Reasons Cedar Point is going downhill

JuggaLotus said:
Well, there is something out of place when I hear crappy pop music instead of Thriller during Halloweekends.

Thriller was thrown into the mix of crappy pop music, along with a couple of other Halloween-ish songs. However, those songs were easy to miss as they were well outnumbered by the amount of non-Halloween crappy pop songs. I liked when large sections of the park would have that creepy soundtrack that sounded like frogs croaking and other random spooky noises. I think I may have noticed that playing once somewhere in the park this Halloweekends. A lot of my friends that went this year told me the atmosphere didn't feel the same because the music was so out of place. Hopefully they will get that fixed for next year.

As for staffing levels, especially during Halloweekends, I'm confident that they will do something to bring them up to where they should be in the next year or two. I know that we're going to be looking for even more Screamsters next year, but that shouldn't be a surprise since the quantity of Screamsters has gone up every year since they started in 2001. Hopefully other departments/positions will be looking for more people as well.

crazy horse said:
Service has taken a hit, and the cleaning crew needs to hire a few more peeps as seen here...

http://i243.photobucket.com/albums/ff298/hothitz2000/S6302368.jpg

There were more people in the park durring halloweekends, than I have seen on any sat durring the summer. The park needs to make the nessesary changes to handle the growing crowds.

Afew examples would be hire more staff, and maybe adding even more halloween attractions.

Man are some people stupid. The next trash can like right next to it was completely empty and that one is just sitting there full with tons of garbage falling out. People could of easily thrown something away in the next one.

Cedar point is not going downhill. and i think because of gas prices and the economy is getting better. Cedar fair is deny this rumor about cedar point is going downhill. this needs to stop talking bad about cedar point. economy is getting better in theme parks. Cedar point is doing well this season attendance is better this season because Cedar point open Maverick this summer 2007 season.

My thoughts on the Halloween music is that if it doesnt have something to do with Halloween (movie theme, song lyrics that mention monsters, going insane, etc.) should be allowed or creepy atmospheric music. Anything else and they are better off turning off the music.

For the last few years I took on that very mentality regarding the park. Reduced operating hours, reduced quality of guest service, uncleanliness and a general reduction in offerings (ie: reduced numbers of shows, FreeWay, Coaster Anniversary Celebrations, etc...) are just a few of the things that made me come to this realization. Working there this summer, only made some of these things more prominent. The one thing I couldn't stand was that when the season was over, how many of the friends I had made that summer now completely hated the place that I love so much.

For years I've dreamed of working at the park, and hopefully, at some point having a full-time job there. This was the first season I was effectively able to work at the park, having turned 18. I went with intention of doing something I always wanted to, working there, and having fun, but I had another goal in mind. I wanted to do everything in my power to improve the park in any way I could. It was my chance to make a difference. I tried to go to work everyday with this mentality. And, although it was sometimes difficult, I found that I was able to succeed more often than not. Whether it was cleaning above and beyond what needed to be taken care of, helping guests, or offering my time, I tried to make as big of an impact as I could. And believe me, it's more difficult than it sounds. (One thing that astonished me was the negative attitude guests brought with them the second they walked through the gate. Some, I felt, you had no chance of making their day enjoyable.)

The one thing that I noticed though, was how often the positive efforts of employees go unnoticed. The negatives are brought to someone's attention immediately, but the good deeds, not so much. I'm not someone seeks out validation for what they've done right, but I think it affects the park as a whole. When employees realize that there is little care for them doing what's right or above and beyond what they're supposed to, they find little reason to do it again. That being said, I think a lot of it comes down to the park supporting their employees. If the effort was out to try and make everyone's experience a positive one, and that if each employee knew that the park valued their help, guest service would increase tremendously. Instead, many employees are left feeling as though they are disposable.

I look at everything I view regarding the park from 3 perspectives: That of the guest, that of an employee, and that of someone who cares a lot about the park, and all 3 of these persona's want nothing but the best for the park. In several ways, I saw things that I considered to be changes for the better occur in the last few weekends of the season. Little things, such as having a DJ at Millennium Force Closing Weekend, are things that I look as a step in the right direction. I think that they have finally come to notice that their employees are the first step in keeping the park #1. I've heard a lot about things the park would like to do in the upcoming season(s). I really hope that a lot of them are true. Many of them, I believe will have a very good impact on the park.

DBCP said:The one thing that I noticed though, was how often the positive efforts of employees go unnoticed. The negatives are brought to someone's attention immediately, but the good deeds, not so much. I'm not someone seeks out validation for what they've done right, but I think it affects the park as a whole. When employees realize that there is little care for them doing what's right or above and beyond what they're supposed to, they find little reason to do it again.

A very good point. If there is no bonus (not that one should be needed, but it does help) for going beyond, but you get reamed and near fired for slight screw ups, the motivation is only there to do just enough to not have the latter happen, but none to do the former.

I agree 100%.

I have always tried my best to go above and beyond. One of the main reasons I do that is because I have grown up with Cedar Point and I have a strong passion for what I do. Unfortunately, a lot of the friends I've made over the years don't feel the same way about the park. If they don't already have that passion and there isn't any motivation to perform better or appreciation of their good deeds, then they aren't going to do much more than the minimum to keep the job.

crazy horse said:
Service has taken a hit, and the cleaning crew needs to hire a few more peeps as seen here...

http://i243.photobucket.com/albums/ff298/hothitz2000/S6302368.jpg

Note that the can on the other side of the rail is not overflowing at all. That's just people being morons.

