diamondstack 6/16

[DontWantToWait42mar0]

I shed a tear every time I see an open row on one of Diamondback's trains. That could have been any of us!

[Zayzayd13]

YoungStud let me say this...Why would you even care if the line was that long. It's an amusement park, one of the best in the nation, and your going to complain over a coaster line being over 2 hours long. I waited 2x that at Cedar Point to ride Millenium Force, patiently. Get over yourself!!!!!!

[YoungStud]

YoungStud let me say this...Why would you even care if the line was that long. It's an amusement park, one of the best in the nation, and your going to complain over a coaster line being over 2 hours long. I waited 2x that at Cedar Point to ride Millenium Force, patiently. Get over yourself!!!!!!

I don't have a problem waiting two hours in a two hour long que. I get irritated waiting two hours in a one hour line while the crew stacks the whole time besides twice.

Besides a slow moving line being irritating, line jumping gets out of control. Then when closing time approaches the crew miraculously begins hitting interval.

[Creed Bratton]

Edit: Deleted By User.

[DontWantToWait42mar0]

If I see someone line jumping in front of me I call them out!

On the flip side, when I know that a group of people got split up while getting in line, I tell them " Don't be bashful, you can go head of me in line ."

For one I am considerate of other people rather than " technicalities ", but also I don't want to stand between people having a conversation.

[Creed Bratton]

Where to begin...

I think I'll just sum up my thoughts in two sentences: This is not normal. The crew is at fault, not the ride.

There were four employees checking restraints. That should speed things up but there was no sense or urgency.

Just went back and re-read things. If there are only 4 employees checking restraints, they are understaffed. There are a total of 6 people that should be checking restraints. It's been that way since opening.

[thedevariouseffect]

Pretty sad still however...and I'm not sure about understaffed during our ert kic day, the woman at open said there was about 40 or so in the crew...it's bad scheduling at this point...

there are 8 cars, that means four ops have to check 8 restraints each instead of 4 and yet again, easiest restraint except for large guests or difficult guests which happens every now and then, not every dispatch. This crew this year is sub par unfortunately and that is all. Especially this Howard kid that hopefully has improved since that day

[YoungStud]

I only see excuses and not solutions. The bottom line is during my two hr wait two trains dispatched before the train on the course was sitting on the brake run (that causes the slow moving line). Other guest was complaining in line. When I got on the ride I sat in the back I noticed 4 ride ops could have been more, if they were understaffed on bring a friend for $9.99 day that is the supervisor's fault. I noticed the associates moving very slow.

The followin week I go and the ride broke down for about 15min at 9:50pm. After the downtime the crew was hitting interval everytime since it was closing time and wanting to go home.

Like I said earlier there is no excuse in stacking everytime but twice in two hrs.

I would like solutions not excuses.

[thedevariouseffect]

^Actually agree with him...

Dunno where youngstud got the troll reputation, as his points are pretty down to the point, cut the crap attitude

[Creed Bratton]

Edit: Deleted By User.

[thedevariouseffect]

Making a complaint against a ****ty ride op or crew just either gets the one booted and causes more understaffing of a 40+ crew (obnoxious number already honeslty), or causes more issues. Also while I'm at the park I tend to be alot more relaxed and forgiving. Plus on my way out at 2230 or so I don't plan on spending more time to file a complaint when I want to make the drive back to base and get some sleep before the next duty day or whatever.

We can complain here and vent, it's also allowing us to all take notice and voice our opinions (kinda what a forum is). Plus park officials/employees also review this site, so even if it's here, it can possibly take notice. Take yourself, a previous employee for instance. I'm sure you've scrolled through during your tenure. Hell I was on pointbuzz a few times a day checking when I worked at CP.

Fact here is, the crew is overstaffed number wise which is ridiculous honestly (you don't need a crew of 40 for a ride that needs 9/10 people at minimum just to operate maybe 13/14 to be nice and rotate a few out for breaks/allow days off. Honestly 20-25 at most for that crew. Take Dragster at CP, it's like a crew of 30, and has more positions/jobs to rotate and whatnot, but not even close to 40+. Secondly the crew doesn't consistently hit interval, which was the subject of discussion for this thread. Third the crew has problem children, all of which is acceptable for this thread.

