Ironically, I was at DP Friday to bregudgingly renew my pass. Nevermind that I called and learned the price has risen to $117 after they told me the $111 price was extended and that it was not going up anyway…just the 6 mo payment plan would be gone. I have some in-laws with kids and they were looking for someone to take them on rides now and then…I figured, what the heck. Well, I dropped my own daughter there at 7pm…recall that’s the time WWK closes…another thorn in my side because folks who work can’t really work till 5pm and get to the park with any quality time left…that’s a rant for another day. It took me 35 minutes to get her in , turn around and get out. Who ever created the new drop off / pick up thing is an absolute idiot. I never had this issue until the last 2 years.
Of course there was no where to park at this time and no way to get over to the other lot so I decided to renew my pass later when I picked her up.
BIG MISTAKE.
It seams DP has new pickup policy this year. You pick your kids up on Rt 222! I have never seen such a crazy dangerous mess in all my life. Word must be out that the new pick up / drop route designed by the afore mentioned idiot is a distaster because numerous kids were sitting on the curb along Rt222, dancing around the grass, drifting into the street, crossing the street etc etc….several were indeed pick up by their parents. Once off Rt22 and entering the park many parents were stopped before the toll booth waiting for their kid to jump in, making a u turn and high tailing it out of there!
I guess DP is too cheap to have the police there any more…it was a real free for all. As I was waiting to get in I called the park security to let them know someone was going to get hurt and to mention I did not like the fact that I had to sit and wait while parents clogged the line waiting for their kids to jump into there cars.... BEFORE they actually got into the park! Again, they then make the U turn and take off. I never saw any one show up. I do know the police were called…I heard that call got thru while waiting on line. BTW, the pick up fails because different kids come out at different times. If your kids is not there, the line stops and waits! The have barricades up and new curbing...its not made to accomodate the traffic they have. There is only way out and if the car ahead of you is waiting…you wait….and we did..90 MINUTES to get in and get out.
I strongly recommend that anyone out there dropping off kids use your kids pass to get thru ‘regular parking’ entrance…that will eliminate half the wait anyway. In fact I will try to use that entrance for pick up next time as well…though I suspect they close that off as it gets nearer to the park closing time. I feel bad for the kids working the park. Rt 222 should be used for entrance only at closing time and all other cars funneled out through the toll booths…but then I’d guess they’d need to hire a few more kids…that cost will be less that they loose in a lawsuit when someone gets hurt.
I never did get my pass. If I do, I think it will be renewed on line!