Transcript
Zach: I'm Zach and I'm usually wrong.
ben: I'm Ben and I'm never right.
Zach: Well there it is.
ben: Yeah.
Zach: i mean no No better place to start than with a Solid voicing of confidence.
ben: I'm all right.
Zach: Oh. then you must have been disappointed recently.
ben: No, I got my left arm cut off
Zach: Ah.
Zach: God damn coming in with a dad joke
ben: technically stolen dad joke but yeah
Zach: All right there.
ben: What a... I was just actually... Thinking about that show. wasn't there I was like ah because we're discussing I think they're supposed to be like a reboot, but I'm also I looked it up. I'm like, oh man, did I just miss a completely new...
ben: rebooted season and of Arrested Development. And then it. I didn't find it and didn't it wasn't real. And I was like, oh, thank god
Zach: but
ben: Like that was my first reaction like I looked it up. I'm like, oh it didn't have okay. Thank God that didn't happen Because it probably wouldn't. Not a Vinaigrette.
Zach: Oh it would be very bad.
ben: Yeah.
Zach: Because... First of all... Unfortunately, the late great Jessica Walther is no longer with us.
ben: Mm hmm.
Zach: and Jeffrey Tambor, nobody wants to work with that guy.
Zach: And uh...
ben: What happened with him?
Zach: And. I don't know I don't know the specifics.
ben: Oh.
Zach: He's canceled.
ben: Really?
Zach: I, I'm pretty sure I don't have the master list on me. but
ben: He did that whole transparent thing.
Zach: Yeah, no, I know. I think he was just. ah really weird and Bad to people on set?
ben: Makes sense. When I was younger, I always would confuse him and Chevy Chase.
Zach: I mean...
ben: like
Zach: It's kind of funny you confused them after just talking about. How they were doing. Shitty things to learn.
ben: Let's split it.
Zach: Cast members.
ben: Yeah. Like the first I remember because the rest of development came out like oh four And I remember, er, 03?
ben: Before.
Zach: yeah 03 04 that's the
ben: it was I just remember it it debuted when I broke my leg. And... I was like on the couch a lot. I think it actually debuted around the time of the Janet Jackson nip slip, which I saw live on TV.
ben: With like a broken leg It's like... That was fun.
Zach: ah
ben: Um... Anyway.
Zach: How the fuck do you break your leg?
ben: Uh, Skeen.
Zach: Damn, dude.
ben: I had snow compacted. So I was like. you know, 13 being like a. a dumb shit on a Literal.
ben: Garbage pile hill. in Wisconsin. That's all ice. Um, But my binding... So like my ski popped out. Because I was trying to go over a jump.
ben: Ski popped out. And then I was trying to like. put my ski or my boot back into the binding On the hill, which is always kind of a pain in the ass and there was snow in the binding. so it didn't fully clamp all the way.
ben: And so I'm like. just like screwing around on the skis and then The boot popped, the ski popped off. Which meant that I fell forward And then the the foot that was attached to the other ski.
ben: The tip of the ski went dug into the snow and then my leg. Did like a... like a 90 degree turn
Zach: Oh, geez.
ben: But because of the way that I fell in the way that my knee was bent and just the bones it was a spiral fracture on the tibia.
ben: the second largest bone of the body in the spiral fracture. was like, uh... Covered. half of the length of the bone. It looked pretty crazy, the x -ray.
Zach: Is that the upper one or the lower one?
ben: ah It's the large. Lower one.
Zach: Okay. God damn dude.
ben: In the x -ray, it literally looked like a spiral staircase, the fracture. Um.
Zach: Holy shit.
ben: So that sucked. um, Yeah, that was...
Zach: how How long was the recovery process?
ben: um
ben: so full leg cast for one so good i had i didn't need surgery which was cool Um, but it was a full -length cast for a month. Half -leg casts for two or for a month.
ben: And then a leg. And then a brace for a month. But then I... Probably had a like. 12 months of physical therapy. Cuz.
ben: It turns out when you don't bend your leg. for a whole month, it fucks the knee up.
Zach: Oh shit. Yeah, I bet.
ben: And then. Going on crutches for three months? On the other knee fucks the other knee up. So it was just like... It like messed up the way I walk. and limp for years. and posture issues and all that stuff.
ben: Thankfully, that was all fixed when I cracked my sternum at the West Edmonton Mall. So I actually feel great now. Don't let that shield.
Zach: Okay. Shit dude.
Zach: Holy shit, they made me crack up. Oh my god Yeah, well... um
Zach: Whew. ah Well, I'm glad you're... Hopefully not still dealing with the... Too much.
ben: No, it was...
Zach: Pain in... anything.
ben: It was... That one was fine. It was really scary like the day of. Because it was the first time I had like any type of injury. In my 30s?
ben: but uh
ben: And then like realizing like, oh yeah, like, oh, this is cool. Like Canada has socialized medicine. Right. And then it was like, yeah, but you have to be a taxpayer. And then I was like.
Zach: Yep.
ben: And I was like looking into the legality and and then of course like you don't have travel insurance when you go up like in another country and I'm like No. so That was a paradigm shift.
Zach: oh Shit. Yeah. Oh my god
ben: and then like the edibles were creeping in while like right after that happened
Zach: Oh fuck. ah
ben: So there's nothing like sitting in an indoor cabana in a water park.
ben: while an edible is creeping in in your 30s freaking thinking you have like spinal damage or something But...
Zach: Trying not to cough up blood.
