Six Flags America (SFA) Discussion Thread

[larrygator]

Kyle - The crews are usually substantially better the first couple of weeks of the season.

[KDCOASTERFAN]

Now let's hope that the park makes up for a decade's worth of no significant additions & follows up with another new ride next season.They still need a replacement for two face after all & were supposed to get a coaster a couple years back for the "tween" market after all.

 

I agree! But I will admit I like they have taken the time to get their park back into some sort of good shape. Compared to years ago this park has did a 180 degree. Now, they have their self together lets get some new rides in!!

 

It was the lack of new capital,along with the terrible management turn that the former owners at Premier parks/SFI took that drove me away,now if they just follow this up with more new ride investments & expansions in the ride side of the park it might be enough to get me to return within a couple years to try the place again.

 

As far as this coaster is concerned I'm not too interested in it,not just because it's an older ride but after riding vortex at Carowinds last year I actually found it to be worse than shockwave at KD....could've been just a bad seat though.

[DarkRideNick]

Apocolypse is looking awesome! Can't wait! I was there also when they were putting the final piece in and everybody was clapping! Haha. SFA was running great past weekend, ride crews are great.

[StarWars]

I don't know if this has been answered or not, but are they going to put a roof over the station?

 

Yes there will be a roof over the station. The station will probably be the highest station at the park (typical B&M style) where you have to climb steps to get the platform.

 

The trains are ready from what I've heard too. I assume that park is getting all the electrical together and construction of the station will be in full swing, and landscaping and themeing around testing. The park has plenty of time to have this ride ready for opening. Good Job SFA!!!!!!

 

It wouldn't have been the tallest station if Python was still there. If anyone remembers the Adventure World days, Python was one half of Lightning Loops from Six Flags Great Adventure. To get to the station, you had to climb at least 50 feet of stairs to reach the station. Python stood were Two Face used to stand.

[KDCOASTERFAN]

I don't know if this has been answered or not, but are they going to put a roof over the station?

 

Yes there will be a roof over the station. The station will probably be the highest station at the park (typical B&M style) where you have to climb steps to get the platform.

 

The trains are ready from what I've heard too. I assume that park is getting all the electrical together and construction of the station will be in full swing, and landscaping and themeing around testing. The park has plenty of time to have this ride ready for opening. Good Job SFA!!!!!!

 

It wouldn't have been the tallest station if Python was still there. If anyone remembers the Adventure World days, Python was one half of Lightning Loops from Six Flags Great Adventure. To get to the station, you had to climb at least 50 feet of stairs to reach the station. Python stood were Two Face used to stand.

 

I remember riding python quit frequently between 1996 &1998since the ride almost never had a line but I hated having to walk up & then down those stairs....if the line was backed up on the stairs the whole thing would shake violently whenever a train was launched.

[australianalex]

Looks great! Its good to see the original B&M back in full glory.

[forces]

Heading to the park tomorrow..can't wait to see the progress..

[deguy123]

Heading to the park tomorrow..can't wait to see the progress..

 

LUCKY!

[forces]

^Not that lucky...just running there after work so I can get my season pass processed so I have it to hang out with YOU on Saturday!!!

 

Of course, I will probably grab the staples...Superman, Roar, WildOne, the Jinxster..and a giggle on tower of doom.

[palmerleeberry]

In a recent post, vacoaster09 asked:

 

RaptorBoy, which ride crews stood out as the best and which ones do you think could improve?

 

Even though I'm not RaptorBoy, I think I can answer your question.

 

The best ride crews - Probably the ones that run Roar and the Wild One and almost all of the flat rides.

The worst ride crews - The ones that run Mind Eraser, Batwing, and Superman : Ride of Steel. The crew always take too long to dispatch their trains.

 

(singing) "Oh where, oh where is your head to lie down/ Oh where, oh where can it be?"

[vacoaster09]

In a recent post, vacoaster09 asked:

 

RaptorBoy, which ride crews stood out as the best and which ones do you think could improve?

 

Even though I'm not RaptorBoy, I think I can answer your question.

 

The best ride crews - Probably the ones that run Roar and the Wild One and almost all of the flat rides.

The worst ride crews - The ones that run Mind Eraser, Batwing, and Superman : Ride of Steel. The crew always take too long to dispatch their trains.

