Why Six Flags is Failing..

Well, they sure as hell could improve ride operations. At SFSL, I don't think they know how the hell to operate a f*ckin coaster, beings all of the operators are orange tags, and one black tag on Mr Freeze. At the park today, (9/13) There was about a 20-30 min wait on Boss. Why? Because they were running 2 trains, but loading 1. At Batman, there was walk ons at the beginning of the day, but there was about a 35 min wait later in the day, and they transferred one of the trains off.

That is crazy that the officer brought a band aid for that bad of a cut. Seriously, do they not have any judgement on what to do???

If they continue to fail like they seem to be doing,there will be other amusement park chains that will quietly get bigger.Cedar Fair is one of them.

I love Six Flags Great Adventure, it has so many great rides, but i find it hard to believe that it is the only six flags that is profitable...

^Profitable! Where did you hear that! I may be wrong, but I would think that it's one of, if not the most costly Six Flags Park.

I totally sympathize with your situation. It sounds like there are way too many different levels of employees and management. All that does is breed jealousy and envy. I'm sure anyone over 30 years old has experienced this type of corporate environment. It's best to have a vast majority of your employees cross trained. That's a technique the best companies *even with a ton of peeps* employ.

Mismanagement aside, the type of things you describe are simply illegal. Such as not allowing an employee sufficient time to use the restroom. If that's really the reason she got fired, she had a surefire lawsuit.

Also, unions are not always the answer. It shouldn't take a union to force biz's to treat employees correctly. If they do treat them like crap, the employees suck, the place sucks, it goes out of biz, etc, etc. That's called a market correction, and if what you are describing is true throughout the SF brand, than a market correction is exactly what we are in store for.

I am a former employee and it took me all of nine months to get the heck out of dodge. It is truly the worst place I have ever worked. The leadership team (I use that term very loosely) doesn't have a clue about how to manage, develop or effectively communicate. Unless you consider letting employees drive the company car drunk, call another team member a d*%k, use the F bomb every other word, leadership. I personally have higher standards.

[Oscar]

Take all SF parks to Mexico! ON a serious note, to help Six Flags, you should purchase tickets like right now! Do it by clicking here: Six Flags Tickets

[Mikey]

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^ FAIL

What I'd do this time? :/

[Mikey]

...-,-'. eeeh

pwnd [:)]

edit.: to mikey: did you created that picture or did you just filled in cool5 and A113?

[Mikey]

That is a scan of an actual "red dot achievement award" from Six Flags +/- a few modifications. Six Flags was kind enough to hand them out to many of my friends, who turned them over to me for good use. I also got a bunch of other fun documents and stuff I will start tossing out there over the next year or so.

They should have never sold SFWOA to Cedar Fair. They expanded too quickly but seriously had a money maker if they hadn't put themselves in so much debt by making poor purchases and bad money management. And the fact that the most successful SF is outside the US makes perfect sense... US citizens are struggling financially whether people want to admit it or not.

[nutznboltz]

I read the main post of this thread, and it seems to me like its coming from a disgruntled employee angry with management for not doing their jobs..

I visit Six Flags parks all summer long, and I can honestly say, its not ALL management's fault...

I had the pleasure of working out at SFSTL back in the day, before the parks were run into the ground. and it was a great place to work, no there weren't benefit's, no the pay wasn't good, it was considered "seasonal work" and didn't pay good at all, but we loved our jobs so much, and one thing is for sure, upper management shoved customer service down our throats. we had to smile constantly, always say hello to the customer, if they needed directions to a ride or attraction or even the nearest restroom, we gave it to them without hesitation. The customers happiness ALWAYS came first, and that's how it should be still, but its not...

that's what all of our orientation and training was for, to show us what to do, and for those of us that paid attention and listened, it worked. we succeeded, excelled on our own without relying on management, and were asked to return season after season.

I see way too many employees at SF parks that don't give a rat's ass about their jobs now days, they stand around and talk to each other, they look like they want to be somewhere else, and I have even heard them complain, "its too hot", "there are too many people"... I have watched employees spend their time talking about what they are going to be doing after work, rather than smiling and making the guests feel welcome, which incidentally is their jobs..

I can't tell you the amount of times I have watched people ask an employee a question concerning where something was in the park, and have actually heard the answer "umm I don't know" more than I care to say..

I don't understand the attitudes of these kids, your working at an amusement park, one of the best summer jobs around, show that you enjoy your jobs, throw in that little extra bit of enthusiasm, here and there and then get that recognition, but it isn't going to come to you if your going to stand around and just be there for your shift.

efforts get rewarded and recognized, it happens at the parks because I know people who do get the certificates, and see people move up in the company, and its not just close friends/f-buddies etc...

don't put all the blame on upper management, the blame is on the workers too. if your going to go work at an amusement park or any other job that entails customer service, and you know it does when you apply, then take on the task full steam, not half-assed, its a fun job, but a job none the less.

the statements in this post aren't directed to any specific member here, these are generalizations viewed from just visiting the parks, and not meant as a lash out on anyone's work ethics. I just feel its not just managements fault for the state of the parks, the blame is on the lower employees as well.

[slosprint]

I think Mikey knows what he's talking about a little bit more than you do.

[nutznboltz]

well well I am sure he does since he works there, thanks for the insight..

like I said I am going by what I SEE at the parks, and from what I KNOW..


everyone is entitled to their own opinion here..

[Mikey]

I do not work for Six Flags, I resigned from that position in 2007. The problem is that management does not reward hardworking employees, and makes abrupt and sometimes irrational decisions that affect employee moral so greatly that the desire to perform is minimal. The effects you are seeing are a direct result of low moral, rushed training, little discipline, and more then likely a few bone head moves by management. Go to Six Flags on opening day, then go about halfway threw the summer when it's 100* outside. Try to find the same employees, and ask them how there day is going, and what the latest gripe is.

Six Flags is saving money by lowering training hours. Back in the day park training took two weeks, now its condensed into two days at best. You simply cannot force feed that much information in such little time into the minds of teenagers, they have other priorities until someone gets hurt or you make a lasting impression upon them.

You have heard some of my lectures, you will find that they are sometimes dramatic and attention grabbing. I train operators to be the best they can be, it doesn't happen over night, and you must maintain a good employee relationship to make it happen. I have had operators come back to me long after they have left and said the things I taught them were now a part of there everyday life.

As a former member of management, I blame my peers for not stepping up to the plate when its time to defend themselves or their department. Laying blame on others lower in the good chain is simply bad practice. I fought hard for my team members, I fought hard for my coworkers, I fought hard for my department.

I haven't stepped foot in a Six Flags parks since October of last year, yet I know everything that goes on. Loyalty and friendship continues even in my absence.