Ticket to Ride? Or To Wait Longer In Line?

I heard recently that Disney World was going to extend TTR to most of their rides and that brought to mind the TTR at Cedar Point. What did you think of the program? Should they bring it back? Should they have never even bothered?

uh oh ! Here we go again.

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:) "Did you know this goes up-side down" :) *** This post was edited by Freaky on 12/6/2000. ***

I say bring it back, I really liked it on the busy days. 5 to 10 min. to get a ticket, and then 20 min. in line if you come at the end of your time slot. Yes, you may have 3 or 4 hours between getting a ticket and riding, but so what? You have that time to yourself, to enjoy other parts of the park.

I'm really divided on the issue. I absouletly despise the winding line on the Frontier Trail at the beginning of the day to fill the queue up. (During T2R) Then, when you wait 30 minutes for the ticket, it pretty much takes away the whole point of T2R. Tell me if I am wrong, but what if they gave away T2R tickets at the gate (right when you get in the park). (You can still choose not to get them. Would it be easier for the ticket takers to give it to you? It would eliminate the long lines for the T2R. Or, it could really hurt the line flow coming in. But, it could also help you plan your day right when you come in!
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I think we all agree that conceptually, it's a good idea. In practice, it has all kinds of disadvantages. Disney seems to have a good system in place, where your bar-coded admission ticket/pass entitles you to a ticket. You get one, you can't get another 'till you use the first, and you can't cheat the system. The best thing is that if you choose to wait, you wait.

In order for Cedar Point to implement a system like that, they'd have to revamp their entire system.

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Jeff
Webmaster/Guide to The Point
Millennium Force laps: 50

My take on the issue that inspired the longest post in GTTP history:

When the system was first released in mid July, it was obvious that CP did not know how to implement it. And the flaws were brought out, many at the park to employees and such, and many right here on CP Place. The main problem was the timeframe, I believe it was 12-8. This hurt people that would come to the park after work for a few hours, some just to ride MF, because they now needed a ticket, which were already sold out.
Plus, CP had it going EVERY day, even when there was no need for it on the weekdays. So, CP did what was asked - fix the TTR (in fact the day I was there). They shortened the timespan from 12-4. This solved the work problem, yet there was still the problem of when it was needed. Eventually, this was solved as well (I think they started it once the queue was 45 min or something). By this point, CP really has a great system going. Then, on closing Saturday, crowds were overwhelming, yet they had thrown out TTR for the year. This was truly a day where the TTR was needed. I think CP should re-implement the system, but ONLY IF THE LINE GETS OVER 45 MINUTES.

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Times I have "Gone Full Force" on MF: 9

Chris G.
-Representin' Motown

I hated TTR, but I adore Disney's Fastpass.

Each ride with fastpass has multiple machines to get them from. Never any sort of wait to get the pass, and you don't wait more than 5 minutes (with the exception of Splash Mountain)

But, as Jeff said, there is a regular line.

The Fastpass shortens that line dramatically, as well as having the FP line.

If CP did theirs the way Disney does, I would love to see it on-
MF
Magnum
Raptor
Mantis
Power Tower

I like it when they stop the TTR nonsense at 4. Sure there may look like a long line to get in at 4, Soon as you pile into the queue though its only a 45 -60 minute wait. People get scared at the huge mob piling up outside, but I just get in line, its well worth it. By then MF is warmed up and ultra fast. They should implement the sytem on weekends and crowded days though when the line gets too long.

TTR just messes up the whole day. I always get an attack plan, and walking to a ride twice, just to get on once waste more time. If you get these tickets for all of the rides, then your day is DICTATED by the tickets. If you want to ride the Magnum right At one moment, you cant. I would hate that.



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Joe E

I thought it wasn't good. Sure I liked the 35 minute wait, but I didn't want CP to tell me when I could and couldn't ride. I thought it was amusing to see people starting to line up at 1:00 outside the MF gate (3 hours before TTR stopped) to ride MF after TTR ended. I thought to myself, "You'd think CP would get a clue." Everyone that went with me that day were bummed about TTR also.

