2016 ERT has gotta make some changes

[diamonbackandbeastlover]

Sounds like an employee was not properly informed. Or a department if the supervisor saw and didn't say anything.

[disco2000]

"(Fast Lane and Fast Lane Plus do NOT include park admission and are not valid during Early Entry.)"

Hmmmmmm...

Not the case yesterday. It was definitely valid during ert in the Diamondback que.

Do you know that those with the wrist bands were indeed not gold or platinum pass holders - many pass holders do purchase Fast Lane.

[jcgoble3]

"(Fast Lane and Fast Lane Plus do NOT include park admission and are not valid during Early Entry.)"

Hmmmmmm...

Not the case yesterday. It was definitely valid during ert in the Diamondback que.

 

Do you know that those with the wrist bands were indeed not gold or platinum pass holders - many pass holders do purchase Fast Lane.

 

The point he's making is that Fast Lane is not supposed to be able to be used during ERT. Even if you do have a Gold or Platinum Pass.

[disco2000]

 

"(Fast Lane and Fast Lane Plus do NOT include park admission and are not valid during Early Entry.)"

Hmmmmmm...

Not the case yesterday. It was definitely valid during ert in the Diamondback que.

 

Do you know that those with the wrist bands were indeed not gold or platinum pass holders - many pass holders do purchase Fast Lane.

 

The point he's making is that Fast Lane is not supposed to be able to be used during ERT. Even if you do have a Gold or Platinum Pass.

 

Oh my bad - I thought they were complaining that people were in the regular line with Fast Lane during ERT.  If the ERT line was open, then yea that is a problem (but not really why would the park tell someone that just forked over money for Fast Lane that they cannot partake in ERT?)

[diamonbackandbeastlover]

Because ERT is not where the park makes money off of. It is an incentive to buying a more premium season pass. If it were an hour. I would see why they would but for half an hour, allowing people who purchase Fast Lane to get infornt to other people doesn't really make that ride time all that exclusive and not as much of a reason to upgrade your season pass when there are still people able to get on the ride 2 or 3 know times than you would being a normal gold pass holder.

[shark6495]

I guess I'm more confused because again it seems like people are upset that the perk wasn't as great as they thought it was going to be? Not how it was advertised by how they think it should be....

So did you get access to rides before the general public? If the answer is yes... Well then you got the perk. If it's not what you wanted, probably don't partake in the event or buy the pass again....

And also, I'm sure a few people buy the pass solely for the ERT, but I'm guessing the majority of people buy Gold to get free parking and admission to the haunts....

Not to mention Gold is the only option you have in the fall, so really if you bought early it's not like you had a choice to buy cheaper....

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[BB1]

This free burger didn't have enough ketchup.

The curve only bumped my grade by 2 points.

This ERT doesn't have enough of the things I want.

Hey I'm all for telling the park when and how to fix things that are broke but complaining because a perk isn't as great as you wish it was is beyond silly and reeks of #firstworldproblems

This cupcake has too much icing. My Coke refill wasn't to the top of the the cup.

And BJ you are right. You are coming off sort of spoiled because you had to wait in a longer than you expected line to ride a ride before the general public did.

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Alright maybe I should chime in here.(hypothetical situation) I go to a restaurant and order a large to go cup of sweet tea. I expect the tea to be how I ordered it, not in any other way. I expect this cup to be the full extent of what a standard large cup is, and that my tea is sweet. I go to Kings Island and I purchase a Gold Pass, with all of the perks that come with it. I expect all of the perks, not just a fraction of it. ERT, when handled like this, will create lines that are hassles to me personally. As ERT is intended to be a break from the general public lines, and an exclusive  event to let me get on quicker. Diamondback alone does not fulfill this requirement to keep ERT fun and worth my money.(end hypothetical situation) Having Diamondback+Beast or Banshee or any other people eater would be a much more expedient process. Meanwhile, if Kings Island opens both Diamondback and Beast, more than likely everyone will flood to Diamondback. Why do I know this? Because this happened years ago during Fall ERT, when I was the only one cycling on The Beast for hours. There are two shiny sides to this ERT coin, and both sides have their points. I simply like getting in the park before everyone else so that I can be first in line or have the closest chair to the Breakers Bay pool side.

 

One area that I think ERT could expand is into the 2016 HAUNT. Maybe open up an Haunt early for each weekend that Haunt is in operation, making it even more of a perk to have a Gold Pass at Kings Island.

[shark6495]

I'm just throwing out the other side to this because it can become a slam fest very quickly. Just offering a little perspective.

And yes it would be like ordering the Sweet Tea and it's either not all the way full (almost but not entirely) or maybe it's not as sweet. Or it's they use a different brand than you normally enjoy.

