Station Line LCD TV, Worst Idea ever?

airee85 said:
If I'm not mistaken, the POV is shown in the commercial AND has been on the website since it was announced. So what's the difference of having it in line?

The difference is my friend, when you are standing in line a person is almost forced to watch it. Whether they realize it or not, whether they know they are even making that decision. Just having a TV, in our world today, eyes are drawn to it.

Having it on the Cedar Point website is totally different. People go on there and choose to view the on ride POV. They have to type the address in and click on it. In the line, no one has a choice, its right in front of you.

TTDCP said:
INo ones saying the t.v. is bad... we're saying the POV is a bad idea, maybe not the backwards, but the front yes, i've been twice now with the t.v. there, both last week, and 90% of peoples eyes are drawn to the t.v., and people get others to look at it when the POV comes on. When you're doing nothing and there's a t.v. there, you look at it

^Exactly, amen brother.

I see your point, but I guess it's just not a big deal to me. I'm having trouble putting myself in new guest's mindset who has never rode it before. Honestly, I just think the average person would watch it and not think much of it and by the time they are buckling their seatbelt, they being so in the moment of what's going on that they'd forget what they had just watched. That's just how I feel. You see?

ejh1701 said:
The difference is my friend, when you are standing in line a person is almost forced to watch it.

I think that's a stretch. Then again, I think the original complaint is a bit over-the-top. I don't see how having the ride on a monitor ruins anything. Can't please everyone, I suppose.

This year was a bit different, but usually the first thing you see on the news during Media Day is point-of-view video of the new coaster. Now, how many stations have aired a warning before they run the piece advising people to look away? It's not like they're airing a spoiler for Lost, giving away the ending of a movie, or even point-of-view for a Disney-type ride that has a story.

The POV translates very poorly to the real thing. Visuals are only one-tenth of the experience.

I'll agree with Walt on this one. I don't see that the POV (either forward or reverse) takes anything away from the ride experience. If anything it seems to build the excitement.

I was surrounded by first time riders yesterday, and they saw the video in the line, but that certainly didn't take anything away from their ride. They all got off the ride, loved it, and wanted to ride again.

There's a big difference to seeing a POV on the news or on the website and seeing it a couple of minutes before you board the ride. It's the same with movie trailers. Do they show a trailer for the movie you're about to see right before the movie? No. Why not? Because that would be moronic. They're the same thing in my mind. A movie trailer and coaster POV are for convincing people to either go see the movie, or go to a park to ride said coaster. Why "spoil" the ride mere minutes before you're about to board? It's just not necessary. You don't need to convince people to ride it at that point. That's what the news and website are for.

I'm all for TVs in line if that's what people need to stay entertained. But, I just think the content on those TVs is important. I used to "poll" guests at parks while posing as a tourist (as part of my job). You'd be surprised how important pre-shows are to an attraction. People want a taste of the ride, but they don't want it given away.

I'm not sure if the argument is that the POV ruins the ride by showing you what you're about to experience, or that they don't need to advertise something you're already there for.

In the first case, a point-of-view video in line doesn't spoil the ride any more than, to use your example, a movie trailer before the movie. Unless you're revealing ride-story elements, a POV video tells you nothing about what the ride is like. Rides are physical. Maverick isn't a simulator. How many people have gotten to station, and then went right down the exit stairs? "No thanks, I saw the video. I'm good."

A monitor in line isn't used to convince people to ride. There's more to a POV video than to merely act as a commercial. And it's apparently only a small portion of the content. It's just a subtle form of entertainment to reduce the tediousness of standing in line.

I don't know, Walt, I figured as soon as I saw the rough animation POV prior to the announcement that I didn't need to ride it. Actually, I knew as soon as they started tearing down WWL that it wouldn't be worth riding. Come to think of it, I had a gut feeling that whatever ride opened in 2007 would be spoiled for me, and I had this feeling as early as 1976.

Jeff, I hope you are kidding right?

You must now know Jeff very well then, eh? He is totally serious. ;)

Yes, all I know is that I also live in Brunswick where jeff lives. But I wish I lived in sandusky or anywhere up by lake erie, cuz I hate living here anyway. I wonder if Jeff likes brunswick........

Walt - My argument was both. The don't need to "advertise" a ride mere minutes before you get on. Also, they shouldn't "give away" the different components of the ride.

How does a POV give away "nothing" about the ride? I'll give you the fact that it doesn't give you a complete sensory experience of the ride. But, it does "give away" a lot about the actual ride. It shows how fast the lift is, the view from the top, where all the turns are, where the inversions are, that there are canyons, there's a dark tunnel that launches you, there's lights near the end of the tunnel, etc... It literally shows you the entire ride before you get on. Sure, there's no sound, there's no smells, there's no wind blowing through your hair, there's nothing banging on your ears, etc... But, it does give away the entire layout and "story elements" of the ride (being the tunnel).

