cedars for a whole season. Then maybe something would happen. I kind of fear for the park a bit, because if this continues, they won't get many people to apply or return.

Maintenance team - please let's do a revamp. I think it would be beneficial to ensure all sensors, computers, microphones and moving parts are properly working before opening for the season. Let's take Dragster for example. I understand that ride has multiple sensors, but why wait for one to go bad? I know for a fact there's a way to test these sensors to see if they're properly working or if they're too old. I'm in no way saying that they need change every single sensor every off season, but extreme temperatures play a part in their life.

I'm in no way meaning for this to be hateful, but it has been very frustrating for a lot of people.

^In regards to the employee housing, I wholeheartedly agree there. In terms of transportation I do think there needs to be a better alternative for those without a car. However, to shuttle people everywhere including internationals I do not think is a thing that needs to happen. There are shuttles to take you to the park, which does have employee food options. I understand it's not ideal to eat there every meal (in fact I'd discourage it). Looking at it objectively though, Cedar Point already does enough there, it's not their responsibility to provide taxi service / shuttle for local businesses / places. That's something for Uber / Lyft / carpooling for friends. It'd be no different in any other scenario if you didn't have a car working at XYZ. For example, before my first car, I was responsible for getting a ride either from a friend to go places or parents. It sucks don't get me wrong, but external / off time events are not CP's responsibility IMO.

Going back to it though, housing NEEDS a revamp. Even if they demolished everything currently, and then supplied new items / amenities, that'd be a very welcome change. Apparently a new building was put up and the rec center updated, but I do not know to what degree. They also need to not treat the facility like an admission gate / prison. It was ridiculous to see someone checking IDs for my parents when they came to visit for the weekend. The only thing I think that's hard for the parks to sink money into the facilities is that people do tend to treat them like crap. I can't even begin to discuss the horror stories in the showers / restrooms. The park restrooms are generally cleaner / smell better, and that's a serious problem. I mean the dorms are known for hookups, Netflix and Chill, long parties, and tons of drinking. Will they want to invest millions into something that's going to just be ripped up within a year? Not sure there. I do think they are on a right path to ensure they're treated better (security deposit, etc.).

In terms of the sensors / maintanance. I do think the parks have this handled pretty well. Ontop of it, we can't always gauge a failure. Some parts have a maintanance schedule, some fail before that schedule. For instance, one of the Corkscrew trains was extensively refiberglassed and was apparently scheduled. However, when the ride blows a wheel, that wasn't exactly planned and causes downtime. I mean I know you worked the park, you know how much things are checked / scrutinized. I mean the park runs NDT / etc. for a reason.

I don't think you read my whole comment how I intended. I never said CP should cart employees around town that don't have a car. I'm saying, i don't agree with the fact that there aren't many food options in the employee rec center. Reason being, not everybody has the luxury of getting in their car and running to the store or restaurant. Like how they used to have subway in there back in the day? No longer there. But you can get a poor quality burger and stale fries on the rec centers time because nobody knows if it's ever going to be open by time they get back from the park after a long day.

Last thing on maintenance. You are absolutely right about the maintenance schedule and I understand unplanned things happen. But I can assure you, based on this year's performance, things are not really under control in that department. Let's take Raptor for example: had everybody in maintenance been trained for everything, Raptor's track would not been lubed to all hell, causing it to be down for almost two weeks in the middle of August.

Not everything mechanically is to be blamed on the maintenance department. I'm just saying, more training and people that actually know what the heck they're doing needs to happen. Or maybe invite the head honchos of intamin and B&M to come and help make things a bit or reliable. Like Maverick and Valravn. I still feel that Valravn is the most unreliable B&M I've ever seen. That thing needs the entire control system redone by IOE and NOT by B&M. Ehh whatever. I promise I'm done ranting. At this point it almost sounds like I hate the park. I definitely don't. But I fear that if things continue to go like how they have been, staffing levels will not allow for efficient operations (which isn't what Cedar Point is all about).

Ok, I get that then. Yeah they should have more choices, but again, how many more should be offered? I'm not completely disagreeing, but I do feel that the burden isn't entirely something Cedar Point is responsible for. I think the new choices would be a great gesture, but something they should feel obligated to do.

In terms of training, yeah that's been ongoing with maintenance for probably forever. Now I will say the park also lost probably one of the best Maint. Managers ever recently too, so factor that into some difficulties this year.

Also, B&M does not touch their own control systems, that's been subcontracted out since the beginning through Consign Controls. Now granted IOE does a good job, and are def. more enthusiast friendly / open about their projects, which I think gives them a good reputation. However, if B&M feels that Consign meets their needs for their projects and has had such a long relationship, I won't suggest IOE replace Consign.

Eric Lapp leaving really did put a dent in the maintenance department. There is no doubt they could be good again though. But you and I both know that CP lacks in the controls department. Literally having 4 guys who know controls when we have at least 5 rides that need constant attention is not very efficient. I remember one year when I was at Raptor, I had to wait for a controls person to come from the back of the park at Maverick because all of the others were busy. I am not discrediting the maintenance team because they really do work hard! I am just saying, I really hope with proper training AND staff in both the offseason and during the season, they can get these rides back to more efficient operations.

Lastly, in terms of B&M and Consign, I agree about them having a good relationship with each other. However, ever since the programmers with IOE left Consign, Consign's programming is a huge dud. That's why I have high hopes for Steel Vengeance since that's who is doing their control system.

