Six Flags New England (SFNE) Discussion Thread

[ScreaminNewEngland]

Hope won't help you out. The par will be paced all weekend. Flash Pass is worth it 100% during this time.

[Blind Idiot God]

Fourth of July weekend? Yeah, going there and hoping that it won't be slammed is about as realistic as jumping into a tank of sharks with an open wound and hoping that you won't be devoured. I mean, you could pony up for a Flash Pass, but it's still going to be so absurdly crowded that you're better off just waiting to go another day.

[Superbatboy]

July 2nd or 6th might end up being absolutely dead, I've noticed parks have pretty slow days in the days prior or following national holidays.

[thrillrider]

Unfortunately it's the only day we can go.

 

Do they offer discounts on the flash pass for season pass holders? Otherwise that would cost us $120. We are most interested in hitting the new coaster, bizzaro,goliath, and a few of the other coasters. We are going to skip the cookie cutters like mind eraser, boomerang, and pandemonium.

 

I know that my home park of cedarpoint is busy on the 4th, but not "slammed" until later in the day. I know a lot of people are scared about going to the parks on the 4th due to the crowds, and that keeps some people away.

[njcoasterguy34]

The only discount you get is $5 off per person. Last year they had some coupons you could use to add a friend for free, but they don't offer those this year.

[WindexCyanide13]

The buy one get one flash pass coupons were the bomb. The 5 off is horrible!

[Guy T. Koepp]

I think the Club TPR discount is probably one of the best out there.

 

Guy "Club TPR pusher." Koepp

[ejot]

Had a really great day at the park today. Actually got a true walk-on ride on Goliath ... walked straight up to the grouper, got row 2 and bam, gates open, on a train. Never seen that before. The front few rows of Goliath ride very nicely for me but my back row lap was really brutal and not that enjoyable.

 

Wicked Cyclone did build a ~20 minute wait by late afternoon. Has anyone ridden in the last couple days? Both trains had this funny, high-frequency vibration that - and this is really funny but I swear everyone in my group agreed - tickled your feet. It was not squeaking at all and was running on nylon. Beautiful roaring sound. The course just blows my mind every time but the tickling kind of detracted from the ride. In about ten laps I'm still yet to get any seat outside rows 6-10, so it's still really hard to give this ride my full understanding.

 

Why is Bizarro's lift hill so silent? The guy in the row in front of me pointed out that he didn't hear any chain dogs at all, and I was suddenly like, "woah, that's crazy."

[El Toro_Ryan]

Why is Bizarro's lift hill so silent? The guy in the row in front of me pointed out that he didn't hear any chain dogs at all, and I was suddenly like, "woah, that's crazy."

 

Bizarro has anti-rollbacks but they only engage when the train is moving very slowly or comes to a stop. I'm pretty sure the rollbacks are held up by a magnet force that is created when the train is in motion while traveling up the lift.

[kweiss]

Hey guys,

 

I'm staying 15 minutes from SFNE through Friday. I can go to the park Monday through Thursday from 5 PM to close.

 

I'm here for bizzaro. I've wanted to ride it since the Superman days when it was unquestionably the best steel in the world. Sounds like I won't get the full experience as it's been a little underwhelming lately though. Wicked Cycle is an awesome bonus and just may steal the show. So two questions:

 

1) Any ideas what kind of crowds to expect during the week before close? I'm debating whether I can fit in all the coasters in one day (5:30 PM to 9 PM) or if I should get a season pass and plan on a couple nights. Which leads me to...

2) How long does season pass processing take? Since I only have a few hours before close I don't want to spend a ton of time getting my picture taking and all that.

 

I appreciate any advice.

[BoulderDash]

1) It should not be that bad during the week, I was there Thursday and the crowds were very light. Schools are out though so things might change. I usually find the crowds to be hit or miss,

2) Processing should be almost instant if you do it online. I believe they scan your print out, you scan your finger, and they give you a pass. Done.

 

If you try hard you could probably hit all coasters in 4 hours depending on crowds. I would suggest multiple days if you are only going for a few hours a day.

[coasterbill]

Sounds like I won't get the full experience as it's been a little underwhelming lately though.

 

In the past the ride was amazing in ever seat but it's really become a front seat ride. If you want the best experience, wait for the front seat. When we rode it in the front during ERT last week it really felt like the ride had re-captured it's former glory. Our rides near the back of the train were underwhelming though, still fun... but a little sluggish and rattly. The ride does seem a bit sluggish, but the sensation of speed from being in the front hides that nicely.

[CPmillenia94]

I'd say it's the opposite (front sluggish compared to back). I'd say try both and decide for yourself.

[kweiss]

Thanks guys. Does SFNE offer an upgrade to a season pass, if you've already purchased a ticket?

 

I know Lake Compounce was allowing you to pay the difference between your ticket and a season pass, if you wanted to upgrade while you were in the park.

 

That'd be ideal if I get halfway through my visit and realize I wished I could come back later in the week.

[coasterbill]

Thanks guys. Does SFNE offer an upgrade to a season pass, if you've already purchased a ticket?

 

Oh absolutely, and not only do they offer it... they practically whore it out every second of every day.

[njcoasterguy34]

they practically whore it out every second of every day.

 

[kweiss]

Thanks guys. Does SFNE offer an upgrade to a season pass, if you've already purchased a ticket?

 

Oh absolutely, and not only do they offer it... they practically whore it out every second of every day.

