airtime

More and more parks are adding a flash pass type of system. SFA's is one of the more affordable ones at $15. Dollywood last year, Busch Parks are working on one this year. I wouldn't be surprised if Universal doesn't start charging for theirs at some point, GE is a money making machine. You don't strike me as an individual that uses a locker. Perhaps I'm wrong. Why do you care even if you don't use a locker? The lockers are cheaper this season, $1 for two hours. Seems like a small price to pay to ensure someone isn't trampling, stealing or accidentially taking it. Then again, the past few weekends, the park has been so short staffed the locker policy wasn't enforced. It seems to me everyone is jaded on SFA for one reason, the staff. That is the constant hang up. Which would you do next season add a new ride or dump the money into staffing? To tell you the truth, no matter what they did, I don't think anyway would be happy.

They compete, not directly but indirectly. I'm sure there is alot of internal competition between each park. If SF were to dump money into SFA like they did SFMM SF could own the Northeast part of the United States. They would have a marketing area from Washington, D.C. to Maine. Perhaps another reason not to sell or close the park. That's easily 15 million plus people.

B&M I know it is a concern of SFA management and they are desperately trying to improve train dispatching. However, I don't think the general public knows enough about park operations to understand dispatch intervals and hourly ride throughput. They do care about how long they are waiting in line. They don't say they need to be cranking more people per hour through this ride or they are only sending a train out once every 5 minutes when it should be going out once every 3 minutes. The comments I heard yesterday were "Dang, the wait is 90 minutes from this point" (except they were reading the sign at the ride entrance). Wood Dragon Anytime your going to be at the park, let me know I will be more than happy to meet up with you.

I could care less if the park ever receives Six Flags TV or Qbots. We have the in park sound system and for the majority of the summer they have been playing Comcast and U.S. Army ads. Just as bad. I had no issues with the clientele today (yes, I was at the park today). Please explain that Superman was running one train today and they were training new staff. In all of the years I have been going to this park, I have never seen Wild One's train on the transfer track and I never saw them cycling the train (didn't say it didn't happen, just saying I never saw it). The only rides I saw that never opened were Riddle Me This, Skull Mountain and Renegade Rapids. The park is having some staffing problems with schools opening again on Monday.

Please tell me, what are the serious issues? I'll even help you out and say the only serious I see is staffing. Yes, sure, some of the rides need painting. That doesn't affect the way those rides run.

Here is my point, close the park and where do the million + people the park attract go? Great Adventure or Kings Dominion/Busch Gardens. Kings Dominion, Busch Gardnes or even Hershey Park. Sell the park and Great Adventure adds another competitor. It's a possibility (I've learned to never say never) but I think there is a outside chance, I also think the park can be improved with some investment.

I really don't think they are going to close the park either.

In my opinion, the park needs new rides, but I don't think they need a major coaster. I wouldn't mind seeing a Spinning Coaster at the park. At this park, I recently noticed the price of a bottle water has dropped to $3.29+tax, better but still expensive. With my Premium Pass, I pass around $2.65 for a bottle of water. Food prices are expensive at any amusement park from what I have been reading. I've been eating a Subway recently inside the park. $8 for a foot long isn't to bad, perhaps a little on the expensive side. Not sure what it is with a chips and a drink. I was disappointed in the way the Jinx had closed rows on it's trains on opening days. Yes, it looks bad, but what would another park do? Close the ride? I'd rather having a operating coaster with rows in the cars blocked off than a closed coaster. SF would be making a big mistake by selling the park to another amusement park operator. I believe the numbers are 7 million people within a 50 mile radius of the park. More people live within a hours drive of SFA than SFNE. Within 2 hours drive the numers are reversed. Those numbers are in one of the the Annual Stock Reports. If they do sell the park, it is going to be for good. They don't want another amusement park competing with Great Adventure. You really should want SF to keep the park open. Closing the park would almost mean higher prices on everything at BGE, KD, HP and probably SFGdv.

^ Before you do, I would walk in with low expectations the last day. The seasonal staff knows what comes on Monday, a pink slip.

