Park Pet Peeves

[Zenechai]

A couple of additions.

 

As a Guest:

1) Rude ride operators

2) Negligent ride operators (I know I'm being critical, but participation in this profession has really opened my eyes and shown me what I need to look for before boarding an attraction)

3) People who jump handrails when there's nobody waiting in line. Seriously, you're not going to wear yourself out walking another 25 feet, are you?

 

As a Ride Operator:

1) Guests who insist that we make exceptions for their loose articles. An actual exchange between myself and a guest.

Me: "Ma'am, I'm sorry, but we don't allow loose articles to ride with you."

Her: "But I have at least six hundred dollars in my purse!"

Me: *I gesture back to the line* "And I'm sure all the people waiting in line behind you are very happy to be made aware of that fact, but there are no exceptions. I'm very sorry."

Her: *pointing to a sign we have over the cubbies* "So you want me to put my purse in there, but you won't be responsible for it? Why do you expect me to leave it if you're not responsible for it?"

Me: "There are signs posted at the entrance of every ride, and it's reprinted in your map. We suggest you either leave your valuables at home, wear pants with pockets so you can stow money, cell phones, and credit cards, or leave all loose articles with a non-rider."

Her: *gets off in a huff* "Well, then I'm not going to ride."

 

She, of course, doesn't realize that had she just put her purse away and not acted like it containted the world, the guests behind her would have NO INTEREST IN IT WHATSOEVER.

 

2. Parents who argue with me about the height requirements. "Well, she rode everything at Disneyland!" "Sir, because Disney manufactures most of their rides, they set the height requirements. Because our rides are outsourced to third-party maufacturers, we have to follow the rules we're given. It's not safe for her to ride unless she's above the red line." (By the way, I have NO CONFIRMATION on the Disneyland rides. I just needed a plausible enough reason to give a guest. I thought it sounded good...)

 

3. People in line who LEAN OVER THE LOADING GATES to watch me measure a kid and say, "He's fine. Let him ride," and then get all pissed when I give them a scathing look and say, "Sir, let me do my job, please. I don't get paid to do much. Measuring and verifying heights is one of the joys of my job, and I wish you wouldn't spoil it for me." Or my favorite, from WaveSwinger, "I know he's not tall enough, but I'm his mom. Is there some kind of waiver I can sign that will allow him to ride anyway?"

 

ARE YOU EFFING KIDDING ME?!?!?!?!?

 

4. Heelies. (Surprised I'm the first to mention these) Anyone else have the temptation to throw an arm out and clothesline every Heely kid they see? Parents get pissed when we have their kid take the wheels out when we measure heights, too. And I'm tempted to get parents to boycott Skechers. Didn't they just make those "wedge" shoes that make you taller? Are they TRYING to kill our profession?

 

5. Guests who insult my intelligence. Sir, I DID see you stuff your hat down the front of your shirt. Ma'am, I DID watch you pull your sweatshirt on to hide the fact that you're wearing your purse cross-body. Sir, the mohawk you gave your kid actually makes it EASIER to see the top of his head. Same with topknots. DUH!!!!

 

There are more, but my head hurts......I'll add later.

 

~Zen

[jray21]

Just let it all out. We're here for you brother. Your safe here.

[Thelegendarymatthew]

@dmaxsba2408

 

I've never had problems with them outside. As long as they dont blow straight into my face I could care less.

However if I'm waiting to ride Flight of Fear, Dark Castle, or any other indoor ride and someones smoking, I have a problem. Especially with some of the narrow lines (corkscrew hill and volcano)

 

 

What annoyed me last time I was at a park was.

-People blasting out there ipods.

I'm sorry, but I don't want to hear another Chris Brown song while waiting for Hurler. Yeah, I bring my ipod for lines, but I dont have it blasting at max volume.

 

Heres something even more frustrating

-Trying to get them to turn down there music just a bit for the next hour or so.

Now, I don't care if your listening to AC/DC, Lady Gaga, or Mozart. I don't want to hear it. I try to ask to person to turn it down just a bit or two. If they don't they normally tell me something like "if it where your music, you would want it blasting" or "how can you not like this song".

I know I'm going to get responses saying like "Just ignore it" or "Mind your own business".

 

Well, that can be said for a lot of other things in this thread!

 

-Matt

[uwgbdork]

I would have to vote the most annoying thing ever is Teenagers standing in a big group whether in line or just in a group texting. Seriously, you are with actual people! Creating REAL experiences! leave your phone in the car.

 

This peave is even worse for me in movie theaters but that is another story.

[Zenechai]

Just let it all out. We're here for you brother. Your safe here.

