Ride spieling thoughts?

[BoddaH1994]

This exchange happed in the Dollywood 2016 thread, I thought it was worth further discussion in its own thread:

 

bengals fan:

The guy on the mic said  it does not matter how hard you push down on the lap bar your seat will come off the seat 14 times. I love air time! My favorite part is from when you roll out of the station until you hit the brake run.

 

 

Interpreter:

Sigh.

Another spiel that could give a park serious legal problems if a most unfortunate event occurs.

"Isn't it true your own employee said it doesn't matter how hard you push down on your lapbar?"

"Didn't he also say you'd leave your seat?"

"So the park knew this but operated the ride anyway?"

I HATE spieling.

 

My question is: what are you thoughts on spiels you've heard around various parks?  Do you think they are necessary or should they be in the can?  

 

I've been to 3 parks in 2016, and here have been my experiences:

 

Disney - Almost all canned spiels.  All professionally done.  It's Disney.  

 

Kentucky Kingdom - Simple spiels.  "Oncoming riders make sure you buckle your seat belts before lowering lap bar..." etc.  If there's one thing I want to tilt my hat to Kentucky Kingdom for it's that they got this right (amongst other incremental improvements).

 

Kings Island - Where do I start?

 

These are just things I've heard in 2016.  JUST IN 2016!

 

The Beast - "You're about to drop faster than my GPA."  Really?

 

Banshee - Probably the best I've heard, but still so loud that I've seen people cover their ears in the station.  Is this necessary?

 

Flight of Fear - The driver BEAT BOXING into the mic.  I'm not kidding.  I've seen it TWICE.  The operator of a $20 million piece of machinery that has your safety in their hands beat boxing into the mic.  Not only unprofessional, but distracting.  

 

Diamondback - "Oncoming riders, please enter your seats, we will be sending the train in 10... 9.... 8..."  It's great that they've been doing so well this year, but it's almost like it's with the sacrifice of safety.  Some people may believe that the train might start moving in 10 seconds and not be properly secured.  Is it worth it?  

 

The Train - My God....

 

"Diamondback is not a real snake, the only scary thing about its price an astonishing $22 million, which is why drinks are an astonishing $4 here at Kings Island."  This kid STILL HAS A JOB at the park.

 

"Inside the fort there is an old house.  When Kings Island opened in 1972, they agreed to never tear down the house, so they're just letting it fall down themselves.  I was in there the other day and the roof nearly collapsed in on me."  Oh yeah, so they let you into a house that is falling down?  How are the other structures around the park that they're letting me into?

 

Oh, and it's always ear piercingly LOUD.  To the point where I have to conjure up the mood to get on the train.  Why is all of this necessary?  Does the company think this stuff is funny?  It's not.  

 

Basically I feel like it's ineffective, annoying, and really just unprofessional and unpleasant.  It's an outlet for people who think they are funny and/or creative when they're not.  It jeopardizes the integrity of the entire product. 

 

If anyone can tell me something that this does that a canned spiel can't, or simply having canned spiels supplemented by the driver's mic very occasionally then PLEASE respond to this thread.

[Diamondback96]

I think it's meant to add personality.

 

But really, no one should be allowed to talk over the intercom under normal operation.

[The Interpreter]

I've always found it amusing that spieling's most ardent defenders are ride ops who have done it. Because they enjoy it.

A ride op has an awesome responsibility. Safety.

Their attention should not be diverted, in part or in all, from this duty.

They are there to safely operate a ride, not to be some would be Romeo or Juliet entrancing the crowd with their orations.

Even worse are power hours, where speed is the overarching goal to the near utter exclusion of safety and guest courtesy.

Spieling. Power hours--keep the ride ops entertained. Who is paying to be a guest? The customer and his or her needs and wants should take priority over entertaining the help.

[Magenta Lizard]

It's funny to me that one of the surviving recorded spiels at KI, after the ride on BLSC, is turned down so low, I can only half-hear it if I happen to be sitting in the seat that stops closest to the speaker. Meanwhile every other source of sound* is turned so loud it is hard to carry on conversations with someone as you walk through the park...

*oh, except the recording played on the second lift of AE, which may be even quieter.

I know some kids who are really good on the mike. Some, I think, really look forward to the chance of having their voices amplified, until it comes down to it and they realize that neither repeating the same things every minute or so nor trying to come up with new things on the fly are as easy as they thought they would be. I think it puts too much pressure on them, physically and mentally.

