Wagon127 Posted June 26, 2019 Share Posted June 26, 2019 Hey everyone, looking to make our first visit to Darien Lake on the Sunday of Labor Day weekend. We have friends that live in the area and come 2-3 times a year but haven't stopped at Darien Lake before now. A couple of quick questions... - How are the typical crowds on the Sunday before Labor Day? Our "home park" is Kings Island and they're fairly light, but obviously I'm not sure about DL. - Does DL offer any sort of "fast pass" for rides? Thanks in advance for your help! There is a fast pass, it costs about $40 a person. Even the best rides in the park usually only have 20-30 minute waits. I don't think you will need a fast pass, but wait till you get to the park and see what the crowds look like before purchasing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Canobie Coaster Posted June 26, 2019 Share Posted June 26, 2019 ^ I used my diamond elite skip the line passes at Ride of Steel and it's worth noting that if you skip the line, you cannot pick your seat on that ride. They load you through the exit and put you in the middle of the train. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rjr19 Posted June 26, 2019 Share Posted June 26, 2019 ^ I used my diamond elite skip the line passes at Ride of Steel and it's worth noting that if you skip the line, you cannot pick your seat on that ride. They load you through the exit and put you in the middle of the train. Yeah they started doing that because on opening weekend they allowed line skippers to pick a seat and it basically made waiting in line for the front seat useless because you’d never actually be able to get on. So now they pick middle seats and alternate which ones each time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarienPoint Posted June 27, 2019 Share Posted June 27, 2019 Anyone else think the Shipwreck Falls splash is a little mediocre this year? It barely gets over the bridge. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rjr19 Posted June 27, 2019 Share Posted June 27, 2019 Anyone else think the Shipwreck Falls splash is a little mediocre this year? It barely gets over the bridge. I noticed it too, i’m sort of surprised, given it has water on the drop this year. I noticed for people standing on the bridge, the water got the bottom of their legs and that’s about it. I wonder what’s going on with it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SaraAB87 Posted June 27, 2019 Share Posted June 27, 2019 Hey everyone, looking to make our first visit to Darien Lake on the Sunday of Labor Day weekend. We have friends that live in the area and come 2-3 times a year but haven't stopped at Darien Lake before now. A couple of quick questions... - How are the typical crowds on the Sunday before Labor Day? Our "home park" is Kings Island and they're fairly light, but obviously I'm not sure about DL. - Does DL offer any sort of "fast pass" for rides? Thanks in advance for your help! This park is owned by Six flags now if its not obvious, so you will pay $20 for parking if you don't have a six flags seasons pass with free parking. I am not sure about holiday crowds, holidays seem to either be insanely crowded or very light crowds. I can tell you that this park will be short staffed that weekend because the college kids will have already went back to school. Some rides might run on a limited basis and the children's rides will probably rotate one operator through the children's rides. Most parks on the east coast do this though. Expect long lines for food (I suggest bringing your own food as there are no nearby places to eat at all). This park is in the middle of nowhere so its very hard to find workers. A lot of it depends on weather, if weather is great expect bigger crowds. A cloudy almost rainy day will produce lighter crowds and if it doesn't rain you will have a great time in this kind of weather. I can tell you that this park fails when it gets very very crowded, waits will be 2 hours for rides but most other parks fail when crowds are insane too. You might get only a few rides in a whole day due to waits. But if its light rides will be a walk-on. Also check to see if there is a concert going on that day, concert days are extremely crowded as free admission is provided with a concert ticket. I only recommend the fast pass if its very very crowded and waits are insane, only buy after you get to the park and check out the situation, also consider if waits are insane the fastpass wait will also be much longer. Most coasters in the park only run one train so take that into consideration except tantrum which has 2 trains. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarienPoint Posted June 28, 2019 Share Posted June 28, 2019 Hey everyone, looking to make our first visit to Darien Lake on the Sunday of Labor Day weekend. We have friends that live in the area and come 2-3 times a year but haven't stopped at Darien Lake before now. A couple of quick questions... - How are the typical crowds on the Sunday before Labor Day? Our "home park" is Kings Island and they're fairly light, but obviously I'm not sure about DL. - Does DL offer any sort of "fast pass" for rides? Thanks in advance for your help! Read what is above this. + They do have GO Fast Pass which is the equivalent of Flash Pass. It might be useful for that weekend, as it does get a little crowded on weekends before school starts here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Canobie Coaster Posted June 29, 2019 Share Posted June 29, 2019 ^ I used my diamond elite skip the line passes at Ride of Steel and it's worth noting that if you skip the line, you cannot pick your seat on that ride. They load you through the exit and put you in the middle of the train. Yeah they started doing that because on opening weekend they allowed line skippers to pick a seat and it basically made waiting in line for the front seat useless because you’d never actually be able to get on. So now they pick middle seats and alternate which ones each time. Makes sense, especially with one train ops. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dnn2031 Posted June 30, 2019 Share Posted June 30, 2019 Starting July 1 the park is now going to be closing at 9:30 PM with the laser show 10 minutes after. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
philipdimartino Posted June 30, 2019 Share Posted June 30, 2019 Hmmm. Is this a sign of bigger trouble? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarienLaker Posted June 30, 2019 Share Posted June 30, 2019 Hmmm. Is this a sign of bigger trouble? Yes, Six Flags is trying to "kill" Darien Lake! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Haymaker Posted June 30, 2019 Share Posted June 30, 2019 Hmmm. Is this a sign of bigger trouble? Yes, Six Flags is trying to "kill" Darien Lake! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
