Park Pet Peeves

[JamesMC]

And can somebody PLEASE disable that Fluffy Fluffy Bunny thing that crops up at certain keywords when (you) post in this forum,

 

It WAS funny for awhile . . .now it's not

[mad_dog_BB]

Aww, I kind of like goofballs who say "loop de loop." It makes me think of friendly old Midwestern men.

 

"Well, you got a loop de loop after that big hill right dere, and then you do a triple-dipple whirlygig, and then there's some kinda whoopsie-daisy maneuver and then you fly right into 'em little baby hills!"

 

Incidentally, that's exactly the language we use here in the office as we go through the paces on each new coaster that we churn out.

 

One of our employees form the East Coast actually had to be trained to stop saying things like "wicked dahrk tunnels" for the more midwestern "big ol' derk tunnel".

[coasterfreaksrttd]

When parks have no where to put your bags and they make you put it in a 10 dollar locker that makes it really hard to get at all day...

[cal1br3tto]

--Guests who don't listen to loud, simple, obvious, and completely clear instructions, particularly when those instructions are repeated dozens of times in a row and clearly targeted at them. This is much more common than it should be. If it's not a safety concern, maybe ops should just give up and not say anything, so at least when guests don't do what they should they just seem confused, not rude and stupid!

--Straight from the Puyallup Fair (so is the above, but not exclusively): Ride employees who have an attitude problem and act like control freaks. I'm not talking about situations where safety or obvious rules are involved (in which case I will tolerate basically anything, even if it's presented annoyingly). I'm talking about those who go out their way to lie to or demean people, or make people "play" what is apparently some kind of "game" in their head based around them controlling you. I'm talking about people who react inappropriately when you don't acknowledge or respond to them in the way they want, even if that is unreasonable or unclear.

 

Also, in a perfect world, I would wish for the following on park websites:

Everything you might need to know, about the park as a whole and every ride. I'm tired of omissions that could affect my experience or even somebody else's. I realize my wish is 100% unrealistic, but it certainly doesn't seem like something that would hinder parks (as long as all information is provided in as positive a tone as possible, of course). I would also want the information to be detailed so it doesn't give the wrong impression due to incompleteness. Furthermore, at the park, signs should be clear and not leave out details that could affect the experience of an average guest (or really, any guest who does not have unusually extreme needs or demands).

 

[/rants]!

[scooterdoug]

Even though it's been said before, I'll say it again...assigned seating! I HATE it when ride ops tell you where to sit. To me, that's the equivalent of going to the movies and having the usher tell you where to sit. That never fails to irk me...

-Doug

[sixflagsguy5]

Park/ Guest pet peeves:

 

-Talking in the preshow of the dark knight. I know it's a boring preshow, but what about first time riders who haven't seen it before. I always take people to the park and it's annoying when there are 15 year old kids talking the whole time or trying to be scary. I have to put up with moron kids at my pool, I don't need to put up with them when I have time off.

-Making out in line. I have a girlfriend and we never make out in line at amusement parks/ water parks. We pay to for amusement park admission to enjoy the rides, weather, and spending time with each other. If I wanted some sweaty dude making out with his girlfriend rubbing up against me, we would have gone to a club.

-Smoking in line. I'm really against smoking because I think staying healthy is very important. Being stuck next to a smoker in line is really annoying.

-Line jumpers. If I just waited in line 30 minutes, so is the lady with nachos who's going to find her kids in the front of the line.

[WFChris]

Also, in a perfect world, I would wish for the following on park websites:

Everything you might need to know, about the park as a whole and every ride. I'm tired of omissions that could affect my experience or even somebody else's. I realize my wish is 100% unrealistic, but it certainly doesn't seem like something that would hinder parks (as long as all information is provided in as positive a tone as possible, of course). I would also want the information to be detailed so it doesn't give the wrong impression due to incompleteness. Furthermore, at the park, signs should be clear and not leave out details that could affect the experience of an average guest (or really, any guest who does not have unusually extreme needs or demands).

 

This is pretty vague. What exactly are you looking for?

 

Chris.

[Guest]

It seems everytime id go to DLR at least once in a day id end up standing next to someoene in line who is from out east talking about how the monorail doesnt go to the other park "like it does at Disney World" and you have to walk all the way to the other park like its some major chore. I can understand the GP being GP and not knowing what the difference is between properties and monorails, but you have to be blind walking in not to see the 2 parks entrances right next to eachother.

