coasterdude5

1994 16th Season Here are some photos from the nighttime firework show from Friday night: It wasn't a huge display, but it was a nice way to celebrate the park's reopening. I bet Derecho provided some great views of the show! Vulture was closed as it was closer to the show. Fireworks seen through Viper's loop. I'm sure they got a great view of the show as well! The end of the firework display marked the end of the park's first day. Thousands of guests poured out of the park and from talking to several of them, it seems many are very glad to have their beloved Charleston Gardens Amusement Park back, even under a new name. - Joe

Batman: The Ride Video 1994 Here are more photos from last Friday's grand opening! The park was open Saturday and Sunday but I decided to avoid the crowds since I was at the park all day on Friday. An afternoon rain shower didn't stop the guests from enjoying their day! Without lightning, all rides were able to remain open. I'm sure riding Batman in the rain was interesting! Luckily, those waiting in line stayed dry! - Joe

Ha, I was thinking the exact same thing. It would be a perfect fit for the park. If anything, maybe they'll re-route HH's entrance so that's it's closer to the park's entrance. Although I see their reasoning, I've never been a fan of the waterpark's random entrance.

Rumor now is that Chang will be taking the place of GASM at SFGAdv. That might explain why SFGAm is no longer on the agenda. Huh. If it holds out to be true, I'm alright with it. While Chang would make a great addition to the lineup at Great America, the park deserves something new.

1994 Six Flags South Carolina is now open! The park opened to massive crowds earlier this morning: The parking lot began to fill at 7, two hours before the park even opened. By 8, there was a line extending all the way back to the parking lot. Six Flags officials passed out cups of water to ensure guests stayed hydrated. The line began to move around 8:30 as guests were allowed into the park. Many headed to the Gotham Backlot first. One thousand people were inside the park within thirty minutes. Throughout the day the crowds slowly began to distribute into other areas of the park. Around lunch time, Batman reportedly had a 3 hour wait. It was great to finally hear screams coming from the rides after nearly five years of silence. Check back soon as I have many more photos from today's grand re-opening of Six Flags South Carolina! - Joe

I always wondered if that element was a glitch in the game. Good to hear that's one mistake that wasn't made!

1994 Six Flags South Carolina opens on Friday. Hard to believe, isn't it? It seems like this past year (plus some) has gone by so fast. I really have to commend Six Flags not only for their mission to revive this park in a timely matter, but also their hospitality. They have welcomed me into the park at least once a week for the past year. This company is dedicated to revitalizing this park, and I can't wait to see what they have in store for us. So I present the last update of Charleston Gardens Amusement Park, because a new chapter in its life begins on Friday. Hold on, because I think it's going to be an exciting ride. Your friend, Joe Martin A small bakery now stands where the park's original carousel once stood. The flags have been raised. The paint has dried. The tickets have been printed. The rides have been tested. It's time to usher in a new era of Charleston entertainment! See you on Friday.

Part of it might be that this park is developing much slower than HHE did. At HHE's peak, seasons were coming and going in less than a week. That's because I wasn't spending too much time on detail. With SFSC/CGAP, I'm taking hours just to complete a shop. It's more tedious but I believe the outcome is better.

1994 We are approaching the park's grand re-opening and you can definitely hear the buzz about the park throughout the city. Six Flags has not released their attendance expectation for the first day but I'm hearing that it is expected to be very crowded. The park will open next Saturday at 9 A.M. However, the parking lots will open at 7 A.M. and guests will be allowed into the park at 8 A.M. I've been told to guarantee your entry into the park, get to the park earlier than 8 A.M.! Roadrunner Express has been cleared to open! The snack stand across from what was The Magic Carpet has been remodeled. A small eating area now sits on the location of the former ride. The Gotham Backlot and Batman: The Ride. The lights are coming back on at night. I forgot how beautiful the park was at night! I am eagerly anticipating seeing this park filled with guests once again!

Thanks for the replies! @triggernel I think comparing these two parks is a stretch. SFSC has a more generic, amusement park feel while HHE, for the most part, had an exotic island theme. They're two completely different parks. 1994 We are two weeks away from the opening of Six Flags South Carolina! All rides have been tested extensively over the past several weeks and the testing is still ongoing. I am happy to report that all rides are expected to open with the park! Batman: The Ride was testing the entire time I was a the park today. Viper's intimidating sign was installed yesterday. The Gotham Backlot entrance structure looks great! Batman looks beautiful across the lake. Washout gives you a great view of Batman's first drop. We're getting closer and closer to the park's opening. Charleston residents are getting excited about the return of this great park!

1994 I got a closer look at some of the theme elements of Batman: The Ride today! The Batcave at Batman: The Ride. An old wrecked police car demonstrates that Gotham City will always need Batman. Batman: The Ride stands in the corner of the park. Much of the Harbortown area was removed following the storm including the rides Harbortown Drive and SkyWheel. Most of the area has been fenced off, excluding this new souvenir stand. This building's restoration was completed last week. It will become park offices, stroller rentals, and a security center. The building was once home to a sitdown restaurant. New signs are going up around the park's parking lots. The park will open in less than two months! - Joe

That's quite a difference! Despite the speed, I'm very excited about hearing what actual riders think of it! I think Kennywood has a real winner on their hands.

