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Holiday World (HW) Discussion Thread


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Get used to virtual queuing in the long haul, Holiday World is likely the first of, well, everyone to implement such a system.

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If that's the case I guess my amusement park days are over, or at least going to be severely cut back. Especially if, as their site says, you can only reserve one ride at a time. What are you supposed to do while waiting for a ride, if every ride is on this program, and there are no shows or anything else to do?

 

EDIT: Oh wait, I can tell you what the bulk of people are going to do: crowd around the entrance for the next ride they're set to go on via the app, thus diminishing the entire "social distancing" point of the virtual queue in the first place.

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^ I think there are still a LOT of logistics to work out and figure out with this. I've pretty much come to the realization that I probably won't be going to any parks in 2020. Yeah it sucks, but I'm fine with taking a step back this year to let them work out all the bugs and figure things out for the long term.

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a virus that is less deadly than the flu will force us via Politically Correct culture to never interact with any human being ever and change our entire society.

Oof, there's a juicy quote. Enjoy your internet cool points while you can, I'm going to go make some popcorn.

 

If that's the case I guess my amusement park days are over, or at least going to be severely cut back. Especially if, as their site says, you can only reserve one ride at a time. What are you supposed to do while waiting for a ride, if every ride is on this program, and there are no shows or anything else to do?

I mean, in fairness, there really isn't anything to do in a regular queue as it is. With the new systems, you're merely getting to decide where you want to wait.

 

It's okay by me because I can take the 30-60 minutes I would normally spend in switchbacks and go snap some coaster photos. Or, families with non-riding children can now stay together for longer periods of time.

 

If these systems pick up like I think they will, it definitely will be awkward for the next few years as parks adapt with larger gathering spaces, potentially more food options, and more "places to see" throughout the park.

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I mean, in fairness, there really isn't anything to do in a regular queue as it is. With the new systems, you're merely getting to decide where you want to wait.

 

It's okay by me because I can take the 30-60 minutes I would normally spend in switchbacks and go snap some coaster photos. Or, families with non-riding children can now stay together for longer periods of time.

 

If these systems pick up like I think they will, it definitely will be awkward for the next few years as parks adapt with larger gathering spaces, potentially more food options, and more "places to see" throughout the park.

No but parks like Disney, Universal, Efteling and others have quite a few interactive queues and preshows that cramp a large amount of people in tight areas. Harry potter at Universal is also notorious with the detailed queues (Forbidden Journey and Gringotts). I'd hate to be told i'll never be able to see the stretching room in Haunted Mansion because of pseudoscience.

 

All throughout man kind we've had opera houses packed, arena's liked the Colosseum completely filled, and in the modern era broadway theatre's and stadiums to max capacity. I find it hard that COVID19, one of the waaaaay lesser things we should be worried about will change things.

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If that's the case I guess my amusement park days are over, or at least going to be severely cut back. Especially if, as their site says, you can only reserve one ride at a time. What are you supposed to do while waiting for a ride, if every ride is on this program, and there are no shows or anything else to do?

 

It's not supposed to be a reservation system. HW doesn't do reservations for rides. It's a virtual queue that's being treated like a real line. You wouldn't be able to leave the real line to go ride another ride. They're trying to keep things as normal as possible. So find a bench, enjoy unlimited free soft drinks and wait your turn. It's only being used for the dry park. They only have 4 coasters and couple of decent flats. They'll be operating at 50% capacity. Waiting really shouldn't be an issue if Thunderbird and Voyage run 2 trains.

 

On a side note, I'm guessing ride ops at HW will no longer collect bags from guests standing in line and store them for you. That's gonna slow up operations a bit.

 

I just processed my season pass online and will be going on June 14th. I'll do a trip report about all the changes and how operations seem to be effected by them.

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No but parks like Disney, Universal, Efteling and others have quite a few interactive queues and preshows that cramp a large amount of people in tight areas. Harry potter at Universal is also notorious with the detailed queues (Forbidden Journey and Gringotts). I'd hate to be told i'll never be able to see the stretching room in Haunted Mansion...

Sure, okay, but I for one would love to not have to wait underneath the awful green shade canopy outside of Haunted Mansion, or in the many halls of the Harry Potter attractions hearing the same spiels over and over, or inside the boring, claustrophobic caverns at the beginning of Avatar Flight of Passage, or the switchbacks of Space Mountain... Shall I go on?

 

Queue-based storytelling isn't going to go away. I'll gladly eat some humble pie later if I'm proven wrong.

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I mean, in fairness, there really isn't anything to do in a regular queue as it is. With the new systems, you're merely getting to decide where you want to wait.

 

Or, you buy Fast Lane Plus at Cedar Fair parks, and don't wait more than 5 minutes.