XS NightClub said:

...they blamed on weather (which was seasonally above average).

Monthly average weather was above average. That doesn't mean specific, critical dates weren't negatively affected by the weather.

^Didn't I beat that horse in the Labor Day earnings release to him? Lol

Edit: Why yes, yes I did

Apparently not enough. :-)

Well that horse was boring, can we go back to the Cincinnati "Chili" one ;)

Employee happiness does seem to be at a all time low. But 10 or so days at the park every year doesn't give me much of a sample size.

Some problems you gotta throw money at. When I was about to graduate high school I considered working at CP. Thankfully having been a member here even back then I knew it wasn't a good choice for all the reasons stated above. You just can't offer the living conditions they do and expect good results, it's amazing that they are able to get the staff that they do.

Unfortunately this will only get worse till corporate realizes this is a big problem. All of these things do hurt their bottom line but apparently not enough. Yet. It's now impossible to get ahead of these problems but hopefully something is in the works.

Giving an employee from half way around the world or just a few hours away good meals and a nice place to lay their head at night would make a world of difference for them. Just seems like the right thing to do.

Good points above.

5 Ways CP can improve:

Yes, I believe the guest market was addressed (as far as sleeping quarters) with the renovation of Hotel Breakers and the Express hotel but not for the employees. YES! Tear down Cedars in the off-season and replace it a smaller footprint, higher amount of floors (8 might be OK) to increase worker satisfaction. Most of these structures (the Cedars dorms) are from 1906, way outdated! Happy employees = happy guests.

Sandcastle Suites (renovate these/replace them) with something better. Maybe use it as temporary housing for employees while Cedars is getting rebuilt?

Repaint Wicked Twister already. Not just the supports, all of it.

Update the AWE stadium roof already, its an eyesore and sorely needs upgraded materials and repainting. How did this and WT miss the midway renovation 2 years ago?

REPLACE Dinos Alive and make it extinct. Remove Delberts Fling while you're at also. Its appearance doesn't fit the area. Use that entire area for a new attraction that will draw the masses. I saw one person on Fling (Labor Day weekend) in 10 different visits this year....not a successful use of land IMO.

CP has done a GREAT job of redoing MS into SV, utilizing the beach more for PM activities, building the Lakeside Pavilion, and the landscaping and rides continue to be top notch. Food stands/ improvement with the addition of food trucks and better selections was a plus also this year. Anyone else have ideas?

The food trucks are there I think because they can't find enough staff for the normal CP food stands. I'm not sure how much I like the food trucks, they have some pros and cons. On one hand it's nice to have the selection but the prices are really high, I think most of the time I'll just get the meal plan food from Cedar Point. A downside to the food trucks is that they do kind of junk up the Midway, the collection of trucks makes it looks somewhat like a carnival rather than a permanent amusement park.

TwistedWicker77 said:

Eric Lapp leaving really did put a dent in the maintenance department...

But you and I both know that CP lacks in the controls department.

I'm not sure how well you knew Eric but he wasn't the smartest guy in the bunch. I worked with him on some attraction downtime projects and some of the ideas he came up with were....well the kinda stuff you'd see posted here. Now Rick Hiser leaving certainly didn't help and some of the other foremen over the years jumping ship and working for Adena.

On your mention about the Controls Department being short on guys it isn't just that group. The whole department lacks in staffing as guys continue to retire or quit without replacements. The park has continued to build new rides but does nothing to add to the staff who takes care of those rides. They need to hire new while they still have an older staff who can really show the new guys how to take care of those rides. There is a decent group that has been there 20 to 30 years and they won't be around much longer.

My idea would be to update Rougarou yet another time. Everyone complains it's a headbanger, but I never have had an issue. However, for those who do, it's right after the brake run when the train goes into that corkscrew. Maybe give it a helix right after the brake run and play around with it from there. Personally I love it the way it is, but if it benefits others, then make the change where needed.

^^^ As for the food trucks, I am not sure how that works, such as do the truck operators have to pay a significant fee to operate at CP? If so, then they must sell "x" amount of food to make any sort of profit. I've been there 4 times this September and noticed maybe 4 trucks or so along Cedar Downs area as well as one near Gemini. What I also noticed was few if any customers at any of them except Fire Truck. Perhaps it is the timing of my visits, but hey, I am usually hungry any time of day.I can't say that I have helped their bottom line as I have never purchase food from any of them, although I am sure there are some delicious offerings.

The ones along the already narrow midway really do restrict pedestrian traffic, but so does the stage by Iron Dragon during shows. Some of the other trucks are placed off to the side in areas of less traffic, but still very visible.

They probably will do good business the next few weekends including the crowded "Columbus Day" weekend. Oh, I am sorry. Oberlin says to call it Indigenous People day.

While I mentioned pedestrian traffic, it got me thinking about something else that annoys me. People line up waiting for a ride to open such as TTD at 10:00am ( or whenever). The line of people grows and usually ends up snaking across the midway past Corkscrew entrance blocking pedestrians. Same thing happens at Gemini, there is 500' of area along the midway towards those vending machines that nobody uses and the line instead forms straight across the midway blocking it. It's just annoying. Maybe the ride entrance host can direct the people to not block the midways or maybe that is out of their job classification. Rant completed.