Improving Que Lines

[Stoan]

Boo Blasters and The Beast could use just some sound effects to maintain a little theme. Just a big speaker either out in the woods a bit or under the loading area that makes it sound like growling or some trees crunching. Boo Blasters should do what Phantom Theater did, a few ghost sounds or orchestra music.

 

Aside from improvements to the line itself, I'd really like to see some kind of "check-in" system for rides. I always thought it would be nice to have real-time, actual wait clocks at the start of rides. A little thing at the start of the line, you tap your pass or something, then you tap again right before you get on the ride. It would give KI a little bit of analytic on ridership, you could award points to people for being frequent riders, you could track how long does it actually take people to get through the line, so you could give a literal "This ride is 24:37 long wait". Stuff like that.

[SonofBaconator]

^I don't mind long lines as long as I'm not bored or suffering from the weather- that's why I think the park needs more elaborate que lines. They should at least experiment a different que system with one of their current coasters just to see what happens. Like I said earlier, Firehawk would be a perfect candidate for a que overhaul. 

[chad_1138]

I would love to see them re-open the old part of the The Bat line (the aircraft carrier from Top Gun) and theme it like a cave.  You could walk into the cave in the bottom and then exit the cave as the cars climbs the hill.

[teenageninja]

9 minutes ago, chad_1138 said:

I would love to see them re-open the old part of the The Bat line (the aircraft carrier from Top Gun) and theme it like a cave.  You could walk into the cave in the bottom and then exit the cave as the cars climbs the hill.

If I recall correctly, which I probably do not, I think they actually demolished that section of the queue.  I remember riding it this year and being surprised that it was gone.

[Creed Bratton]

9 hours ago, MaestroJr said:

I've said it before and I'll say it again, rides like The Beast and especially Boo Blasters don't need fun TVs, period. Rides like The Bat need something and I mean something to keep you entertained and themed, it's a 1 minute ride which is fun but severly lacking on a single theme. Being Halloween colors don't cut it. I see it on its last leg anyway and I still do enjoy but I'm sure all that space will be up for grabs sooner than later. MaestroJr 

I think The Beast needs it....as the lines can get pretty long, moving back and forth in the switchbacks get kind of boring. The queue house closest to the FunPix booth doesn't have one....but the other areas have FunTV and those are where I get tired of waiting and look for some kind of entertainment...... Different strokes for different folks I guess.

I will agree.....Boo Blasters doesn't need it....however, I'll say, there needs to be just a little more light in there....it's almost too dark to walk through.

24 minutes ago, teenageninja said:

If I recall correctly, which I probably do not, I think they actually demolished that section of the queue.  I remember riding it this year and being surprised that it was gone.

It is gone for sure, has been for a couple of years...I want to say around 2014. 

 

 

[Voicetek]

Boy, does the Boo Blasters queue ever need help! What a horrible excuse for theming!  I didn't think it could get any worse, then they went and added "FunTV" in there, and pretty much did away with any immersion they were trying to create before the ride.  Nothing like walking into (what looks like) a haunted castle and seeing pop star Demi Lovato belting out "Let it Go".  Where am I, Disney World? I thought this was a haunted castle? The last time I rode it, there was some sort of tax commercial playing on the tv.  What in the world, KI?  Giving up on the theming completely would just be to turn on the lights and turn off the music.  However, it seems like they went out of their way to destroy the mood and theming of the queue by adding TVs and playing pop songs and commercials in the entrance of, what's supposed to be, a haunted castle.  It's really in a sad state right now.  In my opinion - and I know the general public probably doesn't care - but I would remove the TVs, add some lighting effects, some organ/spooky music, and maybe a ghostly voice welcoming you to the castle and warning you to be on the lookout for Boocifer.  In fact, there could be several versions of a "welcome" script that could play randomly on a loop so that you don't hear the same spiel over and over.  If they really wanted to go the extra mile, obviously they could add some kind of animatronic character (a ghost host?) up where Maestro used to sit.  Heck, if they didn't want to invest in an animatronic, then they could always install a projection effect onto a black screen.  The ghost could appear and disappear and, if being projected, could even appear in different places within the queue area.  Each time he 'appeared' he could warn you of Boocifer and explain to you that, if you see him, you can destroy him with your boo blasters.  I don't really care what it is, but they really need to add something to draw you in and make you a part of the story.

