jamesk25

Has anyone caught the video on the official website of the animated Joker ride? https://www.sixflags.com/stlouis/attractions/the-joker-carnival-of-chaos

Sounds like opening weekend is going terrible, I wonder what was up with Justice League? That ride seems to have so many problems with things breaking. I saw on the website that Pandemonium and Screaming Eagle where down as well. Joker construction reminds me of Racer, and how long it took to start construction. They probably won't start anything till late spring early summer is my bet. Carousel still has a way to go before the supposed later opening this year. Don't like Buccaneer, sure a cool callback, but weird doing so in such a fairground themed way. Definitely looks incomplete and just odd looking now between Ninja and Batman. Axis Arcade should have been rethemed as well to something pirate or ocean like to at least add some cohesion theme to that area.

Apparently someone on Facebook SFStL Junkies found the layout for the new ride Joker. Don't know how accurate it is, but it looks plenty convincing. You can see how it fills up all the way next to Rookie Racer and supergirl. It also looks like the arcade is not part of the ride, it all enters and exits next to Supergirl ( @Danrarbc) Also I like that you can bypass the Fun house and it looks like it has multiple routes that can be taken. You can see the queue house is behind the ride also might have a fast lane/ADA entrance. Not sure what that building is that leads up to it is though. Gift shop? Fun idea maybe they will make a boardwalk behind supergirl/Pizzeria/Arcade.

I really hate coming back to this thread after a while and seeing some people being negative. In the meantime has anyone bothered to mention all the updates the park has been posting? I enjoy this group especially people like teacherkim, but come on now people- enjoy the park and it's interesting future under Cedar Fair co-op. Things sound like they are already turning things to 11, give them a year or two. Edit: Added park PR about the carousel:

Also would make a wonder to the skyline since it would be sitting up higher than the front of the park on the hill added to its already tall height.

Wouldn't it be better for it to swing over the lagoon, or is it not possible? Most likely will need new buildings

It will take the next decade but they will get there now they got that side pretty well done up besides everyone's favorite topic, Boss.

It just shows the GP lack of knowledge, and overall just wants to complain because it ain't a coaster. I'm glad to see us get a big flat that can handle capacity. I was big into Excalibur when it was running and I'm sure that this will be a better replacement then Supergirl did to Highland Fling. Im surprised no one has mentioned the possible location in Dragons Wings old spot next to Rookie Racer since Great America is also getting a Discovery and it's replacing Dare Devil Dive.

Got the newsletter today, honestly doesn't look that interesting. The fact that the main event indicates that it is not park wide, instead supposedly located in front of the Mooseburger and with the typical overpriced six flags "festive" food.

Posted on Facebook, excited to hear more in the coming weeks

Why can't it be both? Especially when for some it's the only park that is drivable under a 2hr radius, so why can't the general enthusiast also support the park? I mean you don't have to look very far to look at the average weight increase with time, it is a well known fact that this has gone up since the rides conception and build in the 1990's. You can't tell me that when they looked at the restraints that they they didn't have a "average" in mind. Batman being one of the early invert designs fits in this category, and like you said Banshee was built in a different era of body types with wider trains and probably more forgiving vest restraints. Now I'm not saying the park goes out of its way to just tear out and put back in new restraints cause in reality we know the real cost of that, but for an enthusiast one can dream right? It would be nice if they logistically could, but that is also like saying why don't they just rip out Batman and put in a hyper invert with that money instead. Or even how everyone complains about Ninja when it's still a serviceable ride, you think by now after everyone complaining about it's restraints that they would do something but again more money vs completely installing a different ride. I get it man, I really do. And again I completely agree. Like you said we are here to discuss, but why do we have to be so serious about it sometimes? It's not like anything we say here matters to the overall park. What they spend their money on, again is totally up to them. Still I'm going to be supportive of a park that doesn't normally get much. One day I hope we get that dream coaster or even flat that every other park has, but for now our park is beautifully maintained for a Six Flags park and honestly we could have much worse or nothing at all in our area.

Glad your under 6ft and skinny, these rides are marketed and made for a certain demographic. I'm proud of my body and no ride will ever change that, keep being sour, I can't change that. I'm not at the best shape, but I can still fit many rides at the park, Batman is the only ride I've had any troubles on. Give a good ride op and good push and I'm good. And I'm just going to say this, this should be a form for the enthusiast, if your not enthused about this park then you should just go and find another form. I'm just telling my current struggles and what I would like to see improved, if your not happy that an enthusiast wants to see the park grow and do better for all than you shouldnt be here commenting.

I totally do, I even said it above in both my comments, and also I that's why I mentioned that Batman needs modern vest restraints that accomplish both small and big. Just hurts knowing a dad bod is not really a great fit to be riding a old B&M invert

I can see that, I hopefully will get to the park more this season to try it out. But honestly the belt isn't going stop me from going onto Batman. I just find it annoying that a ride op has to push down so hard just to get the silly safety belt engaged when the main vest is already locked. The only other rides I have problem with is Screaming Eagles annoying seat divider and Pandemonium not really made for long legs.

