TR: SFGADV 9/9/07

[Billy]

Heres a quick coaster report from my day on 9/9/07.

 

SFGADV proved me wrong big time. I avoided this park like the plaque for 2 years. I know how it can get there with new rides - especially the likes of Kingda Ka and El toro and lets not forget the crowds. It can be a grueling day. So i finaly got up to going back again and it was my absolute favorite day at the park.

 

check this out....

 

Kingda Ka : 3 rides

 

There was a two train op early in the day and the line was at most 1/2 hour. i found this amazing becuase my buddy i was with waited 5 1/2 hours last october for it and im sure it was about the same mid-summer this year too. Anyways, 15 minutes after breakdown we are on the train and ready to launch (thnx to alot of impatient people who ditched the line). The ride in the middle of the train is brutal mid way thru the launch. Rattles,shakes and a head slamming -i was shocked! i didnt think it was that bad. If i remember correctly my TTD ride was pretty smooth mid train a few years back... Later in the day( 4pm) we headed back to ride to see NO LINE at all. WTF? 4 trains running? now i dont know if they have all 4 goin a lot, but i was pleasantly suprised. We had to wait for people to come to the station to ride becuase they wouldnt let a train go with empty seats. Got a front seat ride -very fun, very intense, if i didnt ride TTD already, it would have been a different experience. Im not sure which one i prefer. TTD has the edge with the lap bars. Im not a fan of the Intamin over the shoulder restraints.

 

 

El Toro: 4 rides

 

Hands down the best and most intense coaster i have been on. Yes the air nuts, we all know that but the SPEED. The trains take this course so fast you can barely comprehend it. Fantastic. My friend said it best - " Its fun, not like the type of fun on Nitro, you just have to sit there and take it like a man". cracked me up. Front seat is killer. You MUST ride it. Every ride after got more intense and never lets up, especially after sundown - it was truly insane, im still in awe of it.

 

 

Nitro: 4 rides

 

3 train op around 3pm. No lines, only for the front. It was hauling booty sunday. The mid course did not feel to heavy giving it a strong finish which was a treat. Floater air everywhere. Still a great ride even though El Toro kicks its butt. A little advice for first timers - Ride NITRO before you ride El Toro. trust me. One thing i noticed was the poor trains. People are picking them appart like old NERF toys. Sad. each train looks so worn in.

 

Medusa: 4 rides

 

Still smooth, still fun, great as always. Ive had some bumpy rides in the past but sunday was silky smooth. No lines all day long. Kinda feels like its the forgotten coaster in the park, back there behind EL Toro and Ka. sad. give it some love people.

 

Batman: 1 ride

 

10 minute wait at most all day im sure. I havent ridden this in 4 years. I was expecting the shake rattle and rolls of an ageing ride but there wasnt any. good ole B&M. I was suprised how well she rode. Smooth and fast - complete with the standard Batman intensity. the wing-overs were solid with a good snap. i loved it.

 

 

I avoided Superman , ScreamMachine, and the others becuase well, i rode em all before, i was having fun goin back and fourth between the big 5 and i just dont care for them that much. Put it this way, i left the park for the first time without a headache.

 

Staff was nice, and the loading and unloading on each ride i was on was fast and efficient to me. I didnt get that "i-dont-care" vibe from any one operator. nice job. Employees and security were all over the place and it was very clean - i hate to be so vague but its true- its the cleanest i have seen yet.

 

Thanks for reading!

[kraxleRIDAH]

Does anybody here on TPR actually like Superman Ultimate Flight? With the way it's mentioned in trip reports or in convo's you would think the ride is as sought after as the Mine Train.

[Bubba Z]

It's been the best season ever at Sfgadv since 99, 00. Every time I went to the park this year I've had the same experience.

 

I think most people find S:UF boring and not worth the wait if the line is over an hour long.