 

It's not supposed to be a reservation system. HW doesn't do reservations for rides. It's a virtual queue that's being treated like a real line. You wouldn't be able to leave the real line to go ride another ride. They're trying to keep things as normal as possible. So find a bench, enjoy unlimited free soft drinks and wait your turn. It's only being used for the dry park. They only have 4 coasters and couple of decent flats. They'll be operating at 50% capacity. Waiting really shouldn't be an issue if Thunderbird and Voyage run 2 trains.

 

My concern is obviously not with Holiday World, a park that is geographically distant that I have only ever planned on visiting once or twice in my life. That said, it absolutely IS a reservation system - when you click on it, it will give you a time to go to the ride in question.

 

My concern is with my regular CF parks adopting something similar - namely Kings Dominion; where I used to buy Fast Lane Plus and wait no more than 5 minutes for just about anything.

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^You're jumping the gun in assuming Fast Lane won't still be an option. It could very well be that if you purchase Fast Lane, you'll use the same app, but a quicker return time. It's all speculation at this point. Chill out.

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Oh, I know it's all speculation, and I'm not really flipping out. Just responding to A.J.'s speculation that all parks will adopt this nonsense for foreseeable future, seen here:

 

Get used to virtual queuing in the long haul, Holiday World is likely the first of, well, everyone to implement such a system.

 

If people are going to throw out hypotheticals, they're going to get hypothetical responses.

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Things are still touch-and-go right now for obvious reasons but I'm anticipating virtual queuing to become the norm once this all settles, and will be a huge wake up call to those parks that do not have a solid digital infrastructure. And Daniel hit the nail on the head here:

 

You're jumping the gun in assuming Fast Lane won't still be an option. It could very well be that if you purchase Fast Lane, you'll use the same app, but a quicker return time.

The implementation of this system across the board doesn't change anything, especially for parks that never had a skip-the-line system to begin with (such as Holiday World).

 

What it means is, instead of having Flash Pass Bronze / Silver / Gold at an upcharge, everyone will get Bronze and then the upcharge will be Silver / Gold / hypothetical Diamond or something. Theme parks will never let go of those extra perks, like Fast Lane, so long as there are people willing to pay for them.

 

There are conversations going on in the theme park industry right now that are speculating (and debating) changes that go far beyond the implementations of virtual queuing, too.

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Just some thoughts:

 

Skip the line systems aren't going anywhere. If anything, it would be an opportunity for parks like HW world and other parks that don't have merge systems in place to implement them. The worst part about this is that I won't be able to hear all of the Karen looks and comments when I walk past the queues.

 

So is all virtual queuing going to be done on phones? IF THAT'S TRUE... I limped my last phone along for almost a year with limited battery capacity. I guess I'd be shit out of luck halfway through the day? Are fast charging stations going to be available? What if my phone isn't capable of downloading the app? What if I break my phone during my visit? What if I can't afford a phone? I don't like the thought of this being just one more facet of life where you have to depend on a phone, but that's life now.

 

The thought of not waiting in line is a pleasant one. Sitting on a shaded bench will be nice. Grabbing a table and having lunch while waiting in line will be nice, too. Except that bench is taken and that table is full, because no one is waiting in line. The midway that you wanted to calmly stroll down is now packed with people.

 

I had initial good thoughts. If I reserved a ride on Batman the Ride (pick one), my phone would vibrate, I'd get scanned in, and I'd enter the ride. I pictured it just as it had been, except that I'd be waiting for my phone. No big deal. Except that we all know that other people who would normally physically be in line are going to clutter the pathways in front of the rides and block the entrance. (I'm looking at you, Six Flags.) Maybe virtual queuing still have a queue line, but "allow enough space for social distancing." (2020 catch phrase that I'm so ffcking tired of hearing)

 

A 50% maximum capacity day is still fairly busy, let alone the next phase of a 75% maximum capacity day. I think when people hear a term like 50% maximum capacity, they assume attendance will be 50% less of the average attendance they're used to. Instead, it may be exactly the same.

 

I don't want to this to set and industry wide precedent. Like in any crises, I hope we come out of this with a lot of gained benefits, without constant paranoia. I'm willing to bet that there will be a lot gained from experimenting with virtual queuing industry wide. But, I don't want it to be a completely different experience. At this point, if I had to choose between permanent changes and opening this year, versus keeping parks closed for 2020 and going back to business as usual in 2021, I'd gladly choose the latter. Although, I may be a bit biased. Since I have a five day old human at home right now, 2020 is pretty much a social/travel loss for me. I'm dealing with changes across the board...

