Six Flags America (SFA) Discussion Thread

[steven6995]

Now that it's nearly if not already confirmed that Iron Wolf will be heading to SFA, I'd say that park now has at least a pretty good variety of coasters. A classic out and back, a GCI Woodie, a Premier Catapult, a Vekoma Flying Dutchman, an Intamin Hyper, an SLC, and now a B&M Standup (albeit a 2 decade old one). It just needs a few more flats and, hopefully new, more comfortable Georgia Scorcher-style trains for IW. There's still a lot of potential for this park. MAYBE they could get some of the newer style trains for Mind Eraser and Millennium Flyers for ROAR!, though I doubt it. I hope all things go well for SFA.

[BaMiTsPaT]

^I Agree! If SFA gets IW, it will be quite well rounded in the roller coaster department. Now they just have to concentrate on everything else that's wrong with SFA

[KDCOASTERFAN]

^I Agree! If SFA gets IW, it will be quite well rounded in the roller coaster department. Now they just have to concentrate on everything else that's wrong with SFA

 

They need a new shuttle coaster as well to replace 2 face.

 

I'm still interested in seeing if this is a new design....remember the trenches that the reverse drop on SM ran through? they could use those to put an inversion below grade if they wanted to.

[terdferg]

I would have rather the park gotten Millennium Flyers for Roar instead of a new coaster.

[John Knotts]

 

I couldn't agree more, why would six flags move a 21 year old coaster that's pretty famous for being the first B&M. It's been a GAm staple an it's not like the ride rotation program is still around.

 

Screamscape is saying the ride rotation program is probably going to return with Iron Wolf likely going to SFA and rumors of Deja Vu going to SFNE.

 

SFMM is getting rid of their DV? I thought the only reason they kept it was for the count.

 

That was never the reason. SFMM kept it around because their ride

actually worked.

[KDCOASTERFAN]

Any idea on when we may find more info on the PG county site? I'm still holding out that this will be a new custom design & not a relocation as the park deserves better than that.

[CoasterRollin]

^ I think Skull Mountain being removed had more to do with the costs of operating it and maintence problems, not that they needed the space.

^Oh yeah, I think that's definitely right. They have plenty of space into which they could build, you know, assuming PG county lets them. There's arleady a lot of open space in Gotham City area of the park.

 

Now that it's nearly if not already confirmed that Iron Wolf will be heading to SFA, I'd say that park now has at least a pretty good variety of coasters. A classic out and back, a GCI Woodie, a Premier Catapult, a Vekoma Flying Dutchman, an Intamin Hyper, an SLC, and now a B&M Standup (albeit a 2 decade old one). It just needs a few more flats and, hopefully new, more comfortable Georgia Scorcher-style trains for IW. There's still a lot of potential for this park. MAYBE they could get some of the newer style trains for Mind Eraser and Millennium Flyers for ROAR!, though I doubt it. I hope all things go well for SFA.

^ Yeah, SFA doesn't get the credit it deserves. It certainly has improved in the last few years and they do have a decent line up. All they need to do know is make sure they keep up with maintenance, lol. Many rides have frequent breakdowns, none of which are serious, but annoying nonetheless. And I filled out an "after-visit" SFA survery and requested new Millenium Flyers for Roar. Maybe with enough support they will consider it.

 

I was really hoping they would refurbish Astroworld's Ultra Twister, but that proved to be wishful thinking...

[KDCOASTERFAN]

I read somewhere that SFDK was removing their big spin coaster,now I know it sounds far fetched but could that also be headed to SFA?They originally had plans to install a ride for the "tween" market but cancelled those plans in favor of this year's waterslide makover & they need something to replace two face in SWT so it's quite possible that along with IW we could be getting BS as well.

 

I rode vortex at carowinds the other day & even with the new restraints it was horrid so I'd hope for the sake of those who still go to SFA that they don't get that POS as it would not be a good ride even with new trains.

[CoasterRollin]

^ I kind of agree with you on that. I rode Green Lantern at Great Adventure, and I even thought that was a little on the rough side. After all that I've heard about Iron Wolf and Vortex, I'm not sure it's the best idea. And it's kind of funny, I had my own theories about what SFA might put in, and BS kept coming back as a likely candidate. SFA doesn't have many coasters marketed as "family", so I thought they would opt for something like BS.

