Stories from the Train Platform...

All other Theme Park Employees post your stupid guest tricks here. This forum is not for general Theme Park discussion. Please use the Break Room, for non stupid guest trick topics.
Dexter32
Wide-eyed Newcomer
Wide-eyed Newcomer
Posts: 7
Joined: Mon Aug 18, 2014 10:26 pm

Stories from the Train Platform...

Post by Dexter32 » Sun Sep 14, 2014 12:58 am

Hey Guys, new guy here working at a small theme park in Idaho. I've been working at the park for about two months now and while I haven't seen it all or heard it all. There have been quite a few interesting things happen lately.

So just today, just after the train departed the station I headed to the front of the depot building to answer guest questions and such. Most popular questions for me are usually, when is the train coming back, when is the next train and of course, where is the bathroom.

We have a sign in front of the station that reads "Train Departs on the hour every hour. *Except on busy days where the train leaves when it is at capacity." A guest looked at the sign and stared at it for what I'm going to call an abnormal amount of time (3 minutes.) Then turns to me and says, "I don't understand what this means. (points at sign)" I look at my watch and tell them that the next train leaves at whatever time was up next.

I've also noticed that, while I wear a watch because I have to and don't feel right without one on. None of our guests do. Typically during an interaction regarding when the train comes back I am invariably asked what time it is. Most of those guests either don't come back or come back as the train is leaving.

Also today, while I'm thinking of it and guest interactions. I caught a guest smoking in the park. We have three designated smoking sections. I approached the guest and explained to him that smoking is only allowed in designated areas. He turned around and looked at me and said "I'm deaf, I can't hear you." So I signed No Smoking. He then replies ok and walks away, while continuing to smoke. :banghead:

Finally, to round out today's series of events. The train for whatever reason became popular this afternoon and during two cycles, filled to capacity before it reached its scheduled departure time. In that case we just send it out because its full. I had stopped loading guests because I needed to know how many seats were left before I overloaded and upset anyone. I closed the gate and this woman four people back in the queue starts yelling at me that she *needs* to get on the train because her children are on it. I explain to her that the train is almost at capacity and I need to find out how many seats are left but I would get her on the train with her kids. This only infuriates her because apparently I didn't let her bypass waiting in line with the other guests while I figured out how many more guests I could fit in the train. So she starts grumbling to other guests about how this is ridiculous and she should be let on. I ran up all 5 cars to find out I had 8 seats or so spread out and that the back two cars were completely full. So I'm directing the guests to the front of the train where the open seats where. She approaches me and says I need to get back there because that is where my kids are. I explain to her that the back two cars filled up first and that there are no seats and if her children "just got on" as she asserted, they would be upfront. She yells at me that she just wants her kids. I walked away and let her do whatever. Ironically they had to walk up to the front of the train so they could all sit together. As I was taking a final count she gave me a fairly nasty look. I just smiled and waved at her kids and said have a great ride. After the train left I called my sup to ensure they knew what happened before she stopped by guest relations. I don't know if she did or didn't but I wasn't going to risk it. The kids were youngin's so my thought is what are you doing letting little kids run ahead of you in a theme park to get on a ride? :rolleyes:



User avatar
BRWombat
Permanent Fixture
Permanent Fixture
Posts: 5131
Joined: Thu Jul 22, 2004 2:00 pm
Department: Offsite Harmony
Position: Back Row Baritone
Location: Dallas area
Contact:

Re: Stories from the Train Platform...

Post by BRWombat » Mon Sep 15, 2014 9:35 am

Stupidity is the one constant in the universe. Good to know it's not just concentrated in CA and FL. Thanks for sharing, Dexter32, and...

Image

:biggrin: :biggrin: :biggrin:



felinefan
Should be on Payroll
Should be on Payroll
Posts: 3174
Joined: Wed Nov 23, 2005 1:23 am
Location: SoCal

Re: Stories from the Train Platform...