Never to blame, they are designed keep us safe. But I do say you always got a chip on your shoulder. I just can't wait to see your positive side.

Went to the park today, not much to really report that's new, every ride was a walk on and park overall seemed very clean. Many buildings and rides had new roofs/new paint, also noticed that there was a lack of arcade game buildings that were left which I honestly enjoyed seeing. I didn't ride Boss today but Screaming Eagle was running rough today even though there is new wood scattered throughout the layout. American Thunder was a lot better and honestly Eagle needs Thunders trains badly. Out of the coasters I payed attention to, Freeze and Ninja was only running one train. Also Mr. Freeze animatronic is working again and all tunnel lights seemed to be on. I think Batman needs new types of vest restraints, I honestly ain't that big, but I had a ride op throw her weight on to the restraint to get the belt to latch. Maybe its cause of my dad shoulders, idk. The restraint locked without problem and I still had plenty of room but that belt needs to be another inch or so longer, again that's my opinion. Outside of that, a small detail I noticed is the removal of more TVs from ride queues. Alot of fright fest material is still up, which is a love it or hate it ordeal. Catwoman's whip looked like fun but the loading process looks horrible. Also Screaming Eagles ADA ramp looks like it might replace the old one in the new future, I honestly don't see a reason to have two separate ramps. For Log Flume fans it was open and yes still awesome. Oh and yes the carousel is still in shambles, which I have a picture of, and no vertical construction yet on Racer.

I wonder if it was originally the matter of money, maybe someone convinced the head of the park that they could do it faster and cheaper. But I think after all this time and money spent, I wonder if dollar for dollar it matched up? I mean they already spent the money to two-way ship all the horses and such to get stripped and cleaned, so how much more would it have cost to have it all done at one shop and one crew. In the end it's going to be nice to have the carousel back, even if it's just to bring some life in that corner that is elsewise a passthrough. This was the parks choice, this is how they wanted to spend their money, we can all groan and complain for the next ten years but what is done is done. Now let's go back and enjoy our park for what is and be greatful that Saint Louis still has one.

"The team has completed two horses since beginning work in October and is close to finishing another two of the 70 pieces. About 26 of the horses have begun the long process. Before Rhoades and Read can start work, each horse is shipped to a facility in Oklahoma City to have the previous coats of paint chemically stripped off. Rhoades said sometimes up to eight pounds of paint are removed to get to the original wood base. Often the solution seeps into the cracks in the wooden horses, which are over 100 years old, and can erode the glue and cause limbs to fall off." Missourian- Feb 21st 2021 @Danrarbc So yes, a team of two working out of the maintenance shop at SFStL working to paint and restore broken wooden parts but a whole team in Oklahoma City is doing the heavy lifting of stripping and cleaning. I can see the shipping causing much of the wait.

Adding my own two cents into the whole debate about the carousel, I agree that the carousel needed the love; I don't agree with the length it's took to complete, I know covid slowed down it's progress but we should've gotten somewhere a lot quicker. But I say my biggest complaint is that I wish that they would gave the same amount of love also into relocating the ride somewhere more center and visible into the park. As it stands it's in a corner tucked behind a coaster and not highly visible from any major view of the park, I think something as timeless as a carousel should be front and center to any park. I know many people that just blaze past it to get to the next thrill, I think of it as the smokers corner as they watch their kids go around and around as they sit across smoking. Why couldn't they have spent the money to move it next to the ferris wheel or maybe a more radical move, redesign the whole front plaza around the carousel? They could've put it next to the tracks across from Spinsanity, the options endless, instead it is stuck hiding, beautifuly restored. I see both sides of the argument

If they can finish either one of the projects on schedule that would be interesting.

Looks like they are done with the ramp at least. Credit: Facebook

I don't believe Boss been running all weekend cause of the weather but I don't think they modified it any. I did hear that the ADA ramp on eagle is finished though.

I wonder if Ninja's area is being rethemed to it. Probably the next thing would be the arcade/sky lift station next if they have any paint left.

I wonder if its just temporary and they will replace them after being refurbished or maybe a newer updated sign?

Not at all redundant, more pics the better I think, very fascinating everything happening around the park. Did you get any pics of any of the roller coaster trains? I heard ninja had a new wrap and possibly others. Also any sign of the new coaster or even what's left of Xcalibur? I also wonder if the days of the arcade games are almost done, SFStL looks to have removed a good chunk of the selection that was still there. But I really like what they did with Ninjas old arcade. Oh and did they remove Evil Knievel ramp sign? Is there a new one if they did? Overall like the changes, small but refreshes some ares.