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[themeparkguy]

I have be to three opening days over the last five years and the lines were not pleasent. All three times I got the same answer- crowd was above projections- i don't have a problem with staffing based upon projections as long as you have a plan when those are exceeded. over my last three opening day visits- no plan to increase capacity once the projections were exceeded.

[Bigdog]

- crowd was above projections-

Although I will admit that I don't know how theme parks project their crowds for any given day, I can't see how SDC can repeatedly underestimate their opening day projections.

This year, I checked the long range forecast on the Weather Channel 10 days before opening.  The original forecast was for 65 and sunny.  It never changed leading up to the 18th and turned out to be very accurate.  Also, it was Spring Break at every school within a couple hundred miles.  Given all that, even I would know that the park would be very busy.

I go every opening day as we are always in the area for Spring Break.  This year may have been bad, but it was nothing like 2008 when they were still working on the road and parking lots.  That year, traffic was backed up all the way to Titanic.  Yes, Titanic.  The wait time just to get to the parking lot was 3 hours 15 minutes.

This year, all trams and busses appeared to be running which gave everyone a quick entry and exit to and from the park.

[sdcforever]

We can go by the long range forecast and see that it's going to be busy, but it's not that easy for the park.  The planning for the first few weeks of the park being open takes a lot longer than that.  They have to coordinate everything months in advance and 10 days doesn't give them enough time to adjust the amount of staff and supplies needed if they feel the crowd will be larger than projected.  It's not that easy.  I'm sure they go by historical projections more than anything else when it comes to planning for the park opening.  They do the best they can.

Man, this topic has gotten way off the Trailblazer Pass.  Maybe it should be renamed or split or something.

Speaking of the TB pass, I can see where people are coming from with the two tier system.  I hope they come up with a system where it isn't so obvious that people are being moved to the front of the line.  I could never buy one because it would be too much with all of the grumbling and dirty looks as I cut to the front of the line.

[mhguy77]

I seriously think the long lines are due to great weather and very few shows & shops being open.

This is very true.  The shops are closed because they are not supported enough to justify.

How many more employees per ride does it take to run at full capacity?
Some of the SDC veterans will know this.
Multiply this by 8, if I am right these are the larger rides.
Not much of a risk financially, and there is always someone that wants to go home.
Its all service, that is what they are there for.

I wouldn't buy a Trailblazer pass for financial reasons.
Also
I asked the women at the booth last year how many she was selling, she said not many, 30 was the limit per day for her to sell.

SO in retrospect it isn't the money I guess, its just not being prepaired and not feeling the guests unhappiness justify this small added expense.
I myself will complain this year, several times if need be until; I feel I am heard.
The SDC people are reading this as well.
Lets see if they do something about this problem.