AnEscapeArtist

Nice interview, same song and dance, but we'll see how the plans hold up this year. Gonna have to disagree with this, as parking at Angel stadium is a pretty decent $8, and $5 if you decide to walk a little bit. $15 is a bit steep, in my opinion. Its one thing if you're at Disneyland and you get a quiet, smooth tram ride all the way to the entrance of the park. But at Six Flags the trains are so old and the tram roads are so bumpy, that the trains rattle, bang and bump the entire ride to the park entrance! So if the park pulls 1000 cars, they're pocketing $15000, and I know Mark says it, but it certainly doesn't seem that they've invested that dough on parking lots very efficiently.

^Uhhh I dunno about that. I've been to DCA about a half dozen times in the last couple months, and the park (along with Downtown Disney) has been anything but "empty." 60 - 70 Minute lines for pretty much every major attraction (Cali Screamin, ToT, Toy Story, Mull Madness, Soarin and Grizzly), and that's not even in the full swing of summer. Atleast when I've been there the entire resort has been a madhouse.

^^Man that ride stunk! I don't miss it at all! Besides the pain, I remember that air hump and the unique hairpin style drop. Thanks to PortugePunk for the scans! I always like Shanes Amusement Attic as well just cause I enjoy the old times because it brings back memories.

I really wish they'd have a transportation ride at the park because it'd be nice to take a load off and take a trip around the park in the middle of the day. And if you want to cater to families what better way than to provide mom and dad some walking breaks. I think this photo explains pretty well the reason the park added the OTSR's to Revolution mainly for liability reasons. Look at the guy in the second car, what the heck is he doing with his arms? I can only imagine stuff like this went on all the time, guests maneuvering themselves around and probably putting themselves in danger thanks to the freedom of lap bars only.

^Yeah, that's how I remember it. Gosh that was awesome, a fresh, new, GP untouched wooden coaster for us all to ride over and over as much as we wanted. X2 was stay-on that night, in fact, I remember waiting in the station while it was being fixed and there was me with my girlfriend, and another guy with his girlfriend waiting to get on the train alone. Re-rides up the wazoo! That was an awesome night! If that's not Media Day then I dunno what is!

From what I've heard Superman hits about 87 on average, but that's at the very end of the launch. 'Tis a pity, as there are photos of both trains almost clipping the brakes at the top of the tower (AT THE SAME TIME!) back when it previewed in 1996. Courtesy rcdb.com I don't believe there's any factor other than the technology when it comes to the ride not being able to reach higher speeds. Basically when the ride goes any faster than 87, the computer loses the car, the magnets lose track of firing and the whole system shuts down (this is due to LSM's being a little more complicated computer-wise than LIMS). If the Valencia heat or amount of power being used was a factor, I doubt the ride would run at all. Bottom line is the ride was one of its kind back then, and it was a gamble. Today, computers of 1996 simply can't handle such a daunting task.

Thanks for the Panda Express advice Austin! I never knew that and will probably now consider using my discount for Panda on my next visit to the park! The only disadvantage to this is that you could walk all the way across the park and end up not being able to recieve the discount because you thought the location honored the pass when it didn't. That and the park doesn't need any more tacky looking signs pinned up all over the park that look ugly 6 months after installing them (cause we've all seen plenty of those already). Oh you're definitely right! But lets be realistic here, we're talking about Six Flags Perhaps the easiest solution would be providing the list on the park map. "Stores that offer discounts to Xtreme Playpass Holders," and they could point out the locations on the map. I've had an Xtreme Pass several years and the use of the discount at stores/food locations is so spurratic that I often end up not even bothering to get my 25% off.

^^I think that's only during the Summer, during the off-season I don't think its worth it to the park to have valet guys sitting out there when the first parking lot has a tendency to only be half full. But the 2 trains that ARE working are doing the job fine and get rehabbed well (In fact I believe that's why its down right now). Its common practice to take the train with the most problems and retire it for parts, and for a coaster as old as Ninja its doesn't mean the trains that are operational aren't running well. There's no reason to replace the trains for Ninja, they've actually held up relatively well for being 20+ years old. The problem with Arrow Suspendeds is the track. The swinging of the trains basically yank the rails from the cross ties, making for some lengthy weld repairs from time to time. And as we've seen, not a lot of parks are good at keeping those repairs up to snuff.

^Screw the theorheticals, by sending an empty train every other cycle thanks to T:STR's "not permitted to skip" pre-show, Deja Vu probably does have a better capacity. Ninja may not be the scariest or most popular ride in the park but it signifies one awesome aspect of the mountain, it uses the terrain to it's advantage throughout the circuit (which has always set this park apart from a lot of others). Also, it was one of the first "big coasters" for my brother and I when our parents started taking us to Magic Mountain way back when, and we LOVED the hell out of it! No doubt the young'n's these days probably feel the same, and IMO if there's any kind of "family coaster" list of the park, Ninja should be on it. I also think Deja Vu is one of the sickest, scariest rides at the park, in the top 3 with X and Tatsu. When you look at that top 3, that's a serious list of intense rides that are VERY unique in coaster type, are not for the faint of heart, and they're all at one park. Even if you don't like the ride, you gotta admit, its pretty unique to have a single park which offers such a variety of coasters.

I believe it's had its time, and now it needs to go. Unless watching 13 year old thrill rides fade from existence is something you enjoy. I suppose you're right, its quite the family coaster SF's been looking for. I just wish it was all it could be, but it never will. Like I said, I'd much rather have a newer generation launched Intamin or Giga.

^I'd be fine if they messed with S:TE. Demolish it for scrap metal and put in any type of new Intamin, hell, maybe even one that launches but actually has some sort of forces associated with it. Superman never ran how it was billed and has deteriorated ever since, only new technology that costs about as much as a new GCI woodie might get it up to par. But the standard "Six Flags cardboard cutout refurbishment" would be, IMO, a huge waste of money.