LINDO Maximizes Magic

Each day they scramble through the gates in great hordes expecting to take on the Viper, the Colossus and the Ninja; as well as the Orient Express, the Granny Grand Prix and the Log Jammer; and still squeeze in the Dolphin act, the Buccaneer and the Batman stunt show. By the end of the day, LINDO has helped the managers of Six Flags Magic Mountain Theme Park send them home happy.

The managers of Magic Mountain know that, with line wait time exceeding 45 minutes for a three minute roller coaster ride, managing customers satisfaction and expectations can be a difficult task. Park managers have to balance the trade-off between increasing the ride capacities (e.g., adding more cars in service for a particular ride) with the associated added expenses. Researchers at UCLA developed an approach to help Magic Mountain generate and evaluate alternative strategies for managing ride capacities and visitor flow. The approach involved using LINDO to solve mixed integer programs to determine the ride capacities when the park opens each morning and again to adjust capacities based upon gate attendance the first two hours of operation.

Magic Mountain management was actively involved with the study and has begun introducing the models in a phased manner. So, if you ever find yourself strapped into the Viper roller coaster hurdling toward the earth at perilous speeds, feel free to let out a good scream and then thank LINDO for helping to keep that line moving.

For more information on LINDO, please see the product pages. You can also download a demo version from our download page or order a full blown version directly from our order page.