Post by felinefan » Mon Sep 15, 2014 12:35 pm

Ah, yes, the old "My friends/kids/husband/wife/boyfriend/girlfriend/whatever is on the ride already, can I please get on ahead of these other people?" gambit. One of the oldest theme park guests' tricks in the book. Right up there next to "My kid is too short/heavy/tall/whatever to ride? But they've ridden this a thousand times! It was okay then!" People really do leave their brains at home and substitute a belief that they are superior, special, or both so it's perfectly okay for them to get around the rules.



YANXWIN
Regular Guest
Regular Guest
Posts: 411
Joined: Wed Oct 03, 2012 12:56 pm
Location: Utah

Re: Stories from the Train Platform...

Post by YANXWIN » Mon Sep 15, 2014 3:29 pm

Translation to what they are saying:

"I'm entitled to do whatever I want. I payed my money and I am more important than all these other people. Get out of my way and give me my way."



Dexter32
Wide-eyed Newcomer
Wide-eyed Newcomer
Posts: 7
Joined: Mon Aug 18, 2014 10:26 pm

Re: Stories from the Train Platform...

Post by Dexter32 » Wed Sep 17, 2014 12:58 am

Thanks for the warm welcome!

Sunday was fairly uneventful. The season is winding down rapidly and they are transforming the park to its Halloween incarnation.

The only thing that comes to mind was a guest getting mad at me because the wheel chair access ramp is not conspicuously marked. She was coming from the water park (which was closed) and wanted on the train. I told her we have wheelchair access next to stroller parking. Next thing I know she's going into stroller parking trying to get on the train. I stop her and gesture to the lift next to stroller parking and told her she needed to go one gate further. While I agree the HCA load is not obvious or marked well, stroller parking clearly says stroller parking.

I think what concerns me most is these people breed.

I have been invited to work during our halloween events. I am confident that I will have plenty of tales to tell once I've had a shift or two with the drunk guests that will be stumbling around the park. Is it sad that I'm excited? Eh, I'll probably go from excited to jaded in a couple of shifts.



felinefan
Should be on Payroll
Should be on Payroll
Posts: 3174
Joined: Wed Nov 23, 2005 1:23 am
Location: SoCal

Re: Stories from the Train Platform...

Post by felinefan » Wed Sep 17, 2014 2:15 pm

As usual, Yanxwin says it better than anyone else on here.... :thumbsup: :biggrin:



Big Wallaby
Permanent Fixture
Permanent Fixture
Posts: 5734
Joined: Thu Feb 15, 2007 7:19 pm
Location: Vancouver, Washington

Re: Stories from the Train Platform...

Post by Big Wallaby » Sun Sep 21, 2014 11:02 pm

How did I never know there was a theme park in Idaho? Somewhere between me growing up in Oregon and LOVING going through Couer d'Alene, and having a friend who comes from Boise, you think I would have heard of your park.

So from the other half of the Marsupial Welcoming Committee, welcome, from another (originally) northwesterner.

Perhaps next time I am in Oregon during the summer, Little Wallaby and I will have to make the drive.


My opinions are mine and mine only. If my opinions are the opinion of others who happen to share whatever my crazy views may be, then fine, but it's not because I represent them in having my opinions. Got it?

User avatar
hobie16
Permanent Fixture
Permanent Fixture
Posts: 10546
Joined: Fri Nov 05, 2004 4:45 pm
Park: DLR
Department: Fruity Drink Land
Position: Mai Tai Face Plant
Location: 717 Miles NNW Of DLR

Re: Stories from the Train Platform...

Post by hobie16 » Mon Sep 22, 2014 9:21 am

Image Dexter32


Image

Don't be fooled by appearances. In Hawaii, some of the most powerful people look like bums and stuntmen.
--- Matt King


Stay low and run in a zigzag pattern.

