The station is going up!

Because the significance of having a vehicle on daily life is so similar to having a bunch of stuff on a trip(s) for the day to an amusement park?

Judging by the conversation here, some people clearly put as much weight on the latter as others do the former. :)

But seriously - the anti-crap argument is that people don't truly "need" all that stuff. Well, people don't truly "need" a personal vehicle (though in our culture, it's easy to confuse "need" and "want" when it comes to cars). Between public transport, rental vehicles and ride sharing, there's really no "need" for a personal vehicle. People in NYC place low value on vehicle ownership, because they know how to get around the city. People on a CP enthusiast web site place low value on bringing stuff in with them because they know exactly what they'll need on any given day.

People choose to own a personal vehicle because it's convenient to have one at their disposal. People choose to bring crap into the park with them because it's convenient to have it at their disposal.

People don't NEED to go to CP, but they WANT to , and since CP is an option for peoples life, CP has to conform with people doing what they WANT to do and/or bring.

^True, but going to the park is alot easier if you pack light and only carry the things you absolutely need, for ultimate conveinience. Life becomes alot easier as well.

If I wanted to, for the long lines, such as what gatekeeper will most likely have, My friends and I could easily lug our iphones to watch youtube vids, ipods for music, a notebook to scribble in, ear phones, extra shoes in case our feet get blisters, extra hair ties, personal girl items, and extra clothes and a poncho in case it rains. But.....we choose not to and only pack keys, pass, and money. We do bring some of that other stuff, but we have a thing called a car to store it in :)

I agree that we tend to put more things in the "need" camp which are really "wants." But in reality, there is a spectrum between need and want. On that spectrum, I think having a vehicle (at least depending on your job, where you live, etc.) is a lot closer to need than is much of the stuff that is brought to CP for the day. And multiplying the vehicle issues by 24/7/365 makes it even more the case.

I don't think you need to be a CP enthusiast to bring little to the park. Other than my son and a couple of his friends, I don't personally know anyone who I would label a CP enthusiast. But I personally know a lot of people who make regular (once or twice a year or every couple of years) who bring little to the park when they visit. These people also tend to bring little to other places they visit for a day as well.

I think that everyone knows at least a couple "stuff" people. They bring a lot of stuff with them anywhere they go. CP. A concert. A sporting event. To see a friend. They may actually need it or at least think they do. Sometimes they just want it. I think some people view it as something of a security blanket. Whatever gets you through your day.

Big factor in NYC in terms of not having a vehicle isn't so much knowing how to get around the city without one as it is being able to get around the city without one. Most areas of the country do not have the public transportation systems that NYC has. And some factors totally discourage having a vehicle in NYC (such as traffic and parking costs). That is not true of most parts of the country.

All that being said, I have already indicated that I do not really care if other people want to bring a lot of stuff to CP. And I do not really recall seeing many (if any) posts saying that people should be prohibitted from bringing stuff to the park (other than little basketballs maybe ;)). My point is that I do not think I should have to pay for the costs of storing that stuff in "free" lockers through increased admission prices (which had been suggested here).

Not to deter from this ongoing debate of how much stuff people bring into the park, but I had another on topic question for the masses.

I can't tell by looking at the station webcam, but does anyone who went on the tour Saturday know if they kept the DT sign posts in their old location? I remember people mentioning still seeing them there a couple months ago. I think it's cool that they are subtly remembering SS by placing the anchor point for that canopy by the food stands in the footprint of where SS was. Thought it would be somewhat sentimental if they could do the same with the sign posts. But I couldn't tell if that is where the exit/gift building is now being put up.

Those are gone.

I don't care how much crap people choose to bring with them.

Not too sure about the car and crap at the park analogy; things aren't as black and white as that in reality. As was stated, if you live in downtown NYC, yea, you most likely don't need a vehicle.

However, if you live in the country, and you must get your child to school (because there is no bussing because your idiots next door won't vote for a levy), and you must drive to work...I suppose I fall into the category of "needing" to rent a car every day? Whatever.

That said, OK, I choose to have a vehicle. Great! Like I said, I could not care less how much crappola Suzy and John bring with them, as long as Gatekeeper has no bins.

