Six Flags New England (SFNE) Discussion Thread

[Sluggo77]

Batman also offers a single rider line through the flash pass entrance now. ME's new trains are awesome. Definitely try it.

[Chasehat]

The lines should be very manageable on a weekday. Superman and Wicked Cyclone shouldn't be any longer than 15-20 minutes. Goliath and Joker are the two coasters I'd do first because obviously Joker is new and for some reason unbeknownst to me the GP loves Goliath even tho it's completely awful.

 

I'd recommend the 2nd row on Superman it's easily my favorite row on the train but the front is great as well. Wicked Cyclone is definitely best in the back on the left side. Goliath as already mentioned is only good in the front row. If you have the misfortune of being put in the back row I'd seriously recommend not riding it..... If you need the credit do it but if you value the health of your spine skip it and don't even think twice.

 

Other than that flaming turd Goliath SFNE is an amazing park and I think it's a seriously underrated Six Flags park. They've really stepped there game up in the last 5 or 6 years and it has definitely shown.

[Canobie Coaster]

Goliath is good in the front row and I've actually gotten good rides in the back two rows as well. The only ride that absolutely beat me up was in the middle of the train.

 

Another note on Goliath is that it won't run in the rain. Sometimes it won't run in sun either, but that's an entirely different issue. If you do want to ride Goliath, I'd head there early before the line builds and in case it breaks down later in the day.

[Condor]

Went to SFNE on Saturday the 10th. This was my second time at the park with my first being back in 2012 in the bleak, dystopian days of Bizarro, the castrated version of what was once the Riverside Cyclone, and an S&S Sky Swat, aka Catapult. Needless to say, things are a lot better in 2017 with Superman's dignity restored, Wicked Cyclone, Sky Screamer, and Joker.

 

General thoughts: This park is among my favorites in the chain along with SFOG, SFOT, and SFGAdv. Recent additions have turned it into a full-day park whereas before it felt like something you could knock out in 5-7 hours. Having two destination coasters can do that for you. I could easily marathon Superman and Wicked Cyclone all day long and barely touch anything else if I wanted to. I've only been here twice, but I feel like this place has a worse reputation for operations and atmosphere than it deserves. While not all of it, sections of the park actually felt quite nice and the only truly slow operation I witnessed was the constant stacking on Superman. The restraints clearly have something to do with it, but I still don't think there should ever be stacking with only two trains on a 5,400 foot long coaster. All the other coasters dispatched quickly enough for the standards I apply to Six Flags. I saw far worse last year at SFOG and SFFT. Superman was also down until about 4pm. It apparently blew out its lift motor the day before, but they had it up and running again for the rest of the night and even had passholder ERT on it from 10-11pm after the park closed. I have no idea if this was scheduled beforehand or not.

 

The park was just crowded enough to make our gold Flash Passes worthwhile and the longest standby queue looked to be around 45 minutes for Superman. And is it normal for Wicked Cyclone to only have a queue down the first switchback on a summer Saturday? Granted throughput seemed high since the crew looked like the park's best, but the wait for it was much shorter than what I've seen for the other Six Flags RMCs. In addition to the coasters, we also went on Sky Screamer, Blizzard River, and whatever they call the Vekoma Madhouse here ("Houdini's Escape from the Summer Heat" for all intents and purposes). This was my first time on the 400 foot Star Flyer model since SFOT's was closed on my visit. These are the only rides out there that still manage to unnerve me. And I love it.

 

Coasters:

 

Superman The Ride (x12): I honestly wasn't impressed with this when I rode it in 2012. I think it was still tracking #1 in the Hawker poll at that time, so I went in expecting a world-beater, but what I actually got was a sluggish, rattly hyper coaster that I liked less than Nitro which I rode the following day. Before this visit I had read on here that in 2017 it was running the best it has in years. This is absolutely true. I feel like I finally got to experience the legendary Intamin that others have raved about for over a decade. Good airtime on every hill and some "hold onto your butts..." insane ejector air on the third cammelback leading into the g-packed helixes. And you barrel into the breaks with a similar sensation of excess speed as you get on Millennium Force, a product of the tunnels and tighter trackwork. Superman jumped a good 20+ spots up my steel list to #7, behind only Skyrush, Maverick, I305, Medusa Steel Coaster, MF, and Fury.

