Six Flags New England (SFNE) Discussion Thread

[coasterbill]

Is the park doing anything to let people know that they added a new train? If not the nobody should be surprised that nobody wants to ride Mind Eraser. Honestly, I think I'll probably continue to pretend it doesn't exist. I'm not falling for that "New and Improved SLC train" crap again.

[Canobie Coaster]

Nope that would be too logical.

 

They just have a sign that VR is on the coaster which will draw people in.

[Sluggo77]

This weekend Six Flags New England officially opened for their longest operating season in park history. Thanks to the park and TPR we were invited to go in early to checkout the new trains on Mind Eraser and to try the new Galactic Attack VR experience that will be featured on ME until July 16th. It was 38 degrees and overcast when we arrived giving a little preview to how HITP will feel later in the season too!

 

At ME’s entrance the park had a nice continental breakfast setup but we skipped it to get line to ride. As with past VR experiences it definitely slows down dispatch times. One very positive change this year is that they will only run VR on one train and the other will be for non-VR riders. This should really improve throughput for those not interested in the VR. As with any new addition we experienced some technical issues with the VR so I can't really comment to much on it.

 

However I can definitely comment on the amazing improvement ME’s new Vekoma trains make for the ride itself. The vest restraints are extremely comfortable and there is no longer anything that comes up restraint wise for your head to hit. The trains are much smoother throughout the course and even the seats felt more comfortable. These improvements have made ME go from what was a head banging skip for me on visits to another must ride coaster at the park. I definitely recommend that everyone try this coaster again, with or without VR, to see how much better it now is. Huge kudos to SFNE for spending the funds to replace the trains on Mind Eraser which is now operating in its 20th anniversary season.

 

On to another new edition for SFNE, Joker’s track work is complete and most likely on schedule for the standard Memorial Day weekend opening. As you enter the park and make a right to head towards the South End Joker just dominates your views. I love the placement of this in the park. It visually looks amazing and comes across as being even bigger with how it's positioned. Really hoping that they do add more fins to this version to increase the amount of spins each coaster experiences.

 

Throughout the rest of the park you can see a lot of off-season touch ups and improvements. Almost every ride was open today including Goliath once it warmed up a little bit. Below are several pics from todays visit. A BIG thank you to Jen McGrath and the entire SFNE team along with Robb and TPR for having us cover another great opening day at Six Flags New England!

 

First Riders of the Day.

These new trains are a huge improvement.

Vest restraints are extremely comfortable.

Joker is looking great!

New Snack Bar built in the off-season.

With the addition of The Joker, Joker's Wildcard has been rethemed and renamed Kryptonite.

Superman was running great today.

Later in the day the weather got much better. Even Goliath was running.

Blizzard River was open even with the cold temps and some were giving it a go.

RMC Masterpiece

Until next time thanks for a great day SFNE.

[thesman]

Also went to opening day yesterday from about 6-8. Crowds were light and weather was nice but colder toward closing. So everyone else mentioned the new changes for this season. Such as the metal detectors at the ticket booths now before the entrance. Security seemed to step up there game this season. A lot more presence through out the park and not letting as much slide at the metal detectors as well as new equipment. Mind Eraser got the new trains. New restaurant near mind eraser. And there also seemed to be a new alertness for dispatching rides quickly. Hopefully this lasts through out the season.

New trains on Mind Eraser. When I went to ride they said the VR was down but we could still ride. New trains are still a little rough but no head banging makes for a pretty good ride. They also don't drop the floor with the new trains.

New snack bar

Where there used to be the fire effect on bizarro, it now shoots water

Superman was only a 2 train wait at most when I was there. It was riding pretty good. Ended up getting stuck on the brake run for about 15 minutes too.

Pretty empty mid way heading to the north end

PSA: don't ride the sky screamer in colder weather. It's freezing at the top and the wind is so strong peoples chairs were turning all the around. I also could not feel my hands for the rest of the night.

Wicked cyclone had the longest line in the park with about 30-45 minutes. But there were also only running one train. IT was running amazing. Also first back row ride and holy cow!

[Canobie Coaster]

^ I was in the train stuck on the lift hill in that photo. As often as I've ridden that coaster, it was actually the first time I've gotten stuck on the lift which I usually see happen at least once per visit.

 

Flashback valleyed in the cobra roll earlier today. I'm shocked Flashback valleyed before Goliath since the latter was going incredibly slow through the cobra roll in reverse yesterday.

