Where is the love for the park on the forums?

[Party Rocker]

This is something I see that comes up often. Why is it, a lot of people here think the park is ruining it self?

Obviously, the park tries to please everyone but they can't. So why do we hold them to such high standards when we should expect them to not be able to please everyone?

 

[Ben]

Nostalgia, people dont want too see there childhood memories being changed so they are against most changes for the park. And trust me, read a sports forum, it really isnt that bad here

 

[Party Rocker]

I understand that; however things must change. I am not trying to pick a fight but for example, the sundial and glow stand. Their not the worst thing the park can do. For those new guests that visit the park, they enjoy these things, and they help make memories for all.
The glow stand especially creates fun memories for families even if you don't like it.

My thing is, change is necessary and I love to see it. I hate to see everything the park does as a bad thing here.

 

[Pretzel Kaiser]

Step off, this is my schitck.

 

[Haberdasher1973]

Isn't this thread pretty much a duplicate of PzP's Why can't the park do anything good enough for the users here?, i.e. can we close this or merge them or something?

 

[CoolDrMoney]

Some people are convinced it's because we're averse to change, or that we outright hate change. That has been debunked and refuted so many times, it's really not worth debating it anymore.

I personally love to see changes...when they're for the better. It gets very boring going to the same park, with the same shows and the same rides season after season after season after season. But when you change something, it needs to be better than what it replaced.

If you feel like the glow stands are better than what they replaced, or that the sundial enhances the experience of Escape From Pompeii more than artifacts from the archeological dig you are supposedly visiting, or if you feel like EitA is a one-up from Corkscrew Hill, those are your opinions. You're more than welcome to have them.

Some of us just disagree.

 

[Party Rocker]

Isn't this thread pretty much a duplicate of PzP's Why can't the park do anything good enough for the users here?, i.e. can we close this or merge them or something?

That thread confused me. I never understood the main topic behind it. I feel it was mostly sarcastic and it lost me at the first post.

Some people are convinced it's because we're averse to change, or that we outright hate change. That has been debunked and refuted so many times, it's really not worth debating it anymore.

I personally love to see changes...when they're for the better. It gets very boring going to the same park, with the same shows and the same rides season after season after season after season. But when you change something, it needs to be better than what it replaced.

If you feel like the glow stands are better than what they replaced, or that the sundial enhances the experience of Escape From Pompeii more than artifacts from the archeological dig you are supposedly visiting, or if you feel like EitA is a one-up from Corkscrew Hill, those are your opinions. You're more than welcome to have them.

Some of us just disagree.

That makes more sense now! The wine barrels vs. glow stand. I actually think the glow stand is better because I see a lot more families spending more time having fun in the bubbles than when the wine barrels where there. The sundial, it doesn't follow the theme exactly on point and I would say the dig site theme would be better in trying to teach a guest of the rides overall theme, where as the sundial just looks nice and kinda goes with the theme EitA was a good addition to fit the more relaxed rides collection, in theory. In reality it needs major change.

 

[Gavin]

This is something I see that comes up often. Why is it, a lot of people here think the park is ruining it self?

Obviously, the park tries to please everyone but they can't. So why do we hold them to such high standards when we should expect them to not be able to please everyone?

Let me answer that with a question; Have you ever loved something so much that you absolutely hate it, to the point where it even pains you, when you see them squander their potential on something you know that they can do better?

Is!n't this thread pretty much a duplicate of PzP's Why can't the park do anything good enough for the users here?, i.e. can we close this or merge them or something?

I going to leave them separate, and see where it goes.

 

[Party Rocker]

Let me answer that with a question; Have you ever loved something so much that you absolutely hate it, to the point where it even pains you, when you see them squander their potential on something you know that they can do better?

I do understand that and respect that, but these things could be small steps to reach their full potential. It's not all going to come quickly, but it is coming slowly and these are just small steps.

For example, the park is pioneering glow stands. I've seen and heard of carts before but they start stands, which is a step up. It just wasn't executed right because there was nothing like it so they had no set standard for how it should be setup like. I'm sure they will learn for what they do and then do it better next time they do it.

