I want a refund!
The power outage lasted less than 5 hours. This family walked back to the hotel from the park, learned of the situation, and then made the decision to cancel a multi-day vacation - one would assume - in much less than 5 hours. Seems like an pretty fast decision to me. If I drove all that distance, I would think that I'd wait just a little bit longer. Maybe that's just my common sense kicking in.
Besides, if I was going to cancel a vacation like that, I'd be getting something stronger than a verbal promise from a supervisor (who I would question to have such authority) before I would make any decisions ... especially with $741 on the line.
And then she expects a ticket refund too? Because of what a hotel supervisor told her?
I think Cedar Point's compensation is generous, considering the park should not be expected to do anything.
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Walt Schmidt
Virtual Midway
*** This post was edited by Gemini 8/27/2003 12:58:42 PM ***
What goes on in the brain of a person who books a hotel for several days and decides to pack up and leave a few hours into a power outage? In the park's case, this outage was no worse than other extended outages (outside of the context of the fact that so many people were affected by it).
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Jeff - Webmaster - GTTP - Sillynonsense.com
DELETED! What time does the water show start?
I do have to admit that IF the supervisor DID promise a full refund- that's what these people should receive. (they shouldn't have to pay for some supervisor's mistake)
HOWEVER- I've never heard of a full refund from any hotel. Someone needs to find this certain supervisor and have a little talk about his/her career at Cedar Point and how because of his/her mistake, Cedar Point's reputation is being damaged in the Michigan area.
Of course I would hope that the people of Michigan would not be so niave as to believe (what seems to be) some opinionated news article.
Oh well! All I know is I LOVE CEDAR POINT, and I'm going to do everything in my power to keep its awesome reputation!
As a department manager at the local Giant Eagle, right at the moment the lights went out, we had an older lady who, and I kid you not, asked every single employee in that store if we knew how long the outage was going to last, and if we could fix it within the hour. She later broke down crying and mumbled things about the end of the world and so forth...so, some people do lack common sense, in a most unfortunate way..
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Everything that has a beginning, has an end. 11.05
In this case it was early enough for this family to be able to decide between a four hour ride home, or maybe sleeping in the lobby (or, more likely because of fire regs, their cars). Wow! Comfy! Now here comes management, offering a full refund. Do you gamble? With a ten-month-old baby? Have you guys really put yourself in this position? The possibility of sleeping on a floor or packed into cars, with a baby?
They were offered a choice, and I say the one they made was quite reasonable. I have often said that Cedar Point's customer service is second to none, and if indeed guests were offered a full refund, that is exactly what they should get.
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Age and treachery will always overcome youth and skill.
What irritates the piss out of me is that while every New Yorker who made it on TV put up with it and dealt with the situation, everyone west of there wants something for a problem that was out of nearly everyone's control.
For example, some idiot in my city (where the outage only lasted about 30 minutes, I should add), actually wanted money back from the cable system. The great irony is that he didn't have any power to see that service was actually not interrupted. TV and Internet service never stopped.
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Jeff - Webmaster - GTTP - Sillynonsense.com
DELETED! What time does the water show start?
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'Welcome to Alaska!'
"Alaska?? Nobody said we were going to Alaska!!"
As far as having no case to argue - they sure as hell do. Unless someone's lying here, they left having been assured by management of a full refund. Now, had they just up and left, assuming they would be refunded, I would most certainly agree that they'd be SOL. But that ain't what happened ...
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Age and treachery will always overcome youth and skill.
I can make it in about 3 hours, 5 minutes, but obviously I don't obey all traffic laws ;) (I do about 72-77 mph on the freeways, and about 61 on route 2) Thats kind of a long drive, especially with an infant in the car. (ARGH, baby crying = worst noise on earth)
Don't take this the wrong way, I'm not taking the side of the lady who wants the refund. Personally, I do have to agree with spewey, but I don't think the park ticket money should be refunded.
I still don't like the LSJ or John Schneider (even if I just got done delivering that piece of crap paper.. where else do I get CP gas money? ;) )
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2003 Stats - Days in the Park: 8
TTD:8 MF:11 Mag:13 WT:7 MS:9 Raptor:7 Mantis:5 Gemini:8 DT:2 CCMR:4 CS:4 ID:6 WC:2 BS:2
They had the intention of staying there until they were told of the option.
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Beer and golf Thursday thru Monday, Cedar Point & beer, Tuesday and Wednesday.