One of the distressing things I saw at IAAPA was a large number of vendors selling some form of virtual queueing system. To me, it is a crying shame when parks feel they have to apply a technological or procedural solution to the problem of long lines when the real problem is that of crowd management. Hey...if you want short lines for the rides, build short queues, keep the capacity up, and make sure park customers have lots of options. In practice, these virtual queueing systems are nothing more than a tactic for allowing people to wait in more than one line at a time, which brings with it additional problems such as what to do if your time comes up and you're waiting in another long line.

There are better solutions than ticket systems. Ride-time ticketing has been tried for many years, and in every case except Disney's FastPass it has proven to be an unqualified disaster. (FastPass, as I understand it, is merely a qualified disaster).

--Dave Althoff, Jr.

Jeff said: "I think we all agree that conceptually, it's a good idea."

This point could be made for communism, too, you know. ;)

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How dare you vanquish the Steel Phantom without his consent? Fear the Phantom's Revenge.

personally, i think that virtual ticketing systems like FP and TTR are just a by-product of today's lazy, fast-food, instant gratification attitude in society..."Oh i want to ride this, but i don't want to have to wait in line"..or something to that effect. the only things in life that should require tickets are movies, concerts and the Lottery...

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---May 2001..the month CP re-opens and U2 comes back. it's like i died and went to Heaven.

(Yeah, it'll be a great month, full of beautiful days at the Point, your pride and joy. I hope, though, that by some mysterious ways, you'll be able to find what you're looking for.)

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How dare you vanquish the Steel Phantom without his consent? Fear the Phantom's Revenge.

I dispise TTR. The ticket realy dictates the way you go around the park. All the people I talked to said that they hated TTR and they don't mind waiting for MF that long. The only time TTR should be used is when it is needed. Like on Saturdays and Sundays and Holidays. On the average day, no TTR.

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If she weighs as much as a duck, she's made of wood, and therefore a witch.

I thought that the concept was implmented well at IOA (Islands of Adventure). Also, Disney does an awesome job with it. I've been there about 5 times in the past year, and each time used the Fastpass, and it worked very well. Also, I was there on one of the first days of the implementation (At Epcot Center), and it worked smoothly. But, if Rideman or Jeff could explain this for me, why does Cedar Point get higher marks for capacity (in the Golden Ticket awards)? Is it because they have more rides.

Yes, they have more rides, and they run them efficiently. I'd love to compare the pph between, say, Raptor and Batman Knight Flight, which have similar dispatch intervals. I guarantee that Raptor would bury the other ride.

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Jeff
Webmaster/Guide to The Point
Millennium Force laps: 50

TTR, worked for me quite well. Of course, I was a one time visit, knew about TTR, and arrived at opening. (well, 10 minutes after) It took 20+ minutes to get the ticket, and 40 more once my ticket allowed me into the queue. Much better than 90-120 minutes or more, all at once, IMO

As for efficiency, CP has more ops on the platform, period. More than any other park I have ever been to in my life. Most parks have 2 people checking restraints on a coaster, CP had at least 6 on every major coaster (didn't get on the kiddie coasters) the day I was there. VERY busy day, but all rides at dynamite efficiency!!

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Only 2290½ miles from Cedar Po!nt

TTR rocked. Bring it on.

As far as capacity and efficiency goes, Jeff and Soggy are right on the money. I don’t know what the pph for Batman or Raptor is, but I’ve had a 40 minute wait for both. 40 minutes for Batman is a lot of standing around in a queue that would rattle around in Cedar Point’s shortest queue 40 minutes for Raptor is a fairly long walk, and several times more riders. The quantity and quality of the CP staff makes it work very well.

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- Raptor Dave (not "Raptor Man Dave")

Lynch, do not take the great Bonogod's name in vain!! hehehe...no really, the only way i would truly have a month like you describe there is if i got to ride MF, in the FRONT, EVERY DAY with the B-man himself as my ride partner...but thank you for the thought...it's truly something to strive for.

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---May 2001..the month CP re-opens and U2 comes back. it's like i died and went to Heaven.

I'm trying to go just one more post with that whole game... but I just can't. I guess the sweetest thing is over. Well, what can you say? I guess some days are better than others.

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How dare you vanquish the Steel Phantom without his consent? Fear the Phantom's Revenge.