Season Pass Holder Days: Thoughts, Observations, & Changes

Precisely. I mean sure it's good that they get cleaned on the deep clean. But no one is riding in them so unless someone goes groping a row they aren't in I really don't see why it needs cleaned on each cleaning cycle. And if it's truly a concern maybe do every other or every 3?

This year, I decided to sit out for a few days while they work out the kinks. I'll be heading to KI this weekend. Seems like everything is going smooth there.

Sollybeast said:

Speaking of Paul, what are the frontier trail shops like? Open, closed, set up for social distancing? I like making dipped candles every year but I'd definitely understand if Rose's tiny shop was closed this year.

Paul was there, but he wasn't open. I tried to convince him to sell me what he did have, but management said no. Other than that, I didn't see anything else going on down the trail.

The park does have some major kinks to work out, especially if they hope to up capacity to 50% by fall like they want. Idk what the issues were today, mechanical, staffing, ect... but they stated ride times wouldn't be affected much with lower capacity, however, ride times today were comparable to a halloweekend Saturday. I was lucky enough to ride 4 coasters today. I'm glad I have a pass, but those who buy single day tickets are going to be extremely disappointed if this is the norm this season.

With that said, they did ok for the hand they have been dealt.

DRE420 said:

I'm glad I have a pass, but those who buy single day tickets are going to be extremely disappointed if this is the norm this season.

Hopefully other than the Karen's who will show up.. I'm hoping anyone who is voluntarily (which is everyone) going to the park or any park this summer realizes this is just how it's going to be. It sucks for everyone but they're trying to give us something to do and keep some sort of season going.

CP is bring very up front that they won't have all of their offerings this summer. But I am sure someone will complain that they were bamboozled.

As for going to 50%.. I doubt it. Cases are trending up everywhere. I do not see Ohio going beyond a phase 1 anytime soon. I also wouldn't be surprised to see some businesses be forced to close again like some states are doing.

If anything they need to lower the daily head count. Not for distancing purposes, but because ride capacity is so dramatically lowered

Oh the Karen's are gonna be out in full force this season. Just Coastings head probably exploded today if he was at the park....

I don't mean to come off as complaining about my visit today. It was hot, and I definitely got frustrated a few times today with people that kept getting closer and closer to me and my family. I certainly appreciate all the park has done to be able to open this year, but I can also see why so many are just calling it until next season.

How did it work with those who had Fastlane? I'm guessing (hopefully) that it was like KI and access passes and whatnot didn't matter? Also, were there Fastlane lines?

How did everyone do with the masks on rides? Anyone lose theirs? What is the best kind to wear that will stay secure?

Thanks.

Fastlane seemed to operate as normal just with social distancing. I noticed at maverick the person sitting at the entrance had his own stack of access passes but he didn't seem to be handing them out but they were few in the fast lane line.

I just purchased a gaiter scarf this week and it worked quite well. I wear a beard and it didn't seem to stay as well like they do for most but I just would pull the edges up over my ears (didn't get the ones with ear loops as I have some contact sensitivity issues that just make those impractical for me) for a ride and didn't have it come off.

When I was walking out of a restaurant it slipped off my nose once but that's it, and I was moving my head a lot at the moment that happened.

My mask seemed to stay on just fine, even at speeds of 93mph.

On that note of speed. I felt cooler with the mask on afterwards, I'm imagining it had some sort of wicking effect from the wind.

Speaking of that, don't the rides feel a bit more forceful or am I just misremembering how coasters feel? Like when I rode millennium force, I was actually pressed into the back of my seat.

That's the joy of opening day. Everything is new again.

We were very impressed by the amount and variety of Live Entertainment playing around the park. All of the performers were putting on a good show despite the strange circumstances (and some very HOT weather today). It brought a lot of life to the midways!

One item of note: Steel Vengeance is *not* accepting Fastlane

Skyhawk06 said:

Speaking of that, don't the rides feel a bit more forceful or am I just misremembering how coasters feel? Like when I rode millennium force, I was actually pressed into the back of my seat.

I was watching a livestream from Magic Kingdom, and a guy riding Space Mountain said that the fact the coasters aren't carrying the usual weight of riders means they're going faster. Fewer riders, faster speed. Makes sense.

