BeastForever Posted November 11, 2014 Share Posted November 11, 2014 I could listen to the Voyage's enchanting auto-spiel 100 times over and I swear it would never get old... For me at least... 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shark6495 Posted November 11, 2014 Share Posted November 11, 2014 And if that isn't a reason for automated spiels... People go to parks to enjoy the rides, attractions, each others' company, the games, shows and food. Not to put up with adolescents with microphones entertaining themselves. It gets old. Real old. That said, Auto-spiels get really old really fast, too. While at SFGAm, I got very, VERY sick of the wannabe Mr. T giving the auto-spiel for X-Flight. I'd be all for an auto-spiel in a normal human voice. Theme the rides, that's fine, encouraged even. But don't theme the auto-spiel. The results are usually nothing short of irritating. Alright,stunt team, listen up... I do appreciate a themed auto-spiel if it fits in with the ride. Sometimes they would get old for those of us who marathon rides, but think of the better options a themed spiel would have. Adventure Express for example. The same voice that talks about the missing train and closed run could also be the same one to give the spiel inside the station.... 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dtk1378 Posted November 11, 2014 Share Posted November 11, 2014 And if that isn't a reason for automated spiels... People go to parks to enjoy the rides, attractions, each others' company, the games, shows and food. Not to put up with adolescents with microphones entertaining themselves. It gets old. Real old. That said, Auto-spiels get really old really fast, too. While at SFGAm, I got very, VERY sick of the wannabe Mr. T giving the auto-spiel for X-Flight. I'd be all for an auto-spiel in a normal human voice. Theme the rides, that's fine, encouraged even. But don't theme the auto-spiel. The results are usually nothing short of irritating. Alright,stunt team, listen up... I do appreciate a themed auto-spiel if it fits in with the ride. Sometimes they would get old for those of us who marathon rides, but think of the better options a themed spiel would have. Adventure Express for example. The same voice that talks about the missing train and closed run could also be the same one to give the spiel inside the station.... Same thing for Flight of Fear, the actors in the video in the queue could be the ones to give the spiel. I think an automated queue is good in general, might be a few times that a ride op might need to chime in like "All electronic devices must be secured and put away.... all electronic devices must be secured... I'm not starting this ride until you put your phone away!!". I think I heard something close to that almost every time I rode Viking Fury this year. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Merthecat Posted November 13, 2014 Share Posted November 13, 2014 On the Southern Star at Carowinds: (the lap restraints come down automatically and they can be quite painful) "Now as the lapbar come down, you will feel a slight pressure...here they come...feel the pressure..." (and so forth. He was speaking in a very weird accent, too) On the Hurler at (guess where!) Carowinds: "Did you guys enjoy your ride on the Hurler?" *barely audible applause* "Now that's just unacceptable. Let's try that again..." 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
homestar92 Posted November 13, 2014 Share Posted November 13, 2014 That ride op must be a doctor or a dentist. "You're going to feel some pressure" is typically medical professional slang for "This is going to be really painful" 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Interpreter Posted November 13, 2014 Share Posted November 13, 2014 Earlier this season, Bart Kinzel felt some pressure. After Daddy retired, he apparently was no longer the Southern Star at Carowinds. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JPm8605 Posted June 9, 2016 Share Posted June 9, 2016 I am a ride operator. I'll keep the park nameless for now. There is a flat ride with only a lap bar that I manually check. Right before the ride starts, I'll sometimes say, "Make sure your seat belt is buckled! Enjoy the ride." The really funny thing is there is a slot in the car that looks like it used to have seat belts... We have a swinging ship, so (voice allowing) I'll do the spiel in a pirate voice or sing (slightly off key on purpose) a shanty... usually Alestorm There's a pendulum ride that I wrote a Rock-A-Bye lullaby parody for. The old antique cars: Welcome to the Antique Cars! (points) This is your steering wheel, it mostly works... please use it. (points) This is your gas pedal. Push down to go, let go to stop. There's no brake, so give yourself plenty of room to roll to a stop. We do not allow bumping. These are the Antique Cars, not the Bumper Cars. If you would like to ride the Bumper Cars, (give directions). Keep your loose item secure: No texting or drinking and driving. Don't stop once you get started until you get to the stop sign at the end. If someone gets stuck in front of you, stay in the car. Someone will be out to help soon. If you have any questions, I'll be very surprised. Enjoy your ride. I have a go-to list of things that are more dangerous than amusement parks that I'll spiel off if you look nervous: You are more likely to get rabies and die from a pig bite... You are more likely to die falling out of bed... You are 20 billion times more likely to die in a car accident... 