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So is all virtual queuing going to be done on phones? IF THAT'S TRUE... I limped my last phone along for almost a year with limited battery capacity. I guess I'd be shit out of luck halfway through the day? Are fast charging stations going to be available? What if my phone isn't capable of downloading the app? What if I break my phone during my visit? What if I can't afford a phone? I don't like the thought of this being just one more facet of life where you have to depend on a phone, but that's life now.

 

This is a great point and something I've thought about also. I barely was able to get my phone through an entire day last year at Disneyland on it's most restrictive battery saving "power mode" to use my MaxPass. That was a year ago, I doubt it would make it through even half the day now.

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Just some thoughts:

 

Skip the line systems aren't going anywhere. If anything, it would be an opportunity for parks like HW world and other parks that don't have merge systems in place to implement them. The worst part about this is that I won't be able to hear all of the Karen looks and comments when I walk past the queues.

 

So is all virtual queuing going to be done on phones? IF THAT'S TRUE... I limped my last phone along for almost a year with limited battery capacity. I guess I'd be shit out of luck halfway through the day? Are fast charging stations going to be available? What if my phone isn't capable of downloading the app? What if I break my phone during my visit? What if I can't afford a phone? I don't like the thought of this being just one more facet of life where you have to depend on a phone, but that's life now.

 

The thought of not waiting in line is a pleasant one. Sitting on a shaded bench will be nice. Grabbing a table and having lunch while waiting in line will be nice, too. Except that bench is taken and that table is full, because no one is waiting in line. The midway that you wanted to calmly stroll down is now packed with people.

 

I had initial good thoughts. If I reserved a ride on Batman the Ride (pick one), my phone would vibrate, I'd get scanned in, and I'd enter the ride. I pictured it just as it had been, except that I'd be waiting for my phone. No big deal. Except that we all know that other people who would normally physically be in line are going to clutter the pathways in front of the rides and block the entrance. (I'm looking at you, Six Flags.) Maybe virtual queuing still have a queue line, but "allow enough space for social distancing." (2020 catch phrase that I'm so ffcking tired of hearing)

 

A 50% maximum capacity day is still fairly busy, let alone the next phase of a 75% maximum capacity day. I think when people hear a term like 50% maximum capacity, they assume attendance will be 50% less of the average attendance they're used to. Instead, it may be exactly the same.

 

I don't want to this to set and industry wide precedent. Like in any crises, I hope we come out of this with a lot of gained benefits, without constant paranoia. I'm willing to bet that there will be a lot gained from experimenting with virtual queuing industry wide. But, I don't want it to be a completely different experience. At this point, if I had to choose between permanent changes and opening this year, versus keeping parks closed for 2020 and going back to business as usual in 2021, I'd gladly choose the latter. Although, I may be a bit biased. Since I have a five day old human at home right now, 2020 is pretty much a social/travel loss for me. I'm dealing with changes across the board...

 

Thanks, Zach. Glad to know I'm not the only one with this perspective.

 

Yeah, I didn't consider that CF parks would realistically implement a skip-the-line system similar to Six Flags Flash Pass (if they were to adopt virtual queues at all, fingers crossed they don't), with various grades and wait times. I agree that it's just not the same as bypassing the whole regular queue and getting that "better than you" feeling LOL.

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So is all virtual queuing going to be done on phones?

Wristbands are also offered as an alternative. (X)

And Disney has had clusters of kiosks in each land for you to work on your FastPass reservations without a phone since the FastPass Plus system was implemented.

 

If parks really decide to go all-in on this, it IS going to be awkward for a few seasons. All the stuff you said, people crowding around entrances, possible lack of places to sit, that's all going to happen until each park understands what works and doesn't work for them.

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Since I have a five day old human at home right now, 2020 is pretty much a social/travel loss for me. I'm dealing with changes across the board...

 

Congratulations! I'm not sure if you've posted this elsewhere and I missed it, but if not, congrats on your new addition to the family, and blessings on this challenging, but exciting adventure that is ahead of you!

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Zach, congratulations! I was kind of looking for you to post something on the SFSTl thread but whatever you say or do is excused. We all know new parents are totally sleep deprived and cannot be held accountable for what they say or do.

 

5 days old you say? posted on the 21st. Was your new addition born May 16? Hilarious if yes because that is my son's birthday (who you know is a ride op at SFSTl) Mine just turned 17.

 

As far as how the parks will implement all the new queue options.......of course we are all speculating, it's what people do. And we have no choice but to wait and see. I do think it will be an ever evolving situation at least for awhile depending on too many factors to list here. Will all the changes be permanent, probably not. Will some of the changes be permanent, probably so. We will adapt just like we all adapted to the new airport normal after 9/11.