I never said it did. I've heard it enough times. On site, after site, after site.... I'm tired of hearing how dumpy the place looks, the ride ops are horrible and park operations stink. I wouldn't defend the park if I didn't think the park wasn't trying to improve. To maintain my loyalty to the park, they have to improve and they have. Yes, the park needs to paint the rides and buildings. Yes, the ride ops can be slow and lazy and I get frustrated when I show up to ride Superman at 10:30 on a Sunday morning and find it isn't ready to open with the rest of the park. What I don't know is why this is happening? Did corporate cut back the parks hours so they could pad the books before a investor's conference call? Are parts being held up in customs? Was there a complaint to the state about the safety of the ride that is being investigated? Did three ride ops go out on Saturday night and call out the next day? Did the park fire an employee for violating safety protocols? Did the ride get struck by lighting the night before? I wasn't comparing Valleyfair operations to SFA operations. I was comparing two similar crimes. What I really don't understand is , how I can go to this park, time and time again all summer long (to the point my wife gets upset about it) and not encounter a fight, girls yelling profanity at me, and never witness a ride op booing anyone because they have Flash Passes. Yet, TPR shows up and all of this stuff happens in a day. In summary... Yes, the park needs some work. Perhaps if SFMM was left to rot and the money dumped into SFA instead we wouldn't be having this conversation. IMHO, they are improving and when I walk into the park I overlook the ride ops knowing I will get more rides on Superman and Wild One in one hour than someone that drove 2.5 hours to stand in line at Kings Dominion.

Wow! Never heard about that, but, I did hear about the one of Valley Fair. Are you never going there again? Swimace, I think we all will agree the ride ops need to step it up. I think they are improving but only time will tell.

Okay.. I see what is going on here... TPR was there the day of th Flo Ryda concert. As I read through each of these posts, I began to wonder if that was the day TPR was there and now Printersdevil confirmed it. The way he described it has not been my experience at the park this season. I haven't felt unsafe in the park all season, there has been plenty of security around.

First, I wouldn't say the Park President is crap. He just started in May, give him an off season to implement his on plan for the park. The park had a big mtvU concert tonight. They did a very good job of managing it. The park doesn't need a QBOT system, it really doesn't even need Fast Pass. The lines are less than 30 minutes for a majority of time, I'd rather they sink the money into fixing the park. Someone mentioned the ride operator booing them when they walk up. It seems the park is working on trying to get the ride ops to be more enthusiastic and interact with the crowd. In this case, it sounds like it backfired. I saw a phenomenal crew on Roar on Sunday. First time, I actually saw them trying to dispatch a train before it hit the brake run. Today, 2 of the 3 same members I saw on Sunday were working the ride. They were acting like a bunch circus clowns. Today, I heard the Joker's Jinx ride op telling everyone to put their hands up in the air and then he would dispatch the train, or countdown from 5 and launch the train. They are trying to improve. Also, I believe Mark Shapiro said they are not considering selling anymore parks.

