SFA Regular

I prefer the ride outside too. I enjoy Joker's Jinx much more than the flight of fears. Not to mention no block trims, so you fly through the second half. The problem is, the park doesn't get enough traffic to make it worth investing a lot of money into. It doesn't make sense to put a 20 million dollar beemer in a park thats never busy. It almost seems like SF is just giving up with trying to compete with KD and Busch. And WHY are poeple avoiding SFA in favor of KD & BGW? it's because KD & BGW ACTUALLY GET NEW RIDES instead of just removing them one after another,I had hopes for the park from 98 to 2007 & bought a pass every year but after they made the decision to install yet ANOTHER waterslide (which they didn't really need) over installing a major ride that was needed in the ride side of the park I gave up & started going to KD instead.All SFI ever cares about are GRAM,MM,OT & GRADV at the expense of the other parks which is WHY they've lost money & will continue to loose even more until they figure out that it takes more than just major investments in four parks when you've got a chain consisting of 19 parks at the present time. The only attempt made( & I use the term lightly here) at getting a ride installed in the ride park was when UT was sent here,funny thing though that it was shipped to SFA from SFAW BROKEN & unrepairable,which I believe was intentionally done since they've wanted the park to fail. The only way for the park to s urvive is for SF to sell it & for it to go back to it's pre-SF roots as a smaller local amusement park rather than remain in the hands of those in charge of it now because sooner or later they WILL probably just close it to gain access to the assets for redistribution to their big 4 spoiled parks when they no longer can afford to purchase brand new rides for them. KD, so you agree with what I have been saying? I really agree with what you just said. It takes more than just them investing in 4 major parks, at the expense of others. And I also agree with you, as to why people are avoiding Six Flags America and riding up to Kings Dominion. They add new stuff every year and it gets more fun each time you go back. Like I've told people time after time; you have to spend money to make money. Both Paramounts and Cedar Fair spent money on the park and look what happens. They end up getting an over load of people coming into/leaving the park on weekdays, weekends and holidays. Six Flags adds nothing, and they get nothing. Now on to the future. A in park source told me that corporate has been in the park a couple of times now. This source is an employee that I know, and he told me that the new CEO, Alexander Weber came to the park in the recent week that just passed. Could Alexander Weber be getting a good look at the park to give him an idea on what to add for Fright Fest and 2011. In my opinion, I'm thinking that all the Fright Fest are going to become better because Alexander Weber operated all the Paramounts Parks. Their theme has always been more teen and along the lines of Cedar Fair, so could the Fright Fest attractions become scarier for 2010? For SFA's concern they need to because Kings Dominion's version of Fright Fest is completely shutting down SFA's. They have like 9 scary haunted attractions and they are all free with park admission. Six Flags America on the other hand has gone completely family friendly and charged people five dollars for a haunted train ride that was not even good. The audio was distorted and riders were not really scared by the actors. A lot of people drove up to Kings Dominion and participated in their attractions, which completely blew me out of my mind when I saw how good the actors were. Alexander Weber, please help us.

I was in Orlando, Florida about a week ago. When I went to Universal, I found that The Mummy ride was not as good as I remembered. The first thing I noticed as that, they have tvs at the top of the line where the station is. It shows riders a preview of what they will see in the ride. If you ask me, I think it spoils the element of surprise. Another thing I noticed as that they send the trains in the station too quickly after one another. What that does is spoil the scene before you get there, because you are not on a big enough gap between the train in front of you. Also, the mummie's mouth does not move when he pops out the coffin. Last but not least, the launch into the arena is not all that quick anymore. It seemed a bit laggy when I was there. A few other people that I spoke to while in the single rider lane, also agreed with me. This ride seems to be loosing it's element of surprise and spark, compared to when it first opened. Do you think Universal park management notices these things about The Mummy? Do you think they will fix it? As for Hollywood Rip Rocket coaster, I was very impressed. The audio in each speaker does not drown all the other ones out. So each rider can hear his/her own music without any problem. Ride performance was very good and the line seemed to move quick. I like how the trains in the station keep moving along. This way it requires ride attendants to put a little snap in keeping the line moving. They have very good genre's of music on the ride.

