Six Flags Great Adventure (SFGAdv) Discussion Thread

[Canobie Coaster]

I'm just stunned Justice League didn't have the longest wait.

 

Wow even the Buccaneer has a 30 minute wait!

[Satans Hockey]

It was pretty crowded today but the crowds didn't file in until later on. We got there right after 1pm and knocked out almost everything with no waits. Around 4 it was certainly more packed but Batman didn't have much of a wait so rode that a few times. Towards the end of the night we didn't bother with much because of the lines and just enjoyed the lights and hot chocolate. Justice League was out the door and through a bunch of the switch backs so it was definitely over an hour wait. Overall a great time at the park.

[Zand]

Here right now...in the 40s and no crowd. Perfect.

 

Was in the park 6 to 9 tonight. Longest line I waited in was 2 cycles for Wonder Woman. Got a 9 lap marathon on Nitro in the final 45 minutes without leaving the station. Couldn't fit on Batman with my winter coat so only one cold ride on that. Sky Screamer was terrific above the lit trees.

 

I'll be back tomorrow until about 5.

[Zand]

Hit the park 1-4 today. Solo ride in front row of Green Lantern to start the day, actually had a nice ride on it. Small crowd early but picked up toward sunset. No Nitro marathon as the station had people in it, mainly due to some guy whose kid was an inch too short to ride so he argued with the ops for 5 minutes until they called security. He then gave up, sat down, and made his small kid take the walk of shame alone lol.

 

Think I saw Coasterbill and Boldikus at one point but in the interest of it possibly not being them I didnt want to be that guy who walks up to someone and it's not even them. But you guys should know that I always check your TRs before going to a park for food and beverage advice and the bacon wrapped pork kabobs might be the best find yet. Literally sticks of heaven. You guys should be on travel channel instead of Guy Fieri because your food reviews are always spot on.

 

Onto the offseason...my next coaster rides might be in Cali for the first time, pretty pumped about that.

[SharkTums]

^It was them! You should have said hi!

[boldikus]

Yep. That was us.

 

Park was surprisingly busy for January 1st with cloudy skies and 35 degree temps but its always nice to see the park making $$$ during this event. Ride wait times were still pretty low. We still managed a bunch of rides on basically everything, including at least a half dozen ridiculously frigid laps on Nitro. Bill even rode Green Lantern because he's insane. Wonder Woman is just ludicrous. I still can't believe we have that ride now. All we consumed yesterday was beer and those goddamn pork kabobs. We were worried it may have been a fluke, but no. Still so f*cking good. Nice to see a bunch of friends as well. All in all a great end to the season in the NE part of the country. Happy New Years everyone!

[coneyislandchris]

Hit the park 1-4 today. Solo ride in front row of Green Lantern to start the day, actually had a nice ride on it. Small crowd early but picked up toward sunset. No Nitro marathon as the station had people in it, mainly due to some guy whose kid was an inch too short to ride so he argued with the ops for 5 minutes until they called security. He then gave up, sat down, and made his small kid take the walk of shame alone lol.

 

Jesus Christ, well, that explains why the Nitro team was being super anal about height checks yesterday. My kiddo already had been measured at the beginning of the day and had a green 54" wristband on, and the person at the gate made him take off his winter hat and hoods to measure up again... then after they gave him the thumbs up and we were about to board, someone ELSE walked up and said they needed to do the same thing. I get the safety requirements but at that point it was a little overkill.

 

Yeah it was a good day overall for us too. We started off the day with a four-ride mini Batman marathon (the kiddo sure does love his inverts), then over to Nitro just in time to miss Bill & Boldy. Got some lunch at Garden State Grill which has been honestly pretty reliable all season. Nothing mindblowing but decent enough. Hit up a number of flats like Houdini, the Teacups (with extra bonus Trans-Siberian Orchestra soundtrack!), the carousel, and Twister. One ride apiece on Superman and Green Lantern. (Glad to hear you had a good ride, mine was like getting trapped in a car wreck. But the kiddo loves it so what can I do...) Then back over to Nitro for a mini-marathon where we briefly caught up with Bill and Boldy for a minute before heading back out because damn it got bitter cold once that sun went down.