As a business owner I have had to "eat" some incorrect promises by my employees. The customers had no reason not to believe my employees, as the guests at CP had no reason not to believe the hotel employee.
CP needs to do the right thing and "bite the bullet" on this one.
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tambo
So about those New Yorkers that slept on the sidewalk - do you think they should still pay for their rooms?
I don't know if they paid for their rooms or not, but I didn't hear of anyone at Cedar Point sleeping on the sidewalk. In fact, the sun had hardly set when the power came back on.
You're right - no magic 8 ball. If I'm not allowed to jump to the conclusion that it's not going to be a big deal, how did they jump to the conclusion that it means the end of their big vacation? They seemed to come to the conclusion rather quickly that it was going to be a big deal. Turns out, at least in Sandusky, it wasn't.
How often does an event like this happen? Why would they assume they had to cancel their vacation? Why not wait to see if, like every other power outage, power was restored in a few hours or less?
I'm not sure who gave the promise. I'm thinking it wasn't "management," but rather a "seasonal supervisor." Good to know that all I have to do to get something free at Cedar Point is find a seasonal employee who looks important and have them promise something to me.
No doubt Cedar Point will give in. That's just the kind of park they are - always going above and beyond the call of duty.
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Walt Schmidt
Virtual Midway
*** This post was edited by Gemini 8/28/2003 9:16:30 AM ***
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Jeff - Webmaster - GTTP - Sillynonsense.com
DELETED! What time does the water show start?
If others are saying the same thing I am more convinced it was said by CP. If just this one family, I am not so convinced. I would think it would spread like wildfire, if CP said they were giving full refunds due to a power outage.
The thing is, if that was said, I would have gotten it credited on my credit card before I left or gotten it in writing, then left. But by that time the power may have come back on, thus not needing it anymore.
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"This second hill is my favorite part of the ride. It is so Cool!"
TTD Status: "Contaminates in the system" S.K. Per my conversation
EA Sports "It's in the Game"
Gemini said:
My biggest problem is the extremely fast decision they made to end their multi-day vacation. The power outage lasted 5 hours. How could you possibly make a decision that quickly to end a vacation of that magnitude. It wasn't like a day trip.------------------
Which fast decision are you referring to? CP's decision to give a refund for rooms that people cannot enter or the families decision to accecpt the refund if they left?
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Beer and golf Thursday thru Monday, Cedar Point & beer, Tuesday and Wednesday.
What about those who did stay? Shouldn't they all get 26% off of their night's stay? After all, they couldn't get into their rooms for 5 hours of their 19 hour (4pm - 11am) stay.
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Walt Schmidt
Virtual Midway
*** This post was edited by Gemini 8/28/2003 3:13:49 PM ***
No they shouldn't receive anything because it was their decision to stay and not take the refund offer. They knew what they were in for.
Also consider this: granted, power outages happen all the time and CP has no control over this thus it is an act of God (just like the weather) and there are no rainchecks. Many on this forum have said that the family made a very quick decision to leave not knowing how long it was going to last, but they were also following CP's lead, beacuse managment decided to close the park also not knowing how long the blackout was going to continue as well.
I am not saying given the uncontrollable situation that CP was in that that the famliy deserves the money, I am saying if a refund was offered then they are entitled to it.
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Beer and golf Thursday thru Monday, Cedar Point & beer, Tuesday and Wednesday.
It would be interesting to know how the situation played out. Was there a formal announcement to everyone there? Was the 'promise' made in passing? I just don't see how a business can be held liable for an offer that an unauthorized employee made verbally. I guess I'm the only one. If I were in that situation, I certainly wouldn't trust it.
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Walt Schmidt
Virtual Midway
BUT they are WAAAYYYY mad at CP for not "handling things better" and they are VERY dissatisfied with the "compensation" the park has decided to offer them. they only got half a day at CP, having foolishly decided to spend the day before at SFWoA...
they feel they are entitled to a refund of park tickets. not of hotel expenses, but of park tickets.
they are my best neighbors and good friends of mine, but it was really hard to tell them "Well, they dont have to offer you ANYTHING but they are anyways. Cos THATS how CP is."
something not under the park's control and you want a refund on your tickets? would you ask for a refund if you got sick after a ride and had to leave after only half a day?
i dont think so.
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meleth nin Balan in Andrann
it aint the size of the arrow, its what you do with the bow....
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