New "valuable" lost article policy?

That is ridiculous, but if CP's policy is to retrieve cell phones on the fly now, that is ridiculous as well. WDW (and CP) should just have the cops show up with cuffs and convert an "irate guest making a big enough scene" into a "prisoner charged with disorderly conduct". At least boot them from the park if not a trip to jail. That way, there would be no opportunity to trespass into a low zone. If they never come back, so much the better.

Kevinj said:
The ride person who spoke to us in line stated that they do this for valuables, which includes keys and cellphones.

Different park but same company - I lost my keys on a ride at Dorney Park last summer. They didn't shut down for me (nor did I ask or expect them to). It took over 24 hours for me to get them back even though I immediately filled out a report for them and checked in to the lost and found several times over that day and the following morning. Lucky for me, we were staying at the hotel across the street, were there for three days, and my wife had a spare set of car keys back at our hotel room.

Bluestreaker said:

It won't be long until you have to empty your pockets (and prove it) before you enter the que.

I believe they already do this at many of the rides at Universal in Orlando (maybe all of them, I don't remember how many we were actually on or if this happened at them all). I thought it was funny that it wasn't until halfway through the queue that you hit the metal detectors and had to PROVE it to the security attendants at THAT point rather than when you actually got into line. But all the rides had lockers at the queue entrance/exits which were FREE provided that you only used them for X minutes (which I think the time limit varied based on what the current ride wait times were).

I had a cell phone inside a buttoned shirt pocket with the button keeping it securely in place, but was informed it HAD to be removed and put into a locker. I also had a pedometer on my belt that was clipped completely around the belt strap and takes significant effort to remove. It also had to come off before I was allowed to ride.

I won't deny that it was a pain in the butt and there was no chance that I would have lost either of those items... but that was their policy and I complied with it. Bottom line = it effectively prevented issues like the ones discussed in this thread. You can't argue with that.

I wouldn't like it if they did that at CP. If a guest loses an item, it's their own fault for not securing it. They shouldn't shut down a ride to get a lost item. It's not fair to everyone else waiting in line. I believe Universal only does it because they overreacted to a guest getting hurt from an object on the opposite train on Dueling Dragons.

This actually happened last Thursday when I was there, coincidentally on Rougaru. I wondered why there was a 20 minute line when most of the other rides were fairly walk on and the attendant said they were shut down to retrieve something that someone dropped. I don't know what the object was because I got out of line. I assume a cell phone though.

There are two or three rides at Universal where you can't take anything, yeah.

As for phones, this is why I will continue to carry a bag, and deal with the inconvenience. There's no way on earth I trust the stupid pockets in women's shorts (or even my jeans) to hold my phone while I'm flipping around on a roller coaster. My phone never goes on a ride.

Not only does it inconvenience the guests who have to wait, but it also inconveniences the workers as well. They have to make an announcement that they are stopping the ride for a lost item, stop the ride, safely go to the low zones, retrieve the lost item, go back to the platform, and start the ride again for every lost item. This whole process will take at least 15 minutes per item. So anytime there is a lost item, after awhile, the worker might think: "UGH... not again."

This will kill the wait times for the attractions, and will annoy the crap out of the guy who is next in line for the ride. Cedar Point should go back to the policy of “Cedar Point is not responsible for lost or damage items.”

Cedar Point is not responsible for lost or damaged items, or for idiots who hop a fence to retrieve said items.

Well, apparently that policy has changed. Stopping an entire ride for 20 minutes to retrieve the cell phone of a 15-year old kid who doesn't know how to secure it is, by the action, taking full responsibility for lost items.

It also sends a disturbing message to the thousands of guests observing the event. If you would stop the ride for irresponsible/unlucky guest #1, why not irresponsible/unlucky guest #2?

I totally get it if we're talking about an insulin pump (mentioned above) or some other life-dependent item. But we're not in this case, or in any case mentioned in this thread. I don't care if you lost your shoe on a ride. I don't care if you lost your phone. I don't even care if you lost your car keys. Nor would I ever, for any reason, ask or expect Cedar Point to stop a ride to find these things for me. I would expect to have to sit and wait until the park closed to then start the hunt.

This makes absolutely no sense, which is why I felt compelled to share it. Like I mentioned, I found the whole thing pretty astounding.

"Valuable" lost article policy should be LEAVE IT AT HOME!

If this indeed turns out be official policy it sure negates the value of all the expensive people eater rides they have invested in.

This is a terrible policy from a customer satisfaction standpoint but as well from a safety standpoint. I can remember very well riding MF last year with my daughter while the "cool younger kid" was impressing his girlfriend in the row in front of us, by trying to film an on-ride video with his cell phone the whole way around.

CP tacitly supports this when they then stop the ride afterward to pick up phones. Total weak sauce if this is the new official policy, but I can't imagine it is.

A good question for someone to ask at Coastermania.

Ive experienced this as well last year on magnum, as well as the more reasonable ride stoppage for a worker to run up and take a phone away from someone. The signs are up as much as they can be, and they say it constantly. The only two ways to cut down on people losing stuff is either the Universal method of metal detectors, or NOT stopping the ride for lost items. I prefer to allow people to live with their decisions in life and make them wait until closing. As stated before, the problem isnt that they get the item, it is that hundreds or more others suffer because of it.

They probably just told them it was a Galaxy Note 7.

Yeah, if one person can't make the effort to secure their belongings, why should hundreds of people have to wait? How do car keys end up in a place where they can be lost?

Many, many moons ago... In the old Magnum Photo building... (I feel OK to talk about this now that it is gone) There was a relic of a book of ride photos and comments from the operators. Chief amongst them were a series of photos with phones flying through the air and riders scrambling, nay, flailing to try to retrieve them. The suspended looks of horror on their faces as their iUstabeafonedroid sails away... amazing. Also people wearing masks, exposing their mammary glands (intentionally and otherwise), and people intentionally making zany poses for the ride cams, like the chess set between the 2 riders, and the Bane vs. Batman series. Clever and dangerous. So, cut that out, and get off my lawn you meddling kids.

P.S. I haven't discovered such a tome in any other photo location...

noggin said:
Yeah, if one person can't make the effort to secure their belongings, why should hundreds of people have to wait?

Because the needs of the few (or the one) outweigh the needs of the many.

There's a lot of handwringing and uproar over what is essentially a 'lemon chill guy' verified policy change.

If every rule or policy that one employee at any job claimed or 'enforced' were accurate or factual our capitalist society would be brought to its knees through absolute confusion and ineffectiveness.

The difference between this and LCG is that what LCG purportedly suggested was something that could not be visually verified. This event was visually verified by Dr. Meyer, who to my knowledge is not a compulsive liar.