To some people, this doesn't matter - I'd say the enthusiasts. But, I'd venture to guess there are a LOT of people that like to experience a ride to it's fullest in person, not on the stairs going into the station. I bet a TON of people going to the park haven't even seen the POV on CPs website. I know it's hard to believe, but not everyone obsesses about these rides as much as we do. So, why subject them to the POV right before they're going to ride? It's just not necessary. Is it the end of the world, no. But, then again neither is the color of Iron Dragon or the theming of Disaster Transport. That doesn't mean we aren't going to discuss them.

One of the guys that travels with me to parks is this way. He followed the construction of the ride, watched the POV and discussed every little detail about the ride with me. However, he likes to distance himself from anything CP a month before his trip. Why? Because that heightens the actual experience of the park and rides for him. Personally, I would watch the POV the morning before leaving the park, but that's me. I just don't want to see it on the stairs.

halltd said:

It shows how fast the lift is, the view from the top, where all the turns are, where the inversions are, that there are canyons, there's a dark tunnel that launches you, there's lights near the end of the tunnel, etc...

^stop giving away so much about Maverick... people on here might not want to know about it until they ride it. ;)

You know, I am an enthusiast and watched the POV countless times and when I rode it for the first time, the whole thing was a surprise to me.

It's funny, I am SO use to all of Cedar Point's coasters that when I ride them now, I almost have an expressionless look, however I'm still having fun. When I rode Maverick for the first time (again, minding you I watched the POV over a dozen times in the off season) I was smiling and laughing the whole time because it was so fun and unexpecting.

I still think this whole thing is blowing out of proportion!

I don't think anyone (or at least a non-enthusiast) could study the POV long enough in the queue to know where every inversion, curve, or hill is located on the ride. Indeed, most people will likely forget about the video by the time they sit in the train.

And I think it's just the opposite as to who this matters to. I doubt the average guest really cares that they're showing the point-of-view in the queue. Enthusiasts are the ones who might care enough to not want to know details, or, as you said, impose an amusement park media blackout before a trip. Whereas seeing a POV video a few months, or a few minutes before riding, might ruin something for a coaster connoisseur, the typical guest isn't going to think twice. The guest who sees the POV video isn't putting much thought into the subtleties of the ride. You're right, they don't obsesses over the details. That's exactly why this is a non-issue outside of enthusiast circles.

If knowing the details ruined the experience, no one would ride it more than once.

While there are always exceptions ("my friend cared!"), most non-enthusiasts won't have a negative reaction after the ride, let alone care enough to complain to the park, or even to their peers when they talk about their trip. Even beyond that, it's enthusiasts who are going to nitpick about the latest tweak at the park. Look how much passion that has been generated by one little monitor!

*** Edited 7/16/2007 10:57:09 PM UTC by Walt***

Over the off season, I watched the POV numerous times, like many people on here. It provided temporary excitement to "make due", so to speak. I wasn't able to memorize the layout, nor did I care to. I wanted to experience the ride without knowing what was coming.

On my first trip this year, July 10th (for which I should have made a TR by now), I was a bit perplexed that they had the TV in line. I myself did not like the fact that they were showing future riders exactly what was coming. I looked at the screen, however, and enjoyed that it was something to distract me in line.

By the time I rode, suffice it to say, I'd seen the POV a good number of times.

When we finally boarded the train and started the launch up the hill, I was paying too much attention to enjoying the ride to be able to recall every little thing about the ride. Hey, it's Maverick. The ride I've been waiting over a year for. I'm just gonna have fun.

I had initially thought that the idea was a really terrible idea. I mean, why show people what they're gonna go through shortly? In the end, however, it turned out that the POV being shown in line did very little to detract from my awesome first ride on Cedar Point's latest $21 million expenditure. Heck, I got my brother to go on with me a second time right after getting off because I enjoyed the ride that much.

*** Edit: June is not July. D'oh! *** *** Edited 7/19/2007 5:20:51 PM UTC by topthrilldragster4lyf***

Miss_Maverick07 said:
Yes, all I know is that I also live in Brunswick where jeff lives. But I wish I lived in sandusky or anywhere up by lake erie, cuz I hate living here anyway. I wonder if Jeff likes brunswick........

I like pancakes. Do you?

I guess I should start making my posts shorter.... No one seems to like to read them. Oops, sorry! :)

I read it. Did you mean your first trip was July 10? Because on June 10, the TV wasn't in the queue yet. :)

Oops. Did I say June? Well, it's fixed now.

Yes, my first trip was on July 10.

I didn't mind the TV at all and knowing what to expect doesn't ruin much for me. The sensations the ride is able to accomplish is what it is. Either you are going to enjoy it, or it was never going to. I possibly couldn't imagine losing the excitement of the twist out of the tunnel or under the first hill. Nevertheless, walking to the queu, its hard to hide the ride behind the station. It might not be long, but its bright red tracks are noticeable.

But I do have to agree, I rather see something better than the POV. I like to be entertained, I like how they have dj's on some of the different rides with long lines. I don't need a dj though, I rather have loads of plasma's playing an eclectic choice of music. Just an idea.