Ridiculous Changes

I was just at Kings Island yesterday, and paid extra close attention to how they run things. Overall, I liked their operations much better than the current state CP is in. While I did notice that most of their coasters either had autospeils or no speils at all, everything else impressed me.

One of the first things I noticed was that guests could leave loose articles on the platforms. They had fairly organized shelves with big signs stating they aren't responsible for your stuff. The ride ops would even take people's stuff over for them to help speed things along. Even on Flight of Fear with it's separate unload station, the ride op in the back of the train took the stuff over to a designated holding area where people could get their stuff when they get off. Also, the park did have all the "lawyer" signs everywhere that CP also has, but it seems PKI did a better job of implementing them to make them blend with the ride more. Many of them were designed to "fit in" with the ride's theming.

The second thing, and probably the biggest thing I noticed was how happy most of the staff was and what they were allowed to do. Some of them were using the microphones to get riders pumped up for the ride or get a reaction after the ride. As a whole, they were much more friendly and interactive with the guests. When people asked questions, it wasn't just a pre-written canned answer that they gave. One guy on Adventure Express was great with talking to people, asking how they were doing and what they'd ridden. Ops were allowed to move around while the train was in motion and talk to people, not like on Magnum where they're stuck behind a pillar. The kid on Adventure Express was also really good during the 10 minute breakdown when I was in the station. He was running up and down the platform trying to get people to do the wave and giving kids high fives. That kind of stuff goes a very long way in making happy guests.

Employees also seemed to have a little bit of decision making ability. On their swinging ship, there was a kid who was just tall enough to ride. When the ride was over, the op who measured him was standing there with a colored wristband to indicate his height. That sounds a lot better than telling someone they have to walk all the way over to Park Ops to be measured by someone who's allowed to make decisions. It seems to me CP used to do this years ago, I'm pretty sure my brother got a wristband on Blue Streak.

These are just a couple of the things I noticed that seemed to make the guests a lot happier at PKI. Bringing back auto spiels on Maggie and Corkscrew and allowing people to leave loose articles in the stations is certainly a step in the right direction for CP. I definatley hope that it's a sign of things to come.
*** Edited 6/19/2005 11:21:31 PM UTC by Ralph Wiggum***

I have a feeling that the next changes will be OTSR's on MF and TTD.

...What about magnum :P

The Villain said:
I have a feeling that the next changes will be OTSR's on MF and TTD.

Why would TTD and MF receive OTSR's? Nobody has been injured or killed on them. They won't fix something that isn't broken.

That's the funniest thing I've ever read.

Some of the recent posts about speedos have been good but that takes the cake as the funniest post of the summer so far.

Benjamin- you obviously missed the part of the thread where Corkscrew got seatbelts. ;)

It's been really interesting reading this thread and alot of the things people have said are so true. I've learned alot as well. Hopefully the current decisions being made are a sign of better things to come.

I know as a kid (the few years ago that it was) I couldn't wait for our yearly trips to Cedar Point. I was scared to death of even being near anything that would pick me up and drop me, but the atmosphere was more than enough excitement to keep me always wanting to come back.
Being older, I love the park but for different reasons.
And maybe alot of the magic is gone, but not completely.
I was in the raptor station two weeks ago while the ride was down and the ride hosts were very accomodating as well as entertaining, so much so that I didn't mind waiting a bit.
So I guess I can only hope that by the time I have kids who are old enough to enjoy the park, the enjoyment factor will standout from everything else.

I wouldn't be surprised to see the loose article policy change yet again back to exactly what it was at the end of last year - a ride dependent system. If the nature of the ride warrants a no loose article policy, then it shall have one. Rides like MF, Dragster, Magnum, Mantis, Raptor, WT, Demon Drop, Corkscrew, etc. Then, in situations where it is practical, they will have bins - like Raptor and Mantis). Some places like MF and Dragster (with separate stations) and Magnum and Iron Dragon (for operational reasons) bins are just not going to work well. Then they will allow people to bring stuff on rides where it is reasonably safe (Mine Ride, Giant Wheel, Iron Dragon, etc.)

They thought that a uniform across the board no loose articles policy would make it easier to understand for guests, but instead it has just made people angry. I don't really fault them for trying this one out but evidently it isn't working. Now they've gone to another extreme which will cause a nightmare operationally on some rides like Magnum and Iron Dragon which must be dispatched within a certain amount of time to avoid a shutdown. Additionally, it is not as easy to walk through a Magnum or ID train like it is a Raptor train. A ride dependent system like they have used for years is probably the best way to go. Sure some people will still complain (but I can do blah blah blah on xyz ride), but at least they will be accomodating guests where they can while still keeping the operations and safety of the rides top notch.

