boldikus

As I'll be there next Wed, how were the lines for the usual suspects (Toro, Nitro, etc) and how crowded overall? Thanks!

Sucks it closed down early but this sounds kinda creepy/awesome.

Agreed. ^ Not sure why anyone cares all that much. Though I could see them doing this to RMT since that ride *really* goes through the trees.

Fleetwood Mac - Walk A Thin Line <3

Unless this has changed since early June, you can. I used the Bring-A-Friend free deal with my bro-in-law and then added him to my flash pass for free same day. Thanks a bunch! Would you recommend going to the park to buy a Flash Pass or buy it online early? I would wait and see what crowds are like as you may not need it. Other than opening day (a Saturday) and Coaster After Dark (a Friday night) I have gone a bunch on Sundays this year. Saturdays are most crowded so I try to avoid but I work Mon-Fri so Sunday is mostly my only other option to get up there. The day I mentioned w/ my bro-in-law was a Sunday (June 1st)- we got in early, got a bunch of rides with no lines and then by 11:30am everywhere we went was packed. Waited in a few 20-30 minute lines (that got longer with each ride) and caved and got the flash pass. Rest of the day was awesome. HOWEVER, I was there Sunday June 29th and we got a nice full day of rides in with varying wait times, but nothing over 30 minutes. Most were 10-15. We never bothered getting a FP and we spent the entire day at the park and rode everything we wanted at least once, some 2-3 times. So I'd wait and see what its like. No sense in spending $ you dont have to.

Yes. Metal detectors. I've been to Morey's twice this year and both times when boarding Nor'easter I was "wanded" and asked to remove all loose articles (and rent a locker). I was with friends not riding so I had them hold my camera and keys. Ironically the ops let me keep me sunglasses on for the duration of the ride, even asking me "are those on tight?" AFTER I was locked into my restraint. LOL. And if you are wondering they were and they stayed on all ride without an issue.

Unless this has changed since early June, you can. I used the Bring-A-Friend free deal with my bro-in-law and then added him to my flash pass for free same day.

I love these trip reports! Great photos and detailed descriptions. LOL this has to be 76. The worst. Growing up here I'm more than used to it, but visitors always need to remember - odd numbered streets go north, even go south. It really helps if you are trying to get around center city.

Kind of off topic but question for the regular park goers (which I am apparently becoming one of). How should I expect crowds to be on Tuesday and Wednesdays the next few weeks (keep in mind the bring a friend free special starting today for weekdays the next three weeks). A buddy and I are planning on taking a hooky day and using the special, probably next week and it seems to me like the most dead days during mid-summer are Tuesday and Wednesdays. Is that fair to assume? Id really like to not have to spend the $ on a flash pass - but would if I had to. Sucks having a job where I *have* to have someone cover my shift, as I have to plan out a specific day and then I'm just hawking the weather forecasts all week but I'll ride in a poncho if I have to. Obviously just don't want a day of T-storms where nothing is running.

Runaway Mine Train, SFGAdv. Sometime in the early 80s

Why are you making it sound like the ride will be gone when you get back. Is being one of the first riders really that important? Lots of whining all around in this thread. Whether or not its the states fault for the delay is irrelevant. It is what it is. It'll open when its ready to open.

They are there on the TPR footage @ 2:28 and 2:36

I dunno. Ive never felt them and honestly dont even know if Ive ever noticed them in person but on most POV vids it looks like there are small trims after the 2nd (turned) and 3rd (before the hammerhead) hills.

Did they remove the trims from after the 2nd and 3rd hill? I rode it twice Sunday and didn't even notice.

You can definitely do the whole park in a day, but w/ flash pass you'll get re-rides and a lot less time standing in lines.

Anyone know if the guy on the left of that video ^^ the same dude on the EL Toro TPR footage? He's got the exact same laugh. On El Toro a few months ago some kids sitting behind me were imitating him on the El Toro video while on the break run. Was hilarious as I knew exactly what they were talking about. "Here we go!" "Throws you out your seat!"

Oh yeah you're right, don't know why I didn't think of that. Midday brain fart, especially considering I rode it a few weeks ago! LOL .

^ I wonder if KK had to get a new permit to operate now that the ride has been altered since its original construction. SF may be waiting on OKs to permits for both rides. Related, I understand the frustration of the park or people that want to ride either of these but I just wish they'd open already to take some of the heat off the Toro and Nitro queues.

Im not so sure about that. Every time Ive been to the park this year Ive overheard at least one person (sometimes a few) talking about how disappointed they were to show up to find out KK and Zumanjaro were not open yet. Also, not sure about nationally but SF has been airing commercials locally on TV for Zumanjaro for weeks now. They never say its open, only that either its coming soon or no date at all - just a general ad for the attraction and park itself. I imagine a lot of the GP doesn't bother checking to see if certain rides are actually open before going so SF is still making their money. Its not like they'd give refunds to people who just came to ride either of those.

