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Six Flags Darien Lake (SFDL) Discussion Thread


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I find it hilarious at how people will come into these threads complaining when a new ride isn't open on opening day, lots of rides and attractions are down/closed, and moan that the food service areas are short-staffed and horrendous.

 

Here's the thing, though. Go to other threads for parks that opened up already and you actually won't see all the same whining you see here.

 

Most rides have technical issues on opening day which is different from a park not having a (non-new) coaster ready on time. Most parks have bad staffing so lines can be long or only run one train, not that their point of sale completely stopped working across the park so nobody can buy or redeem anything.

 

I feel like those are bigger issues than typical opening day kinks. We go to opening days every year across the Northeast and while Six Flags can be hit or miss sometimes, I feel Cedar Fair has always had great opening days overall. Yes sometimes attractions go down, but they were at least ready for the season, and sometimes food lines are long or locations are closed, but at least you can actually purchase the food.

 

Darien Lake never seems to have their shit together... I don't know from personal experience on opening days because I've never had season passes since they were previously Six Flags, but I did visit during Fright Fest last year, and opening day this morning, and it doesn't inspire me wanting to come back anytime soon even though it's 40 min down the street and I can come anytime I want now. If I do go it will probably be to relax in the water park and ride Ride of Steel a few times... it will probably just be without my wife, lol.

 

A lot of it can be wrong place at the wrong time, but I think my comments are still valid and good to know.

 

Just my $0.02.

Edited by anonymouscactus
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One thing that seemed to catch my eye today more than any other year is the asphalt seems to be crumbling in a lot of places. Im willing to cut them some slack though due tonthe crappy spring weve had. The campground is the wettest ive seen it. Speaking of the campground, it looks like theyre bringing in more new rental trailers.

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woo hoo new sign.

Quick opening day trip report. Got there about 10:45 and first 3 rows of parking are now for + members. Waited in line a good 1/2 hour to get into park (member line was longer). Went straight to ride of steel for obligatory front row first ride of season. ROS promptly opened at 11:00 and at 5 trains back we were on at 11:45 (stupid slow). The ride however was especially smoother than usual, although a little slow. We then went to check out Kale and Carrots (Tantrum) but no luck. In fact only coasters open were the effing Vecoma's and the so called coaster Rolling Thunder. Viper started to run a little later but line was a full station wait and then it eventually went down so no luck there either. Time to take a walk around and take some pictures. Motocoaster was down all day as well as Predator. At one point, the only coasters running were the effing Vekoma's. Even ROS was down due to a very very light mist. after 3PM, Kale and carrots was open so we braved the 30 minute line for 30 seconds of happiness. The Tantrum crew is the best one in the park by far and gives me a slight hope for the future (But not really) . Eventually got on Viper and then got 2 back car rides on ROS. ops got a little better as the day went on but with 20 minute waits with half empty que's it was still a kinda disapointing opening day. I do not expect a lot on opening day but I was not expecting this little. Now on to some pictures.

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first train of the day.

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SBNO (Thank God)

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new lumber for Predator (Hopefully for kindling.)

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one of the last operating enterprise rides . The kid shows how we all feel.

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newly available shwag.

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There are people who ride this because they want to I've been told.

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glad I am not a member.

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Blast off. Or not.

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2 sets of new wheels on boomerang.

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oh no you don't. You can't trick me by putting new shiny lumber on this POS.

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Still off limits.

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There she is.

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Ms. Cleo says "I see you for spare parts only".

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Finally, something positive.

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If they keep removing pieces, nobody will even know it existed.

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Green train is my favorite.

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Moose on the Loose was running one train ops.

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Nothing in a kids area should ever be named this.

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Finally bliss. Southern tier IPA.

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Well, thats a wrap. Hopefully things will improve.

Chhers.

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I didn't expect significant changes due to SF gaining the park back only less than a year ago, but I would have least thought that ROS would have been renamed Superman and maybe Mind Eraser going to Batman or something. Then again, there might be some sort of extra licensing that I'm unaware of.

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I didn't expect significant changes due to SF gaining the park back only less than a year ago, but I would have least thought that ROS would have been renamed Superman and maybe Mind Eraser going to Batman or something. Then again, there might be some sort of extra licensing that I'm unaware of.

