'Screamer' still running, but the shrill is gone

A suburban amusement park has gotten so many complaints from neighbors about bloodcurdling screams that it has instituted a no-shrieking rule for its scary new thrill ride, the Scandia Screamer, a gigantic, windmill-like contraption that sends people plunging 16 stories to Earth at nearly 60 mph.

Riders who let out a screech -- or just about any other noise -- are pulled off and sent to the back of the line.

"After the first complaint, our rule was no profanity," said Steve Baddley, general manager at the Scandia Family Fun Center. "Then neighbors said it wasn't just that -- it was the crazy, excessive screaming. Then they said it was really all of it, the loud laughing, everything. Eventually, we said, `Bag it, that's it -- no noise."'

As passengers are strapped into the two metal baskets, the operator recites this warning: "We are required to remove you from this ride if you make any noise. If you feel you might make a noise, please cover your mouth tightly with you hand, like this (The operator then covers mouth with hand). If we hear any noise through your hand, we will remove you from the ride. So please remain silent and enjoy the screamer."

"I think we were just talking loudly. I wouldn't say it was screaming," said 15-year-old Anna Matsoyan, after she and her little sister were pulled off the ride for what sounded more like a whimper. "It's kind of a bummer. It makes you want to scream."

The ban can also be confusing for the ride's operators. Last weekend, park employees stopped the Screamer only to realize it wasn't a rider who ran afoul of the new policy, but a customer on the park's miniature golf course who howled after hitting a hole-in-one.

Most of the complaints have come from residents in a pocket of neatly landscaped homes that are separated from the 30-year-old amusement park by a 12-lane freeway.

Tom Gardner and other neighbors acknowledge that living next to Interstate 80 is noisy, but say the Screamer has become an entirely new kind of nuisance. It is loud, lights up at night and gives riders a peek into backyard swimming pools, they say.

The 165-foot ride is so tall that the Federal Aviation Administration forced the amusement park to install warning lights on its rotating arms.

Gardner has moved his cigar smoking to his garage because the Screamer has marred the view from his back patio.

"Besides, it's kind of our niche now. Those who have complained have created a ton more business for the very thing they complained about."

Actually, in reply to the OP. One of my teenage kids visited Sacramento Scandia today. She was more than disappointed. I, myself, couldn't believe it at first. But after discussing the whole <> issue I got interested in doing a little research. (Sources: Google maps, Zillow.com, Official Scandia site, and various related articles and forums) There are several interesting points I've uncovered and wanted to share them here: 1. According to my daughter - one simply can't see into those backyards over the freeway. People are lifted with their faces up, then when one reaches the top they are flipped - now riders are with their faces half down and their backs towards the highway. There is no way to leisurely observe anything happening over the freeway. It's pretty much physically impossible. 2. The housing values across the freeway are rather low for California (~$180.000 - 230.000). In fact that whole neiborhood is like that. Whereas the property values of the housing right next to "Scandia" are almost twice as high (~$400.000). Why? I guess it's just not very desirable neiborhood, nothihg to do with Scandia) What exactly drives those residents to complain? Envy, paranoia... Who knows? 3. The Screamer is located farther from the freeway than almost any other attraction in the park, right next the parking lot and the batting cage on the other side of the park (roughly 70 -100 feet away from the interstate 80) 4. There are several tall separating fences in between the park and the aforementioned housing (3-4) completely obscuring the view. I really wish they brought this case in front of a judge. Any impartial judge would throw it out as being completely unsubstantiated, no doubt about it. On the other hand I wouldn't mind seeing that particular amusement park going belly up - out of business or at least changing their management. They lost my family as customers - that's for sure. At least until they fire that manager and reverse the policy, change their advertisement or rename the ride to something more suitable. "Silent Fall", "Non-Screamer" or "Abyss of Silence" sound like good candidates. Lying to the customers and conforming to ridiculous and unreasonable demands of a tiny but vocal group is just bad business practice. Period! As it stands today (06/2008): Sacramento "Scandia" is clearly using false advertisement to lure customers in. Their "grand" attraction "The Screamer" (the only thing that makes this particular place any different from any other similar amusement park) does not allow any screaming. Or coughing, or even talking. Utter a sound and the ride stops, spoiling it for everyone. There is nothing on their site indicating the "No Screaming" change in their policy. There is nothing informing their customers about it anywhere. Their ads, posters even the front entrance are silent about it. Only when one pays the admission fee to get in they are confronted with the real thing - a warning sign in front of the infamous ride. How deceptive and dishonest can one get?! I noticed many folks are blaming and criticizing the over the freeway residents for the policies Sacramento "Scandia" implemented. People, in general, naturally tend to complain about all sorts of things but it's the "Scandia" personel (not the silly residents) who quite literally tell you "Keep your mouth shut, and don't even think of screaming or we'll throw you out of the 'Screamer'." "What? You didn't know about our knew policy? Tsk, tsk." But What do we do? May I suggest boycott? Blunter II

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