I'm a girl, but thanks. <3 Where was I?

 

....oh, yes. These are a couple added today:

 

6) Vets who claim you're not respecting the fact that they fought for your country. Thankfully enough, we didn't get many this year. Now, yes, I KNOW you've gone through a lot, most of the men in my family ARE or WERE active duty military personnel, but that does NOT exempt you from the rules, including safety or health rules. *A vet tried to complain that Knott's didn't respect him because they asked him not to smoke in the Perilous Plunge queue. (OT sick question: Don't you think we should have renamed the ride? Now it's kind of literal.....)

 

7) People who bitch at you because of an upcharge ride. Got a LOT of this today, having been pulled to Screamin' Swing for the last 3 hours of my shift. I'm like, "Dude, it's five bucks. I work here and I make that in half an hour. I see the stamp on your hand. You at LEAST got a huge discount on your ticket, so we've already saved you at LEAST those five bucks. Whether or not you spend it on my ride, makes no difference to me. I'm sure there are parts of your job that you don't like. Well, telling kids they can't ride a ride because they're too small and watching them cry (or as parents say, "making them cry"), and hocking for a ride I really don't care for are two parts of my job I don't like. However, while I'm here, I pretend this ride is the greatest thing in the world and the best thing you can buy with five dollars. I don't see anyone complaining when they waste $10 playing a game to win their kid a stuffed Elmo that they don't end up getting, when they could have paid that $10 and ridden my ride and gotten some amusement out of it."

 

And again, my brain farted....more will come as needed.

 

~Zen

[Skycoastin Steve]

Zenechai, I think you've absolutely nailed every single one of mine on the head. People jumping queue rails probably piss me off more than anything else though. I REFUSE to jump or go through rails as a guest. People sprinting up to a ride drive me up a wall, as well. THE RIDE WILL NOT FALL DOWN AND EXPLODE IN A FIRE BALL IF YOU AREN'T ON THE VERY NEXT POSSIBLE RIDE, SO YOU DON'T HAVE TO SPRINT AND ALMOST FALL ONTO THE TRACK AND GET RUN OVER BY A 5 TON TRAIN TO DO SO.

[jamesdillaman]

I will say that even if you're outside in the "fresh air" so to speak, if you are forced to be right next to someone smoking in line, the air isn't fresh at all. It doesn't really bother me except for the rancid smell, but my fiancee is allergic and it really ruins any hope of her having a good time. I'll straight up tell people not to do it, and you wouldn't believe the looks and the words I've gotten for just asking nicely that someone follow the park's posted rules. At least most of them blow the smoke straight up as much as possible when I tell them she's allergic...

 

Outside or not, if you have to smoke, take 5 minutes before you jump into a line...

 

-James Dillaman

[Zenechai]

THE RIDE WILL NOT FALL DOWN AND EXPLODE IN A FIRE BALL IF YOU AREN'T ON THE VERY NEXT POSSIBLE RIDE, SO YOU DON'T HAVE TO SPRINT AND ALMOST FALL ONTO THE TRACK AND GET RUN OVER BY A 5 TON TRAIN TO DO SO.

 

And this is where Zen regrets drinking milk while reading topic replies. ROFLSNORT.

 

SERIOUSLY!!!! It's like, WTF? Parents have YELLED at me for yelling at their kids not to run. I'm nice and joking with the kids most of the time, where I'll be all, "It's OK, guys, we won't leave without you, I promise!" But when our ride opens (we open an hour after the rest of the park, at 11 AM) and the rope separating our section of the park drops, parents are all (I'm not kidding), "RUN, GUYS, RUN!!!! GET THERE FIRST!!"

 

And they wonder why we've created sites like this and stupidguesttricks.com......morons.

 

No, I am not giving up my car and no I DON'T smoke and I don't think anyone should have to be in any kind of enclosed area with someone who does. Complaining about someone smoking OUTSIDE because it will somehow affect your health just seems odd to me. There are much worse things your breathing in beside someones smoke, but that's OK, since you can't smell it or see it, it must not really be there or be bad for you in anyway. RIGHT?

 

Meant to respond to this a while ago....I recall in the news, people are praising the "Battle of the Hybrids", as it's been nicknamed. You know, the "competition" carmakers are in to build the most environmentally friendly, affordable, clean-air vehicles? You know, where people recognize that driving the cars they're driving is having a negative impact on other people and the environment, and the carmakers responded by creating a better vehicle?

 

I don't recall Marlboro and Camel duking it out to see who could make the least-cancerous cigarette. But maybe I missed that.....could you point out to me where the manufacturers of cigarettes (who are first to blame nonsmokers for being critical of smokers while they breathe car fumes) recognize the adverse effect they're having on our population and our environment, and take steps to change it?

