Millennium Force Crowd Control

Magnum has been great with "crowd control" this season compared to the last couple of years. There is no worse station in the park than magnum with the entire thing packet with people. I always stop because as mentioned above, i want to see what is the shortest wait of my favorite seats as well as it helps the employees out. It is even worse when they occasionally cut down to a 2 train operation. That makes it intolerable, since you are standing there waiting for like 20-40 seconds just for a train to return to the station.

On TTD they have let it go in the last couple of years, but that station isn't really that bad. Millennium has been pretty bad this year especially Halloweekends, with the Ride Pride staff who don't really care.

It's never bothered me that much, especially when the line moves as fast as it has this year - kudos to the MF crew this year, they hit interval pretty much every train and actually look like they are enjoying work.

Ya they do hit interval pretty much all of the time this year so great job guys!! It's too bad that the interval wasn't quicker, since most of the time they are ready before the track is clear for dispatch. I realize it isn't possible because of the cable lift though. Still millennium force is one of the quickest lines in the park. Only if they were that quick on Maverick.

They usually are that quick on Maverick.

Yeah, Maverick's line moves quite rapidly, in my experience.

I know this is an old topic but I thought I'd bring this topic back. Does it seem like they are doing away with crowd control for Millennium Force? Every Time I've waited for Millennium Force they let the station fill up all the way. This bothers me a little just because you cannot see where you are standing when you get to the station.

I can see having problems at the start and end of the season with staffing issues, but if this is going on during the summer than that makes me not want to wait and ride it. What dates during the summer have you seen this at MF?

It really matters on who the person stting before the plattform is. Only 1 out of the 3 times I have ridden it this year there has been any control over how may riders are alowd on the plattform. If there are a limited amount of workers on any of the major rides, I think they should have somthing on the turnstile which locks after 3 train loads of people walk through. After three trains come through the station, it would unlock again.

How would that work when there is no way that people would evenly spread out to fill three full trains, between the front row people, the back row people and the families who "have to ride together" there is no way that you would send out full trains like that. This is why you need a human to pulse the line.

The only way to control the crowds is with a real person, but from the sound of things(I haven't been to the park this year) the park is wanting to eliminate that position.

Magnum has been doing good with crowd control and I noticed MF has been too on my 2 visits so far this summer.

If the station is crowded, we wait at the turnstile until there is a two train wait, unless we see an open line. Then we let the crowd fill in behind us. We get choice of seat that way. (we don't do that for the front seat lines, they are always long) :)

What I hate, is when the station is full, and the person at the turnstile tells us to go into the station. :(

^The other day that happen on Raptor. He kept on waving his arms saying come on into the station which was packed! People around me were ticked at him.

Well Raptor takes four people to a row and really you can only have at the max a three train wait per row in that station, so yes people should always be filling in the Raptor station.

^ - why? If 3 fills the station, why not just have 2 trains worth waiting? That gives some room in the station and still ensures that at least the next train load is ready when the train pulls into the station. No need to have the station packed so you can't see what goes where.

Because people are stupid and slow and wont fill the station in time. I cant tell you how many times Ive walked into that station that was "full" in the front due to the line for row 1 and yet when I make my way to row 8 I find a one train wait or less.

I am not a ride op, but i have been there enough to recognize who is employed and who volunteers. I have seen cedar fair employees just sit there while the station would run rampid. This causes for confusion and an overall frustrating experience in the station, especially for large groups. As for it being a possible fire hazard, anything is possible. Granted it might not burn, but like our pa fire fighter suggested there is alot of wiring in in the control booth, as well as under the track and along the station. Roller coasters require alot of power to operate. Anything else is possible as well. Anything from a violent customer to a mishap on the coaster. With alot of people there is will be alot of confusion and problems. Controling the crowds in the station is an easy task even for a volunteer

Here's what a full station at Millennium Force looks like.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v466/topthrill/IMG_5216-1.jpg

Not fun.

I love MF's station when only 1-2 trains are in line. TTD is a mess all the time.