Leaderboard

Yes, an actual fuck.

This is so insanely Six Flags. As seen in the GreatAdv Conn group on FB. "We priced the trash out of the park, and then took a bunch of broken dirty old crap from the boneyard and threw it on this dead grass we have right in the middle of the park! Premium experience!"

Well, I mean... they're Six Flags Discovery Kingdom. Randomly closing rides just for the fun of it is what they live and breathe for.

But they were forced to try it this way. TTD is closed.

What the actual fuck?

I really like the overall picture of keeping unruly kids out, and offering a higher quality family product that comes at a higher price tag. Which swimming pool do I want to go to? The public pool for $2 a person? Or, the $100 a month private pool family membership, where everything is well maintained and the people respect each other? If you act like a shit, your membership is revoked. Better product. Higher price. I get it. I want it. But, typically that would come with improving the product first, then raising the prices to meet the improvements. They can't hike the prices and justify it by saying they're offering 'less' shitty food, and less people will be at the park. "We planted four new flower beds, painted the shitters, and took away a family event. Pay more and come to our park!"

Construction fencing is up all around WildCat and there is land clearing/digging happening around and in front of the station.

So in the biggest surprise to nobody, Chessington have announced their new Jumani-themed area. No specifics on the rides yet, no names announced, but there will be two family flat rides, plus a B&M family shuttle coaster. The B&M is confirmed as the manufacturer code was referenced on site plans photographed on site. It's almost certain to be a wing coaster and will have a beyond-vertical spike behind the station, an inline twist and a helix spiraling around the jaguar statue at the back of the land. I assume unless something special is done in the station this will only run one train. Not sure of the height limit; planning apps initially said 1.4m but that would be pretty high. This is part of a multi-ride deal Merlin have with B&M with similar coasters and family inverts going to Legolands around the world, plus of course the Nemesis rebuild. Jumanji-themed land coming to Chessington Chessington World of Adventures Resort (UK) and Sony Pictures Entertainment announced that ‘World of Jumanji’ is set to open in spring 2023. The project brings together entertainment and industry experts from around the world as they create an experience that deep dives into the adventurous, action-packed stories seen in the Jumanji films. A first look at some of the proposed designs gives a glimpse of what to expect. The entrance portal, shrouded in the ominous and overgrown Jumanji jungle that dominates the development, creates the immersive starting point for guests as they prepare to take on a host of challenges. The Jaguar Shrine structure looms 55ft tall, keeping a watchful eye out over all who enter as it awaits the return of the curse-lifting Jaguar’s Eye jewel. More details about the wild rides, adventurous attractions and drama-filled experiences guests can expect to discover in the ‘World of Jumanji’ will be revealed over the coming months. The news follows a multi-territory exclusivity agreement between the Resort operator, Merlin Entertainments, and Columbia Pictures Location Based Entertainment, that was announced earlier in 2022. The scale of these plans forms part of Merlin’s broader global strategy to engage and work with leading IP and brands across its global estate. It is also a pivotal step in the studio’s larger global strategy to grow and expand location-based entertainment. The studio is looking at how it can further utilize its strong global film and TV brands to create opportunities for audiences around the world to immerse themselves deeper into the studio’s stories. Tim Harrison-Jones, Divisional Director at Chessington World of Adventures Resort, said: “What could be more exciting than bringing the global hit Jumanji film franchise to life within the single largest development Chessington has ever seen. We know what it takes to create the ultimate adventure for our guests, spread over 128acres the Resort already delivers surprises around everyone corner with over 40 wild rides and attractions, zoo with over 1,000 majestic animals and two themed hotels, plus glamping! Jeffrey Godsick, EVP of Global Partnerships and Brand Management and Head of Location Based Entertainment at Sony Pictures Entertainment said: “After being entertained by the films for so many years, fans now have the chance to experience Jumanji in a whole new dimension and we are thrilled to be going on this exciting adventure with the creative team at Chessington as Jumanji further expands with its very own themed land.”

Interesting, Gary. I can tell you a few things: they are already back on a "something new for every park every year" kick, so that changed. You can see that in the latest Investor reports just out. Also, a few months back they said they were looking at a Winterfest-lite for the other parks, which presumably means a return to WOF, and VF, something at the CP hotels, possibly Schlitterbahn, since every other park has something already. Leaving Mia off the list since they don't even have Halloween....

Interesting. At least someone whose climax at a CP trip is (at) a ride in the ferris wheel.

Dave was at least 2 GMs and a pandemic ago now, so odds are that whatever conspiracy theory board you have from your conversations is no longer valid. Hell, CGA was primed for a big expansion and instead is on its way to the gallows. Even if there was enough room there, (which I doubt) why would the park sacrifice prime waterpark expansion land for a coaster when there are plenty of other areas in the park that could hold it?

Disappointed to see comfort collars, but also... this ride has no lateral forces, so there's no worry about necks hitting them. The zero car is beautiful and I love the idea of turning Zoom into a full experience.

