Video & Photo TR: Six Flags Over Georgia 3/6/10

[bgwfreak777]

Hi again in coaster forum land:

 

Saturday Sean, Andrew and myself headed down to Atlanta for some early coaster riding. Well, I know you guys in Cali and FL get to ride all year, but I'm not quite so lucky.

 

If you'd like to view all my photos go here:

Six Flags Over Georgia 2010 pictures from amusement parks photos on webshots

 

Also check out my video.

 

YouTube - Six Flags Over Georgia 2010

 

Anyway, on with the show.

 

If you've driven I-85 from Charlotte south, you'll know the big butt as I like to call it.

 

Surely this isn't Atlanta traffic. I don't know where everyone was, but normally it is backed up to the South Carolina state line.

 

Atlanta's mid-town is about the size of most cities downtown. And to think, they predict Charlotte will be the size of ATL in the next 10+ years. *shudders*

 

Howdy Mr. Turner.

 

Ah yes, the reason we got up at 4:45 on a Saturday. Along with Carowinds joining the B&M hyper wars, they join SFOG as having one of the most visible hypers from an interstate.

 

I think this is our exit.

 

Batman looks very sharp in his new coat of paint. The ride was also running incredibly fast and smooth and insanely intense!

 

I wonder if they drained all that water out yet?

 

No gang signs please!

 

Is Top Gun moving here?

 

Now begins the theme of this trip report: Coaster Photos Without Trains! For short I'll call them No Train #, so in this case this is No Train #1.

 

You see, yet again, Six Flags Over Georgia decided that despite one hour waits on many of their coasters, they didn't need to run a 2nd (or 3rd) train on ANYTHING! Why? I have no idea why this park has such a problem with running a second train when they have a line! Ugh. I will say that most coasters we rode were running great, but with one train operation it made for a very limited number of rides.

 

The coasters all opened late as well because of the cold temperatures that morning. Double ugh. So far we are running between 1 & 2 flags for this trip.

 

No Andrew! Stop! Too late, security showed up and we never heard from Andrew again.

 

No train #2

 

Dude's text reads: "I know! I can't believe the Wiggle's are coming myself! It's a dream come true!!!"

 

Um, I thought this coaster was going in Magic Mountain.

 

No train #3

 

Sean just saw Mr. Six dance by naked.

 

Best thing I've seen all year. No more hair gel!

 

No train #4

 

Eh?

 

Nope, I can't figure it out either.

 

Now for the new section of the park: Abandoned Lickskillet!

 

The park didn't bother to put up a sign (that I could see), so I have no idea why they ripped down the western show stage, and boarded up all the shops! I also stopped and paid my respects again to Deja Vu. And before you ask, yes I looked at that sign on the right, but it didn't have any info.

 

Hey Six Flags! Take this ugly piece of junk down and put a nice restaurant with a view of GASM here! It would be something I'd actually spend money on! Carowinds charges half the price SFOG does, and theirs is taller!

 

I sense a great disturbance in the force. Actually it wasn't bad for me in the 2nd to back row, but Andrew said it killed his shoulders.

 

What the? Ninja's air compressor is run by an old V8? Are you serious?

 

Mass Confusion: The Ride. SFOG doesn't know how to fix this ride so that it parks correctly, so when it pulls in and they open the gates, the guy yells "GO ONE ROW BACK!", but everyone still goes to the row in front of them, which creates mass confusion and makes the load even longer.

 

No train #5.

 

And with that I'll end my report. I spent more time trying to get some footage than anything, as I've got tons of pictures of SFOG already and our time was very limited due to the fact that the park opened 1.5 hours late and they closed at 7:00.

 

My overall thoughts on the park:

 

Georgia Cyclone- Insane airtime this year, but the seat dividers are so rigid that every jolt and shake of the train went right into my hip bones. Again, insane airtime this year, but you have been warned that you might need to see your chiropractor afterwards.

 

Batman- The new blue paint job looks fantastic, and the ride is running faster and smoother than it has in years.

 

Mind Bender- I was very happy to see that they actually had it up and running opening day. I've heard stories of it not opening for 3 weeks or so after opening weekend. Still a fantastic ride, but with one train ops, I didn't get but 2 rides.

 

Lo.ckers- WHY? I can't tell you how angry it makes me that the park wants you to pay for a locker at Goliath, Georgia Cyclone, Superman and Georgia Scorcher. Why can you allow us to leave our stuff in one coasters station, but not the other?

 

Overall Park- The park looked very nice, the staff for the most part were friendly and helpful (shocking I know), I hope they can keep it up throughout the year.

