arrowfanman

I dont believe it has reopened. But this afternoon, I saw them conducting several tests. The center unit, which holds the seats, was being raised and lowered, and held in place at several heights. -Jahan

I just want to give a friendly reminder that at this point, there's as much of a chance of it reopening as there is of it being torn down. For all we know, they just needed some spare parts to fix the clamp that holds Spinouts closed-chain shut. -Jahan

No. Never. Not in your wildest dreams would I consider answering any of your questions. Oh, alright...ask away. Firstly, if your just doing your processing now, you still got a bit to go. When I first started I asked whats the best way to get to a big ride (you obviously will start out at a smaller ride). The lead told me "Do what your lead tells you, without complaining!" Follow that advice. Unfortunately, its a work environment where doing what your told borders "kissing ass", but I say hell with it, go ahead. You do NOT want to end up in a "A Bad Night at SFMM" TR...thats for sure! Working at SFMM will be the biggest pain in the ass and the most fun you'll have all summer. Mike could definitely answer your questions...your practically in his shoes. Well...the shoes he wore last month. -Jahan

Thanks for the pic. I had heard of this from a friend. And just to let you guys know, about the timing.....Shapiro was in the park on Wednesday. -Jahan

I'm pretty sure that both sides are clear to run...its just a matter of actually doing it. Knowing SFMM, by the time that both sides actually have gotten enough people to run both sides, they'll probably be moved to other understaffed rides. -Jahan

Thanks for the trip report! Those rides look sweet! I wish I had something nearby which took advantage of our hilly terrain in the way that this park does! Thanks for posting! -Jahan

To be fair, that POV was bumpy when the train was just meandering to the lift or cresting the top of the lift! I he couldn't hold it well during those parts, I cant expect much during the fast, windy parts where your twisting every-which direction. I think the filming had a large part to do with it. -Jahan P.S. Although, I dont think it will be quite the same in 1-year's time.

^ No clue. Could be both, as Disney probably had no interest to revisit that, and the bill for this baby is already $190 million dollars! Thats what?...3-4 times the cost of the CA version. They might as well made a real hotel for that amout! I wouldn't mind having that in my pocket! "Uh, hi! I'll buy an Indiana Jones Adventure, two Big Thunder's, and perhaps a Buzz Lightyear on the side. Thanks." -Jahan

SFMM starts at $7.50, if you are an adult. DLR starts at, like, $8.00 or $8.25. Of course, costs of living in CA are different than elsewhere, not that your average teenager has to worry about that. -Jahan

A points system would last about 3 weeks tops and then supervisiors would forget to keep on top of it. Sad but true...we already have other systems, for incentives and stuff. They're all hyped up the first week, and then are forgotten completely. -Jahan

^We have no other place to put a cell phone. The park wont let us bring in backpacks or anything, and not everyone has a car to put in in...after all, the majority of ride ops are under 18. Frankly, the cell phone rule is uninforcable and impractical for a park like SFMM. They need to be more real, not for us persay, but for themselves. This is the thing. You act like its the employees fault for sitting down, using the cell phone, etc. Well sure, it is. But at the same time, would any other workplace allow that to fly? As far as I'm concerned, we're a victim of the management. Sure, we're told not to use the cell phones. But thats a hollow demand. It isn't enforced, as the enforcers are never around. And in my expirence, once the nightly saftey checklist is signed off (which can be as early as 5-6pm), your bound to not run into a supervisor for the rest of the night. In my honest opinion, I'm rather upset that the park is doing all of these teenager-workers a diservice by letting this fly, because they're going to get to their next job and reality is going to hit them in the face! -Jahan

I sugguest a dress code....no, provided uniforms, for all of the guests! As well as a sniper in the skytower. "Look, that guy just littered in the Riddler's queue" *bang* Honestly though, I cant think of the best way to get rid of the problem. I know SFMM could REALLY improve they're security....they usuallly just sit around in our breakrooms, and ask to ride the rides. If we call them, they take 20+ minutes to respond. I mean, I have met some really nice guards, but they are the most over-paid lazy-asses in the park. Well....in the park. -Jahan

Unfortunately for him, it looks like Kim Jung Ils attempts to fire missles at the US were as successful as his attempts to fire his barber.

