Interesting Things Ride-Ops Do

[The Interpreter]

Amen. There is nothing more fake than that Cedar Point "Welcome back INSERT NAME OF RIDE HERE Riders, How was your ride?" invariably followed by "Awesome, push down, pull up on your lap bars and exit quickly and carefully to your right" regardless of rider response.

It's ridiculous.

[Guest dtk1376]

A spiel versus a genuine interaction are two different things. I rode TTD ad the ride op was genuinely talking to guests and asked about first riders, etc. not only that but told the rules of the ride. At CP on the same day rode one of the steel coasters and the spiel and shtick got real old real fast.

Shtick versus genuine

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Completely agree, you can always tell if someone is just doing something over and over again, and it can get annoying if they are doing the same thing over and over again. That video that purdude posted I would of probably complained to guest relations because he was being obnoxious, I haven't witnessed anything like that but it's also been a while since I've been able to ride the big coasters because my daughter is still 4. The ride operators in Planet Snoopy and Coney Mall seem to be either very friendly and nice to you or completely business like. I prefer friendly, but will take the business as well. But obnoxious and boisterous trying to be the main attraction, I will not, apply for "The Boys Are Back" if you want to be the entertainment.

[silver2005]

I saw this guy working The Beast last year. The video will speak for itself

I remember him. Yet another reason I'd agree with Terpy about the ride ops not talking. His enthusiasm is great, and fun when you're ont eh ride heading out. But listening to it for 10 minutes while waiting to get on gets old real quick.

I really, really disliked him. On a few Beast night rides I partook in the year he worked there, they would constantly triple stack trains, which on Beast, requires effort even on semi-slow loading. He would also go on and on forever. You could hear him from the lower queue switchbacks, it got really annoying.

[dragsterguy21]

A spiel versus a genuine interaction are two different things. I rode TTD ad the ride op was genuinely talking to guests and asked about first riders, etc. not only that but told the rules of the ride. At CP on the same day rode one of the steel coasters and the spiel and shtick got real old real fast.

Shtick versus genuine

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Completely agree, you can always tell if someone is just doing something over and over again, and it can get annoying if they are doing the same thing over and over again. That video that purdude posted I would of probably complained to guest relations because he was being obnoxious, I haven't witnessed anything like that but it's also been a while since I've been able to ride the big coasters because my daughter is still 4. The ride operators in Planet Snoopy and Coney Mall seem to be either very friendly and nice to you or completely business like. I prefer friendly, but will take the business as well. But obnoxious and boisterous trying to be the main attraction, I will not, apply for "The Boys Are Back" if you want to be the entertainment.

he has a lot of themes, i have seen him do that one and "ARE YOU READY SPARTANS. PREPARE FOR GLORY" and some other stuff that was funny. This was about a year but it was hilarious. It was early ride time so i wasn't in line that long but i rode it 3 more times just to hear him lol

[Guest dtk1376]

Amen. There is nothing more fake than that Cedar Point "Welcome back INSERT NAME OF RIDE HERE Riders, How was your ride?" invariably followed by "Awesome, push down, pull up on your lap bars and exit quickly and carefully to your right" regardless of rider response.

It's ridiculous.

Haha I saw a guy on Aerial Chase do that and all of a sudden a girl was having trouble getting her restraint up and was pushing on the seat belt button to try and get the restraint to go up, you could tell it took him out of the robot state because then he started having fun with the rider telling asking her how she thought that was possibly going to help, it was quite humorous. Those are the types of experiences I enjoy and am referring to when I say I want someone friendly. CP most likely has it required though for them to do the "Welcome back riders, how as that ride!!", I haven't seen many coasters where they don't do that, so that's probably out of their hands.

[The Interpreter]

Indeed. I in no way blame the ride ops. They are doing what either management wants or tolerates. If management wanted something different, they'd do that.

[Jr for Birdy]

We enjoy the "woot woot" from the Woodstock Express ride-ops on dispatch, we always chant it back. It's becoming a tradition I believe the last year or two.

