Photo TR: BACT attacks SFA

[DerekRx]

With no plans on Sunday morning, we decided to head to SFA before drinking in Baltimore. I haven't been to SFA since Batwing opened, and being someone who really doesn't like that park, I really felt no need to go back anytime soon. However after hearing good things about the park operations this year, I felt it was worth a visit. The park is still probably the worst laid out park ever, with many paths and themed sections just dead-ending. You'd think by now the park would realize what every other park has, that you need to connect your areas in loops, but I guess they're just still confused and can't set aside the funding to do that. The park was pretty dead on Sunday morning, didn't encounter many people until after 12ish, and the employees were pretty efficient and cheery. My only other gripe with the place is the locker laws on Wild One and Superman. $2 for a 1 time rental, no loose articles at all in the station, but only for those 2 rides. Quite odd.

Everything accomplished that we wanted to do, several rides on Superman, and encouraging signs of improvement, we called it a day and went to drink some beers.

As we finished our "lap" around the park, more visitors had finally awakened, or just got finished at church or something and started to arrive

Seriously, WTF?!

Fun, but could definitely be improved with new trains.

Roar feels all jealous that Wildcat has Millennium Flyers, so he's starting to deliver very bumpy rides too with his PTCs

One final coaster we were wanting to ride was Roar. Probably my least favorite GCI, but it's still better than most of the woodies built in the 1970s and 80s, IMO.

You know it's empty when the Wii station isn't even full!

Still no Skull Mountain, but they had a few boats on the course

Such a cute little 2nd Generation Intamin Drop. I want to take it home in my pocket

Heath shows how he feels about renting a locker just to put in a hat or sunglasses because they're not allowed on the ride. I expect this to not go over well at all later this summer when the waterpark is opened

Unbanked helix of doom and destruction

Still one of the best woodies in the entire Six Flags chain, lots of air, laterals, and is really smooth and well kept

But we won't be skipping Wild One, running 2 trains with no wait

Even with no line, I think we had enough Vekoma for one day and we skipped Two Face

Oooh, I want to park my car by Wild One

Riding thru this spaghetti bowl that keeps picking up speed and transitioning, you have to wonder "how DID we ever ride this with shoulder restraints?!"

So instead we hit up Joker's Jinx (also only running 1 train). I haven't been on this since it got the new restraints

We would have hit up Penguin's Blizzard River since I really like these spinning raft rides, but we didn't want to get wet by the water curtain at the end

While we're here, one more ride on Supes won't hurt. It may sound vibratey (especially in the back) but it's tolerable

This pretty much sums up the ride

Ooof, we no longer wonder why Vekoma no longer makes these. I like the layout better than the B&Ms, but holy rattle and shimmy Batman! (the trains random noises did entertain us though)

No line for Batwing yet either. The only reason I rode it

Here, the perfect ride to wake you up

It's a shame I'm allergic to cats.

For all you SFNE fanboys who miss your cleavage showing Poison Ivy, this one's for you!

Next ride, Batwing, the best Vekoma flyer in any Six Flags park

And even with 1 train operation, no lines = plenty of rerides

Not my favorite Intamin hyper by any means with its overuse of straight track and helices, but it's still got some great airtime moments

And the second train is finally back on the transfer, though pieces and covers were still missing

Still only 1 train operation on Supercan: Rattle of Steel, but at least this one still has its theming

As Nicole reported from Darien Lake, Supercan is very loud, like a trash can rolling down a hill. Not rough, but loud and rickety

First ride of the day awaits us in the distance. Glad to see the rides opening with the park

A nice sunny Sunday in May, time to hit up SFA

[kennywood!007]

Wow, I never noticed their Drop Tower has different sized brake runs on each side. Thats very cool. I guess it's for a more intense fall on each side.

 

Nice pictures! Looks like the day was a little murky, but no rain!

[Bubba Z]

We would have hit up Penguin's Blizzard River since I really like these spinning raft rides, but we didn't want to get wet by the water curtain at the end

 

I'm not even sure the curtain was working last time i went. The thing you do need to worry about is the three inches of water in the bottom of the raft and you're drenched shoes when you get off.

[redfoot12]

Hmm--that Trip Report sort of made me want to go up and visit SFA. Wild One is fantastic and I still need that Joker's Jinx credit. Yes! I think I will go! Who's with me?

[carolinacaniac]

Definatly agree that they need to make the ends connect so that you don't have the dead ends.

 

I don't remember what Cedar Point charges for lockers at TTD or MF, but BGE has lockers at all of their coasters, and itt is also one time use, but it is a buck instead of two.

 

I really like Roar, but I could see how others may not be as big if a fan.

[cfc]

I was pleasantly surprised with this park (and especially Wild One), too--and I might even check it out again this season if that Skull Mountain thing ever gets up and running. (Even Mind Eraser wasn't as bad as I'd feared.)

 

Good pics, as usual, Derek.