Our conversation started with, hey DB is stacking...we're evaluating and lending thoughts to this discussion and figuring out what's going on and our thoughts about it, so all is relevant...however. To set aside all bs and be completely honest, if you're upset and all angry over some complaining and whatnot, take a butthurtnol or growacet and get over it.

[thedevariouseffect]

Things not taken how they were meant...

The ride has a 40+ crew but can't get manning for platform, shame on them one

Two if the guy gets fired or whatever when obviously not scheduling a good amount if people from their 40+ crew puts the undermanned into more turmoil.

Three if he gets yelled at I doubt it'll improve considering his attitude. Also like I said, taking an extra half hour to hour at the end of the night at guest services to submit a complaint isn't worth my time. I usually come on a Friday after a full days work on base or by that time, I have another hour or so until I get back on base. Plus honestly their time is better suited for people who lost things, real complaints, need help, etc. Lastly I think if one person such as myself noted this another will and might go the extra time.

Three. I make the comparison because here's the way I look at it. When you compare other parks in the same aspect most of the time they aren't in the same state or hell the same chain. These two parks are same company and same state. There are crazy state laws going from one park to another or chain park operations rules that change operations and hinder one to the other. There's none of it. To look at the industry leader in ride operations, why can't Kings Island do the same. I criticize because I want to see this park grow to that. Would anyone argue if they saw riders blast out interval and spiel like Cedar Point. Occasional stack from stuff already discussed but consistently hitting a perfect interval with no problems. I would love to see this happen at Kings Island, its one of my last large complaints about the park, other than that I have no issues. This to me is major though. If you could prevent stacking and increase ridership and get close to that theoretical, more people ride, and more time spent doing things through the day which is just awesome. Like stated, they're in the same state, the same rules apply to both. They are the same chain so they both follow the same rules and safety requirements. There's no reason they both can't have similar ride op situations and do the same excellent job. That's why it frustrates me to see this out of a park that has the potential to do so, but doesn't. Its like that guy you work with that's awesome at his job, but sits back and does **** half assed. You want to see him move forward and do it well, but you just dont. Frustrating isn't it? When you post, "Kings Island will never run ride cycles like Cedar Point." That kills me, because it shows that exact mentality I want to see broken. But I see this mentality from everyone I've come across, even my girlfriend admits to this, and it sucks and pains me. Why not, why can't things change, why can't the park grow up and instead of doing a half assed job go for the excellence? Stuff like that needs to go. This also while writing this also makes me think, if this is peoples view just like your post, why bother complaining, because no one is listening. I see solutions, I see fixes, I see all of this, but no one will listen. They aren't going to bring some 20 year old ex ride op from a company turn military to revamp their ride operations department. If that was the case I'd be amazed.

[The Interpreter]

If things were as you portray them, why is Kings Island neck and neck with Cedar Point for attendance? Even more, why, in the Paramount Parks days, did Paramount's Kings Island routinely surpass Cedar Point in attendance?

The same company runs both parks now. Kings Island is operated the way Cedar Fair wants it run. Experience as a ride op at Cedar Point does not make one an expert at Kings Island operations.

And the industry leader in ride operations is the Disney organization.

[Big Woody]

Geeezzzz! So I read the autism thread, then I come over here to find everyone complaining about waiting as well. Maybe you all should just go see a movie or something. I heard World War Z is pretty good. Just sayin. :-\

[YoungStud]

I am sorry, but I do not understand. Let me make a comparison:

People go to Cedar Point or Kings Island to ride rides and watch shows.

People go to Mcdonald's or Wendy's to eat.

The goal of a amusement park is to have happy guests. When you have a people eating capacity ride such as a three train b&m ride, it is intended to be operated in a way to serve roughly 1500 guest per hour by having the crew hit intervals(the reason for the MCBR. I don't understand why its ok for KI to not even come close to hitting interval on certain rides. People chime in and say its about the customer experience. I don't know how the Diamondback crew of 2013 is providing a better customer experience than any high capacity attraction at Cedar Point. Nothing compares to the ride experience on TTD, MF, Magnum, Raptor, etc.

When I take my baby to Planet Snoopy we are provided courteous service. There is a girl that works the joe cool dodgem school who is considerate, and rushes to operate her ride in a timely manner. She gives each child a high five and quickly moves to each car unlike the Diamondback crew that wanders mindlessly around the station.