From my house in center city Philadelphia to the front gate of SFGAdv is 52.1 miles. Just sayin.

Unsure, but the way things have been going, probably SFGAdv lol

Daft Punk - Digital Love

And here is that video Teri caught of the commercial shoot/rides running simultaneously. (sorry its shot vertically - I know, I know...) KK was FLYING over that top hat! And gotta love Toro flying by at the same time! [youtu_be] [/youtu_be]

Short report from yesterday: After trying to find a riding partner all week to utilize the SP bring-a-friend-for-$9.99 special, I wound up going with my old friend Teri, a coaster fan who hasn't been to SFGAdv in a quite some time. She wasn't sure when she had last gone but she had done Medusa, Superman and Nitro but not El Toro, Kingda Ka, etc so we figured sometime around 2003/04. We made it up to the park a little later than I would have liked to but we were in a short line for El Toro by 11:30am, about a 15 minute wait and did it again right away, another 15 min wait. Love this ride so much. Teri did too. I just wish I could sit on it all day long. Today it ate my sunglasses for breakfast. They were in my front pocket, which Ive done before, but this time when I pulled them out afterwards the lenses were both smashed to pieces. Oh well. After our morning wake up session we bounced around and did a lot of things that we didn't have to wait for: Bizarro - station wait (crew was hustling!), Runaway Mine Train - walk on, Skyride - 5 minute wait, Skull Mountain - waited maybe 2 trains for back row, which I'd never done on this before and OMFG LOL. So great, totally underrated coaster. They had the death metal really CRANKED adding to the insanity of this one. We then went for Nitro, on which the line was out to the switchbacks but with all three trains running it was a 20 minute wait. I say it all the time, this thing is a people eater. Got to witness line jumpers being thrown out by security which was nice. Noticed security dudes line-watching on both Toro and Nitro throughout the day. Thank god they are finally doing something about this, the line jumping has been bad all season and no one ever says/does anything. As far as Nitro, we avoided Train C and had a blast in the back row, as expected. After this we waited 20 minutes for Batman and waited an extra few for the front row as suggested by a few of you on here. Intense as hell but I got knocked in the temple a few times. This thing feels so much faster than it actually is. Line was even shorter upon exiting, and I almost went back but decided against it. Instead we made a quick pop out to the car for some packed lunch, then back in for another round of Nitro - another 20 minute wait, but with three trains running this line always moves. Then I got a credit! I always joke about doing Blackbeard's Lost Treasure Train and almost did last time I was at the park in early June but my bro-in-law scoffed at the size of the ride. Yesterday I finally went on. At 6'2 and without a child I was worried they may turn me away but they didn't! I totally did not even fit into the seat (in the back of course, Teri in front of me) and the op stapled me in. Good thing as I got some serious whip action on that first tiny drop. LMAO. We also did the Buckaneer upon Teri's insistence and it was fun. The ops had each side having a screaming match and everyone on board was hyped up and into it. Very fun. We then decided we were getting fatigued so one more and done. We figured we'd go out with a bang so we waited for Toro for one final ride around 5pm. Line was to the entrance/sign but we only waited 30 minutes. This ride is worth every second of waiting. As we were in line we noticed a helicopter over the parking lot, and knowing of the potential commercial shoot, I guessed we'd see Zumanjaro and Ka running together, and sure enough there they both went. Everyone in line with us what buzzing about it, every other person had their phone out filming the coaster running and gondolas dropping simultaneously as the chopper flew around it. Pretty cool to witness. Teri got a video I'm trying to get her to send me so I can upload for you guys. As for Toro, we rode it in the magic seat all three times and as usual it felt insanely faster on our final ride late in the day. It was really hot and sunny yesterday so we made many stops at the misting machines and were chugging water all day. Lines for the Log Flume and Rapids were really long so we didnt bother. Those misting machines come in handy. That and dumping fountain water all over me throughout the day. And chugging water. I didn't bring a camera so here are a few shots Teri got throughout the day. Overall a good day! With the 3 rides on Toro and 2 on Nitro how could it not be? El Toro 3x Nitro 2x Bizarro 1x Batman 1x Skull Mountain 1x Buckaneer 1x Skyride 1x Blackbeards 1x Runaway Mine Train 1x The last shot of my sunglasses before Toro's lapbar chewed them to pieces. Blackbeard credit SF kicks people out for shirts that say "I Shoot Raw" (a photography reference) but then sell these. SMH. Obligatory Ka/Toro/Zumanjaro from Skyride shot.

El Toro, SFGAdv yesterday afternoon