 

(singing) "Oh where, oh where is your head to lie down/ Oh where, oh where can it be?"

 

Thats great to hear about Roar and Wildone. Batwing is understandable as the ride system is what makes it challenging. However superman and Mind Eraser ... I hope those crews get it together.

[Ed Farmer]

^Not that lucky...just running there after work so I can get my season pass processed so I have it to hang out with YOU on Saturday!!!

 

Of course, I will probably grab the staples...Superman, Roar, WildOne, the Jinxster..and a giggle on tower of doom.

 

Just reading this post really lets an observer appreciate how solid SFA's coaster collection. It's comparable to or better than just about any park in it's vicinity. Even excluding the Invertigo from a few years ago or the forthcoming B&M standup this year- an Intamin megacoaster, Premier launcher, classic wooden coaster, a GCI twister, a Vekoma flyer better than B&M's take on the genre (of the 4 east side installations at least), and a second-generation Intamin Drop Tower to boot- that's a great lineup when contrasted with any park, and yet remarkably, the park's reputation is mud to most of the message board crowd. Unfairly IMO.

[coasterfreak101]

^Granted, the megacoaster gets pretty old pretty quick with the sweeping helices and the GCI is beyond repair in terms of how bad it's torn itself up. Considering that the closest parks in the area are Hershey and Kings Dominion, SFA easily falls behind them in terms of its coaster collection. Plus, any ride at SFA can be ridden elsewhere, with the sole exception of Wild One.

 

I do agree that SFA gets kicked to the curb by a lot of people unfairly - most haven't even visited the park in years. But as far as the coaster collection goes... I can see why. Of course that could also just be me, tired of riding the same things over and over again as a local.

[Magnum PA]

Well it looks like I'll be stopping by on May 25 to ride this on my way to Hershey. Wish I could say I was excited about visiting the park, but it's really just a credit run with a ride or two on Superman thrown in.

 

Judging by the number of coasters you've ridden, is it safe to assume that you've been to Great America? If so, were you not able to ride Iron Wolf?

 

If you have, do people really count a relocated ride as another "credit"? I really don't mean to start another "How do you count the coasters you've ridden" discussion. I'd just be surprised to see that people actually count the same ride as two, if it's been relocated. I've actually never known anyone to do that.

[Magnum PA]

^Granted, the megacoaster gets pretty old pretty quick with the sweeping helices and the GCI is beyond repair in terms of how bad it's torn itself up. Considering that the closest parks in the area are Hershey and Kings Dominion, SFA easily falls behind them in terms of its coaster collection. Plus, any ride at SFA can be ridden elsewhere, with the sole exception of Wild One.

 

I do agree that SFA gets kicked to the curb by a lot of people unfairly - most haven't even visited the park in years. But as far as the coaster collection goes... I can see why. Of course that could also just be me, tired of riding the same things over and over again as a local.

 

I subscribe to the notion that locals tend to see their local park's flaws more than most. So, I can see your point. But I disagree, and agree with the sentiment that SFA has a very good roller coaster selection.

 

I thought Roar was running pretty well last year, and Wild One is always great. I feel that Superman is an elite steel coaster, with great hills, positive and negative G's, and speed. Though I'm not a fan of flyers in general, Vekoma's version is a lot of fun - if only SFA ran two trains more than occasionally. The Premier "spaghetti" launched coasters are all good too. I thought Iron Wolf was a bit painful, but it's a good addition to this park. While I agree that SFA's collection isn't better than Hershey's or KD's, it's better than what a lot of parks have.

[terdferg]

^I love SFA's ride collection. Superman is my least favorite ride in the park though. It rattles to high-hell, Has a very strange kink at the top of the first camelback, and since I'm in shackles the whole time, I am just waiting for someone dressed in leather to start whipping me at some point during the ride. Wild one is worth the price of admission alone.

[Double0Kevin]

^I love SFA's ride collection. Superman is my least favorite ride in the park though. It rattles to high-hell, Has a very strange kink at the top of the first camelback, and since I'm in shackles the whole time, I am just waiting for someone dressed in leather to start whipping me at some point during the ride. Wild one is worth the price of admission alone.