Zach: oh geez dude uh yeah and just the prospect of an injury in my 30s is What keeps me awake at night.
ben: Mm hmm.
Zach: Mind...
ben: although 30s although like i think you're still pretty good It's really like. I mean... obviously like bones. Cause I was actually looking this up. I think you're good you're still okay in your 30s. It's really like...
ben: when you cross into that. late 40s stage that's when things like bones and stuff get It like... doubles your recovery time. And if you have like weird joint and muscle issues, those don't. kill but could potentially not.
ben: um repair. you know, after like. 45 or something. I don't know
Zach: Yeah, I mean... My niece started bothering me in a weird way the other day and I'm like, oh my god
ben: You gotta do, uh, you gotta do yoga.
Zach: Yeah, I think I'm gonna have to.
ben: That I do believe that yoga is like a magical. Kind of like. longevity thing. um And it's very simple. It's literally just like a way to stretch literally every muscle in your body and joints and stuff.
ben: Um...
Zach: Fuck yeah, dude. DDP saved Jake the Snake Roberts that way.
ben: Yeah. And it's like one of those things everybody can do. Everybody should do it. And it's like a lot of boomers who are on. Like. I would. it's weird to say like oh if you do yoga you won't have problems later in life but in a weird way When you look at some of these boomers.
ben: It's kind of like dude, like when is the last time you stretched a muscle? Or... when When was the last time you hurt your heart rate went over 160? Not because...
Zach: When I saw the price of gas.
ben: Yeah.
ben: I mean, when I was a lifeguard at the YMCA. and then there are all these third There's a definite. Like... divide of of the people that came in and did like swimming aerobics and stuff like Like.
ben: people and they're like men and women in their like 60s and 70s just like cranking out laps you know and like being all active and young and it's literally just doing the thing it's like There's no magic to it. it's you know.
ben: It's just... a Keep moving.
Zach: But don't run if you have bad knees.
ben: oh Yeah.
Zach: but Or if you're on crutches.
ben: Yeah. That's true.
Zach: You could try. you
ben: suspicious I was such an asshole. I was at this. Party at a friend's house. I mean like, you know middle school party. And. I already had the nickname cripple at this point.
ben: Um. So...
Zach: What the fuck dude, that's fucked up.
ben: so i as a joke i like threw the so the party was in the basement And so like to go down to the fall, like I said, I'd have to like sit on the stairs and like slide down, like scoot down and then scoot back up.
ben: So it as a joke, I like threw the crutches down the stairs. because and it was in like one of those enclosed stairwells you know so like everybody thought that I had like fallen down the staircase.
ben: And I thought this would be like some like fun little prank, you know, but the parents of my of like the parents at the party. They were like. Holy fuck, of course because it's their house, right? So They like jump up.
ben: and like run over Thinking this happened and I'm just sitting at the top of the stairs like laughing Um...
Zach: It's pretty fucking funny.
ben: Turns out they dumped a bullet they were like they had like chips and salsa On their lap. in the other room
Zach: Oh shit.
ben: And it dumped a bowl of salsa. On the carpet? Because they jumped up.
Zach: That's fucking funny.
ben: Yeah.
Zach: You got them good. I don't know.
Zach: Oh, dude. um Well, welcome back to your favorite coaster sucks.
ben: Mm hmm.
Zach: We're a roller coaster podcast that'll occasionally get into. Teenage. Injuries
Zach: Why did you make me say that, Ben?
ben: For some reason, te like, saying the word teenage just... makes it Weird.
Zach: Yep.
Zach: You all heard it though. He made me say it.
ben: It is a creepy word.
Zach: um
ben: Like...
ben: Like you've ever seen the movie kids
Zach: No.
ben: You've never seen kids.
Zach: No.
ben: Oh shit. Take note of that. That's ah that's a must. That's a wild movie.
Zach: Okay.
Zach: my mind went to katie perry and i'm like Yeah, I guess I start. I stopped feeling like that was a cutie song. I don't know.
Zach: Somewhere within the past 15 years.
Zach: shit She did some weird shit.
ben: i love that whole south park where they're making fun of her in space Or like the the blue origin rocket thing.
Zach: Yeah that was weird as fuck
ben: Yeah, I didn't really get that. whole thing, but...
Zach: I'm in space. Buy my album.
ben: Mm hmm.
Zach: Okay.
ben: Yeah, I didn't get that. Serena Flakes.
Zach: It would work. It would work for.
Zach: Someone. Maybe. You know. Her junior?
ben: Yeah. I mean, i do I do kind of like, though, that... Any time that... The whole... billionaire. Like. that was made fun of like no one thought that was cool Kind of like that whole...
ben: like that roadster thing that happened a couple weeks ago The Tesla Roadster demo.
Zach: Oh, God, wait, what happened?
ben: Would you see that the car that like drives upside down and does kickflips and stuff
Zach: Ah, Jesus Christ. Ugh. God. No.
ben: basically it was now i there's no one's like quite proved it but basically It's a car. That has... their SpaceX whatever, cold air compression.
ben: rocket technology.
ben: where to where it can like it has suction. So, you know, like ah Imagine like a literal loop. Right, but it can it can like drive up the loop and then stop.
ben: And be. Fixed. upside down to the track with via like suction
Zach: okay
ben: like it objectively looks cool but the whole thing is like they did it on some like Empty car. Shell. Right. It's like. And it uses...
ben: And it's like a one -time trick thing, like those rockets. have to recharge somehow i don't know how they work but And then basically they do this demo. The car does a kickflip with the rockets.
ben: Like it it it drives and then the rockets blasted up into the air And then it does a barrel roll and then it lands. Um. Like it looks cool. Sure.
ben: And then it's just like a whole like, yeah. ah This car will be street legal and will be going to production next year. ah You can like literally buy it. Ahem.
ben: And it's like. I think the pre -orders were like... $200 ,000 or something.
ben: Shit.