[CoasterDirected]

Anyone think Vekoma planned this all along? Sell a bunch of crap trains and restraints and 20 years down the line sell them new trains and restraints to make a ride bearable.

 

All jokes aside I kinda want to try out Vekoma's restraints because T3's were so so so bad. I didn't come off my first SLC with a raging headache but with my legs numb and my crotch completely smashed.

[Canobie Coaster]

I didn't mind T3 with the new restraints but Mind Eraser is definitely smoother.

[thesman]

anyone have any pictures of flashback valleyed?

[coasterbill]

Here's a video, you may want to hit mute.

 

[boldikus]

Oh my god.

 

Whatever you people do, DO NOT HIT MUTE. You will miss such amazing gems as

 

"So prolly so when they get the people off they don't... drop them"

 

"The brakes prolly just turned on automatically"

 

"When they open that they're gonna fall to the ground. And die."

 

"That must be SO dangerous"

 

"They closed this ride.... cause its the closest"

 

"Here's my Dad. He's just watching it."

 

and my personal favorite:

 

"Finally found some content for this channel"

[thefed29]

Thank you so much for posting this video. This has quite literally made my day. I in fact did not hit mute.

 

Such quality content.

[viking86]

Oh my god.

 

Whatever you people do, DO NOT HIT MUTE. You will miss such amazing gems as...

 

I lost it at "They're somehow gonna move the coaster"

[DoinItForTheFame]

Here's a video, you may want to hit mute.

 

 

Omg. . . My IQ just dropped 100 points. . . I should have taken your advice and hit mute.

[SFOG1991]

The guy's voice in that video *cringes*

[Sluggo77]

Who would think it would valley there? LOL. Obviously the platform is there for something totally different.

[boldikus]

Another important observation: WC crew be runnin some trains. I mean, two minute dispatches aren't bad, huh?

 

Also interesting comment on that video:

 

jlmcneely624 1 day ago

I was on it - 4th row from the back. The ride functioned normally until the end. When you come back through the coaster in the backwards direction the momentum pushes you about halfway up the initial hill, then the car usually falls back into the station and there's a hard braking that stops you in the station. No braking happened; we just kept going so went up through the first loop, but didn't have enough momentum to get over the second one so it got stuck there at the top.

[Vonni]

That video is my most favorite thing to ever happen lol!!!

[DoinItForTheFame]

The guy's voice in that video *cringes*

 

 

Yep. . . That about sums it up.

[TheCoasterKid211]

Please please please make this video a meme.

[Zack44]

Here's my trip report as well as my pictures from this previous Saturday. I meant to post this earlier, but I've been busy with stuff.

 

I went to the park with my mother and sister who were visiting from Long Island while I'm at Hartford, CT for school. They decided to nap in the car for a little bit while I went in the park and rode Superman. It was about a twenty five minute wait with two trains running. This was actually my first time NOT riding it as Bizarro with all of the bells & whistles on it, and it was still an amazing ride regardless. Then I walked over to Pandemonium where my mother and sister were waiting and we all rode it together. Next up was the New England Sky Screamer, which was just a five minute wait since few people would be willing to ride it in 50-ish degree weather.

 

After we got our souvenir bottles, I tried to get on Mind Eraser with the VR headsets, but they weren't working when I walked over there, so I rode Batman: The Dark Knight instead. I even got assigned to the front row, which was nice. By this point, my mother and sister left the park to get lunch while I stayed behind to ride more stuff. Next up was Goliath, then Wicked Cyclone, which was a thirty-ish minute wait, but still worth it. After that we all left because my family had to catch the ferry back to Long Island before sundown. It was a nice day overall. By sheer coincidence, my college is planning a trip to the park in about two weeks, so I'll get to visit the park again sooner than I thought!

 

Pictures:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks for reading!

[Shrek1304]

can you bring me a map?

[Sluggo77]

The park posted a side by side of Mind Eraser's Galactic Attack VR.

 

[youtu_be]

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[Canobie Coaster]

I'm planning on stopping in for a few hours tomorrow since I'll be in the area. I'm hoping they won't be mobbed. Despite the nice weather, I'm hopeful since a lot of my coworkers were shocked to find out Six Flags was already open.

[Canobie Coaster]

Crowds are very managable today. One surprise new addition that I love is that Batman now has a single rider line.

 

The park has really hit a home run this year in terms of general park improvements.

[I Like Theme Parks.]

^The general park improvements sound good. I love a bunch of rides here, but just about everything else about the park kept it from being that enjoyable.