 

Operations- Again, one train operations and I just don't get how you don't have 2 trains on coasters like Goliath, Superman and Batman which were all very popular and had 1 hour+ lines during the day.

 

Season Pass- I couldn't help but buy a pass this year, since a pass is only $5 more than daily admission (through May I think).

 

Parking- Still a rip-off at $15.

Edited March 10, 2010 by bgwfreak777

[DOCTOR DOOM!!!]

Does anybody have an idea of how crowded SFOG will be on Friday 3-19 or Sunday 3-21?!

[kidcoaster 2]

Does anybody have an idea of how crowded SFOG will be on Friday 3-19 or Sunday 3-21?!

 

Let me just look into my Crystal Ball here.....

 

But from what I hear Sundays are horribly busy at SFOG even during the spring. But I wouldn't expect friday to be busy.

[DarkStitch626]

I loved the park despite the one train ops. There were quite a few improvements like Acrophobia and Batman finally getting some paint and love. Wes Though alot of people already know I still wish you would have posted the Goliath photo we all got. Maybe Andrew can? It will explain more into how the heck my mouth got Superman's jinx powers! I mean seriously, how the heck did my voice time SO perfectly with Superman's break down that It stopped right as I said it? I wish we had a picture of THAT!. It was half way between prone and unload position and just jerks and jolts leaving people slanted. Then all the sudden and pretty much the rest of the day I kept my mouth shut about rides breaking. My initial reaction was that of "Oh....%$@#!" lol.

 

 

Sean "This rides gonna get STUCK....Oh $#@%!" Chappell

[ArizonaGuy]

BTR almost looks like GreatWhite from SeaWorld San Antonio.

 

Great pics though. This is one of the parks I hope to visit in the near future. Hope it isn't too ghetto.

[ParkTrips]

^ The area around the park is pretty hood, but the park itself isn't too bad, unless you choose to visit on a Saturday in the summer!

 

But from what I hear Sundays are horribly busy at SFOG even during the spring.

You heard wrong, this is jesus country. Sunday mornings are really dead, and the park doesn't typically pick up too heavily, especially this early in the year.

 

I've heard stories of it not opening for 3 weeks or so after opening weekend.

I only remember one year off the top of my head, when they replaced the brakes a few years back

[bgwfreak777]

The park was actually very dead on Saturday. Everyone was either in line for A: Season Pass Processing, B: Goliath or C: Superman.

 

Towards the end of the day lines actually became what I'd expect on a day where the parking lot was only 1/4 full. Sad.

 

I find it strange that Carowinds while having a less stellar coaster lineup than SFOG, almost always runs 2 trains on everything unless it is absolutely dead. Why is it that Carowinds understands this, but SFOG doesn't?

 

The only thing I can figure is that they want to force you into getting a Flash Pass, which is ridiculous.

[carolinacaniac]

Maybe they are still wrapping up maintenance on some of the trains? Just thought that may be a possibility since it was opening day. Either way, I enjoyed the pictures! Thanks for sharing them with us all!

 

-Gary T.

[Skycoastin Steve]

Nice TR, but just to clarify, the Carowinds and SFOG Skycoasters are both of the 150 foot variety. And yes, SFOG charges WAYYYYYY too much for theirs.

[Pufferfish]

^Errr, wrong, Carowinds is 170ft not 150, and SFOG's doesn't even take you all the way to the top.

 

^^That is true on Mindbender and Ninja, but the rest of them were perfectly fine.

 

I blame the single train operations on the fact that it was just opening day and all of the ride ops were taking their dear sweet time dispatching trains anyways. Here's to hoping things will speed up and run better later in the year.

 

-Andrew "Blue Batman FTW!" Singleton-

[DarkStitch626]

Nice TR, but just to clarify, the Carowinds and SFOG Skycoasters are both of the 150 foot variety. And yes, SFOG charges WAYYYYYY too much for theirs.

I think that has been established. Going back every time since a few seasons ago. I miss Deja Vu more and more.

[bgwfreak777]

Maybe they are still wrapping up maintenance on some of the trains? Just thought that may be a possibility since it was opening day. Either way, I enjoyed the pictures! Thanks for sharing them with us all!

 

-Gary T.

 

I know what you are saying, but why is it that Carowinds can have theirs done before opening day, but SFOG can't?

 

I mean, if it was like they just had Superman & Goliath back up to full capacity I'd be cool with that. But every single coaster only running one train?

 

Honestly can Carowinds be doing so much more maintenance in the 3 weeks that lead up to their opening, than SFOG opening 3 weeks earlier?

