beenagins87

I'm planning on going out to Southern CA in either late January or early Feb, I know it's only weekend operations then, but I have a few questions concerning rides. I know they rehab a lot, but do they shut anything entirely down, or is it bare minium one train operations on the stuff they rehab?? Also, do they rehab the same rides at the same time every year? I haven't been since 07 so I definitely want to get Green Lantern, Apolocyase and Full Throttle credits, also I missed on Tastu and Riddlers Revenge last time I was there, so I would like to get those as well, would it be doable?? Also, I know Southern California pretty much has the best weather, but am I right that the rainy season is usually January or February?

Worst: Goliath SFGAM- For the simple fact the ride was over

to be fair though Chang is now at SFGA, so they weren't completely lying.

Here's my trip report from two weeks ago [ No Pictures unfortunaly, My phone got wiped somehow] So, originally me and my sister planned on driving to Virginia, and doing a day at Busch Gardens, then doing a day at Kings Dominion, unfortunaly the closer and closer we got to the date, the worse the weather looked, I know you can't always help the weather and stuff, but neither one of us had ever been, and it would suck to pay money just to get rained out, also we would be driving from just outside of Nashville, and according to map quest, it was 8 1/2 to one park, and 9 1/2 to the other, so I started looking around at other parks that we could possibly go to. SFOG is 3 hours away, but we've been there millions of time, and we wanted something new, Dollywood is also about 3 1/2, but I just went back in June with my bestie from work, and suddenly Great America & Goliath dawned on me, I looked it up, and what do you know it's only 8 hours away, which was roughly the distance we were going to travel on our original trip, not to mention the forecasted. I knew with Goliath opening the month before, lines for it would be huge, so since I was going to save on admission and parking with my gold pass, I decide I'd spring for a platinum flash pass just solely for Goliath, little did I know how much the flash pass would come in handy for the day in general. Our first day was Sunday the 19th, we arrived about 3:30, our original plan on Sunday, was to walk around and get a feel for the park, ride a few rides and just get acquainted with our surroundings, well we get back to Raging Bull, and we're greeted with about a 90 min wait, and about a 60 min wait for Viper, so I decide to spring for a gold flash pass, sure it only cuts the time in 1/2, but I knew I'd be getting the platinum the next day, I have to say once we got situated and into the park it was about 4, I got the flash pass about 4:30, so we had roughly 5 1/2 hours, and we managed to squeeze in Raging Bull [X2] X Flight [X2] Viper [X2] V2, Batman, Both sides of Eagle & Demon ,Dark Knight which we maybe would have gotten half of that done without the pass. Monday the 20th, we arrived about 9:45, and once they dropped the ropes, I ran straight to the flash pass office, one thing I liked it they were only letting the people that were paying for the passes into the office, it really helped because you didn't have mobs of people in line with the person buying, so they were able to actually get people in and out real fast, I'm not sure if it's like that at all Six Flags, but I know in Georgia I've seen hoards of people coming in and out, and I can only imange how confusing it is for the workers, and the people waiting inline to purchase. I know a lot of people bitch and moan about people with flash passes and how it's not fair etc.. I try to visit parks at the slowest times possible, so I don't ever really get annoyed with flash passes, because it's usually not to much longer, but I've had to go during busy times flash passless, and it's annoying seeing people get ahead of you, but at the same time, it's not like they got it for free, or were randomly chosen by the park to skip ahead. They cost money and I just happened to have a little extra to splurge, people were extremely rude when we would take our re rides, or when we approached the attendant to scan in, and it's frankly childish imo. Thanks to this bad boy we rode until our hearts were content Goliath [X2] Batman [X8] Viper [X5] V2 [X4] Superman [X3] Dark Knight [X4] Superman [X3] Raging Bull [X8] XFlight [X6] Whizzer [X2] Yankee Clipper [X2] Loggers Run [X2] Roaring Rapids [X4] Giant Drop [X1].. Now onto my thoughts about the individual rides. American Eagle- I actually liked both sides, the queue is a bitch though, I lost probably 5 pounds, before I reached the station. It's much smooth than Thunder Road, which is the only other racing woody I've been on, Also, is there a reason the blue train always seems to win? 8/10 Batman: This is my 4th Batman clone, and really what can you say that hasn't already been said time and time again?? These things rock, Smooth, forceful and just all around fun. It was kind of strange seeing it in the middle of the park though, all the ones I've ridden have been sort of in their own area, also since I used a flash pass, I didn't get to experience the theming for the most part which is always one of my favorite things.. Although one thing I wish I didn't experience was the music in the station, you can only hear Kiss From A Rose so many time before you want to tear your eyes out. 10/10 Dark Knight: I know these seem to get a lot of hate, and I really don't understand why. It's a mouse in a box, what are people expecting?? Their not made to be 100 mph thrill machines, these types of coaster are just fun in general to me the darkness adds to it. Although, I do wonder if some of the theming elements are a little much for kids, I saw more than one kid come off crying. 