Six Flags Great Adventure 4/11

[CoasterGuy06]

One of the things they probably took into account was how many of those people were season pass holders. If most were the park was really not making any money, and regardless of what any business says that is priority #1. You can treat your customers like royalty all day long but if you are not making money you will not be in business. Six Flags will save more money by closing early today even if those 80 people never come back.

[coastakid]

Sure, Six Flag's was not prepared opening day, but that was expected, as were the winds. Opening day I knew there were going to be high winds and that the taller rides were going to be closed, but I was not expecting the park to have the fryers in the restaurant off, and Johnny Rockets not to have cheese, as well as a majority of the flat rides closed.

 

I will not take blame for what happened today as I was given false information from the park, and in turn, I can say that I will not go to GADV in the rain for quite a period of time, or unless I make sure that I have a backup plan. Six Flags has been making such a turn around over the past 1-2 years, and this has ruined my confidence in the park for me.

 

The park has been putting money into the park's atmosphere and refurbishing rides which I admire, seeing as a majority of the parks do not see a need for it, but GADV needs to realize that today they upset many people, and should have made a more civilized choice, such as leaving the park open till 4 pm [which I have seen happen at SFNE, but that choice was made at opening and the weather was much worse] The park should be more concerned about their guests than their costs, seeing as their guests are the ones bringing in the park's profits.

 

 

-Jon

[jbarner14]

^^^ Nothing you can do about closing early. It obviously wasn't your fault. I'm just glad that you guys ran it that last time for the kids that came from Chicago. For all the people complaining about driving 3-1/2 hours (I'm one of them), they had it worse. Anyways, it was nice meeting you.

[coasterguy618]

^ It was lightly raining, and there was absolutely no threat of a thunder storm.

 

It was pouring since early in the morning today. You honestly should of been aware of the rain today before making a 3 1/2 hour trip out there. Sure, I would be incredibly angry too, but like Robb said, you have to take some of the blame on yourself.

[Satchboogie3]

Nitro17, since you're here, you might be able to answer this question. Does El Toro ever cycle empty trains? I have heard the excuse, but I haven't actually seen any coaster that can't run empty trains.

[Electerik]

Six Flags will save more money by closing early today even if those 80 people never come back.

 

Though this is an extreme example, I'm still compelled to ask: Will they?

 

Let's assume those 80 people never come back. And every time any one of them has the opportunity--every time it comes up in conversation, or even the subject of bad guest service comes up--they slam the park to everyone they know. Which results in people who saw the park's commercials and thought it looked like it might be fun, but certainly don't want to experience anything like that, deciding to pass. Maybe those folks would have been lifetime customers--who, if treated right, would have talked up the park to others. But they never even went, because they knew a guy who had a really bad experience.

 

Now, I don't know that any of that will happen. But I don't know that it won't, either. The difference between success and failure can be a lot less than that. And I don't consider Six Flags, in its current form, to be a success. So why should I trust that they know what they're doing when it comes to decisions like these?

 

It's their business, and they can run it any way they want to. But will this decision really result in a net gain for them, long term? I'm not so sure.

 

/Not that my opinion means anything to them.

//But that's kind of my point.

[SharkTums]

Dude, it's a business...most people were smart enough NOT to go today as based on your testimony of 20 cars in the parking lot.

 

Sorry, but as a business graduate I agree, I'd rather piss off 20 cars worth of people then pay for an entire staff of a park to 'maybe' stay open here and there between rain showers.

 

And as an enthusiast, you should take the blame! You CHOSE to drive your OMG 3.5 hours with a bad weather forecast for the morning!!! If you had any idea of parks lately, you'd know that they close in bad weather, or if early bad weather has led to poor attendance.

 

As for parks closing early, this is nothing new!!! I've been to parks that have been doing this the last 10 years! Corporate and Family Owned.

 

A lot more of you would complain if they closed SFGAd permanently due to Six Flags going bankrupt due to keeping the park open for 20 people in the rain!

[Teacups Make Me Sick]

I feel your pain....I just got back from Jackson myself. Being a "local" I heard the weather report, and they were consistant that the rain was supposed to clear up by early afternoon (which it did).

 

I did notice that there was a reasonable turn out considering it was raining and a bunch of people were heading over to the drive through safari (which is what I did).

 

It does stink b/c the weather cleared up (as the reports said). There wasnt a threat of rain, but living in the state for all my years, I'm not a weather person, but you can tell (high winds, dark clouds, etc) weather or not there is going to be a storm. So, I'm kinda p'ed off that they closed early.

 

But hey, my friend and I got to see some x-rated action at the Drive Through Safari...some brown bears getting it on right next to my car. Quite a site....they were really going at it.

 

EDIT: There were much more then 20 cars in the lot....I've seen less on more clear days and people were still streaming in when we left.

[coastakid]

Hey guys, sorry if I started a commotion.

 

I have been going to GADV for YEARS in the rain and was just shocked that it was closed upon arrival. Adding to the fact, mid way through the drive I was instructed that the park was remaining open, which in this case; It did not.

 

I really suppose I cannot put the blame on the park, seeing as in any ordinary business response, the company would be shocked to find out that they are losing money, but I also do not find it to be my fault either.

 

-Jon

[nitro17]

Nitro17, since you're here, you might be able to answer this question. Does El Toro ever cycle empty trains? I have heard the excuse, but I haven't actually seen any coaster that can't run empty trains.

 

It does, but it is too early in the season at this time to do so.

[matt_g]

Sorry, but as a business graduate I agree, I'd rather piss off 20 cars worth of people then pay for an entire staff of a park to 'maybe' stay open here and there between rain showers.

