Six Flags New England (SFNE) Discussion Thread

[Genx24]

I visited the park yesterday with two friends (one was JCoaster) We were able to there from NYC for opening, which was a good omen for the entire day.

 

We hit Thunderbolt first to get the wood credit and to get it out of the way before the crowds built up. From there we went to tackle Goliath. All I can say about it is 'Wow!' Never experienced a giant inverted boomerang, so it was certainly a unique thrill for me, and sitting in the front row was great, especially when you start the climb before it goes backwards.

 

After Goliath we headed over to Dark Knight. Of the three B&M floorless I've been on, DK is easily the worst. Still a good ride, but it was very short, and a floorless is not a true floorless without a cobra roll. However, the first drop picked up quite a bit of speed, even in the front.

 

Then after some lunch at JB's Smokehouse, it was time for the main event: Bizarro. I'm honoured to finally have this credit under my belt. It's my new #1 steel and is fighting with El Toro for my #1 overall.

 

After Bizarro, we rode Gotham City Gauntlet and Catwoman's Whip just to get the credits. GCG is no great shakes, and Catwoman is inferior to its sister (Blackbeard at GAdv) because it only takes one lap. From those two rides we tackled Mind Eraser, which I hope lives up to it's name because I want to forget about it. Ouch.

 

Headed over to Pandemonium, which was a lot of fun. I was expecting something akin to a spinning wild mouse, but was taken by surprise by the constant spinning and the steeper than expected drops.

 

Took a quick spin on Blizzard River (loved the themeing!) , wanted to dry off on Goliath but it was down. Hit DK again to check out the backrow, then over to Bizarro again to do same. Then it was back on the road to NY. Overall, it was a great day, and I plan on visiting again next year to check out the RMC.

 

Thunderbolt 1x - 4/10

Goliath 1x - 8/10

Dark Knight 2x - 7/10

Bizarro 2x - 10/10

Gotham City Gauntlet 1x - 6/10

Catwoman's Whip 1x - 5/10

Mind Eraser 1x - 3/10

Pandemonium 1x - 8/10

Blizzard River 1x

Edited August 19, 2014 by Genx24

[coasterbill]

^^ Sorry you had to deal with that.

 

I hate to sound like a broken record here but I really want to stress that this park is awful. It's really one of the worst run parks I've ever been to. It has the worst, rudest employees of any corporate park I've been to. Ride operations are terrible, they remove every ride that gives the park any charm or that appeals to kids who are too old for kiddie rides but not tall enough for coasters. Now they close rides 30 minutes early to save money (according to markysharky17). They had the best coaster in the world and lost the title because they put horrendous restraints on it, then they got another coaster that was better than that coaster in it's current state and put a crappy new train on it that punishes riders in most seats (the front is okay but you can't choose your seat).

 

Most importantly though the employees are pretty much all teenagers and college kids who seem to take pleasure in making people miserable. It's probably the first ounce of "power" they've ever had so they when they can tell a guest they can't do something it just makes their day. It's gotten to the point where the park can make rules but employees just ignore them and make their own rules even when they're standing next to the sign that says the opposite of what they just told you. We used to go to this park 5-6 times a season and now we never go more than 1-2 even though it's less than 2 hours from the house. It's terrible.

 

My posts are usually not negative but when it comes to this park (and a few other Six Flags parks) it's just exhausting. I pick on Great Adventure but that park is a million times better than this one. They have better rides, better policies, better operations and better staff. This crappy park doesn't even belong in the same conversation as Canobie Lake, let alone Great Adventure.

 

Your experience is a little extreme but not surprising at all as everyone at this park is on a constant power trip. We never go to parks and argue with staff or act like entitled enthusiasts as I can't stand people like that, but we see people who don't do anything wrong getting yelled at by or arguing with staff multiple times on almost every visit to the park. This park is a hell hole, and unless you need credits don't waste your time there.

[tarheel1231]

I had a great time at SFOG, so does bad customer service only apply to certain parks?