 

Great way to end the season and ring in the New Year! Roll on 2020 and here's hoping Jersey Devil goes up quickly in the off-season.

[coasterbill]

Think I saw Coasterbill and Boldikus at one point but in the interest of it possibly not being them I didnt want to be that guy who walks up to someone and it's not even them.

 

We were there. There were also 2 other people in the park who looked remarkably like us who we later found out might be serial killers. You had a 50/50 shot.

Edited January 2, 2020 by coasterbill

[Garet]

Jesus Christ, well, that explains why the Nitro team was being super anal about height checks yesterday. My kiddo already had been measured at the beginning of the day and had a green 54" wristband on, and the person at the gate made him take off his winter hat and hoods to measure up again... then after they gave him the thumbs up and we were about to board, someone ELSE walked up and said they needed to do the same thing. I get the safety requirements but at that point it was a little overkill.

 

I try to always give the benefit of the doubt when people moan about ride-ops and just say they're doing their jobs but I hate this. IF you've taken the time to get your child checked at guest services or wherever and had a wristband attached confirming the height that should then be the end of it. I feel like either here or twitter or facebook there was a TR a while back where some-one got measured at another Six Flags and the ride-op denied them and people were booing at the hold-up. I can't remember all the facts but I remember feeling horrified. I can't imagine explaining to my son why he's getting remeasured or worse turned away when he's ridden things with the same height requirement. It's unnecessary stress on a child and defeats the purpose of the wristband.

 

Sorry didn't mean for it to turn into such a rant.

[Canobie Coaster]

^ I think that was TPR's experience at Six Flags Great America a few years back.

[boldikus]

One ride apiece on Superman and Green Lantern. (Glad to hear you had a good ride, mine was like getting trapped in a car wreck. But the kiddo loves it so what can I do...)

 

I haven't ridden it since 2015. I aim to keep that streak going. I watched him ride it and thought "maybe with the winter coat and hat it won't be so bad, maybe he'll ride it again, so let's see what he says when he gets off" and he came out of the exit path saying "Well, that sucked".

 

Yeah, I didn't ride. Superman was fun though.

[coasterbill]

Jesus Christ, well, that explains why the Nitro team was being super anal about height checks yesterday. My kiddo already had been measured at the beginning of the day and had a green 54" wristband on, and the person at the gate made him take off his winter hat and hoods to measure up again... then after they gave him the thumbs up and we were about to board, someone ELSE walked up and said they needed to do the same thing. I get the safety requirements but at that point it was a little overkill.

 

I try to always give the benefit of the doubt when people moan about ride-ops and just say they're doing their jobs but I hate this. IF you've taken the time to get your child checked at guest services or wherever and had a wristband attached confirming the height that should then be the end of it. I feel like either here or twitter or facebook there was a TR a while back where some-one got measured at another Six Flags and the ride-op denied them and people were booing at the hold-up. I can't remember all the facts but I remember feeling horrified. I can't imagine explaining to my son why he's getting remeasured or worse turned away when he's ridden things with the same height requirement. It's unnecessary stress on a child and defeats the purpose of the wristband.

 

Sorry didn't mean for it to turn into such a rant.

 

Great Adventure is weird. They also make you show ID and get an "Over 21" wristband when you buy alcohol and then proceed to ask for ID when you go back to get another beer. If you get carded every time you buy a beer anyway (fine by me) then why does the wristband exist?

 

It's Six Flags. I'm convinced that every group of employees in each ride / store / customer service location / department operates in a vacuum and never discusses anything with anyone in any other department or location ever for any reason.

