Discrimination at the Fun Park

Sister and I took the children to Six Flags today. It was Fright Fest which means it was decorated for Halloween and there were ghouls walking around. The kids couldn't have been more jazzed.  We had been on a few rides, the swings, the big boat thing that swings back and forth, just working the kids up to the roller coasters.  We picked the Run Away Mine Train as the first one to take the kids on.  We love this one, we rode it when we were kids. We stood in line, got the kids all settled in to their seats, got ourselves settled in and were ready to go.  And then it happened.  Two teenagers came up and informed us that unless Sister took her hat off she would have to get off the ride.  It is VERY obvious that she has no hair.  We kindly explained that she had no hair and would not be comfortable with her hat off (note that there are lots of people all waiting to ride and watching this) and that she would hold it on during the ride.  They said NO and explained that people were always loosing their hats on the rides so now they just made people take them off because they couldn't be responsible for all the lost hats, it was policy.  Of course we said that they would not be responsible if she lost her hat and to PLEASE let her ride and that our children were on and we wanted to be with them. They said NO.  So she and I got off and the roller coaster rolled. Our children loved it but we didn't get to see them loving it or hear them screaming and laughing.  People ride with wigs all the time. She could have worn a wig but then her head would have sweated all day. It sucks and I'm still pissed.  We didn't go and complain to management for a few reasons.  It was on the other side of the park, the kids were so excited to ride more rides not sit in an office while we complained, the park wasn't open that much longer and I think we were just so pissed it would have been a scene.  We did get to ride one coaster, all of us together, after we pretty much let the boys running it know that we were getting on with our kids and that that was the end of the discussion.  After that we stopped gripping about it and showed our kids the best time we could! We laughed a lot, rode non roller coaster rides, ate some junk and enjoyed our time together. 

But I'm not through being pissed at Six Flags.  We have season passes and plan on going a lot now that its cooled down and Sister (and the rest of us) won't have a heat stroke. She shouldn't have to wear a wig just so she can ride the coasters - which would probably fly off anyway!. If it was some type of safety hazard then I could understand, but these are not big loop ta loop upside down coasters. We are talking about 40 year old rides that are suitable for 7 year olds. I want to send an email to management and I want them to say that she can ride on any ride and doesn't have to do it bald. I want them to know that she would love to have hair whipping in the wind on a roller coaster. But she has a flowery hat instead.

Six Flags - You Suck (sometimes)