[Jcoaster]

^^ Sorry you had to deal with that.

 

I hate to sound like a broken record here but I really want to stress that this park is awful. It's really one of the worst run parks I've ever been to. It has the worst, rudest employees of any corporate park I've been to. Ride operations are terrible, they remove every ride that gives the park any charm or that appeals to kids who are too old for kiddie rides but not tall enough for coasters. Now they close rides 30 minutes early to save money (according to markysharky17). They had the best coaster in the world and lost the title because they put horrendous restraints on it, then they got another coaster that was better than that coaster in it's current state and put a crappy new train on it that punishes riders in most seats (the front is okay but you can't choose your seat).

 

Most importantly though the employees are pretty much all teenagers and college kids who seem to take pleasure in making people miserable. It's probably the first ounce of "power" they've ever had so they when they can tell a guest they can't do something it just makes their day. It's gotten to the point where the park can make rules but employees just ignore them and make their own rules even when they're standing next to the sign that says the opposite of what they just told you. We used to go to this park 5-6 times a season and now we never go more than 1-2 even though it's less than 2 hours from the house. It's terrible.

 

My posts are usually not negative but when it comes to this park (and a few other Six Flags parks) it's just exhausting. I pick on Great Adventure but that park is a million times better than this one. They have better rides, better policies, better operations and better staff. This crappy park doesn't even belong in the same conversation as Canobie Lake, let alone Great Adventure.

 

Your experience is a little extreme but not surprising at all as everyone at this park is on a constant power trip. We never go to parks and argue with staff or act like entitled enthusiasts as I can't stand people like that, but we see people who don't do anything wrong getting yelled at by or arguing with staff multiple times on almost every visit to the park. This park is a hell hole, and unless you need credits don't waste your time there.

 

I accompanied Genx24 to the park yesterday and I didn't find this park to be the least bit terrible. The only thing that bothered me yesterday were the operations. Holy Hell were they slow. Now for the rides;

 

ThunderBolt - I could understand why it is an ACE classic being the parks original coaster, but really just meh. I've been spoiled by other old woodies Comet (Hershey Park), Comet (Great Escape) and the Coney Island Cyclone. 5/10

 

Goliath - I've only heard good things about Goliath when it is up and running. Now I understand, holy S*** dude! This thing was terrifying from the minute it started to the minute it ended. Vekoma did a good job here in my opinion the ride looks and sounds intimidating with a great ride to match. I rode with my head back and experienced no head banging. 9/10

 

Batman The Dark Knight - As far as floor less coasters go "meh". I preferred the other three I've been on (Dominator, Bizzaro and Hydra) to it easily. Layout is good but short. 6/10

 

After out ride on Batman we headed over to JB's Smokehouse. I have to say I was pleasantly surprised with the food. Best food I've ever had at a Six Flags park. I ate everyones coleslaw.

 

Bizzaro - The main event. I was waiting for this all day because it was my 100th credit . I've heard so much about this ride and it delivered on all fronts. It was everything everyone said it would be. I preferred the back row to the front, it provided a bit more ejector air for me. Thank you Intamin. 10/10

 

Gotham City Gauntlet - Screamed so hard on this with my buds the ride operator asked how bad it was cause it was a kid ride. We promptly told her "You must have never ridden that beast." Better than the Wild Mouse in a box at Great Adventure. 5/10

 

CatWoman's Whip - Catwoman is hot. 3/10

 

Mind Eraser - Your standard Vekoma SLC. I didn't get that beat up. "That" beat up. It is still an intense ride. 6/10

 

Pandemonium - I've never been on a spinning coaster but I must say I was belly laughing the entire time. So enjoyable, it makes me even more excited for "Laff Tack" and Hershey next year. 7/10

 

Blizzard River - Better than our closest rapids "Congo Rapids" by a country mile which is saying a lot since i'm from NYC. 7/10

 

Overall it was a pleasant day like I said. Was it the best park? Absolutely not. But it was clean and had Bizzaro.

