I should LIKE to REGISTER a COMPLAINT!

[elfs]

We spent the day at Wild Waves, the (now) Six-Flags owned water-themed summer park down between Seattle and the sister city to the south, Tukwila. tabbifli has this scheduled every year, the third Wednesday in August, and we've been attending ever since she began the practice.

The weather was cold and rainy when we started out. When we arrived it hadn't gotten much better, but we were able to meet up with the rest of our crew: kaender, Alex, a few new people we'd never met before with children, one a year younger than Kouryou-chan, as well as fallenpegasus. Sadly, jenkitty didn't show, nor did a few others I'd hope to have a chance to talk with.

We did the dry rides first and learned that more than "one or two" rides were currently down for maintenance. Ever since Six Flags had taken over the park, it turns out, they have no on-site large engine mechanical engineers; they have to be flown out from Atlanta by the corporate powers that be. Quite a few of the kiddie rides have been futher dumbed-down; the Frog Hopper, which is Kouryou-chan's addiction, no longer drops with any drama whatsoever, and she was bored out of her skull. The adults went on a few roller coasters and pure "turn you upside down" rides. There were four of us on a ride that took three to a bench, so I ended up sitting opposite some teenagers, which was quite pleasant in its own right.

After a greasy lunch (hey, it's an amusement park, I don't expect better) the day warmed up a bit, the sky started to break up and sun started to peek through, so we decided to get into bathing suits and do a few water rides. The second time down the Python, though, Kouryou-chan tripped walking from the exit pool to where we had the stored the towels and fell along some "decorative rocks," scraping one leg quite badly.

The tech who looked her over was gentle and effective with kids, but as he put the bandages over her he said, "These won't stay on long. We don't have the waterproof kind."

"But... you're a water park!" I pointed out.

"Yeah, but they stopped stocking them a few years back. They're expensive, compared to these." He indicated the cheap ones he had on hand. Behind him, on the blackboard, was a long list of things they were out of, including "portable emergency oxygen." Oh, yeah, that makes me feel much better. Six Flags has put a lot of new capital into the park-- there are two new rides, after all-- but is skimping on necessary supplies needed to keep customers coming back.

So I ran out to the nearest drugstore and bought a bunch of bandaids appropriate for Kouryou-chan's scratches, and when I got back we put them on her and then headed out for more rides. She had a lot of fun on the Konga, and the new Zooma ride, which takes two, three, or four people per monstrous raft was also good for her. Eventually, though, we retired to The Olive Garden, where the Sangria was refreshing but I think they might have waved some wine at it, it was so weak. The three-meat ravioli was delicious, but I wish they'd supplied more of the roma and pesto sauce; it was better than the alfredo.

I'm really disappointed in the way the park has tried to maximize profits at the cost to the consumer experience, especially with respect to the medical supplies, and I am going to send them a letter.

Comments

[mo-hair.livejournal.com]

you should absolutely send them a scathing letter. every now and then people run out of stuff, but to be out of portable o2, now that's frightening. those are the kind of cost cutting tactics that get you sued in the end.

i work for a gym and am doing my best to get them to purchase portable a.e.d.'s. no luck so far. thankfully it didn't happen on my watch, but we have had someone drop dead of a heart attack on a treadmill, and another had a neurological event which resulted in her being unable to remember where she was, etc. two weeks ago i couldnt' even locate an ice pack for a member who twisted a knee. unbelievable. i hate risky cost cutting.

[technoshaman.livejournal.com]

My response to the med tech would be, "yes, and lawsuits are *very* expensive." There is no excuse for a waterpark with that kind of capital behind it cheaping out on band-aids. I'm a Scot, and I'm wearing a waterproof one on my finger right now. (Nasty paper cut, from who knows where.) The idea of stocking portable O2 is a new one on me, but I like it... and am angered by the idea that they're supposed to have it and don't.

And a high-tech amusement park with no one local to fix it? That's unsafe. If you don't live with these things and know their quirks and can't stay on top of them....

Stick a fork in'em, I'm done with them.

[drewkitty.livejournal.com]

The minimum standard of care for a facility venue with delayed access to EMS is a First Responder with access to oxygen, AED and advanced first aid supplies. Many use EMTs for the added level of safety. A few enlighened ones use either RNs (old school) or paramedics (more modern) for venues with 5,000 people or more.

A water park with no oxygen! That's criminal, as in grossly negligent and a guarantee of losing a lawsuit. It is reasonable to foresee that someone might drown at a water park and that oxygen is a lifesaving intervention.

As for not having AEDs at the gym, it all depends on your local EMS, fire and police agencies. You're safer having one anyway, but if they can arrive in 3-5 minutes packing an AED, it's OK. Not good, but OK.

Where did I put my E-mail?

A good theme park

[newsblues.livejournal.com]

I really like Holiday World in Santa Claus, Indiana. It's the oldest theme park on the planet -- and an eclectic collection of things, that don't really go together. And it's great for young children.

They do have some awesome stuff too. In the water park, there's a ride called the "Zinga." It's *very* scary...an enormous half-pipe that launches from 80 feet up and lets you out into a giant funnel at the bottom. Like getting flushed in a giant toilet.

Then there's The Raven -- rated as the #1 wooden roller coaster out there. It seems pretty innocuous at first. You can only see one big hill through the trees. It's also a short ride. Plenty of corners. Very fast and wild. There's a fifth drop that scares the crap outta you, because you can't see it coming.

Holiday World is pretty unique as far as theme parks go. All the free Pepsi products and ice water you can drink, dispensed in self-serve huts all over the park. Plus, free sunscreen in giant gallon dispenser bottles placed everywhere. Apparently, the owners do not want dehydraded, sunburned guests.

They offer some lazy, fun rides for the old folks too -- innertubing on the calm river, antique cars, etc.

Very customer-service oriented, and price of entry isn't too bad either.

[shaterri.livejournal.com]

This may feed a little too strongly into the 'local alarmist' twitch, but -- you might seriously consider relating your experience to some suitable media representative, too (I'd think either the Times or the Seattle Weekly, if you can track down someone appropriate at either paper). This is the sort of story that an investigative journalist should love to sink their teeth into, and that sort of spotlight seems like the best chance (short of lawsuits) of actually getting the park to change their behavior.

Change of plans...

[hedgemage.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the heads-up, Elf. Hubby and I just got transfered to the area, and we were thinking of giving that park a try. I think we'll come up with other ideas for our weekend.

HedgeMage