This goes back to my comparison.

Mcdonalds and wendys are quick serve restaurants. They both prepare food quickly.

KI is a amusement park, part of the customer service requirement is operating a ride how it was intended to be operated and that is to shuffle people on off the trains to hit interval to allow more people to enjoy the ride.

Its not right to have to wait just as long for a three train operation ride than it does if you were waiting for Invertigo or drop zone.

[Diamondbill]

It looks like the squeaky wheel got some oil. Diamondback's crew was busting their humps like they used to. Trains were leaving the station when the previous train was crossing the mcbr last night.

[Guest KingsIslandPR]

The primary issue with getting trains dispatched and not having them stack is due to the luggage guests now carry with them that are placed in the storage bins on the ride platforms. It adds to the wait time.

[Littleyork]

[quote name="KingsIslandPR" post="527600" timestamp

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[Diamondbill]

If it doesn't fit in my pockets I don't need it.

[The Interpreter]

And yet, the PARK itself encourages this, what with tweet-ups, selling bulky refillable bottles and the like.

A couple of seasons ago, Six Flags installed dollar short term lockers and began inspecting guests at ride entrances, refusing entry to those with loose items. Cedar Point installed lockers at the Soak City entrance (now gone -- the lockers, not the entrance).

SIX seems to have mostly backed off this policy. Mark Shapiro, then with Flags, had claimed it was all about capacity, not revenue.

This brings up an interesting question, one often posed by Flags detractors. Longer lines mean the value of Flash Pass or Fast Lane is perceived more favorably.

Terp, just sayin'.

[xXDrummerKiDXx]

Firehawk does so, adding lockers right by it to make the loading/unloading more efficient and neater.

While I agree with some of you who say that ride ops CAN be lazy, I do see a lot of them working at a very quick pace, while doing a very good job at it.

And sometimes you do have the bigger guest having to be squeezed in, and refuses to accept the fact that he's just to dang big for the ride. For Christ sakes they have a seat outside the queue to see if you can fit comfortably on it.

In conclusion, workers can be lazy, but don't blame them all.

[Browntggrr]

I am sorry, but I do not understand. Let me make a comparison:

People go to Cedar Point or Kings Island to ride rides and watch shows.

People go to Mcdonald's or Wendy's to eat.

The goal of a amusement park is to have happy guests.

I agree, you do not understand as the goal for parks is to have happy guests, not just happy enthusiasts.

When waiting an extended amount if time for a ride on a busy day (let's use bring a friend day as a prime example) the enthusiast knee-jerk reaction is to blame ride ops for not hustling as opposed to blaming the enthusiast's own decision for going to a park on an obvious busy day.

That said:

A true comparison between two parks' ride crew dispatch times can only be achieved with the same exact ride located between the two parks-which does not exist. Comparing DB and Raptor would be unfair due to Raptor's ride crew being able to access the restraints with extreme ease. Comparing DB & MF is also unfair due to guests on MF not being allowed to bring loose articles onto the ride platform.

[RWildman424]

I haven't posted in probably 2 or 3 years, but I can't let this one go. If they truly were stacking all 3 trains every single cycle. That is roughly 24 trains per hour. Assuming the station to brakes is 2.5 minutes. 60 minutes divided by 2.5 per train is 24 trains. 24 trains times 32 riders is 768 rph. That's just embarrassing. Back in 2009 and 2010, if we weren't hitting a minimum of 1,000 rph, we heard about it. 1,200 was my personal minimum before I started getting upset. If you are complaining about 1 train in the station and 1 in the waiting brakes, then that's almost an inevitability. Even during power hours where we would get close to 50 trains per hour, that second train would stack occasionally.

All this being said, I've only been to the park twice this year. I personally didn't notice it being ridiculously slow. I feel no need to place any blame on the ride ops. I know what it's like. Especially on weekends. I have seen a lack of hustle on some rides, but they aren't gonna be running power hours all day everyday. It can be exhausting and if not done properly can be extremely unsafe. There's my 2 cents. Now back to the land of lurking.

