Six Flags America (SFA) Discussion Thread

[mike541x]

How do crowds normally look on Labor day? I usually avoid going to amusement parks on holidays due to crowds but my friend's job company is having a picnic there and he's inviting me. Even on weekends the park doesn't usually pull off big crowds but I'm just wondering if Labor day would be any different.

[djcoastermark]

Also, how are the crowds the weekend after labor day? I see the hours are pretty short then, so I'm guessing light, I hope ? Any good discounts around after Labor Day? I am going to be in the area that weekend , and with only a day to spend at a park, figured as I have never been there, I'd give it a try. (already been to BGW once and KD twice this year) A few credits look interesting at SFA.

[agerikson]

Next week on Saturday I will be doing Six Flags America. I have never been here and don't know much about this park. I have heard things like its ghetto and stuff but I'm assuming that's bull. I really wanna go and ride Batwing! Will I need a fast pass for this park or no? And will I be able to ride everything in one day?

 

I only suggest the flash pass if you're doing the waterpark too. The good thing about SFA's flash pass is that it is cheap and is good for both the wet and dry park.

[CPSFMMCW]

You won't need a fast pass even if you're doing the water park. Which, btw, I really like their water park!

[eddie200330]

http://www.wusa9.com/story/news/local/maryland/2014/08/10/more-than-a-dozen-people-stuck-on-md-six-flags-ride/13865547/

[Highridin]

If the picture is accurate, that is the same place it got stuck at on a testing run about 3-4 weeks ago.

[KBrylczyk]

At least it was just a valley and not the train crashing into a tree (looking at you Magic Mountain).

[molemaster43]

It got stuck there earlier this year. Took this on June 16.

 

[robbalvey]

Watch the live stream of them evacing riders. It's actually kind of interesting to watch the process!

 

http://abcnews.go.com/live?stream=2

Edited August 10, 2014 by robbalvey

[Highridin]

It got stuck there earlier this year. Took this on June 16.

 

[attachment=0]IMG_2376.JPG[/attachment]

I was there that day.

[molemaster43]

It got stuck there earlier this year. Took this on June 16.

 

[attachment=0]IMG_2376.JPG[/attachment]

I was there that day.

 

That was a bit of a bummer day. Ragin' Cajun was still under construction, Joker's Jinx was stuck and Wild One was down.

[GigaG]

^Does anybody like S:ROS? What about Batwing - Vekoma flyers are actually good rides! Although I would be pissed too.

 

Robb, that stream link looks like a generic ABC stream.

 

Also, are they using a ladder fire truck to reach the train?

[ArundelHigh Coasters]

Wow! This kind of stuff has never happened to Jokers Jinx before! I was about to go to the park today too! The last time something like this happened at SFA was back in 2007 when Two-Face stalled. I also like Batwing. Much better than the Superman clones. Though, i like the one at Georgia. Superman is a great hyper, its one of my favorites.

[molemaster43]

^Does anybody like S:ROS? What about Batwing - Vekoma flyers are actually good rides! Although I would be pissed too.

 

I personally loved S:RoS and it has entered my Top 10. The helices do kill the momentum of the ride, but at least they aren't totally forceless.

 

Batwing was also a very pleasant surprise. It was just a ton of fun. I do prefer Firehawk, but Batwing still is really fun. The park was saved a bit, even with the closures of rides, by the surprise factor from Roar, Superman and Batwing, which were all good rides (Having a really good drop tower also helped).

[Oryp]

Maybe they'll actually run Joker at decent speeds from now on. I thought the valley earlier in the season would do it, but apparently not.

[coasterfreak101]

^That's what I was wondering. Seems like maybe we could pony up the cash for the extra electricity and run the thing at design speed, not in cost-saver mode.

[aCoasterStory]

^That's what I was wondering. Seems like maybe we could pony up the cash for the extra electricity and run the thing at design speed, not in cost-saver mode.

 

What's interesting is that when I was there earlier this year, they were launching both trains but only loading one. Think of all the electricity they were wasting launching empty trains.

[Oryp]

^That's what I was wondering. Seems like maybe we could pony up the cash for the extra electricity and run the thing at design speed, not in cost-saver mode.

 

What's interesting is that when I was there earlier this year, they were launching both trains but only loading one. Think of all the electricity they were wasting launching empty trains.

 

That's insane. Almost as insane as Roar's "DO NOT TOUCH YOUR RESTRAINTS" policy, and also the brilliant idea of strapping the woodies' seat belts around the lapbar in empty seats. Roar has the worst operations of any ride I've been on.

[Philrad71]

That's what I was wondering. Seems like maybe we could pony up the cash for the extra electricity and run the thing at design speed, not in cost-saver mode.

 

^Is that really what the park has been doing and does anyone have proof?

 

If so, does anyone know if the FoF's at the Cedar Fair parks have also been "power-neutered"? I know that FoF at KD seemed to crawl through the 2nd half, but I thought that was just due to the heavy brake in the mid-course run. The launch still seemed pretty intense at the beginning to me.

 

Wonder what would happen if this would have happened on FoF? Do they evac equipment inside the building (or have room for it), or would they have to remove part of the building in order to access the riders?