8/10 Demon: I honestly didn't know what to expect, My most hated coaster is an arrow [ Carolina Cyclone], and considering this is 4 years older, I wasn't expecting much. I was pleasantly surprised at how smooth parts of it were, the corkscrews were slightly rough, but nothing to bad, I rode this at night, the tunnel really adds to it, my sister wasn't much of a fan however so we only rode it once. 7/10 Giant Drop: I love drop towers for the most part, Acraphobia still scares the bejesus out of me every time I ride it, but Giant Drop didn't do all that much for me, it was just kind of meh. 5/10 Goliath: Holy mother of God.. I knew from the looks of it, that this would be amazing, but pictures and videos don't do it justice. Seeing it up close and in person, is just awe inspiring, and the ride is just amazing, the inversions are smooth as can be, and the first drop into the tunnel, is just wow, I thought for a second my testicles were going to lodge in my throat, Words can't describe it. Next year I'm going to get to Outlaw Run & El Toro, and as amazing as I've heard they are, It's going to be really hard to dislodge Goliath from #1. 10,000/10 Loggers Run: Usually I only get soaked from shoot the chutes and rapids, this was definitely the wettest I've ever gotten on a log flume, and I loved every second of it.. I also loved how it and Yankee Clipper interact. 8/10 Raging Bull: A B&M Hyper is my #1 Steel Coaster [ Goliath], so Raging Bull was probably the ride I was looking most forward to behind Goliath, I wish I could say it didn't disappoint but i'd be lying. Our first ride, was on the second row, and while it wasn't bad I definitely wasn't blown away with it like I expected, but a strange thing happened every time we rode it after, we rode a row further back than the time before, and it seemed to get better every time, This was my forth hyper overall, and my 3rd B&M one, I definitely prefer the out and back airtime hills of Goliath, but Raging Bull is definitely more floaty and twisty, which works on its own. 8.5/10 Roaring Rapids: Holy wetness, This one definitely packs a punch, I also like the tunnel, it reminded me of the Grizzly River Rampage from Opryland from childhood. 9/10 Superman: This is my 2nd SUF, and to be honest flyers aren't my favorite, the Pretzel Loop, while neat in theory, and well neat in practice, always leaves me feeling a little queasy, but this one didn't. Although I think it had more to do with the fact that every time I ride it at SFOG it's humid and 100 Degrees outside no matter when I go, while this trip it was in the high 70's with no humidity. 8/10 V2: This was my first impulse coaster, and it was definitely a treat. Even better in the very back, or next to last row. Which brings me to question, besides the front & back, are impulse coasters fun like say in the middle? You would get the hang time on the spike in the front, and the back you would get the reverse launch, but in the middle it seems like it would be just be a little boring. 10/10 Viper: The Georgia Cyclone is one of my all time favorite rides, but Viper blew it out of the water, On our first night, we were on the last train, front row and it was amazing in the dark, another thing that puts it over GA Cyclone is the fact that it's smooth in every seat I rode in.Anything but the very front or back beats me to death on the GA Cyclone, but Viper was an out of your butt, smooth ride in every seat front, back, middle. Although, nothing beats a night ride in the very front. Hoping I get to ride the original Cyclone next year. 10/10 Whizzer: I can defiantly see why there was such an uproar back when SUF was announced in Whizzers place. I was a little worried at first because the trains were sort of tight looking, I'm 6'0, and not exactly skinny, but I fit in just fine, even with my sister sitting on my lap [ AWKWARD btw], The spiral lift was neat and one of a kind, and the way it just smoothly moves, and takes curves was awe inspiring. 9/10 X Flight: This was my 2nd wing rider after Wild Eagle, and after Wild Eagle let me down, I was worried about X Flight since most people seem to prefer Eagle to X Flight . All I can say is X Flight was relentless from the first drop, and didn't let go till we hit the brake run. I do have one minor complaint though, the vest seem to be tighter on the right side, than the left, It wasn't enough to take away any enjoyment, but it also wasn't the best feeling in the world. 10/10 Operations were typical Six Flags, which to say they were great on some rides [ V2, Whizzer, Demon, Eagle] and meh on other ones Raging Bull had stacking issues with all 3 trains a couple of times which shouldn't happen with as many people they had working, and the fact that it's a clamshell train, on the plus side those ride ops were enthusiastic and energetic which helps. The park was pretty, especially the entrance fountain with the carousel behind it, and I've read reports of it being dirty, rundown etc.. but I didn't really see any of that, bathrooms were stocked and clean, I saw employees picking up trash etc. All in all it was an amazing trip, and we definitely plan on coming back In the future.

