[Jarsh]

Don't worry, you won't be missing anything. Smoky Mountain Coasterfest used to be awesome when Matt Lambert coordinated them but since he moved the event has gone down hill despite Dollywood loving ACE.

A perfect example where it's not about the park but rather an inverse proportional return based on the amount of effort applied.

Now it seems like you're just being an *** about the events. I'd love to hear how this event is different now than it was when Matt was planning them. Considering NOTHING has changed with the schedule. The park literally pulls out a folder and changes the ERT rides from year to year. If you have a problem with the way they are planned in this region and obviously don't feel as if you're getting your fun out of them, then by all means, don't attend.

[FamousAmos]

As long as ERT for Lightning Rod or Thunderhead is planned, I'm a happy goose.

[arby]

Scavenger hunt last year? Auction last year? I actually heard at least half a dozen other people mention that as well. Not sure how that is NOTHING. But alas, it's all water under the bridge.

[Jarsh]

Scavenger hunt last year? Auction last year? I actually heard at least half a dozen other people mention that as well. Not sure how that is NOTHING.

Yes, the Scavenger Hunt hasn't occurred since Matt moved away, but unless your willing to step up and let me know you'd like to create one, don't complain about not having one. And if 6 out of TWO HUNDRED AND THIRTY people complained about not having one, then I'd say the ratio of people who are interested in bringing it back are in the minority. As far as the auction is concerned, if you'd like to have one this year (that is if you can stomach attending the boring event), by all means step up and handle all of the things associated with it. You can pre-arrange the items with the park, lug them to the auction location, holler about pricing for 30 minutes, fill out the credit card slips (correctly, mind you), spend the afternoon tracking down the people who forgot to sign their credit card slips, then hang on to them all the way back home and get them together with another form and mail them off to the ACE Treasure for processing. Then answer several emails concerning misprinted card numbers which require you to dig back through all your attendee records and start a line of communication with said person to get the right info. But hey, we're volunteers. We should never have any free time at these events, right?

After this weekend's boring C3, yes I do have an issue. Dollywood used to have better events when there was a local assistant rep helping to coordinate a lot of the fine details, but now that it doesn't, it's just not as good. Not directly your fault since it's hard to coordinate all of it from so far away.

Distance has nothing to do with it. Four new PR people in five years who all have a different understanding of what they can and can't do is why the "finer details" aren't as fine as you'd like. Pete is not involved with the planning as lots of people might assume so just because Pete is besties with ACE doesn't mean an ACE'ers wet dream of an event. Matt's events were great because the PR people were consistent. Yes, just opening a folder and changing the ERT rides around is easy for anyone, but the finer details that you have an issue with are where the PR carousel comes into play.

I volunteered a few times, now, to help coordinate Carowinds events and I have gotten denied each time. It could be so much better if there were a local assistant helping with it. Without that extra help, it is difficult to put off a really good event.

Who have you volunteered with? You've never volunteered with me to help coordinate the event. You've mentioned to me on a few occasions that you'd help out with things on the day of the event if needed and we ended up not needing the additional help. If you're talking about volunteering and planning the event as a whole, well... you kinda have to be a regional rep or an assistant regional rep to do that and you aren't either one. Chip is the assistant that plans C3 and while he lives in Atlanta, he makes several trips to Carowinds throughout the year. What exactly can you do living closer that he can't do that will make this event live up to the hype in your head?

Otherwise, you have to mostly rely on what the park is going to do to help with the event, and less on what the local assistant rep can do to help bolster the event.

Newsflash: The park is only going to do what the park wants to do regardless of who is setting up the event. I could live in the campground and the event wouldn't have been any different than it was. But again, what would you have done to "help bolster the event."

Perhaps I am a bit bitter today thinking it could have been better for everybody had I been able to help... That's actually my #1 frustration and I apologize to everybody for venting publicly.

Explain, in detail please, how you couldn't made C3 better without using anything I've already explained in the other thread.

