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NEWS: Six Flags L.O.C.K.E.R.S. now optional


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I would rather see tables for loose articles like the ones I have seen at Worlds of Fun. It's much faster to put something on/take something off of a table vs. reaching into the bin. Also, since they feel less secure, people would be discouraged from having loose articles in the first place.

 

Now the FFBFWMAG policy was intended to boost capacity but I'm not sure that it helped all that much. Look at any loose shoe ride. Batman the Ride, Raging Bull, V2, and Superman all have loose shoe cubby on the platform, so that steals about as much time as storage bins, especially when it was required that all shoes had to be in/on the (rather small) cubby. I don't think the capacity hit will be that bad.

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I don't necessarily hate Six Flags' policy about the safety deposit boxes, however I don't think it's fair to say that the policy is justified by faster dispatch times. A hard working crew can still get high numbers even with riders scattering loose articles everywere. Coming from someone who was on a Tatsu crew that consistantly pulled about 1200pph before the lock box policy, it's possible to be effecient without lock boxes. Also not advocating that they be removed altogether. I just want to reiterate that Six Flags should not make it MANDATORY. Not even CEDAR FAIR has a mandatory policy. Certain rides at certain parks may have specific policies, but overall it's a case-by-case kind of thing.

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I was talking to my nerd friends a couple nights ago, and wondered if SF would be backing out of its deal with Smarte Carte too (since they're dropping everything). I'm not saying it necessarily means anything at all, but could this be some kind of foreshadowing to an eventual drop of the fluffy, fluffy bunnies filled with medicine and goo all together?

 

 

I think this is a brilliant consideration. Most chains choose to own their own lockers from American Locker (including Al Weber's former Paramount Parks). I wouldn't be the least bit surprised if SF corporate chose to invest in their own lockers and ditch Smart Locke. And with such a move it would be very difficult and costly to continue the present "no loose articles" policy while only offering key and lock lockers.

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I get the point that the lockers serve, and I'm all for the person with a giant souvenir, purse, backpack, etc. having to rent a locker, as you don't need to bring that much crap with you into a park. All you really need at most would be a wallet, cell phone, camera, and mp3 player. All of these should fit in your pockets, so there is no need to bring everything else with you. If you need more, go out to your car nd get it when you need it.

 

That being said, it was annoying to have to rent a locker when I bough a souvenir bottle, especially if the wait wasn't very long. I know it only costs $1, but that can add up, especially if waits are short. I haven't bought a bottle the past few seasons as I didn't want to pay every time I rode something. I think that if Six Flags was going to make a mandatory locker policy, a fee of free-$.50 would be better. It's cheap, it employs psychological pricing(being under $1), so guests, even though they are paying feel like they are getting a good deal, and they'd probably still make a profit at the $.50(maybe $.25) rate.

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What I find even more interesting than the lockers themselves is how much this policy seems to irritate people. And I don't think it's the policy of having to put your stuff in a locker, it's the ones you have to pay for, right?

 

So this is what I find fascinating...

 

There are now three pages of people complaining about a policy that costs... ONE DOLLAR... a dollar... a buck! That's it!

 

But not a SINGLE PERSON has said "What about the $5 sodas? Or the $15 parking???" Out of all the things the parks overcharge for the lockers are probably the least of anyone's actual spending at a park...and on top of that, it's something that people can AVOID! You can't really avoid drinking at a park. You can't really avoid parking. But you can certainly avoid the lockers!

 

Why is it such a big deal???

 

--Robb

Edited by robbalvey
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^Actually, Six Flags has a good deal on soda as far as the Souvenier Cups go.

 

I've always liked this policy *awaits massive flame from others* Yes, other parks such as Kings Dominion have lockers and can keep up the capacity, but this policy weeds out those folks who insist on packing up their house and taking everything they own with them to an Amusment park for a day.

 

Patience are a virtue that I possess in most cases, but when people are practicly undressing themselves in the station as they put their hats, glasses, shoes, and everything else in the locker it becomes a tad annoying.

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^Actually, Six Flags has a good deal on soda as far as the Souvenier Cups go.

I didn't say souvenier cups.

I know. I just don't understand why people still insist on getting a soda for five dollars. Even if you only visit the park once in the year, ten dollars and free refills on the day of purchase is cheaper than bjuying soda in the long run.

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I've never had a problem with this policy, but that's probably because I never bring in objects that I can't fit in my pockets and have therefore never needed to rent one of these. When I visited SFDK with my aunt, however, she stuck her backpack in one, and we just left it there while we did everything in the area rather than retrieving it and moving it to a different ride. If you max out the time you get with a dollar, you could get through the whole day using these lockers for less than it costs to rent an all-day locker. You only have the slight inconvenience of some extra backtracking.

