Jump to content
  TPR Home | Parks | Twitter | Facebook | YouTube | Instagram 

Six Flags Great America (SFGAm) Discussion Thread


Recommended Posts

^^If that is a place that is off-limits to the general public, though, I could see a difference from if they were told to leave, say, a store or public restaurant in the park. They should have helped them find a particular shelter, though. As it ended up, no tornado ever touched down, as it was a rotating storm but no tornado ever dropped.

 

It sounds like there definitely needs to be better communication on the PA and using employees to guide patrons to seek shelter in the nearest building open to the public, because as was mentioned, some people never hear tornado sirens in their part of the country (or world). I think most Midwestern patrons are smart enough to just find the nearest building. There really is no great place to shelter in place at the park, but a solid structure is better than outside, for sure.

Edited by ilrider
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Goliath has been down at least once per day every day since it opened Thursday. That's 4 days or 5 days if you include media day on Wednesday. I realize it's new so hopefully everything gets sorted out soon.

 

As for the tornado situation, this isn't the first time a severe storm has struck SFGAm and the park employees don't know how to react to the situation or the park isn't prepared to deal with the storm. They should have a few areas to house guests during severe storms in addition to different buildings like stores and restaurants in the park. Tornadic weather is frequent in northern Illinois (as is most of the central states) so the park should always be prepared for situations like this. Kind of repeating what "ilrider" said but since there are people who don't know what tornado sirens are, the PA system and all park employees should be prepared to inform guests to take shelter immediately.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Goliath has been down at least once per day every day since it opened Thursday. That's 4 days or 5 days if you include media day on Wednesday. I realize it's new so hopefully everything gets sorted out soon.

Outlaw Run broke down constantly its first couple months as well. This year is significantly better, and its reliability is better than Powder Keg's now. So I wouldn't worry too much; these rides are finicky, and they'll figure out how theirs runs best in time.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Goliath has been down at least once per day every day since it opened Thursday. That's 4 days or 5 days if you include media day on Wednesday. I realize it's new so hopefully everything gets sorted out soon.

Outlaw Run broke down constantly its first couple months as well. This year is significantly better, and its reliability is better than Powder Keg's now. So I wouldn't worry too much; these rides are finicky, and they'll figure out how theirs runs best in time.

 

Outlaw Run broke down 3-4 times total during the 2 days I visited back 2 months ago. Bad timing I guess.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

So far, there has been no confirmation of a tornado near the park, though it's possible one hit about 10 miles to the west. The park was also never actually in a tornado warning, though Gurnee was in a severe thunderstorm warning.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

^You are correct; the tornado warning box ended just west of Gurnee, and it was a severe warning technically for the park. The sirens did sound in the area, though, so the park still needs to have set procedures in place when the sirens sound. I still think those people complaining about not being allowed in an employee only area overreacted. Probably took them 10 seconds to find another shelter.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

^^If that is a place that is off-limits to the general public, though, I could see a difference from if they were told to leave, say, a store or public restaurant in the park. They should have helped them find a particular shelter, though. As it ended up, no tornado ever touched down, as it was a rotating storm but no tornado ever dropped.

 

It sounds like there definitely needs to be better communication on the PA and using employees to guide patrons to seek shelter in the nearest building open to the public, because as was mentioned, some people never hear tornado sirens in their part of the country (or world). I think most Midwestern patrons are smart enough to just find the nearest building. There really is no great place to shelter in place at the park, but a solid structure is better than outside, for sure.

I've been to several different parks over the years and in most cases the other parks aren't any different than SFGAm for storms. You're pretty much on your own to find shelter once the announcements. Holiday World is about the only exception I can think of. We were directed to specific buildings depending on where we were in the park. None were employee areas.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

^I think the big issue was whether there was any announcement to seek shelter at all, so that those who are not familiar with tornado sirens know what it means. I did not say employees or the park need to guide patrons to a specific shelter, but announcing over the PA to seek the nearest shelter and having employees echo that would be good. Keep it very general and let patrons make their own decisions. I could see them avoiding announcing specific locations for liability reasons in case people were injured where they were told to go.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I could see them avoiding announcing specific locations for liability reasons in case people were injured where they were told to go.

At least it would've been better than telling you to go where you feel safe, but then they don't allow you where you and many other patrons would feel safe, in the pictorium.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I could see them avoiding announcing specific locations for liability reasons in case people were injured where they were told to go.

At least it would've been better than telling you to go where you feel safe, but then they don't allow you where you and many other patrons would feel safe, in the pictorium.

 

That might just be a matter of since the Pictorium is currently closed, the park couldn't afford to waste the resources for a staff member to supervise patrons in there. They certainly would not want to leave anyone unsupervised. Or, if there is any kind of work being done in the theater, it might not have been a totally safe place to be.

 

Since it sounds like you were at the park, was there an announcement there was a tornado warning in the area at all beyond the sirens?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

^Yesterday they should have, yes, but in some cases a tornado can come with no warning, meaning stormy weather preceding it. It happened many years ago when I worked in Gurnee, near the park. The sirens went off, with only a typical gray sky and no storm, due to a tornado in western Lake County, and there was a customer who asked me what the sirens were and did not understand the concern, being from non-tornado country. Those are the people who need an announcement.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I could see them avoiding announcing specific locations for liability reasons in case people were injured where they were told to go.

At least it would've been better than telling you to go where you feel safe, but then they don't allow you where you and many other patrons would feel safe, in the pictorium.