[DarkStitch626]

Wes, even on the facebook page for SFOG the trains were the primary complaint of ALL guest both public and pass holder. Post our on ride photo of Goliath man!

[bgwfreak777]

As requested:

 

[Skycoastin Steve]

^Errr, wrong, Carowinds is 170ft not 150, and SFOG's doesn't even take you all the way to the top.

 

 

I worked at the Skycoaster at Carowinds 4 years ago. Believe me, it's 153 feet. Same height as the other former Paramount Skycoasters. We used to even argue with the Drop Zone crew about which ride had the bigger drop (Sky Flyer's being 147 feet which is 153 minus the 6 foot low point, Drop Zone's actual free fall only being about 100 feet to the brakes). And you're right about SFOG not taking them all the way to the top, they stop a good 25 feet short (which baffles me, because you're only required to have it stop a few feet short of the stopper on the winch cable).

 

Edit: Here's the link to the ride page on Carowinds' website. Linkysaurus.

[Brad]

Maybe they are still wrapping up maintenance on some of the trains? Just thought that may be a possibility since it was opening day.

 

I am pretty sure that this was the case. We have had a pretty harsh winter, especially the last few weeks, which puts a damper on cycling the trains to get ready for opening. 3 WARM weeks sure can make a difference.

[haiderodes]

As for Lickskillet,

 

I'm thinking those shops are boarded up because that area got the bulk of the flooding back in September. Its a shame to hear they tore down the Wild West stage, but I imagine that had to have suffered a lot of damage as well. Hopefully they can get everything back up and running before the crowds come.

[Brad]

As for Lickskillet,

 

I'm thinking those shops are boarded up because that area got the bulk of the flooding back in September. Its a shame to hear they tore down the Wild West stage, but I imagine that had to have suffered a lot of damage as well. Hopefully they can get everything back up and running before the crowds come.

 

According to the new Park Map, there will be a new structure built where the Gunfight Show stage used to be (looks like a covered seating area for dining). The 'Lickskillet Stage' will also be in that area, where I assume the show will be moved once completed (but it will be next to the shops, not in the middle of the midway). The Gunfight show is currently next to the Rabun Gap station, where it was moved last year for Fright Fest.

[PKI Jizzman]

When I went to Sea World SA last year and saw Great White, I thought..."They need more blue B&M coasters!" and Batman looks almost dead on Great White! That Batman gave me a headache after riding twice in a row in the front seat..yikes that was intense.

 

Can't wait to return and ride Acrophobia, Goliath, Mindbender, and Cyclone!

[ebl]

Blue Batman does look nice. The only disappointment for me is that SFMM's color scheme was unique at one time, and now it has a twin.

 

Funny, too how Mindbender had that Schwarzkopf hair gel ad on their Schwarzkopf trains, and Viper at SFMM has that same ad on one of their Arrow trains.

 

Great Photo TR!

 

Eric

[Brandy524]

A friend of mine does the Wild West gun fight show every summer. He said the stage was torn down because the damage was so bad. All of their equipment was ruined; sound equipment, props, costumes, everything. They are moving the gun fight show to another location in that area. It's the building that used to be a shooting gallery game with the animatronics. So the gun fight show is not gone for good. He said the new building is going to be a lot better; bigger backstage area, etc. He said the old building was in really bad condition before the flood, so it's actually turned out to be a good thing!

[gatorchomp83]

We were at SFoG on Sunday, two days ago. Got there at opening and had our passes processed in about 5min total for the four of us.

 

As you experienced, everything was one train operation, and half of the coasters were closed. We'd heard that 50-degrees is the coldest Goliath would run in, and the high was expected at 48 that day so we were a bit nervous. Turns out, Goliath isn't what we needed to worry about, considering Cyclone, Mine Train, Canyon Blaster, Acrophobia, Ninja and GASM were all closed the entire day, even when the temperature got above 50.

 

Also, their food operations are spotty at best, considering we had multiple employees tell us that passholders receive 15% off at ALL food establishments in the park, and we didn't get a discount at Panda Express or Johnny Rockets.

 

ALSO, their operations on Goliath and Scorcher are awful with the crew taking anywhere between 30 seconds and a minute, every cycle, after the train has been checked and ready to go, by trying to pump up the crowd with "Oh yeah!," or "More Flags! More fun!" or doing the wave. We understood them trying to be enthusiastic, but at the cost of efficiency was ludicrous.

 

Overall, though, it was a good day. The rides (that were open) were running great.