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Theme Park Confessions

Matthew Fair

Mega Poster
Any avid BBC Radio 2 listeners will remember a feature on Simon Mayo's drive time show where listeners would write in and confess to doing naughty/funny things- like accidentally confusing their grandma's ashes with some herbs and then put them in a Christmas pudding. I thought it would be a good laugh if we had a thread where we shared funny Confessions of things we've done in theme parks
 
Oooh - this could be the best topic ever! Sadly, some of us are old enough to remember when Simon Mayo's confessions were on Radio 1... but that's another story. Can't wait to see where this goes. :D
I'll start with a 'mild' one: Got into Chessington World of Adventures without paying once. Stayed at one of the hotels, see, and the vast majority of their hotel packages include park entry, but I was a cheapskate and booked a room only package. Anyways, big queue of hotel guests at the hotel guest entrance, when it was opening time the dude just opened the gate and let everybody in, no turnstiles, no ticket scanners, nothing.
'Have a nice day' he said.
'I will now' I thought.
As a side note, we didn't pay for breakfast either. Boom!

Ooh ooh - just remembered another accidental free entry incident, Lightwater Valley. It was early afternoon on a quiet day, I was in the area so decided to swing in and grab a couple of creds. Had never been before, was on my own, didn't know where the ticket window was and the turnstiles were open because what few people were there that day were mostly leaving by this point, and there didn't seem to be any staff about. So I thought, f*** it. Just waltzed in, unchallenged. Boom!
 
Oooh - this could be the best topic ever! Sadly, some of us are old enough to remember when Simon Mayo's confessions were on Radio 1... but that's another story. Can't wait to see where this goes. :D
I'll start with a 'mild' one: Got into Chessington World of Adventures without paying once. Stayed at one of the hotels, see, and the vast majority of their hotel packages include park entry, but I was a cheapskate and booked a room only package. Anyways, big queue of hotel guests at the hotel guest entrance, when it was opening time the dude just opened the gate and let everybody in, no turnstiles, no ticket scanners, nothing.
'Have a nice day' he said.
'I will now' I thought.
As a side note, we didn't pay for breakfast either. Boom!

Ooh ooh - just remembered another accidental free entry incident, Lightwater Valley. It was early afternoon on a quiet day, I was in the area so decided to swing in and grab a couple of creds. Had never been before, was on my own, didn't know where the ticket window was and the turnstiles were open because what few people were there that day were mostly leaving by this point, and there didn't seem to be any staff about. So I thought, f*** it. Just waltzed in, unchallenged. Boom!
This is exactly what we are after!??
 
I’ve got two Cheeky things

Free entry to Disney California Adventure: So, I was with my family and we had done the parks before and chose to skip on them this time and do Knotts and magic mountain instead. One evening we went to Downtown Disney to look around and I wanted a map from the parks, I saw a stand with them on and went to get one, due to a big group leaving I had to wiggle through the people and I got one and started to walk back when I realised I had passed the exit, I asked the lady to stamp my hand. Found my family and explained what happened they looked round downtown Disney for two hours till the park closed while we went around the park, I also manage to get my sister in by showing the lady my stamp she did not bother to check my sister so we got in and went on quite a few things before leaving and we had a great time ?

Fastpass for Thorpe: It was the last ride in the day on colossus and we had waited 45min, just before getting on it broke down. As there was no time left in the day for anything else, I said if we wait we might get something. We got a ticket for 3 people that said we had a fastpass for two rides another day. Nemesis inferno was still going even though the park was closed due to the people in the line. We managed to get to enter the short queue as I explained the situation to the employee out front, they called the higher ups and we were let in, then we ran to swarm (the park has been closed for 20 mins at this point) they had one train left, I showed my pass to the employee out the front and they let us through radioing to hold the train. So we were chuffed we got an extra 2 rides with no queue on what was a busy day.

However, they never took my pass so I still had two fastpasses, so the next time I went I skipped Colossus and Stealth but they forgot to tick one of the box’s so the last time I went got to go on Saw and Swarm (they did not tick the box for both) and Stealth as well and then they took my ticket, I loved that thing?
 
I was at a CF live to a well known Swedish park. I tried to buy a ticket online but couldn't and the machines outside wouldn't accept my card. So I just stood at the back of the CF group and when the employee came to walk us to the new cred I just followed in!

Once at Phantasialand I fell down the stairs walking to Raik.
 
I hope this doesn't get me in trouble, but I have a rather funny story to tell...

Six Flags Over Georgia, ACE Spring Fling 2015

Each one of us attendees was bestowed with a Flash Pass (exit lane access) that would expire at noon. However... I attempted to use it on Superman: Ultimate Flight after our catered lunch, nervous that it would get me reprimanded by a ride op. But, it worked! I used that expired Flash Pass for the rest of the day, as none of the Six Flags Over Georgia staff members questioned me about its validity. That being said, though, I wouldn't want to risk that again.
 
I was at a CF live to a well known Swedish park. I tried to buy a ticket online but couldn't and the machines outside wouldn't accept my card. So I just stood at the back of the CF group and when the employee came to walk us to the new cred I just followed in!

Was that Kolmarden, 2016? I don't think any of us bought tickets for that, did we? :D
Relying, as we did, on our sole ECC member to flash the relevant ID.
"Are you all ECC members?" said the lady...

 
One time I asked for a water cup but I filled it with Sprite instead

I did something similarly naughty at Belantis. They had self-serve Tango Ice Blast and I got 1 and 1/2 cups worth of drink for the price of 1. Wild.


Best one was at a certain Dutch theme in their famous pancake restaurant. We ordered savoury pancakes and drinks for a 'main meal', then had desserts. The waitress had changed between our main and dessert and we were only charged for the desserts, despite our obvious surprise at how cheap the bill was...
 
This might get me in trouble, but...

A couple of years ago, I visited a park I never thought I'd visit again. I didn't ride all the coasters, even though they were all open. Then on a later occasion I got back to that park. Still didn't ride the coasters I missed last time. Still doesn't look like I'll go back any time soon.

Please don't crucify me for my unsportsmanlike behaviour.
 
This is probably my worst moment at a theme park... And today I have no clue as to why I thought it was a good idea...
I once took off my shirt going up the lifthill on Expedition GeForce and then rode the entire coaster with hands (and shirt) up like I was a male stripper or something. When we hit the brakes, I quickly put it on again and then when I was about to leave the train, one ride-op told me it was illegal and that I was to pay 10€ for the incident (what?). Naturally I played dumb as if I didn't understand him and he gave up pretty quickly...
The proverbial onride-photo was far from flattering...
 
This was back when I was much younger and the single rider queue existed on Spinball at AT after my first ever CF live. After a full day as part of the group, I decided on Spinball as last ride. Being used to being in the group, I entered the main queue without thinking about single rider. Halfway through the queue, I realised and decided to hop the fence into the "shorter" single rider queue, in view of ride ops on platform. Not only did this queue end up taking much longer, I got done for queue-jumping and kicked off the ride....

Ride ops were quite strict so likely would have enforced the whole "kicked out of park if caught" rule if it hadn't been past park close and nothing else open anyway...
 
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