[alpengeist04]

And I filled out an "after-visit" SFA survery and requested new Millenium Flyers for Roar. Maybe with enough support they will consider it.

 

That would be nice because I really do like Roar's layout.

[Popcorn54]

Maybe they could relocate the Boomerang from Six Flags new Orleans if it's still there and they don't have a shuttle.

[jedimaster1227]

^The remaining assets of that park at no longer owned by Six Flags, so that is unlikely.

[Toro#1]

I honestly like this move, the way this needs to be looked at is "Six Flags America is getting a coaster". It's been since 2001's Batwing, and even if it's a relocated one, then so be it! Iron Wolf will fit nicely into this park. When Chang was moved to SFGAdv I wasn't that excited because of how it was operated and how it ran. Green Lantern is operated brilliantly at GAdv and I have loved all of my rides so far this year. I think moving it to a park that really needs it a nice move and it gets a much needed B&M to the park.

[RomanHORSEman]

Definitely not one of the high B&M calibers though.........

[palmerleeberry]

Oh, just look on the bright side: if Iron Wolf does come to Six Flags America and it is rebuilt and it does run, then we can all say that Six Flags America finally has a new ride, although a hand-me-down, but a new ride nevertheless; and a used ride is much better than no ride at all. This year, Six Flags America took a dormant body slide, made some improvements, and brought it back to be better than ever (That's what I hope; I didn't get up there to ride it and if I did, I couldn't ride any body slides due to the recent surgery I had done on my back).

 

Maybe Six Flags can do the same with some much needed flats. For example, the Tango ride up in Six Flags Great Adventure. The last three times I've been there I have never seen this ride being running. Why not give this ride to Six Flags America so we can put this in the area near Roar? That was my wishful thinking. And since Skull Mountion is going, why not put a log flume in its place and give it a pirate themeing? That was my wishful thinking again.

 

Six Flags America, if you want me to return, then give me a reason or two why I should, then I shall. Maybe this will be it!

 

"I'm being used again and again and I like it. That was my wishful thinking."

[PhantomNick]

I dunno, the locals have said how much SFA needs a new coaster, but Iron Wolf? Really? I don't understand that one at all, considering how old it is already. When I rode it during my one trip to Six Flags Great America, it wasn't a terrible coaster, but it certainly wasn't good either. For me it was easily the weakest coaster in their lineup. Plus, you'd think it will only get rougher as the years pass by, right? Given the size of the place, I would think something like a Eurofighter, or even a spinning coaster, would be an ideal fit. I'll be keeping an eye on this to see how it all plays out.

[ilrider]

I dunno, the locals have said how much SFA needs a new coaster, but Iron Wolf? Really? I don't understand that one at all, considering how old it is already. When I rode it during my one trip to Six Flags Great America, it wasn't a terrible coaster, but it certainly wasn't good either. For me it was easily the weakest coaster in their lineup. Plus, you'd think it will only get rougher as the years pass by, right? Given the size of the place, I would think something like a Eurofighter, or even a spinning coaster, would be an ideal fit. I'll be keeping an eye on this to see how it all plays out.

 

If you get new B&M trains as rumored, you'll enjoy it much more, like it was when it first opened, which was very smooth and fun.

[JJ728]

If you get new B&M trains as rumored, you'll enjoy it much more, like it was when it first opened, which was very smooth and fun.

That answers the question I was going to ask. Is the problem with Iron Wolf the trains or the track itself becoming rough? If new trains are the solution, then I think this could be a good move for SFA (only because they haven't gotten a new coaster since 2001). Better then nothing, as a lot of people have already said.

[KDCOASTERFAN]

If you get new B&M trains as rumored, you'll enjoy it much more, like it was when it first opened, which was very smooth and fun.

That answers the question I was going to ask. Is the problem with Iron Wolf the trains or the track itself becoming rough? If new trains are the solution, then I think this could be a good move for SFA (only because they haven't gotten a new coaster since 2001). Better then nothing, as a lot of people have already said.

 

I think it's in the trains & wheels because how could the track,if properly designed & fabricated become "rough" over time on a steel coaster?Dominator for instance has become rough & has a horrid rattle but it wasn't like that in 08 when KD installed it considering the fact that,at the time it had been through 7 years of continuous operation at it's former location.

[TheStig]

If you get new B&M trains as rumored, you'll enjoy it much more, like it was when it first opened, which was very smooth and fun.