 

 

So you like Mind Eraser over Superman? I found Superman to be a great ride. Yeah it had a little rattle going on, but it didn't distract me from the positive experience at all. Mind Eraser and Roar both gave me some pretty negative experiences, ME cause it's ME and Roar probably cause I'm so used to SFDK's with the Flyers that track much better.

 

I do agree that Wild One makes the entire visit worth it, the rest is just added bonus.

[Ed Farmer]

Well it looks like I'll be stopping by on May 25 to ride this on my way to Hershey. Wish I could say I was excited about visiting the park, but it's really just a credit run with a ride or two on Superman thrown in.

 

Judging by the number of coasters you've ridden, is it safe to assume that you've been to Great America?

 

I read this post and initially thought that Skycoastin Steve was going to SFGAm with the intention adding a credit or two and then spending the rest of the visit re-riding the B&M flyer. I had to go back and re-read the original post to see if he meant Six Flags America instead of Six Flags Great America. I refuse to believe that anyone takes the time and effort to go anywhere with the purpose of power riding those wretched coasters.

[Magnum PA]

Well it looks like I'll be stopping by on May 25 to ride this on my way to Hershey. Wish I could say I was excited about visiting the park, but it's really just a credit run with a ride or two on Superman thrown in.

 

Judging by the number of coasters you've ridden, is it safe to assume that you've been to Great America?

 

I read this post and initially thought that Skycoastin Steve was going to SFGAm with the intention adding a credit or two and then spending the rest of the visit re-riding the B&M flyer. I had to go back and re-read the original post to see if he meant Six Flags America instead of Six Flags Great America. I refuse to believe that anyone takes the time and effort to go anywhere with the purpose of power riding those wretched coasters.

 

When I asked, I meant if he'd ever been to Great America to ride Iron Wolf - and therefore what was the point of going to Six Flags America to get a fake "credit" on Apocalypse. Riding it in a new location to see what SFA has done with it is one thing, but adding it to your count as a different coaster is something else, in my opinion.

 

I agree about the SFGAm Superman. Who would go to a park just to ride that thing?

Edited April 5, 2012 by Magnum PA

[Ed Farmer]

When I asked, I meant if he'd ever been to Great America to ride Iron Wolf - and therefore what was the point of going to Six Flags America to get a fake "credit" on Apocalypse.

There ya go. I misinterpreted what you meant by that.

[A.S.Coasters]

Looks really nice there, but I still don't like the colors.

[cal1br3tto]

Hey, I've gone to SFGAdv and just ridden Superman and Green Lantern. Oh yeah, and Toro.

 

If you have, do people really count a relocated ride as another "credit"? I really don't mean to start another "How do you count the coasters you've ridden" discussion. I'd just be surprised to see that people actually count the same ride as two, if it's been relocated. I've actually never known anyone to do that.

I believe most people don't, but I see no reason not to (no need to get into most of the reasons here, as they can be controversial). I count for personal enjoyment and documentation, so if it feels right to count relocated credits, I will, even if it's not "cool" right now.

[Skycoastin Steve]

Well it looks like I'll be stopping by on May 25 to ride this on my way to Hershey. Wish I could say I was excited about visiting the park, but it's really just a credit run with a ride or two on Superman thrown in.

 

Judging by the number of coasters you've ridden, is it safe to assume that you've been to Great America? If so, were you not able to ride Iron Wolf?

 

If you have, do people really count a relocated ride as another "credit"? I really don't mean to start another "How do you count the coasters you've ridden" discussion. I'd just be surprised to see that people actually count the same ride as two, if it's been relocated. I've actually never known anyone to do that.

I actually haven't been to SFGAm. I've been to many, many places, but not that one yet. And for the record, I count repeat credits twice, because I think it's rather noteworthy to have ridden a permanent coaster in more than one location. If it's something like a traveling coaster that was meant to be portable and travels with fairs, I don't think that should count as separate credits. However, if it was something permanent (like Iron Wolf, Chang, etc.) that was operating in one park for several years and then was disassembled and moved to another permanent location, I think it's a feat to have ridden it both places. Just my two cents.

[DarkRideNick]

Looks like they patched up the holes in the mountain! Looks really natural!

From the SFA facebook page

[cfc]

^Yes, that looks pretty good--definitely a better match for the coaster.