97% of injuries at amusement parks are the fault of the injured (running/slipping/climbing/entering restricted areas/etc... When I'm about to dispatch a train, I keep it short and sweet: If you're ready to ride, make some noise! You are all clear and out of here! Raise your hands if you're ready! (We had to stop doing this one because we are supposed to encourage SAFE riding) 9 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
malem Posted June 9, 2016 Share Posted June 9, 2016 Let me be the first to say, welcome! Raise your hands if you're ready! (We had to stop doing this one because we are supposed to encourage SAFE riding) I never worked as a ride op, but I'd highly recommend also not using the ones about non-existent seatbelts or likelihood of death. Those really aren't things for a park to joke about, and legal liability may be a concern as well. (What if a guest panicked & tried to exit the ride vehicle upon realizing that the seat belt is "missing"? What if a guest with a pre-existing condition passed away after riding?) 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shark6495 Posted June 9, 2016 Share Posted June 9, 2016 Welcome (why do new people have the word banned under them on Tap Talk?). Also there are few on here (myself and Terp for sure) who just love open mic spiels..... But in all seriousness (and quoting great Xmen covers) welcome to KIC, you know the rest ! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Interpreter Posted June 9, 2016 Share Posted June 9, 2016 Things like just listed are why I detest spieling. Were it up to me, ride ops would operate rides, with safety as the first priority. The average ride op should be seen and not heard. Wanna entertain? Act in a show. Want to operate a ride? Operate a ride. 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jcgoble3 Posted June 9, 2016 Share Posted June 9, 2016 I can see both sides of the argument here. On one hand, a lot of spielers just aren't good at it or sacrifice safety as a priority while doing it. On the other hand, occasionally you get someone who, when not distracted, is really, really good at it and manages to liven things up while still keeping safety first. In an ideal world, where I chose who to hire and put in each position, spielers would be completely separate from ride ops, in that spielers would just spiel and not do anything else on the platform such as checking restraints. Even the verbal "clear"/"station clear" signal to the control booth would be given by a designated ride op rather than the spieler. Additionally, those wishing to spiel would be required to audition through the usual live entertainment audition process, so as to filter out those who aren't any good at it. I don't know just how much of an improvement that would be, but it would be at least a smidge better than the current setup. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Interpreter Posted June 9, 2016 Share Posted June 9, 2016 Which still wouldn't make me happy. If I'm at a park, I'm with friends or getting some much needed me time/solitude to let me enjoy and think. I love ambient park sounds. I detest kids with mikes begging to be the center of attention. I didn't come to see, hear or listen to ride attendants. I don't want my park time interrupted by juvenile jokes/noise while I'm visiting seldom seen friends, talking or listening or thinking. I see spieling as unnecessary noise. Nothing more. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vortexfan Posted June 9, 2016 Share Posted June 9, 2016 I don't want my park time interrupted by juvenile jokes/noise while I'm visiting seldom seen friends, talking or listening or thinking. This reminds me of my last trip to NJFTP. The ride op on The Dark Knight was quite literally yelling inane Joker impressions into the mic. If he were any louder people in the queue probably would have suffered hearing damage... I appreciated the recorded spiels at Hershey. Professional and classy. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
InvertiJack Posted June 9, 2016 Share Posted June 9, 2016 "Enjoy your smooth ride on Mean Streak" Sent from my SM-G530T using Tapatalk 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matt112986 Posted June 9, 2016 Share Posted June 9, 2016 "Enjoy your 45 minute train ride." Even more ridiculous is the relief you hear when they say they are kidding. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steph88 Posted June 9, 2016 Share Posted June 9, 2016 I like some parts of the spiels. The "Americas Roller Coast" part at CP is nostalgic for me, reminds me of going there when I was a kid. Anywhere else I probably wouldn't miss it. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
