The joy of the slow season

[Mikey]

I am working at the entrance area of an unnamed water park in an unnamed location, and this happened at our very slow time of the year. This time of year can produce some of the nicest customers you ever wanted to meet but the few other customers make bettter stories....

I am in the parking fee collection booth one morning, and a woman with several screaming brats onboard their massive Ford Excursion fly up to the booth rearrranging a few traffic cones in their path. Without any greeting or pleasantry she shouts "Premium Parking" (extra fee to use spaces closest to the entrance) at the clerk while holding out several bills. The clerk in the front of the booth replies "We aint got none of that". (obviously an employee training and placement issue, but I digress). The woman then drives over to me and repeats her demand. I tell her in the nicest way that this is the slow season, so premium parking is not being done, as all parking is available close to the entrance. She demands premium parking so she will not have to walk. I repeat that on a slow day, all parking spaces near the entrance are available. She again insists she does not want to walk with the children as they "cannot walk very far". Once again, I tell her that the spaces being used at normal price ARE the premium spaces and she is receiving the premium spaces for no additional fee. She sighs deeply with frustration and hands over the regular price. I don't think she even understood the concept.

On another day....back at the entrance gate ... during the slow season...

A family of five gallops up to the turnstiles 35 minutes before opening. Children are assigned to visit the restroom one at a time to insure their place is not lost in the line. Of course there is no line that long before opening, no one but employees stilll cleaning and prepping for the day are in the area. A brief conversation with them advises them that it is the slowest time of the year and they will have minimal waits for anything. Their map is studied carefully to determine which rides are to be done in exactly what order, complete with backup plans in case a ride is too long of a wait. When the turnstiles finally open, they are indeed first in line, with maybe 30 other people in line behind them. I think the delay to the last person in line was about 15 seconds. I later walked around the park and saw them in a 3 person line at a restaurant and almost all rides were indeed walk-ons. Yes, they were still studying that map like it was a plan for battle.

We also need a sign indicating that women should not attempt to stuff a size 25 rear-end into a size 15 bekini and men with any part of their stomach profile parallel to the ground should not appear in swimwear. Thankfully there have been no speedos or thongs sighted yet this year.

The joys of the slow season.

Maybe next time I'll tell about the golf cart run into the wading pool...

[darph nader]

Can't wait to here about the golf cart. We used to water balloon fights at my work. :D: (great during our "hot" Tucson summers).

[wetrat0]

Maybe next time I'll tell about the golf cart run into the wading pool...

One time a certain supervisor I know drove a golf cart through the exit at one of our rides (there are fences on both sides of this particular walkway, and for added challenge it is curved), only to realize:

1. he wasn't going to be able to make the last turn, and would have to back out.
2. he was not as good at manipulating a golf cart in reverse as in the forward direction.

[kurtisnelson]

For the premium parking person, I would have just taken the extra money and given her regular parking. It would shut her up...