I sure hope after all these little moves and changes that they have been making, that they still have plans for making the parks better. Seemed like Great Adventure got all the attention because the main office was in New York. So with Over Texas be getting the attention because they are the first SF park and the main office is close to there? I was so hoping the office would be moved to Washington DC. That way SFA could get at least some attention. Of course I'm just kidding. SFOT was the first SF park, so it makes sense for them to move it there.

I have to say I think dark rides are the rides of the future. They protect the rides from harsh elements, provide room for theme, offer great story, and create a lot of suspense. It's better when you can't see the course, because you don't know what to expect.

It's good to see that their stock is back on the market.

Can someone tell me when this company is going to make some big moves to improve the over all entertainment of each park? They seem to be signing all these small deals. Scrap the small deals and create an imagineering team for each park.

We need a major coaster, point, blank, period. And Tony Hawk is not the answer. I think out of all the parks in the chain, we have been very patient for nearly a decade.

I have to say the area looks very good. It makes Gotham City look more populated and not just a dead end spot. On problem is, I think it's out of theme because you wouldn't expect to see Thomas & Friends within Gotham City, but what more can you do? It's Six Flags. Now all were waiting for now is our 2011 addition. SFA is rumored to get Tony Hawk, but I think that will change.

(Thrill Rider) is right about Kings Dominion. At Six Flags America they use to have life chairs set up at all the major rides like Batwing, Superman, and Jokers Jinx. Shortly after Dan Snyder took over the company and fired our park GM, which would have been in 2006, you didn't see anymore of the security guards in the life chairs. I wonder why? Back when we had our old park general manager, we had security guards in the life chairs all day long. When one went on break or finished their shift, another one was there to replace him/her. This way, there was no line cutting. Now all they do is have a security guard stand in the station for like 5 minutes, if not even that long, and pretend to watch things. All major rides should have security sitting in life chairs throughout the whole day to stop line jumping and to keep the line moving once inside the station. With our new CEO, Alexander Weber, being from Paramounts, he should have a quick solution for this. I would start building more rides that have a themed line queue. That way, they can put up walls in order to prevent people from jumping the line. Don't make any more line queue's where the only thing you have separating the are hand rails. Flight of Fear at Kings Dominion is nearly impossible to line cut with the line always being packed and the wall for the haunted house blocking off the rest of the line queue. Additional theme's inside the line is one solution.

I actually like Dark Rides because, I like the dark. There is nothing better than pure adrenaline in speed, in the pitch black. I don't know why most parks are still stuck on build outdoor coasters. Everytime it storms or rains they have to shut them down and people end up unhappy because they did not get to ride. With dark rides, you don't have to shut them down at all.

I have to say mine is Flight of Fear at Kings Dominion.

I agree. Six Flags robbed that place blind of it's best thrill attraction. Bottom line is the previous management with Snyder and Shapiro got away with too much in court. Almost as if the judge was being paid under the table. Not only that, but I thought Resilient Capital Management had a good fight against Danny and Shapiro and would have gained control of the company, to sell it to Apollo. Once Apollo got it, the would have merged it with Cedar Fair. But then, Danny and Shapiro managed to get a win over that. I think Ed Hart, wants to really put his best foot in there by starting clean and putting newer ideas in there. It will take a good bit of time before it gets back up to par, but when it does, it should be amazing.

^ I have to say I Hart, could buy back Chang, but now that I come to think of it, it's not worth it. Because he would have to pay money to transfer it and then rebuild it, when in reality, it's something we already had. Best thing now is to move on and see what else is on the market. The new Vekoma's would work well, in KK. If you go on their site, you can find them. They resemble the B&M's that suspend riders and seat 4 people across. I'm surprised none of the Six Flags parks have any plans to build them.

