RailRider Posted January 12, 2007 Share Posted January 12, 2007 You are correct Combat, with both stations open and all trains running this thing will be quite fast. It is amazing how 2 stations can make a line continuously move. Look at Mr. Freeze in Texas with its 2 station opperation on a shuttle coaster. That line moves very well as does The Mummy at USF. I think with an adequate staff at Kings Island this ride will opperate at capacity. GL never had enough staff because they didnt have the crowds to support 2 stations and they were trying to cut labor costs because they park was too big for its footprint. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CoastersRZ Posted January 12, 2007 Share Posted January 12, 2007 And honestly, did crowds up at GL necessitate that they operate both stations? We know that crowds at KI especially on the weekends in July can be quite large. They will run most of their rides at capacity if at all possible in the peak season, barring any mechanical issues or short staffing issues. I think that the true capacity of the ride will rely on if they regularly operate both stations, as it will be a new attraction to the Cincinnati area. But, that is assuming that Kings Island will be the recipient park for X-Flight, which is still not confirmed, so all this speculation could end up being mute. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RailRider Posted January 12, 2007 Share Posted January 12, 2007 Yes all of this speculation could end up being mute, but what else do we have to speculate on right now? Nothing this exciting, so I will keep speculating... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mutedarkness Posted January 12, 2007 Share Posted January 12, 2007 2 stations ran on crowded days. When six flags had 3 trains they only ran it once with them. It was very difficult to run with 3 trains because it had guests on their backs for a very long time. In 2005 and 2006 x-flight's crew was very good im concerned about the workers at ki its a really hard ride to learn and takes a long time to learn and only VERY good employees can run it, so thats only a select few. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reclaimer Posted January 12, 2007 Share Posted January 12, 2007 They have invented this thing called 'training' It does wonders Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cewldre Posted January 12, 2007 Share Posted January 12, 2007 we have to remember that "new" rides will always have longer lines, typically in the 2+ hour range, especially on weekends and holidays. This is nothing new. Plan accordingly Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mutedarkness Posted January 12, 2007 Share Posted January 12, 2007 takes a long time to learn and only VERY good employees can run it, so thats only a select few. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gordon Bombay Posted January 12, 2007 Share Posted January 12, 2007 ^Buddy, you are just a ride op at Geauga Lake who has no experience at KI what so ever, and no real bearing or knowledge on the industry at hand except taht you have a summer job, no offense, i respect your pride in a seasonal job, but you are not a select few like the marines. I've been working in rides the past 5 years and have first hand witnessed how your crew works and how Carowinds works their Borg assimilator. X flights controls and procedures are very similar to that of other Vekoma coasters, I'm sure KI will be more than able to accomidate and train people to run the ride should it come to Kings Island. While visiting this June, as a guest and no longer an employee of any particular park anymore, I saw first hand how your "select few" perform. You ran one train, in one station, told jokes over the microphone, two kids stood and argued like little girls about who was going to get to operate controls for the next hour, and then I had some punk kid with no guest relations experience at all come up to me and tell me to "Freaking put my camera away for the last time!" Select few.....I think not....more like typical rides ops if you ask me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
teenageninja Posted January 12, 2007 Share Posted January 12, 2007 I don't see any reason to double quote yourself we read it the first time. KI's employees are trained among the best in the country, trust me I know. If the employees here can run Slingshot, Eurobungee and Skyflyer (which are difficult rides, but can be learned fast) I'm sure they can run a coaster, I've been on it and when I watched the crew it did not seem difficult. The crew will be trained, and I guarentee the capacity will be better here than it was there. Please do not quote your previous statement again, I've seen it twice already /end rant. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gordon Bombay Posted January 12, 2007 Share Posted January 12, 2007 ^Well said Teenageninja, KI has fantastic employees who re constantly praised in the "Doc John" Nasco safety audits. In 2004, The Beast crew was named best crew in the state of Ohio and and received their best audits yet this past season and having personally met you ninja, I can say with confidence that you know what your talking about and are one of those fantastic employees. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