^Psh...most of the ops staff don't even know the park may be sold, or dont care. This "downward turn" is all from the inside. We didnt' hear that the "park will be closing" and now we all of a sudden dont care.....we didn't, to be quite honest. Truth is, we dont have enough staffing to do the job half-assed, and we dont have the training/supervision to do the parts that we can, half-assed....therefore, we end up doing a quarter-assed job! -Jahan

^ Last week I came off my break at Riddler's ( ), walked through the gate, and right past me walks 3 Cops trying to escort a handcuffed, white-trash lady who was cussing up a storm, away. Followed by a larger group and security. It ends up there was a racial fight in the line. People are stupid. I'm in the industry. -Jahan

Hey folks, Well for those of you who have been readin, I most recently took a trip to Thailand earlier this month. Due to its theme-park-relation, I decided to post one day of my TR in the Theme Park thread! So enjoy! Day 4--Dreamworld Well, due to my rather boring day spent just lounging around in the hotel, we just had to arrange for me to do something! Well, my dad told his representative, Phaisan, that I enjoyed theme parks, and so Phaisan sent out one of his workers to take me to Dreamworld, the local theme park! That was very nice of him, and boy, was I in for a treat! Yup...I took a piece of home with me on todays trip! My ride finally showed up after an hour and I was on my way to Dreamworld, which from what I understood had 3 credits. Yesss! On the way down there I saw what we called the "Thai Stonehenge". You see, like a decade ago, they were building a skytrain project to run through inner/outer Bangkok. However, due to poor politics, they cancelled the project half-way through its completion! This left a ton of pillars just spread throughout the city! And you know how much demolition on this stuff costs. So to this day, the support arches just stand there--buildings, signs, and trees have all been built, erected, and grown in between them. I hear that they will FINALLY be completing the project, but who knows! Yay! Thai Stonehenge! It literally goes on for miles! Quite often you will come across pillars that still have the rebar just sticking out the top, as if they workers just gave up one day and left! ...this looks like the place! I approve of what I see thus far! Wait...what's that in the background?! Ahha! Walt Disney was right!...It IS a small world after all! I was very excited to get in and try out my first Disneyland rip-off! As most of you know, Nara Dreamland is the best/most famous Disneyland rip-off, but I think that this park comes in a fair second place! Although I must say, it was very nice castle-work! Even "World of Happiness" feels like "Happiest place on Earth". The park is very long and thin, as it fits perfectly on a parcel of farmland. While it definitely felt like a Disneyland rip-off, it also had quite a bit of Universal in it too, such as Jaws here, or the Hollywood-stunt-show. They also had those funky-mascots that we love so very much! AHHA! I knew I would find a Sleeping Beauty's castle somewhere around here! Of course their Sleeping Beauty's castle wasn't the centerpiece of the park, like in Disneyland or Nara Dreamland, however was used in their defunt Storybook Canal Boats in the way Disneyland uses Cinderella's castle. Yay for defunt Storybook Canal Boats! ...I assume that this is the Canal part....similar to Nara Dreamland's malaria-Jungle Cruise. What on Earth could that architectual-wonder be?! Ahha! Space Mountain! I love enclosed Vekoma rides! No, this isn't the one with station-clone of Disneyland's Space Mountain...that one's in Taiwan. You know, for being the cheap, rip-off version of Space Mountain, this one was actually pretty cool! Unlike the new Disneyland version, this one actually had like, show effects other than stars! It had space ships attack you and stuff, pretty cool! And the weird part was, though it had a totally different layout than the Disneyland version, I only counted 2 left turns! Mark? ...Mark Twain? ....Is that, you? Yay for the Skyway! Oh crap! I didn't mean that I wanted to ride it! Here is the two lovely ladies who were kind enough to take me to this park! No matter how I tried to explain it, they never understood a "credit". Is this where they show Fantasmic!? Ok, ok! Thats pushing it, I know! But still, it was cool too see all that I did! I even forgot to take a picture of the Haunted Mansion! Up next was the totally random, out of place, but still fun Vekoma suspended coaster! I guess it was like Aska, just not as good! Yay! My first Vekoma suspended! Lift hill shot! The ride was basically a ton of helixes of deaths, back to back! Me, uh....dying in the helix of death! I'm sad because Super Splash actually got me wet! See... Before. After. Alright folks....If the Trip Report hasn't scared you thus far, be warned...you will be scared..... Yes, these naked babies stood near the location of every restroom! They scared the crap out of me! First, what the hell is it doing? And second, if its doing what I think it is, why is it so unsatisfied?! Anyway... The Grand Canyon was like, the most boring rapids ride I've ever been on. Yea...it was pretty boring. Why get wet when you can just move seats?! Holy Crap! Its just like a supervisor back at SFMM! ....I choose to leave the caption off right there. Use your own imagination as to what I fully mean by that. Yes!! A credit!!! Ah man! Its closed! Seeing our curiousity from afar, this ride op, climbed up the tracks, turned the power on, and let me ride! He would have been sooo fired at SFMM, which is pretty hard to do! Oh wait...not hard for everyone! Me happy to have gotten my 3 credits! I wonder if she knows where she's standing? ...Yea, I think she knows. All and all, I admit it was a real nice park, albiet a bit boring. We finished the park in 2 hours, and that was strolling/taking our time. The thing is, with your park admission, they only let you ride the attractions once! Therefore, we had no need to stay in the park any longer than we did! The trick is, if you want to make more money, to keep the guests in your park as long as possible. By alloting us only one ride, we were pretty much forced to leave! On the way out, I ran into a good friend! I may have been smiling, but I was really crapping my pants! Those things are huge. Dreamworld was kind enough to slap an advertisement on the back of our car! I saw the monorail on the way out. Finally I left Dreamworld, 3 credits more, and definitely proud of the expirence. Have you ever seen Pirates of the Caribbean? You know that scene where Kiera Knightly Makanvand says "But it says in the Code!" and Barbossa goes "The Code is more like, mmm, guidelines!". Thats how they treat the traffic lanes in Thailand.... Well, I hope you enjoyed the Trip Report! Thanks for reading! -Jahan