[Billy]

the line for S:UF looked pretty long to me, longer than anything else that day- even Kingda Ka. It probably would have been an hour at most. Its fun and all but not worth standing in the humid heat while that sun beats down on you.

[peteb]

I totally agree about BTR. I'm always impressed how well the B&M's at SFGADV have held up over time. Other rides there haven't fared as well given the lackluster maintenance efforts over the years, but the B&M coasters almost ride as well as when new. You really have to give credit to B&M for quality of design and construction of their rides. I don't believe you can say the same about any other coaster manufacturer out there.

 

I've stayed away for some years as well, but the park has improved tremendously. I just hope they can maintain this level; we've seen this before.

[larrygator]

You certainly picked a great time to visit.

 

The 3 weekends after Labor Day are one of the best times to visit SFGAdv, before Fright Fest and after the summer. Unfortunately, work makes it tough to go on weekdays and I generally use my vacation to travel around.

 

My observations for this year - lines were quite long between July-Labor on most Fridays and weekends and the park was very crowded. I tended to only stay a couple of hours each morning that I went or go late on Sunday nights.

 

The pretzel loop on S:UF is still an intense element from the back of the train, but I can't understand why the line is constantly longer than El Toro since the overall ride is not great.

[ginzo]

The pretzel loop on S:UF is still an intense element from the back of the train, but I can't understand why the line is constantly longer than El Toro since the overall ride is not great.

 

Flyers bring lines nearly everywhere I've been. They load slowly and they're still a novelty to many people.

[asr]

but I can't understand why the line is constantly longer than El Toro

 

S:UF's train carry less people and loading times are alot longer I'm sure.

 

Anyway, about the trip report... I'm jealous of the short lines you got

[raptor6]

You certainly picked a great time to visit.

 

The 3 weekends after Labor Day are one of the best times to visit SFGAdv, before Fright Fest and after the summer. Unfortunately, work makes it tough to go on weekdays and I generally use my vacation to travel around.

 

My observations for this year - lines were quite long between July-Labor on most Fridays and weekends and the park was very crowded. I tended to only stay a couple of hours each morning that I went or go late on Sunday nights.

 

 

So I have a question to ask you and I don't want to clutter the main page. I have a high probably to be able to visit SFGAv on the evening of 9/21 and all day on 9/22. What can I realistically expect crowds to be on those days? (Read: Should I buy a Flashpass or could crowds be similar to those in the trip report?)

[YoshiFan]

Does anybody here on TPR actually like Superman Ultimate Flight? With the way it's mentioned in trip reports or in convo's you would think the ride is as sought after as the Mine Train.

 

I like SUF but as others said, the long line makes it not riding. I went to the park on a weekday in April this year and every coaster I went on was a walk on except that ride, even with a 2 train wait it was over 10 minutes. I'm not complaining about a 10 minute wait but that makes me think that even on a somewhat slow day, the line can be 45+ minutes easily.

[yankees15]

^^They should be fairly short. I'm planning on going the 29th so I am also hoping for light crowds.

[Billy]

So I have a question to ask you and I don't want to clutter the main page. I have a high probably to be able to visit SFGAv on the evening of 9/21 and all day on 9/22. What can I realistically expect crowds to be on those days? (Read: Should I buy a Flashpass or could crowds be similar to those in the trip report?)

 

A late friday should be ok with crowds, i did notice a sizeable increase in crowd on sunday evening, mostly the late comers for the discount price. this actually made a line for El Toro lol. So be aware of that.

 

Saturday will most likely have crowds but nothing compared to those mid summer days. In October during Fright Fest, its gets totally packed again. This may be the best time, the lull between the summer rush and halloween. Im sure within those two days you'll get a ride on everything! ( if theres no mechanical probs) remember, Nitro first - El Toro second, if you can resist..

 

Back to S:UF, a big turn off for me is the pretzel loop. I get the feeling like my lungs are being forced shut, its not cool with me. Just another reason i tend to skip it.