Actually, I think Astro World had been set to close under Kieren Burke. Shapiro mentioned that he wanted to save the place. At least that's what I heard.

That;s a very strong point you just made. People who don't ride coasters think the park needs a new coaster. If Mr. Ed knows that the general public in Louisville wants a new ride, then he will probably put that in his plan. I can't see someone that experienced giving the park something that it doesn't need or the general public of Louisville won't like. When he is done with it, I could see that place being on the travel channel. For those of you are are from Louisville, try getting in contract with Ed and see if he wants to put together a group discussion on what the general public of Louisville, wants to see inside the park. You never know, it could turn into something, you have always dreamed of.

Any original owner wishes they had kept their park before Six Flags bought it. Look at what happened to Six Flags New Orleans. The previous Six Flags management with Dan Snyder and Mark Shapiro fought tooth to nail to get out of their land lease deal, and the judge let them have their way. That place has the saddest history. If Dan Snyder had of never got the company, Six Flags New Orleans would have been rebuilt and we would still own the other three parks that Six Flags sold back in 2006. So yes, there are a lot of owners that wish they had never had anything to do with Six Flags. Mr. Ed will probably end up putting his hardest effort in reviving the place. At least now the park has someone with theme park experience, to manage it.

Well said. Maybe he feels that it's better to start from scratch, instead of adding on to what was currently there. Maybe he has a new idea for the park that can really put it back on the map in a 10 year plan. I couldn't see him coming back if he didn't have a plan to fix the place.

I take it those are much further away. From what I heard, a lot of the problems are occurring with the Fair Board of Directory, if I'm correct? Cause technically they own part of the park. Cause I was going to suggest that the state get involved in order to settle this matter out. There are a lot of good companies that the state could make offers, to buy that park and improve it. (Merlin Entertainment Group) would be perfect. The park has not been developed much and they are real good with theme. And it would be a good expansion, given the fact that they have not built a park in the U.S.

Most of the stuff you said was right. The best thing that KK had going for them was Chang, but now it's gone. Like I said, you guys deserve a new and improved coaster. I'm pretty they will add to the park as time goes on. I can't really see them just keeping that place a water park, when it has the potential to be much greater.

It has to be tough for the thrill seekers down there. No big rides and now the park will be smaller? Why are they doing this? You would think that the new owner would already have some sort of master plan going on and the first step would involve putting in the new coaster for the 2011 season. But I guess I was wrong. What do you think is stopping them from doing big things at Kentucky Kingdom?

I will agree, that the place is a little dry. I've never been there so I can't speak from a guest point of view, but from park maps and videos, I will say the park needs another coaster. You already have a B&M, so why not get a Premier. I would have said an Itamin, but there are a lot of those already, and I don't see anything unique with them unless you get a Intamin Launch. So go with a Premier launch like Joker's Jinx. If their maintained and kept properly, they run very good. Joker's Jinx is a little slow, but Flight of Fear which is the same Premier design, runs very well.

I have high hopes for this, with it's original owner being back. Just think of all the unique things that the park may get. With you being out of Six Flags grip, it leaves ideas open for more unique attractions. I have noticed this with parks that aren't owned by a major chain. One the thing that I think themes parks should do is have guess take a poll and see what kind of attraction people want the most. The choices could very from coasters, shows, family rides, virtual rides, water rides, and etc. Just a random idea I had in mind.

How many of you think, Tony Hawk coaster will actually end up at Six Flags America in 2011? Or do you think with the new CEO, that the plan will change?

Well it's good to see that they got their original head mocho back. I actually felt sorry for this park when I heard Six Flags dropped it and wanted to take all the attractions. That was a rotten deal done by Mark Shapiro, but now he is gone so the park can probably keep all it's things. Not only that, but I wish the best for future improvements.

Maybe you should ask because my friend told me that the park got new management staff.