Interest in an ask-an-op thread?

[DelPiero]

So you're saying that Skyrush normally assigns seats? (This was my first time riding Skyrush, so I wouldn't know.)

Of the 3 days I've done Hershey I've never been assigned a row on Skyrush, must be a new thing, or maybe in September they just don't care anymore.

 

[Hixee]

When I was there last year (June), granted for only one day, they were assigning seats all day. I actually thought they were rather **** at it. In fact, I even commented on it in my trip report at the time:
http://coasterforce.com/forums/threads/usa-june-2016.40128/
(Stupid Photobucket)

So, onto the biggest ride in the park – Skyrush! I dropped my bag in the (free, yay) lockers, and then headed for the queue. I’m probably biased, as I’m pretty comfortable with maths in general, especially the numbers 1 to 4, but there seemed to be some difficultly in assigning people to rows. Call me miserable and picky, but it doesn’t take five or six seconds, per group, to assign a row. Especially when I’m just a single rider. It was a bit annoying to be honest. Anyway, moaning over. I ended up in the back row.

I was a single rider though, so I basically just filled the empty seats myself.

 

[SaiyanHajime]

People don't appreciate how hard assigning rows efficiently actually is. Most people absolutely suck at it because they don't get enough practise doing it. It's incredibly difficult to count and hold a convo with guests AND pay attention to whats going on. Guests often argue about seating, everything from not wanting to sit with strangers to wanting front row to constantly asking where they put their bag depite you replying 5 times, and it's a constant battle between ensuring all seats are full and deciding it's taking too long, send this damn train with gaps. Not to mention people often don't stay where assigned, but you won't notice till it's too late. Couple that with your own genuine mistakes and eugh. Like by all means ask staff politely if you have a preferred seat, but if they're dealing with a bunch of other bs and look stressed, know that you're negatively impacting the queue length by adding complications.

At SFMM, our group of six were assigned as 2 groups of 3 on two separate occasions. I told them that, no... 4 and 2, then you can put another 2 with us? They didn't. *Shrug* It pisses me off because this is why queues are long. If you get someone good assigning rows you can increase throughput by a good 25% an hour.

Or design bloody station platforms so that guests batch themselves efficiency... Nemesis Inferno is the best example I've seen.

I can't remember which it was, maybe Riddler? But that was an abhorrent cluster... angled and crammed to the brim, no way to align yourself with other rows if you were more than 4 people. American coasters are often so bad when it comes to batching area design for some reason.

 

[Mack]

I can't remember which it was, maybe Riddler? But that was an abhorrent cluster... angled and crammed to the brim, no way to align yourself with other rows if you were more than 4 people. American coasters are often so bad when it comes to batching area design for some reason.

Riddler contains a slanted station. I presume this is partially to at least try to get people to observe the loading process at least once.
Generally, our rides have a series of air-gates, one for each row. How do you do it that it isn't obvious how to group together? That's one issue I've never had, lol. They figure out if it's 2 across and there's no one in line in this row and 2 in the other, they need to let two people in front of them and then they'll go together. Maybe you use too many queue attendents rather than letting people line themselves up.

Also, no, if it's BTR, it's faster to not look for a group of two. It's faster for you to sit down and please take your seat. The next train is going to stack behind you unless you are the world's fastest group and if the next train is stacking, any further delay is slowing it down. Riddler is going to stack because it's a stand-up. Stand-ups stack. So if you would please quickly take your seats rather than assuming the other 2 will quickly take their seats, your idea is always slower unless the next train is a long way out, which I find hard to believe at SFMM. If the next train is in the final block brakes, it is faster to send the train, 100% of the time.

 

[SaiyanHajime]

I'm not implying that whilst guests are loading staff should try and fill the empty seats... Staff should be batching ahead of time a train in advance. Whilst one loads, the next should be being prepared. I would consider it a personal failure if I had a seat empty, but I knew when to give up because I'd run out of time.

If you want an extreme example of how this can work, Oblivion at Alton can load two trains at a time, so a total of 4 rows. But there are 8 bays. The bays open in alternates, so staff have room to work in advance with the comparatively large number of people per row. It's rare you see empty seats on Oblivion, but this doesn't slow down the process at all.

Riddler's slanted station being to give guests a view of what's going on actually makes a tonne of sense, but the problem is that more than 4 people can fit in each row. So what happens is the gates open, and a group won't get on, because they're waiting for their friends in another row who aren't aligned, lacking the sense of let he group behind through. Or worse, all 8 of them are in one row then yell at the attendants for not allowing them to ride together. Another issue with not having batcher's is how do you deal with disabled guests? In the USA they just put them on stealing the seats of the main queue, but what should happen is rows are purposefully left empty in preparation for them, so no one feels conned of their seat.

I'm willing to bet these problems are less in the USA simply because American strangers actually talk to one another, but there is no way this **** never happens.

Another problem with overcrowding in batching areas is queue jumping.

The reason I love Nemesis Infernos batching area is that you enter higher up, giving a view of the station and everything going on. Then each bay only has room for 4, and guests cannot fill up any excess room anywhere. They filter in perfectly. So it doesn't need a batcher.

 

[Mack]

At my park we discuss it with a row and ask them if they would be willing to wait for the next one for the disability thing. We wouldn't just place them without asking for a row to volunteer.

 

[sKrATcher]

Totally agree - pro tip for avoiding stapling, if you slide your butt forwards on coasters which restrain at the hips (most, even with OTSRs do this, like say the B&M vest) it's impossible to be pinned unless staff notice you doing it and tell you to sit back, which I've never had happen. On OTSRs like the conventional B&M restraint, you can avoid being pinned by pushing your shoulders forward but keeping upright so not to be noticed. Be sensible with your distance and comply if staff notice and tell you to sit back.

I am soooooooo guilty of this! hahaha. I've been 'caught' scooting forward a few times. I've occasionally been told "sorry it needs one more click" but at least I still have a gap. I just HATE being stapled! If the force of the ride causes the restraint to click down, ok, but I don't like the feeling of being crushed ahead of time.