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Posts posted by Sluggo77
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This weekend Six Flags New England officially opened for their longest operating season in park history. Thanks to the park and TPR we were invited to go in early to checkout the new trains on Mind Eraser and to try the new Galactic Attack VR experience that will be featured on ME until July 16th. It was 38 degrees and overcast when we arrived giving a little preview to how HITP will feel later in the season too!
At ME’s entrance the park had a nice continental breakfast setup but we skipped it to get line to ride. As with past VR experiences it definitely slows down dispatch times. One very positive change this year is that they will only run VR on one train and the other will be for non-VR riders. This should really improve throughput for those not interested in the VR. As with any new addition we experienced some technical issues with the VR so I can't really comment to much on it.
However I can definitely comment on the amazing improvement ME’s new Vekoma trains make for the ride itself. The vest restraints are extremely comfortable and there is no longer anything that comes up restraint wise for your head to hit. The trains are much smoother throughout the course and even the seats felt more comfortable. These improvements have made ME go from what was a head banging skip for me on visits to another must ride coaster at the park. I definitely recommend that everyone try this coaster again, with or without VR, to see how much better it now is. Huge kudos to SFNE for spending the funds to replace the trains on Mind Eraser which is now operating in its 20th anniversary season.
On to another new edition for SFNE, Joker’s track work is complete and most likely on schedule for the standard Memorial Day weekend opening. As you enter the park and make a right to head towards the South End Joker just dominates your views. I love the placement of this in the park. It visually looks amazing and comes across as being even bigger with how it's positioned. Really hoping that they do add more fins to this version to increase the amount of spins each coaster experiences.
Throughout the rest of the park you can see a lot of off-season touch ups and improvements. Almost every ride was open today including Goliath once it warmed up a little bit. Below are several pics from todays visit. A BIG thank you to Jen McGrath and the entire SFNE team along with Robb and TPR for having us cover another great opening day at Six Flags New England!
First Riders of the Day.
These new trains are a huge improvement.
Vest restraints are extremely comfortable.
Joker is looking great!
New Snack Bar built in the off-season.
With the addition of The Joker, Joker's Wildcard has been rethemed and renamed Kryptonite.
Superman was running great today.
Later in the day the weather got much better. Even Goliath was running.
Blizzard River was open even with the cold temps and some were giving it a go.
RMC Masterpiece
Until next time thanks for a great day SFNE.
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#leavecometalone.
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New press release posted today.
Drop of Doom VR at The Great Escape
Northeast's First Drop Tower VR Ride Launches at The Great Escape in Partnership with Samsung
Coming in July The Great Escape gets New Drop of Doom VR Experience Crawling with Spiders
LAKE GEORGE, NY. — April 6, 2017 — The Great Escape, in partnership with Samsung Electronics America, Inc., the “Official Technology Partner of Six Flags,” today announced an all-new virtual reality experience, Drop of Doom VR. The area’s first-ever drop tower virtual reality attraction is a thrilling, immersive encounter that combines the fear of heights and the fear of spiders in one heart-pounding experience that only Six Flags could deliver. Drop of Doom VR makes its debut at The Great Escape in July.
“As we continue to explore the endless opportunities utilizing Samsung Gear VR technology we can change the content of rides to offer an entirely new experience,” said The Great Escape Resort Properties Park President Eric Gilbert. “We look forward to giving our guests another reason to visit and make new memories at the park this season.”
Riders, using Samsung Gear VR, powered by Oculus, will become the pilots of a futuristic gunship under attack by mutant spiders. This extreme, interactive adventure features:
• A high-speed virtual vertical ascent 1,000 feet in the air while teetering off the edge of a helicopter;
• A 360-degree rotating view high above massive city skyscrapers that are under siege by enormous spiders;
• A high-intensity gun battle against a giant arachnid, spewing baby spiders that virtually crawl all over the rider’s body;
• A thrilling virtual 1,000 foot fiery plunge straight down between towering skyscrapers; and
• The final showdown with a spider the size of a van, teeth-gnashing and in full attack mode.
For a limited time only, guests will be able to experience the Drop of Doom virtual reality attraction free with paid park admission starting in July. The Great Escape will open its gates May 13, and daily operation begins June 14.
[youtu_be]https://youtu.be/oI3-M0A9zXA[/youtu_be]
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Not understanding the complaints at all. When I rode in January it was smooth and an awesome floorless like its sister.
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Looking at precipitation forecasts a week out is really a waste of time and will only stress you out.I know and really hope it isn't to bad.
Six flags over texas is closing earlier than usual at 6pm today maybe because of the severe weather heading our way tonight and safety. Idk. I wonder why though??.. Cause it did rain alot in the morning over here where I live and area surrounding it like six flags over texas.
What does any of this have to do with what the weather will be in New England a week from now?
Your guess is as good as mine LOL. Your right there's no sense in worrying about the weather yet.
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I know and really hope it isn't to bad.
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Who's going opening day?
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I'm so excited about Wildcat. That coaster has been terrible for a long time, despite being a moderately sized classic wood coaster that should have never been rough. Those trains were garbage. It's not going to make any top 10 lists but it'll finally it'll be the enjoyable, classic family coaster that it always should have been.