Thats kind of weird/cool how you face downward as you brake. -Jahan

Hey Guy! I happen to already be back in the States! I am just super late at posting the trip report and have a habit of posting it as if I just expirenced it! My bad! Unfortunately, I didn't get my shot at a strip club, on account of me being stuck with two software engineers, and how often do software engineers go to strip clubs. Oh....dont answer that. As for the Bird Flu....yea, who knows! I dont think my trips going to go over well with the Red Cross on friday when I try to donate blood! Of course, I do work at SFMM, and I dont think thats going to go down well with them either! Thats like the most diseased place! Well, I might as well get the next day knocked out of the way, so I can get to the theme park for you guys! Day 3--Rama Gardens I almost didn't post this days worth of photos. I only did for continuity reasons. Due to the massive boredom I faced at my dad's work and the fact I had nothing planned for today, I stayed at the hotel. I know, I know! I've been given this opportunity to explore another country, another culture, and its wrong that I am waisting away in a hotel room! But I sure as hell wasn't going to go venturing out on my own! I still didn't know my way around! So here I am chillin at the hotel (which is named Rama Gardens)... Lets go down to breakfast. "OTIS" is sure as hell a lot longer in Thai! I see your Schwartz is as big as mine! Yay for free breakfast buffets! A western breakfast...nice! Well...a Jahan breakfast, which is better! I was told to load up on breakfast as you never know what you'll be eating later in the day! After breakfast, I went back to the room to get some computer action in. Now now, I know I'm in a totally different country, but that doesn't mean I cant still go on the computer! In fact, it was nice to be able to give my friends a status update, hear from the coaster community, etc. Ok...maybe I am waisting my time! It also gave me a good chance to hammer out my Disneyland Grad Nite TR. Here's me making it and talking to Julie. We figured out that we were exactly 1/2 way around the world, as far as time is concerned. Thats the first time I talked to someone exactly 1/2 way around the world! I'm so happy you were my first Julie! Unfortunately, we forgot to account for daylight savings time, which Thailand doesn't practice....but whatever, it was still cool! Before you knew it, it was time for lunch! Yes, I have a habit of spending that much time on the computer! Anyway, I went down to lunch, and looked through the menu. I KNEW that I should get something Thai, but my eyes caught the word "burger" and my mouth immediately began to water! I could really use a burger! But at the same time, my mind was telling me to get something Thai! It was my chance to try something new! Eventually I compromised...I decided to get a Thai appetizer with a burger! Here's my Thai appetizer. Its just rice cakes with a shrimp and pork dip, I guess. Me deciding if I like it or not. It was alright, but I prefered the heavily fried Thai food, from the other day. My burger! Yes!!!! You know, suprisingly the burger went well with the appitiezer! After lunch, I decided to opt out of more computer time, and instead search the hotel, you know...check it out. The hotel was very nice. It definitely would be 200+ dollars a night, here in the US, but probably topped out to 80 bucks a night, there. The fancy-pantcy lobby. I couldn't get a clear shot, but it took me like an hour just to take that one, so I'm going to damn right post it! A really cool pool area. Of course, whenver they have hoops, they never have the balls to play with! And when ever they have balls, they never have the hoops! They had one of those poolside bars, where you can be in the water and get your drink. BTW...I dont believe that there's a drinking age in Thailand. That would be beneficial if I drank. They had this cool shrine thing in front of the hotel, as well as throughout the streets we traveled. From what I hear, the Buddhist drivers nod to it as they drive by for good luck, safety, business, etc. I may be wrong. I definitely approve of the attention to detail! After my little, hotel walk, I came back to the room and waited for my dad to show up. I took this because I thought it looked like Cloud City! Ok folks! Thank you for reading! I'll post the next part, my trip to Dreamworld (a Thai theme park) next! See you then! -Jahan

