Brad

Saturday's are generally busy this time of year - so your options are to purchase in advance (save a few dollars) and risk the park not being that crowded (bad weather, for example) or wait until you arrive. My advice would be not to waste money on the Regular if you don't have the option to splurge on the Plus. No clue if you can upgrade day of (I don't see why they wouldn't).

There is quite a bit of land just across the train tracks for Splash Water Falls (see image below with a rough outline of some usable land). There are some service roads back there - but SFOG did get quite creative with Goliath. And 2017 is the park's 50th Anniversary... Splash Water Falls Outline

I was able to try the new restraints on Blue Hawk yesterday. I think this totally takes the ride from being a "might as well skip" to a top 4-5 at the park. It is still the same coaster - and it does jolt a bit in the same spots - but the flexible vests on the new trains allow you to enjoy the rather unique/intense layout without the worry about knocking your head against the headrest. I rode in the last row and was really happy with the ride I had.

I was able to experience SFM last week during a trip to Mexico City. The park overall is one of (if not) the best in the chain when it comes to themeing, upkeep and overall appeal. We visited on Wednesday, May 4 and there were a TON of school groups - probably 30 buses full. Otherwise, I think the park might have been empty. We opted for some Flash Passes (with the current USD-Peso conversion, why not)? Medusa was unfortunately only running one train, but we got three rides on it. Out of the RMC I've ridden, here is how I would rank them: 1. Twisted Colossus 2. NTAG 3. Medusa 4. Iron Rattler Medusa was great - but without a signature first drop (with airtime), it seemed to be missing something. The pacing in the ride is incredible. I was really blown away by the themeing in Superman's queue - it reminded me a lot of Spiderman at IOA. The ride wasn't half-bad either I also enjoyed the JL:BfM - this was the first one I've been on and it really exceeded my expectations. Joker at SFM compared to when it was Pandemonium at SFDK is night and day. The Fun House queue was awesome - and the ride was relentless. I don't think we slowed down on any of the MCBRs. Batman and Boomerang were awful. Dark Knight was meh. We did try their slingshot - it was a model that sends you up to ~ 270 feet - it was pretty awesome (and $12 USD/person)! Their flat ride selection was pretty awesome. Catapulta was probably my favorite. Again, it was a great day to explore this really nice park. Highly recommended to any enthusiast or anyone visiting Mexico City!

Going to SFFT in a few weeks (on a Sunday) and had a few questions: -Are all rides (thinking Batman and Iron Rattler) available with all levels of the Flash Pass? -I have about 4-5 hours to spend at the park - what are some of the "must-dos" outside of the normal big attractions?

Yes... as of today it still sucks. I'll keep you posted and let you know if anything changes. Touché. I have ridden it once - and it was god awful. This may be a sign to not give it a second chance for redemption. And apparently I'm not the only one that thought my collarbone was going to snap in two.

Any update on Green Lantern recently? Headed to SFMM this weekend.

Choice of seat is available on the following coasters (there may be "groupers" that encourage you to go to a specific row): -Goliath -Superman: Ultimate Flight -Georgia Cyclone -Dare Devil Dive -Mind Bender (they usually send you to the last few rows, which are the best IMO) -Ninja -Joker's Funhouse Coaster (aka Canyon Blaster) Specific rows for Flash Pass users: -Great American Scream Machine (4-5 rows from the back) -Georgia Scorcher (last row) -Batman: the Ride (last two rows) Generally if it's just a mist or drizzle/light rain, they will continue operations. If lightning is in the area, rides will shut down until the weather clears. Mind Bender, Dare Devil Dive and Joker's Funhouse Coaster are probably the most temperamental when it comes to wet weather.

I agree with the individuals that taking Uber is going to be your best bet - especially if you land in Atlanta, you probably will not get to the terminal by ground transportation until 9:45 or 10am. Add another hour + for using MARTA and you're way past opening. Spring Break crowds can be hit or miss - if the weather is nice, it will be mobbed - especially later in the week that it's open. For your luggage, Guest Services (by Will Call in the East Ticketing Plaza) has generally held luggage for travelers that visit from the airport. It's not a published service, but I have seen them do it on multiple occasions. Expect to wait a while to get through the Will Call line if the park is crowded. You can always wait until you arrive to get a Flash Pass - but I recommend at least the Gold Level (Dare Devil Dive is usually just available on Platinum, so keep that in mind). Must-rides: -Goliath -Monster Mansion -Mind Bender -Georgia Cyclone (second to last row) -Georgia Scorcher -Acrophobia -Great American Scream Notables: -Sky Screamer (if you haven't ridden one before) -Dahlonega Mine Train (original coaster in the park) -Superman: Ultimate Flight (first B&M flyer in the US) SFOG is one of the better parks in the chain - but be wary of the potential crowds that would put a damper on even the best day in terms of operations.

^Thanks for the info - no kids on this trip - and I realize this park is definitely geared toward the younger generations.

I'm going to LLC next month and had a few questions: -We're going on a Sunday (in February) - are crowds usually heavy? I assume getting there at opening helps. -What are the "must-see" attractions? Just reading through it looks like the three coasters and Knights Tournament (I had no clue this type of ride existed in a "kids park"! -Any other tips for a first-time visitor at the park? We are planning on at least 4 hours at the park - is that enough time?

Dive Bomber "replaced" Cliffhanger - essentially they had to extend the wooden platform at the top of the tower so the drop capsule would fit in with the existing Cliffhanger slide. Dragon's Tail is still there as well - no other major changes in the park other than the drop capsule this season.