[SonofBaconator]

@Voicetek ^Go ice your fingers and cool off

Edited October 11, 2017 by SonofBaconator
Originally tagged the wrong member

[flightoffear1996]

Just take at look at Disney.  Almost every queue is inside, fully themed, and air conditioned.  There is nothing worse than standing in a slow move line in the hot sun when it comes to amusement parks.  Firehawk would be a great ride to benefit from an enclosed queue.

[jcgoble3]

[mention=6753]jcgoble3[/mention] ^Go ice your fingers and cool off

Huh? What are you talking about?

[SonofBaconator]

38 minutes ago, jcgoble3 said:

54 minutes ago, SonofBaconator said:

[mention=6753]jcgoble3[/mention] ^Go ice your fingers and cool off

Huh? What are you talking about?

@jcgoble3 I tagged the wrong person from my mobile device. Apologies!

[Voicetek]

^ @SonofBaconator I wouldn't necessarily call it a "rant" per se, but rather just me expressing my opinion of what's wrong with the queue in it's current state and offering some suggestions on how to fix it.

[Creed Bratton]

1 minute ago, Voicetek said:

^I wouldn't necessarily call it a "rant" per se, but rather just me expressing my opinion of what's wrong with the queue in it's current state and offering some suggestions on how to fix it.

One way to fix it, is to completely gut and update the ride as well as the experience including the queue. I personally believe, it's time to go...they could really use an updated dark ride there. 

[Voicetek]

^ @chugh43 I'd be ok with this too.  It would fix all the issues I have with the ride, including the queue.

[whengodsaysgo]

15 hours ago, chugh43 said:

There are times it stops....and when it does...it's just as uncomfortable to stare up into the sun as the lift hill. 

I wish the lift worked as it was originally supposed to...that'd make it more bearable. 

 

15 hours ago, SonofBaconator said:

I think we all did but it wasn't feasible to do so I vote tunnel!

What was the original plan for the lift hill?  TBH, I've always been super scared of Firehawk, but my cousin coerced me into riding it, and after the second time I actually love it!  It still scares me, but I love that.  I used to avoid that area at all costs, so let me in on the info!

 

By the way, has anyone else noticed the past couple weeks the DB crew has been loading suuuuuuper fast?  One night I was there and they were actually telling people that they had ten seconds to sit down and get buckled, and they checked the restraints super fast and were trying to get as many people as possible through.  I like that it was moving quickly, but I felt like I was being chased with a cattle prod.  I mentioned something at Guest Services as I left the park that night, but the lady I spoke with didn't take any notes, so I'm not sure if it was documented.  I never felt unsafe, but I kinda felt uncomfortable. 

[SonofBaconator]

1 hour ago, whengodsaysgo said:

 

What was the original plan for the lift hill?  TBH, I've always been super scared of Firehawk, but my cousin coerced me into riding it, and after the second time I actually love it!  It still scares me, but I love that.  I used to avoid that area at all costs, so let me in on the info!

 

By the way, has anyone else noticed the past couple weeks the DB crew has been loading suuuuuuper fast?  One night I was there and they were actually telling people that they had ten seconds to sit down and get buckled, and they checked the restraints super fast and were trying to get as many people as possible through.  I like that it was moving quickly, but I felt like I was being chased with a cattle prod.  I mentioned something at Guest Services as I left the park that night, but the lady I spoke with didn't take any notes, so I'm not sure if it was documented.  I never felt unsafe, but I kinda felt uncomfortable. 

 

Brought to you by @TOPGUN1993

[whengodsaysgo]

52 minutes ago, SonofBaconator said:

 

Brought to you by @TOPGUN1993

Thank you so much for sharing, @SonofBaconator and @TOPGUN1993!!!   I appreciate it!