Dexter32
Wide-eyed Newcomer
Wide-eyed Newcomer
Posts: 7
Joined: Mon Aug 18, 2014 10:26 pm

Re: Stories from the Train Platform...

Post by Dexter32 » Sun Sep 28, 2014 2:26 am

Hi Hobie!

So the season is winding down and we are prepping for our Halloween event. I am being trained on a few rides so I can be useful during the event.

There were two incidents today that sort of made me shake my head. The first involved a baby, which really made me want to grab my ride stick and wail on a couple of parents. The attraction I was training on today goes upside down and as such it has a fairly strict height requirement. A baby is not going to be tall enough, that goes without saying. I arrived back from my lunch break and found a 5 year old girl trying desperately to get her baby sister to stop crying. The baby would not take her pacifier and was screaming so hard she was shaking. The 5 year old could not lift the baby and carry her. I am forbidden per park policy from helping in any way, if the baby were being mistreated (abused) I am required to call security. Crying in a stroller does not qualify. So a couple of guests ask the little girl where her parents were. She tells them, they are on the ride. Both of them and they left her to watch the child because neither she nor her sister were tall enough to ride. We offer rider swap, so I am at a complete loss as to how this situation arose. The only thing I can even remotely come up with without my head exploding is the parents got in line and instructed the baby to wait at the exit for them. If any of the three operators had been made aware of this we would have swapped them out rather than having the little one wait at the exit alone and without an adult. I was so mad I went into my ride and relieved my breaker because I may have been fired today.

The second incident was far less dramatic and happened later. An older brother drug his little (8ish) sister onto our attraction. She was tall enough but didn't want to ride. He kept telling her that she had to ride and didn't have a choice. I lock her restraint and she bursts into tears. Her brother tells her she just needs to suck it up because its too late, she's riding the ride. I look at the brother and tell him that it's not up to him if she rides, it's up to me. I bend down and ask her if she's ok and if she doesn't want to ride that it's totally ok and we'll get her restraint released and she can wait at the exit. I unlock her restraint and she literally flies like her ass was on fire over to the exit. She stopped crying and was all smiles while she watched them ride the ride.

I really have to wonder what people are thinking or not thinking. How selfish were the parents that put their younger children in danger by leaving them alone to fend for themselves at an exit while they rode a ride???? I would have happily backdoored them had they said, hey we want to ride this but have little ones in tow that can't ride.

Sigh, I'd better just jump off the soapbox. I've seen enough stories here to know that this is not the first, nor will it be the last incidents.



User avatar
Zazu
Permanent Fixture
Permanent Fixture
Posts: 4133
Joined: Sat Feb 08, 2003 3:00 pm
Park: WDW
Position: retired
Location: 8 miles east of Spaceship Earth
Contact:

Re: Stories from the Train Platform...

Post by Zazu » Sun Sep 28, 2014 9:35 am

Dexter32 wrote:There were two incidents today that sort of made me shake my head. The first involved a baby, which really made me want to grab my ride stick and wail on a couple of parents. The attraction I was training on today goes upside down and as such it has a fairly strict height requirement. A baby is not going to be tall enough, that goes without saying. I arrived back from my lunch break and found a 5 year old girl trying desperately to get her baby sister to stop crying. ... So a couple of guests ask the little girl where her parents were. She tells them, they are on the ride. Both of them and they left her to watch the child because neither she nor her sister were tall enough to ride.
That's not so bad. Check the archives here to find a story about a couple who left their baby in a stroller while they took an hour-long ride -- that they could have taken the baby on -- during August in Florida -- without even putting up the sunshade their baby buggy was equipped with!

No, that's not the stupidest part. The stupidest part is when they came back their only concern was, "Where's our stroller? It was very expensive!" Even as they were being taken away by the sheriff for child endangerment, they had not one word of concern about the baby.

Remember folks, noisy and annoying as they may be, :bawl: > :stroller: .



Post Reply