Being upset because the Fast Passers passed you using ERT is a legitimate concern. But because there was not enough rides open during ERT, in my opinion, is silly. Of the things worth being upset about or asking the park to hangs ERT is not one I would even consider a top 100 problem.

From an outsider (I have a Gold Pass and will probably never use ERT) this really is a silly argument. You have some people wishing for more and not being happy with what is being offered.

Never look a gift horse in the mouth. ERT was not paid for, there was no extra money being spent to obtain ERT, it's a simple extra being offered as a way to say thanks for buying early. The park doesn't have to offer up any big rides. Maybe when it becomes busier they will put up more than 1. But to come on here to start a topic that your day started off poorly because you didn't get enough power laps during a 30 minute ERT because there were other like minded individuals doing the same thing is silly.

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[bjcolglazier]

I started this thread primarily for those who work at the park and can implement change to hear from those of us who were there Sunday and were not thrilled with ERT in comparison to the past couple seasons.  Many have chimed in that the line for Diamondback was beyond excessive---considering it was ERT.  Some left the line, some didn't even bother to get in it.

 

Now, in fairness it could be that this is what the park wants.  We bought the gold pass, they let us in, and our "Best Day Ever" begins with a 30-50 minute wait for our special "perk".  Personally, I don't think that's what they really want at all!  It would not make sense to me that this is how they want to start the day for some of their best customers.  Nor does it lead to what they really want---happy people dropping more coin in the park.  I do not know how much feedback they received in the park about this.  I do know they read these threads.  How they wish to proceed from here is entirely up to them, and yes I will keep going regardless.  Simply put, a great perk the past couple years was not a great perk Sunday, which was my first day in the park experiencing the April/May ERT lineup.

 

Let's see how things proceed.  Maybe this thread is not needed anymore.  Perhaps Sunday was an anomaly.  Or, it could continue to be something folks wish to discuss.  Time will tell.  My best guess is the park will be keeping a close eye, and continue to evaluate the situation.

[The Interpreter]

That all being said, a comment to Guest Relations is far, far more likely to influence those who decide than a thread full of comments here.

[IBEW_Sparky]

The blunt fact is no.... they wont.  There are a number of other things related to the daily operations of the park.... the most important of which at this time being an entire food service department..... that are vastly more important (or maybe not) to the park and its management staff, than this.  Actually, both are related in the sense that the park already has your money, and will continue to do so in the future.  Any loss of pass purchases due to "Oh no, my free service that in no way has to be offered, isnt good enough" will be totally negligible in numbers.  The aforementioned free parking and Haunt admission FAR Trumps ERT in reasons for Gold/Platinum Passes sold.  A few years back, there was a member of these forums who threw quite a memorable tantrum when ERT was changed, to the point of "I will be going to Guest Relations every time I visit (which earned him the dubious nickname of GuestRelationsGuy) and will boycot ERT".  Would you like to take a guess on how quickly the lineup was changed that year?  Answer, it wasnt.  Also, both Saturday and Sunday had absolutely picture perfect weather, and the attendance reflected that on both days.  Once daily operations start, this ERT lineup will be just fine.  Now, would I.... as an individual who is leaps and bounds more fond of Banshee than I am of DIamonback... like to see Banshee as a full season ERT coaster?  Well, of course I would, but hey Im perfectly fine with jumping on DB and getting my day ride in before ALL of the patrons get into the park and fill the queue completely, and then heading towards the Gliders for a quick ride.  Whats freely given, is ALWAYS better than zero.

 

Edited to state that this as made in reply to the comment prior to Terps.

[Beast Gal]

Did someone on here come up with "Diamondstack"? I hear it quite a bit when in line.

[bjcolglazier]

That's a little depressing Sparky, but I hear what you're saying.  I shall most certainly avoid becoming the new "GuestRelationsGuy".  :-)

 

I still thought the topic was worth discussing here.  Some don't think so.  Either way, looking forward, I do hope ERT is as great as it's been the past couple years.

[NightlyBeast]

My argument is ert is offered at other Cedar Fair parks and is twice as better. Being a platinum pass owner it irks me that some perks get modified or neutered if you will when it comes to my home park.  Back when it was an hour I would get a decent amount of rides in during the first half hour. Yes it was due to population but isn't that the point? If they don't wanna bring back the full hour for everyone making the first half hour platinum pass exclusive would be even nicer. It actually brings a platinum pass perk to Kings Island which in the grand scheme of the gold pass they are sorely missing. 

[darkrider68]

^^I think this topic was/is definitely worth discussing.  It's good to get multiple points of view on the issue, plus there's nothing wrong with venting. 

 

I've never sent a comment to KI, but I am today over the handling of the Fast Lane que.  Perhaps it was just new employees learning the ropes, and it may not make a bit of difference, but at least I will get the satisfaction of taking action instead of just steaming about it.