[Angry_Gumball]

Also, in a perfect world, I would wish for the following on park websites:

Everything you might need to know, about the park as a whole and every ride. I'm tired of omissions that could affect my experience or even somebody else's. I realize my wish is 100% unrealistic, but it certainly doesn't seem like something that would hinder parks (as long as all information is provided in as positive a tone as possible, of course). I would also want the information to be detailed so it doesn't give the wrong impression due to incompleteness. Furthermore, at the park, signs should be clear and not leave out details that could affect the experience of an average guest (or really, any guest who does not have unusually extreme needs or demands).

 

This is pretty vague. What exactly are you looking for?

 

Chris.

 

If I'm reading correctly, official park websites are usually pretty simple on ride descriptions, and sometimes have no images on certain rides...so it leaves the viewer kind of clueless of what kind of ride this is. I actually experienced what I'm talking about when I was first going to visit SFDK (MW at the time). One of the rides, Jambo, had the description of "Get a nice aerial view before rapidly plummeting down" or something along the lines of that. Not seeing the park map, my initial thought was "Oh! They have a drop tower ride!" It was one of those Rainbow rides/Falling Star rides, which was still a cool ride but I was under a different impression.

 

Not sure if I mentioned this, maybe I did before but I'll say it again! If you have to fart in a queue, especially indoors, please do it outside before joining the queue. Do plan on using deodorant too! This happened to me when riding the indoor Breakdance/Rodeo ride Wipeout at SCBB last weekend. Being an indoor ride, and computer controls for the light equipment, there tends to be a lot of heat to be generated...not to mention, it gets quite stuffy. Now imagine being down a narrow corridor where the air is as still as could be. Someone lets loose, and other people failed to use deodorant. Not a nice blend. I figured I'll keep things quiet, and just make a physical gesture by holding the nose until I got to an opening; the actual room where the ride's situated...at least the air's moving in there (while the ride's in motion anyway).

 

/end uber-long peeve.

[Sgt. Fox]

I hate when the people in line behind me don't control their kids and I'm getting my heels/ankles stomped and kicked every time the line creeps forward. I have no idea why, but it often seems to be little Asian kids when it happens. Maybe there's a smaller personal space envelope in their culture or something? I don't know...

 

I also have to second that peeve about the people who let a 20' gap form ahead of them in line because they're not paying attention. I get that the line doesn't move any faster when they don't, but with all of the rampant line-cutting these days, I'd rather they not maximize my chances of getting cut. It seems that over half the time someone ahead of me allows the gap, some tool in the next switchback decides to take advantage of it and sneak across to cut in line.

[Angry_Gumball]

I hate when the people in line behind me don't control their kids and I'm getting my heels/ankles stomped and kicked every time the line creeps forward. I have no idea why, but it often seems to be little Asian kids when it happens. Maybe there's a smaller personal space envelope in their culture or something? I don't know...

 

Sounds like the kids I see at Great America, or anywhere out in public in that matter. I usually almost always nearly trip over them as they have no sense of direction; they just go haywire. And the parents are like 30 feet back. I really don't think it's a matter of ethnicity as I've seen what you're talking about with many different groups. Morals these days have changed...it sure was not like that when I was younger. If we as much as wandered off or went aimlessly ballistic out in public like that, butt-whoopin' time!

 

I even had some 10-year-old kids pull the whole "Excuse Me" maneuver about mid way through the queue last weekend. Sure there was not much of a line but I needed to vent my hatred towards those "Oh Excuse me" people. I vocalized out loud about how I hate line jumpers and the kid answers "I need to get with my parents." Frustrated, I told my cousin "Well, he should have already been with them in the first place."

[ECZenith]

I hate when a child doesn't meet a ride's height requirement and insist,complain, and often yell at operators to try to get their kid on the ride. Or worse yet, when parents' kids fail to meet the requirement and they slip them in through the side of the queue, only to inevitably be checked again (sometimes a third time) before boarding. I've also seen parents attempt to sneak infants onto rides as "cargo", covering them up with a blanket or hiding them under the seats of their electric wheelchairs just because they can't be inconvenienced with taking turns watching said child.

 

SAFETY FIRST people...

[Angry_Gumball]

^I actually know some people who made a huge sweat because a ride op let their kid slide when riding V2, but got denied when attempted to do Medusa (SFDK). What made things more frustrating for them was that my brother was probably a good inch or so above the height marker, and my bro's friend (the one who got denied) was close to an inch shy. The parents wanted to make a huge thing about it, I wanted to move onto the next ride...was pretty embarrassing to be honest.

[YoshiFan]

I was going to ask if V2 was 52" since Possessed is 52" but I see V2 is 54." I am shocked CF actually has a lower height requirement than SF. Since if V2 was also 52" that would have explained why they were able to ride.