 

[pandorazboxx]

It sort of feels like a sell out. They replace a good German show with a kiddie show. Then they replace the wine barrels with glow stands. It just seems like they are focusing to heavily on children at the moment. Maybe it is a good business decision right now, but they are going to lose the older folks and younger adult couples with no kids if they continue this way. If Celtic fyre is replaced by a kid show, I will have lost all faith.

 

[Party Rocker]

I understand what you are saying. The park has to switch back and forth between target groups because there truly is no pleasing everyone all at once. They can please adults one year, kids the next, but there is no both at the same time. The replacement of This is Oktoberfest for Entwined is a result of Fiends coming back. I wouldn't think too much of it other than the park trying to stop moms from complaining. The glow stand for the wine barrels was bad judgement on Entertainment's part. Merchandise just requested a stand be built, Entertainment decided to go all out on it. Especially since they were trying to add on to Illuminights by expanding their "glow" operation. I have no doubt that Celtic Fyre's replacement will be as equally amazing if not better. In fact, I do like how Celtic Fyre has a clear and concise storyline whereas the previous shows didn't have much of a storyline but rather showcased the talent of the performers and the culture. But I still loved them.

 

[Zachary]

The park has to switch back and forth between target groups because there truly is no pleasing everyone all at once.

This is Oktoberfest? Celtic Fyre? Deck the Halls? Verbolten? DarKastle? They can, they've just been doing an awful job.

 

[Parkgoer]

Nostalgia, people dont want too see there childhood memories being changed so they are against most changes for the park. And trust me, read a sports forum, it really isnt that bad here

HAHAHAHA, no. It has nothing to do with nostalgia but a trend of items declining that were once held to a higher standard by the park. The park has let various items go and it is quite clear. There is a blatant disregard for theme, show standards (stage shows and around the park), food, and other. It is what happens when you have a glorified accountant running something that requires passion. It is a bit more involved than "OMGz nostalgiaz!"

 

[Merboy]

HAHAHAHA, no. It has nothing to do with nostalgia but a trend of items declining that were once held to a higher standard by the park. The park has let various items go and it is quite clear. There is a blatant disregard for theme, show standards (stage shows and around the park), food, and other. It is what happens when you have a glorified accountant running something that requires passion. It is a bit more involved than "OMGz nostalgiaz!"

Just want to say thanks for posting this because yes, absolutely. I bought a fun pass and went to the park several times this year when I usually have been going once per year in the past. I've got to say that I'm deeply disappointed in the way things are going in the park. And not just the disregard for theme or the kid-focused shows or the tacky attractions, but in the general up-keep of the park. Graffiti everywhere, trash everywhere... Land of the Dragons desperately needs to be repainted and when I walked through the queue of Verbolten this morning I got red paint on my hand. The large posts on the bridge leading up to the loading station are almost completely bare of paint save for several patches of remaining color. This is just poor craftsmanship.

But most disturbing of all is the staff. They are unfriendly, bored, obviously don't want to be there, and unwilling to help. I went to guest services at the start of my visit yesterday and a woman was standing in front of the counter. I was only a few feet away from her, separated only by the chains that make up the queue, and I tried to get her attention so I could ask her a quick question. She outright ignored me. I went through the queue and she was still standing there. She still ignored me. The lady behind the counter saw what was happening and so I went over to her instead.

Towards the beginning of the season I decided I wanted to update my ticket from a fun pass to a one-year pass so I went to guest services and inquired about it. The lady there told me explicitly that I could update my ticket at the end of the season for $60 which, because the fun pass is $60 would mean that I paid $120 or the price of a one-year pass. She simply warned me to do so before Sept 3 and that was all. So yesterday I went back and tried to update. The lady working there told me that the fun pass's value degrades as the season goes on and it is currently worth $11. Which means that if I wanted to update it would be $110. And what's really frustrating is that I called the park about a month ago and the man on the phone never said anything at all about a pro-rated price or that the value of the ticket goes down over time even though that's what I was asking about.

