Defunct Flat Ride Wirbelwindchen

[Nicole]

Since people seem to reacting to something the park never said, here is the quote from the article:

“The park has created an additional seating area for guests to relax while waiting for family and friends riding the Oktoberfest attractions. This is where the Werbelwindchen children swing area was located.”

I don't see where they called the replacement a "new entertainment experience."

 

[Thomas]

I've walked by the kiddies swings many times and only seen an employee sitting there with absolutely no riders. I'm sure the park realised that the kiddy bumper cars and Red Baron received much higher ridership and didn't want to have to keep paying someone to sit at a rarely used ride most of the time.

 

[GrandpaD]

Since people seem to reacting to something the park never said, here is the quote from the article:



I don't see where they called the replacement a "new entertainment experience."

Absolutely right. But, with a bit of refreshment, sitting at a table watching the guests strolling by is an entertainment experience. (Yeah, I'm old).

 

[Ice]

Couldn't they of just left the swings but opened them up to adults who desired to leisurely monch on a pretzel

 

[warfelg]

So, putting a rumor with something that happened:
They can put this in storage, retheme, and bring it back in a potential SPW as an attraction there.

In fact. If SPW does happen, I would keep an eye out for various kiddie attractions being removed to move there.

 

[Pretzel Kaiser]

I think that KD just fucking stole it one night for a new Planet Snoopy expansion.

 

[mountaineers]

Not sure BGW reasoning adds up. There are lots of tables behind the larger swings and the pretzel shop. I have rarely seen them used probably because they were hidden from view from the main path and many guests never go back there. I will question the overall need for more tables. Are these in a better location? Yes.
Was it worth removing a ride for them? Probably not. I would have no problem with moving the ride to another location and adding the tables. But the fact remains that BGW removed a children's ride and replaced it with tables.

 

[warfelg]

There's also two VERY similar children's ride experiences in Italy....

 

[Nicole]

Tables do not require a full-time ride op, and are easier to maintain. If it was not getting enough usage, especially given how many similar kiddie rides there are around the park, I can see their deciding to remove the little swings.

And no, I am not saying a I agree or disagree. I'm just pointing out some possible reasoning.

 

[mountaineers]

Yes, but when you have families with different aged kids having a mix of rides in each hamlet really helps. While my older kids rode Verbolten, bumper cars, larger swings etc.. i would take my daughter on Red Barron and kiddie bumper cars and this ride. It wasn't the best kiddie ride but was one of the few that a really small kid could do alone. Plus there is so many times you can ride the planes if the line for bolt is more than 30 minutes. (2 or 3 year olds really struggle with operating the kiddie bumper cars)

 

[GrandpaD]

It could have come down to "this costs a lot to repair/maintain"...is it worth it?

 

[snowman6996]

I worked the kiddie swing back in 1998. Best ride to work at night. I would volunteer to switch rotations with people sometimes to work it. I just stayed on the phone talking to the person working Red Barron.

 

[WDWRLD]

Ok, I went back and re read the article again, they mentioned new entertainment experiences then went on to talk about seating. Anyhow, the fact is they...acording to the article valued a table and umbrella for one family to sit more than an attraction for kids. That has always been a bigger kids ride those swings while the small kids did the swings as wekk....it was perfect for that and where else can you basically do the same attraction for very small kids as adults in their own versions side by side. If this is the case can you imagine how many people can enjoy relaxing where Darkastle was?

 

[warfelg]

Ok? I don’t see any issue with them valuing it that way. You got another kiddie ride that goes in circles just feet away. So if they are paying someone, say $12/hour, at two spots feet apart that barely have a full ride for an hour between the two of them; you are spending double what you need as a park from payroll standpoint, let alone operational costs for the ride.

 

[mountaineers]

I understand the parks position and of the 2 rides its by far the least used. But now my 2 year old will just ride the planes for 30 minutes over and over while the older kids ride bolt etc.. it was nice to ride the swings as a break. By your reasoning they should just get rid of one of either the flyers or balloons in Italy. They essentially are the same thing too. Also the bugs and boats in LoTD

 

[WDWRLD]

Red Baron stays full and there is always a crowd around it all day. If they continue on this trend of removing kids rides they will make it so the few that have will have long lines. Kids rides shouldnt have hour waits, kids wont wait long to ride a ride. If you want to go with that theory then why build Madrid....there is another rollercoaster with a drop only feet away? You want to know what bafles me about staffing...the air brush tshirt place. I never see anyone there, there are alwsys a couple team members in there but I never see anyone there buying anything.

 

[BGWnut]

Yes but both of those rides on low attendance days can be staffed by the same person because of their proximity to one another. It is a little more difficult because of the distance between this and the planes

 

[BGWnut]

You want to know what bafles me about staffing...the air brush tshirt place. I never see anyone there, there are alwsys a couple team members in there but I never see anyone there buying anything.

The airbrush, face painting, caricatures, henna , etc. are actually all staffed by a company that BGW has contracted out to run those stands. They are technically not BGW employees and their paychecks don't come from BGW. BGW just gets a percentage of the sales from those locations in exchange for allowing them to sell their stuff. It is the same with the Christmas Market booths.

 

[WDWRLD]

So just open one from opening till 2pm, then the other from 2pm till close. Make that a standard with a sign so everyone knows where it stands on that days operation and go with that. Back when it was over closer to where the pretzel place is now they staffed it with 2 people just about always, yes thats when my son was the age to ride so I spent plenty of time watching the operation.
My point is we pay more for food, pay more for memberships, pay more for everything there but it seems we lose two things to gain one. We lose the kids swings and the ride in LotD to gain one interactive play area. I guess losing more is progress.....

 

[GrandpaD]

If they continue on this trend of removing kids rides...

I really don't constitute removing a single ride (without a replacement) as a "trend".