 

Even in the first Six Flags era only ROS was themed. Mind Eraser has always been Mind Eraser.

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Quick question regarding the dining plan....I purchased it in September last year for the free premium upgrade during the flash sale and I remember having to go to Main Gate Munchies and get receipts for each meal and snack. Is that still the case this year or do I just use my actual pass card at each food stand ( That is...if the POS system is working lol)?

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3 things:

 

1) members no longer required to go through the members line (last year they HAD to due to different systems in place). I went through a normal lane just fine, my wife with season pass, and me with membership. No way I was waiting in the members line when 6 others were wide open. No issue whatsoever.

 

2: Dining plan can be used directly at the registers / no more getting dining slips. I used my snack without issue once I found somewhere to actually use it.

 

3) No cell phones out on the carousel. They have the cell phone warning signs all over the park, including the entrance to the carousel. Don't get kicked out of the park!

 

Glad to hear the wheel, tantrum, and ROS opened eventually.

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I know Skyscreamer must seem pretty tall to you guys, but I'm so used to the Texas Skyscreamer here at SFOT- over 400 ft- that it doesn't seem all that high to me. It looks to be similar in height to the one at SFFT, that one always seems like a kidde swing to me because of the enormous size of the one at SFOT.

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3 things:

3) No cell phones out on the carousel. They have the cell phone warning signs all over the park, including the entrance to the carousel. Don't get kicked out of the park!

 

That’s a Six Flags Chain Policy, part of their reasoning is the theme park is an “unplug time” and it’s for safety. They will do as much to stop the ride and remove you from the ride if you’re on your phone (This happened to someone on my The Comet train at TGE)

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

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So, i hadn't gone to Darien Lake on opening day in about 10 years. I guess i needed a reminder of why opening day isnt that great. Do all six flags parks close down their hyper coasters when its only lightly raining? Then it stopped raining, and they still hadn't reopened the ride yet, and it had been dry for almost an hour.

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The park had the problem of the train not stopping where it was supposed to on the magnetic brakes from what one of operators told me a couple years ago right after they got the new train. So rain = no running.

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Day 2.. Predator being closed is clearly related to track work, Motocoaster being closed is not as clear. I saw its flywheel spinning yesterday. Gotta wonder if Pirate is next to be removed.

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So I decided to check out the park and all of the great changes (HA) that they had in store. Let's just say this was the most disappointing visit I have ever had at Darien Lake.

As soon as I arrive, I see the daunting list of ride closures, and some rides not even close to ready for the year (Blast Off in particular, with no ride vehicle). I also notice the horribly cracked blacktop, far worse than years past, and the lack of paint on rides and buildings that DESPERATELY need it.

 

It all starts out at RoS. Seems like all is good, until I realize that the ops were the slowest ops I've ever seen, and they decided to full blown staple everybody to the point where it was painful. Buuuuut, they did get new seatbelts....."yay"?

 

Then I try getting food with my dining pass. The food stands were a joke.....crazily understaffed, no menu boards are on so you have no clue what you can and cannot get, and the line moved at about a person every 10 minutes. Ridiculous. Later in the day, as I'm in line to use my dinner pass, I'm randomly told, at 5:20 (park closed at 6), that the place was closed, AS I WAS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE LINE!

 

I then made my way to Viper, with an absurdly long line, but of course two train ops is crazy talk at DL, and on top of that, as I was waiting for the front row, get held up THREE TIMES for "skip the line pass" people, and I'll tell you, people were getting quite angry about that situation.

 

As I head to Tantrum, I notice Mind Eraser's horrendous paint job, but it gets better, now the train looks like hot trash too. Cars 1, 2 and 8 are red, while 3-7 are blue. Honestly looks flat out embarrassing for the park. As I am in line for Tantrum, I notice trains 1 and 3 running, while Train 2 is sitting on the ground, ALREADY attacked for parts. Wow. Only took one year to cannibalize a train.

 

I then decided to just leave along with many other people, all pissed off about how rough of shape the park was in. I was hoping for at least SOME improvement this year, but it honestly looks like the place is even more of a mess under Six Flags management.

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New Sign, not any other positives to show

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Ride of Steel still with that "lovely" paint job. Might as well call it the Cotton Candy Coaster at this point

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