 

........

 

.........................

 

.......I thought not.

 

I will say that even if you're outside in the "fresh air" so to speak, if you are forced to be right next to someone smoking in line, the air isn't fresh at all. It doesn't really bother me except for the rancid smell, but my fiancee is allergic and it really ruins any hope of her having a good time. I'll straight up tell people not to do it, and you wouldn't believe the looks and the words I've gotten for just asking nicely that someone follow the park's posted rules. At least most of them blow the smoke straight up as much as possible when I tell them she's allergic...

 

Outside or not, if you have to smoke, take 5 minutes before you jump into a line...

 

-James Dillaman

 

And a ROFL at the title under your username...again, more milk has ended up OUTSIDE my body...lame.

 

I'm all for smokers being more respectful to nonsmokers. My sister (a smoker for years who has TWO KIDS) is appalled at the behaviour she hears me getting from smoking guests who are angry about me asking them to extinguish their cigarettes when they're in a nonsmoking area. Her response? "Smoking was my choice, and I do not want to be responsible for my children or anyone else going to a hospital with lung cancer as a result of my choice. Maybe I'm an above-average human being, but I couldn't live with that on my conscience. If people want those things done to them, they'll take up smoking on their own. Don't force your choice on people who didn't choose it for themselves."

 

I wish more smokers were like her....

 

~Zen

[Jhcbiinoc]

^I'm one of those smokers like her, and I totally agree-I get pretty upset if I see someone smoking in line at any park I go to. I have no issue with parks having designated areas for it, to me it is a win/win situation for both parties. IMHO if you make the personal choice to smoke, you should be respectful of those who choose not to or who either do not want to be or cannot be exposed to it. (I go into my garage to smoke so my cat doesn't breathe it and if I'm out with a group who doesn't smoke I usually just excuse myself for a few and walk over to a different area).

 

In regards to park pet peeves, I have three I can think of off the top of my head. I go to Knott's and SFMM quite often and I have seen all three of these:

 

-Line jumping of any kind, and especially if it's glaringly obvious that their party further up in the line is talking to them on the cell phone telling them to hurry up and get to the front. Being about as non confrontational as I can be, what I will usually do is let it go if it's one or two people but an entire group I will point out to a park employee. I had a few incidents at SFMM several years ago (prior to the new management) where the person cutting in front of me was outright belligerent but I was actually too intimidated to say anything.

 

-One train operation on multiple train rides when there is enough of a crowd/line to warrant more than one train. I understand there are probably issues with staffing and so forth, but I have been in line a few times where it seemed like a small eternity. This happened to me at Knott's a few years ago-it was busy but Silver Bullet was doing one train all day on a Saturday and the second was not in rehab. Then-about an hour before the park closed, train 2 suddenly made an appearance.

 

-And finally, people who just utterly destroy public restrooms, either by playing a game of "let's see how much paper we can put into the toilet before it explodes" or worse, those who don't seem to acknowledge or understand what the little handle that flushes the toilet is. (To be fair, sometimes the flushers are broken, but more often than not, they aren't-but a public restroom should always be tested for that sort of thing.) It's those who just don't bother to flush that bother me the most; I don't care how much pride someone may have in what they did, I really don't want to see it. It's a toilet, not a display case, and it's a public restroom, not an excrement exhibition/fecal gallery.

[ebl]

^ AMEN on your last one regarding restrooms. Whether at a park or anywhere, I've never understood why people either weren't taught or just choose to ignore basic restroom habits. Keep it as clean as possible, wash your hands, and flush the toilet. It's really not that hard.

 

Eric

[dmaxsba2408]

Had typed out a large response to ^^^ but I really don't think this is the topic to have argument about car and cigarette companies and how much they do or don't care about you, me, anyone or anything and about the whole second hand smoke bull crap spread by the anti smoking Nazis. How inconsiderate NON-SMOKERS are to smokers or the other way around as you put it in your comments.

 

Topic: SMOKERS who do there smoking while in line should be reported, line jumpers should be shot on site, and if your going to pay $12 for a burger and fries, it should at least be warm.

 

[Zenechai]

-One train operation on multiple train rides when there is enough of a crowd/line to warrant more than one train. I understand there are probably issues with staffing and so forth, but I have been in line a few times where it seemed like a small eternity. This happened to me at Knott's a few years ago-it was busy but Silver Bullet was doing one train all day on a Saturday and the second was not in rehab. Then-about an hour before the park closed, train 2 suddenly made an appearance.

