saxman47 Posted April 24, 2008 Share Posted April 24, 2008 The proper way to do it is to merge the 2 groups before the station so that everyone has an equal chance to getting the front seat if that's what they want. Exactly, I think this is the fairest way to deal with flashpass riders. Having a park employee direct traffic is also a nice idea so that flashpass users don't feel like they're "cutting in" to the regular line. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
orangeblue Posted April 24, 2008 Share Posted April 24, 2008 Well, merging people before the station seems like it could lead to conflict between the Flash Pass guests and the regular guests (we already know that a lot of tension exists there). In addition, the station wait could still be some 30 minutes, which wouldn't be fair to the Flash Pass users who paid for no wait. In my opinion, the best system is to just have the F.P. line similiar to a single rider line in that they enter through the exit and then wait for an empty seat. For example, on most B&M coasters, a single train usually has 5-6 empty seats. Instead of leaving them empty, they could fill them with the Flash Pass users. That way, they get on quickly, and the GP dosen't get pissed off when they have to wait another train because they got bumped from their row for FP users. Now, if a group of FP users want to sit together, they could bump a row for them if necessary (while seating people waiting for that row in other empty seats), or if a person wants to wait for a certain row (ie. front or back), they can chose to wait another cycle or two to see if a spot opens up in that row. The only problem with a system like this is that it takes good cooperation and efficency by the crew in the station to sort everything out. If a ride has a staffing issue, operations could suffer greatly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robbalvey Posted April 24, 2008 Share Posted April 24, 2008 I agree that just because it's a busy Saturday is not an "excuse" but I think my level of expectation would be different from going on a busy seasonal Saturday versus a mid-week day. Exactly. That's YOUR level of expectation. A family of guests making their "once a year trip" to the park don't care if it's Saturday, or Monday, or if Robb Alvey suggets to avoid parks on certain days. That's completely ridiculous! Even the Six Flags website recommends going on a less busier mid-week day! I think you're being totally unreasonable and unrealistic. And on top of it, rude by calling me out personally. That family of four SHOULD care because it could change the outcome of their day. I don't care what park chain you are talking about, be it Six Flags, Disney, Busch, Universal, Cedar Fair, etc, I think any some-what intelligent person is going to know that going on a busier day is going to result is a more frustrating visit. And it has nothing to do with what "Robb Alvey Says." DO YOUR RESEARCH!!! This is what the PARKS are suggesting. From the Six Flags Website: What are the best days to visit? Plan to visit when attendance is lightest. Best bets: Weekdays during the summer and any regular operating day during the months of April, September and October. From the Disneyland Website: When is the best time to visit the Disneyland® Resort? Selecting the “best” time to visit the Disneyland® Resort depends upon your interests. If you want to visit when the number of Guests is fairly low, plan to stay mid-week (Tuesdays-Thursdays) during: mid-September through mid- November mid-January through mid-March or mid-April through mid-May From the Cedar Point Website: Cedar Point recommends visiting on Sunday, Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday, when attendance is lower. Um, HELLO! Do you see anywhere them saying "Oh, hey, the best day to visit is a busy Saturday during spring break?" Of course NOT! I agree that the parks need to be doing they best they possibly can on a Saturday and having rides open late isn't acceptable at any time, but if a family is planning their "once a year visit" then the *SMART* families won't be going on that busy Saturday because they have done their research and at very least READ THE PARKS WEBSITES first, and then secondly, done a search for reviews or reports outside the official sites. Sometimes your attitude in an effort to always be "right" amazes me. --Robb Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tiburon503 Posted April 25, 2008 Author Share Posted April 25, 2008 For an extra $20, maybe Six Flags will let you choose an already filled seat and kick the rider off. I'd bet a lot of people will upgrade for that plan. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cpfan101 Posted April 25, 2008 Share Posted April 25, 2008 I am still curious as to where people get Superman forces? I seriously think that people (sfft fans) just defend that ride. I live in San Antonio and have been pass holders every year. Personally, that ride still bores the crud out of me. Granted that you can wait when there are no flash pass users. Still that one policy is a little rediculous. I think that the park looks stunning and has the potential to be "good", when comapred to Sea World in terms of quality of employees, cleanliness of park, park operations, (oh please don't mention how gross the water park is at Six Flags some days. Some days it is nice, others it is completly disgusting.) Sea World is still a nicer park hands down. Granted Six Flags has more rides, but please tell me, if Sea World had the exact same roller coasters as Six Flags (I mean exact clones) but the layouts of the parks stayed the same, which would you choose? --David Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CoasterGuy06 Posted April 25, 2008 Share Posted April 25, 2008 Fiesta Texas, in a heartbeat. I don't know what it is about it, but it is one of my favorite parks and SKC is one of my favorite rides. What sucks for me is both of my SFFT visits have been on PACKED Saturdays, because I would love to spend a day riding it over and over. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KDCOASTERFAN Posted April 25, 2008 Share Posted April 25, 2008 We never bought it. We just had a TERRIBLE experience at SFFT, I'm talking Alabama Adventure bad. Every ride disappointed, over half of the major attractions didn't open until much later in the day, and it was extremely understaffed...during a Saturday in Spring Break. It was the worst Six Flags experience I have ever had. Well, that may be your problem right there. You went on a SATURDAY during SPRING BREAK. Maybe you should have gotten Flash Pass: Here's what's it's good on: Boomerang - Low Capacity Ride. Bugs' White Water Rapids - Great log flume without having to wait. Poltergeist - Great coaster! Ride it many times without waiting! Road Runner Express - Also a great coaster! Ride it many times. Scooby-Doo Ghostblasters - Low Capacity Dark Ride. Scream - Lower Capacity drop tower. Superman: Krypton Coaster - Great coaster! Ride this many times. The Gully Washer - It's a rapids ride. Did you even bother? The Rattler - Get your credit without having to wait. Tony Hawk's Big Spin - Low capacity decent spinner. Goliath - You get to ride in the front! Seriously, how is getting the Flash Pass *NOT* a good value and a way to insure you'll have a better day at the park? I just don't get it. We are all park and roller coaster enthusaists and when a park offers a way for us to have a better day, why are so many people against this? When I spend THOUSANDS of dollars on a trip, spending an extra $33 per person to skip the lines on every ride is NOTHING. --Robb It's not a good value at all Robb.Parks existed long before SF came up with the fastlane/flashpass system & guests knew that they had to spend time waiting in line for rides no matter what seat they wanted. When SF does things like this(or in the case of superman at SFA last year)reserving an ENTIRE train for flashpass users only it just leaves a bad taste in the guesets mouths.I swear I really would like to see Shapiro & Snyder ousted & Burke brought back to the CEO's position in the company because the current management is just making the chain worse with these terrible policies. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CoasterGuy06 Posted April 25, 2008 Share Posted April 25, 2008 Flashpass was a Burke policy. All Shapiro and co. have done was to bring more Q-bots to more parks. (Burke is also largely responsible for most of Six Flags current problems). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PURE Posted April 25, 2008 Share Posted April 25, 2008 I think any some-what intelligent person is going to know that going on a busier day is going to result is a more frustrating visit. My point is that it doesn't have to be frustrating if operations are running like they're supposed to on a busy Saturday. You're saying poor operations are acceptable because its a Saturday and the parks crowded. And I disagree. The park should be OVERSTAFFED because the park knows its a Saturday and knows it's going to be busy. Its one thing if the park is busy; guests can accept that lines are going to be longer and things are going to take more time to get to. What guests don't accept is when they're willing to be patient, willing to accept things are going to take a long time, and they still end up waiting 2 to 3 times longer because the park isn't properly staffed and because there's 1 train operation on the rides. Just because people decide to visit on a Saturday doesn't mean the trip should suck. And you seem to think that's okay. Operating a park that way doesn't make people want to come back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robbalvey Posted April 25, 2008 Share Posted April 25, 2008 It's not a good value at all Robb.Parks existed long before SF came up with the fastlane/flashpass system & guests knew that they had to spend time waiting in line for rides no matter what seat they wanted. When SF does things like this(or in the case of superman at SFA last year)reserving an ENTIRE train for flashpass users only it just leaves a bad taste in the guesets mouths.I swear I really would like to see Shapiro & Snyder ousted & Burke brought back to the CEO's position in the company because the current management is just making the chain worse with these terrible policies. LMAFO!!!! Oh, I haven't read a post that funny in a long time! Seriously dude, you need to see if Jon Stewart has an opening on his writing team. --Robb "Still laughing..." Alvey Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tiburon503 Posted April 25, 2008 Author Share Posted April 25, 2008 Remember, Six Flags is a business. Their #1 goal is not pleasing customers, but to increase profits. Now they can increase profits through pleasing customers, but their main agenda is money. Sounds like GM's policy. It helped Toyota and Honda greatly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robbalvey Posted April 25, 2008 Share Posted April 25, 2008 ^ If you don't like the parks, don't go. But seriously I'm so sick of hearing people bitch about things that Six Flags does that other park chains are also doing. They are allowing Flash Pass riders to have the front seat of Goliath. Big Deal. I just don't see why people have to get so worked up over these things. I'm so sick of all this Anti-Six Flags chatter when the parks overall have obviously been improving...chain wide. But everyone keeps grasping at these little things just to bring them down. $1 lockers, no-refills on last years cups, and now front seat rides. Just PLEASE STOP! People, this stuff is NOT WORTH BITCHING ABOUT!!! If you don't like it. Don't go. It's that simple. --Robb "Thread Closed!" Alvey Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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