[jcgoble3]

2 hours ago, whengodsaysgo said:

By the way, has anyone else noticed the past couple weeks the DB crew has been loading suuuuuuper fast?  One night I was there and they were actually telling people that they had ten seconds to sit down and get buckled, and they checked the restraints super fast and were trying to get as many people as possible through.  I like that it was moving quickly, but I felt like I was being chased with a cattle prod.  I mentioned something at Guest Services as I left the park that night, but the lady I spoke with didn't take any notes, so I'm not sure if it was documented.  I never felt unsafe, but I kinda felt uncomfortable. 

This is known as a "power hour", and power hours need to be thrown into a bottomless pit in Siberia. Rushing to get trains out as fast as possible leads to mistakes on safety checks. I've had rushing ride ops pull on my shirt instead of my seat belt multiple times, and I've seen them not properly check an OTSR (e.g. just touching it instead of pulling on it) a few times as well. Once I even got dispatched without my restraints being checked at all because the op got distracted by a question and, in the rush to return to checking, forgot where he left off (thankfully, I checked them myself and they were fine). All of this is mostly the product of power hours, which prioritize capacity over guest experience and safety. That's backwards: the order of priorities should be safety FIRST, then guest experience, and THEN capacity. I would prefer by far to wait 45 minutes for an enjoyable and safe experience than 30 minutes to be herded like cattle with questionable safety.

[whengodsaysgo]

1 minute ago, jcgoble3 said:

This is known as a "power hour", and power hours need to be thrown into a bottomless pit in Siberia. Rushing to get trains out as fast as possible leads to mistakes on safety checks. I've had rushing ride ops pull on my shirt instead of my seat belt multiple times, and I've seen them not properly check an OTSR (e.g. just touching it instead of pulling on it) a few times as well. Once I even got dispatched without my restraints being checked at all (thankfully, I checked them myself and they were fine). All of this is mostly the product of power hours, which prioritize capacity over guest experience and safety. That's backwards: the order of priorities should be safety FIRST, then guest experience, and THEN capacity. I would prefer by far to wait 45 minutes for an enjoyable and safe experience than 30 minutes to be herded like cattle with questionable safety.

I agree wholeheartedly! I feel like it's kind of rude, and it stresses out the ride ops.  I'm glad it's actually a thing and not just me being oversensitive or picky, because I'm rarely the later. lol!

[VortexBFForever]

At Vortex we don’t exactly do “power hours” (at least in the manner that Banshee and Diamondback do) but we do move quickly when there is a wait. And while we do make sure to move quickly and send a train as soon as we can, we ALWAYS make sure each restraint is properly checked, and we help the guests who are boarding by offering to place their loose articles in the bin for them! Yes, we do focus on capacity, but guests’ safety is still #1. And we have fun doing it at a quick pace!

If this fits the definition of “power hour,” then this is Vortex’s version. Still fast, but we make sure things are still done right for the safety and comfort of all guests whom we welcome aboard. 

That being said, @jcgoble3, don’t worry about your restraint being missed whenever you ride Vortex (which I know for you it’s not as often, but it still applies ), as we always make sure each and every restraint is checked properly!

[Kenban]

5 hours ago, flightoffear1996 said:

Just take at look at Disney.  Almost every queue is inside, fully themed, and air conditioned.  There is nothing worse than standing in a slow move line in the hot sun when it comes to amusement parks.  Firehawk would be a great ride to benefit from an enclosed queue.

I am sure there is an exception but the attractions at Disney World with indoor, air conditioned queues are indoor rides.  The outdoor attractions like Kilimanjaro Safari, Big Thunder Mountain, and Expedition Everest, all have outdoor lines but while they do not feature air conditioning it is common for them to be covered.  

I would be happy with solid coverings to block the sun and rain while waiting, for instance the covering over the line for Drop Tower.  I think indoor air conditioned lines for outdoor rides is just not realistic.

[MDMC01]

Thanks for sharing the Firehawk news montage SonofBaconator! Fun Fact: I believe that video seen is actually animation for Stealth, a very similar coaster that is now Nighthawk at Carowinds. I actually went to the announcement back in the day and I remember questioning if it was going to have barrel rolls or corkscrews (as the video showed corkscrews while I heard it would have barrel rolls).