That actually makes no sense whatsoever, but I'll spare the physics. Ride any coaster at CP by yourself (if you're lucky enough to do so), and then with a full train, and report back.

Can anyone confirm if the rental shack is operating on the beach? The info on the website has not been updated with new dates and hours and I would prefer not to call and bug them about it.

I am also curious how crowded the beach is farther down closer to Windseeker. My assumption is not very considering a reservation is required just to get in the parking lot.

A lot has been discussed already, but as a long-time lurker who finally has set up an account I wanted to post my experience from yesterday, 7/9/2020:

I'm fortunate to live just two hours from both CP and KI, but have always been a CP guy since I was tall enough to ride the real coasters (although my first ever ride on a real coaster was The Vortex shortly after it had been surpassed as the tallest). Despite my proximity, life got in the way of going even once last year so I've been anxious to get to return.

Yesterday was far and away the worst CP experience of my life: I didn't get on a single coaster.

Two caveats: I had limited time (4-5h available to spend) and I am far less sun tolerant than many folks (life as a redhead).

With that said here is what I witnessed:

"Deep cleaning" procedures every 30 minutes resulted in profound delays in every ride.

Ride staff didn't even seem to know what to do a lot of the time - there was a great deal of standing around or calling on their phones.

Loading procedures are not designed for efficiency.

To detail the above, on Skyhawk staff attempted to wipe down all railing in the lines every 30 minutes, this resulted in a 20 minute turn-around time. So they would run twice at < 50% capacity (with a significant delay compared to prior procedure), then deep clean. The result was 19 riders in 20 minutes on a ride that has a capacity of 800/h. So ~ 10% capacity.

MaxAir was a similar mess. They were seating people every fourth seat (three empty between) regardless of whether people were in a group together. In fact one cycle ran with 8 empty seats in a row b/c the remaining people in the line were a group and didn't want to split. So that ride was going with 12 people at slower than typical turn-around time (again the deep clean issue, even on unoccupied seats) so again they were looking at 10-15% capacity.

Access passes were used to keep lines from extending way beyond, but the lines for access pass moved slowly for some reason and then there were lines to use your access pass to get into the lines (which moved from 1.5-2h for Maverick according to people polled, to 3h for Steel Vengence).

There is still an absolute dearth of shade available in line and given the need to distance it means one is discouraged from inching around if there is a spot a shade ahead of you.

Multiple coasters didn't start at 11, many drink and food places were closed, which led to longer than typical lines where they were available.

I've seen people state that KI seems to be doing better, so I have some hope CP can improve their flow, but even if staff learns to clean quickly the way they are running things means they'll be lucky to exceed 25% ride capacity - in an environment where not everything is even open. At 20% capacity waits where still Halloweekend level - I don't see how they can offer anything close to the typical experience at any higher numbers.

To sum up: wait times are as long as ever, in the sun, with regular delays, with strange seating arrangements, with limited other attractions and drinks/dining, all while at only 20% capacity.

I'll probably brand myself an anti-science nutjob for my final thoughts - as a physician who had been taking care of COVID patients until recently I promise I'm not anti-mask nor in favor of other unsafe behaviors - but this process they are following is stupid. Masks are intended to be a layer of protection that benefit interactions closer than 6ft. They are a great thing to wear in lines/crowds or on coasters but less useful when walking the midway away from others. Distancing on coasters while also enforcing masks, while undoubtedly safer, is a redundancy that borders on the absurd (given the resulting poor product). Many masks have lateral air leaks (it is why surgeons don't turn their head to cough in the OR), so sitting beside someone not in your group is unsafe. Sitting in front of someone or behind is where the mask is providing its benefit. Loading coasters more fully is not likely to be significantly less safe, so long as masks are worn. Rides like Skyhawk and MaxAir do not have the same seating arrangement.

I hope they consult with logistics experts to try to find ways to improve their efficiency so others can have a better experience than I just did. In the meantime, I wish everyone good health and please be safe out there until (and after) we have a viable vaccine.

Whiskey on a Sunday said:

...less useful when walking the midway away from others.

I think if they carved out an exception for the midway, overall compliance would plummet.

As for your experience at the park, it's unfortunately pretty much what I expected and why you won't catch me anywhere near a park this year.