ilrider

Actually, the operations at our park are usually very good, but getting into the park has been bad at times the first few weekends the last two years. Last year, they made everyone wait out in the security lines rather than allowing guests into the park before opening to wait at the chains. When they let guests in early, it is much quicker and easier to get in. This year, the fingerprint scanners coupled with not letting people in the park early enough made our wait to get in 45 minutes on opening day and we got in line before 10, but it was only a few minutes the following Saturday because they let people in the park early, and it was probably not as busy. I think they want the guests to scan their own passes, which is why staff are not doing it for them. The fingerprint scanners do not seem to like little fingers either, so it was taking some families several minutes to get through the gates. Operations get better at the park once June comes and the park is fully staffed and there are full day operations (and all coasters running all their trains). Plus, Hurricane Harbor opens, so the lines on the dry side of the park ease quite a bit early in the day. We usually get into the park pretty quickly by that point too.

^^^DVR is set. Thanks, Marcus!

^^Scattered storms after 2 forecast, some possibly severe, though some storms may fire sooner in Lake County, so they may or may not get a full day in (if that is even in the plans for today).

There is a chance of storms later today, too, so they will probably get a half day of work in today. I hope the whiners about any construction delays can now appreciate that this crew has moved from working six days a week to seven days a week to get this coaster done for us to enjoy!

None so far, so I doubt it.

Polyurethane wheels. I thought I recently read about a second type of wheel they can also use in certain weather, maybe nylon?

Looks like another piece of the zero G support structure is being placed!

^^The lift hill structure is definitely brown, not black. It looks black on the camera, but in person, it is a nice brown color that fits the colors of the rest of the coaster well.

This is Six Flags we're talking about. It's still better than a lot of signs in the park and the flat Iron Wolf sign it replaced.

It does appear there are blackish belts on the seats. I couldn't tell if they were the brown padding on the seats or seat belts. Either way, it won't effect the ride experience at all. I rode Outlaw Run with seat belts a few weeks ago and I didn't even notice the seat belts at all during the ride. The only thing it did was slow down the loading times but SDC's crews are known to work a bit slower because they're more cautious. It doesn't bother me if there are belts aside from the longer loading times, but our crews are usually efficient. A little extra safety never upset me, especially on a ride this intense!

Are those seatbelts I spy? Not surprised if so.

My son has been riding it since he was 3 with no problems. Your daughter will be safe. The minimum height requirements are partly based on the restraints used on the ride in order to ensure rider safety.

The weather tomorrow is actually supposed to be very nice, with partly sunny skies and mid 60s temps. A ton better than it has been all week and great weather for opening day. Enjoy!

We also have been there once, back in 2011, and we had a good time and I did not have many complaints, though I knew what we were getting into. I loved Hades (sorry, but I did) and thought the other coasters were okay (Cyclops drop was awesome). I don't think I would risk going back after the Opa incident, though. Also, there was some type of control room or something underneath Hades and while we were waiting for it to open, the employees left the door wide open and walked away, and a little kid ran into the structure unattended for awhile. I was also annoyed the park opened at 10 or whatever, and we got there right away to be first on Hades, but it did not open until 45 minutes after park open because the employees do not bother to start working until park opening, so we had to wait through testing, brake inspection, etc. We are used to the smooth operations at our home park, SFGAm, where rides open with the park (as is done at every other park I have been too, really). Oh well, it was worth getting our credits, and it was a really good deal for six of us for only $99 a night.

Yeah, I do not get that at all. I understand not working in a thunderstorm for obvious reasons, but on radar it was clearly a small cell that would pass, and the radar cleared after it.

^No worries! I hope I did not come off as harsh. I wondered if maybe you knew something about tomorrow's weather I did not, as there is severe weather some places, but I think we will be north of it. I was just saying I think they work through rain, today being an example. If there are storms, I would think they would have to take a break for their safety, so you may end up being right if it storms a lot. There are thunderstorms possible in the afternoon.

^Pretty much the same forecast as today, rain and a chance of thunderstorms, isn't it? They have worked all day today. It could rain every day this week, but rain will not stop them. A thunderstorm might.

^They did not start really working on the coaster until the park closed for the fall, so yes, they absolutely could have taken advantage of some better weather before winter hit and to get a jump on construction. That is SF for ya'.

^Because it's just easier to say in a parallel grammatical construction, "Tallest, fastest, and steepest wooden rollercoaster in the world" for marketing purposes. To word it as "tallest drop" would just make it sound awkward, even though that is technically true. Most people would not know the difference.

I can understand the policy, though. If you start allowing refunds under certain conditions, what is to stop people from asking for them for almost anything, like a person gets injured and cannot go to the park that year? While $72 in this case will not hurt SF much, over time, with enough people asking for "death refunds," or other refunds, it would hurt the bottom line. While it must be just horrible for the surviving family members, I don't think this story makes SF look that bad. The initial employee was just following policy.

^^I think they will get it done. Lift hill is already going up with track, and the zero G stall supports are already in place. Dive loop is near done.

^Hail was not damaging at the park. Pea-sized for the most part.

Article on the structure fire in the park last night: http://my.chicagotribune.com/#section/544/article/p2p-79812075/

^Sorry, it's Lake & McHenry County Scanner. Link to the thread on the fire: https://www.facebook.com/LakeCountyFDIncidents/posts/623838151031752

According to a scanner thread I subscribe to on FB, there is a structure fire at SFGAm, possibly an electrical building. Fully involved fire. Apparently a majority of the the fire is out, but the firemen are entering the music hall (Grand Music Hall I assume) to check for exposure. If anyone finds anything else out, please share.