[KBrylczyk]

Lots of crap with security

 

File a formal complaint with Six Flags Corporate and find a lawyer that doesn't need commercials or billboards. They'll change their tune VERY quickly once you threaten media attention.

[camthedominator]

You know what, that was a really crappy move by Six Flags. This will not make people want to visit the park.

[MagnumFreak25]

And Six Flags still thinks that they're losing money because of "A Long Winter".

[GayCoasterGuy]

^They keep changing their game plan. They keep customers confused. They don't treat their employees well (and brag about being the largest employer of minimum wage works . Why the hell would you try to make that sound cool??) It's kind of like they, the corporation, are taking the worst aspect of the idea of "corporation" and putting them to use. The lack of proper training, the YOLO attitude, it's all trickle-down. I'm sure someone could also explain better than I could about the crowds they attract - but it works out just fine for short term profit.

 

Every single SF park I've been to has had the worst customer service; then sometimes it's really good - it depends on the employee you get. Trade offs? We get some really great rides (albeit not full coasters, like Goliath) and sometimes you get some very sweet employees who know what they're doing.

 

*Remembering* the awful time an employee shoved down the lap bar on Superman so hard... I yelled at her (she kept bouncing on it - it was the year after the guy was thrown out), and she did it again. I had to go to first aid; complete with exam for bruising on the guy parts. That sucked. It was very painful, took time out of the day, just annoying. For the cherry on top, the park later sent me a generic apology form letter with my name spelled wrong.

[Devins3]

I have to agree about SFNE, it is by far the worst park that I have gone to. From the rude employees,terrible operations most of the time, to ride removals to the clientele of guests there is not much drawing me to this park. Superman used to be enough excuse to go but since its been Bizarro it has not been worth it to me. Ill just drive am hour further and go to Lake Compounce. Its not only me, I bring a lot of friends along with me on trips and nobody ever enjoys their time at SFNE. I miss the days when Shapiro was running things, maybe he didn't put in big roller coasters but the parks were much cleaner, and the ads in the park were not as obnoxious as they are now. Hopefully they see a drop in attendance and change their ways.

[EastCoastKid]

I visited SFNE two years ago because it's only about 5 hour from me. I had an absolutely horrible time with employees and did not enjoy the park much. I will never return, even with the RMC, unless changes are made.

[Generic Name]

Here's my take on how the park was operating, at least when I visited it.

 

- The staff was, well, all over the place. I thought they were friendly, but by the same token it was spotty; Thunderbolt (the first time I rode it) had a great ride op, but when I rode it a second time there was a different op who clearly wanted to be elsewhere. The clerk who worked at the little ice cream shop near Bizarro clearly wasn't trained enough - heck he told me he only had been hired the week before and he was looking everywhere in the counter for the ingredients for what I wanted to order (which was a small sundae), only to tell me they were out. So I asked for a different item (which I forget what it was)...and they were out of those ingredients, to the point where I got a small ice cream. I do feel a bit sorry for him because he clearly was anxious and now that I thought about it, he should've been better trained. As far as efficiency goes, that too was also sporadic. For instance, Thunderbolt was only running one train (which I think it typically does), but the ops were quick-ish. I think the turnaround time was 3 minutes between arrival and departure. Cyclone on the other hand was slow as hell, with trains stacking like crazy. I know many were trying to get their last rides in (myself included since it'd be my first and last ride), but it was ridiculous. By contrast, Batman - which also runs two trains - had a much shorter turnaround. Maybe Batman's staff was better trained? I wouldn't know, but two similar sized rides running two trains should have similar turnaround times, right?

 

- Advertising was to be expected. Yes I did think it was a bit obnoxious at times, but by the same token, it's a Six Flags, not a Busch Gardens park or Disney park (I can't comment on Cedar Fair since I haven't been to any barring KD - which the last time I visited that park it was still owned by Paramount), so I was expecting some advertising.