That answers the question I was going to ask. Is the problem with Iron Wolf the trains or the track itself becoming rough? If new trains are the solution, then I think this could be a good move for SFA (only because they haven't gotten a new coaster since 2001). Better then nothing, as a lot of people have already said.

 

I think it's in the trains & wheels because how could the track,if properly designed & fabricated become "rough" over time on a steel coaster?Dominator for instance has become rough & has a horrid rattle but it wasn't like that in 08 when KD installed it considering the fact that,at the time it had been through 7 years of continuous operation at it's former location.

 

Because when you send 20-ton ride vehicles several hundred thousand (or even million) times over the course of 21 years the track itself will flex. Rides are designed to "give" a little, and over time this happens. Granted better track design and supporting structure design has been prevalent, in the recent years. I do agree that proper maintenance of the trains themselves can lead to a longer lasting ride and overall better ride quality over time.

[QueerRudie]

I cannot belive I'm about to defend the actions of a theme park chain, let alone Six Flags America, but here goes...

 

All I have seen for the better part of the SFA/SFGAm threads over the past few weeks since the idea of IW' packing it's trunks up has been "Bitch, Moan, Bitch Some more, Moan Some more, WHINE WHINE WHINE WHINE, WAAAAHHH, cry some more, complain, complain, complain, crap on everybody..."

 

Common thoughts: "Oh, it's so rough, it's terrrible, how can anybody say it's smooth, it's too old," Etc.

 

Let me remind those people of this: BOTH Shockwave at KD and SkyRider at CW are OLDER than IW, and for that matter built by TOGO. And they do earn the call (From some people, myself included) of "PAINFUL". Now, compare either of those fine Japanese creations to Iron Wolf. And STOP COMPLAINING. Iron Wolf is still, 21 years later, SMOOTHER THAN EITHER ONE OF THEM, and for that matter, SMOOTHER THAN MOST ARROW COASTERS. If you want to ride a coaster that's like riding in your Grandmother's arms, you really shouldn't be riding a coaster. They're going to be a bit rough, they're going to throw you around.

 

Common thoughts: "Why can't we get a NEW coaster, It's used, it's old," Etc.

 

OK, it's not showroom new, it's not factory fresh, it doesn't have that new-train smell. Guess what? I really wanted a SFNE Batman floorless there, but GET OVER IT. It's STILL one more coaster than SFA has this year, and it's a great ride at that. No, it's not new, but then again, neither is Chang at SFGadv. Nor was Viper at SFaW, Zonga (Thriller/Taz's Tornado) at SFMW, the Original ShockWave at SFGadv/SFaW. Be thankful you're a coaster. Be thankful it's a good ride. And that it's a substantial addition for 2012, even if it's not new. I'm quite sure that it's not going to be the last addition to the park, despite it's current situation, and that SF inc. has other plans for the park in the future- it's a good ride, go and enjoy it.

 

And please, for the love of G-D, stop bitching. There are far more pressing problems in the world today than to whine about a coaster that's being moved into your park.

[TheSchwitek]

^ Amen Brotha.

[KDCOASTERFAN]

^^

We can't be sure that this is not a totally new design from B&M being planned for SFA as all we have to work with is that SFA has filed for a permit to build a standup coaster....keep in mind they did have plans to add a standup ten years ago but Batwing came along & put those plans on hold followed by six flag's insistence over the past decade that SFMM & GRADV get all the new coasters while the smaller parks(such as SFA) got squat year after year,which was Burke's fault & became a trend that Snyder continued during his term as CEO.

 

Don't rule out a new B&M standup just yet because B&M will build one if a park just asks them to & with the success of GL perhaps SFI,along with SFA have decided to install their own version of the larger standup design,we just have t o wait & see when SFA brings the request before the zoing board to learn what the stats will be for this ride.

[coasterfreak101]

^Do you really think it's just a coincidence that Great America confirmed today that Iron Wolf is leaving, and that SFA has already filed a permit for a stand-up?

[KDCOASTERFAN]

^Do you really think it's just a coincidence that Great America confirmed today that Iron Wolf is leaving, and that SFA has already filed a permit for a stand-up?

 

I'm taking a wait & see attitude on it ATM,but whatever it turns out to be I probably won't be rushing out for an SFA pass just yet as even my friends no longer like the park.