A friend and I got a solo last ride of the night on the train earlier this season, and sat up front next to the spieler. Rather than get on the mic, he just chatted with us. His voice was fairly shot from doing the spieling all day, and he was relieved not needing to do it once more.

I like the idea of spieling on the train (much less so on other rides) but in practice, I think it would be better for the park to put a little more input into it, rather than the kids being responsible for coming up with their own material. For one, they borrow heavily from each other, so something that may have been clever once becomes tired very quickly, and also, as Terp mentioned, sometimes they don't realize how badly their jokes reflect on the park.

[The Interpreter]

And the poor games people.

Given a mike and coerced into whining, pleading and begging to get people to pay to play!

Add that most have no voice training, put the mike way too close to their mouths, and then speak too loudly.

I find the games spieling far more annoying than the rides spieling. It's demeaning to everyone involved. I won't even add a question about the morality of games pricing and the value of the prizes offered...

[MDMC01]

I don't mind the spieling at KI; I've heard some good ones. However, Hershey's autospiels were pretty good; Thighcrush (aka SkyRush , Great Bear and Storm Runner's autospiels come to mind. 

[IBEW_Sparky]

Automate it all, 100% of it, to the point where ops dont even wear those silly little mics.  There is nothing that needs to be said, besides "all clear", that cannot be said over a pre-recorded message played over the stations audio system.  The park patrons will be just as likely to (not) listen to those, but at least those of us who do listen can hear pertinent information.  Furthermore, Ive seen plenty of times when a train could have been dispatched LONG before it was, due to the op in the drive box waiting to get a rider response "enthusiastic" enough for them.  Stacking due to that reason, should be grounds for instant termination.  And I dont want to hear any apologist "They are just filling time until the train clears the block".  Bull, I repeat, BULL.  Ive seen plenty of instances of Diamondback (2014 and 15, they have dove VERY well this year) and Gatekeeper (2015 and 2016) stacking all 3 trains in the station/final brakes because of a ride op waiting for a loud enough response to "IF you're ready to ride, let me hear ya say  OH YAAHHH!"  No, just.... no.

[shark6495]

If i can never hear another spieler again it would be perfectly fine.

I have hated every single one except for one at that was years ago on TTD. He wasn't driving he was checking restraints and in between trains he would calmly and quickly tell you what you need to do and what to expect (I don't remember exactly what it was but it was something like please sit and secure your safety bar, when the coaster Is ready keep your head back and hands down we won't run if they are not). Also if there was some down time he didn't try joking he would ask honest questions/convo, if a train wasn't ready to launch because some yahoo had their hands up he might ask who is on their first ride ever or farthest driven. It was actually calming.

The speilers down here though.... Terrible

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[Honorarius]

Wouldn't an automatic spiel be a lot better for the employees too??? Allows them to focus on the important stuff, like making sure everyone is safely secured inside the ride...

 

I hate the 'make some noise if you're ready for the blah blah blah'...

 

Even WORSE is the 'Welcome back riders, how was your ride?' and the restraints not being released until they get a good response... The ride is over, let us off...

 

I can also do without the 'if you want to go higher/faster let me here you scream' screeched too loudly 16 times during one flat ride cycle like I had last weekend...

[silver2005]

I think spiels should be kept short, mostly keeping to things like buckling the seat belt before pulling down the restraint, explaining more elaborate restraints (like on Firehawk), throw in a welcome and telling exiting riders to have a good day, maybe even throw in a few (correct) ride stats if loading/unloading takes a while.  Keep it simple, but I don't mind some professionally ad lib bits.  

[The Interpreter]

Look at all the stuff you've added to a "simple" spiel.

Simply, no. No spiel. Period.

See? That's much better.

[Thrill_Biscuit]

Just never, ever give up the Eiffel Tower spiel. Millions of people know that the tower is a 1/3 replica of the Paris Eiffel Tower, and I've never, EVER witnessed anyone spitting or dropping anything from the platform.

[TombRaiderFTW]

The ride op at White Water Canyon's pay geysers could tone it down, too. They're currently addressing and taunting every boat that passes, to the point that it's nearly a continuous stream of loud talking. It's not necessary, and, like others have said, it distracts from the ride op's actual job, which is to keep riders safe.

It's also not just a Kings Island thing. They do it at SFStL, too. It's unnecessary there, too.

[thegajone]

I've heard the "personality" argument many times before, but a well-produced auto-spiel can add just as much personality -- and even theming to an extent -- to a given ride. And I wouldn't think it would be all that expensive to implement.