 

As my first comment on this post explained, there was another FL incident I witnessed later in the day as well. 

[MantisMan]

I didn't think the Fast Lane bands could be purchased prior/during morning ERT.

 

But then again.....I've probably just never noticed.

[Honorarius]

My argument is ert is offered at other Cedar Fair parks and is twice as better. Being a platinum pass owner it irks me that some perks get modified or neutered if you will when it comes to my home park.  Back when it was an hour I would get a decent amount of rides in during the first half hour. Yes it was due to population but isn't that the point? If they don't wanna bring back the full hour for everyone making the first half hour platinum pass exclusive would be even nicer. It actually brings a platinum pass perk to Kings Island which in the grand scheme of the gold pass they are sorely missing. 

 

It might be twice as better at some parks... But if you think that KI is giving you a raw deal compared to all the rest of the parks ERT offerings you need to take another look...

 

Yes, it could be better... But it could be far, far worse...

 

[shark6495]

We really do live in a more more more society. There is a difference between saying "wouldn't it be nice if" and this started my day out on a bad note.

If ERT didn't start till late or if they weren't letting Gold Passers on are legitimate concerns. This isn't a bad topic but we (as a board) have a tendency to nitpick the park over very small details and put the park on blast when they mess up.

This doesn't seem like a mistake. This whole topic seems more like wanting and thinking we deserve more. Other parks may offer more in ETR and some may not.

As Sparky said, there is a laundry list of problems to be addressed above and beyond the problems of people not getting extra rides in before the general population is allowed in.

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[Pagoda Gift Shop]

7 years have gone by and Kings Island still hasn't figured out that Diamondback should be part of ERT every day.  ERT should also definitely be an hour long.  Half an hour is much too little considering that it takes a good 5 minutes just to walk to the entrance of Diamondback, Firehawk, Vortex, etc.  (And when coaster X opens next year nearby, it should STILL be part of ERT every day.)

 

Give the people what they want!  It will make them feel better about the much-too-long wait for Firehawk, Flight of Fear, and Invertigo later in the afternoon.  Diamondback is a fantastic ride, and for most coaster-riding guests, the most re-rideable coaster at the park.

[Joshua]

I'm just throwing out the other side to this because it can become a slam fest very quickly. Just offering a little perspective.

 

 

 

It wasn't a "slamfest."

 

Does anybody remember New Coke/Coke II? For those who don't, decades ago, Pepsi was favored in certain markets for having a sweeter taste. So Coke decided to change their flavor to something more sweeter, taking the original Coke off the market. People were furious. And they were loud and clear about it. Paying customers spoke up. Coke came back with the "Classic" formula and, after a while co-existing on the market, the sweeter flavor was dismissed altogether and disappeared in a swirling, dark abyss of mostly forgotten history.

 

This new ERT may not be New Coke, but customers should always have a voice under reasonable circumstances.  

 

There were legit complaints. Many people did NOT get to use ERT because the options weren't balanced as they were in the past. People seeking major thrill rides only had one option and for a lot of people, the ERT did not come in to play AT ALL. That's a legit complaint. If people came in at 9:30 but were stuck in line past 10:00, the general time for regular passholders, that is NOT "early." 

 

I don't know what your financial status is, nor will I guess. However, it doesn't matter if you $20 to your or $200 billion, you have to value your buck more. If you paid for a higher tier with perks, then perks, yes, should be a big deal. This isn't people asking for their idea of what KI offers. This is people either asking for what worked last year or simply more balance with the new set up. 

 

People were simply saying, "Hey, this didn't work out, here's how it can be fixed." That's constructive criticism. No one's talking petition nor marching to the gates of Kings Island singing songs of protest. 

[Beast Gal]

I don't know why people stand up for the park. The park won't stand up for you, you are just a paying customer.

[Joshua]

I don't know why people stand up for the park. The park won't stand up for you, you are just a paying customer.

 

 

Some people just like to play devil's advocate, I guess. It's also worth noting that the entire history of the human race implies that we've always been a "more, more, more" society. It wasn't invented by millennials nor Obama nor Kings Island passholders. 

[Engineering Coasters]

I don't know why people stand up for the park. The park won't stand up for you, you are just a paying customer.

Truth be told, the customer is not always correct. A lot of unknown factors go into the decisions that the park makes. That said, the park is definitely going to do its best to make your visit enjoyable. They profit off of people making multiple visits to the park or better yet buying gold/platinum passes multiple years in a row. The slogan, Best Day Ever, represents that intent of the park to satisfy every guest. Guest services wouldn't exist if Kings Island didn't care. In the case that this post was sarcasm, I think what I just typed is still worth reminding people.