[Hoeter]

The Sunday visit a couple of weeks ago...me, Lora, Dee, and company rode The Bat.

They did the whole "Welcome back, Bat riders! How was your ride?" deal but at the end the guy inserted different park names.

"When the ride comes to a complete stop, push down pull up on your lapbars and exit to your left. Enjoy the rest of your day at Canada's Wonderland!"

[IBEW_Sparky]

I am with Terpy 1000000000% on this!! Maybe its because of my previous careers, where B.S. wasnt needed, wanted, tolerated, and could even cost someone their Live because of lack of concentration in the task or situation at hand. Same with the aforementioned cashiers.... there is a DEFINITE reason I prefer automated self-checking machines. Dont give me B.S., I dont want to hear about the weather or anything that does not pertain to my getting in and out of that D amn store or ride station more quickly and efficiently/safely. Id have far preferred the female ride op who checked my restraints on Beast at 810pm on Opening Day to have spent the extra second or two to realize that she had pulled on my Tony Stewart hat that I had attached to my belt loop instead of the seatbelt she was SUPPOSED to pull on. In lieu of that, pull on the black loop that I was even nice enough to put on top of the lapbar to make it EASIER for her to find and check the seatbelt! Until these current ride crews can do this job effectively in their sleep, I have no desire, time, or patience for spiels!

[CharleyTheDinosaur]

I got back from Busch Gardens Tampa a couple of hours ago. I didn't even realize until reading this thread that the ride ops did not spiel at all. I didn't miss it and sure enough all of us were able to have a great time without it.

[sheikra_rocks]

I love BGT's pre-recorded spiels. You hear it twice. Once in English, and once in Spanish.

"Please step into the coaster as quickly and safely as possibly. Once seated, pull the shoulder harness to your waist and lock you safety belt. Now, sit back as you experience the terror of Montu."

"Por favor..............."

[The Interpreter]

Meanwhile, the ride ops can do that which they were hired to do...safely and effectively operate the ride.

What a concept!

[jdawg1998]

Yeah - why doesn't Kings Island, and other Cedar Fair parks (not sure about Six Flags), have pre-recorded spiels? On every Disney World ride, like with Busch Gardens^^, they play those, then start the ride. It's a lot more professional sounding, and prevents from goofball ride ops getting carried away with the mic.

[JTW]

Oh one more thing about spiels. On a visit this year I had my son in line for a ride he had never ridden, and as part of an operator's comedy routine incorrect stats were given about that ride.

If my boy had been paying attention and heard them state that that particular ride goes upside down four times there is no way in this world he would have gotten on. In addition to that, he would have thought of me as a liar.

How so? Before every new ride experience his question is "does it go upside down?" and since I said "no" he would assume that I was playing a trick on him after someone in official uniform said that it does.

[elyk]

While loading in The Bat's station: have a great day at Michigan's Adventure!

While unloading: Have a great day at Worlds of Fun!

[IBEW_Sparky]

If I were GM, and heard that, my response to the ride op would be "Have a great day in the unemployment line, here is your final paycheck."

[silver2005]

On Vortex during my most recent visit, I caught the ride op on the mic stating "Oncoming riders, how was your ride?"

I'm not even kidding.

[Creed Bratton]

-Deleted by user to keep the peace-

[IBEW_Sparky]

Ah, and yet you conveniently removed the part of my post, stating the fact I would rather have a ride op who would worry as much or more about checking the SAFETY of the riders, as they do spieling. Let me clue you in on something.... Ive been in a cashiers position and I feel the very same way about it as I do a customer!!!!!!!!!!!!! Im here to do a job, and collect compensation for doing said job. You dont even remotely know me, so do not presume... or shall I say ASSume.. that you do. Would a spiel have kept me in The Beast train at 60 plus had the seatbelt she failed to check come undone? I will take the seatbelt for $Life Alex.

[calakapepe]

The enthusiasm and the different approaches to trying to be amusing at an amusement park are a part of the job, just as safety is a part of the job.