Honestly, the line that shocked me most was Demon, every park pretty much has that one coaster that's never busy, no matter what, and when I saw an hour line for Demon , my jaw dropped. I was expecting long lines for Goliath obviously, and Superman wasn't a shock either, because the public for some reason creams their pants over it ( personally I'll never wait more than 15 mins for it) Viper, Batman, Dark Knight line length suprised me, X Flight kind of did to, because I heard even though it was the second newest coaster , it wasn't very popular, but I guess those people just went on days where they got lucky with lines. all I can say is thank god for flash pass, because without it I wouldn't have gotten the number of rides in I did, I probally would have gotten enough to get all the credits and a few re rides here and there.

Everything was between 45 mins and an hour.. Raging Bull and X Flight had a pretty much full line all night, even up till close, American eagle I only rode on Sunday, it was a 20-30 min wait. It was quiet a shock to me on Monday as I'm use to SFOG and empty lines on weekdays. Is it always busy like that, or is Goliath having an effect?

Probally 2 hours at least, we visited on a Sunday and Monday and it was slammed, so I imagine Friday would be worse.

Thunderhead at DOLLYWOOD, especially the station fly through.

I honestly think the Platinum is worth $30 more just for the 2 rides on Goliath, Plus you get consecutive rerides on everything but V2 & Giant Drop.

How longs have the wait been on Mindbender?? It usually has one of the best crews, so only down to one train wouldn't be as bad as say Superman or Scorcher going down to one I imagine.

I've been on 3 ( Chang, Vortex, Scorcher) and I totally agree about it being the smoothest, I know my post made it out like I didn't like Mindbender, I totally dig it, just not as much as most people it seems.

Also about Demon it's not that bad for an almost 40 year old arrow, it's not TN Tornado smooth, but it won't readjust your insides like Carolina Cyclone, it's more fun at night with the tunnel and theming however.

Platinum Flash pass is worth it just got Goliath alone, we went for 6 hours onSunday and a full day onMonday and lines for all coasters were at least 45 mins, you'll get tons of dirty looks from people, but between those 2 days we got almost 70 rides in..American Eagle isn't on the flash pass but about 8pm the line died down to about 20 mins for each side.

I think Scorcher is extremely underrated, just because in general standups aren't warmly received, I actually like it better than Mindbender , it reminds me a lot of Batman in how much they fit in such a compact space, they do need to paint it however, really really bad.

Why did they take BTR from New Orleans and name it Goliath?? 2 words. Hurricane Katrina. LOL I know why they received, my whole question was why they dethemed it,someone already answered because it wouldn't fit in the Los Festives section, which makes me sense.

Carolina Cyclone, and on top of being the most unpleasant coaster to ride, the thing is also one of, if not the biggest eye sore of any major theme park.. Ninja at SFOG is a very close second, but it is a beautiful ride, especially if you catch it at the right angle in the right light, sitting over the water.

Speaking of Cedar, I personally felt Thunder Road was 10x worse than Hurler, so there's two more.

Speaking of Cedar, I personally felt Thunder Road was 10x worse than Hurler, so there's two more.

Personally I like Batmans, they're fun to walk through with the theming etc. I know it wouldn't really fit the theme at Fiesta Texas, but I agree they could have came up with a more festive sounding name.

I've never been on it, but from the looks Busch hasn't exactly taken great care of Gwazi.

I've rode X Flight & Wild Eagle. Wild Eagle didn't really bother me till we were in the brake run, X Flight is a super ride, but the right side on me, the vest were tight as hell, and a bit uncomfortable, but not uncomfortable enough to deter my enjoyment of the ride.

Why did they take BTR from New Orleans and name it Goliath??

I felt like one side of X Flight the vest were more painful than the other one.

I read something that said that SFFT ran Rattler with one train on its last day and forced people to sit in certain seats, possibly to sell Flash Passes. I know at SFOG Batman & Great American Scream Machine have 1 or 2 rows roped off in the station for flash pass users, although if they don't have any, they'll take people waiting in other rows and open them up.

I totally agree.. One of the stupid things I saw on my 2 days were people just throwing stuff in any random bend, and running over people who were boarding the train and putting their stuff away, which kind of seems like a fault of stupid people, and park policy involving lockers.