 

If they don't make these mandatory anymore, a lot of people will probably be happy, but there will also be a lot of unhappy people due to a slower loading cycle. I don't really mind the bins in the station as long as it doesn't lead to excessive stacking and they have attentative ride operators who can stop people from sneaking in an extra ride. I also hope that people will have enough sense to only send one member of their party to the bins as opposed to all four of them going.

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I love the word filter.

 

Why?

 

Anyway, it is certainly a generational thing (it seems) that so many people find it necessary to ALWAYS be lugging around a backpack. I'm sure the parks have had to deal with many people, over the years, claiming that their stuff was stolen from the ride-ajacent bins...and I'm guessing that some even tried to hold the park liable. The whole pay-for-a secure compartment thing does seem like overkill, but I always thought that it might end up providing motivation to people to stop bringing so much crap with them. Guess it hasn't.

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There are now three pages of people complaining about a policy that costs... ONE DOLLAR... a dollar... a buck! That's it!

 

Thank-you! This puzzles me too .. It's just $1, and often increases capacity. Seems like a win to me, considering I'm willing to pay $50 for a QBot. At a park like SFGAm there are usually several coasters grouped together (Superman and Dark Knight; Batman and V2; Viper and Bull; Demon and Whizzer, etc) so you can even get one locker and hit several coasters.

 

Or ask someone else in your group to hold your crap while you ride.

 

Cameron.

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I really have not seen this improve capacity in any way (I honestly think the only way you're going to improve capacity at a SF is through the liberal usage of tasers), but it is odd to complain about a dollar. In the overall scheme of things, this really adds almost nothing to the amount you're going to spend to visit a park for a day. I don't bring a lot of stuff to a park anyway, so I don't normally use any of these systems. I do hope that they have some sort of card swipe system built in, so you don't have to go around searching for change or whatever. But that's like the only downside I can see to this.

 

I'm far, far more annoyed with parks that don't have "Guests Without Bags" lines at their "security" checkpoints.

 

dt

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I was talking to my nerd friends a couple nights ago, and wondered if SF would be backing out of its deal with Smarte Carte too (since they're dropping everything). I'm not saying it necessarily means anything at all, but could this be some kind of foreshadowing to an eventual drop of the fluffy, fluffy bunnies filled with medicine and goo all together?

 

 

I think this is a brilliant consideration. Most chains choose to own their own fluffy, fluffy bunnies filled with medicine and goo from American fluffy, fluffy bunny filled with medicine and goo (including Al Weber's former Paramount Parks). I wouldn't be the least bit surprised if SF corporate chose to invest in their own fluffy, fluffy bunnies filled with medicine and goo and ditch Smart Locke. And with such a move it would be very difficult and costly to continue the present "no loose articles" policy while only offering key and lock fluffy, fluffy bunnies filled with medicine and goo.

 

Smart Carte pays rent and owns the lockers. Not worth it for Six Flags to take over.

Edited by Jew
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I know going in to SF's or other parks that if I bring my all of my camera crap (some of which was used to bring you those cool first shots of the TG Train on track, thank you) that at some point I'm going to need a place to store it. At BGT it cost me fifty cents, yep, two quarters, 5 dimes, 10 nickles, that's it. A large one cost me a buck. My crap fit for fifty cents, worth every penny to not have to lug your crap up to the ride. Remember the girl at BGT who had her iphone stolen from Sheikra's bins? Sure they found it, but is it worth the risk? No.

 

One thing I think all parks could use to encourage people to buy more crap is to hold it at a pre-determined location in the park. If you win a giant bear, it's eligible to either be taken there by the park as a courtesy or you can drop it off. Same with shirts, mugs, classes, umbrellas, pens, pencils, pins, stickers, coloring books, models, die cast, hats, underwear, small boys in tights, shot glasses, or whatever else type of crap you buy. The park would have scheduled pick ups from the stores with the understanding it would be available at the pre-defined pickup area at X time.

 

Other than that, my only issue is with the souvenir cups. I think Robb mentioned back in the summer on the middle america tour that a SF park had cup holders. That is a GREAT idea. I hate to spend money on a refill only to drink a small portion of it and then have to dump it and pay money to store it. I do it mind you, but don't like too.

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Personally, the mere cost of a dollar to secure your stuff during a ride (or two if the line is short) is pretty cheap peace of mind. Imagine how much you'd spend to replace a car key, cell phone, etc.

 

Anything I won't need inside the park stays locked in my car. If making people put all of their junk into a pay-per-use space, it will speed up dispatch times, meaning that you'll get more rides during the day.

 

Eric

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For those in the GAm area, both Gurnee Mills and Woodfield Mall provide in-house lockers for a quarter. I am more than willing to secure my souvenir bottle or phone in a $.25 locker. And to get even better, they can make ultra small slots for phones and wallets! This way people will clearly feel that they are getting a bargain.