 

Wicked Cyclone (x12): It takes a special coaster to keep me away from something like Superman and Wicked Cyclone is one of them. I've always thought this had the best layout on paper of all the RMC i-box conversions. In practice I'll still say Medusa Steel Coaster is the better ride, but WC has the kind of perfect pacing and linear organization to its elements that always makes a big difference to me (Superman has this as well). There's not one stretch of track that isn't either violently bucking you out of the seat or shoving you back into it. RMCs aren't known for their intense positive g's, but on one lap in the front row my friend and I both actually grayed out exiting the big overbank. Definitely did not expect that. My third favorite out of my seven RMCs after Medusa and Outlaw Run and now my #13 overall steel.

 

Batman The Dark Knight (x3): Still a good mid-tier floorless and one that I much prefer to my local floorless, Scream. The compact layout feels unique for its type. I wish B&M built a few more in the US like this one. It's developing a bit of the vibration that at least to me seems isolated to the floorless and wing coasters, but it's nothing painful, more so mildly annoying.

 

Thunderbolt (x2): Another one that left a bad taste in my mouth from 2012. Before that visit, I recall comments about what a local favorite it was and how the park kept it in remarkably good condition. Then I actually rode it only to have one of the drops jackhammer two or three of my vertebrae into a coarse sand. I don't know what happened on that visit, but this year I really enjoyed it. Smooth enough and even some mild traces of airtime. Side note - I liked Thunderbolt about as much as The Comet at Great Escape (a coaster I had much higher hopes for on this trip, but was sorely disappointed by and won't even bother writing about). Thunderbolt had none of that burden of expectation, so I came away from it very pleased.

 

Goliath (x1): What happened to this thing? I was one of those who kind of liked it back when it was SFMM's Deja Vu, but it's definitely not the same ride nowadays. Might be the new trains, might be its age, I don't care. It beat us up worse than any of the three standard boomerangs we rode that weekend or the park's now shockingly comfortable SLC. Don't think I'll ride this next time.

 

The Joker (x1): No way was I going to pay up from Gold Flash Pass to Platinum just for rerides on this, even though I quite like the S&S free spins and rode SFFT's Batman several times. I recall watching every Joker car before and after ours get at least 2 inversions, then ours somehow got zero. Not a big deal. These are solid little coasters and that's just sometimes what you get with them. I'll always give them at least one ride, queue permitting.

 

Mind Eraser (x1): The new trains do wonders for this. Not a lot to say other than this was the best single ride I've ever had on any SLC. Still won't catch me doing VR on it. Nope.

[anonymouscactus]

and whatever they call the Vekoma Madhouse here ("Houdini's Escape from the Summer Heat" for all intents and purposes)

 

[emoji1] [emoji1] [emoji1] great report! I have to get back there soon, especially since I remember the 'old days' of Superman vs the recent few sluggish years. It seems the general consensus is the train is running much faster again like its hayday. And of course I need some awesome WC rides in the mix [emoji41]

[Pear]

Goliath (x1): What happened to this thing? I was one of those who kind of liked it back when it was SFMM's Deja Vu, but it's definitely not the same ride nowadays. Might be the new trains, might be its age.

 

It's the new trains. The ride was fine in 2012 when it ran the original trains and it was probably my favorite ride in the whole park. It's unfortunate the new trains ruined the ride so much and at this point I'm afraid they might have done some damage to the track as well.

[Sluggo77]

^^^Awesome report. Glad you enjoyed my home park!

[boldikus]

Hey locals/regulars: Whats everyones favorite places to eat in the park that accepts the dining plan? Asking for a friend.

[coneyislandchris]

Hey locals/regulars: Whats everyones favorite places to eat in the park that accepts the dining plan? Asking for a friend.

 

1) J.B.'s.

2) Panda Express (but no dining plan)

3-98) Literally anywhere else in the park

99) Riverboat Cafe

[boldikus]

99) Riverboat Cafe

 

That bad?

[coasterbill]

Yes

[coneyislandchris]

I mean, I guess it's okay if it suddenly starts pouring and you need a place to take shelter for a few minutes, but don't bother with the food.