 

- The no cameras policy is stupid. Does that mean, for instance, if I were to go alone I can't take iPhone pictures of, say, Flashback or Mind Eraser? I can slightly understand trying to keep the new coaster somewhat secret but when RMC trucks and equipment have been arriving, the cover has been blown, so to speak. I'm guessing they are going with the thought that the GP doesn't know what RMC is or that the GP thinks RMC is a demolition company. Either way, that story left a sour taste in my mouth.

 

Maybe I'm jaded from living in Richmond; Kings Dominion was a 30 minute trip and Busch Gardens was about 90 minutes, so two major parks were nearby. I'll look forward going to Lake Compounce next year along with SFNE. I guess I just wish there was a second larger park in or near Western MA (yeah, there is SFGA but it's four hours away and if I go there it's gonna be a 2 day trip with friends).

[jynx242]

I had a great time at SFOG, so does bad customer service only apply to certain parks?

 

It is really hit-or-miss with Six Flags parks, but that being said - I personally feel that SFoG is a far superior Six Flags park to SFNE. Sure - they don't have an Intamin hypercoaster, but they have everything else. Maybe it is something about being in the South? The people are more often polite and just seem nicer to me.

[MagnumFreak25]

I've always thought that SFOG was the best SF Flags park. It has plenty of shade and they don't have many cheap gimmicky rides.

[GigaG]

On NoLimits-Exchange, somebody pointed this out. Remember that RCDB doesn't put up coasters unless they are essentially confirmed-

 

http://rcdb.com/1981.htm

[GayCoasterGuy]

It is really hit-or-miss with Six Flags parks, but that being said

 

I think you summed it up easiest!

 

I personally feel that SFoG is a far superior Six Flags park to SFNE. Sure - they don't have an Intamin hypercoaster, but they have everything else.

 

They have the perfection of Mind Bender, it's easy to forget about any other coaster while on that ride

[BoulderDash]

On NoLimits-Exchange, somebody pointed this out. Remember that RCDB doesn't put up coasters unless they are essentially confirmed-

 

http://rcdb.com/1981.htm

 

It is confirmed. There is track on-site.

[GigaG]

On NoLimits-Exchange, somebody pointed this out. Remember that RCDB doesn't put up coasters unless they are essentially confirmed-

 

http://rcdb.com/1981.htm

 

It is confirmed. There is track on-site.

 

Yeah, I know. It's just unusual. Probably because no track usually comes on site until post-announcement with some rides. With rides like I305, RCDB listed an Intamin as coming to KD before the announcement because of the track on site.

 

On another note, Carowinds' B&M isn't on RCDB even though there is track on site for it.

[beenagins87]

I had a great time at SFOG, so does bad customer service only apply to certain parks?

 

It is really hit-or-miss with Six Flags parks, but that being said - I personally feel that SFoG is a far superior Six Flags park to SFNE. Sure - they don't have an Intamin hypercoaster, but they have everything else. Maybe it is something about being in the South? The people are more often polite and just seem nicer to me.

 

SFOG has slow slow operations on some rides [ Scorcher, SUF] but even with slow operations, the actual workers have never been anything but 100% nice as can be whenever I go.. Of the 5 six flag parks I've been to [ KK, STL, Great America, Magic Mountain, SFOG] Georgia wins hands down, I think being polite is just ingrained in southern people for the most part.

[Dschu]

Skyscreamer Backwards was confirmed today!

[Mega_Coaster_77]

^I never go to fright fest, but this year I will have to go.

[MagnumFreak25]

New Teaser video!

[Brassinthegrass]

Looks like the font is made out of... Iron...

[KBrylczyk]

At least SFFT is trying to throw people off the scent and have them second-guessing themselves. SFNE gave up.

 

That's not to say Iron Cyclone won't be awesome, but this hype machine is sad.

[camthedominator]

I would think that making the Sky screamer go backwards wouldn't be that hard right...

[BoulderDash]

Just wanted to let everyone know my ban was lifted and the guy said it was a misunderstanding. Still mad that my day was ruined though.