Zach: I need to get the... Fuck out of the Bay Area.
ben: It's just a, sc you know, it's just a scam.
Zach: Of course it is. There you go. I hope to god they'll never make a car that kickflips street legal get the fuck out of here
Zach: Do it.
ben: It's like.
Zach: the fucking five would never operate again.
ben: Yeah.
ben: oh
Zach: Goodbye, interstate system.
Zach: It's all gone now. No longer open to... independent motorists Trucks only.
ben: Well, I mean, at least as far as Bay Area stuff. I mean... That stuff's starting to... May the... Oh yeah. Bay Area stuff, six flags.
Zach: Oh, six flags.
ben: All this.
ben: Are they going to really sell Cedar Point? I saw that on a Facebook post
Zach: Maybe?
Zach: Who knows? Here's the thing, right? See ya.
Zach: Quarter three results came out today in the earnings call. and
Zach: You know. it's q3 so Uh, so... Recent events were not included in the. actually reflected in The quarter.
Zach: Um...
Zach: And they started by addressing safety. Which is a good way to start a good place to start.
ben: Yeah. The bare minimum.
Zach: They're saying they're gonna Inspect every single ride.
ben: Oh ah now I'm like were were you not doing that?
Zach: yeah like they're like we're overhauling our whole thing every ride is getting like tuned up and Like... What? What were you doing before?
ben: Man, that's... Well, remember that... ah Joke about. Like... The burger and the seatbelt.
Zach: Yeah.
ben: Is that just going to be the thing now? like We're gonna go double belts
ben: because at a like you have to address the public perception and at a certain point there's only so much you can do Bye. Is it it just going to literally be additional seatbelts like car seatbelts?
Zach: I mean... Yeah, they're going to put like. A crossbody one.
Zach: It's going to take 10 minutes to load every train.
ben: Yeah, I mean, it's they've already... kind of ruined well it what was weird is like during covid right There was that whole era. Of like. of the shitty Of like shitty write ops and throughput where you just kind of got used to this Like...
ben: five minute dispatch time. and Even with Fastlane, right? Like Fastlane. Brought down your weight from two hours to one hour type of thing and then it seemed like it got it a little bit better And things are improving.
ben: And now I think it's probably gonna go the other way. right that You know that next season they're going to have additional. um protocols like and that's the thing i'm fine with like additional safety measures if they're effective but you know it's all going to be optics Like.
ben: additional hand signals and like Who fucking knows? um
ben: I don't know
Zach: Yeah, like. It really. I don't... Me see I'm looking it up now to Make sure I can. You know. Not misquoted.
Zach: Um,
Zach: Okay, yeah, I mean
Zach: I don't know I have a lot of thoughts here
Zach: Um, about a variety of things because
Zach: um Fucking safety concerns. I have my notes I'm looking through.
Zach: Looking particularly from ah investment standpoint. Just curious, because that can be a real good determination of a company's health.
Zach: Right. ah Q3 revenue down 11 % on a reported basis. Same park revenue up 1 .4%.
Zach: Attendance down 13 .8. but only 0 .2 % on a same park basis.
Zach: Uh,
ben: What is... What is...
Zach: adjusted it beta
ben: Point to you on a same park basis? What does that mean?
Zach: 0 .2%. on the same parks, basically. so They're saying that 13 point 6 % of the attendance loss was because of
Zach: Six Flags America presumably
ben: Oh I see. Okay.
Zach: um A beat, duh. E B I T. da you know
Zach: 493 .2 million, down 11%. But up one point up. 1 .1 % same park.
Zach: Net losses. $366 .1 million.
Zach: yeah important distinction reported declines largely but reflect The eight parks no longer operated.
Zach: October attendance fell 9%. compared with 2025. Um... Management. They use the classic excuse.
Zach: weather.
ben: Mm hmm. Right.
Zach: And then... The remainder was associated with Six Flags Over Georgia. Yeah. Um...
Zach: They're saying. The... you know, The weakness in October is temporary.
Zach: Um,
Zach: Yeah.
Zach: So they say. Safety. uh CEO John Reilly acknowledged the incident and decision to retire X2. Six Flags announced a comprehensive safety review of its ride portfolio supported by independent engineering specialists.
Zach: Management emphasized that safety is the is its highest priority.
ben: Now it is.
Zach: Yeah, right. ah Then how did all this happen?
ben: Yeah, I mean... um
ben: I guess I thought that... i got i thought things like this would You'd think they'd get better When? You like joined forces, but...
Zach: No, and here's where it gets really interesting, right First of all, like capital expenditure. It reduced it. um From 400 to 425 million down to three.
Zach: 150 to 375. So... They're down spending some. Uh, they so they stated that that certainly is it's coming from um Reducing the amount of new rides not maintenance reductions.
Zach: um So that's... reassuring. um Now. They have 4 .91. billion dollars in debt.
Zach: that they are carrying. but their total available liquidity is 1 .06 billion. including available credit.
ben: Okay. I mean...
Zach: They push some of that debt out a little bit, but like... Right now Here's the thing, right? They're definitely paying. They're paying I think almost 400 million a year in Just.