The game spielers don't bother me as much as they bother Terp, but I can certainly understand how they can be annoying. I don't mind them in Coney Mall because it reminds me of a carnival barker and somewhat fits the theming, but outside of that midway I could certainly do without the rest.

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[upstop]

I'd rather have theme music, auto-spiels , and no barking. All the extraneous noise just gives me a headache.

[The Interpreter]

Just remember, these young men and women are doing exactly what senior management either wants or at least tolerates.

It's NOT their fault. They do as they are told or they won't be there long.

Management gets what management wants or they are pee-poor management.

KI didn't sound like CP South until CF bought it.

From the spieling to International Street's music, KI sounds the way the higher-ups WANT it to sound.

Ponder that.

Terp -- who wishes he could hear trams in the parking lot again.

[BeeastFarmer]

I find pre-recorded spiels boring, with no personality.  I think the ops on The Beast do their spiels the best.

[stashua123]

Holiday Worlds rhyming auto spiels are pretty good actually, and have a bit of personality.

 

I have some issues with spielling when it interferes with ride operations, but when it does not I am usually okay with it as LONG as its creative and not some "I say Diamond you say back!" "How excited are you to ride blank, scream as loud as you can and then we will dispatch you!" type shinding.

[BoddaH1994]

If spieling adds personality to a ride then I don't like the personality.

Plus, (this one's for you, Terp) wouldn't it be better from a legal standpoint to have canned spiels to ensure a consisency of message?

"The person on the mic said I DID NOT need to wear the seat belt."

Vs

"The recording clearly states that you must put on the seat belt before lowering the lap bar."

[The Interpreter]

Some questions answer themselves...

[BeeastFarmer]

 Tamaytoe-tahmahtoe...if  everyone had  the same thoughts and opinions,  the world would be  a very boring  place.

[shark6495]

You want personality have each ride crew have specific uniforms, add theme to a ride, area specific music etc. I don't want nor need personality when it comes to trusting my life to a mechanical system and the person who is in charge of making sure everything is okay is busy creating good rhymes

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[BeeastFarmer]

From what I have seen, and I admit that I am not even remotely an expert, the person in the control booth is responsible for dispatching the trains.  This is after the ride operators have checked the restraints and riders.  The ops check, scan and then clear.  The one of the operators gives the spiel as the train is being dispatched.  If you do the same job over and over, even being rotated positions, the spiel doesn't take away from your thought train.  I can administer medications after performing all my checks while talking to the patient about her sunflowers.

[shark6495]

Respectfully your training to get to this point was a bit different than a ride op. I can do many thing conversationally while taking Blood pressure and assessing for fall risks. I'm also not trying to be funny or impress anyone or make things up either and I'll assume you don't either.

But your point is very well taken and a good thought I never thought of (doesn't mean I have to agree )

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[BeeastFarmer]

Thanks, shark6495!

[KI FANATIC 37]

I find the rush to get people on the train more annoying than the spiels. 

 

Most times that I go to an amusement park I wear my glucose sensor in my thigh so I don't have to check my blood sugar. Many times I've been trying to adjust my position in my seat and the ride ops have came by and just pushed it on my sensor. This angers me more than some stupid spiels. At least I can try and tune out the voices on the mic and just talk to my friends. 

 

But to answer your question, are they annoying? Yes. But they don't really bother me or anger me. 

[BeeastFarmer]

KI FANATIC 37, check your inbox.  I'd like to have a private conversation about diabetes management and park visits.

[Thrill_Biscuit]

The spiel at The Bat is so loud, distorted and incomprehensible, that it's easy to be hilariously misheard.

 

"Aaaalright, riders! You're often worried 'bout a fifty wonder-mall Eisenhower, Fat! See your knuckle-muffin happy swagger on the Baaaatttt!" 

 

Huh?

[electricsun]

I would be a-okay with auto spiels or no spiels. Most of the time, the ride ops aren't wearing the microphone properly or are missing the wind screen which means distorted sound and they then talk louder. Some are trying to be funny...or amuse themselves/coworkers after a long day, much to the discomfort of the listening guests.

The yelling if you are ready/enjoyed the ride gets old real fast if you have screaming pre-teens/teens behind you.

(Electricsun who may have just hit the wall and is currently a bit hot and cranky while standing in line at WOF.)

[InvertiJack]

Am I the only one who actually likes it when the ops have a sense of humor?

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