 

I don't blame the ride ops. I guarantee that there's no clear communication on anything. Full disclosure: I don't work there and I've never worked there but I'm pretty confident in that assumption.

Edited January 2, 2020 by coasterbill

[Canobie Coaster]

One ride apiece on Superman and Green Lantern. (Glad to hear you had a good ride, mine was like getting trapped in a car wreck. But the kiddo loves it so what can I do...)

 

I haven't ridden it since 2015. I aim to keep that streak going. I watched him ride it and thought "maybe with the winter coat and hat it won't be so bad, maybe he'll ride it again, so let's see what he says when he gets off" and he came out of the exit path saying "Well, that sucked".

 

Yeah, I didn't ride. Superman was fun though.

 

I really like Green Lantern.

 

I used to hate all B&M stand-ups, but I now make sure the top of the OSTR is pressed against my shoulders so I get no headbanging. That also keeps the bike seat nice and low.

[boldikus]

^ Bill said there was little headbanging but it still made his legs feel like they were going to explode. I'll pass.

 

 

Great Adventure is weird. They also make you show ID and get an "Over 21" wristband when you buy alcohol and then proceed to ask for ID when you go back to get another beer. If you get carded every time you buy a beer anyway (fine by me) then why does the wristband exist?

 

Unless of course you get that bartender that said he was too cold to bother checking our ID's and/or wristbands and that we looked old enough.

[coasterbill]

Yeah, at this point I instinctively put my head forward on pretty much any coaster with over the shoulder restraints so there are very few rides where you can't avoid headbanging and it wasn't an issue on Lantern but still, I hate the amount of pressure it puts on your legs. It's just not a comfortable or enjoyable experience.

Edited January 2, 2020 by coasterbill

[Canobie Coaster]

^ Oh I don't mind that sensation.

[AmyUD06]

Jesus Christ, well, that explains why the Nitro team was being super anal about height checks yesterday. My kiddo already had been measured at the beginning of the day and had a green 54" wristband on, and the person at the gate made him take off his winter hat and hoods to measure up again... then after they gave him the thumbs up and we were about to board, someone ELSE walked up and said they needed to do the same thing. I get the safety requirements but at that point it was a little overkill.

 

I try to always give the benefit of the doubt when people moan about ride-ops and just say they're doing their jobs but I hate this. IF you've taken the time to get your child checked at guest services or wherever and had a wristband attached confirming the height that should then be the end of it. I feel like either here or twitter or facebook there was a TR a while back where some-one got measured at another Six Flags and the ride-op denied them and people were booing at the hold-up. I can't remember all the facts but I remember feeling horrified. I can't imagine explaining to my son why he's getting remeasured or worse turned away when he's ridden things with the same height requirement. It's unnecessary stress on a child and defeats the purpose of the wristband.

 

Sorry didn't mean for it to turn into such a rant.

 

Great Adventure is weird. They also make you show ID and get an "Over 21" wristband when you buy alcohol and then proceed to ask for ID when you go back to get another beer. If you get carded every time you buy a beer anyway (fine by me) then why does the wristband exist?

 

It's Six Flags. I'm convinced that every group of employees in each ride / store / customer service location / department operates in a vacuum and never discusses anything with anyone in any other department or location ever for any reason.

 

I don't blame the ride ops. I guarantee that there's no clear communication on anything. Full disclosure: I don't work there and I've never worked there but I'm pretty confident in that assumption.

 

From someone that worked there for 6 years in two different departments, you're not that far off. Basically, communication between departments (ie, rides vs. games vs. merch) would only be covered during the big "what's new" orientation at the start of a season and then never again during the season. Within a department, I have to say that mine were pretty good but they were kinda small comparitively (parking and security), but I've heard stores of various stores within merch not talking to each other and various supervisors not sharing the same information with all locations.

[Zand]

Think I saw Coasterbill and Boldikus at one point but in the interest of it possibly not being them I didnt want to be that guy who walks up to someone and it's not even them.