Zach: Um... debt payments.
ben: Yeah.
Zach: Right?
ben: And hey, we've all played Rollercoaster Tycoon and we know how that goes.
Zach: Yeah, right. Exactly.
ben: like you know how like when you play that game and at the start of the month when you pay your staff and like Your dollars go into the red. And then you're like, fuck, I gotta like fast forward just so I can.
Zach: Yeah.
ben: Like. By the extra last these later by the last like two pieces of this roller coaster.
Zach: Piece of fucking...
ben: I'm trying to build
Zach: Piece of fucking... footpaths so I can open this damn ride.
ben: Yeah.
Zach: ah
ben: That's what they're doing.
Zach: exactly exactly and now the problem is right unlike Even a couple of years ago. Fucking AI companies have used up.
Zach: All the debt. And like the housing market's all weird. So like. debt. It's not as easy for... companies that don't look so good financially to secure.
ben: Yeah.
ben: Well, maybe what they should do, if I learn anything from Marcel Voss, is you just fire all your staff. for the first of the month and then you just hire him back. En masse.
Zach: That is something they should consider.
Zach: Um, No. Here's another factor to consider, right?
Zach: In 20 years? The price of... Tickets? across the board at the parks. Has gone up. Uh... from from 2006 to 2019 The price of tickets At pretty much across the board and all the parks in general Approximately 4%.
Zach: uh, Less. when they when you account for inflation.
ben: Yeah, and that's what we were talking about. a few times which is crazy to me like
Zach: So like it costs you like. Less now. than it would have then.
ben: Mm hmm.
ben: Yeah, because I'm trying to remember how much... um I'm trying to remember how much. In 2000. Like my first season pass ever, I think was 06.
ben: For Six Flags, and I think it was... Like $79 and then. What, an extra $60 for the parking bus? If I remember correctly.
Zach: Sounds about right.
ben: Yeah, and... That was like obviously a lot of money in high school like as a high school kid making seven dollars an hour
ben: um but like It is weird that it hasn't gone up. Versus like ski like ski like lift tickets like at ah a veil resort or an icon resort or like 250.
ben: For the day.
ben: Which... is obviously a lot. But. To me, it seems like it should be almost on par of like a theme park. Disney of course is what? Easily that way 250 a day I think 200 a day.
Zach: and Magic Kingdom. I think just crossed the $200 line in Disneyland's.
ben: Yeah. Yeah.
Zach: Very close behind it. So yeah
ben: so like a yeah like a cedar fair like a cedar point Day Ticket. Not being $100 seems kind of crazy.
Zach: Right? And if you look at some of their strategies more broadly, they're still doing like, you know, bring a friend coupons and. the equivalent of the Coke can. promotion and their website you know their ticket their gate price actually might be A hundred bucks?
Zach: But if you buy on their website, it's like. 50 or 60.
ben: Right, yeah
Zach: so like They're doing still these aggressive. Discounting. and promotional tactics. That to me suggests that they don't really have a lot of room to
Zach: Bring up the admission cost
ben: Yeah.
Zach: Especially because their strategy always seems to be, oh. Get the people that are here to spend more money here.
ben: Mm hmm.
ben: And that, I do think that works too. Like we talked about it a few times, like the food costs seem. At this point, they're like on par with what you'd spend outside of the park.
Zach: Now... okay well here's where i've got and you're right about that for sure it's weird that that that hasn't really moved that much either In my mind. because like maybe it's like 15 to 18 for like I don't know, a burger and fries at Six Flags? Right?
Zach: But that's... Not really much more than you would pay at Burger King.
ben: Yeah, I mean... At this point.
ben: 15 bucks. Excuse me. God damn it. 15 bucks.
Zach: That's what I'm saying. 15 bucks is...
ben: Like is, yeah, that's like.
Zach: The same as you're going to pay outside.
ben: Yeah.
ben: Also... This is, this is... i don't know fuck we probably talked about this too but like remember vending machines Like a soda and in a vending machine.
ben: In.
ben: Like I'm trying to think, I think in the round. 2001?
ben: I'm just i'm trying to remember as a kid. like Being able to buy. A coke. or a Fonda or a Pepsi, whatever. and if any machine with like a dollar. Like one dollar.
ben: And then at some point...
Zach: Yeah, and you might even get some change back
ben: Yeah, and then at some point, it crossed into the 125, 150.
ben: range And of course, when you went to Six Flags in, say, 2003. You're trying to buy Dasani. It was like...
Zach: Three fucking fifty.
ben: Yeah. Yeah. I think it's still 350 in those VIN machines today. Bye, guys.
Zach: It's like the same as 7 -Eleven then.
ben: Yeah. Yeah.
ben: which again it's obviously like they obviously can't do it but it is ah it is interesting how like inflation hasn't hit the theme park. And is that a problem? Like, is it...
ben: All right. I don't know. It's it's interesting.
Zach: It's gotta be to a certain extent because labor costs have gone up.
ben: yeah
Zach: They talk about that a lot.
Zach: They're trying to squeeze More juice out of less oranges. Somehow.
ben: Yeah.
Zach: We'll see. Um,
Zach: Yeah, they talked about wages, benefits, supplies, guest experience, investments. Higher insurance costs? Huh, wonder why that is.
ben: Mm hmm.
Zach: Oh associated with claims. Yeah.
Zach: Um,
Zach: Yeah, I know They say they cut some costs. ah but they're. they I don't. know if they were specific about those costs that were cut.
Zach: Oh, okay. Ride reliability management reports 90 .3%. Ride up time.
