Jump to content
  TPR Home | Parks | Twitter | Facebook | YouTube | Instagram 

Six Flags America (SFA) Discussion Thread


Recommended Posts

ACE Mid-Atlantic was at SFA today for an off-season tour of the construction and a Q&A session. The complete photo album can be found on the group's Facebook page (

)... you may need to "Like" the group to see the album. Here are some of the highlights of the construction:

417054_362739487091291_153048034727105_1104611_1432169289_n.jpg.98a91a17240faa38fe8b6197f14eb8a5.jpg

420518_362739757091264_153048034727105_1104619_1231320469_n.jpg.e55443ff472602238cb6e507b857cf52.jpg

421104_362739873757919_153048034727105_1104621_1943022090_n.jpg.26f01a167f6e0606d2e28b19942d4cc3.jpg

425698_362740860424487_153048034727105_1104634_868712773_n.jpg.98d8c3da6e8d08895a6e865bb311ec82.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I haven't been to SFGAm since 2005 and I've forgotten how small Iron Wolf was however based on these pics of the lift hill it looked like it was bigger in Gurnee than it does in Largo.

 

I also am loving the colors of Apocalypse. The supports do look a litte like Iron Wolf's colors.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

According to SFAFans.com, it was mentioned at the event that the dry park will replace the QBot with QBand, which is what the waterpark uses, and will be the only park in the chain to use the QBand for the both and theme and waterpark. Should be interesting to see how that works out and if it ends up being implemented at the other parks. Lots of painting going on and a new Fright Fest haunted house too.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

^Isn't the Q-Band less convenient than the Q-Bot since you have to go scan it at the ride you want? And doesn't it only display the wait time for the ride you've scanned, so you can't look through wait times to see which ride you'd like to choose next? And is there some reason SFA isn't well-suited to the Q-Bot? I believe they were by far the last Six Flags park to stop using paper tickets.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

^Yes, less convenient in that regard, but that was the same way FlashPass V. 1 and Fast Pass at Disney work (where you have to go to the actual ride to reserve). According to Lo-Q's website, it sounds like the system utilizes kiosks throughout the park where you can see the wait times of all the rides and reserve any of the rides. The Q-band (again according to Lo-Q's website) shows you a number which corresponds to the ride that you have reserved. The Q-band can also be "loaded" with money at the time of purchased to be used as a form of quick, cashless payment and the Q-band can also be used to open RFID equipped storage units (not sure if SFA will utilize either of these options, at least not in 2012). I think the problem at SFA is that Q-bot was never really needed in the dry park, however, the waterpark at SFA was always super busy. I think the goal was that people will buy Q-band for the water-park and get the dry park as a bonus, especially as the Q-bot was highly under utalized at SFA in the previous couple years. I also have to think the operating costs using the bands is less expensive for the park.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

^Ah, apparently I am no good at reading websites. If they have numerous kiosks and display wait times to help you make a thoughtful choice, that sounds reasonable enough. I guess we should just be grateful these systems exist in any form, but my natural response was to be skeptical of something that sounded like it might be a downgrade.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

^Personally, in regards to the theme park side, I DO think it is a bit of a downgrade, but the fact that you will be able to go from waterpark to theme park on the same flash pass system I think makes up for the difference, at least until they are able to create an RFID version of the wrist band with displays and controls equivalent to the current V 2 FlashPasses.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Does anyone know if anything was said at the q&a about what kind of work was done on the trains for apocalypse? Also I was reading on sfa fans that b&m actually had to replace a decent amount of track on the ride due to some pieces being to worn any truth to this and any idea how much had to be remade?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

^Personally, in regards to the theme park side, I DO think it is a bit of a downgrade, but the fact that you will be able to go from waterpark to theme park on the same flash pass system I think makes up for the difference, at least until they are able to create an RFID version of the wrist band with displays and controls equivalent to the current V 2 FlashPasses.

 

I'm not so sure I'd agree with the earlier assesment,during the years I went to the parkbetween 01 & 07 all fastlane/flasspass rides were busy with a constant influx of riders waiting at the exit to board on each cycle,it got so bad at ROS that in 07(my last year as a passholder there) the ride ops were instructed to allow only one train to be used by non flasspass users with the other reserved strictly for flashpass users.

