Magnum recording is back again...

Any regular guest who doesn't see it has been blinded by their love of the park, IMO.

Or thinks that rides are just one part of what makes Cedar Point great.

I'm glad I was never a ride op. I'd hate to have spiels and stacking ruin my day.

Again, I'm not arguing that these things don't need to be addressed. Dave, as usual, makes a lot of great points. They're just not 'deal-breakers' to me and not something that will prevent me from having a good time.

*** Edited 7/24/2005 1:30:27 PM UTC by Walt***

Ride operations is a huge part of the reason I've been willing to drive out of the way time after time to visit CP rather than just going to a park somewhere closer. I knew that nomatter what day of the week or time of the season I went, I could count on crews busting their butts to keep lines moving and they'd be doing it enthusiastically. I could never say that about Darien Lake which was an hour away instead of five. Unfortunately, it's getting harder and harder to say that about CP these days. I agree with Jeff that Bill Spehn leaving was a bad thing. The autospiels started under him, but the operations have taken a nosedive since he left. I really thought the people who were under him, having been there for many years themselves, would be able to continue it. But they're headed in the wrong direction thus far and either they don't realize it, are too stubborn to admit it, or just don't care. I'd bet on the middle option. Bill Spehn seems to be real good about actually doing something when he sees or is told that something isn't working.

Sure, CP has a beautiful location with nice resorts and things like that, but I can't really afford them. The park is relatively nice, but there are plenty of parks with more visual appeal - at least while walking around. Think BGW. Now that place has "atmosphere." Beautiful landscaping, themed areas, music and foods from different countries, etc. Too bad their operations suck and I've never thought of them in the same league as CP. Canada's Wonderland is more "beautiful" than CP, but their coasters are crappy and their operations are bad. Other parks have cheaper and better food than CP. I can't say I've been to a park that runs their rides as well as CP has though. I feel it's their biggest strength.

Walt, you always talk about "the whole package." To me, the operations are a big part of what has made CP unique. There are other parks with good rides and nice scenery, but who wants to wait 30 minutes for a ride on a coaster on a frigid October day when there are less than 1000 people in an entire park. I did that a few times at Darien Lake a few years back. Then I decided I'd be better off driving four extra hours to CP because I knew they'd show me a good time. The things that make up "the whole package" are slowly disappearing. To me, operations are the most important of these. Other people might feel that the loss of spiels or character signs takes away from the atmosphere. You see that if one or two things that make up "the whole package" disappear, you're left with a lot less of a package. In general, maybe that package will still have some good things in it, but it might not be enough to make CP all that much different from many other parks.

And about Great America. That park was just a beautiful as CP, had better theming, and arguably had a comparable ride collection. But their service and cleanliness weren't up to CP standards. They weren't bad, they just wern't what I was used to coming from CP. Take away the extra service that CP has always delivered and I might find myself (now living in Michigan) heading to Gurnee instead of Sandusky a few times a year.

I'm sure I'll "have a good time" at both parks, but since CP is the same as the other, what reason do I have to only go to CP and not go experience other parks that have a few good things in their "whole package" as well?
*** Edited 7/24/2005 3:09:45 PM UTC by MDOmnis***

I love making trains come back into the station, screaming their heads off. I was so upset when I came to work and heard the auto-spiel again. Spieling was my favorite new position by far.

But what many people don't realize is the TRUE problem of the new auto-spiel... No background music! Where's the funky techno beat that made the old auto-speil bearable? Though the music would be cut off as the next train would come in, it'd still be nice to hear the beat.

Whatever, ServiseMaster. Music is the last thing on the average guest's mind.

MrScott

I might be able to list 1,000 things that sets Cedar Point apart from the typical amusement park. If some of those things change, we can discuss it and say why it's good or bad. That's fine. I've got my list of pet peeves just like everyone else.

Instead, what's happening is that I'm hearing this doom and gloom that Cedar Point is headed towards a world where only Six Flags Ohio once lived. Some of you seem to think we're at "Severe" on the Cedar Point Advisory System, when we're really at "Low" or "Guarded."

We don't have to look too far to see what affect a struggling park has on attendance. That's not happening at Cedar Point.

*** Edited 7/24/2005 4:44:08 PM UTC by Walt***