Zach: Compared with... 89 .4 % previously.
ben: I guess, I mean... hard to say without being in the parks. but uh Maybe that seems right. I mean, I do think a lot of that there was sort of this lingering weird COVID. effect where it just Every B and &M was down for like six months. It seemed like every once in a while.
ben: Because of lift motors and shit. Um...
Zach: Well, and who knows what they count as uptime
ben: So... Right, yeah
Zach: That could be like, oh, there's staff on the platform. So it's up.
ben: Isn't there a thing, right? I think consider... point has to publicize. There are up times now. I think. Like I'm pretty sure you could go on the website and look at a parks uptime now. I think there was some like wall of that was passed.
ben: If I remember.
Zach: Interesting. I wonder.
ben: um
Zach: I wonder what constitutes uptime then.
Zach: Rides experienced per guest reportedly increased approximately
ben: Wait, Riot Ex... Wait. So like just total ride count per guest. is that we put.
Zach: I guess so.
ben: Interesting.
Zach: um
ben: That is a good metric, I think. the The track.
Zach: I suppose.
ben: Yeah.
Zach: It's weird that... like three percent because
Zach: That's just a weird link Just picturing like how do you?
Zach: I guess.
Zach: That it. It's like...
Zach: Oh, instead of seven rides, I rode seven point... Zero for rights.
ben: I mean, I know it was an, I guess what's the biggest downside of that is like wait times and if a ride. is running one train. It seems like. is like like if a park is all on one train ops on a saturday that's probably going to be the biggest deterrent of ride counts.
ben: Plus like you got to keep people out of the queues to spend money.
Zach: Yeah, or sell them a fast Fast pass.
ben: Oh yeah, that's true.
ben: Speaking of...
Zach: That. Oh go ahead.
ben: Uh... Total tangent. um on hersh And a rand on Hirshend. Parks. If uh...
ben: If we're on a hard transition.
Zach: Please.
ben: Do you have anything else? on Six Flags or are we... I'm kinda over it.
Zach: Yeah, I think. and My mic. It really where I'm at with all of this is. um I think they're going to need to figure out what the fuck they're doing.
ben: Yeah.
ben: And I guess it's cell parks to like. This is... again You can make so many equivalent jokes versus is where. You start selling the scenery in your park So you can advertise, pay for advertisement.
ben: You know, like...
Zach: Right?
ben: We need you to build your own Six Flags Magic Mountain. Or no, not even the build -your -own when you have to do the... Like... The management one where it's in like $250 ,000 of debt.
Zach: Yeah.
ben: There's puke everywhere and there's like everything's broken
Zach: And there's no Batman or Riddler.
ben: Oh yeah.
Zach: They didn't include those because they couldn't get the rights. But it's so weird because they have the escape.
Zach: But no The Ride or... Revenge.
ben: yeah
ben: Yeah that was always kind of funny. Um...
Zach: And that reminds me of the undercover boss. With the Herschend parks with Joel Manby And when he's working at Silver Dollar City with a guy who folds strollers.
Zach: And he's like. I want to be the CEO of Hershen Entertainment one day. And fucking Joel Manby with the weird fake beard is like, oh, really?
ben: fish
Zach: And he's like, yeah, I design parks. And then they cut to him showing him on a laptop in the break room. Fucking rollercoaster tycoon.
ben: <unk>
ben: Nice, I've never seen that
Zach: Worth a watch.
ben: Nice. Okay.
ben: But, yeah. So a couple weeks ago, a small little trip report. um Which also like it didn't dawn on me until This is it's I was on Uh...
ben: Lightning Racer. And I was like. Oh, Herschend. This is Hershey Park.
ben: It didn't. What? it literally didn't never cross my brain that like hershen and hershey were like i mean i knew that they were related but i always i never think of it that way
Zach: I don't think Hershey runs Hershey Park.
ben: oh so then my brain is just fucking stupid see again i made an assumption No, wait, it is Herschend. Hold on.
Zach: Are you sure
ben: i don't Now I have no fucking idea because I didn't look this up at all. I just was making assumptions. Um,
Zach: You're like Stan when he gets all fucking high on American dad and he's like Cheetos. Cheetah. Cheetos. Cheetah.
ben: No. Listen to this.
Zach: Oh the world is so beautiful.
ben: Oh my god, Hershen isn't owned by Hersheypark.
Zach: I didn't. I didn't think so
ben: okay so that all right so like i was actually right this whole time it just was the The thought that got... punted in my brain in that moment was wrong. Okay. Well good to know.
Zach: Hershend. Hershey.
ben: I guess. I guess it's not really like...
Zach: It's right there in the name. They're all connected.
ben: Who the fuck runs Hersheypark?
Zach: I think that's just ah like... Hershey. or like Milton Hershey Corporation, you know.
ben: Okay. Well... I'm glad this was fact checked. Now before I... It got really ingrained but um Yeah, so I went there.
ben: Um... We're hanging out. basically So we know a friend of our show. Buddy I worked with at Cedar Point who's been on the show.
ben: I guess, do we say names? I don't know. I never ended up being who he is. Yeah. They do the annual Chernobyl thing that they've been doing for 15 years. Um. And it's always like a very sudden, like.
ben: Can or can't I go? Went this year. and It was cool. Um. So... On the Friday. On the way to...
ben: The Airbnb. I made a little pit stop at Hershey. Um... On a Friday during their Halloween event. And it was like fucked.
ben: So... i was thinking like oh it's friday it's 5 p .m it's not going to be a big deal Um, But there was such a massive line. At the gate at 4 .15.
ben: like Um... i'm trying to i don't even know how to describe it like do you know how hershey kind of has a weird windy path sort of thing at the entrance. because there's multiple complexes.
ben: In the area. You know what I'm talking about?
