How do you deal with your “loose articles”?

[Intamin to Win]

I posit this question because at a recent visit to Cedar Point, fod the first time, I just left every single thing in the car and went. I put money in my shoes, and besides the extra glasses strap in my pocket, sauntered in. It seemed to make the day a lot easier, not having to deal with pesky security/employees or worrying about the status of my phone mid-ride, and especially not having to waste time at lockers. It was freeing

Anyway, at certain smart and well-run parks (Hershey for example) they have in-station cubbies for your stuff, making the “loose articles” issue easy. But at dumb, less-well-run parks (SFGA) they’re weenies about everything loose. SFGA didn’t even let me wear my glasses, WITH a strap, last time. Going with nothing solves this problem regardless of park policy.

I’d love to hear how those of you, who’ve hit far more rides and parks than me, deal with managing their stuff. I’m sure it’d be interesting! Plus, I’m sure a few of us have spiteful stories about employees saying stuff regardless of how secured the item is or isn’t.*







*SFGA’s operations had me salty last summer, boy...

 

[lachlan]

I posit this question because at a recent visit to Cedar Point, fod the first time, I just left every single thing in the car and went. I put money in my shoes, and besides the extra glasses strap in my pocket, sauntered in. It seemed to make the day a lot easier, not having to deal with pesky security/employees or worrying about the status of my phone mid-ride, and especially not having to waste time at lockers. It was freeing

Anyway, at certain smart and well-run parks (Hershey for example) they have in-station cubbies for your stuff, making the “loose articles” issue easy. But at dumb, less-well-run parks (SFGA) they’re weenies about everything loose. SFGA didn’t even let me wear my glasses, WITH a strap, last time. Going with nothing solves this problem regardless of park policy.

I’d love to hear how those of you, who’ve hit far more rides and parks than me, deal with managing their stuff. I’m sure it’d be interesting! Plus, I’m sure a few of us have spiteful stories about employees saying stuff regardless of how secured the item is or isn’t.*







*SFGA’s operations had me salty last summer, boy...

Glasses phone and money stays in my pockets, everything else (suncream, food etc) I either don't take or carry in a bag which gets left in the station while on rides

I don't know what I would do if I couldn't leave my bag in the station, the only time this has been the case was at Universal where there are free lockers

 

[oriolat2]

It depends on the park. If it's a coaster park and their policy is really strict I will just rent one of those lockers that you can use around the park at different locations. (SFGAdv for instance). Otherwise, I carry a small bag and just leave it in the station.

If Universal wasn't so anal about their metal detector thing, they would have the best system, with their free lockers.

I have another question about this related to Disney. How do Shanghai Disney deal with bags on Tron?

 

[Snoo]

All I typically have with me are my wallet, keys, phone, and if its sunny, sunglasses. As I normally wear either jeans or shorts with pocked to deal with such small items and most, if not all parks have little care for most of that equipment, I just throw it in my pocket and have no worries when riding for the most part. Obviously some parks/rides are sticklers depending on the situation, but if they are sticklers, they typically offer either a bin in the station or a locker which is no skin off my back.

 

[Hixee]

I have another question about this related to Disney. How do Shanghai Disney deal with bags on Tron?

They have a movable bin for each train. Bags go in it in the loading platform, and it's then moved over to the unload platform for when you exit. That was what they used when I was there, never anecdotally they have used lockers before.

If you've only got small items (phone, wallet, etc) then they have a little compartment in the trains - where we fuel tank would be - for those.

 

[TLARides]

My sister usually sticks her phone case protector thingy (those waterproof things) down her shirt.

I just stuff things in my pocket.

Sent from my LG-TP260 using Tapatalk

 

[Zek_Teh_Kek]

ZIPPER POCKET SHORTS!
They've got everything I need: a zipper pocket big enough to fit 4 medium sized phones, and belt loops for my hat!

 

[gavin]

They have a movable bin for each train. Bags go in it in the loading platform, and it's then moved over to the unload platform for when you exit. That was what they used when I was there, never anecdotally they have used lockers before.

If you've only got small items (phone, wallet, etc) then they have a little compartment in the trains - where we fuel tank would be - for those.

When I was there, not long after it opened, it was lockers for bags, which were free, before joining the queue line. Those little compartments for phones/wallets were great though.

I've always got a small bag with me and in this part of the world it's not a problem to leave them on platforms. Crappy operations ensure that nobody else is going to be there to potentially nick anything. Plus, most parks tend to hold people on the platform until everyone has picked their s**t up. Yeah, it's faff, but I've got no issues leaving everything there.

I actually like the locker system they have at most Six Flags parks: pay a small fee and use various lockers all day. It takes no time to use and is preferable to leaving valuable stuff on the platform. I hate the lack of consistency across the chain though. From my recent trip:

Over Georgia: no bags allowed in a lot stations, but plenty of lockers in front of those rides. Pay $5 for all day use. Some rides, which don't have obvious lockers out front, you can just leave everything on the platform. All good.