Day 2--Bang Pa'in Yes...the name of the town is really Bang Pain. But its pronounced Pa-ene. Today is Monday, and my Dad had to go to his work. He is a software engineer for a company back home in Valencia. He programs the functions for a machine which sorts between good and bad disk-drive heads, which for those who know what I'm talking about, is not an easy thing to do! But I wont bore you with that...lets get to the actual TR! For some reason I only started taking pictures once we went to lunch. I guess I didn't get that "Oh I have to take a picture" impulse until then! Onwards! Well, this is where we ate lunch! Supposedly it was the nicest place in the area, a special treat as I was there. I'm totally diggin the table cloth! These guys are the kind Thai representatives working with my dad, showing us around. Even though Thai food is like, the ethnic-food-of-choice in America right now, I had never tried it before today.... ....But I definitely enjoyed it! I'll have to try it back in the States now! Hi, my name is Jahan, and I approve of this restaurant! Ok...once lunch was over we went back to work! One of the largest disk-drive manufacturers in the world...yay! Going into the clean room, they made us wear fancy doctor suits! ...mint? We even got these cool shoe thingies! This picture in no-way depicts it, but this company employs tens of thousands of female-workers to operate the computers and machines, 24-7. When you get caught in a shift-change, you are literally in a sea of women! I dont know why they use only female operators (other than the fact they're probably cheaper labor), but the conditions weren't bad! I know that might have popped in your head, so I'll tell you know, the conditions weren't bad! I would have opened my big mouth if the conditions were bad. Later that night, we went to dinner at a steak-house that prided itself too much on the fact that they serve cow. If you don't believe me, look at whats in front of the restaurant... Moooooooo! Thais really love Ketchup, no lie! It was everywhere. And yes, it says "57 Varieties" on the bottle in Thai! Lastly, we finished off a day of work with....going to one of the representatives house and doing more work! Me sweating at night! At this point, I was rather bored. It was very interesting to find out what my dad actually did, but not being able to contribute due to my own lack of knowledge kind of made it boring! Well, another day is done...lets see if I can actually finish the PTR! By the way folks, don't worry...we will be getting to the Thai-culture/scenery stuff soon! -Jahan "But before that...a "Thai" theme park!" Makanvand

Robb and Elissa will also be doing background checks and will be testing all applicants "Attention to Detail". Good luck, and may God be with your eyes. -Jahan

I just knew he would post something.... *sigh* Laura: "How do you know him?!?! Please tell me your not related to him, please!" -Jahan

Yea...today was crap for me too, and I was on the other side of the deal. At least I was paid to go to SFMM, which makes it a bit more fair for me. I still had to go home early...I passed my threshold...couldn't take it anymore. Some Cold Stone made everything better. And to whatever shell started that fire.....you missed. -Jahan

Well perhaps I stand corrected as far as some of my comments are concerned... Shapiro said that SFMM didn't fit into his new image of a family park. What I was trying to say earlier is that a good 50% of a family friendly atmosphere is generated by staff, and that I was upset that he has mentioned very little about the staff. Well, supposivly he has had independant companys come in and survey all of the parks, and in one of the surveys regarding guest service, SFMM came in near to, or immediately in last place in the chain. On any other day, management would be like, "shit happens!" and thats the last we would hear of it until the next survey that says we're crap. But now that Shapiro has shown that he's not afraid to actually sell off the park for mere real estate, the management has now actually been scared about what psyco-Shapiro could do, and are busting out a metaphorical diaper on us to catch that crap they just took in their pants in fear. That metaphorical diaper is coming in the form of the "new program"...a new guest service program/philosophy that the supervisors are all now imposing on us with urgence. Its a compination of Shapiro's guest service wishes and the managements own self-analysis. So yay...we actually made an effort towards guest service. How long will it last? Probably about a week or two, as they might bunt, but they never follow through. But for perhaps another post. -Jahan

SFMM can barely hire enough of those employees that hate their job to keep the park running! They definitely dont have the room to be picky about who they employ! As a matter of fact, we have to resort to contracting international labor, simply to fill the vacant positions. -Jahan

^That first quote would matter if people really mattered in Santa Clarita, but firstly, the city is run by Newhall land, not the people. Newhall land's headquarters happen to be across the street from City Hall. Coincidence? I think not. Secondly, SFMM is not a part of Santa Clarita. Santa Clarita city limits end at the Old Road, and do not include SFMM. Los Angeles county wouldn't give it up...they make a killing in taxes off of SFMM. So of the little influence that the average folk actually have in Santa Clarita, very little would apply to SFMM. This is what happens in most cases, SFMM or not. Houses are developed outside of the city limit, and then aquired by the city within a few years, so as the City's jurisdiction and regulations will not apply to the developers. -Jahan "SC is a sad little town" Makanvand