An example of horrible parenting skills

[Skycoastin Steve]

^In four years, I've been fired by guests about 30 times. It's a common occurance for them to threaten your job. But what they don't understand is that we're more than likely going to get complimented for turning them down, not fired.

[Jojo19799]

^I don't think I've ever had anyone say "I'll have your job", but I have been told a million times that they were going to go to guest relations. Good, they will tell you the same thing. I just wonder where these parents come from.....

[ArizonaGuy]

July 2006 at Xcelerator

 

Me: Sir, I need to check your daughter's height

Guy: Why? She's been on this plenty of times!

Me: Okay sir. I just want to make sure she's meeting the line

Guy: But she's tall enough!

Me: I'm not doubting you, but for her safety and my peace of mind just let me double check

Guy: Fine!

(I check, and the girls at least 3 inches too short.)

Me: I'm sorry sir, your daughter is not tall enough for this ride

Guy: but we've ridden this two times today already

(conveniently enough we all worked all day shifts, so I ask him...)

Me: Was her height checked by another operator?

Guy: Some girl did it ealier

Me: Okay, ( i call the only girlup there that day)

Me: was it this girl?

Guy: No it was another one

Girl: I'm the only girl here today sir

Guy: I want to seak to your supervisor!

Me: Sure thing, you can step off the train and go to main information

Guy: Okay, after we ride.

Me: Oh no, there is no after we ride. It's either just you, or niether one of you.

Guy: I'm going to have your job!

Me: Have a great day sir.

 

Both of them left, and nothing happened after that.

 

I would have told him..."Well the upside to the situation is that she's at least ridden it before so it's not like your visit's a total loss today." LOL

[Dailey Enterprizes]

^^^ I used to be an umpire for Little League and I would have my job threatened all the time. I only got paid $20 a game...

[WFChris]

It may be me, but back in the late 80's and early 90's, it seems to me that we were able to get away with being 1/2 an inch too short once in a while. Not all the time, but as I recall, the ride ops just sometimes let it slide.

 

Maybe this is why parents try to help their kids to break the rules, because they remember doing this when they were younger and it working. I can say my parents never encouraged it. Nonetheless, I don't think the world was as sue-happy as it is today.

 

Just a thought, not that I agree with it at all; if I was the ride op I would not budge from the rules.

 

Chris.

[BeemerBoy]

It has never made any sense to me that you need a license to drive or wed; have age restrictions on smoking, drinking, gambling, but any dumbass on Earth can have a child!!!!

 

This just needed to be quoted again. Heck, I didn't even bother to read the other two pages. No offense, but they didn't really matter after this gem of a quote.

 

 

 

Scott "Elissa wins" B.

[moinab]

While I totally agree with the stupidity of this particular case, we just had a negative experience with height restrictions at Legoland. I watched 3 children (at different times,) the same size as my daughter (below the height requirement,) ride the frog hopper.

 

So, we thought, "what the hell - if they can ride it, maybe she can." The ride op let us on without measuring her, put the restraint on, changed his mind, made her get off, measured her, and turned us away.

 

We didn't question or fight it, at all, but it did seem ridiculous, to me. She couldn't go on the slide or the teacup ride, either, even though, at other parks, she would be allowed (no height restrictions on the teacups at Magic Kingdom - I took my older daughter on them when she was 1 year old.)

 

I completely understand the need for height requirements for rides such as coasters, but not for slides and teacups!

[RCFreak]

^I think in those cases it's more of a state/ manufacturer as I'm pretty sure the Disney tea cups were built in-house as opposed to the ones at Legoland which are built by another company which may have the 42 inch requirement. As for the inconsistency, that's just a lack of training and a shame as a kid could possibly end up getting hurt and it would be on the ops head.

 

^In four years, I've been fired by guests about 30 times. It's a common occurance for them to threaten your job. But what they don't understand is that we're more than likely going to get complimented for turning them down, not fired.

 

 

I remember getting that quite often when I was on Magnum and Dragster working entrance (hahaha oh the stories I have from there). I've always wanted to respond with "You can have it! Then you can deal with people like yourself," but somehow always managed to restrain myself. As for that parent, Lesley Carlin is my hero, you tell them what's up! We were thoroughly trained at Cedar Point on what to look for and how to deal with that (making the kids use their parents shoes in some cases if it came to that, where to look for the ankle to rest in normal tennis shoes, taming wild hairstyles, and more) and the proper use of the "candy canes" (the height sticks with colored tape they have at the entrances) and height stands. Plenty of both unhappy kids and parents, but they left the park alive so I didn't feel too bad, the kid will grow and hopefully have the chance to come back and ride when they are tall enough.

[ArizonaGuy]

When I was a ride op at SFFT back in 1996.....I had this dad who was throwing a fit because his son couldn't ride the Rattler because he wasn't tall enough. The funny thing was I could tell the kid really didn't want to ride it anyways. In any case, security had to be called because he started threatening me and one of the other ride ops.

Things get really funny when security shows up and wife ends up slapping the husband and screaming at him and causing a total scene. Where things get hilarious is when the family was escorted out of the park........only 30 minutes after the park had opened for the day.

[ebl]

^ I would have paid to see that!

 

The funny thing is that some parents want their kid to ride for the wrong reasons---bragging rights, usually. Even if the kid is tall enough, s/he may not be emotionally ready for a certain ride.