philipdimartino Posted June 30, 2019 Share Posted June 30, 2019 I'm referring to problems with the park. Attendance. Never seen before. Hmmm. Is this a sign of bigger trouble? Yes, Six Flags is trying to "kill" Darien Lake! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarienPoint Posted July 1, 2019 Share Posted July 1, 2019 Starting July 1 the park is now going to be closing at 9:30 PM with the laser show 10 minutes after. Why is this? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wagon127 Posted July 1, 2019 Share Posted July 1, 2019 Maybe its a staffing issue. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jconsolmagno Posted July 1, 2019 Share Posted July 1, 2019 I'm certainly not happy with this change, as I booked the hotel on the property in August due to extended hours vs. June. With this change, there's little incentive to stay on property, besides hotels not being close. I understand it may be a staffing issue, but changing mid-year leaves a bad taste in my mouth and considerably drops my plans to revisit next year as I have the past 2. Perhaps limited rides are open from 930 - 1000/1030/11? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coasterbill Posted July 1, 2019 Share Posted July 1, 2019 Perhaps limited rides are open from 930 - 1000/1030/11? Lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rjr19 Posted July 1, 2019 Share Posted July 1, 2019 I'm certainly not happy with this change, as I booked the hotel on the property in August due to extended hours vs. June. With this change, there's little incentive to stay on property, besides hotels not being close. I understand it may be a staffing issue, but changing mid-year leaves a bad taste in my mouth and considerably drops my plans to revisit next year as I have the past 2. Perhaps limited rides are open from 930 - 1000/1030/11? Dude, I know it sucks that they’re shortening hours mid-season, but it’s not a huge change. It’s only a half hour earlier. That half hour shouldn’t determine whether or not you should stay there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wagon127 Posted July 1, 2019 Share Posted July 1, 2019 The park is rather empty around 9:30pm anyways. I have to think there are more customers at the park in the morning. I think if they had to choose to cut back on hours, it made more sense to cut the night hours out Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anonymouscactus Posted July 1, 2019 Share Posted July 1, 2019 I know in the past Darien Lake always closed their lines early so that "everyone is off by 10" / park close, maybe they are rewording it in a way that they are now shutting down the lines at 9:30 and letting everyone through, to be more consistent with other Six Flags parks? With only one train on Ride of Steel, for example, I'd imagine the line going on quite long through the night if they really did close the lines off at 10. Have they been actually closing the lines at closing time, or do the busier rides get closed earlier? Keep in mind I have no idea how things have worked recently, so I'm just making a guess based on the old ways of them operating. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rjr19 Posted July 1, 2019 Share Posted July 1, 2019 I know in the past Darien Lake always closed their lines early so that "everyone is off by 10" / park close, maybe they are rewording it in a way that they are now shutting down the lines at 9:30 and letting everyone through, to be more consistent with other Six Flags parks? With only one train on Ride of Steel, for example, I'd imagine the line going on quite long through the night if they really did close the lines off at 10. Have they been actually closing the lines at closing time, or do the busier rides get closed earlier? Keep in mind I have no idea how things have worked recently, so I'm just making a guess based on the old ways of them operating. Rides with less demand, like Boomerang went right to 10, but RoS seemed to close up a few minutes early. I just wish they’d be open even later than 10. I just don’t get why theme parks all close so early. I was at CP last weekend, and I heard a good amount of people wondering why they aren’t open until 11 or later. I guess most people just don’t want to come to the parks at night. Always baffled me since I’ve always found it a better experience riding coasters at night. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AmyUD06 Posted July 1, 2019 Share Posted July 1, 2019 I know in the past Darien Lake always closed their lines early so that "everyone is off by 10" / park close, maybe they are rewording it in a way that they are now shutting down the lines at 9:30 and letting everyone through, to be more consistent with other Six Flags parks? With only one train on Ride of Steel, for example, I'd imagine the line going on quite long through the night if they really did close the lines off at 10. Have they been actually closing the lines at closing time, or do the busier rides get closed earlier? Keep in mind I have no idea how things have worked recently, so I'm just making a guess based on the old ways of them operating. Rides with less demand, like Boomerang went right to 10, but RoS seemed to close up a few minutes early. I just wish they’d be open even later than 10. I just don’t get why theme parks all close so early. I was at CP last weekend, and I heard a good amount of people wondering why they aren’t open until 11 or later. I guess most people just don’t want to come to the parks at night. Always baffled me since I’ve always found it a better experience riding coasters at night. 14 and 15 year olds, a large portion of the amusement park labor force, are prohibited by federal law from working after 9 PM. Might have something to do with it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rjr19 Posted July 1, 2019 Share Posted July 1, 2019 ^ That makes a lot of sense actually. Staffing has been a big issue at the park this season for sure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WolfBobs Posted July 1, 2019 Share Posted July 1, 2019 Also parks are constantly tracking attendance, by the hour at most parks. They have the data to justify their hours for maximum profit. A couple years ago CP tried their "summer nights" thing with midnight closes most of July and August. If you look at the calendar how it's back to just Fridays and Saturdays. If I recall correctly after most parks in the CF chain underperformed on attendance last year they flat out stated in either their 3rd or 4th quarter conference calls that schedules would better align with demand. It's only good business to be open when there's demand. For Darian Lake that may mean more 8-9pm closes or shut the rides at 930p but keep shops open till 10 to get the stragglers who may have stayed for a show. Parks to everything for a reason and they have the data to back it up. They want to maximize profits, if that meant staying open till 1am they would. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Haymaker Posted July 1, 2019 Share Posted July 1, 2019 Even the Magic Kingdom empties out early depending on the night shows. A lot of people leave after the first show. This isnt that big of a deal IMO Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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