SFOG1991

It is eligible for ACE Landmark plaque, just not the ACE Coaster Classic plaque, right? Coaster Classic is mostly for historic wooden coasters utilizing buzz bars basically. Landmark just means it has innovative significance I believe. If Screamin' Eagle is getting a plaque, I wonder if Great American Scream Machine will as well. It too opened as the world's tallest and fastest coaster before Screamin' Eagle came to be and is both older and still utilizing buzz bars instead of the awful ratchet bars (I wish I got a chance to ride Screamin' Eagle with buzz bars). The Raven at HW and Eagle are the two coasters getting the Ace plaques this year. Thanks! Didn't realize The Raven was getting one. Still seems odd GASM isn't getting one and doesn't already have one since Screamin' Eagle is. I wonder what the decision process is there. Well... the park would have to host a Con to get one. I was thinking the same thing about the Classic v. Landmark status. SFOG hosted CC in 2008. GASM has headrests and is not eligible for Classic Status and doesn't have the innovative importance of a Landmark status. God. This plaque reminds me of how much I love our little gem. By the way, is anyone planning on attending this event? I dont care what you think of ACE. Why would Screamin' Eagle be eligible for Landmark but GASM isn't? Am I missing something? They held the same title except GASM did it a few years prior and still has buzz bars. I know neither of them are Classic eligible but I would assume if Screamin' Eagle is Landmark eligible GASM would only be even more eligible. True they would have to host a con though I guess. I wasn't aware of that part.

^That's deceiving and definitely would do more harm than good. I would assume there is a way to change a TV ad even once it is sent out... Or maybe Lightning Rod is open!

Another thing is even if it is clear and sunny, if the park expected rain and there is still a chance later in the day they often stay at one train ops regardless of the fact that the day turned out beautiful. Unless it is a monsoon, they won't close the park unless the park isn't busy. It is a money thing more than a weather thing. I've had them close on me at 7pm (one hour after opening) during Fright Fest because of inclement weather aka it's in the high 40s and no one showed up but when it was busy they had DDD going until 1am in 29 degree weather. Hopefully since you are going during Spring Break (correct?) ops will be at their max. Expect Mind Bender to be one train no matter what though. It has been like that for pushing a year and the second train looks like it may just be a parts train. Sky Screamer is running the short cycle too now which isn't as fun but it keeps the line shorter.

Keep in mind if the chance of rain is high enough they will be on one train ops basically throughout the park. I asked the ride operations director about this and he claims it is to "prevent slippage causing a train to bump another train" ...I've been on scattered rain days where even on a Saturday they are one train ops. Kind of ironic considering it rains almost every day in the summer at some point during the day. Most coasters will run in the rain though although Mind Bender and Batman aren't always running.

Also, while waiting for 2 hours for one train Mind Bender I watched a Flash Pass user at DDD (the line for flash pass was running well down the ramp) and it took him over 30 minutes to get on the ride and another 10 to get to the unload dock afterwards so be ready for a decent wait even with FP. I would do it early but it's been opening late pretty consistently so it may not be open for the first hour or 2.

The exit pass for the ACE event is an awesome offer. I actually went last year and it really wasn't that many people. Just a few people at any ride at a given time. Now with one train ops in half the park the Flash Pass has piled up but it's still fast especially compared to the massive one train op regular lines Joker Funhouse Coaster will not be open. They just started painting it a week ago basically. Macho Nacho has an awesome portion size on the nachos. Miners Cookhouse has my favorite burgers in the park by far. Bacon cheddar ranch waffle fries are at the front gate and in Lickskillet and they are awesome. The park's curly fries are better than their normal fries. GASM: front seat or middle row back car. Keep in mind Flash Pass has assigned seating here for the last 2 rows of second to last car. Cyclone: front of back car. Awesome ejector if you can handle the roughness. Batman: assigns last 2 rows Scorcher: front or if not very back Goliath: back is my favorite Mind Bender: back but front is great too. Great ride in any seat really. Don't forget to do Acrophobia (unique seating not and tilt makes it scarier than the normal models) and Monster Mansion because it's a great unique classic.

