The hardest question known to man:...How many in your Party?

[EeyoresButterfly]

Ever have people open gates or unlock turnstiles on you, then yell at you for trying to tell them not to do that? Happened a few times to me when I worked at Knott's. What part of "safety" do they not understand?

I hate that! When I made assistant lead last year, the crew and ride I trasferred to were less than reliable. This meant we were not always open on time. There was one day I came in and had no crew.

I was the one ride in the park where the crew came in at the same time as the lead. This was because before maintenance could turn it over to us we had to run one full car to check the brakes. I always did my opening duties at our other ride first and would test the phones by calling over to the coaster and asking who was there from my crew so I could time them in. That day, maintenance told me no one. I figured it was just then 10, so by the time I got over there they should be there. Nope. I had the fun duty of calling my supervisor and telling him that I had no crew. Needless to say, we did not open on time that day.

The other issue is my ride breaks down a lot. We have had the ride go down during test runs. We block the entrance with trash cans and a chain. The park does let guests in early and I can't count the number of times they move the cans and drop the chains and then stand there and stare us down while we try to get the ride ready. It's the worst when we are waiting for somebody from another area to come so we have enough people to run the ride because the guests have no clue why we are waiting.

[joanna71985]

Ever have people open gates or unlock turnstiles on you, then yell at you for trying to tell them not to do that? Happened a few times to me when I worked at Knott's. What part of "safety" do they not understand?

Luckily GMR has no gates/turnstiles to worry about (although, people do drop the ropes in the pre-show area. That can cause a HUGE mess if it's busy enough). But at TSM, people would open the gate and go into Mr. Potato Head's enclosure. And that usually meant he would freeze, which was a huge pain.

[disneyprincess1988]

Luckily GMR has no gates/turnstiles to worry about (although, people do drop the ropes in the pre-show area. That can cause a HUGE mess if it's busy enough). But at TSM, people would open the gate and go into Mr. Potato Head's enclosure. And that usually meant he would freeze, which was a huge pain.

Oh lord, Jo. At least you didn't have the party of 18 I got who had decided to send two people through the wheelchair line and the other 16 were at least 3 or 4 queue lenghts behind them. God, it was a pain to try and group them. (Yes, one of them was in a wheelchair. But it would have made things 10,000 times easier for me had all 18 stayed together). And they came through right before the ride went 101 this morning so that was no fun at all.

[joanna71985]

Oh lord, Jo. At least you didn't have the party of 18 I got who had decided to send two people through the wheelchair line and the other 16 were at least 3 or 4 queue lenghts behind them. God, it was a pain to try and group them. (Yes, one of them was in a wheelchair. But it would have made things 10,000 times easier for me had all 18 stayed together). And they came through right before the ride went 101 this morning so that was no fun at all.

Gah! That is annoying! I can only imagine how crazy that was

[Zazu]

This is actually one of the things I miss about attractions. Especially the family who are spread out over two hundred yards from the fastest kid to granny with a walker. As each showed up, I told them to keep their party together. When it was time to dispatch, I did so.

Then everybody cried. If the ones on board wouldn't stay in their seats, I told them they could get off, but that others could not get on. Always sure to create brain-lock among the brain-dead!

The only thing even close is standing at the rail of a cruise ship and taunting those who pull up in a taxi after the ship has already let go and started to move.

"What part of, 'You missed the boat!' don't you get, buddy?"

[GaTechGal]

Oh lord, Jo. At least you didn't have the party of 18 I got who had decided to send two people through the wheelchair line and the other 16 were at least 3 or 4 queue lenghts behind them. God, it was a pain to try and group them. (Yes, one of them was in a wheelchair. But it would have made things 10,000 times easier for me had all 18 stayed together). And they came through right before the ride went 101 this morning so that was no fun at all.

Just for clarification, shouldn't that be the way that folks handle the wheelchair line? We've all heard stories about GAC abuse, and it sort of sounds to me like these folks were trying to do it the correct/honest way by sending a majority of thier party through the regular stand-by line. What IS the correct procedure?

[joanna71985]

Just for clarification, shouldn't that be the way that folks handle the wheelchair line? We've all heard stories about GAC abuse, and it sort of sounds to me like these folks were trying to do it the correct/honest way by sending a majority of thier party through the regular stand-by line. What IS the correct procedure?

At GMR, the entire party goes down together. Because of the way the queue line is set up (and how fast the line can move), and also because the wheelchair parties have to be loaded on first (within a certain amount of time), it would be a mess if all the parties did it that way. It's a LOT easier for the whole party to go down together.

[GaTechGal]

OK, I get it - I can see how that would be a problem at GMR. I guess that folks should just ask ride by ride as they all seem different.

[joanna71985]

OK, I get it - I can see how that would be a problem at GMR. I guess that folks should just ask ride by ride as they all seem different.

Correct (every ride will handle things differently). Most attractions are wheelchair accessable (meaning the wheelchair/ECV can fit through the queue line). However, there are some attractions that are not wheelchair accessable. This means the wheelchair and party either has to go through the exit (like with BTMRR), or go through part of the line and then split off (like with Splash Mt, Small World, and GMR).

[xliath]

I always hate it when I would ask how many and they would reply with 2 adults 3 kids. My attraction is not a resturaunt. I don't care how many of each just how many in general.