Linders

That's my favorite time to go! Sundays for sure. I'm so sad, I have a season pass and I haven't been to the park since January. ): !!! The last several times I have gone to SF has been in after 5pm. I love pulling in to crowds of people walking to their cars and not having the heat bearing down me. It's rather nice, and then riding the coasters as night is even bigger treat!

^^ That's where we'll be! We go at the end of the evening on Sundays because of the crowd that has to leave early over it being a work night. It has worked out in our favor so far.

As for Batman, if you have already been to SFFT and/or SFOG, and rode Goliath (at SFFT) or Batman (SFOG), then you already have that notch in your belt. Our experience with Batman at SFOT is that the line is mind-numbingly slow. I don't know what it is they are or aren't doing up there that takes the loading/unloading process soooo loooong, but we won't ride it unless the line is at the staircase inside the station. We were pleasantly surprised to see SFFT kick some arse on Goliath. Even running one train, they managed to get things moving quicker than SFOT on 2 trains. And there isn't much in the way of a/c or ventilation in the line ques, which makes it stifling. Especially on a humid day, which is the majority of the time out here. At least with Freeze, the building is air conditioned all the way through till you board and coming off, and the line moves pretty good when they have both trains running.

We were pleasantly surprised by a laser/fireworks show over at the cliff last night. We still had fun, even though IRAT was down. Krypton Coaster and Poltergeist helped us forget about it. Of course, since the son of ours that will ride the scary coasters is an inch shy of the 54 inch rule on the majority of their coasters, I was forced to ride the Boomerang for the first time in like 20 years. I haven't ridden that since the early '90's on it's twin, "Flashback" at SFOT, that is now also Boomerang and the new ride at SFSL. The connection to the chainlift on the second incline was a beating in the brain, but other than that, it was a nostalgic kinda fun. A good time was had by all!

My guess is Iron Rattler being closed is Six Flags way of say, "hey look guys, we care about safety, look we're conducting a full investigation!" But yeah, I'm sure the truth is they could have left Texas Giant open and not missed a cycle and nothing more would happen. However the media backlash from that would be devistating for the park. I expect Iron Rattler to reopen Saturday and Texas Giant to follow in another week or so. The park needs to draw that fine line between figuring out how long to leave it closed in order to make the public happy. True, but I can see this biting them in the A$$ as well. I'm not saying it will! However, when there are closures of the same ANYTHING, people begin to question whether or not there is something wrong with that "thing". This is obviously not the most logical train of thought, but when you have a situation like this people tend to leave their brains at the door. I can testify that is exactly what people are thinking, from first hand experience. My family went down to SFFT, yesterday. We rode a ride that is right beside IRAT. As we walked out the exit and past the entrance for IRAT, people were walking up to it, talking about it being broke down, that something must be wrong. I was kinda shocked they didn't already know. Then as my husband and I were boarding Krypton Coaster, we were talking to another couple. As soon as they found out we were from the Dallas/Ft. Worth area, they started talking about it. Every time we walked past IRAT's entrance, you'd see people walking up to it and then walking away disappointed.

Oh, hey, sup Markey. Chasin' dem windmills again, huh? Sigh..... So, what can we expect out of a Federal TPSA? Not the thrill TSA likes to give its customers..

Yup, the only ride allowed to be built after are Japanese Jet coasters with catwalks all over the layout. The future of the roller coaster. Weeeeeeeeeee!!!

I just checked SFFT's website, and they have posted IRAT as "Temporarily Closed." In other words, forget about it opening anytime soon. They don't go to the trouble of putting on their website if it's only for a couple of days. Bummer.

NTAG, hands down!! It is twice as long, more air time, seems faster to me. We rode IRAT after haven already riden a dozen or so rounds on NTAG, and have to say we were spoiled to NTAG. IRAT does have a cool, nifty little barrel roll that NTAG doesn't have, but I'd lose the barrel roll for another minute of awesomeness.. That's just my opinion.

To answer your question, not all states regulate amusement parks. Texas obviously being one of those. The question is, do you really think government oversight, even at the state level, would make amusement rides any safer? I think not. All bringing Uncle Sam in on things will do is make things more complicated, expensive, and take longer to process needless paperwork that in the end will fix nothing. The cool thing about letting the marketplace do its thing, is this. Six Flags is in the amusement park industry. The company's bread and butter depends on millions of people coming to their parks, riding the rides, buying their expensive trinkets, shirts, food, etc etc. If word gets around that the rides are not safe, and they are flippant about rider safety, guess what? People will not come and ride their rides, buy their expensive trinkets, t-shirts, and food. Six Flags can no longer turn a profit and they have to close the doors making no money. In the end, it's about making money for them, and having fun for us. We can't have fun if we think we'll die, and so we won't show up. They can't make money if we don't show up. As long as they have insurance to cover the freak accidents like this recent one, and the one back in '99, then all's good.

My husband and I went there 2 weeks ago, and could practically quote your review verbatim. In fact, one could give reviews of the rides by the on-ride pictures taken. I had a sad face on IRAT, as I was wondering where the rest of the ride was. Superman was surprisingly great, and I had a big smile on my face. I enjoyed Goliath more at SFFT, then I do it's twin, Batman the Ride at SFoT, because I didn't wait forever in what seemed to be a short line, but since the ride crews take forever to load and unload Batman, the line takes too long to move. Goliath was practically no wait. Happy face in that picture. The surprise awesome ride of the day was little talked about Poltergeist, that left us laughing, and catching our breath as we got off! No camera on that ride. Another Premier LIM ride, similar to Mr. Freeze, that left saying, "Mr. Freeze who?" NTAG definitely spoiled us, and so if you want to get "Wow and zowed" by IRAT, don't ride NTAG first! Even without the barrel roll, it's still tons better and twice as long.