 

So they can just close the park without paying their staff, even if they were expecting to get paid for a day's work and have potentially paid to travel to work, etc? No wonder the staff don't have the best reputation in the world if that's what happens routinely.

[larrygator]

^Employees are paid by the hour, so they will get paid for the hours they work.

 

Who said this is "routine"? Elissa (and anyone else who has been going to parks for decades) has seen it before but not often.

 

With SFGAdv as my home park, I can tell you I never try to go to the park in the rain in April. In May and June if it rains I'll head to the park, but the combo of rain and cold weather does not make for a pleasant experience.

 

I couple of years ago I did the opposite and drove up to SFNE on a rainy day and the whole drive I knew what I was getting into with the possible closure of major rides or even the park. I took a chance and get lucky that it cleared up by 11:30.

 

Now the original poster said he called the park halfway through his trip to see if the park was open. This was a good move, but you have to remember he was talking to the park around an hour before opening, they had no way to predict the crowds.

 

Also, it doesn't matter what they told you at the parking booth, you should have requested a refund for parking at guest relations.

[shepp]

Also, it doesn't matter what they told you at the parking booth, you should have requested a refund for parking at guest relations.

 

Absolutely.

 

Sounds to me like SFGAdv made a justifiable business decision, but that it would also have been good business to refund your parking, or even offer you a bit more. You might as well have stopped by Guest Services and complained - you never can tell.

 

Soon after the V2 reprofiling, I went to SFMW just to ride that ride. Though it hadn't been listed as closed on the ticket booth signs, it was down all day. Guest Services was utterly unsympathetic: no, I didn't expect a refund, but a free "come back next week" ticket would have been nice. Flash forward a few years, to when Roar was running only one train all day, even when waits were around an hour - something that had been happening every time I visited. I left a note at Guest Services suggesting that adding a train might be nice, and to my surprise soon got 4 free tickets in the mail. (Not that big a deal, since by then I was an SP holder.)

 

Same park, very different reactions.[/i]

[larrygator]

And remember kids one doesn't always have to complain like a madman, displeasure can be expressed without screaming and yelling.

[robbalvey]

...I was not expecting the park to have the fryers in the restaurant off, and Johnny Rockets not to have cheese...

WOAH, WOAH, Woah, Woah, woah....

 

Hold on here...

 

So you "HATE SIX FLAGS" because they ran out of cheese?

 

Makes perfect sense to me!

 

--Robb

[robbalvey]

Sorry, but as a business graduate I agree, I'd rather piss off 20 cars worth of people then pay for an entire staff of a park to 'maybe' stay open here and there between rain showers.

 

So they can just close the park without paying their staff, even if they were expecting to get paid for a day's work and have potentially paid to travel to work, etc? No wonder the staff don't have the best reputation in the world if that's what happens routinely.

Do you know anything about employement? This can happen at ANY job!

 

When I worked at Disneyland we were unionized so we got payed for AT LEAST 4 hours, but if we were on an 8 hour shift they could send you home once you got there, pay you for 4 hours, and be done with your shift for the day.

 

On slow days, that happened a LOT! And this is DISNEY we are talking about. A non-unionized employee can be send home at any time. And this isn't just Six Flags, it's anywhere. So don't go trying to put blame on Six Flags for sending employees home early.

 

Seriously, I think some of you are really being unreasonable with your complaints. Sounds to me like you're looking for reasons to bash SFGAdv.

 

--Robb "Although there really is no excuse for running out of cheese..." Alvey

[Shockwave]

I always take my own cheese when I'm at a theme park.

 

A bit like this guy:

 

[robbalvey]

^ Tom that's actually really good advice! That way, when you get the park and it's closed, at least you have your cheese!

 

--Robb "Never leave home without some cheese..." Alvey

[Meteornotes]

...I was not expecting the park to have the fryers in the restaurant off, and Johnny Rockets not to have cheese...

 

I totally blame the Yakuza. And whoever took the crane away from USF.

 

dt

[Shockwave]

^Maybe the Yakuza didn't get their protection money from both parks this month.

 

So they stole a big crane and used it to take all the cheese.

[DiSab]

Oh God, not the cheese!!!

[Team Thriller]

Even though the cheese is important, the fryers scare me the most.

 

Gotta have those fries!

 

--James

[bdstrom]

*ahem* unacceptable. Once amusement parks publishes their schedule on their website, it's final. They must keep their words. I don't expect everyone to agree with me. Just unacceptable. I got screwed just like this once and it's... *ahem* Six Flags Darien Lake. SIX FLAGS.

[tntornadox]

During my time at Dollywood, the park was closed early on several days- a 'soft closing' at DW means the rides are gradually closed- the back of the park (TN Tornado) working forward until all rides are down. They made this decision based off attendence- revenue being generated vs. operating expenses. When you look at it this way, it makes alot more sense for them to close early.

 

As for coasters running in the rain, the policy at DW was to run until a guest complained about it hurting them, then we would shut down the ride.

 

In the end, the park is a for-profit business and their bottom line is alot more important than a few carloads of people- and that is being bluntly honest.

[Sue]

I'm in the group who doesn't believe parks should close early due to weather. All businesses have good days and bad. Some days you'll make lots of money and other days you'll lose money--that's how businesses work. Just as someone else said, if a restaurant doesn't get "x" number of people for a meal, do they close? No. If a movie theather doesn't get "x" number of people for a movie, do they not show it? No. We've been the only 2 people in a theatre at times.

 

Lake Compounce is the biggest culprit when it comes to closing the park. We had one time where we called 5 minutes before opening from our hotel and were told they were opening and when we get there about 10 minutes later, they were closed. There's quite a few other times that they've closed where the sun was shining an hour or two after they would've opened. With Compounce, if they can't make money, they don't open.