Reader Aaron says that his trip to Six Flags was ruined by their new policy of making riders check even very small bags before each ride — at the cost of $1 a ride.
We got into the park (after the security guy searched our bag and made us throw away our dangerous bottle of water) and made a bee-line for the Dark Knight coaster.
The line was short, about 25 minutes, but there was a catch – a security person at the entrance was turning people away if they had any kind of bag, be it a small purse or a big backpack.
There were lockers right at the entrance for a $1 each. You had to stow your bag to ride the ride.We saw this a while ago when Kingda Ka opened, though it was $2 then, but that was the only coaster with this requirement.
Not knowing what to expect from Dark Knight, we ponied up the buck and got in line.The ride was a major disappointment. More like a carny ride at Coney Park than what we’ve come to expect from Great Adventure. Without exaggeration, this is the worst ride in the park. The tea-cups are more fun than the Dark Knight.
And the real kicker, the seats on the ride were big and open, and we could have easily and safely taken my GF’s purse with us. We were a little annoyed that they got us for another buck, but kind of just went with it.
We retrieved our bag and went on our way. (The lockers have a 2 hour time limit, btw, after which the contents will be “discarded.”)We went to get on Batman: The Ride across the way, and were blocked because they had the same lockers.
That’s when we realized that all the major coasters in the park now require you to stow your bag, and charge you a buck a ride for the privilege.
We opted instead to walk back to the car and just ditch the bag in the trunk. Leaving behind the Dramamine, our hats, extra sunblock and her eyeglasses. Stuff we’d like to have with us, but weren’t critical.We thought it was pretty lousy that rides we’ve been going on for years and taking the bag on, or stowing it in a cubby-hole on the platform, now suddenly charged a buck each. As if the park isn’t already nickel and diming you to death, this was the last straw.
We decided next year to go to Hershey Park instead.
What do you think of this policy?
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You always have to stow bags. Who rides a roller coaster with a purse in their hands? Never happens.
The One dollage fee is new, though.
Stupid. Just nickle and diming us.
(Ponders if entering a comment is the secret to seeing page 2)
I went to Six Flags on Friday, actually (Six Flags America in Maryland) and did indeed see those lockers that were about $1 each and wondered why in the hell anyone would ever use them. Though I think you aren’t supposed to bring your bags with you, I guess the attendants were nice.. everyone just threw their bags, etc. on the side where you get out, as always.
And the security guys were surprisingly nice! I got to keep my water and they barely checked my bag for anything.
@pileofmonkeycrap: I don’t know what I find more disturbing….. the fact that you would do that, or the fact that you’d come back and pick it up after two hours… o_O
@yetiwisdom: Soon they’ll have you check your pants.
I actually see both sides of this issue.
My first knee jerk reaction is that Six flags is simply looking for a way to gouge more $$ from your pockets – like the $50/ person admission and $4/ cokes ain’t enough already. (The rest of this thought would normally be a profannity laced venting)
The other side is where my common sense begins to kick in. Why are you carrying a bag in the 95 degree day at six flags anyway? What is so damned important that you can’t live without it for 4-8 hours? – Cargo shorts and plastic baggies – that’s the ticket!
KNOEBELS….Americas largest free admission park. They don’t nickel and dime you…free parking too. ninety minutes from Dorney. perfectly OK if you want to bring outside food in, however you wouldn’t want to miss out on the great food there.
I’ve had it with B-musement parks for a while now. Even during low-crowd season, it’s still a rip-off. National, State, and City parks are much more enjoyable, for a much more reasonable fee.
@mzhartz: @Garfunkle: And if you lost it because the bag flew off the ride? hmmm. what then? it could fall off the ride and be broken by the following car or it could fall into some sort of water feature. So, locker sounds better still.
@Ruthven: Glasses aside. other stuff hitting people would be much worse. and the glasses could probably do some damage. let’s not forget that some of these rides go over the walkway for everybody else (think kids, granny, or a baby).
I would think you could do something else with glasses though.
They do this as Sea World San Antonio. My bf and I noticed that all the rides had lockers in front of them. I did not happen to notice if they had the signs about throwing out your stuff after a certain time limit though. I wonder what they will come up with next to gouge the customer. Pay per use potties?
That’s why someone out there invented pockets.
“We just went to Disney World for our honeymoon, and there was nothing like this. Guess we’re not going to six flags again any time soon”
@Shadowfire:
To be fair..the rides at Disney aren’t quite the same as the Six Flags ones..
We were at Six Flags Great Adventure in NJ two weeks ago and saw this new policy. There were LARGE signs that indicated that no bags were allowed before you even got in line for the ride. Since I wasn’t riding, it wasn’t an issue and kept my friend’s purse. Yesterday I was at Hershey Park (The best park, by far) and at Great Bear and Fahrenheit a similar sign said to please leave your belongings with someone but there were places to leave your bags on the side in cubbies (great for those wearing flipflops that could come off when you are upside down) Hershey Park has amazing high tech lockers near the Boardwalk area that are $14 for a large and you have access all day. Great Adventure not nearly as well kept, clean or as nice as Hershey Park. However, I live 15 miles from GE, so we go there for a quick jaunt and then come home. I don’t recommend bringing anything to the park that you can’t carry in your pants pockets.
Guess where our family won’t be visiting anytime soon?
The news seems to report a lot about more and more people staying home for vacation or even just weekend entertainment. This is often blamed on a sliding economy or higher gas prices which is absolutely correct to an extent, but I believe people are just getting tired of being nickle and dimed in every aspect of life.
Is it 1 buck to store your key, then another buck to store your key for your locker in another secure locker?
( Too dangerous to bring the key on the ride! you might throw it, or worse, lose it! oh my!)
I was at Six Flags–err— Great Adventure and went on the Dark Knight (which btw SUCKS) and experienced this situation too. What ticks me off is that the poster says “bags” nd you’re thinking purses or something bulky. Nothing may be brought on line. No beverages (so you sweat in line w-o a way to quench your thirst), no food, no stuffed animals, and even if someone is coming with you but isn’t riding and they’ll hold your stuff for you, that’s out of the question too.
NOTHING. may be brought in. If you can’t stick it in your pocket or a belly bag, forget it.
I think its asinine.
Now it does cut down on theft. It does make things go fster because loadxing and unloading of the cars is quicker because folks aren’t dropping off/picking up their stuff, but seriously… the prices to get in and the prices for food are ridiculous enough w-o charging me another $1 every time you go on a ride.
So basically just bring a fanny pack and don’t play any games so you don’t have any prizes to carry around.
I think this is a great policy. I’m tired of having to wait in line longer
because people are gathering their belongings everytime they get off. Hurry
up dickheads! We don’t got all day! I’ve got coasters to ride!