malem Posted June 9, 2016 Share Posted June 9, 2016 ^ On Friday, the spieler at Gemini was using the Amazement Park tagline. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JubJester Posted June 9, 2016 Share Posted June 9, 2016 Me and a friend of mine noticed that on the train when they are talking about the fort that each conductor has the same way of saying "itself". "It's been on the property longer than Kings Island itself." They kind of drag out the beginning of the word itself. Hard to explain just listen to the conductors, when you are on the train next. (Most conductors do it) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matt112986 Posted June 9, 2016 Share Posted June 9, 2016 Oh I just remembered the spiel I got on Maverick once, "Get ready for the wild west coaster that goes upside down not 3, not 4, not 5 but 2 times." The way she said it really added a lot too. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
benny1388 Posted June 9, 2016 Share Posted June 9, 2016 It didn't seem odd in the moment, but the last time we rode DB we were asked by the ride op by the gate if we minded waiting one more cycle. We didn't hear the rest of what she said as the PA kicked in and drowned her out, but we assumed it was a rider that needed some sort of special help or something. We were cool with waiting, the next train was just hitting the brake, anyway. Then they brought someone from the opposite side to get in one of the seats we would have been in. He needed no special help that we could see. This is what made it odd to us. We weren't upset by it (OH NO, WE HAVE TO WAIT ANOTHER 90 SECONDS TO RIDE!), just kind of wondering what the deal was. I wanted to ask the young lady to clarify, but she was busy and the crew was working rather fluidly with dispatches and I didn't want to be the reason that was disrupted. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Creed Bratton Posted June 9, 2016 Share Posted June 9, 2016 Could have been a few things. Exit passes, a medical form, etc. not all disabilities are able to be seen. Sent from the cellphone Zach Morris used in Saved By The Bell using Tapatalk 9 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
benny1388 Posted June 9, 2016 Share Posted June 9, 2016 Could have been a few things. Exit passes, a medical form, etc. not all disabilities are able to be seen. Sent from the cellphone Zach Morris used in Saved By The Bell using Tapatalk Oh, I know. Like I said we weren't upset by it, just didn't understand. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shark6495 Posted June 9, 2016 Share Posted June 9, 2016 The park also offers parent swap. Where one parent or part of the group waits in line and the other half waits with the kiddos. Then when the riders get off the pass gets signed and the other part of the group walks up the exit and rides. It helps make park visits very nice Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Creed Bratton Posted June 9, 2016 Share Posted June 9, 2016 Could have been a few things. Exit passes, a medical form, etc. not all disabilities are able to be seen. Sent from the cellphone Zach Morris used in Saved By The Bell using Tapatalk Oh, I know. Like I said we weren't upset by it, just didn't understand. All good, just offering other reasons. Sent from the cellphone Zach Morris used in Saved By The Bell using Tapatalk 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jcgoble3 Posted June 14, 2016 Share Posted June 14, 2016 I know I'm a few days late, but as it wasn't mentioned, I should add that I believe the park also offers a VIP tour experience (for a fairly steep price tag) that includes exit access to all rides for several hours, among other benefits. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tuxedoman52 Posted August 6, 2016 Share Posted August 6, 2016 An Afterburn ride op kept asking me if I wanted to stay on (at this point I had already ridden 7 times in a row), and it would be the last ride of the day. OF COURSE I want to stay on 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Browntggrr Posted August 6, 2016 Share Posted August 6, 2016 I like some parts of the spiels. The "Americas Roller Coast" part at CP is nostalgic for me, reminds me of going there when I was a kid. Anywhere else I probably wouldn't miss it. I have posted this a few times, but still my favorite. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gannersdaddy Posted August 8, 2016 Share Posted August 8, 2016 I always get a chuckle when I hear the part about keeping my legs in the car and not standing up. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Italian Job 2005 Posted August 18, 2016 Share Posted August 18, 2016 People try that a lot more than not. Diamondback outside seats people try to put their feet on the station concrete as the train dispatches. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
harveyhaddixfan Posted August 19, 2016 Share Posted August 19, 2016 Sounded ridiculous at the time, but was told on Vortex to ride in the back, push up with your shoulders and lean into the turns if you want a smooth ride. It's now the only ride I'll ride in the back seat. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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