SFMM - 2006 Fright Fest

[wrs28330]

Since there was immediate interest, we can discuss it now.

 

How to maximize your Fright Fest Experience: Installment 1

 

Which day should I go?

(There will be many different tips for many different "categories" of people, so pics and choose which are best for you. I'll try to be as clear and descriptive as possible.)

 

First and Foremost:

If you are able to go to Fright Fest on Halloween, YOU ARE VERY LUCKY! Halloween Day, which falls on a Tuesday will be the least crowded day of Fright Fest. Last year it fell on a monday, and the parking lot was almost 1/3 full. Being a Tuesday this year will make it even less crowded. I don't believe that any of the mazes were more than a 15 minute wait.

 

If you can make it on Halloween day, you'll be able to do everything you want.

 

 

If you can not make it on Halloween day, then you should try (in order of being the least crowded day): Sunday, Friday, then Saturday. It may seem odd, but Sunday is a School night, and therefore normally less crowded than Friday.

 

 

For Season Pass Holders:

If you go to the park frequently, than during the run of Fright Fest, you should...(I know saying this is sacralige)...not make the coasters/rides the priority. Fright Fest is only here for a short amount of time, and for the most part, the coasters will usually be there. The mazes and other offerings are unique, and out of the norm. Obviously, you may not care about the Trick or Treat Scary Bird Show, or visiting High Sierra Crafts. But seeing a few minutes of the High Sierra Hypnotist, The Globe of Death, The Galloping Ghoulmet, and Cuerpo No, you may find to be enjoyable.

 

You also have the option of buying FlashPassese tickets for the mazes. (I think they are called something else, be sure to double check with the employees at The Sales Center in Six Flags Plaza...or...(LITTLE KNOWN SECRET!!!!!)...The Guest Necessity Center in Colossus County Fair. Avaiod the line for FlashPasses by purchasing them at the Guests Necessity Center. They cost the same as regular FlashPasses.

 

The passes will reduce your wait time considerably, I'm not going to give time estamates.

 

Next, we'll talk about you non-passholders, and the tough decisions which await you.

 

Thanks againg to you interested, and loyal readers! Glad to be of service.

[major bummer]

fright fest has all ways been good.

 

go on a sunday

 

try collossus backwards

 

 

 

 

 

 

TATSU COUNT

35

[wrs28330]

Time Saving Tips for you non-passholders:

 

If you don't visit the park often, then you have a choice to make. You need to decide what is most important to you. Is it the rides, shows, or mazes? For most people it may be different degrees of each.

 

First of all, get there when the park opens, no questions asked. Hit all the rides you possibly can by around 3:00pm.

 

At 3:00 this is when you should start thinking about seeing one of the last Scary Bird Shows of the day (if you are interested), checking out the Globe of Death (If you are interested), and by 4:00, checking out the Batman Begins Stunt show (I y a i ), and The Galloping Ghoulmet (I y a i).

 

Between when you are done w/ seeing the shows you want and 5:30pm or 6:30pm (which is when the mazes will open) you can do one of two things: You can either hit another ride, OR, you can get in line early for one of the larger mazes. I recomend Willoughby's Mansion, Jokester's Hideout, or Carnage E. Hall. (And pretty much in that order too.) My reasoning: Willoughby's Mansion is at the top of Samurai Summit, if you hit that maze first, you don't have to worry about going up there again. Jokester's is a good first maze, so if you don't want to start at the top of the hill, start at Jokester's because the line will grow as the night grows older. And finally you can start w/ Carnage E. Hall, soley because this is the slowest moving line, so you might want to start early. AND, if you wait for this maze, you're bound to see The Galloping Ghoulmet show while you are waiting.

 

After you hit a few mazes, don't forget about Cuerpo No, the heartless comic show, and the High Sierra Hypnotist, as well as the monster alleys in Gotham, by Jokester's, and between Baja Ridge and Rapids camp.

 

Around 8:00, try to regroup and figure out what you haven't done, and what your top priorities are for the last to hours. Mazes, or rides?

 

X and Tatsu close their lines at 9:00 pm, most other rides, at 9:50pm. The mazes however will close there lines, most of the time, right at 10:00pm. If you are in line by 10, you can spend non-park time in line which also helps maxim-azation of time.

 

New pictures should be up soon!