Safety comes first, but unless someone's enthusiasm is hindering the safety, the enthusiasm probably shouldn't be seen as a problem. There's a lot of hate going to these guys on here.

I will say as far as their spiels go, it would be less awkward and nicer if they didn't ask how that ride was, prompting the train to be expected to scream. Just to say something simple like, "Welcome back green train! When the ride comes to a complete stop please push down on your -- etc."
And genuine friendliness and energy is always welcomed and well received; humans mirror emotions after-all.

I wouldn't vouch for no talking whatsoever, that's awkward. The screaming guy is too much though, I'll agree though, especially with him having a microphone.
--

I feel like this thread has turned from sharing of some funny or unique things that ride-ops have done, to being a bit of a bash.

-My two cents.

[Creed Bratton]

-Deleted by user to keep the peace-

[disco2000]

Ah, and yet you conveniently removed the part of my post, stating the fact I would rather have a ride op who would worry as much or more about checking the SAFETY of the riders, as they do spieling. Let me clue you in on something.... Ive been in a cashiers position and I feel the very same way about it as I do a customer!!!!!!!!!!!!! Im here to do a job, and collect compensation for doing said job. You dont even remotely know me, so do not presume... or shall I say ASSume.. that you do. Would a spiel have kept me in The Beast train at 60 plus had the seatbelt she failed to check come undone? I will take the seatbelt for $Life Alex.

I understand where you are going with it, but I do recall a time The Beast had just a buzzbar and no seatbelt and I do not recall anyone flying out? I recall the ride being more enjoyable then, as well as a little scarier!

The sad thing is because of the lawsuit crazy society we live in are the reasons all the additional "safety things" happen. It should be the rider's responsibility to know the rules and guidelines of the ride and obey them. I know the lapbar came down the required amount and that my seatbelt is secure and having a speed check by an employee doesn't make me feel any safer. But again, I am not the individual that is done for. I witness on almost every trip a rider that thought the seatbelt was optional on one of the rides I am in line with. And then when we get the individual with a pre-existing condition (bad back, obese, etc.) and either gets denied the ride or worse like injury or death, we then see additional measures put in place, even on rides nothing like the one where an incident took place.

I don't know this for a fact and I am sure there are exceptions, but I would think most of the rides probably cannot dispatch if the lap bar/restraint is not secured, so the employee speed check is more for insurance liability reasons and redundancy than anything else. Now I do realize that none of the seatbelts have this feature, so they are checking that.

I get into my vehicle and strap my seatbelt on and never has anyone done a pull on it to insure that I secured it properly, yet statistically, one is more likely to be injured or die in an automobile accident than an amusement park ride accident.

[MagicDanTheMan]

I think the park and it's employees are trying to generate a unique experience for guests. In a world dominated by technology and non-personal interaction, I think their attempt at connecting with and entertaining park guests should be praised. That being said, The Beast ride operator from that video is simply trying to entertain and create a unique experience for guests visiting The Beast. Had he not been doing so, you wouldn't even have noticed that he was there, and they would have seemed just as boring and the same as the operators at all the other rides. After all, where is the fun in being "just like everyone else"? Certainly not at Kings Island, the fun and only.

[The Interpreter]

The fun and only by copying in the smallest detail the spieling and spiels of Cedar Point.

And Kings Island endorsed and approved The Beast ride op's performance each and every day it continued to employ him.

[PhantomTheater]

There was the great experimentation of Auto-spiels at the Point. It started with Millie when she first opened, by 2004 most rides had them, by 2008 they were mostly gone.For the most part I didnt kind them, others however believed the world was ending without talking ride ops. My favorite was White Water Landing with the fiddle interludes, however I still cringe when Corkscrew's randomly pops into my head, that voice was annoying. Humourously, durring that same time CF got rid of auto-spiels at Geauga Lake and had Talking ride ops.

