Magnums Station

Actually discussing things on here can be helpful. There are people reading this board that you don't know of.

OK it's been awhile since I've been up to the front of Magnum -- I realized when they added the gates that something was different about the rails but I couldn't remember the original configuration (thanks for the visual RideMan on helping me remember).

Here's another fairly low-cost idea that might help out the 1st timers in the park--
Add overhead numbered signs for the rows and some obvious lines on the floor behind the rails to help people in that crowd get a clue to form 3 lines up in front (and each car for the train) along with which side is for the front of the train. I've seen that approach used in a number of parks and other rides (especially Disney ones).

oh, yeah! that crazy station can be a mess! me and my party always have to ask people which line they are waiting for. they just look at me like I'm crazy and stand in the way like nothing happened! but I love the magnum and it's always worth the wait!

ramboozle you've hit on the real source of the problem:

If I'm not mistaken, I believe Magnum's queue rails are the same standard length rails you'll find throughout the park(...)

And that's the problem. We're not talking about a new ride here. But we are talking about a relatively new problem. The problem is that when the platform gates were installed, it was necessary to pull the rails back from trackside in order to give the gates enough space to open (this because they went with full-size single gates instead of the more complicated double gates). This made it necessary not just to install the gates, but to replace all of the railings in the station. When they replaced the railings, they ignored the old ones that had functioned beautifully since 1989, and put simple, standard, short ones in...and now there are problems.

Also, please don't assume that stationing someone at the top of the stairs will automatically solve the problem. A lot depends on exactly what that person does. Yesterday when I rode Maverick there was a lot of trouble with delayed dispatches because there were not enough riders in the station to keep the seats filled. Ideally there should be at least two or even three train loads of people waiting for each available seat. On Magnum, the relatively large number of people who want to wait for the front seat (more so, I have noticed, than for the back seat) means that a larger total number of people needs to be let into the station just to keep all the rows full.

And no, I don't want someone telling me where to sit. I much prefer 1-3 and 2-1 to almost any other seat in the train... :)

--Dave Althoff, Jr.

yeah i dont like the first seat line set up. its always the longest and it blocks any1 from gettin to the 2nd or 3rd row.

Magnums staion is without a doubt overcrowded and can be confusing as hell.

Run it like MF it would work great!!

No, it really wouldn't. Unlike MF, where every seat is boring, each seat on Magnum is very different and I probably wouldn't be all that happy getting stuck in the middle of the train after a long wait. All they have to do is fix the front three queues and make them the way they used to be and limit the number of people so it never is more than about 2/3 full and it is fine.

If you want a specific seat on Millennium, all you have to do is ask. Most likely, they'll let you wait for it. They could do the same with Magnum. The reason most parks assign rows is simply for efficiency. When you give guests choice on rows, they usually end up over thinking where to sit. However, if you assign them a row, the majority of people will just go there. This is how Disney has such amazing capacity on their rides.

Yes and no. Asking for a seat on MF does not always gurantee you that seat, more so than not, they tell you where to sit, unless you want to wait for the front or back.

I've always asked for specific rows on MF since it opened and no one has ever said no.

I guess it depends on the attendant, and what kind of mood he/she is in.

It also probably matters how you ask him/her for that row. We're always really nice.

Good for you. I'm really stretching out on a limb here and hoping that you're not insinuating that I'm being rude to the attendant...

I know what their jobs are like, because I've done it. I have no reason to be rude to the CP employees.

I never even implied that. You said it probably matters the mood they're in, and I simply added that one should ask nice - as a contributing factor to their mood. Of course nothing is fool proof. But, we've always had great luck requesting rows wherever we go.

MDOmnis said:
Unlike MF, where every seat is boring....

[heavy french accent]
BLASPHEMY!!! *Breaks end off of an olive oil bottle*
[/heavy french accent]

As for MF seating, there are other factors involved that just the mood of the employee. For example when someone wants to wait for the second row and decides to take the first row instead, they will probably get upset if someone else is allowed to wait for the second row.

So today when I rode, there was a person at the turnstiles and they were limiting the amount of people in the station to a few trains worth. This particular person was actually oding wonderful job of letting about 36 people in with each dispatch so the line moved steadily. As long as there is no benefit to having the extra people up there (like filling empty single seats, etc) then I hope they keep doing this.

The line was about 40 minutes (sign said 1.25 hours) and was back to the DJ booth or so. Even with 2 trains, the line moves about the same as MF, Dragster, and Maverick with all their trains.

One time i rode on mf and i didnt get in line for the front i took a step in front of the entrance for the front row said to myself thats way to long and went to the second row and once i stopped there the lady letting people in the station got up and said you have to stay in line for the front i said whats the big deal and she said you have to stay where you were and i was stuck in the station for 45 minutes so the ride operators arent always nice in fact that entire crew sucked nobody even checked my restraints

If nobody checks your restraint at at ride that requires it (especially Millennium Force and other major rides), go to Park Operations. It's next to Kiddy Kingdom on close to the Womans bathroom. Tell them exactly what happened including what row you were in and who failed to check your restraint. Corrective actions will be taken ASAP. They do have to know about the problem before they can do anything about it.

^Unfortunately for the GP, most don't even know where Park Ops is let alone do they know to actually say something if their restraints aren't checked. Which is why the crew of MF got away with it.