 

We were there. There were also 2 other people in the park who looked remarkably like us who we later found out might be serial killers. You had a 50/50 shot.

 

I'm glad I made it home alive then

 

I'd enjoy sharing a beer if I run into you guys again. Feel like it would be an entertaining few minutes at the very least.

 

I realized on the drive home that I got more days at GADV this year than at SFNE. Hard to explain to most people why I voluntarily drove down to New Jersey 3 times in 6 months. And those trips will only increase when Devil gets up and running.

[coasterbill]

I realized on the drive home that I got more days at GADV this year than at SFNE. Hard to explain to most people why I voluntarily drove down to New Jersey 3 times in 6 months. And those trips will only increase when Devil gets up and running.

 

I realized on the drive home that I got more days at GADV, Kings Dominion, Disneyland Paris, Busch Gardens Williamsburg, Hollywood Studios, Animal Kingdom, Magic Kingdom and Universal Orlando and probably others this year than at SFNE and that park is much closer than all of those.

 

I'd enjoy sharing a beer if I run into you guys again. Feel like it would be an entertaining few minutes at the very least.

 

Sounds good!

[SharkTums]

^ I think that was TPR's experience at Six Flags Great America a few years back.

 

Yup, and I still have such a bad taste in my mouth from that SFGAm visit that I just can't even go back! We followed all of the rules and you made my young child get booed by strangers?!!? Screw that park and those employees.

 

On that same trip SFGAd gave KT a wristband and a name tag to make up for that other park experience and she had a great time riding everything!

 

<>

[Arthur_Seaton]

I really like Green Lantern.

I don't like B&M stand-ups at all (or B&M flyers, for that matter) but I didn't find this one to be nearly as bad as some folks seem to find it. It was a once-and-done ride for me when I visited the park, but I've had rides on Riddler that have been super head-bangy and awkward as well. I didn't think Green Lantern was any better or worse; more of a flawed concept than anything.

[Zand]

^ I think that was TPR's experience at Six Flags Great America a few years back.

 

Yup, and I still have such a bad taste in my mouth from that SFGAm visit that I just can't even go back! We followed all of the rules and you made my young child get booed by strangers?!!? Screw that park and those employees.

 

On that same trip SFGAd gave KT a wristband and a name tag to make up for that other park experience and she had a great time riding everything!

 

<>

 

With the Nitro situation yesterday, the kid was clearly too short when they came around to measure with the stick. But he kept standing against the sign (with the green and red sections) and was good on that. The ride op kept telling the guy to go to the front of the park and get a wristband. Sucks for the guy that there's two different variations of 54" but at the same time I understand the stance of the op.

 

On the other hand, if you have the wristband and they still won't let you ride, then that's just poor communication and a bad measuring job when they make the sticks. In that case the wristband should be enough unless it's really egregious.

[boldikus]

[youtu_be]

[/youtu_be]

 

Is this the same park that basically ignored social media just a few years ago? Love this video. Nerdy enough for the enthusiasts but also breaks it down in layman's terms for the average park guest/fan. Can't wait for that steel to show up.

[Garet]

Jesus Christ, well, that explains why the Nitro team was being super anal about height checks yesterday. My kiddo already had been measured at the beginning of the day and had a green 54" wristband on, and the person at the gate made him take off his winter hat and hoods to measure up again... then after they gave him the thumbs up and we were about to board, someone ELSE walked up and said they needed to do the same thing. I get the safety requirements but at that point it was a little overkill.

 

I try to always give the benefit of the doubt when people moan about ride-ops and just say they're doing their jobs but I hate this. IF you've taken the time to get your child checked at guest services or wherever and had a wristband attached confirming the height that should then be the end of it. I feel like either here or twitter or facebook there was a TR a while back where some-one got measured at another Six Flags and the ride-op denied them and people were booing at the hold-up. I can't remember all the facts but I remember feeling horrified. I can't imagine explaining to my son why he's getting remeasured or worse turned away when he's ridden things with the same height requirement. It's unnecessary stress on a child and defeats the purpose of the wristband.

