Amusement Park Etiquette Topics Covered On this Page General Policies Ride Attendants Queues Picture Taking Smoking Closures of Rides Lost and Found Complaints

Coaster Enthusiasts of Canada AMUSEMENT PARK ETIQUETTE Behaviour Suggestions While in the Park     This article will help you to enjoy the park without breaking the rules, as well as understand what the ride attendants expect of park patrons. The park must try to serve all its customers that are there on any given day, so they impose strict rules.

THE FOLLOWING MAY NOT BE REPRODUCED
WITHOUT PERMISSION FROM THE AUTHOR ©

• GENERAL   You will be expected to wear shirts and shoes at all times (except in designated areas such as water park facilities), put garbage in the receptacles, not block entrance ways to exhibits, rides, shows, or walkways; and to be courteous to the staff and other customers.
  
  
  
• RIDE ATTENDANTS   Many ride attendants don't get much of a breather because they must continually load & unload people at a rate which is dictated by the speed of the ride and the number of persons waiting. They will expect you to follow their orders quickly, without recourse. When you approach a ride one may ask "How many ?". It's best for the lead person to hold up the number of fingers representing himself and his ride partners, while verbally stating the same. The visual sign is important in noisy areas as it enforces what the attendant is reading on your lips.
  
      They will not allow drinks nor loose articles such as cameras and souvenirs on unless secured first. Some loading areas have places to stash stuff while riding and most parks also have lockers should you get too overloaded. If you choose to use either, the park will not be responsible for theft or damages.
  
      Be aware that on most rides there are safety restraints. Please do not worry that the ride will start before the restraints are locked and checked by an attendant. Yelling to an attendant to stop the ride because you think it's about to start and your restraint isn't locked is annoying to that attendant. Thomas Barry (a Six Flags employee) has said to me that he feels slighted because it makes it seem like he doesn't know his job, yet he, and all attendants, have been trained by the company, and they do this job day in & out all during the season.
  
      Thomas went on to say that (regarding working as a coaster operator) "I can't tell you how many times I had people screaming at me that their seatbelt wasn't fastened as if I was about to send the train. It always happened when I would close the air gates."
  
      He suggests: "Don't panic if the restraint doesn't lock during boarding. The operator is busy and will eventually get to making sure everything is locked before starting the ride. If he looks like he is starting the ride, most likely he is just locking the restraints (remotely) or some other pre ride-start procedure."
  
      Be sure to thank your operator and/or attendants when exiting the ride. They work long and hard, so a little appreciation from you can make their day! Plus, a thankyou is a little courtesy that operators deserve.
  
      If you see a possible safety concern, please report it to a ride attendant or park employee. Averting disaster might save someone from getting hurt and from having the ride shut down.
  
  
  
• QUEUES   Most parks will not allow line jumping, saving a place for someone else, or being excused for drinks or washroom, then returning to your same spot. The usual penalty is a warning and demotion to the back of the line. However, ejection from the park without refund is an option some parks will exercise, especially if the line-jumper becomes obnoxious. If you see line jumpers, do not confront them, but be sure to point them out to the ride attendant or security officer. If everyone reported line-jumpers and they were reprimanded, there would be less of it.
  
      At some point you may be in corral lines for a certain seat on a roller coaster and your friends are in another line but you all wish to ride together. It's more courteous to let others go in front of you or your friends rather than to ask those waiting ahead if you or your friends can move in front of them. The purpose of this shuffle is to keep even with your friends so that you will all arrive at the head of the line at the same time.
  
      Should a park employee approach you with some park guests whom have line passes, please be courteous and allow them ahead of you. They rarely have more than four people, so it's only another few minutes wait. Line passes are usually issued to park guests whom have disabilities and to those whom may have gotten stuck on a ride and had to wait a very long time to get off. The line passes allow these people to make up for lost time. Try to put yourself in these riders' positions - Be courteous and allow these unfortunate guests ahead of your place in line.
  
  
  
• PICTURE TAKING   Picture taking on rides or in certain theaters is usually not allowed. However, if you have fast film and disable, or not use a flash, theater picture-taking is then typically allowed. The exception here would be a copyrighted act that specifies "No Pictures". Be sure to read signs at the theater entrance to see if this is the case, or ask an usher if pictures are allowed. When making this request, be sure to say that you will NOT be using a flash.
  
      If you intend to take pictures on rides, be aware that if it is allowed, you will be responsible for your equipment. You must assure that it is secure and cannot leave your hand, where it might hurt you, your fellow passengers, or persons on the grounds. Be sure that no straps are in a position to get caught anywhere that may cause the camera to be yanked from your hands and possibly injure you or another rider. The best method is to buy or make a secure body harness that will keep the camera tightly with you in the event you let go of it, or it gets away from you.
  
      Be prepared to pay for repairs or new equipment in the event of damage or total loss. Don't expect the park to reimburse you for a broken lens.
  
  
  
• SMOKING   Most parks have now banned smoking in line. Please be courteous to non-smokers and smoke outside of the queue. Besides being an annoyance to them, the smoke can contribute to motion sickness for some riders, and vomit is an annoyance to everyone. Plus, lit cigarettes are liable to burn someone in a crowded queue.
  
      Please remember to put your cigarette completely out and place the butt in a proper container. Cigarette butts on the ground take away from a park's clean look and it makes the sweepers' jobs easier if they don't have to pick up after a thoughtless smoker.
  
  
  
• CLOSURES of RIDES   The ride operations manager has the right to close rides if an unsafe condition occurs, or for reasons of bad weather, which may mean anything from high winds, through rain, to lightning. Should you choose to leave the park there is no refund. Fortunately there is a lot to do indoors in most parks, and when the problem is fixed or when the weather clears, the rides will be reopened. Please do not hold the park responsible for bad weather, and don't take it out on the employees if a ride is closed due to maintenance problems. Remember that the park closed the ride for YOUR safety.
  
  
  
• LOST and FOUND   If you find lost articles you will be expected to turn them in to Lost & Found, or at least give them to a park employee. Remember, some people in the park are not locals. They will need everything they have brought with them, otherwise those things would have been left at home. Think of how grateful you'd be if you left something in the park and it was sitting at Lost & Found when you went looking, "Do unto others ..." Remember when and where you found the item, in case you are asked.
  
  
  
• COMPLAINTS   If you have a complaint be sure to issue it to the correct person. In most cases that means someone at management level. Complaining to a ride operator or attendant, or concession operator may get it changed, but it is best to go higher up. A complaint in writing always gets more response than a verbal one and gives you a chance to really spell out the problem. Be courteous and respectful. Relate the events leading up to the problem. State the problem, and suggest ways it might be resolved or improved for the next person that might encounter a similar situation. Above all, try to put yourself in the park's shoes and see it from their side, before flying off the handle.

Now,
See Park Hints
For Tips on Planning an
Amusement Park Outing

Go to the
Coaster Enthusiasts of Canada
Main Page