Height requirements...borderline cases

CP can never give people leeway just because of a quarter inch. Because if they chance it to 54.75" then people will begin to complain saying that if it could be a quarter inch shorter then they can make it an inch shorter then people will stil say that he is close enough and over time if the par continues to change it then the height limit could come down to 46 inches to ride Mantis, which by the way has its height limit due to the fact that the seat needs room to go up and down and it can only go down so far. If you are not standing on the ground but sitting on the bicycle seat it is not a comfortable ride for us men. I still do not understand Raptors height limit and why it is but I am going to try and find that one out next.

DJ I went to change my post I dont know how I messed that one up I completely meant to post "qualitative standard" but some hoe in the writing of the post I got confused in how I had planned to word my thoughts. for some reason when editing it It simply too out what I was trying to edit and wont let me change it at all now... oh well

The PointGuru said:
Or, the ride host is just being lazy or mean and not measuring the kid properly. I never will forget seeing a ride host stick his foot under the measuring pole to check a kid who was just tall enough to ride. With his foot under the pole he told the kid he was too short to ride. The kid went crying to the parents and they just walked away. The ride host then laughed and said he was just joking around with the kid and he would have let him ride but he ran away before he could explain the joke.

Height is not nearly as much of a safety factor on almost all of the non-coasters at the park. For lack of a better term, the park tries to use height as a measure for maturity. That is entirely subjective. From what I has seen, I would pick the maturity level of most 5 year olds over the maturity of a ride host that wants to argue with parents because they think Thunder Canyon is unsafe to ride because the child changed what shoes they were wearing.

Okay Guru. I'm starting to wonder if you made that scenario up in your head so you can make it look like you know what you're talking about. If you really want to stoop to that level by questioning the maturity level of a ride host simply because he/she is enforcing a rule that they MUST follow, then maybe you should question the maturity of the parent who is arguing back since the parent is too immature to listen and want to understand the rules and nature of a ride. Like I said earlier, parents always have something to bitch about as if ride hosts don't have rules to follow like these said parents have at their full time jobs. So quit blaming ride hosts and making them all out to be a******s for enforcing the rules. It would be more immature if the ride hosts couldn't even follow a rule and obey the park's orders. Yes, some ride hosts aren't very nice and have attitudes, but in this topic about height requirements, they aren't the bad the guy.

Well. Let me see if I have this straight, PointGuru.

A ride op following the rules their employer requires them to follow as a condition of their employment = bad, lazy management and mean, lazy employees.

A parent so pathetically desperate to get their child on a ride they've stuck Rice Krispie treats or maxi pads in the child's shoes, so obsessed with getting that child on a ride they're willing to gamble that child's life = responsible parent being hassled by an abusive corporate structure.

Please tell me, PointGuru, that you do not have children. You do not seem responsible enough to bear such a responsibility.

If a kid has a wristband--meaning that the office says they are 48 inches (or whatever)-- why are ride ops measuring? Do they measure better than the office? If so, why is the office measuring?

TwistedWicker77 said:
Okay Guru.

noggin said:
Let me see if I have this straight, PointGuru.

I know I'm more guilty than most here, but just stop feeding the troll. He's just trying to bait people into nonsensical debate.

Plus, it's sort of like beating up a cripple.

I'm really getting tired with gurus posts...I've been wasting too much time in these forums..poor management and administration here is hurting this place...I want my coupon and raincheck please Jeff ;-)

noggin said:
Well. Let me see if I have this straight, PointGuru...

As usual, that is nothing like I said; but, you got some of it straight. Yes, I do blame the ride host for not using their brain. If the kid has a wrist band issued by someone in his / her bosses office and they still have an issue with a kids height they should call for an area supervisor to make a determination. It is managements fault for putting the ride host in a bad situation in the first place. Grown ups realize the world is not black and white or there is not a magical height requirement that is the difference between life and death on the Turnpike Cars. If the park simply made logical policies that made sense parents wouldn't have to resort to such drastic measures to ensure their children are having the good time they pay for.

Thought the OP was for raptor / mantis and not turnpike cars.

And so parents trying to circumvent park policy by swapping a ride height band onto another kid or stuffing the shoes is somehow someone else's fault? What ever happened to accountability and common sense for the parents?

a) How can something simultaneously be "nothing like [you] said" but still have "some of it straight"? Both of these statements can't be true.

b) Ride hosts are not paid to use their brain. Ride hosts are paid to follow the rules they've been given. Ride hosts that ignore those rules are fired, not praised.

c) There is not a magical height difference between life and death on any ride at any park. There is, however, the minimum safe height established by either the park or the manufacturer. Parents who wish to ignore that are placing their convenience above the safety of their children.

d) When parents pay for that "good time" they are agreeing to obey the park's rules. They don't like the rules? Tough. Don't buy tickets into the park.

noggin said:

Ride hosts are not paid to use their brain.

Well, that explains a lot about some ride host. Park management must not get paid for that either when they set policies.