 

Sorry didn't mean for it to turn into such a rant.

 

Great Adventure is weird. They also make you show ID and get an "Over 21" wristband when you buy alcohol and then proceed to ask for ID when you go back to get another beer. If you get carded every time you buy a beer anyway (fine by me) then why does the wristband exist?

 

It's Six Flags. I'm convinced that every group of employees in each ride / store / customer service location / department operates in a vacuum and never discusses anything with anyone in any other department or location ever for any reason.

 

I don't blame the ride ops. I guarantee that there's no clear communication on anything. Full disclosure: I don't work there and I've never worked there but I'm pretty confident in that assumption.

 

Maybe I was too quick to blame it on the ops then. Sorry for that but I do think that it's really silly that guest services offer an official wristband to confirm the height that doesn't actually confirm it. That and even after one op confirms it, having another come over again seems like over-kill. I know my son would stress and it would be on his mind the whole ride instead of having fun and if for whatever reason he got turned away after riding others that would definitely be his day over because he just wouldn't understand why.

 

^ I think that was TPR's experience at Six Flags Great America a few years back.

 

Yup, and I still have such a bad taste in my mouth from that SFGAm visit that I just can't even go back! We followed all of the rules and you made my young child get booed by strangers?!!? Screw that park and those employees.

 

On that same trip SFGAd gave KT a wristband and a name tag to make up for that other park experience and she had a great time riding everything!

 

<>

 

She's braver than Noah, if that had happened to him we probably wouldn't have even been able to talk him into another theme park a few days later.

[anonymouscactus]

Regarding height checks

 

SeaWorld Experience many years ago:

 

We measured all of our posts every morning at each ride, it was part of our checklist. We would even get a measuring tape from a supervisor if the parents got on our case, to verify the height of the posts. We also had wristbands at greeter so they wouldn't have to be rechecked on the platform if they were close.

 

Problem is, we've also seen adults switch wristbands on their kids before (one that is clearly over X inches switches with someone under who didn't originally have a wristband, so they both can ride), and hence why sometimes we take the extra 20 seconds to recheck a child even if they have a wristband, especially if it looks suspicious and poorly put on. I can count at least 4 or 5 times (granted that's over several years, it didn't happen THAT often) where I've had to REMOVE a band off a kid because they had terrible parents abusing the bands, using tape, etc. Then they cause a scene when they are 4" under, security has to get called, etc. it does happen.

 

If it's very close and they are ever so slightly under and have a wristband that's one thing, and they can ride, but if they visually looked under, we always double checked and reminded the parent it was for their safety and apologise for the inconvenience.

 

I'm pretty sure the SOP's mentioned this as well, that it's always ok to recheck even if they have a wristband, because of those who will really do anything to get their kids on a ride. It's not any different from stuffing your shoes in the parental sense... people will always do anything to skirt around the rules. We didn't recheck often, but sometimes we HAD to. Obviously some judgement calls to recheck are better than others.

 

It's one of those things as an op... you don't want to lose your job or god forbid have someone get hurt that ends up being your fault because a kid was clearly too short to ride.

 

Does it suck as a parent? Yes. Is it an inconvenience? Yes. But we can't always have nice things because of the bad people who want to skirt the rules.

 

Why have a wristband system at all, one could argue, but we wouldn't check everyone again just for the fun of it. Wristbands were more for the "how come they were able to ride this, but not this" when it's too close to call.

 

Just explaining the other side of the story. It can be a sticky situation.

 

What happens when someone shows you an on-ride photo of their kids riding earlier in the day, or a few days before, or whatever? As a supervisor, you don't know who let them ride, but now you are the one saying your staff was in the wrong and put your child in danger earlier in the day if you are saying you can't let them ride now for safety reasons.

 

And that's why I'm no longer in ops