 

It's highly possible that Train B was waiting on a part from maintenance before it could be cleared for service. The maintenance area is not usually visible to guests, and testing isn't always obvious. There may have been a malfunction of a specific restraint that was discovered at pre-opening testing, and was unable to be addressed until later in the day, or a prox switch on the train wasn't reading correctly.

 

We'd rather be safe than sorry. LOL

 

And to ^, I don't believe I have PMs disabled. And yeah, call me a Nazi for thinking people should have common sense when they still choose to engage in a habit that has been proven to have NOTHING but negative results. You're stressed? Listen to music. I promise, you won't get emphysema from your iPod.

 

~Zen

[Angry_Gumball]

About the restrooms...I hate when people leave that 'pee ring' around the toilet seat, happens everywhere. Are people that lazy to flip a seat up before doing their duty? Do they really have that poor of aim? Maybe they should stick with the urinals as there's a guarantee no-miss.

 

And yes, left-over stuff from the previous user, pretty gross.

 

On the topic of bathrooms, peeves, and theme parks, anyone see that South Park's 13th season finale? I'd say Kyle would be a perfect match for this thread as he hates when people pee in the pools at the water park.

 

And vandals...always making stuff look run down with scratching up the paint/rails/whatever...mix them in with restrooms, you get broken stall doors or really weak ones (weak enough for an unruly teen to kick it open as you're conducting business).

[TYTL]

^ I've seen the Southpark episode and I agree. Kyle should be a cleaning person at theme parks 'cause he'd scare the people into being hygenic.

 

I hate it when a smoker isn't in a designated area and is next to a guard.

 

Also, when people start pushing in line. I've seen some 16 year old idiot that was pushing me, 11 at the time, trying to look Bada$$.

[B&Mmmmm]

well smokers are the biggest one for me.

I'm an asthmatic and simply walking within a 10 foot radius of a smoker makes me cough plenty. Often to the extent of practically choking. It's pretty embrassing standing their coughing and choking in the middle of the street and it puts my health at direct risk (short term as-well as long term)

 

One which annoys me is when rapids rides have a 15minute + que and the operators are sending rounds boats with 2-3 people in. I've seen it at almost all the big theme parks. I don't care that it's slightly awkward spending the ride avoiding eye contact with the other group of people in the boat, I'd still prefer that than queing for an extra 15 minutes!

 

One train operation. G force at drayton manor being the prime example.

 

When you can't choose what row you sit on and the operators assign you into a particular row. For some rides it doesn't matter (Oblivion) but it's annoying when what row you sit on makes a difference (Air) and when you want to try both rows (saw)

[travanx]

SFMM was stopping people from that line cutting stuff during when they were busy for Halloween on Goliath. Everyone around me when they went through our part of the line was staying stuff to them. I have a bad enough temper and won't hold my tongue for people, so I have to always look the other way to keep cool.

 

I cannot stand Disneyland and everyone having to drive around on a motorized wheelchair. Those are the most annoying people on earth. Attempt to walk around during the parades and have those people near you. I was with my GF and this guy behind me and 2 girls he was with got stuck behind someone. They started yelling at him to move. Then the person behind him started yelling at him to move. I turned around looked at him, and said come on fly up in the sky and move!! And you guessed it, part of the clogging of everything were all the stupid people on those motorized things. So I started calling them Wall-E people.

 

Also what's up with all these supposed injured people getting to go to the front of the line? I had a torn MCL for SFMM and Disneyland with an actual doctors note but still limped around and went through the normal line. Whereas just plain fat people or someone hopping around with no crutches, cast or anything get to ride first??? WTF.

 

The last peeve that seems strange to me is people standing in line that are basically leaning on me. I haven't quite figured this one out yet. Is it because I am 6'4 and resemble a leaning poll?

 

For the smoker/nonsmoker people. I find it funny Disneyland has their smoking area right next to the exhaust portion of Autopia.

[coolhandluke]

It's not really something that can be controlled or regulated (or even have the illusion of being so), but I don't really like how some parks have paths that "branch" out (and thus kind of "dead end"), or aren't nice and looped together. For example, at SFGAdv, the layout of several lands doesn't lend itself to easily moving around the park, like The Golden Kingdom, Plaza Del Carnival, and Movietown. I like to try and minimize backtracking, and loose-end paths don't help. Similarly, I wish Sunset Boulevard at DHS wasn't as long and solitary as it is back to RnR and ToT (and even more for Fantasmic). Obviously, it's not too pressing an issue, or something I can't deal with; it just throws in a hitch to navigating the park.

