coasterrz Posted October 27, 2003 Share Posted October 27, 2003 When I went to FearFest on Saturday the 25, I tried the new self scan entrance. I noticed this a couple visites ago. There are two turnstiles that have the computer turned around so that you can see it. Also, there is a season pass pasted to the computer, so that you know what way to swipe your pass. There was also a worker there helping people out. The park also added a green and red light by the actual turnstile to indicate when it was unlocked. Does anybody know if this is just for season pass holders or if it is good for everyone. Also, does anyone know if this is an experiment ofr a possible change next year? Might they bring back the original season pass entrance over by the season pass processing building? I remember going in that entrance for something this year, but I can`t remember for what. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BoddaH1994 Posted October 27, 2003 Share Posted October 27, 2003 I went through that same line a few weeks ago. Mainly people tried to hand their passes to the employee thinking that they were supposed to scan it. I don't think it will work. Plus, how could they check the picture? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coasterrz Posted October 27, 2003 Author Share Posted October 27, 2003 It is interesting that they are trying this out. I personally would like to see this implemented at the old season pass entrance, so that passholders don`t have to deal with the congestion that occurs by the current turn stiles and underneath the International Restaurant. Why did they get rid of the season pass entrance in the first place? It is still there, and if they implement the new self scan system (which simply relys on turning the existing computers around) they coulde keep staffing at this entrance at a minumum. The only thing they`d have to worry about is staffing the metal detectors (there are already detectors over there.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SixFlagsMasta Posted October 27, 2003 Share Posted October 27, 2003 the problem with this though it that if there aren't very many people over there than it would be easy to just hop the turnstile. it would be nice to do it yourself but if EVERYONE is doing their own then the GP will hold up the line cause they won't be able to figure it out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheRickster Posted October 28, 2003 Share Posted October 28, 2003 You can also scan other people's card's as your own..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fyrfyter Posted October 28, 2003 Share Posted October 28, 2003 Actually, I think this is probably a good idea. This seems to be a manpower saving situation, and apparently for many companies it is cost effective. I think we will probably see more gates like this added, Most of teh grocery stores, Home Depots, and other places around here have added self checkouts, so conserve on employee spending. I think if PKI puts these in, and adds a camera that actually looks at your season pass, and zips that image over to a cetral computer that covers say 5 or 6 gates, then one person should be able to see the picture on your ID, and also look up to make sure you are not trying to get in on someone else's pass. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coasterrz Posted October 28, 2003 Author Share Posted October 28, 2003 Currently, they have two self scan gates, staffed by one person. Even if they have three gates per employee, they are still saving the pay of at least 2 employees at a rate of at least $6.50 an hour x about twelve in the summer, times the number of self scan gates times the number of days, and you get a hug cost savings. I don`t know if they will entirely get rid of admissions people. They will have to have at least a couple to ensure that people don`t use others passes or hop the turnstiles. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fyrfyter Posted October 29, 2003 Share Posted October 29, 2003 I don`t know if they will entirely get rid of admissions people. They will have to have at least a couple to ensure that people don`t use others passes or hop the turnstiles. As I stated above, if they built the self entrance gates like the things and the grocery store, or Home Depot, they could set it up with a small camera that will take the picture of the pass when it is scanned and zip it over to someone over seeing several of the gates with their own computer, thus minimalizing chances of people getting in with other people's passes. That is exactly what they do at the stores, so they can see everything you swipe, and anything you don't. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
