jamesk25

There's definitely room for additional rides, but no not much for Midway expansion. On the east side there's more than enough room to build two hypers west of the graveyard (one station at Tidal Wave, the other at Ninja) or a giga - that land isn't useful for much else actually an out and back hyper is perfect for it. The west side is definitely harder to add to but you could turn Freeze Island into a new area with one or two flats and potentially a coaster entrance with a smaller coaster itself being able to work around west of Freeze station building and use the land north of Freeze. You might be able to reconfigure the area around Justice League and Log Flume and fit two flats instead of just Shazam. Our biggest issue is money, not space. Look at how SFoG managed to squeeze Goliath in to the park. Half the ride is built over existing midways and over the parking entrance. I get what your saying, I should have said "without removing any rides or major $$ modifications", as I like all the rides we have (even Ninja and Boomerang). Like you said it requires more $$ to move or modify, but with the current land that is not being used and not cost major $$ is very little, the land as you mentioned is mostly in the graveyard area of the park past Tidal Wave, other areas is behind Axis Arcade and maybe squeeze a flat in front of justice league by the railroad. I don't believe we will ever get a "big" coaster in the next decade due to past trends so removing rides is pointless unless they start costing the park money in upkeep, and the closest we will get in terms of roller coasters is anything small and compact like a S&S FreeSpin. Also I don't believe Ninja will be going anywhere, the GP soaks it up, the land behind Freeze is hard to get to without getting in the way of Thunder River, and the Island where Freeze sits I don't think is in there best interest being they still need to get cranes and such into that tight space. The area by Log Flume and Shazam someone pointed out is blocked by mechanical and the First Aid area. The only other areas possible is behind The Boss, but that is a ways out there, if they ever get rid of the go carts they could build a coaster and interact with Boss and Thunder River, and finally if they create a path near American Thunder and cross the railway then expand into the unused island of the toll plaza (like Gate Keeper at CP). Again I believe the land they have available to use is tight, without a lot of money and major modifications anything big like another Boss for example, would be financially unfeasible once the current unused land is gone. Side note: SFoG Goliath again is a hyper, I really doubt we will ever see that big of coaster in our park (at least in the next decade), but do agree it is interesting how they elevated the ride over the park. But I don't see how they would fit that design into the park which is not flat and has a lot of structures and rides that are tightly packed trying to avoid them

News footage showing the overall damage plus a view of the broken support arm

*** That Building was a Texaco Gas Station Interesting, I would have never known that, I wonder if anyone has any archival photographs of the parking lot with the gas station? What is the deal with all that unused land anyway by the parking gates? It looks like it was never really used besides random pathways, and a pet kennel that I don't think is open anymore. I wonder if they could ever expand a roller coaster out there and have a fly over moment like Gatekeeper at Ceder Point, that would be a pretty awesome use of all that unused land and get people excited when sitting in line to get in. Agree, it's been needing a lot of TLC for years, every time I have been to the park I have yet to see it filled and running but that could be because I don't usually go late in the summer season.

Going though the area GIS services, I was surprised to learn how far as 1937 they have been taking Ariel imagery of the area, pretty interesting to anyone interested in local geography. I was also surprised to learn the Antique Cars have went through four iterations, a simplified redesign in the 2000's for the picnic grove expansion and a second longer (better) redesign between 2004 and 2006 taking out the old kids area before Evil Knievel was built. Otherwise there is not any major land changes besides the Thunder River addition, than Mr. Freeze in the island, and finally the Boss is the last major land change taking out a large chunk of the back of the park. Original Antique Cars design that went under the bridge and out into the current Picnic Grove area Second redesign sometime between 95 to early 2000's Third iteration between '04 and '06 Fourth and final redesign in 2008 after Evil Knievel was built Also this from the parking lot 1981, what is this building at the edge of the parking lot? Looks like it didn't last long

Awesome to hear that they got back Thunder River, I hope that means that they will have all hands now on Excalibur and get that running before the fall season. And I wonder at this point if we are even going to get a ride next year, with Tidal Wave looking to reopen and all the work and money spent on Excalibur, I wonder if next year will be general park improvements which wouldn't be bad as the park still needs some work in certain areas.