[Creed Bratton]

Why do I stand up for the park? Because it's not a big deal that I didn't get 3204230 rides during ERT. It's not a big deal that there were so many people in line for the Woodstock Gliders and I didn't get to ride it right away. 

At least we have a "home park" that we can go to. Those who frequented Geauga Lake and called it their "home park" cannot say the same.

Those participating in ERT have a season pass whether it be Gold or Platinum. There are multiple chances for said ERT participants to experience ERT and the line up. 

Is only getting one ride on Diamondback during the 1/2 hour allotted for ERT really worth being so upset about? I mean at least you have the opportunity to go to a park where others don't have parks around them or can't afford to go to a park. 

If it's truly an issue for you, go to Guest Services, send an email to the park. It shows more passion and how you think something needs to be changed if you actually take the time to talk to the park directly than talking about it on a unaffiliated park forum. 


I'm not saying these thoughts throughout the thread are invalid (I agree with a lot of them). I'm saying look at how others may not be as fortunate as you to go to a park and to actually engage in conversation with the park if you're passionate about it. 

[Joshua]

No one is making a "big deal" except the people complaining about people making a "big deal." Just because people have a complaint about something and voice it casually on a forum doesn't mean they are making a "big deal" about something. I'm sure everyone in this forum has, to others' perspectives, seemingly made big deals over "nitpicks" about the park. Why is it a "big deal" here? 

[Creed Bratton]

I see you didn't read what I wrote.....

Why do I stand up for the park? Because it's not a big deal that I didn't get 3204230 rides during ERT. It's not a big deal that there were so many people in line for the Woodstock Gliders and I didn't get to ride it right away. 

At least we have a "home park" that we can go to. Those who frequented Geauga Lake and called it their "home park" cannot say the same.

Those participating in ERT have a season pass whether it be Gold or Platinum. There are multiple chances for said ERT participants to experience ERT and the line up. 

Is only getting one ride on Diamondback during the 1/2 hour allotted for ERT really worth being so upset about? I mean at least you have the opportunity to go to a park where others don't have parks around them or can't afford to go to a park. 

If it's truly an issue for you, go to Guest Services, send an email to the park. It shows more passion and how you think something needs to be changed if you actually take the time to talk to the park directly than talking about it on a unaffiliated park forum. 


I'm not saying these thoughts throughout the thread are invalid (I agree with a lot of them). I'm saying look at how others may not be as fortunate as you to go to a park and to actually engage in conversation with the park if you're passionate about it. 

I changed the font to where I said anything about a big deal. That being, to me it's not a big deal if I don't get to do x y or z. 

I asked valid questions, posed other viewpoints and ways to bring concerns up to the park. Not once did I criticize a single person. 

If you would have also read my last few lines, I said I agreed with a lot of thoughts in the thread. 

 

Just because someone offers thoughts doesn't mean they're criticizing you or any other posters. 
 

[Joshua]

In the first sentence, you imply that because you don't think it is a big deal, those "complaining" about it are making a big deal. The rest of your post implies that because *some* people don't have a home park, no one should complain about the park, and that if you have a problem, no matter how large or small, you should go to the park, not here. Plus, there's that silly exaggeration, which once again misses the point. It's not that people didn't get ride after ride, it's that they didn't even get their one ERT ride, on a morning that wasn't nearly busy as it could have been., simply because they system now weighs smaller rides over thrill rides, with only one major thrill ride on the list. Couple that with shark's more prevalent comments about "slamfests," "nitpicks" and our "more more more" society. 

 

I also never said I was offended. For the most part, I wasn't even talking about your post, but shark's. I really do believe in constructive criticism. However, I just don't understand why many of the comments here are being misconstrued by some as petty whining when they offer up a reasonable criticism and a possible solution and especially since no one has suggested that they are never going back to the park nor anything like that.

[Creed Bratton]

I was stating a personal fact, that those things aren't a big deal to me.

The point of my post all the way through is that if this is truly something that you think needs addressed then you should speak directly to the park. With the comments about others not having a home park just a simple reminder to be thankful. As some have pointed out here and around the boards some parks don't have ERT and some parks are no more.

This post and my previous were my constructive criticism.

I'm guessing those who consider the posts using constructive criticism as whiny and all that stuff are saying so because it seems like the complaints are just being left here and not being directed to the park.

If the posts said something like "I was unhappy with ert today because I didn't even get to participate due to not getting into the park until 10 even though I was in line at 9, so I went to guest services and here is what they said...." I would bet the conversation would be different.

For the final time, I will say I agree wit a majority of these posts and say they are legitimate. I would love for those who have the suggestions/comments to actually take them to the park that way it's a better experience overall for all of us.

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[darkrider68]

I emailed the park Tuesday morning with my "concerns."  Haven't heard anything. 

[Creed Bratton]

Let us know what they say.

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