Six Flags America (SFA) Discussion Thread

[coasterfreak101]

And lines are usually shorter. Not that that really matters for SFA anyway! Haha.

[CoasterNERD502]

^Lines are nonexistant outside of the waterpark at SFA! But it used to be packed when Fright Fest was good.

And earlier, someone said there are two mazes, that is false. There is only one maze and it's the worst piece of crap ever(Bridge of Terror). Blood Moon Rising is a show. The train looks like the only really interesting attraction they have to offer, but knowing its SFA, it will be some garbage. I hate to bash this park as its my homepark and I used to defend it with all my heart, but its the same old crap year after year.

[coasterfreak101]

^My point exactly!

 

Has the train ride ever involved getting off in the woods? Maybe they'll do a semi-decent job...

[KDCOASTERFAN]

^Lines are nonexistant outside of the waterpark at SFA! But it used to be packed when Fright Fest was good.

And earlier, someone said there are two mazes, that is false. There is only one maze and it's the worst piece of crap ever(Bridge of Terror). Blood Moon Rising is a show. The train looks like the only really interesting attraction they have to offer, but knowing its SFA, it will be some garbage. I hate to bash this park as its my homepark and I used to defend it with all my heart, but its the same old crap year after year.

 

I hear ya & after years of defending the park I've had it with the place.I havn't visited since 07 & don't plan to unless some major investments are made to at least bring the park more in line with the other SF properties,but we know that's not gonna happen.

[CoasterNERD502]

^My point exactly!

 

Has the train ride ever involved getting off in the woods? Maybe they'll do a semi-decent job...

 

Yeah, they did it last year and it was just a bunch of actors standing on that two-mile path from Oak Grove (picnic Pavilion) to Gotham. It was unique, but it could have been soooooooo much better. They have like 5 random warehouses back there. USE IT TO YOUR ADVANTAGE!!! Those could have been haunted houses since SFA is in desperate need of a REAL one.

 

I hear ya & after years of defending the park I've had it with the place.I havn't visited since 07 & don't plan to unless some major investments are made to at least bring the park more in line with the other SF properties,but we know that's not gonna happen.

 

I went the other day, since I had absolutely nothing to do, and was craving a funnel cake lol. I actually had a good time, but this place is in need of a new thrilling attraction. Thomas Town is great and all, but what am I gonna do with that? What would I look like waiting in line to ride Thomas the Chu Chu Train lol. (BTW, I'm 18 just incase anyone was wondering lol)

[coasterfreak101]

Last time I went I tried to ride Cranky the Crane, and it was closed. Biggest disappointment of my life right there.

 

Thomas Town is really nice, but I've honestly never seen more than ten people in there. Granted, I haven't been to the park on a weekend all season, I don't think. But still. Great investment, and I'm hoping they'll see a return; I'm just afraid that they won't.

[alilstronger]

This park used to be so nice when it was Adventure World. Once Six Flags bought it, I had such good thoughts for what this park could be changed into. So they added lots of coasters in a just a few years and then stopped. I honestly, do not see the point of this. Also they keep getting rid of the flats!!! First the Iron Eagle (which was my reason to go here), the Enterprise, Chaos, Tilt A Whirl, Octopus... who knows what else will be taken out... Rodeo? pirate ship? Falling Star? Cyclone?

 

I do not diss the work that has been done. To me it is just not enough. They claim that SFI is broke. Well instead of building BRAND NEW parks in other countries they should take some of that money and put it into some of their basic parks here. they should do like other chains and make each park equal. What I mean by that is give each park something special - share the wealth. Give me a reason to travel to each Six Flags!

Edited September 30, 2010 by alilstronger

[CardCraze]

I went the other day, since I had absolutely nothing to do, and was craving a funnel cake lol. I actually had a good time, but this place is in need of a new thrilling attraction. Thomas Town is great and all, but what am I gonna do with that? What would I look like waiting in line to ride Thomas the Chu Chu Train lol. (BTW, I'm 18 just incase anyone was wondering lol)

 

Yea, pretty much, until The attendence of the park justifies a major addition.

 

Six Flags is a major company, their main focus is to make money. And how do they make money? With attendence of course! So, logically, parks that have higher attendence (Magic Mountain, Great Adventure, etc.) have a tendancy to get new rides more often. SFA got the addition of Thomas Town this year which is a step in the right direction. So, if the attendence keeps improving, than fairly soon a major addition will be placed in the park! But, it's up to you and the rest of the GP to give Six Flags Inc. a reason to expan the park.