[IBEW_Sparky]

Ah, and yet you conveniently removed the part of my post, stating the fact I would rather have a ride op who would worry as much or more about checking the SAFETY of the riders, as they do spieling. Let me clue you in on something.... Ive been in a cashiers position and I feel the very same way about it as I do a customer!!!!!!!!!!!!! Im here to do a job, and collect compensation for doing said job. You dont even remotely know me, so do not presume... or shall I say ASSume.. that you do. Would a spiel have kept me in The Beast train at 60 plus had the seatbelt she failed to check come undone? I will take the seatbelt for $Life Alex.

I understand where you are going with it, but I do recall a time The Beast had just a buzzbar and no seatbelt and I do not recall anyone flying out? I recall the ride being more enjoyable then, as well as a little scarier!

The sad thing is because of the lawsuit crazy society we live in are the reasons all the additional "safety things" happen. It should be the rider's responsibility to know the rules and guidelines of the ride and obey them. I know the lapbar came down the required amount and that my seatbelt is secure and having a speed check by an employee doesn't make me feel any safer. But again, I am not the individual that is done for. I witness on almost every trip a rider that thought the seatbelt was optional on one of the rides I am in line with. And then when we get the individual with a pre-existing condition (bad back, obese, etc.) and either gets denied the ride or worse like injury or death, we then see additional measures put in place, even on rides nothing like the one where an incident took place.

I don't know this for a fact and I am sure there are exceptions, but I would think most of the rides probably cannot dispatch if the lap bar/restraint is not secured, so the employee speed check is more for insurance liability reasons and redundancy than anything else. Now I do realize that none of the seatbelts have this feature, so they are checking that.

I get into my vehicle and strap my seatbelt on and never has anyone done a pull on it to insure that I secured it properly, yet statistically, one is more likely to be injured or die in an automobile accident than an amusement park ride accident.

Now that, was an intelligent and well thought out counterpoint, and for that I thank you. I absolutely agree with you, and of course I had already assured on my own that said belt was properly fastened, as it is my implied "job" to do so under the understood rule of "personal safety starts with the person taking responsibility for their own safety". My point of it, was to show that... while I will agree that the spieling is part of their job description.... so is safety, and an occurrence like that makes it appear as if the "entertainment" aspect of said job was given more emphasis by the individual than the more important safety aspect. That, is what I was wanting people... and possibly/hopefully park management whom I know reads this forum.... to see.

[Guest dtk1376]

Ah, and yet you conveniently removed the part of my post, stating the fact I would rather have a ride op who would worry as much or more about checking the SAFETY of the riders, as they do spieling. Let me clue you in on something.... Ive been in a cashiers position and I feel the very same way about it as I do a customer!!!!!!!!!!!!! Im here to do a job, and collect compensation for doing said job. You dont even remotely know me, so do not presume... or shall I say ASSume.. that you do. Would a spiel have kept me in The Beast train at 60 plus had the seatbelt she failed to check come undone? I will take the seatbelt for $Life Alex.

I understand where you are going with it, but I do recall a time The Beast had just a buzzbar and no seatbelt and I do not recall anyone flying out? I recall the ride being more enjoyable then, as well as a little scarier!

The sad thing is because of the lawsuit crazy society we live in are the reasons all the additional "safety things" happen. It should be the rider's responsibility to know the rules and guidelines of the ride and obey them. I know the lapbar came down the required amount and that my seatbelt is secure and having a speed check by an employee doesn't make me feel any safer. But again, I am not the individual that is done for. I witness on almost every trip a rider that thought the seatbelt was optional on one of the rides I am in line with. And then when we get the individual with a pre-existing condition (bad back, obese, etc.) and either gets denied the ride or worse like injury or death, we then see additional measures put in place, even on rides nothing like the one where an incident took place.

I don't know this for a fact and I am sure there are exceptions, but I would think most of the rides probably cannot dispatch if the lap bar/restraint is not secured, so the employee speed check is more for insurance liability reasons and redundancy than anything else. Now I do realize that none of the seatbelts have this feature, so they are checking that.

I get into my vehicle and strap my seatbelt on and never has anyone done a pull on it to insure that I secured it properly, yet statistically, one is more likely to be injured or die in an automobile accident than an amusement park ride accident.