Thanks! That was cool seeing it being disassembled, looks like a pain though, like someone said "14 trailers to haul the ride". I bet it was not cheap for the fair to operate and maintain the ride. Still a very unique and definitely rare ride considering there are only 3 such examples out there and sounds like the third is in a storage shed somewhere (I wonder if Six Flags bought parts from it?). Side note: Does Xcalibur still have its lighting package/or any lighting?

Agree, I plan to take my family out to it once it opens (and hopefully not crowded) Now what would it take them to strap a coaster to the side? Last time I was there, it was in pretty bad shape, mall was like a ghost town. The only highlight in recent years is when they started to do Polar Express Excursion trips, that was a fun thing to do with the family. I hope they keep on doing Excursion trips, that with the Aquarium and Ferris Wheel, sounds like a fun filled day.

I agree a Tourbillion would be awesome, and would make more sense than a Giant Discovery at this point since our Giant Evolution is getting a lot of love this year, it would be a damper to put such a rare ride in a shadow of a much bigger ride after so much work. I also did not know until a quick google search that our park has such a unique and rare ride, I know our Giant Evolution had moved from SFGAD but did not know its significance beyond that, I can't wait to ride Excalibur again and hope that they haven't changed to much. Beyond that I hope we get a coaster in the next few years, I know it won't be massive or ground breaking (Again Freespin or Raptor would do lovely), but it would be nice to have a new coaster to bloat about even though the rest of the general public would still be unhappy as usual. I also should point out to anyone who wants a massive coaster (such as Giga or Hyper), I say keep dreaming, it will probably be another decade before we see them replace one of their big coasters. After studying our park on google maps, there is just not enough land for something big, the water park is the only thing I could see expanding out past its current boundary like the bus parking lot or paintball field. Taken in 2016, I can't wait to ride again!

A Raptor is meant for a tight layout, which is what the land Tidal Wave occupies would be perfect for, if they ever get rid of Ninja I would actually like to see a full size steel replacement there which probably will never happen in the next 15 years.

I think they should honestly use all that land up by Tidal Wave for the RMC Raptor, to me that makes more sense to use that land wisely, they can stick a S&S Free Spin somewhere else. Like others have mentioned, Ninja really ain't going anywhere, it runs mechanically fine and the upkeep on the ride is cheap. Plus it still is decent enough ride to keep tall non picky park guests happy, what would be better is to remove Axis Arcade and stick a Discovery there and complement the rides there.

https://www.kmov.com/news/story-ferris-wheel-coming-to-downtown-st-louis-this-summer/article_ccbae77c-2f22-11e9-a502-f3950e897afc.html

Very good trip report, been enjoying reading though your adventures at City Museum and at Six Flags, its always nice to see what people outside of the area think of our local attractions. Don't forget to come back next year and enjoy the newly opened Union Station Aquarium and its 200ft Ferris Wheel!

I agree a lot with this, no matter what we get this discussion has been fun and we ain't dreaming something impossible like a 300ft B&M Giga. We are always going to be let down by the final announcement, but we are fans and we are always dreaming of the what-if even though we know the park is not as loved by corporate. I am happy with the park, we have a solid set of rides, nothing is major broken, and the park just works for many. You know one thing that no one has mentioned yet is the possibility of us getting a ABC Tourbillon(Cyborg Cyber Spin), Six Flags added a few last year to SFOT and SFGAd.

That's a shame that area can't be used for anything else without a very large investment to a park that doesn't get hand outs very easy, but it is understandable why they wouldn't with all the mechanical back there and the first aid location makes a lot more sense now.

