Understaffing at Cedar Point hits nightmarish levels...

I see online how busy it is from social media posts today. I honestly wanted to help out today knowing it would be super busy. Given the commute time (from Akron), the gas, tolls, buying food for lunch/dinner, being stuck in a traffic jam at night before driving 90 minutes home, etc. I honestly decided it probably wasn't worth it.....this coming from a former ride ops guy. I don't ride as much as I use to so working on a coaster would be more fun for me now if I didn't feel I would actually be paying the park for the privilege after factoring in my expenses, ya know? And I feel bad because I have the time this weekend to help out, alas it is what it is. Hopefully they maybe called in some local temp services today to be better staffed than last weekend.....back in the day we sometimes did that during difficult staffing periods.

I am at the park right now, and although it is getting busy, all the rides are running like it’s a full summer day. Gemini has both sides going, Magnum has 3 trains running, the CP Railroad has 2 trains running, Power Tower has all 4 towers running. The Sky Ride and Windseeker are going as well.

DevariousEffect. I am a very hard working hippy. How I support my family and the work I do on a daily basis has nothing to do with my personal views. You can want peace and love, believe in to each there own, accept people for who they are, have no hate in your heart, and still work hard.

As for the topic. The park isn't going to be able to accommodate a surge in attendance without some level of customer dissatisfaction. The busier the park the longer the lines. People should be upset with themselves for not knowing what they spent their money on. At no time ever has Cedar fair made any guarantee of anything. It is out of their control. It's a ticket that gets you though the gate nothing more. They do not to undermine their own business by turning people away at X amount of people. That would upset just as many. If you came and they turned you away. You are the only one accountable for how your money is spent.

Sounds like the park stepped it up abit. Not much they can do this year but hopefully them hitting a "Rock bottom" may result in big changes next year.

Lets see if the simple things are changed like the year long bonus, more flexibility in hours, raises for employees that excel and other great suggestions made by the folks on here. Oh and in the years to come decent living conditions. (This one I think may be the most important one) Even people that like their job cannot possibly enjoy what they go home too.

History tells me not to get my hopes up because this problem didn't start last week. Who knows though.

Tony Stark said:

Yes, I didn't know that it was planned for the rides I listed to be closed. I still think it's unfortunate. Is there a reason for so many rides to be closed on a busy day in advance?

Yes, there is. It's called staffing. The park, which has some years of experience and data about being open during weekends in October, can't fully staff all rides.

Cleveland radio station 106.5 issued a traffic bulletin/warning,about an hour ago, for travel to CP. Rt.6 westward traffic is at a standstill at rye beach road with cars waiting to get to/into CP. Webcams looks busy with long food lines.

I was there Friday and had a perfectly fine evening. With the weather being so nice I was prepared to turn around and find something else to do if traffic was backed up but when I arrived around 7:45 getting in was easy. The sign by the chausee said no right turn but I turned right anyway...I wanted the option of being able to turn around and leave you can't really do that on the causeway best I can remember. Front lot was round 3/4 full. Yes stuff was closed but there is always stuff closed on Friday just like the outdoor scare zones are closed on Sunday. That's just how it works. There seemed to be a lot of lines for food but since I planned to live off of smuggled slim jims and water fountains I didn't care.

I went yesterday,got there at 4:30,did early entry 1 ride on Valravn and 1 ride on TTD,probably could've done a few more but was satisfied with 1 TTD ride. Then enjoyed the park until sunset and went to the car to get a jacket and a different camera/powerful flash to take some night pics. Had a burger from the food truck that was at the TTD 'powerhouse',was a great burger. Left the park at 9:30. It was a good day with great weather.

We are at the koa currently. When we first got here around 1 traffic was backed up well past the koa on Cleveland rd. There are still a lot of cars heading westbound but I can see from my campsite that they are moving at the speed limit. Heading into the park around 5 or 6.

By the looks and sounds of it, they are working very hard to make sure everything is running today after last Saturdays debacle. Staffing is not exactly a science, and its clear this year has been a struggle for the park. People quit, have emergencies and sometimes just don't show up to work when they say the will... This is also part of the season where hiring simply does not make any sense because it will be hard to find someone to just work a few weekends then be out of a job. The fact that even Tony is in position this weekend reflects just how bad staffing levels are this year, but they are putting in the effort to make sure this weekend runs more smoothly than last weekend for sure.

Once the year is over they will most certainly be reevaluating their staffing strategies and overall compensation for their seasonal staff (they almost have too). Pay and compensation has been a bit of a pain point over the last decade as the pay rate gap over minimum wage has pretty much completely closed and most bonus incentive programs have disappeared (which was something that was in place to retain good employees till the end of the season). I'm interested to hear what changes for next year for employees, but till then Cedar Point is making lemonade out of lemons. Guests will not just stop showing up when they are in a crisis.

Glad to hear things seem to be better today. Still wouldn't touch it myself but things seem better. Id love to work there and I would if i could support myself just with their pay and benefits. Looking forward to hearing how the evening goes as that is prime haunt time.

Just arriving at the park this evening at 6:30 p.m. Traffic is still at a standstill on the causeway, Waze is showing a 30-minute ride from 1st Street to the toll booths. Incredible that traffic is still backed up like this at this time in the evening.

And more than likely they had all the toll booths open. At least they did the prior Saturday. So, the causeway backup doesn't seem like something an extra body could resolve.