Want to bring all your crap? Great! Then pay the price and rent a locker to keep it in while you ride the ride, just like I "choose" to pay for all the things I have to pay for by choosing to bring my personal vehicle to the park.

I have been on several coasters, especially B&Ms with bins and the loading process is barely slowed down. One in particular a train is being sent out every 40 seconds. If Gatekeeper does have bins, I feel that it won't be that big of an issue. It just depends on how good the crew is. That effects capacity more than if there are bins or not.

I just try to keep it as simple as possible. Car keys, wallet with ID, credit card, and cash, sunglasses, and my cell phone only if I feel like snapping a few pictures in the park (otherwise it stays in the car). Less to carry and worry about losing.

What the bins do, especially on Raptor, is make the loading process somewhat chaotic. You have people getting off the ride going to the bins and people getting on the ride, walking through the train, to get to the same bins. It does slow down the loading process a bit. And, it also makes getting off the train somewhat unpleasant even if you have nothing in the bin because you have to walk through a group of people crowded around the bin.

The problem I notice with Raptor (aside from the bins slowing down the loading process), is that guests getting off of the train will sit there and take their sweet ass time putting on their shoes/flip flops and backpacks no matter how much the ride hosts try to rush them off of the platform (and I'm sure a lot of the times, guests do it in spite of thinking the ride hosts are being rude). Therefore, it results in the loading guests standing there waiting for the unloading guests to get their things out of the bins.

All guests have to be behind the yellow line (or is it red?) in order for the train to be cleared and dispatched. I wonder if they could somehow make it like Diamondback where they have ride hosts come to your row to take your things for you and put them in the bins with 2 sets of bins for each train behind the yellow line adjacent to the stairs. Unfortunately, I don't think Raptor's station is big enough to accommodate that kind of setup. Or if they make them shelves instead of bins. I don't know. I've been trying for a while to think of a way to make Raptor's loading time quicker and clearly I haven't thought of an efficient way yet :)

TwistedWicker77 said:
I've been trying for a while to think of a way to make Raptor's loading time quicker and clearly I haven't thought of an efficient way yet :)

No bins. A couple shelves for shoes and lockers on the midway for all the other crap.

Heck, get rid of the shelf idea altogether, rivet some zippered pockets to the underside of the seats and guests can put their shoes in there.

I hope your joking about "zippered pockets to the underside of the seats" comment.

I could just see the 'pockets' flapping all over the place as the GK train runs it course. Image one coming loose as the train goes through the keyholes. What's below...people! Not mention the esthetics of the train would be ruined with them flapping all about.

I hope there are no bins in the station, but all we can do is wait and see until we all get there and get in line to ride.

Tony,

If there is still time...white-out the plans for the bins in the blueprints.

Thanks so much.

XOXO,

Kevin

1) I hope you're joking about not knowing the difference between "your" and "you're". ;)

2) It's not as big of a deal as you're making it. The same argument could be made for tennis shoes. "Imagine feet just freely hanging down from the ride, being waved around! Imagine one coming loose or just falling off someone's foot! What's below the ride? PEOPLE!"

I apologize if this has been asked/answered (I believe it has been at least asked), but is the train storage area remaining uncovered? I figured it would be covered by now if it was, but then again I can't imagine putting the above-the-track steel in that area if it wasn't. But I know much about the subject or have the urge to look through tons of photos of other B&M's to compare.

It should be enclosed soon. If you look closely at this photo, you can see the blue floor around the storage tracks goes slightly past the vertical beams on all sides. This is only done when the storage area is going to be completely enclosed. If there's no walls, that floor would end at the inner edge of the vertical beams. That's also why there are no hand rails except the stairs and at the back of the short track where the door for the hoist will be.

http://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn1/860412_415991795160598_1...9492_o.jpg

Grovite18 said:
2) It's not as big of a deal as you're making it.

The same can be said for the folks who are making a big deal out of there being bins. Yes the bins slow things down a little, maybe a few extra minutes in a queu of 1 hour. In teh grand scheme of things so what?

I am not saying that I condone people bringing in all of their stuff and carrying it around with them all day (in fact I smile to myself thinking how silly they are). But if that is what they want to do so be it. It doesn't seem like that really impacts anyone that much.

Exactly. Well said.