The area you have covered in blue, includes first aid and a rest room, I don't see either of those being relocated. I merely pointed out that there is plenty of room in that spot, as they can always build behind the restrooms and the first aid location is kinda hidden so they can move that up in line with the restrooms or move it to another unused building in the park like across from the Log Flume/American Thunder. The only thing I ain't sure of is all of the other smaller buildings they hide behind the blue wall, I have no idea if those are important to that area or not.

I still say an awesome place for a S&S FreeSpin is right across from Shazam and would still fit into the DC Plaza area, it would not only update but draw more into that specific area. The fit is almost perfect, you would have great views of Log Flume, Thunder River.

If not them than I would think Six Flags Over Texas with them removing Aquaman, other wise I can see Magic Mountain adding more than one big addition being a bigger corporate park which receives more funding. I still don't see us getting one being a smaller park, and being so close to Great America.

Chances are not very high, we are more likely to receive a FreeSpin or Raptor than a S&S Air Launch being so close to Great America. I say Magic Mountain is probably getting first dibs to the next clone.

Like TNT mentioned, we could possibly squeeze in a Giant Discovery next to Ninja, taking over the Axis Arcade and building next to it, no need to remove the Joker Inc. and we can add another flat to the front of the park. Totally Agree, I think anybody who visits would be very happy either with a RMC Raptor or a S&S 4D Free Spin (but go ahead Six Flags and can scrap the Zacspin or have them rework it into a 2nd Gen.)

That would also be a very good location, no need to remove the Joker Inc and the service road should stay intact if they work that in right, I would remove the arcade and the fenced off building next to it and build it right there but I wouldn't take it out to the train tracks, just stop at the service road, by the time the ride is in full swing the arm would be clear over any bypassing trains giving a cool flyover moment. I would say it would be tight squeeze between Ninja and the Joker Inc counting supports depending on angle.

That would be awesome if Six Flags would finally use up the land currently underutilized, but wouldn't it be better if that land was used for a bigger addition either to the dry or the wet side of the park (saying the water park needs expansion besides the parking lot)? I would say add something like a one of a kind Proslide HydroMagnetic Mammoth water coaster to the water park

If we were to get a Giant Discovery, wouldn't it be better if placed on site of the Joker Inc and the Arcade? I would think that area needs a better flat than the current Joker Inc. Also if I had measure correctly with google maps, Tidal Wave area should be able to support two Giant Discovery's in that area if you didn't count for supports. A RMC Raptor on the other hand would very much fit in that area perfectly, one can dream right? Giant Discovery in the Joker Inc location, based on Black Widow at Kennywood measurements (w/o supports, my guess if like Kennywood the supports would jut out into the walkways in front of the arcade and the side of the theater aka smoking area.) A RMC Raptor would fit nicely using RailBlazer's measurements

Six Flags Fiesta Texas also removed their Shoot the Chutes back in 2017, theirs was an Intamin though. From what I see SFStl Tidal Wave (1991) is a Hopkins model as is SFOT Aquaman (1987) so parts should be cross compatible, but it would be a shame if Six Flags didn't take the opportunity to put a bigger ride (maybe a RMC Raptor Clone) their instead and would add further interest in that corner during the colder months.

An indoor park was Walt's idea for Saint Louis, but Budweiser and the city kicked them out, so we will never get to know if a true WD indoor theme park would ever work or ever be thought of again (outside of Disney Quest). Also with the new Fox merge and the new IP's that it brings along with Marvel and Star Wars their is quite a lot that can be built, most likely attractions in bigger cities like for example Star Wars: Chicago or The Avengers take New York.

Um. No? Phoenix is supposed to get up to 111 this week, so maybe you need to change your location on your weather app. It was mostly running in the 95's on my weather app, I am just figuring for humidity and the overall blacktop "affect". But your right once it gets to Phoenix level heat than we can start flipping eggs on the pavement.