It was so dead
. There were probably more employees than guests. None of the rides had a line, and, overall, it looked like one of those abandoned foreign theme/amusement parks that you find abroad or on the internet. Now, does the compete and utter lack of people mean a lack of SGTs? Heck no, if anything, there were more than what you might see on a normal day at the DLR, not to mention quite a few SETs.
So, here goes my unique brand of Trip Report, follow my day at "America's 1st Theme Park" as seen in SGTs and SETs :) .
SCMT: Yes, SCMT rather than SET since I'm the one involved and I work for Disney, not KBF :p: .
I didn't see the part past the KBF entrance where Beach Blvd splits off and makes a left to reach their theme park parking. I ended up parking in the Parking Lot for their marketplace area and paying $5.00 more than I should have.
SET: Despite the fact that my ticket said fairly clearly on it that it was issued to TWDC - The Walt Disney Company, and I was wearing my DLR Cast T-Shirt ("I make the magic happen - since '55. Disneyland Resort Cast Member"). The ticket taker couldn't quite put her finger on where I worked.
SGT: The guest who kept insisting on being allowed to cross the Calico Railroad tracks despite the fact that there was a train (or a truck, I'm not sure what it was to be, honestly, it seemed to look like both) was coming down the track with bells ringing.
SET: The RO who was asking two guests (who were the only guests on the ride - there was no queue at all) if they were sick to their stomachs yet
.SGT: A guest who asked her BF if "this ride spins around as it goes" as said ride did just that over her head.
SGT: Guests berating a poor Custodial employee about the fact that everything was closed, despite the fact that there were probably less than 500 people in the park
. SGT: Said guests demanding refunds for their tickets from the aforementioned Custodial employee. Despite the fact that the tickets say "No Refunds - Rain or Shine" on them, and the fact that someone changing out Trash Cans is probably not equipped to process a ticket refund anyway.
SET: Employees texting on their Cell Phones since there was no one in the park. I might be applying a Disney mentality where it doesn't belong, but it still doesn't seem right.
SGT: The people, on my way out, who didn't seem to get the whole 'get your hand stamped so you can come back' concept. On a side note, I now understand why we insist on hand-stamping the left hand - KBF stamps the right.
Finally, I want to take the opportunity to send a shout out to a group of CMs/Employees who don't seem to get much mention either at the DLR or at KBF, but who should.
A side effect of wearing my DLR Cast Shirt (and using a Partners Credit Card) was discovering the number of DLR CMs who hold down second jobs at KBF. Given how slow it was, I had the chance to talk to many of them, and in almost every case they relayed the same story. About how they needed to work there in order to support themselves, and about how KBF management and supervision seemed to not really give a flying a** about them. In almost every case, they said they would rather be at the DLR exclusively, if they could only support themselves by doing so.
What got me was that, in every case, despite not being at Disney and subject to its rules, and despite the stuff they're going through, they were standing examples of the Service that Disney Theme Parks are known for.
Anyway, I just want to commend those CMs/Employees who despite all the conditions, continue to provide "Legendary Guest Service" (or the Cedar Farm/KBF equivalent) to their guests at both parks :D: .