[BoulderDash]

JB's is probably the best, I also like Kickin Chicken and Johnny Rockets. Take 6 also has some decent steak and cheese sandwiches but the line is sometimes long.

[thefed29]

Hey locals/regulars: Whats everyones favorite places to eat in the park that accepts the dining plan? Asking for a friend.

 

1) J.B.'s.

2) Panda Express (but no dining plan)

3-98) Literally anywhere else in the park

99) Riverboat Cafe

 

Went to J.B.'s for the first time yesterday. Always wanted to go but its usually packed. Air Conditioned, serves beer but service took forever. You order, they give you a number to bring to the table then bring you your food. But there was one lady taking orders, two girls running food and literally one lady cooking everything. Took a good chunk of time out of our day. On the dining pass, pulled pork over your fries is the best bang for your buck. TON of pork thrown on top of some fries. My beef brisket sandwich was fine but seriously lacking in the amount of meat.

 

There is also a Macho Nacho near the center of the park. Not a Mexican food guy but the lady loves it.

[Chris27]

Going to SFNE tomorrow for the first time. Looking forward to it.

[Canobie Coaster]

Hey locals/regulars: Whats everyones favorite places to eat in the park that accepts the dining plan? Asking for a friend.

 

I would strongly recommend Nicky's Pizza if you have the option to eat outside the park. Absolutely massive and delicious slices of pizza.

[Chasehat]

Hey locals/regulars: Whats everyones favorite places to eat in the park that accepts the dining plan? Asking for a friend.

 

I would strongly recommend Nicky's Pizza if you have the option to eat outside the park. Absolutely massive and delicious slices of pizza.

Living my entire life in Agawam, I can confirm that this place is awesome. Go here instead of eating in the park.

[sfriday1998]

Hey locals/regulars: Whats everyones favorite places to eat in the park that accepts the dining plan? Asking for a friend.

 

Personally, there's a great place for chicken strips just across from Mind Eraser. Forgot what it's called, though. Johnny Rockets is also always good

[boldikus]

Hey locals/regulars: Whats everyones favorite places to eat in the park that accepts the dining plan? Asking for a friend.

 

I would strongly recommend Nicky's Pizza if you have the option to eat outside the park. Absolutely massive and delicious slices of pizza.

Living my entire life in Agawam, I can confirm that this place is awesome. Go here instead of eating in the park.

 

But I have the dining plan. That's a free lunch, dinner and snack. Probably not eating outside the park, I dunno. Not to mention I feel like all I've been eating lately is pizza. No kidding I had pizza Thursday, Saturday, Sunday and yesterday. I know that sounds bad but there were a bunch of salads in there too Lol

Edited June 22, 2017 by boldikus

[logrog04]

Hey locals/regulars: Whats everyones favorite places to eat in the park that accepts the dining plan? Asking for a friend. [emoji38]

 

I would strongly recommend Nicky's Pizza if you have the option to eat outside the park. Absolutely massive and delicious slices of pizza.

Living my entire life in Agawam, I can confirm that this place is awesome. Go here instead of eating in the park.

 

But I have the dining plan. That's a free lunch, dinner and snack. Probably not eating outside the park, I dunno. I feel like all I've been eating lately is pizza. Lol

With the dining pass inside the park I recommend JB's Smoke House and Take Six down near the South End, their air conditioned and have Coke Freestyle

 

Sent from my Moto G (4) using Tapatalk

[thefed29]

Hey locals/regulars: Whats everyones favorite places to eat in the park that accepts the dining plan? Asking for a friend.

 

 

Boldikus, any intention on doing a trip report? Thoroughly enjoyed your TR on SFOG last year.

[boldikus]

Boldikus, any intention on doing a trip report? Thoroughly enjoyed your TR on SFOG last year.

My magic 8ball says all signs point to yes.

[thefed29]

Boldikus, any intention on doing a trip report? Thoroughly enjoyed your TR on SFOG last year.

My magic 8ball says all signs point to yes.

 

[boldikus]

We got the band back together!

Crowds ain't bad. Just rode Wicked Cyclone 3xs. My first RMC. Mother of god.

[ytterbiumanalyst]

Woohoo!

 

While I haven't ridden that one (yet), all 4 that I have ridden are easily the best ride in their park. RMC has yet to build a ride that isn't completely badass.