dragon2000 Posted April 8, 2013 Report Share Posted April 8, 2013 Why do they still think that batching people into the gates is a good idea? The tried it last year and it lasted 2 weeks (or less?) because it simply didn't work. There has never been an issue with people getting into the gates by themselves. *Real problems* in the station that have built up over the years: Train takes forever to park. Air gates not aligned with rows. Confusion over the majority of restraints needing to be pushed in before they can be raised during unload. Chains blocking the exit stairs - not needed imo... Back rows going empty when there are no exit riders. Non-stop and unnecessary announcements. Operators who shout and deafen the front half of the station. SLOW AS TREACLE STAFF! My goodness, it's now been about 3 years+ since I've seen a decent crew in that station... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt 236 Posted April 8, 2013 Report Share Posted April 8, 2013 The rides operations clearly are getting worse. I also don't get the point of exit rider queue. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mitchada04 Posted April 8, 2013 Report Share Posted April 8, 2013 Since the third train was removed there seems to be a lack of urgency. I miss the days of staff rushing around the Vampire station filling all available seats and dispatching the train in 25 seconds or slightly more. I can't ever recall having to wait on the second lift for more than 10 seconds during three train operation. How they could warrant the loss of it I don't know, it's not like Vampire became unpopular. Luke_A 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fred Posted April 8, 2013 Report Share Posted April 8, 2013 Why do they still think that batching people into the gates is a good idea? The tried it last year and it lasted 2 weeks (or less?) because it simply didn't work. There has never been an issue with people getting into the gates by themselves. Actually there has been. And you can batch properly. I worked on vampire for 3 years, and the issues relating to the previous way of doing things were: People all queued up in the same lanes or near each other, leading to them either trying to push through and fill a train, having to go on seperate rides, or having a queueing time way more than some other rows. Rows would become empty, as people wished to wait for their friends in other rows to align up with them Back rows would be empty if disabled riders weren't there, and noone was willing to fill them There was no good estimate of queue time. It could be 0mins, it could be 20mins in that station. It looked a mess, was claustrophic and did not set a good example of what Chessington could achieve Batching should eliminate those problems - people will ride on same train, people will not be trying to get into each others seats, people will all have an equal queueing time from merge point. Batching works on every other sodding coaster and ride in the world, it's only Chessington which manages to cock it up so much that people believe the old system worked when it plainly didn't. When I worked there, you would get 750pph on 2 trains (thats a train dispatched just under every 2mins), and we were hitting 1100pph on 3 if we had an efficient team. It's awful that they don't even strive to achieve anywhere near that now. Bet fastrack allowances haven't been changed to accomodate that either. pluk, SteveJ, Luke_A and 1 other 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RideAddict Posted April 8, 2013 Report Share Posted April 8, 2013 Train takes forever to park. Air gates not aligned with rows. The trains take forever to park because it's a very old system in use! And yes, the air gates are not aligned exactly with the rows but they still stop so that the riders know row is theirs, although I have seen confusion amongst them manier times. You also raised the point about unnecessary announcements. Perhaps this is why the ride is performing this poorly, the staff are having fun more than they actually care about running the ride professionally and efficiently. The worst changes ever made was the back row being blocked off for exit riders (totally pointless), the single riders waiting on the exit steps and getting trod on as others tried to exit, and the stupid handrail put in the middle the exit steps to the turnstile. Coaster 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattyMoo Posted April 9, 2013 Report Share Posted April 9, 2013 I miss the days of 3 train operation before all of this over the top H&S with stuff like unnecessary re-checks... Where guests knew they had 25secs to be seated and ready to go. Staff would be efficient and run the ride like it was a constant challenge, and always seemed to love what they were doing. Ahh those were the days. It's a shame the park's going downhill in so many areas... This. My fondest memory of Vampire is when I was about 8 or 9 and rushing to get into the seat because staff would reiterate you only had a short amount of time to board Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alpha.Jacob Posted April 12, 2013 Report Share Posted April 12, 2013 Now lets have a little talk on Vampires. All of us know that it is a hooror fiction created by the writers like 007 etc but perhaps it is one of the largest discussion topic in world that either the vamipres do exist or not. many movies and cartoons have been made and still in process to be presented before world. Although it is a fiction but people feel this the part of their lives as a mystery as a fear and as a craze too. (Because some people say that they love vampires ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RideAddict Posted April 12, 2013 Report Share Posted April 12, 2013 vamipres do exist or not. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pickles Posted April 12, 2013 Report Share Posted April 12, 2013 If you want to look into the psychological part then there are some people who have the illusion that vampires exist, believe they are one and will drink human blood. So it all depends on what you want to look at. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benin Posted April 12, 2013 Report Share Posted April 12, 2013 Cornflakes 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pluk Posted April 12, 2013 Report Share Posted April 12, 2013 Vampires do exist. Have none of you seen Blade? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bubbles1 Posted April 12, 2013 Report Share Posted April 12, 2013 Or twilight! His sparkles and fabulous-ness must be real! ... Well that's awkward... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EC! Posted April 13, 2013 Report Share Posted April 13, 2013 I Heard Vampire's throughput is still dire, somehow I dont think its gonna get fixed for a while... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coaster Posted April 13, 2013 Report Share Posted April 13, 2013 I Heard Vampire's throughput is still dire, somehow I dont think its gonna get fixed for a while... If possible it is worse than last year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt 236 Posted April 13, 2013 Report Share Posted April 13, 2013 I 'd say Vampire's throughputs have been going down hill since 2009. 2009, Exit rider queue resulting in the two back rows removed 2011 (after summer) decommission of 3rd train 2012 increased selling of fast track Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TPJames Posted April 13, 2013 Report Share Posted April 13, 2013 I 'd say Vampire's throughputs have been going down hill since 2009. 2009, Exit rider queue resulting in the two back rows removed 2011 (after summer) decommission of 3rd train 2012 increased selling of fast track I always got confused what the exit lane was. I remember back in 2010 I was at chessie and the operator kept going 'the exit lane are now boarding, please do not occupy the 2 back rows'Can someone please tell me who ACTUALLY uses the exit lane as I've always just seen random people using it... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luke_A Posted April 13, 2013 Report Share Posted April 13, 2013 Can someone please tell me who ACTUALLY uses the exit lane as I've always just seen random people using it... Disabled riders & riders who are given exit passes from other rides which have broken down, etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mitchada04 Posted April 13, 2013 Report Share Posted April 13, 2013 The exit line is dreadful on Vampire. At Halloween Hocus Pocus last year, we were in the station for 10 minutes and in that time they had to send two trains just with exit liners because it was so busy and they had to be cleared due to too many people on the exit ramp. I'm sure that the new entrance for the exit liners is a massive improvement. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benin Posted April 14, 2013 Report Share Posted April 14, 2013 That back 2 rows for exit riders has been in use a LOT longer than 2009... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mattgwise Posted April 14, 2013 Report Share Posted April 14, 2013 Surely there must be something the park can do to increase throughput on this ride. Surely there must be a way around the parking problem in the station with some major work. I know it's been like it since 2001 but I cannot understand why the ride stops three times along the station before reaching its final stop. And surely Chessington could contac Vekoma to send parts to sort out the third train, or even purchase a replacement. Or is it another reason it is no longer used? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benin Posted April 14, 2013 Report Share Posted April 14, 2013 The train stopping thing is a weird common Vekoma situation and seems to happen on most of their ride types... Perhaps that's an underlying issue of their computer/brakes... And there is no way Chessie should run with 3 trains with the current staff, they stack two for minutes at a time, we do not need people being stuck on lift two for 5 odd minutes... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RideAddict Posted April 14, 2013 Report Share Posted April 14, 2013 ^ Now there are only 2 trains, I certainly don't miss having to wait to get in the station. The exit line is dreadful on Vampire. At Halloween Hocus Pocus last year, we were in the station for 10 minutes and in that time they had to send two trains just with exit liners because it was so busy and they had to be cleared due to too many people on the exit ramp. I'm sure that the new entrance for the exit liners is a massive improvement. I know that was Halloween but if that ever got that bad on a normal day, then it would be pathetic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark9 Posted April 14, 2013 Report Share Posted April 14, 2013 Surely there must be something the park can do to increase throughput on this ride. Surely there must be a way around the parking problem in the station with some major work. I know it's been like it since 2001 but I cannot understand why the ride stops three times along the station before reaching its final stop. And surely Chessington could contac Vekoma to send parts to sort out the third train, or even purchase a replacement. Or is it another reason it is no longer used? The park deliberately cannibalised the third train. I believe one of the reasons given was that it put to much strain on the staff. 25 second loading time was an incredibly challenging environment but it was one the staff seemed to thrive in before the 2009 season. You also reduce costs on bringing in parts for the other two trains if you just use parts from the third train. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benin Posted April 14, 2013 Report Share Posted April 14, 2013 ^ Now there are only 2 trains, I certainly don't miss having to wait to get in the station. I know that was Halloween but if that ever got that bad on a normal day, then it would be pathetic. Erm, you still on regular occasion still have to wait to get into the station... I've seen the exit queue get packed on rare times as well, never was fun but was usually down to a ride going down at that time or Vamps itself dying earlier in the day... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RideAddict Posted April 14, 2013 Report Share Posted April 14, 2013 Erm, you still on regular occasion still have to wait to get into the station... Yes, but nowhere near as you used to on a 3-train operation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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