Six Flags America (SFA) Discussion Thread

[Wes]

Pretty sure SFA Regular is a robot.

[CardCraze]

If you go to an amusment park and complain about the noise... you are obviously not in the right place.

 

Enclosing Joker's Jinx is the LEAST of their worries. Like someone else sugguested, use the barriers they use on high-ways. Dueling Dragons at Universal uses sound barriers and sand due to the nearby high-school.

[Hercules]

This is an amusement/theme park. If people can't get over the fact there are noises from rides running, then I don't think they should attend the park.

[SFA Regular]

Pretty sure SFA Regular is a robot.

 

No, I can assure you I'm not a bot. I've been into the amusement park things, for you and are probably one of the most faithful coaster rides that you will meet. Just think, if they had spent some real money, they could have possibly enclosed the show stage arena as well. That way, it would have made it very easy to do a big haunted house attraction for Fright Fest. Over all, a lot of people aren't too impressed with SFA's Fright Fest in recent years. So many people have been taking the 2 hour drive to Kings Dominion. It's almost like, it's not even worth doing a Fright Fest for this park at all. Bottom line is, they need a new haunted house attraction and it needs to be a scary one, regardless of their new family friendly idea.

[sixflagsguy5]

The $120 season pass isn't unrealistic. A SFGAM season pass is around $70 now if you get it at a good time. A parking pass for the season is $65. Last year I paid $135 for a season pass with parking. I'd rather have them make the price $120 and include parking and keep all parks included. Maybe have a waterpark add on for some of the parks that have separate admission from their waterparks.

 

This year I got lucky and paid $50 at SFSTL and got parking for $45. I think the idea behind raising the price to $120 would be that not everyone is going to take full advantage of the parking feature and really the park is profiting more by having a higher price, because some people would have just paid for the park itself w/out parking. For example imagine a family of three (mom, dad, son). In this situation there are two options. 1) Mom takes son to park. 2) Dad takes son to park. This family only needs two parking passes, but technically they are paying for three. The park makes more money than they would have if the family only bought two parking passes.

 

Also, they could offer the passholder to chose between having a parking pass or a Six Flags in park voucher for food or games. Either way, I would be happy with having a higher price, because I am already paying for parking. Besides that, it gets annoying when I go with my girlfriend, with my friends, or with my family and you have sketchy people line jumping or just screwing around in line. I'd rather pay more for better quality parks than pay less for crap.

[cal1br3tto]

Also, they could offer the passholder to chose between having a parking pass or a Six Flags in park voucher for food or games.

 

I like your overall idea but I think they would definitely need to offer that. Otherwise people will "catch on" (not that I'm saying SF would try to keep it a secret, but you know what I mean) that they're paying for something that they don't actually benefit from. I think that's why a lot of people prefer to have the parking separate even though it can seem like an annoying "extra" you have to keep in mind every time you plan a visit.

[SFA Regular]

I would like to see the company continue this parks master plan from years ago. The building that they were going to install opens up new ideas for attractions. What do you think think was going to go in the building?

[nitrofan]

I would like to see the company continue this parks master plan from years ago. The building that they were going to install opens up new ideas for attractions. What do you think think was going to go in the building?

 

What building were they going to install?

[SFA Regular]

I remember hearing it a long time ago. One of the things we were suppose to be with the master plan was a stand up coaster but Batwing took the place of that. Some where in that master plan a very sizable building was suppose to be installed some where in Gotham City. Rumor said that it was suppose to be some (Sally Dark Ride), but who knows? Sally could have had it for a while and it could have possibly turned into some sort of indoor coaster as time went on.

 

If you really wanted to know what was on the master plan you would have to contact the county board and get the information from them. Sense it's real old and the company never followed through with it, I'm pretty sure they would be more than happy to give you the run down on it.

[larrygator]

Master Plan + SFA = Bulldozer

[SFA Regular]

Master Plan + SFA = Bulldozer

 

And what do you mean by that?

[Hercules]

^ If you can't find that out.....

 

I'm not sure of this "Master Plan" that you are speaking of, but whatever. Most parks operate with a 5-year plan that encompasses future attractions, business operations, staff and attendance projections etc. They aren't always set in stone, and can change for various reason. If there ever was this "Master Plan", I'm sure it was altered or scrapped for some reason, whether a good reason, a bad reason, or an indifferent reason.

[Josh Linn]

^ If you can't find that out.....

 

I'm not sure of this "Master Plan" that you are speaking of, but whatever. Most parks operate with a 5-year plan that encompasses future attractions, business operations, staff and attendance projections etc. They aren't always set in stone, and can change for various reason. If there ever was this "Master Plan", I'm sure it was altered or scrapped for some reason, whether a good reason, a bad reason, or an indifferent reason.