Zach: Yeah, it's like the arena and the museum and the whole thing.
ben: Yeah, the line was stretched from the gate. all the way around to like one of the arena kind of areas there's a road that splits.
ben: The entrance with one of the... marina things. So like getting in, it took it took like 25 minutes to get into the park. um
ben: But then weirdly, I ran to... Um... Wildcats revenge and no one was in line. I think literally everyone everyone went to Candemonium.
ben: first Um... So got I got a couple rides on on Wildcats Revenge, which was still pretty good. I think it is my favorite our RMC right now.
ben: And then got on fucking Lightning Racer. Walk on. skipped laugh track because the line was insane. Um, Stormrunner was running one train.
ben: and this is so okay and this is a fun thing i learned about hershey So when people do exit passes. um They just put them into the last row. That's like a Hersheypark thing.
Zach: Oh interesting.
ben: So like if you come on the ride with an injury. They put you into the most violent, intense row on the ride.
ben: and they don't do And I don't know if people, if they accommodate seat requests. Cause it's like, if you're going to put it like. If you're going to put somebody Like if you're gonna put an exit pass. like exit.
ben: um an ada a pass thing if you're gonna put them anywhere like ah at least accommodate in the front row. It was just weird. So like there's cases where. The ADA, there's like six people waiting for ADA.
ben: And then if you're waiting in the last row. they'll alternate. every other train.
Zach: oh
ben: So... so And it's so...
Zach: That's... very interesting.
ben: right and it's weird because if you're depending on what they of the What day you're at the park. Sometimes the last row has a longer wait. due to foozy culture right like so it's it's kind of annoying Um.
ben: it'd be one thing if like 88 if someone was like hey i want the back row right that's one thing but no it's like no default just last row every other train. Um...
ben: And it was interesting, too, because in third on Runner and on... Sky Rush. In both cases. Um... Like. it was a It was like a family. It was like a...
ben: like three or four people. So in the case on both Skyrush and... uh stormrunner
ben: That one person got out of a... Wheelchair? And I think must have had some type of like leg injury or something. And they get off and at the end of sky rush, they're just like their eyes. They're just like holy shit. That was insane it was just I was just thinking, like, it's kind of funny how...
ben: I don't know you just stick people in the most violent row who potentially have an injury. Bye. Other than the annoyance of it. Um...
ben: Got unsorbed.
Zach: They're like, you should be fine.
ben: Just like... And i I don't know. I want to know more about the policy. It's it's just, it doesn't make any sense. um But the...
Zach: Policy is back row only, no outside seats.
Zach: What if it's only got two? You heard me.
ben: Well, because it also this happened at Wildcats Revenge, too, when we were there a couple years ago. where The back row had... the longest line it had longer line in the front and they were doing that.
ben: So the back row was like extra long. Um,
Zach: Oh God.
ben: Anyway. Anyway, classic, classic visit. like it was sort of annoying um Like all the rides are for good um Fahrenheit was good. Storm Runner was good.
ben: Um... I waited way too long for Great Bear because it was running one train. Um... Actually, everything was running one train.
Zach: What if it does like a helix? for it. Does the trap.
ben: <unk> I mean, i get I get it's kind of cool. I don't know It's different. Um...
Zach: What if it just does like a slow helix? Then does it drop?
ben: i like i don't know i kind of like it
Zach: it's Yeah, it's different.
ben: It's sort of like Silver Bullet. Wait, um... I like both of those drops. I like both of the non dramatic drops. They're kind of fun.
Zach: Yeah, I love Silver Bullet.
ben: um
ben: But like, you know, Great Bear is okay. It's it's got... It's moments. Um...
Zach: It's got a couple parts over water. That's pretty cool.
ben: Yeah, and those weird like foot chopper supports.
Zach: Yeah.
ben: Um... And then I got on Skyrush. Where? this. actually pretty cool group of i probably They were young. They were very young, but they were like, have you ever been on Skyrush before? And I lied. And I was like.
ben: No, I'm like I have but I've never been in the back row I lied. And they're like, oh, ride with us. It's crazy. And then I'm like, what's the best seat? And they're like, oh, you got to do outside left. And I'm like, I've never done outside left.
ben: I have I lied. They're like, oh, we'll give it to you. I'm like, oh, thanks, man. So I got on. I got to skip the whole ADA. a Uh... issue because that also had a crazy 88 line at the time so i like snuck in with this group of three Um...
Zach: Nice.
ben: The new restraints on Skyrush definitely... kind of... ruined the fun of the ride.
ben: um
Zach: i've I've only heard bad things about the old ones. but i also heard that's like It was like a crazy fucking ride.
ben: Yeah, because there was no contour in the seat. The the seat was like... A bench. It was like a flat. Bench with no sides. And then the lap bar.
ben: Had like the smallest amount of contact on your thighs, which is why like some people it was painful because The surface area was so small. But like. Completely wide open.
ben: crazy laterals, crazy positives. and you know air time Now the seats are... they're like contoured and padded and then the lap bar kind of goes around it curves around your waist So it keeps your upper body more. vertical.
ben: But it doesn't have any of the crazy laterals anymore. um So. I was a little disappointed like i wanted to still be like no it's still gonna ride but honestly like i think the old restraints are what made the ride like a lot of people's top 10.
ben: it also is why people hated it too which is what funny but um
ben: Yeah.