There is, however, the minimum safe height established by either the park or the manufacturer.

See, this is the problem with not paying attention to what I post. The problem is that there is no set method for determining the height. If the park is relying on ride host who don't use their brains to determine if the kids shoes are big enough then I would tend to agree with you that park management doesn't get paid to use their brains either.

When parents pay for that "good time" they are agreeing to obey the park's rules. They don't like the rules? Tough. Don't buy tickets into the park.

No one signs anything agreeing to anything when they buy tickets (accept possibly a transfer of funds if a credit card is used). Rules are posted and guest are advised of consequences if rules are not followed; but, it is up to the guest to decide if they want to follow ridiculous rules or not.

PointGuru this is what we all think of you and your posts:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mm8xRvoQkc0&list=PLJKy1vEu-j6fDf-w-r17oA4xwbymbyLrc

Yesterday morning I came in for Early Entry to get a few rides on Gatekeeper. After riding for the third time, I came out the exit to find the line had ballooned to about a hour, shortly after 10am. What impressed me was that there was an employee walking the line and checking all the borderline kids with a measuring stick. He gave those who passed a coloured slip of paper. I thought it was very considerate of the park to check these kids before they entered the queue only to be turned away after an hour's wait.

"Park management must not get paid for that either when they set policies."

Maybe not, but setting policies is their job. Following policies is the job of ride ops. Ride ops by and large want to keep their jobs.

"The problem is that there is no set method for determining the height. If the park is relying on ride host who don't use their brains to determine if the kids shoes are big enough..."

It doesn't matter what the "set method for determining the height" is. If the park management determines that one must be X inches tall to ride this ride, but X inches tall to ride that ride, well, end of story. That's how tall someone has to be. I'm not going to criticize ride ope who want to keep their job for being over-enthusiastic in performing their duties.

"No one signs anything agreeing to anything when they buy tickets..." The next time you go to Cedar Point, read your ticket. When you buy admission to an amusement park, that is EXACTLY what you're buying: admission. You are not entitled to any specific number of rides on any specific ride or rides. Further, by buying tickets you are indeed agreeing to abide by the park's policies.

The PointGuru said:
Rules are posted and guest are advised of consequences if rules are not followed; but, it is up to the guest to decide if they want to follow ridiculous rules or not.

Ohio Revised Code Section 1711.551 kind of puts a damper on guests who think rules are optional.

If only a group existed to provide Cedar Point and other amusement parks a standard on testing, maintaining, and operating amusement park rides. Instead, they're forced to come up with random, anti-consumer practices.

Paging Dave Althoff ... :)

I'm really surprised no one has figured this out what I do for a living yet. I will give you a hint, Walt is on the right tract when he starts posting ORC. Lets just say that is familiar territory for me and I'm used to people making snide comments about me. The good thing about laws is that they are often written by law makers to be vague enough to allow for interpretation yet specific enough to be selectively enforced. If you would like me to list about 1000 different ways ORC 1711.551 would not apply to height restrictions, I will but I may have to start billing Point Buzz my regular fees. You won't find much help with ASTM either. Generally speaking most professional associations walk a fine line when setting guidelines. They almost never make specific recommendations on park policies like height restrictions which is why you will find many of the same rides in different parks with different height restrictions. Pretty sure ASTM doesn't have a position on what size shoes kids need to wear in order to meet their standards. Nice try though.

Noggin, if your manager told you to jump off the top of TTD, would you? Bad managers make bad policies. If ride host have a problem with a guest they should let management handle it.

PointGuru instead of just charging us your fees, why dont you just stop logging on nobody would miss you.

If PointGuru wants us to think he is a lawyer he sounds like a poor one. If he is a lawyer, it won't be long before he is either disbared or found in contempt by a judge.

Walt, Jeff PLEASE axe, bar, ban or what ever it is you do to unwanted trolls.

Well even though I didn't intend to, it seems my post has caused quite a stir...its all moot to me however, as the little guy measured not so little tonight. 54.5 in new shoes...no insoles, hamburgers, Rice Krispie treats, or Maxi Pads needed!

We cant wait till Monday! Thanks everyone.

No offense to the person who started this thread but it is offensive to me that there is a 3 page thread on why we cannot praise a person for not accomplishing their goal. Should I praise my dog for crapping in the house? Praise my grandson for using his diaper? Congradulate a coworker that got hurt? Loan money to someone who can't repay? I suppose we should lower the age to vote,drink,smoke pot in Colorado,purchase guns...lets open up the borders to anyone who wants to come!!

Parenting a child is nothing that ends at graduation, their marraige, or the riding of the Raptor. If we told our children they succeeded when they failed what are we doing for them?

Sad part of this thread is the person is at Cedar Point sleeping off a great day at the Point with his family. Regardless of their trip I am sure they had a great time.Only sad thing is that we are not there to enjoy it too.

I wish you had to be a certain "heigth" to post on this site.