Park Vandalism?

[cincyboy0830]

I hear a lot of people talk about how other people vandalize the park. I know that there are LOTS of idiots out there, but I really haven't seen vandalism (probably because I only get to go to PKI once a year). The only things I've seen is people writing on stuff. Can you people decribe what you have seen idiots do? Thanks!

[TOPGUN1993]

Scrach off paint (Vortex & Topgun & Adventure Express)

[VortexQueen]

I HATE park vandelisers... i wanna just hurt them all. i really try to do what i can to stop them though.... NO EFFING GUM ON The Vortex PLEASE.... things like that.. yup it works. i really hate them though, KI is like a home to me and if somebody is f-ing it up im gonna do something about it.

Edit: i have seen them do plenty of things, scratch names, OMigosh gum on The Racers tunnel walls (thats the worst place in the whole park!) some ppl do not use trash cans and i have seen trash on the other side of ride fences.. oh so many stupid things idiots do.

[DeliriumDreamer]

I've seen people draw on signs with permanent marker before, like Delirium's loading sign on the side of the drive box. I wouldn't necessarily consider people not using trash cans for their trash as vandalizing, but throwing it in places that can't be reached probably can.

I've also seen people scratch their names or obsenities into the paint of que lines or the rollercoaster cars themselves. Why would anybody do these things?

[Gordon Bombay]

One of my best memories of working there was when I was sweeping the line and caught two girls writing on Beast's had rails with silver sharpie I stood behind them as they laughed and when they turned aroudn they jumped and I laughed and directed them to the kidd corrall. Good times. They begged not to call security and I loved the look on their faces when two guards showed up.

[gburn07]

I've seen vandalistic 'if thats even a word' things being done presently and before i was there at every park INCLUDING DISNEY AND UNIVERSAL. People are jerks who need to grow up. NOt much you can do about it. Tell an alcoholic to stop drinking...... Its just not that easy to get rid of things of this nature.

[WooferBearATL]

I've seen vandalistic 'if thats even a word' things being done presently and before i was there at every park INCLUDING DISNEY AND UNIVERSAL. People are jerks who need to grow up. NOt much you can do about it. Tell an alcoholic to stop drinking...... Its just not that easy to get rid of things of this nature.

So you're saying that commiting vandalisim is a disease?

Far from it!

It's destructive nature. And I certainly can tell people to stop it. Everone should. Good on Combat for turning those two wretches on society over to security. It's time people stand up for what is right and not sit idly by and allow it to happen.

[Gordon Bombay]

^hahah thanks for the praise wooferbear, its so much fun catching people....when im 18 im transfering to security and no wrong doer is safe!

[PKIVortex]

I remember when FoF first opened, and the wall to the right, after you leave the saucer, people tore the stuff off the wall, so it was only the plaster left. They also wrote over the wall. Notice now that the que rail isn't as close to that wall anymore? That's why.

[Delirium13]

The Park has really cleaned up FOF's queue though.

But anyways, you can find the vandalism from all the idiots that do it all over the place, for some of it you have to be a little closer. Vandalism makes me sick though. Why can't people just leave other people's stuff alone so other people can enjoy the theming and stuff.

And also good job to Combat Stupendous and all the other employees who do their best to stop the vandals from ruining the park.

[gburn07]

Of course you can stop people from doing it. But there will always be someone doing it though.

[WooferBearATL]

^hahah thanks for the praise wooferbear, its so much fun catching people....when im 18 im transfering to security and no wrong doer is safe!

I just don't understand that whole vandalisim thing.

I've never had the urge to stick gum on a que line or to mark on something or to even throw toilet paper wads at the theming.

I chalk all that up to not being taught what is right or wrong at home.

I know that if my mother would have caught me doing something like these folk do; I'd want security to have me because they would be a whole lot easier to deal with than she would be.

[DevilMayChew]

Hmmm......

Being Incredibly Drunk that you feel the need to relieve yourself in Preshow of Tomb Raider count as vandalism? Two guys were escorted out of the park after doing this...While i was on break of course :'(

Same with Woofer, i have never been taught to or not to damage stuff, it comes down to respecting others property, which i do. I mean i wouldnt expect to come out to the employee parking lot to find someone had scratched the paint off of my car, or stuck gum on the windshield. Some people are just plainly stupid and or retarded.

DMC

[BoddaH1994]

I chalk all that up to not being taught what is right or wrong at home.

I know that if my mother would have caught me doing something like these folk do; I'd want security to have me because they would be a whole lot easier to deal with than she would be.

You see, I disagree with that. I think that anyone who would vandalize absolutely knows that it's wrong to do. Not knowing how to diffrentiate between right and wrong in such situations would classify someone as a sociopath.

I do however agree that it has to do with reinforcement. The authorities (whoever they may be in that situation) need to bank on the fact that these kids will be punished by their parents. In the end, the most a kid is going to have is a call for their parents to pick them up 90% of the time. If that doesn't instill any type of fear, then there isn't too much incentive to do what is right.

[Gordon Bombay]

THey should give the ride ops mace or tazers to better take care of this vandalism problem.

[DevilMayChew]

LMAO ^^^^ Yea i agree, or how about some battons, to just TAP them lightly across the face? i think that would stop them even thinking about doing it again

DMC

[flightoffear1996]

Yea someone smashed in the speakers on Italian Job Stunt Track.

[crazypkikid2005]

I had a guy just walk up to a pillar and kick it on tombraider and watched as the foam just all came off. I threatened to throw him out of the park.

Being Incredibly Drunk that you feel the need to relieve yourself in Preshow of Tomb Raider count as vandalism? Two guys were escorted out of the park after doing this...While i was on break of course :'(

I remember that

[MarketingExpress]

If you want to see some good examples of vandalism at the park just go to TRTR. This ride has a lot of movie themeing in it and most of it has been vandilized in some way.

