Today when I was getting in line today for The Beast they had a employee telling people where to sit and basically counting people off right before you turned to head for what seat you wanted. Did I miss somthing like a fight over seats or were too many people not riding in the back seats anyway I had just never seen this before. How long has this been going on also.

Well, that is part of the walk on weekends operations of The Beast. Essentially, they regulate how many people are on the loading platform. They do this so that the gold pass holders who have a walk on weekend ticket can get on. They only have people there controlling the station on Saturdays and Sundays when Walk on Weekends is occuring. When I was there today, (in the morning when there wasn`t much of a line) they were letting a bunch of people at a time up to the loading area, and didn`t assign seats. Although, if there were empty rows, they might have assigned people to fill in those rows.

Back when The Beast first opened, they would have people about where they were today regulating the number of people on the loading platform (at least thats what my Dad says).

Yes, they only have a seperator for what once was called "walk on weekends" it is now called "Gold Pass Speed Lane" (not just for IJ:ST but for all the rides now)

Back when The Beast first opened, they would have people about where they were today regulating the number of people on the loading platform (at least thats what my Dad says).

You're dad's right and it really works best as far as working on crowd control issues. I've never seen them telling folk which seat to ride in, though? I'm not sure I'd like that idear.

It works similar to what Cedar Point does it. Allowing a certain number of people on the loading platform at a time. That way, the platform isn`t packed with people filling in every open space like a can of sardines.

  It works similar to what Cedar Point does it. Allowing a certain number of people on the loading platform at a time. That way, the platform isn`t packed with people filling in every open space like a can of sardines.

That reminds me of Magnum at CP there was about 12 people in line for each seat.

http://www.pointbuzz.com/Gallery.aspx?i=1121

Precisely. They control the line at the top of the stairs. They do that on most of their more popular roller coasters, if my memory serves me correct. It is not too different from what PKI does currently on Delirium.

Magnum's station is VERY bad in that there is too much confusion once you are in the station.

I hope that Cedar Fair will install line seperators at every major coaster. I know there are days I would have killed to have a seperator at Vortex.

I kinda hope we don't get seperators I like choosing my seat on Vortex, Beast FoF etc...

One thing I could see though, we will probably see the return of greeters at alot of rides.

Whenever i was at CP and i rode MF it really irked me because i wanted to sit in the very front or the very back but they chose my seat for me and i ended up sitting the second row of the first car.

Disney does this with their coasters also........I was in the back of every train exept Rock N Roller coaster.

Whenever i was at CP and i rode MF it really irked me because i wanted to sit in the very front or the very back but they chose my seat for me and i ended up sitting the second row of the first car.

When we were there we asked to sit in the front seat and they let us wait. You just have to tell them you want the front/back seat and they don't have a problem with that. At least that is the way it was a few weeks ago when we were there.

Back in the old days at Kings Island they did this all the time. While the line did move alot slower you did not see alot of pushing, shoving and line jumping.

And the capacity ends up being the same.

But Paramount had to pay another employee....by not doing so, they saved money. Whether or not the average guest noticed the crowding and less pleasant station is the question. . .

Its actually what they do on Italian Job. Although they do that to maximize capacity on that ride. Placing singles and groups of three together. It is very rare that you see a train with an empty seat on that ride.