[Saldek]

...I do not diss the work that has been done. To me it is just not enough. They claim that SFI is broke. Well instead of building BRAND NEW parks in other countries they should take some of that money and put it into some of their basic parks here.

 

Is Six Flags investing money into the proposed parks for Dubailand and Nigeria?

 

I thought they were doing strategic partnerships with companies/agencies that would be funding the projects.

[Bolliger&Mabillard]

Yea, pretty much, until The attendence of the park justifies a major addition.

But that's not always the case. Statistically, Great America and Great Adventure beat out Magic Mountain in attendance numbers, However Magi Mountain sees the most in capital imporovements. How can you raise attendance if you don't offer a reason for people to come? Magic Mountain sees all it does because it's in a much more competitive market, and is able to generate money in the off-season with renting out the park in times where every other park is three feet under snow. Great Adventure serves the most densly populated area in the United States, and also has its share of competition. America just gets neglected because it's not a cash cow like the top two. So it just stays open and is "there'.

[CardCraze]

But that's not always the case.

I feel it's more the bad rep SFA gets than the location. I mean, you can see it in this very thread. "I don't feel safe." "The park is disgusting."

 

The park is improving in that general catagory, but as many can also tell you, they still have a fair amount of work remaining. Especially with Kings Dominion 2 or 2 and 1/2 hours away, and BGW only 3 and 1/2 or 4.

 

The park has some great coasters. I love the Wild One and S:ROS. I also enjoy Batwing and Joker's Jinx.

 

But until this park can establish a better location, it doesn't matter where it is, it will suffer below average attendence. Which, I personally feel is a shame.

[Capitalize]

So, if the attendence keeps improving, than fairly soon a major addition will be placed in the park! But, it's up to you and the rest of the GP to give Six Flags Inc. a reason to expan the park.

Its up to us to attend a park, so they can actually give us a reason to want to go later? I think you have that backwards personally.

[StarWars]

But that's not always the case.

I feel it's more the bad rep SFA gets than the location. I mean, you can see it in this very thread. "I don't feel safe." "The park is disgusting."

 

The park is improving in that general catagory, but as many can also tell you, they still have a fair amount of work remaining. Especially with Kings Dominion 2 or 2 and 1/2 hours away, and BGW only 3 and 1/2 or 4.

 

The park has some great coasters. I love the Wild One and S:ROS. I also enjoy Batwing and Joker's Jinx.

 

But until this park can establish a better location, it doesn't matter where it is, it will suffer below average attendence. Which, I personally feel is a shame.

 

Don't forget Hersheypark and Six Flags Great Adventure. They are fairly close as well.

[CardCraze]

So, if the attendence keeps improving, than fairly soon a major addition will be placed in the park! But, it's up to you and the rest of the GP to give Six Flags Inc. a reason to expan the park.

Its up to us to attend a park, so they can actually give us a reason to want to go later? I think you have that backwards personally.

My point is, looking at it from the business side of the equation: the higher the attendence, the higher the rate of new rides. Just because attendence is low, doesn't mean a park should be neglected, and SFA isn't neglected, as Thomas Town has showed.

 

However, there is a difference between nice, small additions, and massive coasters. The first is easy to build and, as we saw this year, allows parks to re-locate things and rework the park, while still being able to advertise the entire thing as "new rides".

 

Bottom line is that SFA will continue to see improvements and additions to the park. However, until the atendence justifies anything further, additions will be few and far between.

[redfoot12]

and SFA isn't neglected...

 

[Bolliger&Mabillard]

My point is, looking at it from the business side of the equation: the higher the attendence, the higher the rate of new rides. Just because attendence is low, doesn't mean a park should be neglected, and SFA isn't neglected, as Thomas Town has showed.

Also not always the case. Let me give you some numbers of the past 20 years.

Since 1990, Six Flags Great Adventure has beat out every Six Flags park in attendance and Magic Mountain have traded off year after year until about 2000 when Magic Mountain rest in at a solid third. However, let's look at the additions each park has gotten. Let's Keep in mind that the order of each park in terms of attendance goes: 1. Gadv, 2. Gam, 3. MM

 

What Great Adventure got in a 20 year span

1990-Shockwave

1993-Batman

1995-Viper

1996-Skull Mountain

1998-Chiller

1999-Medusa & The Treasure Train

2001-Nitro

2003-Superman

2005-Kingda Ka

2006-El Toro

2008-Dark Knight

 

Total coasters built in 20 years:12 Removed:3 Net Gain:+9

 

What Magic Mountain got in a 20 year span

1990-Viper

1991-Psyclone

1992-Flashback

1994-Batman

1997-Superman

1998-Riddler's Revenge

1999-Canyon Blaster

2000-Goliath

2001-Deja Vu

2002-X

2003-Scream!

