Should KI allow body-mounted POVs

[Captain Nemo]

I recently visited Busch Gardens Tampa with my 360 camera on a wrist strap and rode each coaster with it, capturing some of the best footage that no park ORP could even imagine capturing. The park allows this with some rules that you must follow such as the type of harness/straps/mounts you must use. But it was very easy, I felt safe riding with the camera. Makes me wish that other parks including CF would do this and hope one day Cedar Fair adopts this policy. 

As far as I know the Disney and Busch/SeaWorld parks allow POV'ing. Disney being the most lenient in policy.

I didn't see an issue with the policy at Busch, Not many people took advantage of it and I was one of 2 people in the park doing this. 

[gforce1994]

On 3/18/2023 at 5:47 PM, Captain Nemo said:

I recently visited Busch Gardens Tampa with my 360 camera on a wrist strap and rode each coaster with it, capturing some of the best footage no park ORP could even imagine capturing. The park allows this with some rules that you must follow such as the type of harness/straps/mounts you must use. But it was very easy, I felt safe riding with the camera. Makes me wish that other parks including CF would do this and hope one day Cedar Fair adopts this policy. 

As far as I know the Disney and Busch/SeaWorld parks allow POV'ing. Disney being the most lenient in policy.

I didn't see an issue with the policy at Busch, Not many people took advantage of it and I was one of 2 people in the park doing this. 

No, it’s unsafe. Riders or people off the ride will get hurt. Just leave it to the park.

Loose articles are a very serious issue. There was a case a few years ago where a lost article hitting a guest caused them to completely lose their eye.

[Cedar Fair Fanboy]

I did hear that Cedar Fair do allow it, if you ask for there permission that is. You can only use camera with Heavy duty straps on the chest or arm. Nothing on the due to clearance level and the height limit.

[Captain Nemo]

14 minutes ago, Cedar Fair Fanboy said:

I did hear that Cedar Fair do allow it, if you ask for there permission that is. You can only use camera with Heavy duty straps on the chest or arm. Nothing on the due to clearance level and the height limit.

Hmm, never knew about this? Is this stated on any Cedar Fair site?

[Cedar Fair Fanboy]

Just now, Captain Nemo said:

Hmm, never knew about this? Is this stated on any Cedar Fair site?

No. sadly I checked.

[Captain Nemo]

I think CF only allows mounted POVs.

Checking Kings Island POVs on YouTube, I see that professional influencers (Those that get all POVs with park approval) created POVs by mounting the camera to the train itself. There are no body cam created footage that I can find. I did notice some POVs on Youtube (will not link due to TOS) were done with glasses/sunglasses.

This does beg the question, Technically Glasses are allowed on rides but the rules state: 

For safety reasons, on-ride photography of any kind is prohibited on all rides except the Eiffel Tower and the Kings Island and Miami Valley Railroad. Due to the potential for water damage, White Water Canyon, Congo Falls and Race for Your Life Charlie Brown riders should leave their cameras and other valuable items with a non-rider or in a locker. Use of camera phones or any type of photography or video recording devices is prohibited in any rest room or Soak City changing area.

Guests taking pictures or video while riding will be asked to leave the park with no refund given and may be cited with a misdemeanor under ORC 993.08.

So this would make any footage captured on said glasses against park policy (even if glasses are allowed on the ride). So you could be ejected for recording footage even though the glasses are allowed in the park and the ride? Is it the footage that's the issue?

[SonofBaconator]

2 hours ago, Captain Nemo said:

For safety reasons, on-ride photography of any kind is prohibited on all rides except the Eiffel Tower and the Kings Island and Miami Valley Railroad.

I think Woodstock Whirlybirds, the Character Carousel and the Grand Carousel should be added. I don’t see the harm considering they don’t move super fast and people like to film their kids. 

[IndyGuy4KI]

5 hours ago, Cedar Fair Fanboy said:

I did hear that Cedar Fair do allow it, if you ask for there permission that is. You can only use camera with Heavy duty straps on the chest or arm. Nothing on the due to clearance level and the height limit.

In all the conversations I have had with the park, that is not the case. The only approved POV's that I am aware of are what @Captain Nemomentioned. The parks own POV's and the PR department might approve one occasionally. Usually that is limited to one or two.

Please do not try this at all. 

[zac2211]

This thread gives me a question then - I bought a pair of camera glasses over the offseason under the impression that they were allowed at KI as long as they were secured with a glasses strap. However, some posts in this thread make me think that might not be the case. Can someone help me out here?

[BeeastFarmer]

On ride filming, without park approval, is not allowed currently, no matter the equipment.