[jray21]

People that have no clue what they want to order after sitting in the food line for ten minutes with a HUGE menu in front of them the entire time.

[Jerrykoala2112]

Happens at school....

 

People who stand up in the middle of the midway not making room. And usually it is a whole group of 5 standing side by side.

 

Best moment of my worse theme park experience. I was at SFGADV this summer in line for their White water Rapids ride thingy. It was maybe a 40 minute wait, and it was HOT! People were trying to cut me, but I told them it was not allowed, and they said they went to rent a locker. I said what ever and let them pass me. But all of the sudden, a security guard tells them to leave the line and go to the back!! Can anyone say pwned?

[CoasterPrince]

I just hate Cedar Point all together.

 

-Are the Coaster gods going to strike me for saying that?

[alilstronger]

-Rude ride ops

-People who walk in a straight line next to each other covering the entire path expecting you to move.

-Line jumpers (I usually say something if I see it)

-Line smokers

-When a park is under staffed and rides have to be shut down

-Ghettoness (Six Flags America)

-When rules are only enforced for certain guest

[Fat-G]

I just hate the GP all together, from linecutters and people standing in the middle of the path to basketballs and when people look at me as if I'm a freak because I know the name of every coaster in the park.

[dmaxsba2408]

Have to agree with most of what I have read in this thread, line jumpers, over priced food (usually bad food at that), not being able to re-ride when no one else is in line (that was the only thing that made me angry at Dollywood last month), assigned seating and crappy operations.

 

 

 

 

-Smoking in line. I'm really against smoking because I think staying healthy is very important. Being stuck next to a smoker in line is really annoying.

 

Are there really parks that still allow smoking while in line?

 

 

 

off topic rant...not intended to be confrontation with you individually sixflagsguy but at everyone who mentioned smoking all the way back to posts from 2005.

 

Don't really get the problem people have with smokers at theme parks. Your outside! If you have a problem with smokers OUTSIDE in the so called fresh air you should really have a problem with the car ride to the park. The crap coming out of the tailpipe in front of you is much worse for your health than any amount of time near a smoker.

 

Fun activity for all to try.

step 1, find a garage.

step 2, enter garage and shut door.

step 3, light an entire pack of cigarettes.

step 4, wait for it to kill you.

step 5, since it didn't kill you continue to step 6.

step 6, start the car that is in the garage.

step 7, fall on floor DEAD.

 

Now which of the two, cigarette smoke or car exhaust is worse for your health. Don't give me that crap about well we NEED cars, people got around just fine for 1000's of years without them.

 

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?

[mattnmatt]

1.) People who just stand there as the line moves along.

 

2.) People who smoke in line.

 

3.) People who wont stop staring at you in line. Your like "Hello, may I help you?"

 

4.) People who decide its ok to get out of line, go pee, and come back with 15 new people. Oh hell to the no.

 

5.) People who think it is ok to pull down their pants and pee on the Dragster platform. Ugh.

 

6.) People who think it is ok do throw basket balls at a launching Top Thrill Dragster train. Resulting in me having to push the pretty red E-stop button to avoid a ball to the face at 120 mph! Dumb b!tch!

 

That is all!

~Matthew

[ebl]

It's worth re-peeving about the mini basketballs that are given for some skill games:

 

Parks, please give them out deflated. The winners can inflate them when they get home.

 

Eric

[tatertot3710]

^^^ I don't personally think the reason these people are complaining is because of their health. Although you may not be one of them, cigarette smoke makes many people, myself included, feel sick or get a headache. I think it's the smell of the smoke that most people don't like.

[raptor6]

I completely HATE line jumpers!

 

Here are some of my "favorite" line jumper memories:

 

I was waiting in line for the wild mouse at Dorney Park, and these four children pretty much go close to the front of the queue. The oldest could not have been more than 12. They said that they had to meet up with their family, which is probably true, but I was waiting for 20 minutes!

 

Another time is last month at Cedar Point's Halloweekends. My family was waiting in line for a haunted house for 45 minutes and these five teenagers jumped the fence about 2 minutes from the entrance. I yelled and called them out. Thank goodness the security guard heard and came on over to kick the group out of the line.

[Angry_Gumball]

It's worth re-peeving about the mini basketballs that are given for some skill games:

 

Parks, please give them out deflated. The winners can inflate them when they get home.

 

Eric

 

Yes, please do. It's not so much of the bouncing (well, maybe it is) that annoys me, it's the careless people who 'accidentally' let the ball go loose when a crowd of people are walking. I'm waiting for the next one to happen so I can 'accidentally' push their ball the rest of the way, clear across the midway and carry on my direction. Yea, I know that idea's probably got bad news written all over it.