 

The op on controls would announce to geusts that they would not be allowed to board the reserved train & if nobody showed up with flashpass for that cycle then the train was dispatched completely empty...that was just one more reason why I stopped going to the park with the no loose items policy on ROS & WO as well as the constant lack of new rides being added to the ride side of the park being the other major factors.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The op on controls would announce to geusts that they would not be allowed to board the reserved train & if nobody showed up with flashpass for that cycle then the train was dispatched completely empty...

I've heard about this before and I just don't get it. Anybody know the reason? Was it just a sly, negative attempt to sell more Flash Passes? Did they think it would somehow reduce confusion? Or was it a matter of dispatch times?

 

All these questions, and the answer is probably just "It's Six Flags (America)."

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm not so sure I'd agree with the earlier assesment,during the years I went to the parkbetween 01 & 07 all fastlane/flasspass rides were busy with a constant influx of riders waiting at the exit to board on each cycle,it got so bad at ROS that in 07(my last year as a passholder there) the ride ops were instructed to allow only one train to be used by non flasspass users with the other reserved strictly for flashpass users.

 

The op on controls would announce to geusts that they would not be allowed to board the reserved train & if nobody showed up with flashpass for that cycle then the train was dispatched completely empty...that was just one more reason why I stopped going to the park with the no loose items policy on ROS & WO as well as the constant lack of new rides being added to the ride side of the park being the other major factors.

 

I can assure you that this is no longer how the park does the Flash Pass System. This past season it worked like any other six flags park for the most part. Gotham City worked on a merge system. Those with flash passes had their own entry way and we merged into the queue. However on very light days (when there was litterly no line) to atleast give flash pass guest some value added experience they would be allowed to enter through the exit. All other major rides (I.e. Wild One, Mind Eraser, Roar). These rides the operator held the gates and allowed the flash pass guest to board the train first and then opened the gates to fill the remaining seats. Each time this happened the operator would not put focus on the guest with flashpass but instead would market the opportunity for other guest to upgrade to the same perks by getting a flashpass as well.

 

This system worked however sometimes I think flash pass created more problems in this park than fixed them. Due to the short lines, a flash pass users experience could vary based on PERCEPTION. I never felt the need for flash pass here so imagine how someone would feel who bought one only to find very short lines. If there hardly a one train wait at superman, merging would only place you behind the other guest because there's no line so on such days the park tweaked the sytem. I think that this is one six flags park that could do without it and run just fine. Afterall KD did along with the other CF parks before now. This waterpark/ dry park Qband might work as guest should see the value when in the water park and if the dry park is markerted as an extra perk this could work. We will just have to see.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

^I guess business must've fallen off drastically at the park in the four,going on five seasons since I last visited.I'm hoping that in a couple of year's time the park might actually redeem itself from the previous two corporate management teams enough to warrant revisiting but they still have a long way to go.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

After my only visit ever to SFA last spring, I would DEFINITELY go back to this park. Staff were great. Operations were very good for a cold, rainy Sunday in May. And I thought there was a fair variety of attractions to enjoy. It was so hard to believe it was the same park I had read so many horrible comments about in the past.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

^^Exactly what I thought. I had heard so many negative things about this park you would've thought it was the worst park in the chain and it is FAR from. The customer service experience was really good and operations were efficient. Operators would interact with guests over the PA without being overly annoying. (IE: Tatsu operators)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

^^Exactly what I thought. I had heard so many negative things about this park you would've thought it was the worst park in the chain and it is FAR from. The customer service experience was really good and operations were efficient. Operators would interact with guests over the PA without being overly annoying. (IE: Tatsu operators)

 

After my only visit ever to SFA last spring, I would DEFINITELY go back to this park. Staff were great. Operations were very good for a cold, rainy Sunday in May. And I thought there was a fair variety of attractions to enjoy. It was so hard to believe it was the same park I had read so many horrible comments about in the past.

 

DJexel and Kunpc1 What would say were your favorite ride crews at SFA?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

^Yep, Superman! Even though the park was dead, the height-checker at the ride entrance would high-five me every time and say "Welcome back!" The crews were efficient despite one train operation (train was usually sent more than half empty it was so quiet). The crew over at Batwing was great as well. They were chatting with guests over the microphone. I don't think I can say a bad thing about the park operations. They were good at each ride. The ONLY blemish on the park was the old Two Face station area. I was really impressed with how happy and energetic the ride ops were despite the park being dead on a dreary, wet Sunday in May.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

Terms of Use https://themeparkreview.com/forum/topic/116-terms-of-service-please-read/