 

The "Master Plan" should be referred to as the "Master Pipe Dream". I remember hearing rumors about that standup (which people said would be themed to either Mr. Freeze or the Penguin, I forget which), and then once Batwing came in people started to eat their words.

 

I'm sure they'll expand at some point. Just going off of Google Maps, it looks like they have a crap load of land to build on (if they own it), so it shouldn't be a problem, it's just a matter of if/when they do it.

[CardCraze]

I actually liked Batwing. It's a pretty fun coaster... that is when you're not stuck on it after it goes down

[SFA Regular]

(JOSH LINN) is right. We were suppose to get a stand up coaster. I actually wish we had gotten that instead of Batwing, because Batwing turned out to be a break down mongul. Everytime you turned your eyes towards that ride, people were walking back up from the ride because it was broke. Not sure, why they have never been able to get their knowledge down on that ride, but it's not one that I mess with anymore.

 

A lot of people also thought that when ASTRO WORLD closed, that SFA would receive (Batman: The Escape), but it ended up being sent to Darien Lake. It would have actually restored our master plan and added the stand-up coaster that was on there. Here is a wikipedia link of the coaster.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Batman_The_Escape

[Capitalize]

^ If you can't find that out.....

 

I'm not sure of this "Master Plan" that you are speaking of, but whatever. Most parks operate with a 5-year plan that encompasses future attractions, business operations, staff and attendance projections etc. They aren't always set in stone, and can change for various reason. If there ever was this "Master Plan", I'm sure it was altered or scrapped for some reason, whether a good reason, a bad reason, or an indifferent reason.

 

The "Master Plan" should be referred to as the "Master Pipe Dream". I remember hearing rumors about that standup (which people said would be themed to either Mr. Freeze or the Penguin, I forget which), and then once Batwing came in people started to eat their words.

 

I'm sure they'll expand at some point. Just going off of Google Maps, it looks like they have a crap load of land to build on (if they own it), so it shouldn't be a problem, it's just a matter of if/when they do it.

The master plan being referred to was a document proposed to the local government that has been widely circulated around the internet for years now. As said it was highly deviated from and at this point practically a decade out of date and completely irrelevant. It was a legit document, though, and at some point a general guide to what the park would be doing.

[RobWarren]

I'm excited to try out SFA next weekend. The season pass is a good price too! Although, the $230 plane ticket kinda cancels out that advantage. Superman: Ride of Steel looks sweet. I can't wait to ride and look at it (you have no idea how excited magnetic eddy current brakes get me).

 

-Rob

[Hercules]

(JOSH LINN) is right. We were suppose to get a stand up coaster. I actually wish we had gotten that instead of Batwing, because Batwing turned out to be a break down mongul. Everytime you turned your eyes towards that ride, people were walking back up from the ride because it was broke. Not sure, why they have never been able to get their knowledge down on that ride, but it's not one that I mess with anymore.

 

A lot of people also thought that when ASTRO WORLD closed, that SFA would receive (Batman: The Escape), but it ended up being sent to Darien Lake. It would have actually restored our master plan and added the stand-up coaster that was on there. Here is a wikipedia link of the coaster.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Batman_The_Escape

 

So basically just a bunch of rumors?

[SFA Regular]

Hercules, look at what (Capitalize), wrote. It was plan that Six Flags Inc had given the county board to show them, what the park was going to install over the years. That way approval would be a lot easier for the installations and possibly future attractions. Rumors have been brought to me that the old CEO, (BURKE) was going to continue with the plan shortly after the park received the Hurricane Harbor expansion. Now here is one thing that interest me. (BURKE) made the decision to close (ASTRO WORLD). In the last post I pointed out that (Batman: The Escape), was a stand up. It's possible that (Batman: The Escape) would have been rebuilt here at SFA, in order to continue with the master plan. If I'm thinking correctly, before he could really put anything into effect, (SNYDER) took control of the company and the ride relocations went in a different direction when (SHAPIRO) started his family friendly idea. Now that I think about it, I do wish that (BURKE) was still our CEO because then we would have possibly gotten our stand-up coaster that was on the master plan.

 

It would have been cool to introduce a new batman villain and use (KILLER MOTH) as a theme. Think how cool that would be. Killer Moth was like a copy of Batman. He built the (Moth layer) and modeled it from the batcave and even built himself a (Moth Mobile). He was an anti-Batman. This theme would have been cool for the Intamin Stand-up at SFA.