missdi Posted October 29, 2003 Share Posted October 29, 2003 I know this sounds very far fetched and expensive, but with all the people going through the turnstiles it has to be hard to keep track of faces matching up to the passes (not to mention peoples looks sometimes change), it would be neat if they could use the "fingerprint" system along with the pass for identification. All you would have to do is scan the card and then apply your "print" to guarantee that you are the actual passholder. Just a crazy idea. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coasterrz Posted October 29, 2003 Author Share Posted October 29, 2003 Implenting a finger print scan system would be way too costly. Who knows, the park may do that someday. But I don`t foresee this happening due to the associated cost of buying and installing the system, let alone the chaos of scanning in every passholders` fingerprints. it will be interesting to see what comes out of their experiment and if any changes are made next season to the entrance setup. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SixFlagsMasta Posted October 29, 2003 Share Posted October 29, 2003 but then what do you do for people who have prostetic hands? or no hands at all? i've noticed that the employees have never really looked at my picture to see if i'm the passholder. i don't think they really care. well some do but most don't seem to. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coasterrz Posted October 29, 2003 Author Share Posted October 29, 2003 Actually, most times I go, they make a point of looking at the ID then my face before they swipe the card. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fyrfyter Posted October 29, 2003 Share Posted October 29, 2003 Implenting a finger print scan system would be way too costly. Who knows, the park may do that someday. But I don`t foresee this happening due to the associated cost of buying and installing the system, let alone the chaos of scanning in every passholders` fingerprints. Actually, biometrics as its called is becoming pretty cheap. For around $100 you can actually get a fingerprint scanner that you hook up to your PC that will allow you and only you to let your computer start up, as it scans your fingerprint before booting fully into windows. Also, if you look at the HP/Compaq line of IPAQ PDA's they do have one model that has a built-in fingerprint scanner that is biometric based. This would be very feasible for the park. It wouldn't be as costly as one might think, and it would be easy to get everyone's prints into a computer. All pKI would have to do, is scan your fingerprint in at the same time they take your picture for your ID card, or better yet, get rid of the ID cards, and use just your fingerprint for everything. They just need a computer server to store the prints on, and then they could have you fingerprint, for parking, fingerprint for entry into the park, etc. If they wanted to failsafe the system, they could do both ID cards and also have fingerprints just in case something happens, or they don't like the fingerprint thing. If the fingerprint thing ever happened, they could design the computer to display a picture of you and your info, after you scan your finger when you enter the park. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coasterrz Posted October 29, 2003 Author Share Posted October 29, 2003 If the park did implement a fingerprint scan, i don`t think they would get rid of the ID card. The reason being is your season pass is good at all Paramount Parks, and just like the season passes, the fingerprint system wouldn`t work at any other Paramount Park so you would have to show your ID at Guest relations. It would be kind of hard to scan your fingerprint at a park that has no record of you being a pass holder of another Paramount Park. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beastfreak Posted October 29, 2003 Share Posted October 29, 2003 There is, if all the entrances systems at each park ran off the same fingerprint database. Though all those entrances and the amount of people it would have to look up would be insane on the servers that are already bogged down by all the other day to day administration/record keeping systems. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bradb055 Posted October 29, 2003 Share Posted October 29, 2003 I am totaly for the finger print system. THis would be a great way to save money and esentaly get rid of the actual card. This system would be much better than employees just looking at your black and white photo and trying to determine if it is you or not. I do know that PKI had some new computer lines ran in the park several month ago, but what for and where I dont know. I might have that info another time. The season pass entrance needs to be put back into place though to help with congestion during peak hours especialy. Automated systems are a great way of saving money! But then they suck at customer service and what not. O well its worth a try. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fyrfyter Posted October 29, 2003 Share Posted October 29, 2003 There is, if all the entrances systems at each park ran off the same fingerprint database. Though all those entrances and the amount of people it would have to look up would be insane on the servers that are already bogged down by all the other day to day administration/record keeping systems. There is a simple solution to this problem, which is add more servers, or add a dedicated server that only deals with entrances. I am betting that PKI has numerous servers that serve different functions. I know at the firehouse and throughout our township, there are at least 4 different servers that I know of, and probably more that I don't know of. A lot of things need their own servers to work correctly and efficiently. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pki_guy Posted October 29, 2003 Share Posted October 29, 2003 If they did implement the fingerprint system, how would they determine how you could get into the gold pass early ride areas? Give you a stamp or something like that? Or maybe they could have a mobile fingerprint scanner... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DegenRider Posted October 29, 2003 Share Posted October 29, 2003 A goldfinger? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fyrfyter Posted October 30, 2003 Share Posted October 30, 2003 Or maybe they could have a mobile fingerprint scanner... Why not, I have seen them use a mobile season pass scanner for getting people into Boomerang Bay early. I am thinking that this device has a wireless connection to the PKI network, so it can let the computer know that you are in the park. I am sure you could do the same thing with a fingerprint scanner that was wireless and let the server know that you are in the park. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coasterville Posted November 1, 2003 Share Posted November 1, 2003 Sometimes I wonder if they really care WHO uses a season pass, as long as a loaded wallet walks in the gate. Let's review, this is the park that has stopped printing the customer name on the season pass, in addition the Photo ID system they use takes such crappy low-res black and white images that I have seen passes from people who look nothing like me, but all of our pass pictures loook pretty much the same. In short there is nothing on the pass card itself to positively identify you. That being said, I don't encourage anyone attempt to use any pass except the one issued to them. In other news, did anyone else notice that they are obviously using a differnet pass barcoding scheme next year. The pass I have has a real long barcode as opposed to the short one next year. Could this be to encode the year for the Self Service turnstiles, OR to allow one huge pass database system to be netowrked to all their tunrstiles in all their parks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fyrfyter Posted November 1, 2003 Share Posted November 1, 2003 In other news, did anyone else notice that they are obviously using a differnet pass barcoding scheme next year. The pass I have has a real long barcode as opposed to the short one next year. Could this be to encode the year for the Self Service turnstiles, OR to allow one huge pass database system to be netowrked to all their tunrstiles in all their parks. Just curious, but what in the heck are you talking about? My 2003 season pass is the one with the really short barcode, while my 2004 season pass barcode is 20 numbers long. Hopefully, if they do implement a huge pass system, it will let you get into more than one park in one day. Obviously the chances of something like this happening are thin, but in theory, someone could be at one park early on, fly somewhere and then be at another park towards the evening. I hope Paramount has thought of this, because it would truly suck if you started at PKI, later in the day left and flew to Charlotte, and then decided to go to PC at night, and the system would not let you in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DegenRider Posted November 1, 2003 Share Posted November 1, 2003 Yeah and it would be cheeper just to have Guest relations at PC print you a free ticket. Yup the 2004 pass has a much longer barcode. Its even longer than my Six Flags pass and I thought that was really long. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coasterville Posted November 3, 2003 Share Posted November 3, 2003 Update: I had a chance to use the self-serve admission gate yesterday. In the systems current configuration, it would be useless to try to mount a small camera to look at the pass photo and the person scanning it. The primary reason for this is that as of now, you hold your pass under an arm, over a sample pass mounted to the counter. The way that is mounted, the barcode is to the right, which means that in order to not have your fingers covering up the barcode, the natural place to hold the pass is on the left hand side nearest you, which puts your thumb right over the photo. Personally I think the machine is awkwardly mounted, in order to see the monitor you have to stand in front of the counter, not in the admission lane, which could leave the possibility of someone else sneaking through the turnstile on your scan. If I were doing this I would have rotated the machine 90 degrees, so that you can scan in and proceed while standing in the narrow 'chute' to the turnstile. Of course and even better way would be to do what the self serve lanes at the ballpark to, where you hold your ticket under a scanner mounted to the turnstile itself. Yesterday was my second use of the new machines, and I stood in the lane, and held my pass under the scanner until the 'traffic light' mounted to the turnstile changed. Now if they REALLY wanted to be cool, they could have a monitor facing the self serve lane's attendant. When you scan your pass, it would access your pass image from the databse and put THAT up on a monitor facing the reader. (This is of course assuming it can't already do that) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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