The rails in the Que before the entrance used to be real bamboo, but since so many morons sat on them and broke them we had to put in metal ones that kinda look like bambo. Even then, people will scratch off the paint on these rails so they look like crap now.

Once you get inside the cave, the pits on either side of the line becomes peoples own personal trash can. This is also another form of vandalism.

I don't really know why people do this stuff to our new rides. Maybe they get some kind of high out of it. But I bet that some of these people are the same people that complain that we never keep our themeing up to date. Well to answer that I would say to these people: DON'T VANDALIZE OUR THEMEING AND WE WILL NOT HAVE TO WORK SO HARD TO KEEP IT LOOKING NICE.

[flightoffear1996]

Yea TR:TR is really bad and it is a shame to because PKI did such a nice job on theming it too.

[The Interpreter]

Incredible theming requires three things:

a. Forethought in putting in surfaces and controlling access such that vandalism is difficult if not impossible.

b. High levels of security such that people think there is a high probability of being caught and PROSECUTION, without fail, of every person caught, regardless of who it is . . .

c. High levels of maintenance such that as soon as any defect/damage is found, it is fixed.

That's why Disney, Busch and Universal are at one level...and Paramount Parks is somewhere below that.

All three of those things cost money and require dedication. Paramount seems to put in things without a great deal of thought about what will happen to them (Scooby's Haunted Castle queue line, anyone? TRTR bamboo?)

And then they don't dedicate the money or personnel to keep it up.

And it is NOT just vandalism. Look at Adventure Express or Tomb Raider or Flight of Fear. Much of the degradation in theming has NOTHING to do with vandalism. No, vandalism doesn't help. But it is not a problem just at Paramount. Others have effectively fought it.

If the new owner wants to go down the samed themed route Paramount has lately been treading, they had best make a commitment to maintaining what they have and get.

[PKIVortex]

And people wonder why the costs at parks goes up. Well it costs money to fix what the vandals have done. No just for the supplies but the labor.

I like the sign that's in line for The Beast. Anyone caught defacing park property, well be ejected without refund. We need more of these signs.

[The Interpreter]

Ejected without refund.

Big deal.

Do what Disney does.

PROSECUTE.

Only then will it become less of a problem.

[rcmaster]

Security can only do so much: they can't be everywhere at the same time. You can blame the Park, but it is not their fault that some people act like morons and decide to ruin things. You can then have security focus on one area, but people will just go and vandalize another.

Sure, it is easy to say maintain everything, but that isn't always possible. There are only so many maintenance people, and a very large Park. Things have to be prioritized. Serious safety issues need to be fixed first, with cosmetic things coming later.

Then there is also cost: if the Park finds itself continously fixing the same thing, then they have to draw the line somewhere. Real looking bamboo at the entrance looks nice, but I'm sure costs alot more to fix then metal painted to look like bamboo.

And finally, it comes down to individual Park's management decisions on what is and isn't important. I know that at PCW, IJ's speakers were maintained, and paint scratched off places is replaced as soon as possible.

[The Interpreter]

Security at Kings Island does a fantastic job. They aren't the reason that damaged theming doesn't get replaced, that miscreants aren't prosecuted, or that stuff that is easily damaged gets put in in the first place...

[DevilMayChew]

Chewing gum is another big thing, i personally love chewing my gum discretly while working, but i also dont feel the need to spit it out onto the floor at a ride or any other places while walking to Oscars on break.

I cant remember who it was on my '05 TRTR Crew, but somebody counted the pieces of gum on the left side of the PreShow Que. Where the Employees walk back to Rendez Vous after escorting the guests into Preshow area. It was something like 200+ pieces of gum just on the side Alone.

Not only is it nasty but its also dangerous, that should for sure be prosecuted. As for Prosecuting everyone. Yea i completely agree with that, but i dont think the park could afford to hire as many attorneys that would be needed to fight the onslaught of continous vandals. How about a $150 fine instead? Im sure that would deter some people.

There also isnt enough security, they need some sort of security at each ride. Also if anyone here has the information i would like to know what a Ride Op can and CaNOT do if encountering a vandal? (< Id like this to be official, from someone who KNOWS and not a guess from someone who heard it from someone else) Because we cannot keep them there against their will while we go to call security. Perhaps the usage of clever trickery and complicated wordage?

DMC

P.S. My Oreo McFlurry melted while i was typing this :'(

[The Interpreter]

Criminal prosecutors are state or county employees, not park employees or privately hired attorneys. Willingness to prosecute is a local thing. Obviously, Disney has that down pat. So do the Cedar Fair parks....you will note there is very little of the vandalism you see at PKI found at Cedar Point, for instance. And vandalism at what was once Six Flags Worlds of Adventure has declined greatly under Cedar Fair.

[DA RIPPER]

Every summer I see it, the little punks who lean the flowrider board up anginst the rail and jump up on the board. Or they lay the board on the ground and spin on it.

they also peel the suryln bottom off the bottom of the boards. and the regulars jump their rears for it. Were our own security force , We protect the ride

[PsycoPath]

Fear fest sees alot of vandalism and theft.

I have seen people rip down fishing line and tree branches on Psycho Path. I have seen People trying to knock over scenery, try to rip down hanging bodies. Worse of all I see people trying to walk off with props. I even heard a call over the radio of someone stealing a lightbulb out of one of the houses.

[PKIPoodle]

TRTR does have pretty bad vandalism issues, some of which other rides have very little to none of. especially the monkey statue things. some of the stuff i see on them, i dont want to know what it is but yeah paint peeling is/was really bad on The Beast que rails and stuff. *sigh*