Zach: That sums up enthusiasts pretty well.
ben: okay
ben: Yeah, I honestly never had a problem with the old restraints. I didn't have Well, the thing is too is like the the lap bars still come down.
ben: Like. It's just itches padded now.
ben: I don't know Okay. It was... um also smacked it but i also got this crazy uh mark on my arm because I had my arms up and I hit a tree. And we're not talking like fingertips trying to reach for it.
Zach: Oh shit.
ben: This was definitely like not supposed to be there. And I'm not the first one. Um...
Zach: Damn.
ben: And then... Got it right.
Zach: Did you? Did you go like report it?
ben: No, I probably should have.
Zach: Yeah, no. I'll say this. Here on recording if you get Interdetta Park, definitely go to first aid. because then you can get record if you need to go like get it treated for insurance.
ben: Just not when you're in Canada and get fucked up on a slide.
Zach: Nope, you gotta get the in travel insurance for that one apparently.
ben: Um, Canamonium. Three train ops and... full triple stack. It had a seven minute dispatch. It was so frustrating because I was like
Zach: What?
ben: i was like oh this is cool it's a station weight and then you get up there and it took like 15 minutes. Um... to get on and off of it.
Zach: Geez.
ben: It was a little irritating of a visit. Um... So... that left that. met up at the house uh which was like 15 minutes away from Knoebels.
ben: And then... Knoebels day was always. It's always fun Um... I'm pretty sure it's too that Fall Fun Fest is actually like an employee an event.
ben: Um... And then they just let Ace kind of tag along. I think is the history of it. It's the only thing that makes sense. Um... Because I noticed that during the Phoenix ERT, there was a lot of employees working that were dressed up in costumes.
ben: And they were dirt there during the ERT.
ben: Um... So I don't know if this whole event started as like an employee. Events and then they open it up to ace or how it work and it's only five bucks It's five bucks. You get.
ben: five dollars of tickets you get Free lunch. Two ERTs. And, like, a little... Um... For how you get like a little pin So they definitely are like not making money on it, which is cool.
ben: Okay.
Zach: oh um You know Maybe try to... Go next year. I'm definitely due to revisit any East Coast parks.
ben: Yeah, it's... a It's definitely... of fun. And I think they're going to change it too. Well, actually, so. Yeah, definitely recommend it.
ben: Um, Also I saw Nolan there. I was like. in line for twister and i'm like wait, Nolan, holy shit, you're here. like what What are you doing here? And he's like, I come every year. And I'm like, Oh that makes sense. I'm like...
ben: It's just funny when you're not expecting to see somebody. Um. And then of course.
Zach: That's what's up.
ben: Uh... Twister is running insane. Like... Crazy. Like it was running so fucking good. And everybody also was acknowledging that it was running really good. The night rides on it were insane.
ben: um Definitely my favorite. I definitely like it more than Phoenix, I think. Phoenix was also running insane. Probably the best rides I've had on it that I remember.
ben: Um... The only downside of the day of the park is that. The park doesn't open until... Two. So ERT is from Nuna 2. But then...
ben: When the park opens to the public, it's like... slammed. Like... Slammed, slammed. Everything has like a crazy ass line. um Food takes forever.
ben: um it clears out the last hour or two but it's gotta be like one of the busiest days for them of the year. um which is the only downside of that that day but Um.
ben: it's just it's cool to be in a park or especially she now with the six flag shit going on that like being in the park that actually gives a shit is cool you know like it's and it's the rides are obviously like the same as they always are but it's like a fun day because You can tell that the people there care.
ben: Um. And you don't feel like you're getting screwed in any way.
ben: Um...
ben: Yeah, Phoenix is... Both witties are running really fucking good. Got on one. flying turns ride, which is always fun.
ben: Eat too many edibles.
Zach: As one does.
ben: Yeah.
Zach: It sounds like a good time I haven't been to Knoebels in... Almost 20 years
ben: Gotta go back. um
Zach: I'm due dude. Same with. Hershey.
Zach: the whole east coast i haven't been to any parks on the east coast since Other than Mike. in ohio if you count that
ben: Yeah. Ohio is, I don't know. I always consider that more Midwest, but. I don't know, it's kind of a...
ben: Although what's weird is, I think... It's only six hours? What is it?
ben: Six hours from... Baltimore to or no six hours from DC to Cleveland? Does that make sense? Did I hallucinate that?
Zach: I figured it'd be a little longer than that.
ben: Because on the plane ride. Last time I flew to, um...
ben: Denver to...
ben: No, none. Jesus Christ.
ben: I was like, oh yeah, it's less did, yeah. Cleveland to Washington DC is... Less than six hours.
Zach: No shit.
ben: Which blows my mind.
Zach: i Guess that makes sense. I took a train trip from Chicago to DC When I was like. a teenager 13 14.
Zach: And... It was only like... Overnight.
Zach: like we left in the afternoon and we were there like The next. Afternoon. But I remember we stopped in Sandusky.
ben: yeah
Zach: So I guess that kind of makes sense.
ben: Yeah. I will, yeah, and that's what's... what's Funny about whenever you hear people talk about the East Coast. It's like... I'm just looking at the map right now.
ben: So DC to New York City is only... Like three and a half hours.
ben: Of course it's...