[Hmrapp]

"Power hour" also commonly known as "efficiency hour" seems to be a subject of debate in the community of enthusiasts. I have been subjected to this technique a few times and contrary to many opinions, I actually enjoyed the process. Yes, ride ops can skimp on routine restraint checks and rush riders, however, waiting 20 minutes opposed to 45 in the brutal southern Ohio heat is much preferred, in my opinion. I personally enjoy when the Diamondback crew does this as the trains rarely ever stack.[mention=8280]VortexBFForever[/mention], from past experience, Vortex' crew performs with GREAT efficiency and never skimps on restraints. Keep up the amazing work on my favorite Arrow looper !

 

 

[silver2005]

I will say that from what I've seen this season, crews are handling power hours much better than previous seasons in the realm of being more thorough about restraint checks and customer comfort.  Diamondback's crew in particular has been stellar this whole season regarding all the aspects that make a good ride crew.  

Though, Kennywood's crews did make me appreciate how much better KI's are, even on KI's bad days.  

[flightoffear1996]

4 hours ago, whengodsaysgo said:

I agree wholeheartedly! I feel like it's kind of rude, and it stresses out the ride ops.  I'm glad it's actually a thing and not just me being oversensitive or picky, because I'm rarely the later. lol!

Go to Disney some of the rides they don’t even check your restraint. They load super fast too. 

[Shawn Meyer]

I'm glad somebody bumped this topic. I always thought a few queues were outdated, but the one I would update the most is the one for Racer.  I never see them use both sides when you enter the queue house; just the left side. I think they should be creative with the queue for Racer and make it curve around like they did for Mystic Timbers.

[jcgoble3]

2 hours ago, Shawn Meyer said:

I'm glad somebody bumped this topic. I always thought a few queues were outdated, but the one I would update the most is the one for Racer.  I never see them use both sides when you enter the queue house; just the left side. I think they should be creative with the queue for Racer and make it curve around like they did for Mystic Timbers.

Racer used to use both sides back when the station had a wall down the middle. You used the left side of the queue for the blue train or the right side of the queue for the red train. They removed the wall about the same time that Racer joined the Fast Lane program, so that they could use the left side of the queue for the regular line and have the Fast Lane queue on the side of the queue house enter the station through the ramp in the right queue, which is otherwise no longer used.

[SonofBaconator]

I agree with @jcgoble3 on "Power Hours"- this isn't Home Depot. I rode the train this past summer towards the end of the night and what I experienced was pretty ridiculous. Kids were running up and down the platform slamming gates and yelling "come on we have to get this train going, its power hour!" 

As soon as the engineer got the high ball, we left the station pretty quickly. However, the train really started to haul @$$ when it passed between the old Haunt platform and Mystic Timbers' tunnel. I know a grade starts at that moment and the train needs to pick up a little speed, but it was seriously flying around the turns.  We were going so fast that the cars were rocking back and fourth and squeaking like crazy. I asked the conductor, while holding on to a pole, if the trains usually went that fast at night. She replied, "It's power hour for us. We have to get in as many rides as possible" Now I remember when the train used to run until 10pm and it never went that fast. I'm not over exaggerating any of this.

[Oldschool75]

I think the best place to add a queue is the ice cream stand in Planet Snoopy. A real pain trying to get through on busier days when there are 8+ lines blocking he walk way.


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[King Ding Dong]

^ Ice Scream in Action Jackson Zone would be a good runner up.  

[KIBeast]

I guess I am just different, but when I grew up and waited 3 hours for The Beast, I didn't need some kind of entertainment while waiting in line. We had no TV's in line. We (gasp) talked to each other. Personally, I don't believe there will be expenditures on the lines as they are unless it's more shade on some of the lines that lack any. Beyond that, I just don't see it happening. 

On another note, I truly hope an antique car ride is coming to KI. If not, I think their next major project should be to re-do Boo Blasters on Boo Hill