I was at the park today and IMHO, the park did okay with dispatch times. The only food stands that I noticed that didn't open were Southwest Papa Johns and Papa Johns in Skull Island. Not sure about Hurricane Harbor. There were a number of games in Southwest Territory that were closed as well. If the park had full staffed the revenue generating departments then someone would have complained that they could find the staff to run the games and restaurants but not find the staff to run the rides. I appreciate the fact the maintenance staff was running the rides, if they weren't going to run the rides, who was? This time of year, kids are moving to college and enjoying a last week of summer vacation before heading back to school. I thought the ride maintenance staff did a decent job for something they don't do on a daily basis. I never waited 5 or 10 minutes on any of my rides, except for Superman which was a 15 minute wait for the front row. Yes, Joker's Jinx was stacking, but it doesn't have any choice. The ride finishes before the guests leaves the unload platform. The crew on Roar was doing a fabulous job. They were racing to to dispatch the train before the next train hit the brake run. The ride op spoke clearly when given instructions and was having fun, saying things like "Unleash the Beast" when dispatching the train. Wild One's blue train was running rough and yes, the crew could have probably been a little faster, but when I rode it, it was being ran by ride maintenance as well. First, tube rentals at Six Flags America, I believe, can only be used in the wave pool. Second, why does the park need more tubes. I hate holding a tube, in line, walking up the stairs. On a couple of slides if someone can't hold onto the tube and it slides back down the stairs, there is a change someone could get injured. I would much rather wait in line for a tube than have to stand in line. See my quote above and the fact the park has a hard time finding english speaking lifeguards. They used to use international hires, but I believe corporate made a decision the lifeguards had to be able to fluently speak english. Thus the shortage of lifeguards. Since every community had a pool guarded by a lifeguard these days, it is hard to find lifeguards. The park started recruiting last October for 2008. They hired more people this year than at anytime in the past. It is the time of the year you went. Made this trip in very late June or early July, you probably wouldn't have had this problem. Yes, the park was short staffed yesterday. Every department was short staffed. However for the staff that was there, I think they did a okay job. In fact, today was suppose to be the first day of school for students in P.G. County. Luckily the school system changed their mind or the park would have been closed this week. Last conference call, Mark Shapiro said they weren't interested in selling off more parks. Interesting how two people can go to this park and have nearly two different experiences. I was more upset that Joker's Jinx and Superman didn't open on time. However, in the two hours I was riding rides I rode: Joker's Jinx - 2 Superman - 1 Roar - 1 Wild One -1 I opted not to ride Batwing.

New GM started a week or two before Memorial Day. For those of you that fill the park is rotting away because they haven't raise the remains of Frightorium, the building is gone. All that is left is sweeping. Like I said, it takes a little while to get permits and hire a contractor to raise a building.

I don't consider that a long line. If it was coming out of the station and down the steps and into the overflow queue, then I might consider that a long line. I don't think I have seen a line longer than that last curve before entering the station this season.

It's time for a new major attraction at the park. My concern, is, they need to get what they have, working correctly first. Tony Hawk was a nice addition this season. However, we can't wait any longer, a new major attraction is needed. Does it need to be a coaster? Nope, but it needs to be simple and cheap (dark ride perhaps) so the park can work on continuing to improve and get what they have working. Sine the new GM didn't have the off season to prepare (he started his new position in late May) he can make his mark on the park this off season. The new GM is a hard working individual and I believe he is the right person for the job. I kind of came down hard in my earlier post on Marylanders. Don't get me wrong, Maryland has some hard working individuals. I know SFA has some bright and talented individuals working for them, however it is hard to place blame squarely at the feet of the park. Everyone needs to work as a team, the county, state, SFI, and SFA. Only then will SFA live up to it's potential to be a dominating Mid-Atlantic park. B&M. If you average the rides out SFA has done pretty well: 99: Two Face and Joker's Jinx 00: Superman 01: Avalanche, Batwing 02: off year 03: Penguin's Blizzard River 04: off year 05: Hurricane Harbor remodel 06: Off Year 07: Off Year 08: Tony Hawk SFA's guest really do come for the water rides. On any given day, there is a big line for Shipwreck Falls, Renegade Rapids and the water park is packed. If SFA were to do a few more things to Penguin's Blizzard River it would be a big success as well.