 

That might just be a matter of since the Pictorium is currently closed, the park couldn't afford to waste the resources for a staff member to supervise patrons in there. They certainly would not want to leave anyone unsupervised. Or, if there is any kind of work being done in the theater, it might not have been a totally safe place to be.

 

Since it sounds like you were at the park, was there an announcement there was a tornado warning in the area at all beyond the sirens?

Yes, many announcements were made but they were not loud enough, many people could not hear them. They said there was an F3 tornado warning for the area and to seek shelter for safety.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I could see them avoiding announcing specific locations for liability reasons in case people were injured where they were told to go.

At least it would've been better than telling you to go where you feel safe, but then they don't allow you where you and many other patrons would feel safe, in the pictorium.

 

That might just be a matter of since the Pictorium is currently closed, the park couldn't afford to waste the resources for a staff member to supervise patrons in there. They certainly would not want to leave anyone unsupervised. Or, if there is any kind of work being done in the theater, it might not have been a totally safe place to be.

 

Since it sounds like you were at the park, was there an announcement there was a tornado warning in the area at all beyond the sirens?

Yes, many announcements were made but they were not loud enough, many people could not hear them. They said there was an F3 tornado warning for the area and to seek shelter for safety.

 

Well, the fact the announcements were hard to hear backs up my claim maybe employees should also just tell people to take cover somewhere safe, but they did make an announcement, so it sounds like the park did what would be expected to notify everyone.

 

There was no EF3 tornado anywhere, so I do not understand why they made that specific of an announcement. That would scare people unnecessarily, because that would be one heck of a tornado. There is no category of tornado warning. There is a warning or there isn't. The EF ratings are only issued after assessing any damage.

 

Glad there was no actual damaging tornado at the park and everyone stayed safe.

 

So, how is everyone enjoying Goliath? I love it!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

If they couldn't tell from the storm clouds and the thousands of people going for shelter, I say let Darwin take over. Who's to say that yelling "TAKE COVER!!!" over the PA won't make people panic?

 

There's no reason for endless complaints about one incident about an announcement that didn't happen.. in reference to the tornado that didn't happen.. and had the probability of not happening.. or hitting the park. Or we can all petition for six flags to have a PA announcement, flashing red lights, pictures of tornadoes lit up in the sky, an airplane to drop brail pamphlets for the blind, and rail transportation to the billion dollar under ground tornado proof bunker..... all in addition to the... LOUD... TORNADO... SIRENS..

 

I prefer my world with less bubble wrap and I could do without the word "liability" completely.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

If they couldn't tell from the storm clouds and the thousands of people going for shelter, I say let Darwin take over. Who's to say that yelling "TAKE COVER!!!" over the PA won't make people panic?

 

There's no reason for endless complaints about one incident about an announcement that didn't happen.. in reference to the tornado that didn't happen.. and had the probability of not happening.. or hitting the park. Or we can all petition for six flags to have a PA announcement, flashing red lights, pictures of tornadoes lit up in the sky, an airplane to drop brail pamphlets for the blind, and rail transportation to the billion dollar under ground tornado proof bunker..... all in addition to the... LOUD... TORNADO... SIRENS..

 

I prefer my world with less bubble wrap and I could do without the word "liability" completely.

 

 

Awesome post!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

If they couldn't tell from the storm clouds and the thousands of people going for shelter, I say let Darwin take over. Who's to say that yelling "TAKE COVER!!!" over the PA won't make people panic?

 

There's no reason for endless complaints about one incident about an announcement that didn't happen.. in reference to the tornado that didn't happen.. and had the probability of not happening.. or hitting the park. Or we can all petition for six flags to have a PA announcement, flashing red lights, pictures of tornadoes lit up in the sky, an airplane to drop brail pamphlets for the blind, and rail transportation to the billion dollar under ground tornado proof bunker..... all in addition to the... LOUD... TORNADO... SIRENS..

 

I prefer my world with less bubble wrap and I could do without the word "liability" completely.

 

 

Awesome post!

If this were facebook I would "like" the above posts eleventy billion times.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

^moving away from that... A wonderful video that shows a brand spanking new american eagle with no brakes!

http://abc7chicago.com/news/eyewitness-to-history-frank-mathie-rides-american-eagle-in-1981/128837/

 

And just as important... no ratchet bars, no headrests, no "wings," no super-tight seats. And a smooth all-wood track Still one of my favorite rides, though. Such a big deal when that ride opened.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

^moving away from that... A wonderful video that shows a brand spanking new american eagle with no brakes!

http://abc7chicago.com/news/eyewitness-to-history-frank-mathie-rides-american-eagle-in-1981/128837/

 

I really wish everyone that posts here and those that ride American Eagle could have ridden this beauty when it first opened. It wasn't smooth by today's standards but it was such a fun ride! It was faster, had better airtime, ok, it was much smoother than today, and it was a gorgeous ride to look at. It was the biggest coaster I had ever ridden at the time and I remember being absolutely awestruck by the experience. Ah, the good old days.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

^moving away from that... A wonderful video that shows a brand spanking new american eagle with no brakes!

http://abc7chicago.com/news/eyewitness-to-history-frank-mathie-rides-american-eagle-in-1981/128837/

 

That old video was awesome! I've only rode the American Eagle in 2012 and in 2014. It looks like I would have enjoyed it a lot more back in the 80's. The only negative thing I can say about the ride is I absolutely hate the queue...It's like 5 miles long.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

Terms of Use https://themeparkreview.com/forum/topic/116-terms-of-service-please-read/