 

That's why, IMO, closing the loop at Dollywood was probably the smartest addition there since Thunderhead (which, if I remember correctly, was what started the whole "2nd path" development).

[larrygator]

^I agree with you about dead ends but:

 

Golden Kingdom conects to Boardwalk and Plaza del Carnaval. The entrance to Kingda Ka is at a dead on, possibly purposely done due to the nature of the launch and the length of the ride. However, the exit is not that far from the paths to the other areas.

 

Plaza del Carnaval connects to the a few areas. Possibly when you were there the bridge behind El Toro was still being refurbed and not re-opened yet (in which case El Toro and Rolling Thunder were at a dead end).

 

However, the whole Movietown area dead end is a mess until they re-open the passageway through the old German area that is now Rental Cabanas.

[jjune4991]

^^It's also like BGA with Egypt. I hate how I walk over there to ride Montu (which is in the corner) then have to walk around the skyride to get through Timbuktu to get over to Kumba. It's a good walk for some much needed exercise, but in the hot Florida sun....not so much

[coolhandluke]

^^Wow, I'm not sure how I forgot about the bridge through El Toro. We even used it to get to Bizarro. I stand corrected there. And I suppose I was thinking more specifically about KK than the rest of the Golden Kingdom, since that makes either connection a hike. I appreciate the corrections!

 

And though I haven't been there, SFA looks like a mess. In terms of layout, that is.

[Skycoastin Steve]

^Either way, SFGAdv's layout is still craptacular.

[Steelinwood]

I hate it when six flags plays that absolutely repulsive music while you wait in line. There is absolutely no variety!

[spacemtfan]

I have quite a few pet peeves...

 

1) Annoying middle-schoolers and below being obnoxious and disgusting (burping in your face, etc.)...one time while waiting in line for Space Mountain, these kids were messing around to the point of almost tripping through one of the emergency doors.

 

2) Mothers trying to kill me with strollers after fireworks/Fantasmic...seriously mothers, trying to mow down thousands of people won't relieve the congestion...

 

3) People taking flash photography on rides like the Haunted Mansion and Pirate of the Caribbean...even after the cast members constantly tell them not to, they still do it!

 

4) Parents forcing their crying kids on rides that they clearly do not want to ride...especially on rides like Indiana Jones Adventure and Tower of Terror. I mean, a trip to Disneyland should be a magic trip for them, not one that will scar them for life!

 

5) People who almost cause rides like Space Mountain and Matterhorn to be backed up...seriously, do you need to take a picture of yourself in the rockets?!?

 

6) Disgusting bathroom stalls...people who don't flush, pee rings/floors...BLEH!

 

7) People who argue with cast members when their groups are being separated...after going through the single-rider line...what part of SINGLE did they not comprehend?

 

8) Littering in waiting lines...last time I went to Knott's, there was a puddle of Gatorade in the waiting line for Jaguar. A very sad thing to see...

 

9) Parents yelling/scolding their kids in public...parents should know that yelling at their kids in public not only ruins their fun, but also of those around them.

 

10) Park guests who get angry and go crazy if the fireworks at Disneyland get cancelled...while I'm just as annoyed, I can't help but look down upon the tipping of trash cans...

 

 

Well...those are my top 10 park peeves from regular park guests...

[the ghost]

At knotts in June a large group of friends(2 were twins) kwpt riding ghostrider over and over by just getting out of the train and then getting back in. I told the ride op what was happening but the boys large(8-10) group kept saying they had never ridden.

 

People who use the steps of city hall at disneyland as their own personal changing table. Had this been at like SFMM or even a really crowded

Disney day this would have been gross but I would have been ok with it. In every bathroom at Disneyland there are changing tables, they may have one or two kid waits, but a dirty diaper wont kill your kid. Relating to the diaper subject if you have a kid still in diapers dont dress them in an elaborate Captain Jack or Disney Princess. I saw somethig really sad today in the bathroom where a Dad needed to change his daughter who was dressed as the new princess tiana. They were running late and his daughter wanted to see the showboat jubilee and she took forever to change and redress and then we were walking by rivers of America like 5 minutes later and they had terrible seats. The daughter was happy, but she was not close.

[monsterfan99]

^I agree 100% with the dippers.

 

One I forgot was parents who will not take their kids out of line/out of a show to change a dipper. In August, I was at a finale show for The American Idol Experience. The family next to use (about 10 people all together) had a child dirty a dipper before the show. During the entire 45-50 minute show, I got the "joy" of smelling it while the mother told people off that were angry (people were as far back as 4 rows were complaining.) I get you waited for a show, but tough. You have a kid, take care of them.