[KI-ORIG-EMP]

When I get in line for a ride, if it takes 30 minutes before I get onto the ride, so be it. Another time, the wait might be longer. It might be 1 hour or even on a crowded day, it might take 2 hours. I do not notice if they busting their chops as I feel if they are rushing all the time to make the line shorter, something might go wrong. I have always had a saying, "hurried work is worried work." So what if the wait might be shorten by 15 minutes or so? If the ride ops were to constantly bust their chops all day long, how soon before the young kids get burnt out and decide that being a ride op is not for them? Are other workers at the park judged by how fast they do their job? Does that sweep constantly rush to get that piece of trash swept up and rush to get that next piece of trash swept up? Does that person filling your food order work fast enough for you? Do you feel that if they work very fast to fill that next order, your wait might be cut by 3 minutes or so? When you leave the park and visit other businesses, do you judge those workers by how fast they do their job? What about that cashier or bagger at Kroger's? Maybe if we have them all wear roller skates they would go faster. All of this rushing that workers like ride ops and other must do reminds me of the story of the turtle and the hare. The hare races and rushes to get to the finish line while the turtle paces himself and when the hare burns himself out, the turtle over takes him and wins the race. Now don't get me wrong, the workers should not goof off during their job, but they should not have to constantly rush themselves in their attempt to increase production. A runner can run greater distances by pacing themselves rather than the sprinter who sprints as fast as he can but runs out of steam. Now does the average park goer that is in line for Diamondback look at the same things you look at? I remember waiting in a long line for The Beast and The Bat and I did not complain about how long it took. The park was very crowded and the large crowd and the popularity of the ride were why the line was long. That was the price I paid for wanting to ride The Beast and The Bat. It is the same with the average park goer that waits in line also.

[The Interpreter]

The average guest is a little apprehensive, and many would rather not admit that. The sight of a rushing ride op is not reassuring. I have often had chills thinking of what would happen if a serious accident occurred during a "power hour." Trial attorneys would have a field day. What if the Louisville Drop Ride incident had occurred during such a contest?

[YoungStud]

I am sorry, but I do not understand. Let me make a comparison:

People go to Cedar Point or Kings Island to ride rides and watch shows.

People go to Mcdonald's or Wendy's to eat.

The goal of a amusement park is to have happy guests.

I agree, you do not understand as the goal for parks is to have happy guests, not just happy enthusiasts.

When waiting an extended amount if time for a ride on a busy day (let's use bring a friend day as a prime example) the enthusiast knee-jerk reaction is to blame ride ops for not hustling as opposed to blaming the enthusiast's own decision for going to a park on an obvious busy day.

That said:

A true comparison between two parks' ride crew dispatch times can only be achieved with the same exact ride located between the two parks-which does not exist. Comparing DB and Raptor would be unfair due to Raptor's ride crew being able to access the restraints with extreme ease. Comparing DB & MF is also unfair due to guests on MF not being allowed to bring loose articles onto the ride platform.

Hey Bro,

You continually miss the point.

Diamondback stacked EVERYTIME except twice in two hours.

It does not matter if it was bring a can of food for free entry into park day and people was stretched out of the que all the way back to beast. Stacking everytime but twice is unacceptable. I am a patient guest, if trains are dispatched up the lift even with the train on course is hitting the splashdown I would be cool. But stacking is unacceptable.

[YoungStud]

The primary issue with getting trains dispatched and not having them stack is due to the luggage guests now carry with them that are placed in the storage bins on the ride platforms. It adds to the wait time.

Implement a no loose article policy???

[Jr for Birdy]

I seen zero stacking , even though people were filling the bins with everything but the kitchen sink tonight. Good work DB ride-ops!

[TheCrypt]

The primary issue with getting trains dispatched and not having them stack is due to the luggage guests now carry with them that are placed in the storage bins on the ride platforms. It adds to the wait time.

Implement a no loose article policy???

If such a policy was ever implemented, you would be the first to complain that the park is digging into your wallet to force you into buying a $2 locker for your belongings.

[YoungStud]

The primary issue with getting trains dispatched and not having them stack is due to the luggage guests now carry with them that are placed in the storage bins on the ride platforms. It adds to the wait time.

Implement a no loose article policy???

If such a policy was ever implemented, you would be the first to complain that the park is digging into your wallet to force you into buying a $2 locker for your belongings.

You were the first to complain about thinking someone would complain.

Youngstud does not wear those "man purses"...