[Oryp]

That's what I was wondering. Seems like maybe we could pony up the cash for the extra electricity and run the thing at design speed, not in cost-saver mode.

 

^Is that really what the park has been doing and does anyone have proof?

 

If so, does anyone know if the FoF's at the Cedar Fair parks also been power-neutered? I know that FoF at KD seemed to crawl through the 2nd half, but I thought that was just due to the heavy brake in the mid-course run. The launch still seemed pretty intense at the beginning to me.

 

Wonder what would happen if this would have happened on FoF? Do they evac equipment inside the building (or have room for it), or would they have to remove part of the building in order to access the riders?

 

KD's FoF still has the full-speed launch, which actually gives some light airtime at the same spot where JJ just valleyed. The difference is pretty significant. You are correct, FoF has a slower second half because it nearly stops on the MCBR.

 

I can't speak for KI. Hopefully I'll get out there next year.

[GigaG]

^That's what I was wondering. Seems like maybe we could pony up the cash for the extra electricity and run the thing at design speed, not in cost-saver mode.

 

What's interesting is that when I was there earlier this year, they were launching both trains but only loading one. Think of all the electricity they were wasting launching empty trains.

 

That's insane. Almost as insane as Roar's "DO NOT TOUCH YOUR RESTRAINTS" policy, and also the brilliant idea of strapping the woodies' seat belts around the lapbar in empty seats. Roar has the worst operations of any ride I've been on.

 

Do not touch your restraints? WHAT? During the ride or during loading? Either way, it's pretty stupid.

Cedar Point sometimes does the "cycle one train" thing, as does Knotts. I guess it is to warm one train up. It does seem stupider to do it on a launched coaster.

 

 

That's what I was wondering. Seems like maybe we could pony up the cash for the extra electricity and run the thing at design speed, not in cost-saver mode.

 

^Is that really what the park has been doing and does anyone have proof?

 

If so, does anyone know if the FoF's at the Cedar Fair parks also been power-neutered? I know that FoF at KD seemed to crawl through the 2nd half, but I thought that was just due to the heavy brake in the mid-course run. The launch still seemed pretty intense at the beginning to me.

 

Wonder what would happen if this would have happened on FoF? Do they evac equipment inside the building (or have room for it), or would they have to remove part of the building in order to access the riders?

 

KD's FoF still has the full-speed launch, which actually gives some light airtime at the same spot where JJ just valleyed. The difference is pretty significant. You are correct, FoF has a slower second half because it nearly stops on the MCBR.

 

I can't speak for KI. Hopefully I'll get out there next year.

 

They really launch at slower speeds to save electricity? Wow. Can anybody say if KI's FoF is fast through the first half like KD's?

[CoasterLover]

http://www.wusa9.com/story/news/local/maryland/2014/08/10/more-than-a-dozen-people-stuck-on-md-six-flags-ride/13865547/

 

4.5 hours later and everyone is on the ground. They site the long delay because everyone needed to be individually harnessed before they could release the restraints on each car (which makes sense) and the firetruck/bucket needed to be repositioned for every car.

[eddie200330]

Just a thought, but would there be any way to just "push" the train over the crest and let it finish the run??

[Oryp]

^That's what I was wondering. Seems like maybe we could pony up the cash for the extra electricity and run the thing at design speed, not in cost-saver mode.

 

What's interesting is that when I was there earlier this year, they were launching both trains but only loading one. Think of all the electricity they were wasting launching empty trains.

 

That's insane. Almost as insane as Roar's "DO NOT TOUCH YOUR RESTRAINTS" policy, and also the brilliant idea of strapping the woodies' seat belts around the lapbar in empty seats. Roar has the worst operations of any ride I've been on.

 

Do not touch your restraints? WHAT? During the ride or during loading? Either way, it's pretty stupid.

 

During loading they tell you over and over not to pull down your lapbar, and that an operator will do it for you. The only thing I can think is that it's so they can more easily check the seatbelt before it gets squashed under the bar, but it's definitely not making things better. I've clocked 4+ minute dispatches. Not cycles, dispatches.

[coasterfreak101]

That's what I was wondering. Seems like maybe we could pony up the cash for the extra electricity and run the thing at design speed, not in cost-saver mode.

 

^Is that really what the park has been doing and does anyone have proof?

 

If so, does anyone know if the FoF's at the Cedar Fair parks have also been "power-neutered"? I know that FoF at KD seemed to crawl through the 2nd half, but I thought that was just due to the heavy brake in the mid-course run. The launch still seemed pretty intense at the beginning to me.

 

Wonder what would happen if this would have happened on FoF? Do they evac equipment inside the building (or have room for it), or would they have to remove part of the building in order to access the riders?

 

Joker's Jinx has a slowed launch but no MCBR, the two Flight of Fear twins have the fast launch but killer MCBR, and Poltergeist at SFFT has the fast launch and no MCBR.

 

Also, Flight of Fear has a huge crane system built into the roof to rescue the trains in case this happens. I'm not sure if it can be used to get riders down, but I think there's room at the base for a truck to drive in and do the same thing they did today with Joker.