THE QUESTION: We’re in town on vacation. I’ve heard we need closed-toe shoes. Can we wear Crocs? PARK SPY
Closed-toe shoe policies vary from operation to operation, as does the definition of what a closed-toe shoe is. Crocs—the ever-popular plastic clogs—live somewhere in the grey area. They do, on the one hand, enclose the wearer’s toes. But they are far from secure, even in sport mode (that is, when the back strap, which can be folded forward, is secured around the heel). While some operators explicitly ban the footwear, others take a more flexible stance toward this trendy shoe. The possibility for confusion—”do my Crocs meet your closed-toe standards?”—seemed sufficient to justify this Spy mission. As is always the case in Park Spy, the responses are scored based on staff members’ customer service skills and not individual park policies. And the calls here are a bit feast or famine. While half the folks answering the phones crushed it, the other half left plenty to be desired. Been asked an interesting question this season? Send it to jordyn@adventureparkinsider.com for the Spy to pose to other parks! We won’t tell anyone the question came from you. Plus, if we use it, your park will be immune for that issue.
PARK #1, TN First Contact: Female. API: Stated question. Staff: Yes, you should ( sounds chippe r). API: Oh, great! Staff: You need to have the back straps on, though. API: OK. And the back strap isn’t super tight. What would happen if they fell off? Staff: That would not be good ( chuckles ). You would be out some Crocs. We do have shoes here if you don’t feel comfortable using yours. API: Oh, that would be great for a backup. Staff: Yes! We have a pretty good selection of sizes. What size are you needing? API: Like a women’s 9 and men’s 11 would be fantastic. Staff: Great, we have both of those ( excited ). API: Awesome, thanks for your help.
Staff: If you just want to call us the morning before you guys come, we can set those shoes aside for you.
to look for it. In some cases, they are not retrievable. API: OK. That makes sense. Staff: Um, we do sell Crocs in our gift shop for $25 per pair as well if you are worried about your own. API: Oh, great, we’ll consider that option when we come. Is there anything else we should know or bring with us? Staff: Just wear whatever you are comfortable in … ( long pause ) make sure you are here 15 minutes before the start of your tour, and make sure waivers are signed by each guest before you arrive. ( yawns ) Other than that, we will take care of the rest. API: Great, thanks for the help. We are looking
API: Sounds great, thank you. Staff: Yep, have a great day. Score: 9
Comment: She was chipper and helpful. She provided useful information with- out prompting and seemed genuinely interested in helping me problem solve. PARK #2, HI First Contact: Male. API: Stated question. Staff: You can ( sounds totally uninterested ). API: Great! The back strap isn’t super tight. What happens if they fall off while on the zip line? Staff: ( sigh ) If that happens, we do our best
forward to coming! Staff: No problem. API: Goodbye.
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