[wrs28330]

Maze Updates:

 

Brutal Planet has begun it's build inside the game Warhouse. The build is going smoothly.

 

Carnage E. Hall has begun it's build inside the Magic Moments Theater. The build is going smoothly. However, the build of this maze can only go so far with in the next two weeks, because there are concerts being held inside Magic Moments for the next two weekends. Luckily the stage is quite large. The maze is going to be half built, and they will put down a black curtain covering any signs of Fright Fest for the build. It will make the stage seem smaller, but who cares?

 

Deadman's bog won't start it's build for about another two weeks or so.

[lapseofreason]

You also have the option of buying FlashPassese tickets for the mazes. (I think they are called something else, be sure to double check with the employees at The Sales Center in Six Flags Plaza...or...(LITTLE KNOWN SECRET!!!!!)...The Guest Necessity Center in Colossus County Fair. Avaiod the line for FlashPasses by purchasing them at the Guests Necessity Center. They cost the same as regular FlashPasses.

 

Do you get free maze Flash Passes if you have an Xtreme pass, just like the regular ones? (Just wondering).

[SharkTums]

They've been weird about it in the past. It seemed to depend on who you got working at the Fast Lane center. I had been given both, I have also been told I have to choose one or the other.

 

Don't know if they ever made a real policy on it!

[coasterfrk14]

That is good to hear. I will try to be extra nice to get both! Last year when i was at FF Fast Pass was sold out to everyone but Xtreme Pass Holders which i thought was very cool.

[TatsuXtreme]

I cant wait to go! I have never been on colossus backwards before!! and i want to see how good the haunted houses are!

[Guest]

I hope they run colossus backwards then the park opens when Fright Fest starts unlike last year

[coasterfrk14]

Any new information?

[haiderodes]

Good info!

 

I went to Fright Fest back in 2002, but we didn't really take in much of the special stuff. It was a Saturday so the lines for the mazes were crazy, so we just took in the rides. Goliath in the Dark, Viper in the Dark, X in the Dark, and Colossus Backwards in the Dark were all great tho!

[wrs28330]

The scare zone in rapids camp crossing will have approx. 10 ghouls.

Slight change, it won't be under revolution's track. They cant get enough power out there, so all of Rapid's Camp will be a scare area.

Nothing has gone up inside the park that is "fair game" for pictures, and I won't be at the park again until at least the 21st.

 

However, if anyone is going this weekend, and has any theming pics, please feel free to share!

[socalMAN123]

It will still be scary back in Rapid's Camp Crossing, but I think it would have been better if they could do it under Revolution's lift hill. Oh well, they can't get enough power, that's alright. But I mean, how scary is it going to be if Tatsu is right above you?

---Brent

[Guest]

http://cdi-mail.net/SFMM/blasts/SFMM_2006-09.1/

Can you Ride colossus for 13 hours to win an xtreme season pass

 

Calling all Jason's

All Park guests who can show valid photo ID proving their name is Jason will be admitted to the Park FREE after 3 p.m. on Friday, October 13 ONLY!

 

Friday the 13th Dating game

Six Flags is trying to make a GHOUL Connection in Gotham City. Guests will be given 13 opportunities to win a date to the front of a ride/maze line with their favorite ghoul….all in the name of love. Opportunities include snacking on a madagascar hissing cockroach.

 

There's a printable coupon To get 1 free friend in per seasonpass. Just show the seasonpass and the coupon to any SFMM turnstile. The bottom is when the coupon is good

October 7&8, 13-15, 20-22, and 27-31, 2006

http://www.sixflags.com/parks/magicmountain/ParkPress/FF06.html

[wrs28330]

Great link!

Thanks.

[runnerodb83]

can anyone recall how bad are the lines for rides during the first week of frightfest...on a saturday are we talking like beginning of summer bad?

[Guest]

in the Middle towards the end seem worse then summer. Even the over flow lot seems to get full

[wrs28330]

last year they went into double overflow! Where the tatsu pieces were laid out on feedmill road. I think the first two weeks on friday or sunday should be decent. However, Halloweeen day is always the least crowded.

[runnerodb83]

A few friends and I went to SFMM for the opening day of frightfest to see what it's all about considering none of us have been during fright fest.