I wouldn't call his statement racist. I'm white and I go to the park that makes me part of the public. In the years I have been going to the park, I have come to the conclusion there is no dominant race that visits the park. If your Black or White, Hispanics, Asian, Middle Eastern etc... It all depends on when you go. Obviously if you go on a day a Hispanic radio station is at the park promotion it, you may find the guests to be more hispanic. Alot of what happens at the park depends on what is going on at the park. I will say the guests are rude. I've determined that, especially after visiting Hard Rock Park and then thinking about my visits to parks like SFFT. However, that isn't the parks fault, that is Maryland for you. Service is not a word Marylanders are known for. I experience poor service at my local grocery store, bank, restaurants and shopping mall. Walk down the boardwalk in Ocean City on Sunday morning at 6:00 am and look at the trash that is left behind. Go to a movie in Maryland and you will bewildered at how long it takes to get a bucket of popcorn from the concession stand. It's not just teenagers, the cashiers at my local grocery story aren't teenagers, they are paid much higher than minimum wage and you would think they work for Wal-Mart. Actually, I think I get better service from Wal-mart. The Washington, D.C. area is a majority white collar work force. There are more jobs than employers can fill. People realize they can leave one job and find another one. Put Six Flags America in West Virginia (a state that needs the jobs) and you would have a very different park. For those that are criticizing the park because Two Face isn't running and Hurricane Mountain is closed, how do you know there isn't discussion going on in the background about those rides? Rides have been left at other parks SBNO for years, SFA isn't any different. I would also be surprised if the rest of the storage building that caught fire isn't raised and removed before Fright Fest. P.G. County is the permit capital of the world. It wouldn't surprise me if the county government lost of the application for the permit. With the the end of daily operations coming in the next two weeks, that would be a good time to have it removed safely and cost effectively. Remember, everything that happens at SFA isn't the parks fault, blame should be placed at the county government, it's guests, and yes, the parks should receive some of the blame as well.

I wouldn't be surprised to see Two Face rethemed when/if it is repainted.

Don't think a Batman ride will fit very well in Skull Island or Coyote Creek

Give it a break, it is a little over a week since the fire. It takes time to get the right equipment together and clear things with the insurance company.

however any good operator knows that you can always remove old,outdated rides & replace them with new ones & this is something that SFI seemed unwilling to do for that place & sadly now it's gone. Funny... I don't remember CF actually pumping money into the park other than to build a new Wildwater Kingdom on land that would better enable their interest of selling the park to developers. It's really interesting how SF dumped six coasters into that park in the 6 years SF owned the park, built a new water slide complex and you claim SF neglected the park. Your arguement of neglect is getting real old. The Haunted House (Frightorium) wasn't a ride to begin with. Second, it is only open during Fright Fest, so the chances are unless you go to SFA during FrightFest, you probably would have never been in there. Lastly, Two Face is rumoured to be leaving, no one has ever said it was officially leaving.

This isn't the first time Avalanche has been disassembled mid-season. They usually are replacing a part. I wouldn't be surprised to see it back up before the end of the regular season and really surprised if it wasn't back up for Fright Fest.

Well, I don't exactly see anyone else stepping up to the plate to preserve it either. That house has been there and been falling apart since the park originally opened in the 1970's. It isn't like Six Flags is the first owner and the country historical society could preserve a landmark by relaxing their restrictions a little bit and let Six Flags use it for offices. Six Flags isn't totally at fault.

The House The House is a designated Historic Landmark. The park can't touch it or come within xx feet of it. Read the document Coasterlvr linked to. The park offered to fix it and use it for offices, the county said no and so it lays there. The story is when they were building Wild World, one of the bulldozers ran over the headstone of the Little Girl (Elenor) and every since then weird things have happened around her birthday. Search Google Groups, for Elenor and Six Flags America and their is a guy that has put the whole story together. Fright Fest Midnight Express is expensive to operate these days. Gasoline and diesel being what they are, I think you can understand why. The trains rarely run anymore. The park even makes corporate picnics pay for the fuel for the train from what I was told by the people that organize my company picnic there every year. Zambora was old and boring. It was getting to the point it was a walk on or walk in for the most part. While the park has removed some things, they have added others, like the Wheel of Fright and the Coffin of Fear which draw a large group of guests. They have been doing more with having ghouls roaming the park and scaring unsuspecting guests and added streetmosphere and adding some really awesome shows. Do any of the Six Flags Parks have a Brutal Planet anymore? I will says, the park does need an additional Haunted House. The line for Frightorium last season was ridiculous. The parks entertainment department has worked hard on moving FrightFest up a notch each year, but they do need to move the bar back a little bit from family friendly and added another haunted attraction.