If I remember correctly Jerry said that the old wood on Wildcat was all 2x6's and for even more durability and strength the new wood is now 2x8's. The new trains should definitely help as well.
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This is awesome news. I really hope the weather holds up so that this is a successful event!
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SFNE is aiming for Memorial Day weekend for Joker. The park opens April 8th and Galactic Attack VR / Mind Eraser with new trains is opening on opening day. The park posted yesterday that the Joker track work is complete.
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^I agree 100% even though I'm a tad shocked. Definitely excited about this!
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^Those are some great photos and some very interesting facts. Thanks for sharing!
Thanks it was an fun day. Jerry was just awesome and willing to show us anything we were interested in. Great group to spend time with.
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Huge thank you to Jerry Brick at Lake Compounce along with our ACE New England Rep Rus Ozana for arranging a construction tour today. A lot of progress has been made on both Wildcat and Boulder Dash along with the Sweet Shoppe getting a facelift. To add to BoulderDash's earlier post here are several more photos from today's construction tour.
Sections of Wildcat are being assembled on the ground and then put in place.
The Sweet Shoppe is receiving a great makeover.
Boulder Dash is looking great! Should be able to start testing in the coming weeks.
Bolder Dash's Control Room
Green Train is Ready to Roll
We also had the chance to get a little behind the scenes view of Phobia
Jerry took us inside Phobia's Flywheel converter and substation system. This saves the park about 25% of the electrical costs associated with running the coaster. When in use it's monitored 24/7 by the manufacturer who's in Germany.
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I think it will pop in person. Im glad they changed it up so it's not exactly like Great Adventures. Still wish it was the larger model though.
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The new park map is now out. Joker's Wildcard has been renamed Kryptonite with The Joker coaster getting set to open.
https://static.sixflags.com/website/files/sfne_park-map-and-guide.pdf
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Here's the press release that the park sent out this morning.
Six Flags New England Debuts Galactic Attack Virtual Reality Coaster: World’s First Mixed Reality Experience
Part of Six Flags and Samsung’s Renewed Collaboration on The Next Generation of Virtual Reality Roller Coasters
Galactic Attack Featured on Coaster Celebrating 20 Years of Thrills
AGAWAM, Massachusetts — March 16, 2017 — The world’s first mixed reality experience on a VR coaster is coming to Six Flags New England this spring. In partnership with Samsung, the “Official Technology Partner of Six Flags,” New England’s largest theme park is once again leading the way in innovation and taking its signature brand of thrills to the next level and beyond in a fully immersive, virtual riding experience on the park’s iconic steel coaster, Mind Eraser.
Mind Eraser celebrates its 20th birthday this season, timed to the launch of Galactic Attack Virtual Reality Coaster. Additionally, the coaster is being outfitted with brand new restraints for a more comfortable, smoother and exhilarating ride experience than ever before.
When riders board the coaster and don their Samsung Gear VR headsets, they will be introduced to the device’s passthrough camera functionality, instantly making riders aware of their surroundings, by allowing them to see the “real world,” including the person seated next to them— along with virtual content. As they get settled into the ride, a heads up display overlay on the passthrough camera view will show data like current status of weaponry, time codes, fuel cells, and a countdown clock. Cresting the lift hill, a massive, swirling wormhole comes into view. As riders drop at high speeds, the mixed reality view changes to a completely immersive, virtual reality environment and a fighter spaceship cockpit materializes and envelops the riders into a tunnel of light. At the bottom of the first hill, riders are launched into the middle of a space battle, coming under attack from flying drones firing lasers and missiles. After swinging through tight channels, narrowly dodging drones and artillery fire, riders are brought into one of three drone bays, each of which offer a completely different gaming experience and three different endings.
Galactic Attack Virtual Reality Coaster will premier to Season Pass holders on April 8 and 9 followed by its grand opening to the public on Monday, April 10.
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I am talking top of the line roller coasters...a floorless coaster, a woodie like El Toro at SFGADV, a giga coaster like Mako at SeaWorld Orlando, why can't SFA have these type of rides? Kingda Ka or Top Thrill Dragster something really fast and high way way up.
Those days seem to be long gone for Six Flags in general at this point. Hope it changes but no park has added anything like that in a really long time. Unless I'm forgetting something the last hypercoaster added was Goliath at SFOG. That was 2006 and cost 20 million. Not sure what Mako cost but it's also a 200ft. hyper and nothing like that has gone in.
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But now with a new CEO and SF wanting to reduce capex, we could see more copy and paste attractions at MM starting with this year's JL.
I get that yes it's a JL but MM is getting a larger extended version so it's not really a cookie cutter addition.
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What about...
An RMC SLC?!?!
Not really understanding this comment. What would that mean?
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Railings are gone and the station is back to normal since vr is removed. No more assigned seating on it! Photos courtesy of SFNE Online.
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Sorry this was a double post.
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The park posted another update. Still going up fast!
TPR's Ever Evolving Park Index
in Theme Parks, Roller Coasters, & Donkeys!
Posted
At SFNE Joker's Wildcard has been renamed Kryptonite. Here's the new ride sign.