I pray to god this is sarcasm, because this has to be the most hilarious comment I've ever read! In case it wasn't sarcasm, allow me to to explain that off season maintenance is ALL about time. Hiring a Bunch of Extra Bodies, who must be specially trained to complete the Necessary work, still won't make much of a difference when you don't just tear down the Train and put it back together and turn a ride on. There's non destructive testing that needs to be completed and parts that may have to be special ordered or parts sent off site for testing. On top of that, there's the entire structure and all mechanical systems that have to be checked. Once everything is done by maintenance personnel, the Ride gets turned over to a "Safety" Department and they have things they have to complete. Once their job is done, a ride can finally be turned over to Operations for their Duties, and finally, testing, training, and Operation. 10 Weeks to turn everything over in this particular park is literally InSAnE! It makes more sense financially, to have Rides operating at Capacity when it makes the most financial sense, like Halloween and Christmas Events. Pre season is the slowest time of year in terms of revenue and attendance. Whether you like it or not, the Park is first and foremost a Business, and adding a high amount of Labor for little benefit would be financially terrible. It is not sarcasm and you shouldn't over assume what I am saying. The park has 1 month of off season before HITP and 2+ months after. Many parks handle off season maintenance in that time and ones who cannot have an additional train for a reason. I am talking about business decision here because I've been to the park multiple times this season and I've never seen so many extremely frustrated and unhappy guests. Long term Six Flags (company wide) needs to provide a proper level of service for the attendance they are so pleased about. Sacraficing experience for revenue and attendance is a short term plan that will fail if the parks are consistently unable to provide. Meanwhile Cedar Fair is investing in high capacity rides and highly effencient service. You can see it through social media that the average guest is currently more unhappy than ever. Eventually that degrades reputation and honestly the way our park in particular has kicked off their season is unacceptable to many people.

Just because the park has a shorter off season now doesn't excuse the fact that they can't get their off season work done. They obviously need to expand their maintenance team. Six Flags keeps finding ways to increase attendance and revenue but they aren't doing anything to provide service and manage that larger attendance and longer operating season. I see it every time I go to the park. People aren't happy waiting over an hour for food and standing in 3 hour lines due to one train operations. Long term that will backfire for Six Flags. Good for them for increasing attendance and revenue but they clearly need to spend the money to accommodate those crowds.

It is eligible for ACE Landmark plaque, just not the ACE Coaster Classic plaque, right? Coaster Classic is mostly for historic wooden coasters utilizing buzz bars basically. Landmark just means it has innovative significance I believe. If Screamin' Eagle is getting a plaque, I wonder if Great American Scream Machine will as well. It too opened as the world's tallest and fastest coaster before Screamin' Eagle came to be and is both older and still utilizing buzz bars instead of the awful ratchet bars (I wish I got a chance to ride Screamin' Eagle with buzz bars). The Raven at HW and Eagle are the two coasters getting the Ace plaques this year. Thanks! Didn't realize The Raven was getting one. Still seems odd GASM isn't getting one and doesn't already have one since Screamin' Eagle is. I wonder what the decision process is there.

It is eligible for ACE Landmark plaque, just not the ACE Coaster Classic plaque, right? Coaster Classic is mostly for historic wooden coasters utilizing buzz bars basically. Landmark just means it has innovative significance I believe. If Screamin' Eagle is getting a plaque, I wonder if Great American Scream Machine will as well. It too opened as the world's tallest and fastest coaster before Screamin' Eagle came to be and is both older and still utilizing buzz bars instead of the awful ratchet bars (I wish I got a chance to ride Screamin' Eagle with buzz bars).

SFOG has the same issues with food service. It may be a company wide issue because they have managed to increase attendance and significantly increase the number of people dining in the parks, but they have not done anything to handle that increase of people. I had to wait over an hour for food multiple times since I got my dining pass. Additionally, the only reason drink refills are immediate is because I have the blue cup and go to the 3 Coke Freestyle locations in the park. I just walk up, get my drink, and leave. Does St. Louis have Freestyle?