Over Texas: very few lockers around, but bags allowed on platforms and most rides have zipped compartments in front for valuables, so you can shove phone/wallet in there and still leave a bag on the platform. Perfect! This should be everywhere.

Fiesta Texas: Some lockers around, with an all-day, transferable option, but a lot were out of order. Bags allowed on platforms, but slight anxiety leaving s**t there with 3 train operations and no separate storage for each train.

Mexico: no bags allowed, but lockers are only single use at around $1 per hour. S**te.

 

[Y. Kim]

I always buy a locker if necessary in Cedar Point or Universal Studios.


In my home parks, NO loose articles are allowed during the ride.

As my home park, Everland and Gyeongju World has bins in the station in every single coaster, and every row and there are 25~40 bins near the entrance of flat rides.


In T-Express cast members always pull down the lap bars so they usually find loose articles even in cargo shorts and they always grab rider’s glasses to bin in the station. No cameras and glasses are allowed. Just bins are 3 rows and each row has 18 bins (18-row train) and the bin of 2 rows are closed, 1 row is opened automatically while dispatching.

 

[caffeine_demon]

I'm going to start going naked...

 

[Smithy]

I mean one key thing I look for when I buy a pair of shorts/trackies is if it has zip-up pockets.

Doubles up not only as perfect for theme parks but also great to prevent pickpockets when travelling overseas.

 

[Pear]

Cargo Shorts are a gift from God

 

[Benenen]

I usually visit with a big gang of mates so there's always a bag I can chuck my wallet in outside of lunchtime. The UK is actually really good for bags, any platform you can leave one on unless there's a bag room where you get a wristband.

I've got a solo trip to the UAE coming up soon so I went into town to buy some shorts with zipped pockets so I can keep my phone and bank card on me without needing a bag. I think this is the least faffy method of doing things unless the park is super strict on loose articles.

 

[Antinos]

I have a few pair of cargo shorts with zippered pockets. They're a godsend.

 

[Youngster Joey]

All I typically have with me are my wallet, keys, phone, and if its sunny, sunglasses. As I normally wear either jeans or shorts with pocked to deal with such small items and most, if not all parks have little care for most of that equipment, I just throw it in my pocket and have no worries when riding for the most part. Obviously some parks/rides are sticklers depending on the situation, but if they are sticklers, they typically offer either a bin in the station or a locker which is no skin off my back.

+1 although I don't have shorts with zipped or buttonable pockets so if it's a ride I'm truly concerned about losing something I usually turn to a friend who happens to have well you can just read below

I have a few pair of cargo shorts with zippered pockets. They're a godsend.

<3 you bud

 

[TilenB]

I've got a solo trip to the UAE coming up soon so I went into town to buy some shorts with zipped pockets so I can keep my phone and bank card on me without needing a bag. I think this is the least faffy method of doing things unless the park is super strict on loose articles.

Dunno about most of the parks, but Ferrari World was pretty strict on loose items, though they did provide free lockers outside the three main coasters (Formula Rossa was similar to what AT (used to?) have on their main rides). The only downside of that was that I couldn't take photos of the Flying Aces queue.

I usually go around places with a small bag with some food, water, sunglasses and a camera, while I try to keep my wallet and phone in my zipped pockets. I'm yet to find a park in Europe that wouldn't allow leaving the bag in the station/taking it with me on the ride or annoy me for having stuff in my pockets left.

So yeah, on the same note, I was extremely annoyed when they wouldn't allow any sort of loose articles near Superman Escape in Australia's Movie World (including one's glasses) and made you use a paid locker for your stuff. I've heard the practice has since been discontinued and the lockers are now free to use, but it still put a sour patch on my day...

 

[Intamin to Win]

ZIPPER POCKET SHORTS!
They've got everything I need: a zipper pocket big enough to fit 4 medium sized phones, and belt loops for my hat!

I used to do that, but eventually my zipper pants got old and it's been impossible to find a second pair!

 

[EndlessWire]

I carry a shoulder bag with me wherever I go (not just parks - means I'm never too far from a phone charger or some Stephen King), so I just put everything in that and leave it behind at the station before I go. I wear glasses and take them off on anything I gauge to be wilder than the Grand National. This has been no problem at all in any park I've visited so far (literally the only issue I've had has been struggling to see during the end of Krake's queue in Heide), and it strikes me as being a completely reasonable way to go about things - I have no intention of taking anything on with me. The idea that this way of going about things might not be sufficient for some parks strikes me as, frankly, stupid - if you have the resources and space to build a 200ft RMC or a massive B&M, you've got the resources and space to employ a reasonable solution.

 

[davidm]

I used to do that, but eventually my zipper pants got old and it's been impossible to find a second pair!

Took me ages to find any online, but ;

 

[Intamin to Win]

Took me ages to find any online, but ;

Are those full pockets behind there? Cuz I have shorts like that with the little zippers that are just narrow strips for some reason.