I see some smart, incremental revenue-generating going on here! Monitize an observed need by virtually forcing traditional pack rats to shell out for some lockage. Sweet Capitalism at its best! Like it.

I can't tell whether or not this is sarcasm.

And I see no problem with that.

I remember as a kid, a time when I can't recall a single pair of cargo shorts anywhere in existance (I'm sure they existed or a cut off pair of "Army" pants, but they certainly were not popular like they are today) entering the park with nothing more than a handful of cash that I'd fold up and shove in my sock until I needed to pull it out. Probably not the best for cashiers in those days, but it was an alternative that many of us employed "back in the day". Change was always a pain, but with our cash safely tucked into our socks, we never lost a thing.

Perhaps what is needed is a return of Kangaroos.

I'm at the age now where I really don't care what other people think about me. I see a fanny pack in my future.

Yah, count me among the minority as well...

I'm mean, I'm all for the park wanting to increase the hourly-capacity of what is going to be a very popular ride and wanting to maximize profits while doing it, but does it really have to be done THIS way...

I bring a small Nike bag whenever I go to the park... it rides with me on all of the sit-down coasters except Diamondback, and when I do have to place it in a bin, I do so as quickly as possible and I am back in my seat before some guests have even started walking past the loading gates. What I am not liking is the stereotype that ALL people who carry bags are always the ones whole significantly slow down lines.

Most of the time when I get impatient while waiting for a train to depart, more often than not it is because either a "large" guest is having trouble fitting into his/her seat or because of some lackadaisical ride ops who insist on excessive chatter and speils rather than putting up the "ALL CLEAR!" when they can...

I think another reason that I am dissapointed this is happening is probably because well...it's just that on the last huge, ~$25 million B&M coaster Cedar Fair installed (Gatekeeper) they had bins where you can put your stuff no questions asked. Gatekeeper eats riders FINE despite having storage bins, so why couldn't Banshee do the same?

I expect to ride Banshee A LOT this summer, and it would just be so much more convenient for me if Banshee would have bins, instead of having to solve some elaborate puzzle of when I should or shouldn't carry my bag each time I want to ride Banshee...

And in case you're wondering why I carry a bag, it's not because of a medical condition or anything, it's mainly because I don't trust my cargo pockets enough to safely hold my phone, camera, wallet, and gold pass. No matter how much I reassure myself, there is always a hint of doubt whether they will stay in or not, and thus it detracts from the overall experience. Even if I did have cargo shorts with zipper pockets, I still wouldn't like them as there's a good chance that either my camera or phone would get damaged while riding, especially on the more rougher ones.

Oh yeah and a fannypack? Um, sorry if this sounds arrogant, but no...just no...rant over.

(I guess I wouldn't mind this as much if there was some way you could buy an "all-year" locker pass for $25-$35. That actually would be pretty nice. I could just quickly scan it each time I need to use a locker, and not have to fish out $2 from my bag everytime I ride Banshee...)

Banshees station looks much smaller than other coasters that are popular. I'm sure that is one reason their are no loose articles on the station.

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Its kinda of heartbreaking after all the money I spend there, season passes and fast pass. That they do this to try and get a few dollars out of me when I want to ride Banshee, its the reason why I ride Firehawk first before I buy a cup.

The eye glass problem has a simple solution. A STRAP!

The smallest station? Have you EVER been on Raptor?

I remember as a kid, a time when I can't recall a single pair of cargo shorts anywhere in existance (I'm sure they existed or a cut off pair of "Army" pants, but they certainly were not popular like they are today) entering the park with nothing more than a handful of cash that I'd fold up and shove in my sock until I needed to pull it out. Probably not the best for cashiers in those days, but it was an alternative that many of us employed "back in the day". Change was always a pain, but with our cash safely tucked into our socks, we never lost a thing.

Perhaps what is needed is a return of Kangaroos.

I had a pair of Kangas. They weren't really that useful for more than a single house key and a dollar.

My dad was in the Korean conflict, and we grabbed up his pants that he wore in service.We found them in a storage barrel. I still wear his dress blue wool coat.

We wore those pants out, save for one pair that I made a pattern from. If I can find that good, sturdy khaki that was available in the fifties, I'm never wearing another style of pants again.

(We had like, 20 pairs of those things, so some people always thought we wore the same pants, and not different pants of the same style/ I was nicknamed 'Crusty' more than once.)

The eye glass problem has a simple solution. A STRAP!

The smallest station? Have you EVER been on Raptor?

Or El Toro?

Also to add on a little known fact from the obvious, Banshee is an Inverted coaster. Yes, we all know that now. What I see is no obstruction between the station gates between cars and to the other side. Why not have bins when guests can get to the other side with ease.

I, listening to my winter percussion show, did something in my mind at 2 am.

What you see as a non-obstruction, the local fire marshal may see as an obstruction.