[Hercules]

^ I understand what was said, and I am not discounting the fact that a plan was given to the board. However, it didn't happen. Plans change. With the way the company is now, they aren't coming back. I understand the history of the company, I don't really need the lesson. Any kind of planning that wasn't already underway once the new regime took over wasn't going to happen. Besides, I'm not really sure that many of those additions in the "Master Plan" would have been overly feasible considering the state of the company.

 

And anything else you have mentioned are rumors, speculation, and things that you have just made up on your own. Sure those things would be "cool", but they are mainly just speculation and fantasy.

[SFA Regular]

^ I understand what was said, and I am not discounting the fact that a plan was given to the board. However, it didn't happen. Plans change. With the way the company is now, they aren't coming back. I understand the history of the company, I don't really need the lesson. Any kind of planning that wasn't already underway once the new regime took over wasn't going to happen. Besides, I'm not really sure that many of those additions in the "Master Plan" would have been overly feasible considering the state of the company.

 

And anything else you have mentioned are rumors, speculation, and things that you have just made up on your own. Sure those things would be "cool", but they are mainly just speculation and fantasy.

 

I know. I wasn't bashing on you, I was being friendly.

 

In other words, I can see a brand new regime possibly being brought aboard. For some reason, I just can't see (Stark Investments) really keeping Six Flags Inc for a long time. A company like that is looking to make a quick buck off the company, with it coming out of bankruptcy. Six Flags Inc definitely isn't a quick job in reviving. They are going to wait for a good buyer and sell it. That's just what I think.

 

So who is looking forward to the Coaster After Dark special at SFA this season? It's about time they started one.

[KDCOASTERFAN]

I remember hearing it a long time ago. One of the things we were suppose to be with the master plan was a stand up coaster but Batwing took the place of that. Some where in that master plan a very sizable building was suppose to be installed some where in Gotham City. Rumor said that it was suppose to be some (Sally Dark Ride), but who knows? Sally could have had it for a while and it could have possibly turned into some sort of indoor coaster as time went on.

 

If you really wanted to know what was on the master plan you would have to contact the county board and get the information from them. Sense it's real old and the company never followed through with it, I'm pretty sure they would be more than happy to give you the run down on it.

Blizzard river was the last ride they installed from that original masterplan.I've got a printout of the list somewhere but the rides planned also included an indoor coaster/dark ride type attraction,which of course was approved by the county but never built.

 

I'll post the items from that list as soon as I find where I put it...too bad you can't go through the archives on the PG county zoning board site to find it as the records don't go back anywhere near ten years.The only reason SFA installed Batwing was because KD cancelled the order for it at the last minute in favor of HS:XLC due to Stealth/Nighthawk being a failure at CGA(then PGA),interesting though how X-flight finally ended up at the park that it was originally intended for some 7 years after it opened.

[SFA Regular]

You do have a good point. I would like to see the ride list if you can find it. So, I was right about the building for the dark ride.

[B-RadG]

I went to SFA yesterday and aside from one train operations on everything except the woodies I don't see what people complain about. The park was clean and the staff went out of their way to be nice and make sure you had fun. The high five thing was actually kinda nice. Most of the ops either started chants ("WHEN I SAY SIX FLAGS YOU SAY MORE FUN!") or quizzed people about stats. Batwing's crew was the only one leaving something to be desired. The op at the panel kept yelling at people ("DO NOT PULL DOWN ON YOUR LAPBAR WE WILL DO THAT FOR YOU!" "STEP BACK FROM THE GATE NOW!"), one op kept making perverted jokes about being in the laying position (not that I mind but it's supposed to be all family-friendly and whatever), and the people checking restraints weren't concerned that it took 5 minutes to load and dispatch a train (the supervisor told them to speed it up repeatedly)

As a whole SFA is a really nice park and I don't have anything to complain about other than the one train operation.

[larrygator]

Batwing's crew was the only one leaving something to be desired. The op at the panel kept yelling at people ("DO NOT PULL DOWN ON YOUR LAPBAR WE WILL DO THAT FOR YOU!" "STEP BACK FROM THE GATE NOW!"), one op kept making perverted jokes about being in the laying position (not that I mind but it's supposed to be all family-friendly and whatever), and the people checking restraints weren't concerned that it took 5 minutes to load and dispatch a train (the supervisor told them to speed it up repeatedly)

As a whole SFA is a really nice park and I don't have anything to complain about other than the one train operation.

 

The problem is this attitude seems to creep across the whole park once the summer heats up. Early in the season before the crowds come in and the weather warms up have not been the problem in recent years.

Edited May 11, 2010 by larrygator