Would you rather die or not be able to ride a roller coaster?!? There is no discrimination IMO. Safety comes first. And unfortunately is just is not impossible to design a ride that can handle riders of all sizes. Suicide by Rollercoaster, at least go out having fun. Huge dickhead move to anyone else still waiting in line though as well as following days or weeks. There is a camel hump on the Titan that provides a nice sensation of floating airtime for me, as I fit between ratchets on the lap bar. It's my favorite part of the ride, aside from the 255 ft drop going down the first hill. I told my friend riding with me as I threw my hands up going over it, that if I die, I'll die with a smile on my face! She said, "Don't die!!" Lol!

Watch this video that was posted a couple pages back and it's very easy to see how she slipped out, no broken bones involved. I've sort of changed my mind about all this, it seems to be primarily operator error. This video combined with the entrance sign posted above pretty much tells you all you need to know. The bar was touching her belly or bosom, not her thighs, so it didn't come down far enough to properly secure her, and the sign clearly explains that that has to be avoided. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i0KmTMf0VVQ Really not much more to say, I guess. My friend and I were discussing this last night. This a perfect representation of why the size requirements are in place. Not only did the guy's tummy protrude too far for the lap bar to go down, but his thighs were too big for the lap bar to go down over them safely.

On days when I have gone and my shorts didn't cover the tops of my thighs where the lap bar rested, air time was a little uncomfortable, and I am not a big person. For some reason, I have also noticed it to be that way if it was towards the end of a hot, muggy day after riding a bunch of stuff, too. If I rode NTAG first, then no problem. Some reason, the combo of being hot, sweaty, and shorter shorts, the air time isn't as comfortable to me. Most of the time. Awesome!

Of course, this is speculation, and I don't claim to be an expert by any stretch of the imagination, but it wouldn't be hard at all to see how she fell out. If the bar went over her tummy, instead of the top of her thighs, the second she hit air time and an overbanked turn and her body lifted up, there would be nothing holding her in! I have read where several witnesses stated that the lap bar came back in closed. It is conceivable that the light could have still been green that it was closed, because the computer wouldn't know the difference between a tummy or a thigh. I wonder how much Six Flags will divulge in the end since they are not required by law to tell us.

I saw it on our local news (we live in DFW area) that night and looked at my husband and we both were shaking our heads. I told him, she didn't see anything. Either that or she was so hysterical and freaked out that she thought she saw stuff she didn't see. I tried to give her the benefit of the doubt, but her story was so full of holes. I wonder if she even spoke with actual investigators or just the folks with video cameras who didn't know you can't see the lift hill from the line que, and the bars don't click, etc etc.

Uh, don't get me wrong guys but...if you don't feel safe and only clicked once, wouldn't common sense tell you to push it down more so you are secure? Does NTAG's restraints allow for further pushing down once locked? Every ride I've been on allows for further tightening..which typically happens a lot during mid ride via forces. I've also 'stapled' myself when going up the lift when I felt it was necessary... NTAG is not a coaster I'd mess around with a single clickity clack clucky ducky QUACK on. I was always able to push my restraints down more even after they were "locked". Heck, even going up the lift hill I would push it down just a bit more since gravity helps at that point (and I like being squished into my seat). The clicking part didn't make sense since the restraints are so smooth and quiet... but usually the employees there help me push the restraint down if I request it. Story doesn't really add up. I saw that report. That same lady was saying that she was next in line and watched her go up the lift hill, throw her hands up and fall off. A) If you are next in line for NTAG, the lift hill is BEHIND the station and not visible. B) Her body wasn't at the bottom of the hill, but at the overbank turn. C) How many of you waiting in line pick out one stranger on a ride and watch them put their hands up? Even in the places in line that you can see the hill, you can't pick out one person. I smelled b.s. with that woman. I questioned if she was even there. But news media will interview anybody that says they were a witness. The other people they mentioned (but didn't put on tv) told a more believable story than this chick did.

Fixed That is why I avoid SFOT like the plague on weekends. I can think of a million things more enjoyable than standing in long a$$ lines in the 95+ degree heat, like shopping for groceries at the local big box store I won't mention the name of. Kudos to you for trudging through it. My kids know better than to ask me to go on a weekend. I hate lines, especially if I am melting..

I took 4 kids with me to SFOT, on Tuesday (June 25th). I noticed upon parking that the park was filling in a lot for a Tuesday, but was relieved to see it was mostly day care groups and they weren't interested in our kinda rides. Still, noticing the crowd building I schlepped my crew straight over to the NTG, to catch that before the line and Texas summer temps got insane. It was closed. So, we high tailed it to Titan. It was practically walk on, but the Sidewinder was closed (my oldest son and his gf won't ride the Titan but love Sidewinder). We started getting a theme going. Pandemonium, closed. Shock Wave, closed. Judge Roy, closed (not that I minded that so much, it's a beating), Superman Tower, closed. Texas Sky Screamer, closed. That's just naming a few. Thankfully, our Gotham rides were still running, so I was able to get on Mr. Freeze. It became evident that the lines were getting bigger and bigger for these rides (because that's all there is for us thrill seekers), and the temps higher and higher. So, we opted out of the hour long wait for Batman the Ride, because it simply isn't worth that long of a wait in the heat. Nobody could tell us why all of those big named rides were not running and if they were going to be open later in the day. So, we bolted at around 2pm. I was shocked at how many rides at one time, especially popular ones were closed. I was glad that we are season pass holders. I would have been highly ticked if we had paid $35-$50 a head to get in, only to have those rides closed. We will be back, and for the record, we did have fun even if we couldn't ride some of our favorites.