 

[BBW]

^Merboy, I feel your pain, though I think these kinds of inconsistencies in basic information and policies as understood/enforced by different staff have long been a problem at the park.

I had a similar thing happen years ago when our first Platinum Passes were nearing the end of their two-year period. We were already on EZ Pay and had been notified by mail that if we wanted to keep the passes going, we didn't have to do anything -- yet the passes had a printed expiration on them. TWICE we talked to customer service at the park before that expiration date, expressing concern that we would end up being denied parking/entrance once the printed date was passed. Both reps checked the status of the passes on the computer, said it wouldn't be a problem, but I just knew it would -- and sure enough, our first visit after that date, and the passes wouldn't scan at the tollbooths. We had to fill out a form on the spot at the tollbooth and go back to CS a third time on the same issue -- and it was all completely avoidable as we had tried already to get new passes printed.

We should have had our issue addressed the first time we went to CS, and Merboy should have gotten consistent and accurate information about upgrading the fun card. Answers/policies about passes, upgrading, park entry, etc. should be consistent, not variable according to which staff person you talk to.

Same with the reports we had here on the forum of staff not knowing about the Early Ride Time on Verbolten and not letting guests through. Where's the staff training here?

To me, it's also like Wild Days STILL being advertised as being on September 10 and 11 on the webpage I've linked to several times in the Wild Days thread -- days that I'm pretty sure the park ISN'T EVEN OPEN. Right, SURE, Busch, Wild Days is on a Monday and Tuesday this year. And I have reported this to the park THREE times and the website is still uncorrected. This is a major regional if not national attraction, not some mom 'n pop "come see the world's largest sweet potato on display, exit now" two-bit sideshow.

Busch just can't get basic information and policies coordinated among all staff and all information outlets. This is Business 101 and they just get it wrong way too often.

And here I am apparently dumping on the park again, but I really mean this as constructive criticism/things that the park should be able to easily improve on.

 

[Party Rocker]

I have to say, as far as policies and procedures go, sadly I do agree that things get confusing and mixed up all the time. For one instance, I went to try Splashus Maximus with my cousin. I asked the arcade attendant when it would be open and they said around noon. Noon comes and it is still closed. I asked why it was closed to the attendant at the game, and he said they don't open until they get buckets filled. I understand keeping closed until a significant amount of the buckets are filled, by why wasn't I told that earlier? It is the little things that they overlook.

Anyways, as for the up keep of the park, it really hasn't gone anywhere. I have yet to really see and unauthorized graffiti, with the exception of a few bathroom stalls which was "erased". The park being trashy? Not much, there is the occasional pieces of trash here and there only because they don't have someone with a broom and dustpan at every place, every second. It takes a few minutes at the soonest before the proper person knows and cleans it up.

With employees, every experience I have had has almost been perfect. It depends more on the employee. There are some who diehard love their job and would help in a heartbeat. Then there are some who help when it is asked for. Then there are some who just see their job as meaningless. It would be nice if all their employees were consistently happy and ready to go over and beyond. But we are living in a world where teens who get a seasonal theme park job think it is just temporary so they don't put much effort into it. However, their international staff is very nice and helpful.

I am not saying you are dumping on the park, but there is a reason for the things you notice, or experience.

 

[Parkgoer]

Upkeep of the park is very much so down. Look at Bolt's queue. Graffiti is everywhere and it screams at you.

 

[Ben]

upkeep is down, but still not at the level of cedar fair/six flags.

 

[b.mac]

upkeep is down, but still not at the level of cedar fair/six flags.

In the visits I've made to KD and Great Adventure they were kept clean much better than in past years. Can't say anything for the other parks but usually one park in the chain isn't a stand out.

 

[pandorazboxx]

I'd much prefer to take a crap at BGW than KD. Whew, last time I went to KD it was BAD. Everything else seemed pretty clean. Last year we went to Disney, IOA/USO and we thought BGW was head and shoulders cleaner.