Park Lockers
- Thread starter Hoopla
- Start date
It is not so much that the park is not responsible, it is that the park feels that they should make an effort to prevent the few that do complain. They may not have to, but they want to. You know it's al about making sure the guest has a great experience and making sure you do all you can to keep them happy even when they make stupid decisions.
From firsthand experience...
The lockers have their pros and cons. On one hand, keeping people from leaving their stuff on the platform means less opportunities for stuff to get lost/stolen and leads to faster load times as people don't need to walk across to the other side to leave their stuff (cups, souvenirs, and buckets don't take up much room anyway so leaving those off to the side isn't an issue).
On the other hand, people hate paying extra for lockers. It makes them feel like the park is after their wallets. Admission, food, and merch is already pretty pricey to begin with.
A lot of parks don't charge for lockers or charge for lockers, but allow people to leave their things on the platform. I know the park had cubbies at the coasters for the longest time. I've also been told that people were stealing out of them, so the park got rid of them to keep the complaints down.
I'd honestly like to see the park adopt free lockers like Universal. After a set period of time (based on wait), you will be forced to pay for the lockers if you don't remove your stuff. That way you satisfy both parties by keeping the lockers free and providing an incentive for people to put their stuff up instead of having it lying all over the platform.
The lockers have their pros and cons. On one hand, keeping people from leaving their stuff on the platform means less opportunities for stuff to get lost/stolen and leads to faster load times as people don't need to walk across to the other side to leave their stuff (cups, souvenirs, and buckets don't take up much room anyway so leaving those off to the side isn't an issue).
On the other hand, people hate paying extra for lockers. It makes them feel like the park is after their wallets. Admission, food, and merch is already pretty pricey to begin with.
A lot of parks don't charge for lockers or charge for lockers, but allow people to leave their things on the platform. I know the park had cubbies at the coasters for the longest time. I've also been told that people were stealing out of them, so the park got rid of them to keep the complaints down.
I'd honestly like to see the park adopt free lockers like Universal. After a set period of time (based on wait), you will be forced to pay for the lockers if you don't remove your stuff. That way you satisfy both parties by keeping the lockers free and providing an incentive for people to put their stuff up instead of having it lying all over the platform.
25 years ago, when I used to regularly visit WCUSA, They charged $7 for a locker and gave $5 back at the end of the day if you return your key. Kinda like a security deposit.
Edit...My prices may be a little off as it was only $9.95 to get in the gates. Price wasn't the point anyway though.
Edit...My prices may be a little off as it was only $9.95 to get in the gates. Price wasn't the point anyway though.
Yeah, within the last year or two, visiting Water Country USA, I paid for a locker and got a $3 voucher afterwards.It wasn't a complete refund but it was a nice gesture and good incentive to use lockers.
What I wish BGW and other Americans park did was adopt the European style (or at least Alton style) of loose articles, where there's an employee in CHARGE of bag check. You give them your loose articles, they tag them and give you a paper wristband with the same number on it. I could see this being a budget problem, however, since you'd need a dedicated bag-check employee on all the coasters.
PR, I feel like at WCUSA you almost have to use the lockers. So it's really not much of an incentive.
UnicornZiva said:
This is a good idea, but Alton Towers is a British park, and in our American sue-happy culture, this would unfortunately never work. It's not a budget problem as much as it is a legal one. While this would likely be a very effective system, it's a system in which the park definitely takes responsibility for your loose articles, and the first time anything happens to something, the park will be blamed for it. There's just no need for a park to assume the risk and responsibility for people's possessions. If we as a society would be more open to accepting responsibility for our own faults and actions, this would work, but sadly that is not currently the case.
My family solves this problem by one easy thing. We do get a locker. All cell phones except 1 go in there along with every thing else. We carry only one wallet and the 1 phone plus a camera in two water proof bags that goes in zippered cargo short pockets. Problem solved.
For our kids we have a no cell phone rule when on family trips. Kids get excited and it's easy to just forget a phone somewhere like Busch Gardens. Plus it's time for us to be together not constantly blowing up (insert Social Media Platform Here)Sorry minor off topic there.
We do leave our refillable cups on the platforms. If someone wants to have my backwash filled cup then no major loss, always more in the stash at home.
For our kids we have a no cell phone rule when on family trips. Kids get excited and it's easy to just forget a phone somewhere like Busch Gardens. Plus it's time for us to be together not constantly blowing up (insert Social Media Platform Here)Sorry minor off topic there.
We do leave our refillable cups on the platforms. If someone wants to have my backwash filled cup then no major loss, always more in the stash at home.
^
I am Diabetic, Not Insulin dependant but need somewhere to keep my medication and testing supplies that won't get wet or exposed to extreme heat. We stash stuff like hoodies if its going to be cool in the evening, extra sunscreen, band-Aids things like that we might need but don't necessarily want to drag around all day or have to pay in park prices for stuff like that.
I am Diabetic, Not Insulin dependant but need somewhere to keep my medication and testing supplies that won't get wet or exposed to extreme heat. We stash stuff like hoodies if its going to be cool in the evening, extra sunscreen, band-Aids things like that we might need but don't necessarily want to drag around all day or have to pay in park prices for stuff like that.
Joe said:
Actually it's a one time fee, good for the whole day. Can come and go as many times as you want. Unless this is something new???
^ In Banbury Cross at the main entrance, behind the candy shop. Seems like the person to get the keys from is not always in the same place every day. If not right by the lockers check the souvenir kiosk across from the candy shop in front of the entrance doors to the Globe Theater.
Regarding the pay once vs. pay per open lockers, here's an ancient thread for all of you: Link.
It sounds like the all day locker prices are considerably higher now so the saving should be far better than they were back in 2010. To this day I still use the pay per open lockers- normally the ones in Heatherdowns or at Pompeii. Never spend more than a few bucks max.
It sounds like the all day locker prices are considerably higher now so the saving should be far better than they were back in 2010. To this day I still use the pay per open lockers- normally the ones in Heatherdowns or at Pompeii. Never spend more than a few bucks max.
Ahh, that makes sense VACoasterFan. Every locker I've used in the past is adjacent to some ride, which I guess isn't intended for longtime use. Of course, that makes it incredibly inconvenient to have to lock up an article only to have to take it out again after the ride.
Anyway, thanks for the tip- I'll definitely have to check it out!
Anyway, thanks for the tip- I'll definitely have to check it out!