2006-Tatsu

2009-Terminator

 

Total built in 20 years:13 Removed:2 Net gain:+11

 

What Great America got in a 20 year span

1990-Iron Wolf

1992-Batman

1995-Viper

1998-Sprocket Rockets

1999-Raging Bull

2001-Vertical Velocity & Deja Vu

2003-Superman

2004-Ragin' Cajun

2008-Dark Knight

Total coasters:10 Removed:1 Net gain:+9

 

Six Flags' past purchsing patterns shows something different from your idea that high attendance means high capital expenditures. Because even though Great Adventure and Great America continue to be Magic Mountain year after year, it receives the most in capital improvments. And for a park to receive over 80% of it's coaster collection in a span of two years only to go a decade with nothing spells neglect.

 

This isn't a flame or rant, it's just that if you are going to make a claim, make sure you have grounds for the claim.

[Bolliger&Mabillard]

My point is, looking at it from the business side of the equation: the higher the attendence, the higher the rate of new rides. Just because attendence is low, doesn't mean a park should be neglected, and SFA isn't neglected, as Thomas Town has showed.

Also not always the case. Let me give you some numbers of the past 20 years.

Since 1990, Six Flags Great Adventure has beat out every Six Flags park in attendance and Magic Mountain have traded off year after year until about 2000 when Magic Mountain rest in at a solid third. However, let's look at the additions each park has gotten. Let's Keep in mind that the order of each park in terms of attendance goes: 1. Gadv, 2. Gam, 3. MM

 

What Great Adventure got in a 20 year span

1990-Shockwave

1993-Batman

1995-Viper

1996-Skull Mountain

1998-Chiller

1999-Medusa & The Treasure Train

2001-Nitro

2003-Superman

2005-Kingda Ka

2006-El Toro

2008-Dark Knight

 

Total coasters built in 20 years:12 Removed:3 Net Gain:+9

 

What Magic Mountain got in a 20 year span

1990-Viper

1991-Psyclone

1992-Flashback

1994-Batman

1997-Superman

1998-Riddler's Revenge

1999-Canyon Blaster

2000-Goliath

2001-Deja Vu

2002-X

2003-Scream!

2006-Tatsu

2009-Terminator

 

Total built in 20 years:13 Removed:2 Net gain:+11

 

What Great America got in a 20 year span

1990-Iron Wolf

1992-Batman

1995-Viper

1998-Sprocket Rockets

1999-Raging Bull

2001-Vertical Velocity & Deja Vu

2003-Superman

2004-Ragin' Cajun

2008-Dark Knight

Total coasters:10 Removed:1 Net gain:+9

 

Six Flags' past purchsing patterns shows something different from your idea that high attendance means high capital expenditures. Because even though Great Adventure and Great America continue to be Magic Mountain year after year, it receives the most in capital improvments. And for a park to receive over 80% of it's coaster collection in a span of two years only to go a decade with nothing spells neglect.

 

This isn't a flame or rant, it's just that if you are going to make a claim, make sure you have grounds for the claim.

[Capitalize]

So, if the attendence keeps improving, than fairly soon a major addition will be placed in the park! But, it's up to you and the rest of the GP to give Six Flags Inc. a reason to expan the park.

Its up to us to attend a park, so they can actually give us a reason to want to go later? I think you have that backwards personally.

My point is, looking at it from the business side of the equation: the higher the attendence, the higher the rate of new rides. Just because attendence is low, doesn't mean a park should be neglected, and SFA isn't neglected, as Thomas Town has showed.

 

However, there is a difference between nice, small additions, and massive coasters. The first is easy to build and, as we saw this year, allows parks to re-locate things and rework the park, while still being able to advertise the entire thing as "new rides".

 

Bottom line is that SFA will continue to see improvements and additions to the park. However, until the atendence justifies anything further, additions will be few and far between.

I agree with your general premise. And I definitely don't think that SFA as it stands right now merits or could justify receiving massive, new additions season after season. Thomas Town was a nice addition to the park, especially considering how few and far between such additions have been for the past decade. I hope that the trend continues and more is added for the 2012 season (since all signs point to 2011 being an off year as far as new stuff goes). A nice moderate sized coaster would work great. I don't think in this region it is fair to the park to simply say the attendance isn't there now, so they shouldn't get receive anything. People need to have a reason to want to visit the park, or they'll just go somewhere else where they have new attractions every season or two - plenty of choices within a couple/few hours. SFA spent a lot of time building a better infrastructure for the park, I think now they are in a good position to start adding new attractions again.