Edited March 19, 2023 by BeeastFarmer
Typo

[tuxedoman52]

Allowing guests to record while on rides is a slippery slope. There are plenty of videos on YouTube of practically every ride nowadays. No reason to record one yourself. The risk of the equipment not being properly secured is too great to risk from the park's prospective. On top of that, you have guests and "influencers" on social media that spend more time recording their video on the ride rather than sitting in the proper riding position.

[Captain Nemo]

5 hours ago, tuxedoman52 said:

Allowing guests to record while on rides is a slippery slope. There are plenty of videos on YouTube of practically every ride nowadays. No reason to record one yourself. The risk of the equipment not being properly secured is too great to risk from the park's prospective. On top of that, you have guests and "influencers" on social media that spend more time recording their video on the ride rather than sitting in the proper riding position.

This is understandable, Any recording devices that are loose can become a dangerous projectile.

What is needed is clarification. Cameras are everywhere and can just about be built into anything. Most action cameras today are built to be hands free and fully mounted. As I mentioned there's no rules against wearing glasses on attractions at CF parks. So the clarification needed is would the capturing of any footage (even if done with what is currently allowed item on rides) be against park rules.

[Snowball]

9 hours ago, tuxedoman52 said:

On top of that, you have guests and "influencers" on social media that spend more time recording their video on the ride rather than sitting in the proper riding position.

I remember an incident last summer when a very popular live streamer / youtuber got kicked out of the park for recording on rides. I think it's on youtube somewhere.

[Hawaiian Coasters 325]

24 minutes ago, Snowball said:

I remember an incident last summer when a very popular live streamer / youtuber got kicked out of the park for recording on rides. I think it's on youtube somewhere.

Oh yes. IShowSpeed. He was doing a livestream and filmed on Racer and he got caught on livestream. Also, he was basically causing a ruckus as there were at least 20 of his fans basically swarming him around the park. 

[BeeastFarmer]

34 minutes ago, Hawaiian Coasters 325 said:

Oh yes. IShowSpeed. He was doing a livestream and filmed on Racer and he got caught on livestream. Also, he was basically causing a ruckus as there were at least 20 of his fans basically swarming him around the park. 

And that, ladies and gentlemen, is a good reason to not allow it.  I forgot about that kid...

[SonofBaconator]

Wasn’t there a guy who was teaching people a trick on how to manipulate the restraints on a Hershey Park coaster to let them basically stand then got upset when he got kicked out of Carowinds for doing something similar?

 

(Don’t manipulate restraints)

[Snowball]

3 hours ago, Hawaiian Coasters 325 said:

Oh yes. IShowSpeed. He was doing a livestream and filmed on Racer and he got caught on livestream. Also, he was basically causing a ruckus as there were at least 20 of his fans basically swarming him around the park. 

Yep he's the one! Didn't want to name him in case it was against the rules or something haha.  I remember seeing the constant swarm of fans throughout the video wondering how he doesn't go insane with that happening 24/7. To his credit, from what I saw, he seemed fairly chill even though his fans were quite chaotic.

[DoomPlague]

1 hour ago, Snowball said:

Yep he's the one! Didn't want to name him in case it was against the rules or something haha.  I remember seeing the constant swarm of fans throughout the video wondering how he doesn't go insane with that happening 24/7. To his credit, from what I saw, he seemed fairly chill even though his fans were quite chaotic.

IIRC, he knew he was breaking the rules but thought he would "get a warning." (if you expect a warning...you don't actually need a warning).
 

[Snowball]

28 minutes ago, DoomPlague said:

IIRC, he knew he was breaking the rules but thought he would "get a warning." (if you expect a warning...you don't actually need a warning).
 

Agreed. If you know you're doing something wrong, you shouldn't expect a warning. You already know it's wrong.

[beastfan11]

I guess it comes down to why POV’s aren’t allowed. Is it because they just don’t want guests to film on rides? Or is it because of safety? 
 

Since it seems like a safety issue, I don’t see why a GoPro/360 camera would be an issue (as long as it’s secured safety). A lot of other parks are okay with it. It just needs to be clearly defined. 

[disco2000]

It is clearly defined.  It says on-ride photography of any kind is prohibited on all rides except Eiffel Tower and the train.  Once they try to qualify it and give exceptions such as strap on cameras or what not, then problems happen.  A lot easier to enforce if it is all prohibited.

Their park, their rules.  Just because another park allows it doesn't mean they have to.

You have a choice as a paying customer to agree to the rules or risk getting kicked out.  If you don't like the rules, then don't visit.  Visit the parks that let you video if that is your thing.  Nobody is forcing you to visit KI.

 

[beastfan11]

1 hour ago, disco2000 said:

It is clearly defined.  It says on-ride photography of any kind is prohibited on all rides except Eiffel Tower and the train.  Once they try to qualify it and give exceptions such as strap on cameras or what not, then problems happen.  A lot easier to enforce if it is all prohibited.

