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Pass-Member Preview Day 2012

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uknowbeers said:
How "packed" are we talking? I was there on 10/22 for Howl-o-Scream, and it closed to capacity for 3-4 hours. That was miserably packed. The satellite lots were full. If it's going to be like that, count me out. If it's busy, like summer weekend busy, then it may be worth the trip from NoVa. What do you guys think? Also, is there anything special worth seeing?
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From my past experience with Preview Day (haven't gone in a couple years because I no longer find it fun) the park doesn't get crazy packed like it does during Howl-O-Scream. However the park pretty much uses this event as a training day for new employees and lines can be miserably slow especially for food. As crowded as this park gets on Preview Day they never have a sufficient amount of employees to help run the park efficiently.

If you're coming from NoVA I would go on another day especially one when you can spend more hours than the given 10 a.m.-6 p.m. this Saturday.
 
Unagi said:
However the park pretty much uses this event as a training day for new employees
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They treat it as a dress rehearsal for the normal season more or less... They aren't training new employees, but some still need to get used to the job if they haven't worked there before
 
cpt Awesome said:
They treat it as a dress rehearsal for the normal season more or less... They aren't training new employees, but some still need to get used to the job if they haven't worked there before
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They do use this day to train a good number of "new" employees, especially the foreign students from Asia that work the park from March-June.
 
The new employees I was refering to are ones who have never touched the ride before... They take care of that training a few weeks a head of time
 
cpt Awesome said:
The new employees I was refering to are ones who have never touched the ride before... They take care of that training a few weeks a head of time
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Well I was refering to the park as a whole on Preview Day as operations are generally slow and the understaffing is noticeable. Waiting almost an hour to get food at Ristorante della Piazza or Festhaus during non-peak dining hours is pretty ridiculous.
 
Unagi said:
cpt Awesome said:
The new employees I was refering to are ones who have never touched the ride before... They take care of that training a few weeks a head of time
Click to expand...

Well I was refering to the park as a whole on Preview Day as operations are generally slow and the understaffing is noticeable. Waiting almost an hour to get food at Ristorante della Piazza or Festhaus during non-peak dining hours is pretty ridiculous.
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Yeah, well Busch is very picky on who gets to work there... they are usually understaffed on the smaller rides
 
Has anyone confirmed with the park that the hours for Preview Day are 10-6? I think that IS what it has been in the past but I can't find any mention of the hours in the postal mailing I got from the park, the emails I have gotten from the park, or by calling the automated phone system, which just states that the park is closed today.

TIA
 
Thanks, Crackel, I hope you had a great day! We decided not to try to go.

I do think it's ridiculous how hard it is sometimes just to get basic info from the park. Instead of helping with information flow, I think the multiple outlets (webpage, facebook, emailing, mailings, etc.) just fragment information. BGW shouldn't think that something "obvious" like the operating hours for the day can be skipped in any particular announcement, mailing, etc., I don't believe. The blog listing the hours linked earlier in this thread seemed like a nice, informative site, but wasn't anything official I don't think, so I wasn't 100% sure. Also, even though it's been 10-6 in the past, you really can't assume that it still is.

/Rant off!

Here's to a great season at the park!
 
Drove down from NoVA today, got there about 10:30 and stayed until close. I didn't check the "official sites" for the hours because I blindly trusted bgwforums! And you were right--10-6. So, the lesson is, trust the forums! BTW I noticed on bgw's twitter feed that they had to post a "correction" that hours were 10-6 and not 10-8 as their website said.

Park was busy but not packed. They did use satellite parking (Bavaria lot across 60) but I don't think it filled.
 
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