[Tawny71]

Since my name was thrown into this conversation (and under the bus...), I want to clarify what I said about Smoky Mountain Coaster Classic. I said that the first time I went to the event (two years ago), it was AMAZING! There was a continental breakfast. The lunch was as good as any I've had at an event. There was an awesome raffle, and the swag included a day pass to come any day the following year. Our morning ERT was unfortunately delayed because of the cold, so they opened Blazing Fury early for us and then let us use our lanyards as fast passes for Firechaser Express all day. We had yummy dessert at night and got night time ERT. It was really awesome.
Last year was disappointing compared to the year before. Our breakfast was packaged Danishes, and the staff told us we couldn't have more than one. There was no water and only coffee with breakfast which was not good for the kids in attendance. That was the only meal we got (although there was cinnamon bread in the evening). There was no raffle and the only swag we got was a t-shirt. (Which I love and wear to sleep in a lot since it's too big for me now!) Everyone that took the tour seemed to enjoy it, but I opted out because I had my kid and my friends' kid with me and they didn't want to get muddy. I got a quick queue, but not because of the event..:it was because I had stayed at the hotel. I just felt like DW had gone over the top the year before with taking good care of us and I kinda felt like it was phoned in last year, by comparison.
I'll still go to the event this year, but I'm truly hoping for an event more like the year before than last year.

[Jarsh]

Since my name was thrown into this conversation (and under the bus...), I want to clarify what I said about Smoky Mountain Coaster Classic. I said that the first time I went to the event (two years ago), it was AMAZING! There was a continental breakfast. The lunch was as good as any I've had at an event. There was an awesome raffle, and the swag included a day pass to come any day the following year. Our morning ERT was unfortunately delayed because of the cold, so they opened Blazing Fury early for us and then let us use our lanyards as fast passes for Firechaser Express all day. We had yummy dessert at night and got night time ERT. It was really awesome.

I'll jump in an use your comments to compare to the Carowinds event this year to further prove my point (not specifically to you or Rick, but anyone reading) that it's more what the parks are willing to do than what the planners won't do. I remember this event you are referring to (November of 2014) as I planned it. This was a year were there was a consistent PR person two years in a row who understood the process. It was also a year where Pete and the marketing team felt generous enough to offer everyone a free ticket (they did the same thing at Winter Warm Up at Carowinds in January 2015 as well). Not sure about the lunch as we've never had one there before (due to cost). This might've been the year we were taste testers for their new menus? Both the Blazing Fury ERT and the FireChaser exit pass were decided upon by Pete at the last minute since the morning ERT was off to a late start. So, to tally it up, the free ticket, the taste test session, the exit pass, and the subbed ERT were things decided by the park - not by me. This is what happens when a park works with you enough that they understand what can take an ordinary event and turn it into something extraordinary.

Last year was disappointing compared to the year before. Our breakfast was packaged Danishes, and the staff told us we couldn't have more than one. There was no water and only coffee with breakfast which was not good for the kids in attendance. That was the only meal we got (although there was cinnamon bread in the evening). There was no raffle and the only swag we got was a t-shirt. (Which I love and wear to sleep in a lot since it's too big for me now!) Everyone that took the tour seemed to enjoy it, but I opted out because I had my kid and my friends' kid with me and they didn't want to get muddy. I got a quick queue, but not because of the event..:it was because I had stayed at the hotel. I just felt like DW had gone over the top the year before with taking good care of us and I kinda felt like it was phoned in last year, by comparison.

Last year was a complete turnover in the departments that add those extra touches as seen the year before, so no one really knew what to approve and what not to approve. Plus, with everything scheduled actually occurring, the park didn't feel the need to step up their game and offer "fillers" I suppose. If I'm remembering correctly, the breakfast was what it was because somehow they didn't process the breakfast pizzas that I requested and they had to raid the bakery at the last minute to scrounge up food, which is also why they limited it to one per person. I didn't know about the water/coffee issue at breakfast (there should have been bottled water) so I'll be sure to keep an eye on it this year. The raffle didn't happen because Pete wanted to hold the items for the Spring Conference in May.

I'll still go to the event this year, but I'm truly hoping for an event more like the year before than last year.

The past PR girl there has moved on and, for the moment, I'm working directly with Pete in the early planning stages. That doesn't necessarily mean an extravagant event will be had, but I think it'll be better than the last one.

[Tawny71]

Oh wow...I realized the play I'm doing has performances the weekend of the event this year. So I guess I won't be going.

[arby]

Back to Lightning Rod, is it running full operations now or is it still in technical rehearsal?

[swampfox43]

I was back at DW yesterday (Sept 7) and the park was empty. Everything was walk on. Most coasters were running nearly empty trains. My longest wait for Lightning Rod was 5 minutes. They started off the day with a 2 train operation, but went to 1 train around 3pm.

By 4pm, there were only approx 6 guests in the Lightning Rod station when I returned to ride. My new favorite seat is the front. For anyone that hasn't ridden, do what you can to get at least 1 front seat ride. You will not regret it.