 

And parents who make their kids take rides that leave them crying just piss me off to no end.

 

Eric

[the ghost]

It has never made any sense to me that you need a license to drive or wed; have age restrictions on smoking, drinking, gambling, but any dumbass on Earth can have a child!!!!

 

This is the single most brilliant and most profound statement I have ever heard. I know like ten people have quoted this, but this is the bes answer this thread will get. Elissa FTW!!!!

[ebl]

Prospective parents should have to take a test.

 

Eric

[Capitalize]

It's people like this that make my job as a ride op much more difficult than it should be. Why can't people just accept it that their child is too short for a ride and just bring them back later when they are taller. I've been cursed at, physically threatened, and been threatened to be sued by parents before. There are some people who just can't be rational. I understand it when a kid acts that way, but when the parents do it, it's very shameful. Such a great thing to teach your kids too, how to disrespect rules.

 

The worst was always when a parent would get angry and claim that I let their kid ride earlier in the day when I have a very good memory and always checked all guests who appeared close to the limit. Don't pretend I'm that naive or forgetful.

[ArizonaGuy]

^^

I'd be like "Uhm ma'am your kid is ugly.....trust me I would have remembered throwing up in my mouth a little when I saw them." LOL j/j

[freekeee]

And parents who make their kids take rides that leave them crying just piss me off to no end.

 

My mum used to force me to go on coasters, ok, so i liked it when i was on, otherwise what would i be doing here! But she used to tell me off for making a scene when i refused to ride. (where as she was just being selfish because she wanted to ride and there was no one to leave me with) I was terrified though!

[XII]

While I can understand a parent trying to sneak a kid on a ride if they're a half inch too short, I simply can't fathom how yelling at a ride operator, bribing them and making a dilemma out of it would be a good idea at all.

 

It has never made any sense to me that you need a license to drive or wed; have age restrictions on smoking, drinking, gambling, but any dumbass on Earth can have a child!!!!

This quote needs to be hung up on a wall. Elissa FTW.

[sam06pr]

I am glad this person is being put out on the public, that gives all those dumb a$$es that want to slip in their small child an example of what you should not do. It still shocks me to see people try to do this, especially in the area I work. Not to mention how when you say "sorry he/she is too short, everyone in the queue line either start booing or persuading you.

[freestylenut]

I'm sure I'm gonna HEAR it from people on this site, but I HAVE snuck on my child on a ride he was too short on....he's a big SPIDER-MAN fan & was about an inch too short to ride the 3D ride at Islands of Adventure (40" minimum)...so I simply stuffed his sneakers with his socks at the heel (he only walked on it for a few minutes)...so he was almost tip-toed...got on & rode just fine...and he LOVED it!

 

of course, it doesn't go upside down like the Hulk...I'd never dream of doing THAT!

 

Open to flaming now!

[ebl]

Regarding what I said previously about parents forcing their kids on rides, my mom still says to this day that I rode the Long Beach Cyclone Racer, and when I got back was asked, "Did you like it?" I nodded. "Do you wanna do it again." To which I shook my head.

 

Trouble with that story is that it seems to change from the Racer to the Sea Serpent at P.O.P. Honestly, with my memory, I'd remember riding either one---and I have no recollection of it. I think she has me confused with my brother.

 

But even in those days, they had to have had some sort of height or age requirement. What crazed fool would allow a five- or six-year-old kid ride something like that? My dad used to tell me how crazy the Racer was when he rode it.

 

Eric

[Emiroo]

It has never made any sense to me that you need a license to drive or wed; have age restrictions on smoking, drinking, gambling, but any dumbass on Earth can have a child!!!!

 

Yup:

 

[Anac0nda]

*sigh* This thread reminded me of one of the few negative things working as a ride-op. I'm so glad though, that the problem isn't that big here in Finland. The more people visit a park per day, the more idiots do so as well. Last summer the most I heard was "We rode this last summer as well." no matter the height.

 

It's just pure sad some people leave their brains home when visiting a theme park...

[kidcoaster 2]

I remember one person who told me I should flip burgers because I may be better at that job

[chemical_echo]

I once had someone say she was going to watch me work the entire day to make sure I height checked and removed all kids that were too short.

 

It lasted about 5min, when my manager showed up, re-checked her kid, told her I was right and asked her to leave.

 

 

I would have just taken the $20, have another crew member tell the child she can't ride, split the money with the rest of the crew, and then we all deny everything.

[Bolliger&Mabillard]

I would have just taken the $20, have another crew member tell the child she can't ride, split the money with the rest of the crew, and then we all deny everything.

 

Nicely done. Best solution to this topic.

[gisco]

I'm sure I'm gonna HEAR it from people on this site, but I HAVE snuck on my child on a ride he was too short on....he's a big SPIDER-MAN fan & was about an inch too short to ride the 3D ride at Islands of Adventure (40" minimum)...so I simply stuffed his sneakers with his socks at the heel (he only walked on it for a few minutes)...so he was almost tip-toed...got on & rode just fine...and he LOVED it!

 

of course, it doesn't go upside down like the Hulk...I'd never dream of doing THAT!

 

Open to flaming now!

 

Just tought your kid a great lesson. Rules are for other people.