teenageninja Posted January 12, 2007 Share Posted January 12, 2007 Thank you Ronny, I try my best, a return this summer may be in the works... Perhaps I can prove "mutedarkness" wrong. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mutedarkness Posted January 12, 2007 Share Posted January 12, 2007 The people who worked it, and worked it well had exprence with the ride. Borg is way diffrent than the 2nd dutch man... fyi. And working at x-flight and then working several other coasters you could see that working x-flight is not just pushing a green button. Plus seeing people who worked with the coaster since 01 they have said simmular things Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheRickster Posted January 12, 2007 Share Posted January 12, 2007 If we do get it at Kings Island the operation will probly be simplified and employees trained alot better to actually run it, by assisting people in quicker and safer, then when the ride ran at a six flags park. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mutedarkness Posted January 12, 2007 Share Posted January 12, 2007 Im sure stacking will not be a problem Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
teenageninja Posted January 12, 2007 Share Posted January 12, 2007 The people who worked it, and worked it well had exprence with the ride. Borg is way diffrent than the 2nd dutch man... fyi. And working at x-flight and then working several other coasters you could see that working x-flight is not just pushing a green button. Plus seeing people who worked with the coaster since 01 they have said simmular things How about you come down here and run IJ or FoF and tell me it's just about pushing a green button? Vortex, def more than a green button. AE, a hell of a lot more than a green button. TROIKA, more than a green button. I'm not taking this as an insult to the park, this is an insult to the whole rides department. Working a ride is a hell of a lot more than just "pushing the green button" it's about making sure everyone is safe while loading the ride, and throughout their course. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mutedarkness Posted January 12, 2007 Share Posted January 12, 2007 I have worked my fair share of coasters... i know how its not just pressing a green button. I was just saying there is a lot to the ride to learn and than dispatching. I am willing to work down at KI i acctualy was thinking of applying but there is no rooming for employees. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
teenageninja Posted January 12, 2007 Share Posted January 12, 2007 I understand, but what your saying is very demeaning, do you know what that means? I'm more than sure that our employees will be capable of running it if we get it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Delirium13 Posted January 12, 2007 Share Posted January 12, 2007 AE, a hell of a lot more than a green button. Really? Adventure Express always seems like it would be an easy ride to work. I'm not disagreeing or anyting because I've never worked a ride and I know you have, I just found that surprising. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
teenageninja Posted January 12, 2007 Share Posted January 12, 2007 It's not really difficult, but you have to do a lot more than press the go button, you have to maintain the pace of the ride or else it gets stuck on the second hill. If you don't catch it on the second hill, it also stops on the first hill. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RailRider Posted January 12, 2007 Share Posted January 12, 2007 Hmm Geuaga Lakes employees still act like Six Flags employees, as in they dont care about their job and could care less about the guest experience. Kings Islands do a much better job and the majority seem to take pride in what they do. I am making a generalization, not saying all SixFlags employees dont care, but that seems to be the norm from my expeirence. I think everyone will agree ride opps and Cedar Point and Kings Island do a much better job than the ones at Six Flags. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mutedarkness Posted January 12, 2007 Share Posted January 12, 2007 Even before i worked at geauga lake i always thought they were always so friendly. They only get mad when people don't listen. I tired talking to employees down at Kings Island and they only friendly ones were at The Beast. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Interpreter Posted January 13, 2007 Share Posted January 13, 2007 Having been a FREQUENT guest at Geauga Lake last summer, visited Six Flags America twice last summer, and having gone to Carowinds about a half dozen times last summer, I guess I rode all three Flying Dutchmen numerous times. I have to say, hands (and feet) down, that the best Flying Dutchmen crews, by FAR, were at Paramount's Carowinds. My experiences on X-Flight at Geauga Lake were VERY similar to those cited by Combat: crews busy talking to each other and arguing, very slow dispatches, and I once was told, word for word: "Take your glasses off, old man!" When I told the op, somewhat surprisedly, that I had a strap, he said, and I quote: "Well give me a frickin' break, I'm sorry." I visited GR over that one. And never got ANY reply, written or anything else. I seldom go to GR. But when I do, I always get a nice response, at EVERY park I have ever been to. Except two. Which two? Geauga Lake and Cedar Point. Sigh. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mutedarkness Posted January 13, 2007 Share Posted January 13, 2007 My experiences on X-Flight at Geauga Lake were VERY similar to those cited by Combat: crews busy talking to each other and arguing, very slow dispatches, and I once was told, word for word: "Take your glasses off, old man!" When I told the op, somewhat surprisedly, that I had a strap, he said, and I quote: "Well give me a frickin' break, I'm sorry." I visited GR over that one. And never got ANY reply, written or anything else. Sigh. What did they look like or what was their name? I worked with that crew and noone on that crew would ever say that, not even the worst employee... For one our crew got many complements throughout the year... We had one employee that would do that, lets just say she didn't have a job for long. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Interpreter Posted January 13, 2007 Share Posted January 13, 2007 The name and description were both given to GR. I never got any follow-up from GR. I can assure you I visit so many parks so often I now no longer have any idea what his name was or what he looked like. And X-Flight was my favorite ride in that park. It drew me there often. It was like riding Borg, but without the lines (or the very friendly, professional staff...) I can say that not once was I even remotely impressed with the crews on X-Flight. Now, the Big Dipper people were doing an excellent job, as were the people on Raging Wolf Bobs... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mutedarkness Posted January 13, 2007 Share Posted January 13, 2007 Well since you are the only one to ever have a bad encounter with the 2006 x-flight crew you can talk smack... we dont care Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Interpreter Posted January 13, 2007 Share Posted January 13, 2007 Baloney. I now have to agree with Combat, you are an expert as to whether or not anyone had bad experiences on X-Flight, when Combat ALREADY told you he did, I told you (and GR) I did, and by your own admission someone on the staff COULD have made that comment? I see now why Geauga Lake needs a smaller footprint, if your attitude is common with ride ops in that park. At Paramount Parks, employees were taught safety is first, courtesy is second, and that the customer is almost always right, but is to NEVER be treated discourteously. Your accusing me of talking smack smacks of the same type of discourtesy as I experienced on the X Flight platform. I wish I could say I am surprised. I am not. I do hope you stay at Geauga Lake as an operator, and not bring your attitude to the new Kings Island. Well since you are the only one to ever have a bad encounter with the 2006 x-flight crew you can talk smack... we dont care I agree, that we don't care about the customer attitude is EXACTLY what I was trying to describe. You just said it better than I could. Thank you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mutedarkness Posted January 13, 2007 Share Posted January 13, 2007 Yes, I had such a great time at Kings Island minus the stacking, employees riding rides, having arms crossed and slowching, and not responding to questions, it was all good. Oh well Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CoastersRZ Posted January 13, 2007 Share Posted January 13, 2007 Now now. There are certain instances when stacking of trains is beyond the control of the ride operators. I rarely saw ride operators take test rides this past season. When they did it was only when they had extra crew on the platform, and there was an empty seat on the train. So what if they have their arms crossed? Overall, the crews at Kings Island are upbeat. Granted, you will get a lemon every now and then that isn`t as good as the rest, but for the most part, they care about their job and seeing the guests with smiles on their faces. Some of these operators work long hours in very hot weather. Having worked at Coney Island for five years, I can say that it takes dedication to work in an amusement park, and most of the people that work there really enjoy the job, despite the bad pay, hot weather and rude guests. But even with rude guests, you still have to be polite because you are representing the company that you work for. I still remember what one of my managers told me in my first year at Coney on a very busy day. He said "look at all the smiles on the kids faces when they get off of your ride. Doesn`t that make it worth it?" If you bring a bad attitude to a position which depends so much on public interaction, as you have demonstrated by your posts here, it is likely to be reflected on your interactions with the paying public and not in a positive manner either. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mutedarkness Posted January 13, 2007 Share Posted January 13, 2007 Beining in charge, i always told employees to talk to the guests while they waited in line and if they were ever rude I would not except that. Guests are always rude at x-flight, they do not liek to follow the rules, and they have lots of them. An employee should never ride on any train even if there is an extra employee, they should sleep or clean or pretend like they are doing something. At geauga lake we are told never to cross our arms and not to lean. I am just saying from what I saw at KI i dont think they could keep the pase needed without stacking, if they were to get they flyer. Ps.. i like you coastersrz. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Interpreter Posted January 13, 2007 Share Posted January 13, 2007 PRETEND LIKE THEY ARE DOING SOMETHING? Are you serious? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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