Thanks guys! 1994 I ventured to the park today to get a glimpse at the progress of Six Flags South Carolina. Roadrunner Express, formerly Millipede, has gotten a fresh coat of paint and some new scenery. This ride will hopefully continue to serve as a great attraction for the entire family. The Charleston Railway has been re-routed slightly to make room for the Gotham Backlot. The ride now features two tunnels! The restoration of Derecho is nearly complete! It looks brand new! Yet another late night at the park - this area will be much brighter once the park opens in just a couple months! - Joe

Thanks for the kind words and feedback! 1994 I was allowed to view one of the first complete test runs of Batman: The Ride and let me tell you it is a very fast ride! The coaster stands about 10 stories tall and will flip riders upside down five times! It's a twisted mess of steel and the train completes the entire course at a fast pace. The ride can be seen from several places within the park. Seen here is the first drop into one of the two vertical loops. This is one of the coaster's two inverting flat spins. It looks like an exciting coaster and I look forward to riding it on opening day!

1994 Happy New Year! It's been a few weeks since I last spoke with you - I've been enjoying some time off with the family. I returned to the park today and it looks like the crews at the park did not take the holiday off! An incredible amount of work has taken place and it will likely take a few trips to the park to capture all the new things going on at the park. Let's get started! I was able to walk through the queue line for Batman: The Ride. It is quite immersive. You'll think you've been transported to Gotham City! Six Flags transplanted over 40 trees to give the queue area a city park feel. I forgot I was in an amusement park! The atmosphere will change quickly as you venture into the city's sewage system as you head to the Batcave. New to the "mainstreet" area of the park is the Saltwater Cafe, which is located where the emporium once stood. Around the side of the building you'll find a new eating area. The inside of Saltwater Cafe. The restaurant has limited indoor seating. Don't be fooled by the name - no seafood will be served here. The menu will feature sandwiches and items often found at a bakery. Gully River Rapids, which will soon become Thunder River Rapids, has had its signage removed in preparation for the transformation. I ended up spending several hours at the park today. Special thanks to Six Flags' marketing department for giving me these tours of the park. I will be returning later this week to see testing of Batman: The Ride! - Joe

First Park: Kings Isand First Coaster: Diamondback Both of these were new!

Thanks for the kind words! 1993 We're nearing the end of 1993 and that means that the opening of Six Flags South Carolina is quickly approaching. Track is going up left and right over at Batman: The Ride. Nearly half of the ride's track is already up. They are expecting to begin testing by February! The park has released a list of attractions which will open with the park. A name in parentheses is the ride's former name. Carolina Carousel Charleston Railway Parachute Falls Washout Batman: The Ride Viper (Heatwave) Vulture Derecho RoadRunner Express (Millipede) Monster Mash Hotel Indigo Plunge Thunder River (Gully River Rapids) The Great Swings Scrambler Vortex Swan Boats Bumper Cars The following rides will not return: SkyWheel Magic Carpet Harbortown Drive I stopped by the park on my way home from the office today. I snapped a shot of Batman, along with the park's other three steel coasters. You can also see Roadrunner Express' new paint job. I should have a very nice update for you all in a couple of weeks! - Joe

I have a love/hate relationship with the coaster. The ride (I've been on SFGAm's, SFStl's, and SFoG's) fascinates me because of its compact layout and speed, but I can usually only ride it once per visit to a park. My head can't take it. I've heard of several people having similar experiences to yours. I'm sure I've greyed out, but I wouldn't know because my eyes usually close on their own! Just listen to what your body's telling you. If you don't like how you feel after riding it, then don't ride it again! If you feel like you can handle it again, then do so in moderation. I'd suggest trying out some other inverts to see how you react to those. Hope I was a little helpful!