 

After arriving around 11:30, the parking lot was full beyond the "park" area in the middle and it looked like it would be a busy day, much to our dismay. The free coupon that SFMM emailed season pass holders was kind of a joke, it tells you that it is accepted at a turnstile with proof of a valid season pass, what it actually means is you must go wait in the Will Call line to get a real ticket, that was kind of a pain. Eventually we got in, and made the hike up to tatsu...last time i was at SFMM, it was memorial day weekend, shortly after tatsu's grand opening, and the line went down the path toward deja vu as far as the last Jet Stream crossing; today was no different. Also, dispatch times were NOT efficient. So we went on toward Deja Vu, line into the old Shockwave queue, pass! We took a look at Psyclone, well Psyclones trains are on colossus running backward, so no psyclone. We finally squeezed in a ride on Jet Stream after a 15 min wait and then 2 rides on goldrusher, one was a walkon, the other was 1 train wait. That ride really is pretty good with a full train. Next was a 80 minute wait for RR with 2 train operation followed by a 30 minute wait for BTR with 2 train operation.

 

Next was lunch, and it was crowded at the eatery over near goldrusher! We remembered not seeing ninja, so we didnt hike up the hill. Also, STE was running the left side, and making it about 3/4ths the way up; later in the day it was going a bit higher. We headed toward scream, broken down, so we turned around and hit colossus backwards; the rumors are true, as far as intensity, id say it trumps X, definetly worth it. there was 2 train operation on the backward side, and 1 train on the regular side. We then waited about 35 mins in line for 2 train operation scream, it felt as if they reduced the trims a bit and it moves pretty good.

 

We left the colossus county fair with Goliath in our sights...well the line went outside the entrance...so we passed and headed back around the front of the park to give Tatsu a look. This time the line was at the entrance. It was about 5pm and the sun was going down. After making it almost nearly through the switchbacks, the closed the East Station and began to stagger the admission to riders at the beginning of the stairway. However, I do have to commend SFMM for bringing themed characters for frightfest around the line and scaring people, definetly kept the mind of the 10 min wait in between staggers. Finally after 90 minutes we reached the station. 2 train operation was pretty good and the ride in the dark was excellent. They also have put shelving in the station for loose items not put in a locker like shoes and waterbottles, good thinking SFMM, i only wonder how long it took for those to show up, nonetheless it is appreciated, and they are even painted to match the station!

 

after tatsu we walked back down through the ghoul alley area under revolution which was well themed and with about 10 costumed folks running around and jumping out at people. Up till this point, all the rides had been running with lights off, yet as we walked up the stairs to Viper, we noticed viper had its lifthill and other external lights on and tatsu had a light on the pretzel roll. Viper was good as usual (yes im a viper fan) and was running two trains with 1 train waits. We then trudged back to the other side of the park to try goliath and we encountered a similar long wait time. About 90 minutes with 2 train op. It was a great ride in the dark. Finally, we had time for 2 rides on Revy (with 2 train op) which is pretty intense in the dark, for my money, the rides with the 2 most intense inversions are Revy and Tatsu.

 

Finally, as we left the park, I noticed colossus had its external lights on but varying between white and red, nice touch SFMM. Maybe thats always like that and I just never noticed. Aside from some long waits, the park is doing alright. Lines for the mazes were quite long, so it's recommended that you get in line early, they start roping up the queues around 4pm, and thats when people start lining up. As we left we noticed there were cars at the furthest end of the parking lot, but nothing in overflow. The park actually got less crowded in the afternoon, but then filled up by the end of the night. Anyone have any questions?

[wrs28330]

Tell us about the mazes.

[TheBannedKid]

They were meh...to me they feel rushed and much too short. I didn't get scared, but I didn't expect to, I never do. But I did expect to be startled at least once. I can remember everything from last year...where every person hides and such. It sure doesn't help that the most startling thing they do is shake their dried beans noise can. But, on that note I enjoyed the night. I didn't wait for a single maze thanks to the Fright Passes and the atmosphere is awesome. I liked seeing SFMM putting some effort into changing their look...cuz I'm so bored of their normal day after going 20 some times last year. Entertainment really tries hard to pull this event off, but unfortunately that is under the rein of SF. Hopefully the future holds a better event.

 

Plus, I went to the park with Jahan...feel sorry for me.

[runnerodb83]

They looked to be quite crowded, and folks in my group wanted to go on rides rather than mazes so we didnt go in any.