 

I will be watching for the trip report. We are hoping to make a HW, KI, KK, CP run later in the summer if feasible.

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Thanks Kim. 5/16. She started going into Labor at 5am after I got dressed for work. Luckily, I had the weekend scheduled off anyway, but I wanted to save some time-off by working until the baby came. I can't ever remember a time where I was so bummed out not to be able to go to work. Either way, I'm miserable now...

 

Sorry for getting off topic.

 

I agree, and it's a good example, but I don't like the new normal at the airport. We're used to it, but just because we've gotten used to it doesn't mean it still doesn't suck.

 

Kiosks and wrist bands are nice, but I don't expect other parks to offer the seamless experience like Disney. I don't see parks like Holiday World and Kentucky Kingdom playing the long ball on this, or at least I hope not. I see it being more realistic in chains like Sea World, Six Flags, and Cedar Fair. If you think parks have to deal with Karen complaints now, they'll likely be ten fold.

 

Again, I get it. Disney can do it. I just don't think other chains have the resources to pull it off nearly as well. It's like going to a smaller brand grocery store and trying to use their lesser version of self-checkout instead of Walmart's.

 

Life was so much easier before personal accountability and responsibility were eliminated, and instead passed on to the masses instead of isolated to individuals. (Sorry. Rant.) Wash your ffcking hands and don't touch your face at parks, kids. Wear masks and don't touch people you don't know, for the time being. Don't lick handrails. Also, as a reminder of using common sense, don't walk in traffic. Pay attention. Don't be dumb:

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/health/2020/05/21/coronavirus-news-what-cdc-saying-covid-19-surfaces/5235317002/

 

Knoebels for life.

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Yay for more coaster children! Congrats!

 

And yes, these systems are here to stay and we just have to hope some of these smaller parks can pull it off. There are major parks in other countries that make you have a phone with a local number or app to use their systems and it's getting tricker for international guests to use them.

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Zach, I get it but a lot of this will fade with time. Just wanted to be realistic in that some changes will stay. Let's just hope they are the easier to deal with things like hand sanitizer and plexiglass.

 

I'm still laughing that our kids have the same birthday, albeit 17 years apart

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  • 3 weeks later...

The new park map is up! Park maps are a little passion of mine... lol. Here are the changes I could find:

 

Across the map there is a new label called “Digital Photo Attraction Pass.” The attractions with this are:

Frightful Falls

Voyage

Gobbler Getaway

Thunderbird

Cheetah Chase

Wildebeest

 

Splashin’ Safari:

- People added to the Wave’s design

- New Place named Muziki Bay: I cant find a description but the map shows a centerpiece of Tiki figures with water surrounding it. The area is listed under shows!!! You know what that means! Under shows, there is one named “Crank Up The Waves” and the description is “Feel the Beat of the Waves With D.J. Surge!” Is this the show that will be there?

- More people added to The Bahari Wave Pool standing in front.

- Cabanas surrounding Bahari Wave Pool are now purple.

- The pathway going from Bakuli down Muziki Bay is noticeably thinner, and the cabanas around the lower side of Bahari River are now teal colored

- The whole area on the north side of the Bahari River and Bakuli has been more defined and looks really good. Tengo Falls now has gray under it. Some cabanas have changed direction.

- As expected, the biggest change is the Cheetah Chase water coaster which looks great and helps to really fill out that area of the water park. Spreading out the crowds to more areas of the water park will help congestion a lot.

 

Holiday World:

- Another major change to that map that was expected is the closure of Hyena Falls. The entire section is now in Thanksgiving colors which probably means that will be Thanksgiving in the future, but it could also just be for convenience until that area can be redeveloped.

- A cart is no longer in front of Turkey Whirl

- The large Firecracker label is now gone

- The building by the Funnel Cake Factory is now striped

- Tippecanoes’ design has been slightly updated

- The cars have changed spots on the Lewis and Clark Trail

- The “3 Point Shot” red border on the bottom is now gone

- The direction of the bumper cars entrance stairs has switched

- The beach volleyball court in the picnic area is no longer on the map

- The restrooms in the front of the Christmas section now have red stripes instead of blue

- Reindeer Games is now visible on the map. It had previously been covered by a number

- Rudolph’s Round Up is also more visible. It had partially been covered before

- The tunnel is now labeled “Rainbow Tunnel of Legend Lot” and has a rainbow design. I like it!

 

I believe that is all. If anyone sees anything I missed, please let me know! I really enjoy that Holdiay World takes such pride in their park map and updates it all around nearly every year, going beyond just the major changes in the park. Overall, the map has a cleaner feel than before and the back area of the water park is looking very, very good. I’m excited to see it all in person again soon!

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