Six Flags America (SFA) Discussion Thread

[Geauga DogThe only thing better than a naked woman is a naked donkey!]

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.

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.

^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.

[CoasterLoverBeware of the Magic Donkey at Lotte World!]

^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.

^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.

[CoasterLoverBeware of the Magic Donkey at Lotte World!]

^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.

[nhman93I just made a donkey in No Limits!]

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?

[KDCOASTERFANI prefer to mate with donkeys over humans!]

^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.

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)."

[vacoaster09A donkey is a domesticated member of the Equidae or horse family.]

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.