This is a problem with any job, and lets face it, a lot of people only care about one thing when on the job. They are only there to punch the clock and make a buck. Its sad to say, but that attitude belongs to an overwhelming part of the working population.

Back to to the trash can issue...If you saw that on every visit to CP, then I would consider it a problem, but honestly I think CP does a good job keeping a handle on the trash/garbage situation.

halltd said:
- Remove the chain stores and install unique CP food stands

With the lines these "chain" places saw this year, I highly doubt you will see them going anywhere, anytime soon.

-Josh

Tennessee_CP_Fan said:
Back to to the trash can issue...If you saw that on every visit to CP, then I would consider it a problem, but honestly I think CP does a good job keeping a handle on the trash/garbage situation.

Park Services took a huge hit this season. At one point in July, 7 of the 11 on the nighttime trash removal crew quit in one week. It became very difficult for them to keep up.

Obviously that would affect things, but that should have been remedied pretty quickly right?

Do you want to spend your summer emptying trash cans? My guess is that that's one of the most difficult positions in the entire park to fill.

I understand that, but did they pull other people from other departments to help out, or just expect 4 people to handle it? I assumed that finding people for that work is not easy.

Do they ever use a staffing agency for work like that?

I'm sure they pulled people from other areas of Park Services, but then you're short in other areas of staffing. It's an on going thing. When 7 people quit, you're down 7 people, whether you pull people from other departments or not; you still have 7 less people to do work, and there's only so much of a work load you can put on those who remain.

I found the park to be at it's cleanest when I went all three times this year.
*** Edited 11/8/2007 10:00:58 PM UTC by CPboy77***

I have to disagree. I recall one morning every square yard of the midway was covered in garbage stains... from Space Spiral all the way to Millennium.

DBCP's avatar should say it all, it was something that was beaten into my head as an employee when I did seasons in Park Services. (Which, by the way, has always had staffing issues, and they've gotten consistently worse)

Cedar Point is only hitting on the safety part, imo. Park cleanliness has started to go downhill, employee courtesy has gone out the window...(and for the employees on this board, please don't start the bs spiel about long hours, hot summers, blah blah blah. you chose the job, so enforce the integrity of Cedar Points values.)

Service is also going downhill, especially in the resort department, and the security department. The police department at CP is a joke. They enforce when they "feel like" enforcing, and are never around when you need them, and take six hours to show up to any incident.

Food services sucks. The employees can't work the stands in any logical manner, and the quality of CPs food is so far below par, they might as well bring in a McDonalds directly into the park. They at least have better efficency.

Now, I know that, and some of you have posted already, that there are good employees at Cedar Point. Unfortunately, you are a few in a thousand, and the negative ones run the park, not the positive ones.

Maybe someday this will change, but who knows. Bill Sphen has a lot of work to do, lets hope hes up to the job.

Give me an O-C any day... :)

People come from all over the world for Orlando. People come from the midwest for Orlando. You are less likely to regard CP as a serious trip and for many people it is a weekend adventure. Orlando has a months worth of things to do around the area.

Considering how CP lets things get with hotels, and lack of creating a theme park feeling to it. CP feels just like your on peninsula riding coasters.

Orlando takes you to another world.

CP lacks simulators, dark rides, and eye candy. Some rad coasters on a peninsula.

They draw from a crowd that is hurt by the economics of jobs more.

CP can be an expendable vacation. Some people don't even consider going to CP a vacation, but everyone I talk to says they are going on vacation when they go to Orlando.

Orlando draws from children, and children predict where parents go.
Disney channel = marketing theme parks to children.
Orlando gives people of all ages more then enough to do.

If Sea World and Busch Gardens were around CP then you might see an increase in families visit.
You can't have a few indoor water parks, an outdoor water park, and then a big amusement park and expect the world to come visit.

Orlando has just countless things to do. Your struggle with Orlando is...what can I fit in on my vacation?

My communications teachers thoughts on CP. I got bored with the place in 3 hours.

Islands of Adventure / Universal are the coolest themed parks ever.

They are parks for adults with childrens things to do. CP is a park for adults with little childrens things to do.

How many parents like to sit and watch rollercoasters? How many more wouldn't mind seeing all kinds of wild life, props from movies, etc?

You just have more interesting parks down in Orlando. Hard Rock Park is being properly themed which sounds like it will give it what it takes. Plus you have fine dining, and you don't have fine dining at CP. No real themed restaurants and etc.

Like I said...CP just happens to be around Sandusky. Orlando just happens to have a dozen+ things to visit.

Something for everyone. The wild animals, the characters, the simulators and rides for children, etc.

What they forget about most are high thrill rides, they forget about the one thing because they know that coaster isn't going to fill the park. Whats around the coaster does.

CP's resorts are flaky at best compared to Disney, and the dining experience like I said is just hands down Orlando wins.

Nothing like getting out of the theme park to find Steak and Shake open and some other fast food joints. *** Edited 11/8/2007 10:15:32 PM UTC by factory81***