CD5's SeaWorld Adventure During my short residency in Gainesville as a toddler, my parents took me to SeaWorld. Other than home video from the day, I don't remember too much about the trip except falling off of a swingset at the playground and busting up my head. I decided to give the park a second chance and see how it had changed in the 15+ years since my last visit. I was impressed with how themed and immersive the place was! Areas like the Waterfront and Key West rivaled Disney-level quality, IMO. It is a Busch...erhm.. SeaWorld Parks park afterall! Despite one-train operations on Kraken for most of the day, I was able to ride the ride several times. These re-rides eventually resulted in a bit of motion sickness by the end of the day. It was worth it though, as Kraken was my first true "floorless" B&M and I found it to top Wildfire and Kumba in terms of awesomeness. Manta also gave a great ride. I think Manta's queue is one of the few queues in which I DIDN'T want it to move any faster than it was. I was enjoying watching the Manta Rays too much! Because I'm not a fan of typing drawn out trip reports, here are the photos from my day: I didn't realize Manta was so close to the entrance of the park. I really liked it greeting me as I entered! Yeah, I don't remember any of this. I guess that's because I was a munchkin at the time of my last visit. I was worried the day would be a washout with all the dark clouds hovering above but they seemed to blow over. Manta's sign and accompanying waterfall/rockage makes me happy. The turn near the sign makes for a great picture. Would you like some pretzel with that loop? Journey to Atlantis, yet another example of why first is always best. I like how you're not outside the entire time! Basically, if you sit in the front seat, bring some extra clothes. Or wear a trash bag. My point exactly. Alright enough that, now it's time for the big leauge. Kraken! Or Kray-ken as I called it for many years. It's tall, it's fast, and it does tricks. What more could you ask for? You're the kraken's slave once you go underground. After you emerge from the kraken's lair, get ready for a flatspin. I thought since this was sponsored by a bank, it would be about loan sharks... Oh that's right, this isn't Six Flags, they're not that witty. I don't want to mess with that guy! Right fish, my camera skills are so great, go ahead and scurry right as a press the button. What's your problem? Here's SeaWorld's Illuminations. Blue Horizons was a spectacular show, suprises and all! What a weak grip... Oh hey Cypress Gardens. Waterfront, because SeaWorld can make things look pretty too! Basically this part of the park gives you a great view of Kraken. Especially if you have $4! There's the Waterfront. ...and Manta's sexy self. This part of the ride really gets me wet, espcially if I sit on the outside. Well, that's the first part of Manta. Afterwards we saw Believe. I'd like to say I watched the whales... But I really had a great view of Kraken's first drop. So maybe I watched the whales for a couple of minutes. I wouldn't do that if I were you. Meh. You thought Shamu was the main star of SeaWorld? Wrong, it's their line of squirrels that go by the name Titisquirrel. Rodents FTW. As we left the park, I thought it would fitting to take more unnecessary shots of Manta. We'll meet again giant pretzel loop. Thanks for making it to the end. I might eventually get to posting the rest of the Disney park photos some day.

The ropes course looks interesting! Anybody know if it will be themed at all? Also, I am considering the possibility of working at Six Flags Great America next summer (or possibly the next). I have family that lives about 5 minutes from the park that would be willing to allow me to live with them for the summer while I worked. While I'd love to be a ride attendant at one of the larger attractions at the park, I'd be happy to have just about any job at the park. However, since I live in Memphis, I was curious what my chances are of getting a job. If my chances are decent, when would I need to apply? I will be at the park for a few days next month-is there anyone at the park that I should talk face-to-face with? Is it common for out of town college students to work at the park? I would greatly appreciate feedback, especially from those who have worked at the park before!

That's was my plan, but apparently people (not on this forum) want everything explained in detail. They don't want to use their brains.

^ It looks a bit odd. Great trip report! I'm not a Potter fan, but I think I would enjoy myself at the new land. If not for anything else, the KUKA factor!

1993 Work is progressing at a steady rate at the new Six Flags South Carolina. Track work has started on Batman: The Ride and the ride is expected to be completed in about a month. Right now work is concentrated in the entrance plaza. The turnstile and ticket building is coming along quite nicely. The interiors of the building are almost complete. Exterior work is underway now. Guests will purchase tickets here. Everything is looking good!

Gisco, SPOILERS AHEAD!!!! SPOILERS AHEAD!!!! SPOILERS AHEAD!!!! SPOILERS AHEAD!!!! SPOILERS AHEAD!!!! Christian, the FBI agent, was having an affair with the "afro" woman. He could not decide between his mistress and his wife so he decided to kill them both. He would kill his wife (and daughter) by re-routing a subway train and he would kill his mistress by planting a bomb in her apartment. How did he re-route the subway? He's an FBI agent, it's not hard to believe he would be able to work his way into the subway's computer system to override the controls. The "terrorist" was only a character he created in his head to rationalize what he was doing. He placed the blame on the terrorist so he would not have any guilt over what he was doing. He basically "lost it." However his guilt overcame him when he saw the "ghosts" of his wife and mistress, still asking him which of the women he was going to be with, a question he had been asking himself for quite some time. That's when he realizes what he's done and the imagined "terrorist" goes away. Hope that cleared things up!

1993 The guys at Six Flags are working nearly around-the-clock to ensure that the park is returned to its original form by next spring. Crews have been in and out of the park's existing buildings, gutting many of them to the studs in order to prevent molding. I was told that the most buildings have had to be nearly rebuilt from the inside out. The former carousel has been removed from the park. I was told it was cheaper to buy a newer model than repair the old one. Therefore we have the new Carolina Carousel which stands where Gully Gulch Grill once stood. It was nearly leveled by the storm. A new restaurant will open across the path where the emporium once stood. The new turnstile building has begun to rise. It is considerably larger than the former turnstile building. It will also house ticket sales and guest relations. Pieces of what will become Batman: The Ride began arriving at the park today. Landwork has been going on for a few weeks now. Vertical construction is expected to begin later this week. - Joe