No cell phones... at all

This is pretty frustrating from a logistical standpoint. I come from 12+ hours away with a large group every year. There are going to be 16 of us coming up next month for three days, and a group text is what allows us to branch off and do our own thing within the group. Not being able to communicate within the group for multiple hours is going to cause a small amount of chaos. I absolutely understand the need to protect rider safety, I just wish there was a tiny amount of leeway for responsible riders, or a way to have a phone in line and not on the ride.

*I do not feel I need to be made whole.

Dvo said:

Shawn Meyer said:

So what are we supposed to do now? Pick our noses to pass the time?

The implication here is that the electronic device in your pocket is literally the only way you can keep entertained in a social setting? I recommend trying to engage in a conversation. :)

I'm wondering if SV will be the only ride that gets this treatment, or if this is the first step to a broader implementation. I agree that it's frustrating, if you have pockets that truly secure a phone. But it's hard to decide where the line is drawn in terms of truly being "secured." As others have said, the biggest issue is likely people willingly pulling their phones out. And if they had a zero-tolerance policy (automatic removal from the park, or worse), I think people would start to get the message. But that's a moot point now, at least in the case of SV.

I’m a 35 year old man, sorry if I don’t want to ‘be social’ with the 12-18 year olds in line for 2 hours when I’m at the park alone. I’m sure it goes both ways as no kid wants a creepy dude speaking to their group as well.

This policy is ridiculous, it should simply be: phone out on a ride and you get kicked out. Phone falls out of your pocket and you file a report, get kicked out. None of this bs of stopping rides on the lift hill, grabbing a phone, and then promptly giving it back at the end of the ride with no punishment. It ruins the experience for responsible people.

Right now it’s just SV but I see them going this route on MF, dragster, Maverick, etc in the future to make more money. Next years off season construction will probably include 500% more lockers than they have now

Problem Solved,

I will bring back the inflatable beach ball, inflate it while standing in line, and everyone can play volleyball with it while waiting to ride, just like the good old days while waiting for Magnum XL 200 in 1989.

The ball will eventually get pushed over onto the Steel Vengeance track due to its proximity and collide with the train.

Then Cedar Point will have no choice but to take down the "No Cell Phones" sign and replace with "No Volleyball" sign.

Problem solved.

The Magnum beach balls were much more fun than cell phones are.

I envision a sign with the torn up remains of the beach ball nailed up as a warning to everyone.

XS NightClub said:
Seriously, if $.71 an hr is too much, you most probably don't belong in an amusement park.

The lockers are like every other machine in the park and require maintenance, replacement and initial investment. The all day deal is a bargain.

I really like the way you think, but do you know what doesn’t require maintenance? A box on the platform.

Sure it does. Hinges break, handles break, paint wears off, box gets dirty and needs cleaning. Mainly though, a box on the platform would be horrible because it would create long dispatch times.

I agree with the policy 100% and don't see what all the hype is for. You don't like the rule? Ride something else, shorter lines for the rest of us :)

I don't agree that bins are the solution, it adds too much to the loading time and will make lines even longer. I have seen suggestions that they put in zippered pockets on the backs of the seats which seems feasible, but I can also see someone saying that the ride "damaged" their phone so that is a liability as well.

Jeff said:

Still seems pretty weird. If there was some specific event that prompted this, it feels reactionary.

Here is an event

shamrockcb said:

I agree with the policy 100% and don't see what all the hype is for. You don't like the rule? Ride something else, shorter lines for the rest of us :)

I don't agree that bins are the solution, it adds too much to the loading time and will make lines even longer. I have seen suggestions that they put in zippered pockets on the backs of the seats which seems feasible, but I can also see someone saying that the ride "damaged" their phone so that is a liability as well.

Isn't that covered by "Cedar Point is not responsible for lost or damaged items while riding."?

Interesting that the legal analyst in the story posted by Pete above states that the liability is with the passenger whose phone does the damage. I agree that's how it should be because they're disregarding clearly posted rules but there have been a lot of posts in this thread that indicate the park would still be liable in spite of that.

djDaemon said:

The same is true for toilets, yet they don't charge for those.

Don't think Kinzel didn't think about it.

Anyone who has been there in the last few days know if there is any truth to the additional policy of no glasses even with the athletic strap. I have seen it a few times on social media but can't tell if it is legit or people just trying to stir the pot.

I have yet to be there but since this change but to my knowledge it's mainly phones. I know another sign has been put up saying failure to comply is a misdemeanor (with absolutely no phones and loose articles). Which of course makes me think, what exactly is a loose article, wallets and keys but if they are in a zippered pocket doesn't that make them secured articles. And glasses with an athletic strap, I would think that becomes a secured article too.

Not letting someone who needs glasses wears them is way over the line though and maybe could be a safety hazard standing in line if their vision is bad enough.

Bingo

I was there this morning. Left my phone in the car, as I usually do. Many new signs. A lot of reminders over the speaker. A lot if cell phones just being put in pockets. They're not patting anyone down, there are no metal detectors, but if they see it they will not let you in line. (Like the dumbass holding up the line this morning arguing at the entrance.)

The lockers malfunction all the time and lock people out of them even when they type in the correct password. Then the guests has to search for an employee who will then call the games department and then wait for them to unlock the locker for them. It’s a hassle and a waste of time. I’d rather sacrifice the 10 seconds on each dispatch to put your loose articles in the bins.

"Similar to the rider safety policies on other thrilling rides at Cedar Point, loose articles, including cellphones, are not permitted on Steel Vengeance,” Cedar Point spokesman Tony Clark said.

What other rides at Cedar Point do not allow you to have your loose articles in a zipped pocket?

Loose articles aren't permitted on several rides at the park (MF, TTD, for instance) because of different loading & unloading stations. That's why anyone with bags, prizes, etc needs to put them in lockers or leave them with a non-rider. The difference here is that they're saying that a cell phone is a loose article, even if it's in your pocket.

Edit: I also don't like the idea of "bins." I've been around too many people who have gotten things stolen from them, and as others have said, they definitely slow down the dispatch intervals.

Europa Park and a lot of other parks in Europe have seemed to master the art of having extremely fast dispatches with bins.

If they implemented bins, one idea would be to have small sets of bins (one for each train, so 3 tiny bins per row or per car) near the train for each row or car, which would mean each guest doesn't have to walk all the way across the station and then crowd the one large bin. Instead, you'd have one bin for 2 or 4 guests, which would also reduce the theft hazard.

It's a bit like how Gatekeeper already works, it has tiny bins that are arranged in multiple spots instead of one central set of bins. And it has some of the fastest dispatches in the park when the crew is hauling.

Given that the control system is able to tell the trains apart (the name shows up on the display in the station), perhaps these bins could even be equipped with magnetic latches that automatically open only for their train, which would mean ride ops wouldn't have to open and close every bin like they do on some current rides with bins like Blue Streak.