As a data person, this is where I always get frustrated in these conversations. Does CP monitor or even keep data on causeway backups? Is this a regular problem or a good weather in October problem? I remember a couple of really bad backups when I was teen, maybe 89-91, but I haven't been in one myself since.

How much of it is out of their control, in that it is partly a customer-induced problem? I'm sure we've all been there where the line doesn't move for what seems like ages because the guest at the toll booth is asking a hundred questions or carrying on a conversation. Or they didn't think to get money or a credit card out while waiting for their turn at the booth.

I've never had a CP-induced issue to slow down the process once it was my turn at the booth, so short of a toll plaza redesign to add additional booths, is there really much CP could do about the backup?

Strictly my anecdotal evidence, but in 2 visits to SF Great America, the dedicated gold pass self-scan line has moved more slowly than the staffed toll booths, so I don't think converting an existing toll booth to self-scan would actually help.

Ken, if that self scan booth is anything like the self-pay booth on the turnpike, it can be frustrating at times. Our turnpike exit is Baumhart Rd., it does not have any manned booths, just an EZ Pass lane and a Self-Pay lane. Often, the self-pay lane is many vehicles long due to some sort of difficulty.

My son who works at Slaughterhouse arrived home at 3:50am, he said there was an auto accident at the causeway exit. Maybe there was, or maybe he stayed and partied. Either way he is sleeping now in preparation for a shift today.

The park does monitor the wait times on the causeway. The hotel registration desk clerks have the estimated times.

I’m glad things were better yesterday but it’s not the point, things have progressively gotten worse and it took the debacle last weekend for the park to finally start making better staffing decisions, albeit a little late. The inherent problem is that you have a company that reports record profits each quarter and thinks they don’t need to offer better pay or any other financial incentives. I don’t doubt the park isn’t aware of what it needs to fix, and I’d like to think Tony’s comments reflect a longer term plan so that this doesn’t happen again only time will tell.

Prime example: they made a big deal about CP Shores this year but in all of my visits there it was never fully staffed. At least get that right if it’s going to be your crown jewel for the season. I don’t expect the main park to ever be fully staffed, but that’d be like staffing SV with only enough people to run one train next year.

And I’m tired of the weather reasoning. Just stop. Halloweekends is Halloweekends. They know it’s popularity and weather isn’t the basis for that, it may contribute, but people will still go regardless.

mgou58 said:

I’m glad things were better yesterday but it’s not the point, things have progressively gotten worse and it took the debacle last weekend for the park to finally start making better staffing decisions, albeit a little late. The inherent problem is that you have a company that reports record profits each quarter and thinks they don’t need to offer better pay or any other financial incentives. I don’t doubt the park isn’t aware of what it needs to fix, and I’d like to think Tony’s comments reflect a longer term plan so that this doesn’t happen again only time will tell.

Prime example: they made a big deal about CP Shores this year but in all of my visits there it was never fully staffed. At least get that right if it’s going to be your crown jewel for the season. I don’t expect the main park to ever be fully staffed, but that’d be like staffing SV with only enough people to run one train next year.

And I’m tired of the weather reasoning. Just stop. Halloweekends is Halloweekends. They know it’s popularity and weather isn’t the basis for that, it may contribute, but people will still go regardless.

A coherent message that stayed on-topic. Nicely done.

There's plenty of bad reviews on Facebook about another overcrowded, understaffed mess at CP last night.

CP is doing their best to divert conversations away from Facebook "tell us more about your horrible experience at this link" (just as Tony Clark did here), but the word is out, at it isn't good.

The big plan to solve the understaffing problem is more college students from overseas, and technology to replace workers.

Ouimet also commented on possible changes in the U.S. State Department's J-1 Visa program, which allows college students from overseas to come to the U.S. to work for the summer. Cedar Point employs thousands of workers every year through the program.

Ouimet said lawmakers may need to be educated about the benefits of the program. "I get concerned that it's one of those things that politically could be discussed as a negative," he said. "But I think when people sort through it - they'll see it drives the economy, it doesn't hurt the economy."

Zimmerman added that the parks have gotten creative about labor challenges, particularly during the shoulder season, when many parks, including Cedar Point, see their biggest crowds of the year.

The company is experimenting with technology to reduce the number of workers required during non-summer months. A new haunted maze at Knott's Berry Farm in southern California, for example, uses interactive technology - and requires only two workers.

These people are so cheap it's embarrassing.

The company is experimenting with technology to reduce the number of workers required during non-summer months. A new haunted maze at Knott's Berry Farm in southern California, for example, uses interactive technology - and requires only two workers.

If they even think to try that for Halloweekends, they can say "buh bye" to their record setting numbers.

Tony Stark said:

There's plenty of bad reviews on Facebook about another overcrowded, understaffed mess at CP last night

Actually Stark, you come across as a hater with a chip on your shoulder about something. Maybe you were fired from CP?

But in any case, you will always have people complaining about the crowd size on Facebook, but CP was hardly a mess last night. Was in the park from 8 to 12:30 and I thought things were efficient and well organized. Received good service at Buckaroo Burritos, Coasters, the French fry place across from the stadium and the Freestyle drink places. Most food stands were open, including the kettle corn place, sky ride and windseaker were running. Magnum ran three trains. I had no complaints with how the park operated last night considering the size of the crowd.

jimmyburke’s mention of EZ Pass makes me wonder if the numbers would work to take EZ Pass on the causeway.