I hate to be this blunt about this, but guests will either buy a locker, leave their stuff in the car, risk losing their items by putting them in a "hidden" spot or they don't take their items with them. If you have a medical condition that requires you to carry items with you in the lines and into the stations, please proceed to Guest Relations before entering the park to have a medical documentation for your required items in the line.

^Yes thank you! I have Type 1 Diabetes and I keep my blood sugar meter, my insulin, and candy for when I go low... The problem with buying lockers is I need it at all times! If something bad were to happen and I didn't have my bag... That would be a huge problem...

From personal experience as a Universal employee, I will just say this:

Even "free" lockers will not solve the problem. People sneak bags past the greeter constantly, pitch fits about having to leave their items in a locker (yes, even when they're free!) and carry items that are way too big to ever fit in a locker. Just like at any other park without loose article bins (Cedar Point, Six Flags, etc), the guests either find a way to deal with it or don't ride. Their choice. If you choose to carry loose items in the park, you are choosing to have to find a solution for storing it.

The eye glass problem has a simple solution. A STRAP!

The smallest station? Have you EVER been on Raptor?

Or El Toro?

Xcelerator's station is tiny too, lol.

As far as lockers go:

Why not have an add-on to Season Passes for Lockers for the season?

Or a prize-voucher option at the midway games, so that if you win, say, a giant, stuffed banana, but don't wish to carry it around and deal with lockers all day, you can opt for a pocket voucher (or some kind of electronic version via smartphone), then stop by a "prize redemption & souvenir center" on your way out of the park and claim your day's prizes...?

Games revenue would probably go down. The large prizes "walking" through the park are enticing advertisements.

Games and foods often have goals that are at cross purposes to efficient (and safe) throughput in rides.

It hasn't been that long ago that Steel Force at Dorney had no bins and riders were REQUIRED to take loose items with them as opposed to leaving them in the station (severe over reaction to a local court case where the park was held liable for loss/theft of articles left in the station).

Well said, Terp. Thanks. I even began thinking about that as I was writing the post... It's true; seeing huge toys being carried about shows that the prizes can be won, and challenges the pride of those carrying smaller prizes to not want to feel like ..um ..second banana.

-Tb, turning his tassel.

It also includes those dratted bouncing basketballs.

Yes, those noisy basketballs! Funny thing: I was mixing a "sounds of Kings Island" audio project, and couldn't, for the life of me, figure out what was missing. There was the music, people talking, children laughing, the Grand Carousel band organ, the Kings Island Miami Valley Railroad 5-chimer, the screams, the roller coasters, the midway callers... I even threw in that randomly-modulated sine wave tone that the Test of Strength would emit between games on Coney Mall.. but what I forgot was the sound of basketballs! Hundreds and hundreds of basketballs: The somewhat arrhythmic heartbeat of the KI soundtrack!

You would never believe how happy I am to work in a park that doesn't have basketballs. I don't know if they just don't offer them, or if people just don't win them, but I've seen a whopping 2 basketballs on the midways so far working at Universal.

I remember when i was at Beech Bend several years ago and had an open Coke cup that I tried to hand to the ride op on Looping Star. "Just take it with you." He said, "It'll be fine!"

It wasn't fine...

I remember when i was at Beech Bend several years ago and had an open Coke cup that I tried to hand to the ride op on Looping Star. "Just take it with you." He said, "It'll be fine!"

It wasn't fine...

It was hilarious and that's coming from the person sitting behind you.

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I remember getting a free shower from the person in front of us on Phoenix at Knoebels. Luckily he only had water in his cup. It was actually rather entertaining watching it shoot out of the straw on each of the hills.

Then there was the girl with the cup of lemonade on Dahlonega Mine Train at Six Flags Over Georgia many years ago. And subsequent bees.

Not really directly relating to loose article, but reading all these reminded me of a story my mom told me from when she was a kid. She went on the Rotor at Cedar Point, and in the middle of the ride the girl standing directly across from her threw up. The...result...went flying right back all over the girl. Gotta love centripetal force. It caused the girl to get covered in her own "loose articles" while it saved my mom from...experiencing them.

When looking down into a Rotor, the operating ride looked very much like a spinning top loader washer. At most parks, if a rider tossed his or her cookies, the ride continued as the riders were rinsed, Maytag style, with a handy garden hose. No other cleanup was then performed.

Times were very different.

^Yes thank you! I have Type 1 Diabetes and I keep my blood sugar meter, my insulin, and candy for when I go low... The problem with buying lockers is I need it at all times! If something bad were to happen and I didn't have my bag... That would be a huge problem...

Exactly. I am also a type 1 Diabetic. This is why I rock the "lady killer" cargo shorts to Kings Island. I keep all of my stuff in the pockets.

Cargo shorts aren't a lady killer...

Cause you could always be that guy and buy a pair and carry your ladies stuff so she doesn't have to. And use the "I wanna be able to hold your hand" line. Works so well..

Plus AE cargo shorts are beautifully comfy. Only close second are ABU pants or scrubs ..

Btw I'm glad my girlfriend isn't on here sometimes...one must not learn ones secrets hehe