[alilstronger]

^^ (I can not figure out how to just get the park of the quote I want)

 

 

I totally agree with you here. I would much rather travel to Hershey, Dorney, KD, SFGA, or BG.

[CardCraze]

Also not always the case. Let me give you some numbers of the past 20 years.

Since 1990, Six Flags Great Adventure has beat out every Six Flags park in attendance and Magic Mountain have traded off year after year until about 2000 when Magic Mountain rest in at a solid third. However, let's look at the additions each park has gotten. Let's Keep in mind that the order of each park in terms of attendance goes: 1. Gadv, 2. Gam, 3. MM

 

But do you still see the general trend? Those three parks have high attendence, and thus, have recieved (somewhat) major additions. Six Flags America has not had the same numbers in attendence that those parks have, and thus has recieved small-moderate sized additions each year.

 

My point is, Six Flags America certainly isn't leading the chain in terms of attendence. I (again) personally feel a wild mouse coaster or a small to moderate coaster would be a nice addition to the park. BUT: The park just isn't in line to recieve major additions at the same rate as SFGADV, SFMM, SFGAM.

[Bolliger&Mabillard]

^Your last claim I can agree with, in regards that Six Flags America is not a powerhouse in the chain. However, expecting people to come to a park with nothing enticing them to is absurd. The catch-22 with this park is that two other parks within driving distance that offer a more thrilling product, and to steal some of that thunder is going to take a big product. And if Six Flags is not going to even try to compete with the local market, even though they clearly do with MM and Gadv, says they neglect the park. Thomas Town was a good addition, but that's not what they needed. They needed a new coaster 5 years ago, and it never came. And from the looks of it it won't.

[CoasterNERD502]

Did anyone realize how many rides SFA has lost? I got alittle sad reading this on SFAfans.com

 

http://www.sfafans.com/showthread.php?t=5723

 

All those rides gone, and in replacement, Thomas Town which is mainly moved rides with 3 actually new rides!! Yayy!!

[alilstronger]

Did anyone realize how many rides SFA has lost? I got alittle sad reading this on SFAfans.com

 

http://www.sfafans.com/showthread.php?t=5723

 

All those rides gone, and in replacement, Thomas Town which is mainly moved rides with 3 actually new rides!! Yayy!!

 

 

 

I have been sad for years about it. I miss Iron Eagle and Sky Escaper.

[Geauga Dog]

While several people have stated that SFMM and SFGAdv get most of the newer rides to their parks, also take into account all of the rides they have lost over the years. So SFA has lost a lot of rides but the two aforementioned parks have lost a lot more in comparison. All those flat rides Great Adventure added in '99 are pretty much gone.

 

I've never been to SFA but would like to sometime if I ever get back down in that area again. I get the impression that the park is not in the greatest of areas. By adding big time coasters and such wouldn't that draw the clientele that seem to keep families away?

[KDCOASTERFAN]

I went the other day, since I had absolutely nothing to do, and was craving a funnel cake lol. I actually had a good time, but this place is in need of a new thrilling attraction. Thomas Town is great and all, but what am I gonna do with that? What would I look like waiting in line to ride Thomas the Chu Chu Train lol. (BTW, I'm 18 just incase anyone was wondering lol)

 

Yea, pretty much, until The attendence of the park justifies a major addition.

 

Six Flags is a major company, their main focus is to make money. And how do they make money? With attendence of course! So, logically, parks that have higher attendence (Magic Mountain, Great Adventure, etc.) have a tendancy to get new rides more often. SFA got the addition of Thomas Town this year which is a step in the right direction. So, if the attendence keeps improving, than fairly soon a major addition will be placed in the park! But, it's up to you and the rest of the GP to give Six Flags Inc. a reason to expan the park.

 

True but they need to give me a reason to return to the park in order for that to happen and,as I mentioned in a recent email to SFI it's not gonna happen by adding attractions only to the waterpark or adding new kiddie rides to the themepark sections once every three years or so.The last major ride the park recieved was PBR some seven years ago & the last coaster they added was going on 10 years ago.People have noticed the lack of new additions to the park along with the removal of the precious few rides they had to begin with that were mainly installed duringthe AW era & attendance has fallen off as a result.

 

If SFI says the reason for not adding a major ride such as even a small coaster like a spinner to the park is due to their declining attendance then they're at an impass of their own making as without major new ride additions the park's attendance levels will continue to decline as a result.How do they expect to grow attendance without a new major ride to bring people into the park?