Now that, was an intelligent and well thought out counterpoint, and for that I thank you. I absolutely agree with you, and of course I had already assured on my own that said belt was properly fastened, as it is my implied "job" to do so under the understood rule of "personal safety starts with the person taking responsibility for their own safety". My point of it, was to show that... while I will agree that the spieling is part of their job description.... so is safety, and an occurrence like that makes it appear as if the "entertainment" aspect of said job was given more emphasis by the individual than the more important safety aspect. That, is what I was wanting people... and possibly/hopefully park management whom I know reads this forum.... to see.

If you ever feel that a ride op is not being safe due them focusing more on entertaining the guests, please bring that to the attention of guest services, I wouldn't assume that guest services is going to see a post on KIC to address an issue. Their number one job is the safety of the guests, if they are capable of also entertaining guests while also being safe, fantastic, if not, they should just focus on the safety aspect of their job, and if they can't even do the safety aspect of the job it might not be the right job for them.

[shark6495]

I dont think the problem with Spiels is the individual but more a company mindset problem. When you have young men and women, who have not been trained on what is and isnt appropriate, and you give them a microphone and tell them "entertain the masses" you end up with some bright spots, some low lights, and mostly in-betweens.

While yes, a spiel can be done so that it is entertaining and not distracting, the question remains why would you put that into the hands of unprepared young men and women. Having the ride ops all say the same thing "how was your ride" may seem boring and generic, but its better than the alternative of a kid trying to make jokes by changing the name of the park/ride/stats.

I will go into better detail about the TTD experience from a few years ago. The op on the microphone wouldnt speak till he checked his section of the ride. HE would then go through the safety of the ride. While others were getting checked he would ask for riders to raise their hands if it was the first time. Ask if anyone was from the west coast, etc. He had a great up beat attitude and made the experience all the better. I think he did ask how was the ride, but honestly, his previous interactions made this question seem genuine.

I dont go to a park to be entertained by the ride ops. I go to experience the park, to be entertained by the entertainers and to enjoy the coasters. If a ride op wants to give me stats on a coaster, thats great. Welcome me to the park and ask how my ride was, okay so be it. But I dont like the idea of a ride op trying to steal the show from the individual ride.

[Guest dtk1376]

I dont think the problem with Spiels is the individual but more a company mindset problem. When you have young men and women, who have not been trained on what is and isnt appropriate, and you give them a microphone and tell them "entertain the masses" you end up with some bright spots, some low lights, and mostly in-betweens.

While yes, a spiel can be done so that it is entertaining and not distracting, the question remains why would you put that into the hands of unprepared young men and women. Having the ride ops all say the same thing "how was your ride" may seem boring and generic, but its better than the alternative of a kid trying to make jokes by changing the name of the park/ride/stats.

I will go into better detail about the TTD experience from a few years ago. The op on the microphone wouldnt speak till he checked his section of the ride. HE would then go through the safety of the ride. While others were getting checked he would ask for riders to raise their hands if it was the first time. Ask if anyone was from the west coast, etc. He had a great up beat attitude and made the experience all the better. I think he did ask how was the ride, but honestly, his previous interactions made this question seem genuine.

I dont go to a park to be entertained by the ride ops. I go to experience the park, to be entertained by the entertainers and to enjoy the coasters. If a ride op wants to give me stats on a coaster, thats great. Welcome me to the park and ask how my ride was, okay so be it. But I dont like the idea of a ride op trying to steal the show from the individual ride.

Amen! Maybe if they want to overly entertain people getting on a ride they can move "The Boys Are Back" from Festhaus over to the queue for The Beast (just kidding obviously lol). But I agree, the entertainment from the ops (if possible with keeping safety standards in place) should not take away from the experience of the rides, the entertainment for The Beast should relate to The Beast, entertainment for Diamondback should relate to Diamondback, etc. I don't care about Carowinds, Cedar Point, or any of the other sister parks, references to those are only going to entertain an extremely small portion of the audience that visits those other parks as well.

[thoe124]

Welcome back riders, how was that completely secure and safe ride that involved no accidents?!