Midway visitors load funds onto printed bracelets beside a WCA mini-donuts stand.--News Photo Anna Smith
asmith@medicinehatnews.com
The “magic money” system used by West Coast Amusements during its visit to the city as part of the Medicine Hat Exhibition & Stampede has been met with a mixed reception.
The system replaces the handling of cash at all games and food stands that come with WCA. While debit and credit cards are still accepted, fair-goers can now preload a printed wristband with credits, which are accepted tender at any of these stands.
The purpose of the system, said WCA in a previous interview, is to allow for WCA to gather data on which attractions were most popular, informing the company for future visits what the people in the city prefer.
It is also designed to help streamline the ticket buying process, by including a series of automated kiosks throughout the midway. This new system allows for Stampede visitors to reload bracelets using cash, credit, or debit cards.
However, some visitors have found these kiosks less than intuitive.
Midway visitor Brad Fleck explained he was slightly short of change to put cash on his wristband, making it impossible for him to avoid using his debit card.
“I’m not putting another 50 dollars on it,” said Fleck. “I’m not too impressed. Really, it shouldn’t be this automatic thing. It should be somebody able to give change, a human being.”
While there are still a few large kiosks with human attendants, the lines for these are ong, said Fleck, leaving him to ultimately use his debit card in order to load this bracelet at the automated kiosk.
Fleck, alongside many visitors, expressed confusion as to how the new system worked, and others still were unaware of the change, preferring to only use their wristbands for the rides and either paying for WCA food with cards or erring on the side of other local vendors for their meals.
Fellow visitor Monique Lott said she had concerns about the realities of giving children loaded wristbands, as opposed to cash. While the balance on a wristband can be checked at any kiosk, she believes holding the money helps kids conceptualize how much they have left.
“You give kids money to spend, right? And kind of a budget,” said Lott. “Not that you can’t do it that way, but I think it’s harder for kids to navigate that kind of system and keep track of their spending.”
As with the previous physical ticket system, no refunds will be issued for funds loaded on bracelets, though they can be used for future WCA events.