I wonder if this is just for the $80 season pass, or if it also applies to the $62 thrill pass (unlimited visits to SFNE).

[timetrial3141592]

It's for the season pass. Specifically, the one that does NOT include parking.

[USCoaster]

I was also there on Sunday and it was one of the best visits to the park that I have had in the last couple years due to the light crowds. I think my friend and I walked on to Goliath, Flashback, Mind Eraser and Batman and had a 2 train wait for the back row of Bizarro followed by a 1 train wait for row 2. (We skipped the first row because they only ran one train all day and there was probably an 8-10 train wait for the front row every time we entered the station.) And as far as I can remember I think every one of the employees were friendly and pleasant to be around.

 

This was my first trip to the park since Wicked Cyclone opened so I was completely blow away by the ride. We rode in row 3 the first ride due to the assigned rows and in the last row the second ride since the ride-op let us ride there instead of moving up to row 3 again after a group using an exit pass took the front car (we would have been in the front row otherwise). I'm not sure if I remember a whole lot of difference between the front and the back besides the first drop. My first ride I was just enjoying the ride and I was able to pay more attention during the later rides. I don't know if I noticed any of the tickling that ejot mentioned in his report but I haven't had a chance to ride it prior to this weekend so I don't have anything to compare it too. I love the amount of airtime during the ride and even after having watch the POV videos over and over, was not prepared for how much fun the first reverse banked airtime hill is or the amount of floaty hangtime in the three rolls. I don't know if I would put it at #1 but its probably in the top 3 of coasters I have been on. (I keep thinking its on par with early 2000s' Ghostrider during the last hour of Knott's Coaster Solace with the lights off and no brake before the drop and pre-shed.)

 

One thought I had after riding Bizarro three times this trip is that I am always slightly disappointed with the second half of the ride. I never got to experience in its original form so I don't know how much better it was, but while I can see where there might be good moments in the twisted bowl of track, they don't ever really deliver and that's before the trim kills one of the bunny hops and causes the train to vibrate the rest of the way back to the station.

[Koasterking48]

I know I asked this question a few months ago, but i feel the need to ask again since I'm definitely going to Boston. How accessible is the park from Boston? I've seen the Peter Pan bus option with the ticket, but haven't heard if it's safe or reliable. Has anyone used this service before? And how are crowds around July 12 or 13? Busy enough to warrant a flash pass?

 

Thanks!

[Blind Idiot God]

Never used the bus to get there, so I couldn't tell you. Peter Pan is much better than Greyhound, however. As for the crowds, Sundays are hit-or-miss (though usually miss; some of the most ridiculous crowds that I've encountered have been on Sundays), but Mondays are pretty much always completely barren. Definitely go on the 13th if you can.

[Koasterking48]

^ Thanks, I'm hoping to not have to fork over $90 for a flash pass by going on Monday. I'm really excited to visit for the first time to ride Bizarro and Wicked Cyclone!

 

Edit: I have heard lots of mixed reports on operations and customer service, so that part is making me slightly hesitant.

[Nitro1118]

Hey guys, I'll be heading up to SFNE from NJ for the next 2 days. On Thursday, I will be purchasing a platinum flash pass to get on WC as many times as possible. I also am looking to spend a couple of hours at HH, and I was wondering if the flash pass is also good for HH, or do I have to buy an entirely separate flash pass just for HH. I checked the website and couldn't get a straight answer.

[ejot]

The water park flash pass is separate and additional to the dry park flash pass. There is a $20 one and a faster $30 one.

[Nitro1118]

Took the 4 hour trip up from NJ today, which was my first trip in 11 years. We just spent a couple hours at the park as we will have an entire day at the park tomorrow. Some notes...

 

-Wicked Cyclone was AMAZING!!! I got 2 rides on it; once in the 2nd to last row around 5pm, and once in the very front row around 9pm. After 9 years of being my number 1 overall, I think El Toro has finally been dethroned. The airtime on all hills was about as strong as Toro's RT crossover hill, the hangtime on the inversions took me way off guard, the transitions are a lot snappier than the POV's make them look, the pacing is rapid fire, and it is probably smoother than any B&M I have been on. Truly incredible.

 

I remember Robb saying Outlaw Run was like the B:TR of wooden coasters...to me, that is the perfect description of this ride (I know, I know...WC is I-Box). There isn't really one second of rest. BTW, I don't know if this is new due to the wheels switching over, but WC has quite a loud roar that I didn't sense from any off-ride footage.

 

-Having ridden S:RoS in its former glory, I must say Bizarro was running every bit as fast and intense as it did in 2004. I only rode it in the first 2 rows, which were my preferences 11 years ago, so I can't speak for how the back rides. However, the new trains do really suck. I did notice some solid rattles in a couple of transitions, the lap bars hit the thigh in a more uncomfortable spot than the old trains, and the audio is horrific. Very loud and very obnoxious.

 

As I said, though, the ride didn't feel sluggish. I got ejector on every hill, and positive G's in the overbank and first helix. If WC wasn't down the midway, it would still be my number 1 steel.

 

-Operations were piss-poor. WC was running only 1 train and Bizarro was stacking every cycle. Line cutting was apparent at WC despite security presence. On the flip side, I thought the park looked great. Very underrated theming and structural atmosphere. Of course the usual SF operations and clientele takes the park down a notch, but it is a pretty park with an incredible 1-2 coaster punch.

 

Can't wait for my full day tomorrow with either a gold or platinum flash pass!