Zach: Yeah, and they got that train that... That'll get you there in like an hour.
ben: Yeah. And of course, there's no traffic. 1am, I get that, but... Um. East Coast people seem to complain a lot about like Because you're always like, oh, man, do you ever go there? Do you ever go there? And it's like, nah, it's like.
ben: Crazy drive. It's like yeah, but you look at the map and i'm like everything's two, three hours apart.
Zach: That's what's crazy to me too. Cause like now. I live in Northern California. And I've driven down the five to get to fucking. magic mountain and disneyland and knots and shit Tons of times. And that's like.
Zach: Six seven hours
ben: Mm hmm.
Zach: six seven
Zach: I'm not letting that one go. I have a kid now Gotta stay on top of it.
ben: of Yeah.
Zach: But, yeah. i know glad you had a good trip dude that sounds fun
ben: Yeah, we had a... There was some... personal... Travel. Unfortunately, uh Well. On craig's Craig's side of the family.
ben: But uh... Which kind of threw a curveball and things. But... That's expected.
Zach: Yeah, dude and
Zach: Sorry to hear about that.
Zach: Hope no other unexpected issues come up
ben: Yeah, so far so good.
Zach: Yeah, as you know Wouldn't want to have... to have him deal with anymore at this point.
ben: Yeah, the only...
Zach: Be adding. oh Sorry, go ahead.
ben: No, the only Yes, the only to make light of the situation the only kind of humorous thing was Like... Asking for bereavement?
ben: Two weeks apart. Good. It definitely... As I was saying it, or as like or actually as I was writing the email.
ben: It was very like.
ben: Who's gonna believe this? right like how many times like you know what i mean two weeks apart it just seemed Like... I don't know
Zach: Yeah, you all right, Lake?
ben: I'm like...
Zach: Are they like... pumping out like an AI obit here what's going on
Zach: Sorry, we're gonna actually need to see a death certificate No, no, a verified copy.
Zach: Well, I really hope no other unexpected Stuff comes up in that realm.
ben: Yeah.
Zach: I um... Yeah, dude, let's uh, we're entering so We'll gear up and try to. Run run with it full force. Why not?
ben: Yeah, I'm down. to get back into... the swing of things
Zach: Yeah.
ben: Yeah, cool.
Zach: Yeah, I think ah Brief pause was good, but yeah, ready to... feeling like joking around somewhere. far So.
ben: Was also... thinking to you i was like i was like i think it's kind of funny i don't think I've ever... Because obviously when you have a roller coaster podcast, then you ride roller coasters, you're like, oh, hell yeah, I have things to talk about.
ben: Um... But what's funny is like, I don't think. we've ever recorded. less than like five weeks between riding a roller coaster and recording which is funny
Zach: Other than like when we've recorded live at the meetups
ben: Yeah. if
Zach: I think other than that. Maybe. one or two of my trips to Disneyland.
Zach: But yeah, usually there's a... A little gap, but you know, hey.
ben: And I'm glad.
Zach: We got to.
ben: I'm glad I came. The Herschend thing is is so funny. I... Because I still have the Hershen page up.
Zach: I'm so glad you mentioned that on this podcast
ben: and That was a live. Like. Fuck up, dude.
Zach: That's it. that's that's ah That's a little gift.
Zach: Because that's a... That one's going in the... memory bin.
ben: Hershen Portfolio. where the Where the fuck does the name Hershen come from, then? Is it just...
Zach: I think that's the family that started.
ben: Okay.
Zach: Silver Dollar City?
ben: Yeah, I mean that I know that but like
ben: Okay.
Zach: And the second silver dollar city. Until I think. Dolly Parton bought a majority stake
ben: Yeah. See, I guess in my mind... like when you look at the parks, it's like Oh yeah, Silverwood. and Silver Dollar City and Adventureland.
ben: Oh, Adventureland is versioned.
Zach: Oh shit, I guess they are.
ben: kentucky kingdom right like you look at the portfolio and then like it would make sense that hershey is just Operated by Hirschen. i don't know in my mind it just made too much sense
Zach: I... See what you're getting at.
ben: Noah's Ark is Herschend.
Zach: oh they're all over dude
ben: I guess now looking at the map, this may like... and being though most of these this does kind of make sense there is definitely like a feel to... hershen parks
Zach: I have not been to any of those parks recently enough to... comment other than the flagship Silver Dollar City.
Zach: Which is always weird vibes.
ben: Yeah.
Zach: Fun park but weird.
Zach: Because it's like, let's go back to 1894. And it's like.
Zach: Really?
Zach: Because... Things weren't like, you know great then
Zach: But anyway. You know
Zach: I guess they were.
Zach: If you were... a Bible thumping.
ben: right
Zach: Whatever. yeah I don't know. Anyway. Anyway. I know we're... approaching the limits
ben: Yeah, I got to.
ben: gotta bounce. But, uh...
Zach: For sure
ben: Yeah.
Zach: Well, it's good to be back you got anything else
ben: No, I don't think so
Zach: Right on. Party on.
ben: I'll just keep. Although you know what? I'm going to keep telling, I'm going to keep. slipping the Hershey Herschend thing and just see how many people Who knows, this could be like a very common misconception.
Zach: Almost as common as... I think I've heard the Mount Olympus owner kicks dogs.
ben: Mm hmm.
Zach: Yeah. Well... This is fun. Thank you all for listening. We appreciate it. Join our discord. The link is wherever the link is.
Zach: And shit, we'll talk to y 'all. soon. Until next time.
ben: Your.
Zach: Your favorite coaster sucks.
ben: Favorite. Coaster sucks.