Their park, their rules.  Just because another park allows it doesn't mean they have to.

You have a choice as a paying customer to agree to the rules or risk getting kicked out.  If you don't like the rules, then don't visit.  Visit the parks that let you video if that is your thing.  Nobody is forcing you to visit KI.

 

Okay. Chill. 

Hypothetically speaking, if they were to allow POV’s then it would have to be clearly defined as other parks do.  Also, I don’t think “problems would happen” given the fact it’s allowed in many circumstances outside of Cedar Fair. 
 

I personally don’t care either way, but obviously guests do or this thread wouldn’t have been created. 
 

 

[disco2000]

It has nothing to do about being outraged and needing to chill LOL - I am simply stating a simple fact.

The fact is the park has a rule in place and creating a thread asking about it isn't going to change that policy regardless of whether guests want to do it or not.

It is fine to create a thread complaining about the policy, but unless the complaints are also being directed towards guest services, the policy won't change.

There are lots of things guests want to do in parks.  Certain activities in a Haunt attraction and Ferris Wheel come to mind as something guests want to do in a theme park and got them arrested LOL...

Plus, the argument could easily be made the other way that maybe these other parks should ban on-ride video as well....all it takes is one accident and we may see that happen.

Since an argument can be made for either side, there is no right or wrong.  It is a park decision unless state or local law supersedes.

Look how many rides you cannot ride or even get in the queue with phones or keys in your pockets, even if they are zippered pockets.  KI allows you to ride with stuff in pockets whether they are zippered or not so why not Universal...sadly as more incidents happen, we will probably see it come to KI at some point as well.

Again, just because one allows it doesn't mean or require other parks to follow suit.  Their park so their rules. 

As an example, some states allow smoking inside restaurants and Ohio does not.  Same argument is made for that depending on what side of the smoking debate you are on.

[RedSummit20]

 

[Hawaiian Coasters 325]

Man this thread feels like the endless arguments about drone/aerial pics in the giga speculation thread a few years ago

[medford]

I haven't read the whole thing, and I'll assume this has been stated, but the simple answer is NO!

 

What is your own personal POV going to show you or anyone else that can't already be seen by the parks official POVs that they put out?  So why should the park allow something that could potentially bring about injury and litigation if the operator didn't follow strict guidelines?  Literally the park would have nothing to gain and very much to lose.

Individually, I'm not sure why anyone cares what their own personal POV even looks like.  Odds are it looks bouncy and like crap if strapped to your body.

[IndyGuy4KI]

I know people have been ejected from the park for filming on rides, including those wearing the glasses. It’s not permitted regardless of the device being used. Get caught and it could be the last time you visit the park and post on KIC.

That is your answer to the original question proposed.

[silver2005]

I feel that the parks allowing personal POVs create an opening of discussion and perhaps an opportunity for parks that don't.  It's not completely about just having the POV, having reaction footage is something people want to have and watch.  I know KI can't, but I feel there's gray area to explore, too.

For those adamantly against self POVs,  what are your thoughts on the parks that allow it? Would you still patronize them?  If they show over time they can make it work safely, would you reconsider? What if KI chose to allow it if given the right circumstances?

[Hawaiian Coasters 325]

This thread needs to be put to rest. The park has said in numerous places that filming on rides is strictly prohibited including the use of video glasses that a certain facebook account that I will not name who keeps advertising for filming on the rides. If a ride operator sees anyone with a phone or camera out they will kindly ask that you put it away. A lot of operators use a 3 strike rule that if they have to ask more than 3 times, they'll stop the ride and kick the guest off. Or they'll stop the ride on the lift hill and an operator will have to lock out, take the long walk up the lift hill, confiscate the phone, and then call security and they'll be waiting for them when they get off the ride and out of the park they go. 

[Captain Nemo]

7 minutes ago, Hawaiian Coasters 325 said:

This thread needs to be put to rest. The park has said in numerous places that filming on rides is strictly prohibited including the use of video glasses that a certain facebook account that I will not name who keeps advertising for filming on the rides. If a ride operator sees anyone with a phone or camera out they will kindly ask that you put it away. A lot of operators use a 3 strike rule that if they have to ask more than 3 times, they'll stop the ride and kick the guest off. Or they'll stop the ride on the lift hill and an operator will have to lock out, take the long walk up the lift hill, confiscate the phone, and then call security and they'll be waiting for them when they get off the ride and out of the park they go. 

No it does not. It's a conversation and clearly it is still ongoing.

The discussion kind of went off topic from the original question which for everyone reading this I humbly ask to read. I updated the thread name to reflect this