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I'm shocked nobody has mentioned how well Holiday World handles things. They have free lock.ers in the station, and you put your stuff in one and take the key, which has a bungee, much like the keys in waterparks. You put the key around your wrist and hold onto it during the ride, then when you get off, you can get your camera/purse/wallet/car keys etc. out of the locked lock.er. Why don't more parks do this, as it cuts way down on theft, increases guest happiness, and allows more purchases of souvenirs?

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while that would be the way to go, replacement keys cost money, if everyone would actually return the key and not play "let's take all the keys" it might would work. But, in certain markets, that little game would be played everyday, while other markets, it probably wouldn't. While charging .25, .50. or 1.00 per rental with a key isn't much, it's enough to discourage most from playing the game. Now if they used the system of getting a paper slip with barcode like is in place at SF's, parks could probably justify the small cost of the paper.

 

In the end, there is really no good answer other than don't bring in a stroller full of crap and expect the ride op to watch it for you. Bins or lockers. I prefer to put my 1k camera in a locker and not leave it at the station unless it's a one train wonder, and then I have.

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^Actually, Six Flags has a good deal on soda as far as the Souvenier Cups go.

 

Yes, but if you get a cup chances are you will have to put it in a Locker, thus defeating the purpose.

 

I honestly like the policy and I think it has helped dispatches at the parks I have been to since the policy was implemented (except Tatsu of course).

 

Let's take SFMM for example. The rides that it's required on are Viper, X2, Tatsu, Terminator, Riddlers, Batman, Scream and Goliath. So AT MOST let's say that is $8 per day to make sure your stuff is secure. This is less than parking and lunch.

 

Let's say most of us go to the park with at least 1 other person, that reduces that cost to $4 per person and the cost is reduced with each additional member in your party.

 

Let's also take into account that not everybody in your party is going to ride every ride, so if somebody doesn't ride they can sit out and hold whatever it is you would be putting in the locker.

 

And don't forget that you don't necessarily ride every single ride in a single day. The MOST I have spent for lockers is $5 for a full day (and that was WCB and being at the park from 8am to midnight). Some in our party had a camera bag so we needed them.

 

If you don't take bags to the park, you don't need the lockers. Wear cargo shorts, just keep your essentials (Wallet, Phone, Keys, Camera). Get a camera that fits in your pocket. I generally only use the lockers on Riddlers (Because I feel standing up makes it easier for things to get lost), Tatsu and X2. So for $3 per day I can ensure that my stuff is safe. Small price to pay.

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while that would be the way to go, replacement keys cost money

 

So charge people for lost keys... Most guests would rather get their stuff back and have to pay $5-$10 for a replacement key fee than just abandon their stuff at a park. Many places charge you only when you don't return keys, like hotels or with rental cars. As for the "game" of taking all the keys, I don't see it happening with a halfway decent ride staff on the platform. Remember these aren't lock.ers out in the park, these are only for while you are on the ride. There's staff all the time on the dispatch platform, and I don't think people will take the risk of being expelled from the park directly in front of the entire ride staff.

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The overall point is that lockers or other storage bins on ride platforms waste disptach time. Is it nice to feel secure, sure, but the only effective way to retro fit free lockers at several rides that currently don't have the storage space is off the platform (El Toro, Top Thrill, MF, etc) Nothing says you have to put something in it to take the key, and like I said, it's market dependant. And yes, people will be that stupid. I've seen people put in their fifty cents and throw the key in the trash or in a lagoon.

 

No crap in your lap, that's my motto. Again, there is no easy answer.

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For those in the GAm area, both Gurnee Mills and Woodfield Mall provide in-house fluffy, fluffy bunnies filled with medicine and goo for a quarter.

That's a terrible comparison! You're comparing a shopping mall, where people are carrying around lots of stuff because that's the whole POINT to a shopping mall, to a theme park, where people don't NEED to carry around lots of stuff.

 

Seriously, if you're going to make some sort of comparison, have it be apples to apples, not lemon trees to space shuttles.

 

--Robb

Edited by robbalvey
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I've never used fluffy floofy bunnies before this year. I usually don't carry anything with me in parks that won't fit in my pocket. I just hate carrying stuff. What was different this year? We visited the surface of the sun during the MidAmerica trip. I found it necessary to carry a souvenir cup so not to get raped on soda prices, a bathing suit, and sunblock. One of these things fits in my pocket (the sunblock), one should be kept in a day long locker or a waterpark locker (the bathing suit), and the last is a pain in the ass to have to put in a locker for every ride (the souvenir cup).

 

I love what Six Flags St Louis did, they had something for your cups at each ride. If there is something like this, I don't mind the fluffy bunnies. And even at Great America, a few of us split lockers so it wasn't even that bad when we needed them. I think it cost us like $2 each for the day, which isn't even the cost of a french fry.

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