So this happened. https://www.foxcarolina.com/2022/08/16/police-32-year-old-man-woman-arrested-having-sex-amusement-park-ride/

This kind of transformation they are trying to do CAN work, but there is just no way it can with the leadership they have and constant shuffling of it. Best business example of something similar to what they are trying to do was with the St. Louis Blues pro hockey team. Ownership gutted the team and sold it cheap. New managers came in did everything they could to make a quick buck on a bad team, including lowering ticket prices to ridiculous levels and even selling concessions rights for up front cash. That ownership THEN sold the team. The ownership group who bought it from them (the current ownership) was a very competent group that knew they were going to have to take their lumps but would make the best decisions they could while building things back up....and the main thing they knew that HAD to happen was raising ticket prices to an acceptable level to maintain competitive balance. And they had to start doing it with a relatively bad product on the field/ice. People raised hell and it was temporarily an issue....but they stayed with the business plan both on and off the competitive field. Roughly a decade later, the Blues are profitable, ownership is stable, the team regularly contends for a championship. I know there are other examples in pro sports of this approach, and I understand it's not near a 1:1 comparison, but still it feels pertinent to the discussion because they had to get a horrible business/leadership situation under control as well as the actual product. The difference here is Six Flags is going to raise prices without doing anything to improve the product, and they continue to have a VERY unstable management group. I would assume it's going to continue to be bad until ownership/management dramatically shifts.

Major update: the propeller fell off of the rusted plane thing. If you're going to the park specifically for this, consider postponing as this development may take your extremely-premium experience down to an only marginally-premium experience. Oh, and sorry for the double post but I hope you're sitting down for the Fright Fest prices. ... just to compare, this is more expensive than some days at Disney World This is for the same night. Great Adventure is only going to be open for 5 hours this night. HHN will likely either run for 6.5 or 7.5 hours this day based on previous years. Also, mazes are not included in the Six Flags price. Also their mazes are terrible. Holiday in the Park is also all listed at $99, so... good luck with that.

Similar at SFFT, and with a new ride investment too. *however*. . after Salim visited the park ~3 weeks ago? almost EVERY food improvement and/or new menu item is now gone (and I mean it. . I'm not talking "dining plan" stuff, which has taken a hit too. . but you can't even BUY things like the Calzone, the schnitzel, the cinnamon bread, or the baked potatoes any more). FFS, they just took "Beef and Broccoli" off the menu at Chop Six. (no, really) yeah. . he's basically fucked the parks with his cost cutting - even the ones that were running fantastic independently. (and poor Jeffrey Siebert is stuck standing there watching all their hard work go down the toilet - huge investment in both time/effort, and money to refresh Sangerfest Halle, and improve the food options in the food court option. . . and now? all that is being offered is: Personal Pizza (cheese or pepperoni), Chicken strips, a prepackaged side salad, and if you wanna pay $17? a baked chicken and beans plate. it's wrong, and driving any customers who WOULD have eaten in the park, away. It did us, we went and found a better option.

Crack kills, bro.

Got my finger on da pulse and my nose in da nooz. SixFlags' CEO has the right attitude. Broke customers do not keep the lights on.

Actually, SF has been refreshing the parks with landscaping as well as improving food quality. I cannot speak for each and every SF park but here at SFoG much has been done. Two legacy roller coasters here have received complete overhauls in the past couple years, including new track and fresh paint and theming. The food quality has greatly improved at most locations. These are things that have not been done in decades. That is the good part. On the flip side, employee service has remained hit-or-miss, with some really bad attitudes. There are many nice folks working here but there are far too many bad experiences too. While the food is better, getting it is still a challenge with long waits and sometimes poor service, though lower attendance has reduced the waits on some days. It does appear the current CEO's strategy of lowering attendance with higher prices has backfired though. Raising prices during a period of inflation was a double blow. And without a major new attraction, many would-be guests have stayed away and spent their discretionary dollars elsewhere. (The new landscaping is nice but no one is coming to the park just to see it, just sayin') The chain should have waited a year to raise prices and then paired that with adding a major new attraction at all (if not most) of the parks. It is difficult to justify such a steep price hike while not getting added value for it, but instead getting reduced hours and schedules. On the surface it seems like Mr. Bassoul is making some bold (albeit risky) moves in an effort to change things up. Unfortunately everything else we are hearing about the current CEO is not good. I know this chain could be exceptional if the right leadership were found. SF once set the standard for theme parks. Angus Wynne has been turning over in his grave for awhile now.

My thoughts exactly. I know why the park is doing this, I get it. Bringing life to something old that was in need of extensive refurbishment and marketing it with a storyline and theming. I get it. But I'd be lying if I didn't say I'm absolutely gutted. I'll hold all reservations until we know everything, but the switching launch directions and comfort collars/shoulder straps (and likely reduced capacity trains) tell me all I need to know that the true Montezooma is officially dead. This ride has more sentimental value to me than any other in the world. First looper, first big coaster, first launch. Onto bigger and better things I suppose. So happy I got my last rides (without knowing it'd close) in December.

Dang I missed it. BUt I know what I won't miss again . . . the Zinger!!