Late reply, but thanks Robb/Elissa for the explanation on SeaWorld, Aquatica and BGT entry. Like someone else said, it's really a no-brainer if you plan on visiting the other parks anyway - as a multi-park ticket to those three already cost $119/person! Why WOULDN'T you go to Discovery Cove? I wish I realized this benefit sooner...

We are totally doing this the next time I'm in Orlando. Quick question - do you know if the SeaWorld/Aquatica admission is included before your Discovery Cove trip (for example, if it's valid for seven days, could you use 3 before and 3 after your DC visit)? We are looking at a Wednesday to do Discovery Cove but will be in Orlando Sunday-Saturday.

Cool - thanks for the tips. Your day seems a lot more hectic than what we were planning, so it's good to know that much can be packed in to one day. I appreciate all of the input.

^Thanks for the info! -We have been to Lake Compounce before and will definitely stop by if we have time. -We know the risk with Wicked Cyclone - we're OK with the fact that it might not be open (plenty of time to get back up to New England). -For Rehoboth Beach, thanks for the tip - I had never even heard of this but it looks like a nice little stop. -We'll definitely have the EZ Pass for the tolls (and know it's going to be expensive - coming from a Georgia native that isn't used to tolls at all )

Hi all, I am planning a trip for the summer and the only area I'm having a hard time with is the seaside pier parks along the New Jersey coast. We have one day devoted to this area, so I wanted to make sure I had realistic expectations on what we could hit during this time. The date is Wednesday, June 3, 2015. I assume no parks have released their hours this far in advance - any insight on what to expect? We will be driving from the SFGAdv area and then staying the night in Wildwood (before taking the ferry to Delaware and continuing on to SFA, KD and BGW). What are the "best" parks to hit along this route? Here's what I had in mind (thinking we could possibly hit 3-4 parks): -Gillians Wonderland Pier -Steel Pier -Morey’s Piers We'd like to hit Seaside Pier as well but I have no clue if that will even be re-built or open after last year's fire. Thanks in advance for the help! If anyone is curious, here is our "road map" for the park's we'll be hitting (starting w/ SFNE, including Quassy, Knoebels, Hershey, SFGAdv, Jersey Shore, SFA, KD, BGW): Any comments about our route are appreciated as well.

I'm planning another drip to DLR and had a few questions: 1) We will be visiting on February 6-7. I know this is a weekend so the crowds will be higher than a weekday, but do locals affect crowds that much in the cooler seasons? 2) We are getting a two-day park hopper, but if one of the two days is an extra magic morning at DCA, do the Radiator Springs Racers fast passes usually "sell out" before the park opens for regular guests? I know I need to go there first thing either way. 3) Any food suggestions would be appreciated (prefer some sit-down, moderately priced recommendations).

Great TR. Thanks for the shout-out (although 40 degrees might be pushing it for a rapids ride - even for me).

This thread has been a bit dormant for a while, so thought I'd throw out a few questions for the Kennywood locals: -What are the crowds like for their Phantom Fright Nights (particularly on Fridays). I have an impromptu trip to Pittsburgh this weekend and thought I might check it out. I know a lot of the local haunts (Six Flags) aren't as crowded on Fridays, but separate events (like at Cedar Fair Parks) usually are. Forecast looks great (and night rides on Phantom's Revenge are some of my favorites).

Universal just announced extended hours for HHN on select nights. The events on 10/12, 10/16, 10/19, 10/22, 10/30, and 10/31 now have an extra hour of operation vs. the original schedule: I'm curious if this is due to crowds, pre-purchased tickets, etc.

So how exactly did they do this logistically? How did they get people from IOA into Diagon Alley and what did they do to stop you from leaving Diagon and just entering the park during HHN? Around 4:30 they put up barriers at both sides of London with employees posted, only letting people in who had park hopper tickets. If you had one they gave you a blue wristband. Around the same time, or shortly after, employees started walking around the whole area and asking people who didn't have a wristband if they needed one, or informed them they had to leave at 5 if they didn't have park hopper. They were pretty strict about this, there were employees even posted up outside the restrooms in Diagon Alley. Around then is also when they closed off the Gringotts line (posted 30-minutes) to non-wristbands. It seemed as though anyone with that wristband could freely travel back and forth on the train pretty close to 8:00, although I'm not sure what they did about the people over in IOA. I left DA a bit after 7, and there were still people getting off the train from IOA, so they must've had some type of system. The only way out of London/DA, however, was the train...I don't know what would've happened if it had broken down. All in all it was a very smooth process. As soon as I found out what was going on, I was cringing at the thought of what could become of the whole situation, but they handled it well. Do you know if those with HHN tickets were allowed into the park from Diagon Alley, or did they have to take the train back to IOA? Either way, this is definitely an unexpected perk if operations continue like this through the HHN season.

The park is open to the general public as well. Music in the Parks is an outside company that hosts band/choral/orchestra groups for competitions that culminate with an awards ceremony at the park (and a picnic). This company hosts events at just about every Six Flags park. There may be a lot of middle/high school students at the park, but other than that, it's a normal operating day.

Check out this link: SFOG Season Pass Pricing You'll notice that upgrading to a combo Season Pass (SFOG and SFWW) is a mere $5 dollars. SFOG isn't counting on a huge profit from combo season passes. But, if you live in Atlanta, why wouldn't you get upgrade to go to a great water park? SFWW is a full-day waterpark - the new Hurricane Harbor will be a few hours extra at SFOG at most - this will just keep people in the park longer (and more money from food, rentals, merch, etc).

^They do not work at all - HHN Express passes are completely different.