Almost all the nonsense we have seen this year has been the result of someone attempting to apply uniform, across the board standards and regulation to the entire park. That's why every ride has that warning about making sure that your lap bar, seat belt and shoulder harness are secure, even on rides that have none of the above. That's why Woodstock got the same seat belts as all the other "kid" rides. That's why the loose stuff policy has been applied to every ride in the park. None of it makes operational sense, it's just a matter of trying to hammer every ride into the same standard, ignoring the fact that no two rides are identical.

It's almost as though someone was looking for a way to make it easier to write manuals. Well, maybe it made it easier to write the manuals, but it put all the people through hell...!

From the comments on p.4 of this thread, it sounds like perhaps Operations is starting to notice, and reclaim ride operations for themselves, so perhaps some of this nonsense will be fixed. Though I am not sure I like the idea of people leaving loads of crap on the ride platforms.....

--Dave Althoff, Jr.

Although this is not a change, there is a "NEEDS TO BE" change, and that is the Magnum station. Holy crap, where do I even start? How about by having a ride operator actually sitting in the chair as you walk up the stairs into the station because everytime I ride it, there is never anyone there. On top of that, have the operator control the flow of people coming into the station because the way it is now is so jacked up it's not even funny. Who the heck is even able to tell which line is for which seat? I know the station is big, but limit the amount of peole queuing for a train. Maybe enough people to fill three trains, then let more people in after each train is dispatched? I really wish they would just use the same method as they do across the park with Millennium Force. If they don't, a riot is going to break out if something isn't done! I would much rather wait an extra 10 minutes outside the station then wait 20 minutes in the station, as well as fighting with people who are trying to cut in front of you and they don't even realize it while they are thinking they are in another line for a different car. COME ON CEDAR POINT! Get your act together!

There...just my 2 cents.

I really don't think we have to worry about a riot in the Magnum station. I actually prefer the setups to MF's because you can choose your own seat.

When their isn't much of a line, their is usually just one person at the bottom of the stairs, so they can handle the fast-pass lane. I don't think you really need another person at the top of the stairs also.

Mathyou, the reason for no one being at crowd control is because rather than giving the ride an extra crew person to (since there is someone now on spiels and 3 people on unload side) they had to cut a position, and crowd is the least necessary. Last year when we would be short-staffed for whatever reason they might cut crowd and have the person at FreeWay move to the bottom of the stairs to act as both the crowd control and FreeWay position.

I always liked seeing a packed (well, mostly packed) platform because it was so much easier to get single riders since there were more people up there. Also, If you're waiting in line, there is almost never a line for the 2nd and 3rd rows because of the station design. If the crew is no longer allowed to pack the trains, then it's not really necessary anymore.

What are OTSR's??

Seeing a packed station is one thing, waiting in it is another. I realize that the 2nd and 3rd rows hardly have any wait, but good greef, getting to it is just as bad as figuring out which line goes to which. I'm not upset with the crew or anything, I just wish there was more organization to it.

scttmn...Over The Shoulder Restraints aka Horse Collars.

OTSR != horse collar

An over the shoulder restraint is the kind of restraint found on Wicked Twister and Raptor while a horsecollar is found on Corkscrew and Iron Dragon. The former holds you in by your lap, the latter holds you in by your shoulders.

Subtle visual difference, but major difference in intent.

Either way they suck compared to a lap bar. Lightning Loops at Kennywood is perhaps the most thrilling ride I've been on because we looped with a lap bar. Wowser!

John, I think you're making a distinction where none really exists.

Not that it matters...I still have never seen a shoulder bar I liked.

Crowd control in Magnum's station is the least of the problems with that ride. Although fixing the rails for the first three rows, putting them back to the way they were five years ago, would be a good start.

--Dave Althoff, Jr.

I visted the park for the first time since Coastermania tonight, June 20th, and enjoyed my visit more than I could remember in recent past. Why? No auto-speil on Magnum. I felt like I had stepped back in time and was riding my favorite ride again, the way I remember riding it. I hope the bins that I've heard they're putting on Magnum won't be too big of an issue. If the crew is allowed to take items and place them aside, I think that would be a great help. I remember going to Holiday World a few years back and they did that. I thought that was GREAT customer service, and also, they looked like they were having great fun doing their job as they would give high-fives to the guests on the trains as they left the station.

It really upset me when they changed the policy where I couldn't take my backpack onto the ride anymore. I pretty much stopped riding. Why would I spend $1 to put my bag away for a 15-20 minute wait in line for Magnum? MF and TTD, no problem, I'll pay the $1...but I'll ride both rides consecutively to justify the dollar.

I stood outside the Magnum entrance and talked with the op there about the changes and I told him that I was glad the auto-spiels were gone, even if they are only temporary. The op looked at me puzzled to why I would be happy, and then looked upset about having to maybe learn the spiels. Seemed a bit more of "aw, I have to do this now?" type of reaction. The station seemed more alive than I could remember all of last year.
*** Edited 6/21/2005 5:04:42 AM UTC by BirdOfPrey00***