^That is horrendous operations and service quality. Opening day was an absolute mess like that too, however last Sunday (the Sunday before Easter) was MUCH better. There were still a lot of issues and Cyclone, Mind Bender and Goliath desperately need their second trains in operation, but at least it wasn't so terrible. DDD still opened almost 2 hours late too. I am pretty concerned about the operations this year which seem to be ranging from just barely good enough to downright awful.

^That's crazy impressive!!!

^The small bunny hop at 0:42 seconds in the first video shakes a lot. I've never seen that much movement of steel coaster track on a coaster before. I'm sure it's safe but I was still surprised. Edit: ^beat me too it! The ride looks surprisingly intense though! Pleasantly surprised! The original test on ride video seemed so slow compared to this. Awesome!

This looks so good. I wish they would do this!

Shamelessly plugging my home park here... but I love Goliath's station and I am usually not a fan of the more modern looking stations. This one is just really appealing to me though.

I'm loving the look of this place. Very detailed work!

^Agreed! We don't really have a right to fully judge the situation. At the end of the day it is just sad and unfortunate, regardless of the circumstances. A surprising turn of events though, as I thought this thread would just fade and there would be no reason to hear about this guy again.

Seriously? Other parks in the chain are getting RMCs or similar - but hey, at least we get double rides on the Eagle. What wrong with double rides on Eagle. Allow me to answer that rhetorical question. Nothing. We got Justice League last year. Fireball, general improvements, and Holiday in the Park this year. Looks like a good year to me. Some people just have to complain!! That's because we are very Hyper-sensitive to what the other parks are getting, and the Screamin' Eagle isn't as 'High Per' those other coasters we envy. ...Catch what I am sayin' Rode Goliath at SFOG last weekend and the weekend before that too. Had a great time.

^Splash Island at Wild Adventures has a similar family raft slide and White Water Atlanta has one similar to that 2 person slide and I agree they are both surprisingly intense!

^It's all relative to the situation. I've been to Six Flags parks when they are clearly just too busy and they do not provide the proper amount of service or the proper efficiencies for the crowds that they are so thrilled about having. If a park is taking in a certain capacity it should be providing for that capacity. The industry is a tourism hospitality service industry so it is all about the quality of the service and people have every right to judge that service and the park has a responsibility to fulfill their customers needs and wants if they want to continue to operate successfully. Regardless of all that I do think people expect too much from parks sometimes and have unrealistic complaints like "the park was too expensive and too busy" ...what do they want? Lower prices and lower demand? Impossible. On the topic of Dollywood, their level of service is far better than the majority of parks even if there are a few small holes here and there.

So many weird colors going on here! I like the blue train a lot in itself but it seems odd with the track color. The purple train is just... even more odd with the track color and not the nicest shade of purple. It doesn't matter than much, but I feel like color choices are just random throughout this entire coaster. I LOVE the simple design of the trains though honestly. Ride will still be excellent.

Exactly! I'm not entirely sure why it's such a heated topic anyways. It's a low height restriction as is and families bring small children to the park because it is a major tourist destination with good reviews and a good reputation in a tourism based city and the park has good offerings for small children as well as their parents. I really doubt adding a coaster with a 36" or 42" height allowance would really make a big impact (doubtfully bigger than a relatively low height requirement thrilling coaster like the one that has been announced). Also, for the most part something with a very low height restriction probably won't be as appealing to thrill seekers, who are a target psychographic segment for the park. (I do realize there are some exceptions where a 42" height requirement can be appealing to thrill seekers too, but we shouldn't shun the park for going 4 inches above that).

I honestly think the park will be just fine with a 46" height requirement addition. I don't recall what the non-coaster offerings for small children at BGW is like, but I feel like an impressive designated kid's area has a lot more influence than having the height requirement on the latest coaster 4 inches lower. Parents are going to bring their kids if it is a nice park either locally or in/as a tourist destination that offers a good selection of rides and activities for kids, even if none of them are roller coasters. I'm still pumped about this addition because smaller GCIs come with quite a punch (forces, airtime, overall disorientation from directional changes) and it still appeals to the majority of visitors at a low cost so I'm sure management is pumped too. Now we just need that animated POV.

This looks pretty awesome!