Six Flags Over Georgia (SFOG) Discussion Thread

[Aceattack52]

Yes, it does have a low rider capacity to a degree. Keep in mind also, that this is just the spring break schedule. We could have a different schedule come out for the summer months. I'm optimistic.

[sirspanky53]

I believe the Skyscreamer testing has began. Saw the gondola half way up the tower today sitting still. Maybe in the next couple weeks for opening.

[GigaG]

A guy on the tram said Memorial Day for SkyScreamer.

[GigaG]

Those trains with the single position lap bars are actually pretty dangerous. I feel like I could stand up and get out when the lap bar is locked (I'm not going to, of course).

 

You are not supposed to stand up. Sure they are dangerous if you stand up. A street is also dangerous if you go stand in the middle. Unfortunately, the American legal system doesn't consider arguments for common sense.

 

The opposite case can be argued as well; there have been some accidents on coaster with ratcheting lap bars that probably would NOT have happened if the ride had (or still had) one position buzz bars.

 

Follow rules. If you see someone not following rules on a ride, notify a ride op or someone in charge. People doing stupid things on rides is THE REASON we have all these redundant ratcheting lap bars, individual seat belts, seat dividers, etc. etc.... oh yeah, add 3 layers of 20 foot high fences around rides.

 

Rides are HUGE powerful machines. If you do not respect them and follow rules, they will not respect you.

 

What accidents can buzz bars prevent?

[jps294]

I believe the Skyscreamer testing has began. Saw the gondola half way up the tower today sitting still. Maybe in the next couple weeks for opening.

 

Testing hasn't begun yet, I was at the park today and they had workers on top of the gondola to work on the tower...

[ArizonaGuy]

So JPS, you got to go to SFoG??? First time?? How was it compared to SFFT?

[jps294]

So JPS, you got to go to SFoG??? First time?? How was it compared to SFFT?

 

Nope it's my second time, with my first on Labor Day 2012. I go as it's the closest Six Flags park to me while in College, other than that SFFT is my home park as I live in Austin. But I don't compare SF parks as they are different (except for their rides), and I just have a different experience each time I go to a SF park that is different than my experience at SFFT. I like it that way as it makes SFFT unique.

[Aceattack52]

Things are looking good. I'll be there tomorrow. It sounds like they're using the gondola almost like a scaffold, where they're using it to get people and supplies to the area that needs work. Pretty good.

[sirspanky53]

Oh well got a little hopeful it was testing.

[simaticable]

SkyScreamer will be a great observation tower. Can't wait to ride it in June!

[josephcissell]

Glad to hear about this progress on SkyScreamer. I can't wait to see what that view looks like!

[Aceattack52]

SkyScreamer will be a great observation tower. Can't wait to ride it in June!

Yeah, that's what we're missing at SFOG. It seems like tons of other parks have observation towers, but not once in the history of SFOG have we had an observation tower.

[SFOGdude25]

^Well I considered the Great Gasp to be an observation tower of sorts.

[Aceattack52]

^Well I considered the Great Gasp to be an observation tower of sorts.

Yeah, I can see that. But it's not a REAL observation tower like Carowinds has. Carowinds' observation tower serves no purpose but to be used as such.

[jps294]

Here is the 2013 park map that I just scanned.

[Aceattack52]

Ok, here is just a small trip report about what was going on today. I didn't want to come up with a full report because other people have submitted full and complete ones a few times in the last couple weeks already.

 

Some of the things I noticed this trip-

-Batman seemed to rattle and was unusually loud.

-MindBender gets very violent at the bottom of the inclined helix (2nd loop) and shook the hell out of me.

-All of the water rides were open, despite the park saying that they would be closed until May 17th. (Log Jamboree, Ripsaw Falls, others, they were all open)

-Whoever did the retracking for the Georgia Cyclone did a pretty good job, but there are still some areas that could use work towards the end of the ride, though.

-Dare Devil Dive seems to be the most popular ride in the park, it was the only ride with a line. (it was about 30 minutes)

-The Scream Machine got some new track on the first turn!

-Goliath was a walk on even with one train.

 

Here is what I was able to do:

MindBender: 37X

Goliath: 12X

Great American Scream Machine: 4X

Batman: 5X

Superman: 3X

Georgia Cyclone: 3X

Georgia Scorcher: 2X

Dare Devil Dive: 1X

 

Here is what was running what:

MindBender: 2 trains

Goliath: 1 train (C'mon Six Flags)

Great American Scream Machine: 10:30-12:45 2 trains, 12:45-5:00 1 train

Batman: 2 trains

Superman: 1 train

Georgia Cyclone: 1 train

Georgia Scorcher: 1 train

Dare Devil Dive: 4 cars

 

*There was this one ride op working over at MindBender that was doing an amazing job (I think his name was David). He and the other ride op would have a race to the end of the train checking everyone's restraints. They were keeping tally too, I think he was losing when I left, but that's all right. He was the reason there was ABSOLUTELY NO stacking at all. They had to wait for the train ahead of them to dispatch!

New wood for the Scream Machine. (Taken with permission from the ride op!)

I was VERY disappointed Six Flags decided it was "OK" to run only one train on Goliath. But since it was a walk on even with one train, I -suppose- it's all right.

MAN DOWN! MAN DOWN!

Where is everybody? (Today was Easter)

I though this was something kind of interesting.

SkyScreamer was still doing nothing. But it looked like they weren't done with some other construction stuff. (Bottom right)

I though it was kind of funny that even SFOG refers to themselves as SFOG.

[ArizonaGuy]

I was VERY disappointed Six Flags decided it was "OK" to run only one train on Goliath. But since it was a walk on even with one train, I -suppose- it's all right.

 

Yeh....be "VERY" disappointed when they're running one train and the line is an hour long but it was a walk on for crying out loud. Just like Jake said, it cost money to run another train. If it's not needed, they're not going to waste the money to do it. Sometimes they get it right, sometimes they don't but in this case it was warranted. And I'm sure with your "I -suppose- it's alright" comment, park management took a collective sigh of relief when they got your approval.

[vacoaster09]

Ride attendants are not supposed to have races while checking restraints and im sure there will be disciplinary action for them if their management reads your post about mindbender. Also surprised the Six Flags ride op allowed you to take a photo on the ride because usually they aren't given such authority. Such would have to come from their Supervisor/Safety Dept.

[josephcissell]

^ I completely agree that ride ops shouldn't be having races or making it a competition to check restraints. That's not safe. Though it was probably too much, at least they showed some initiative to avoid stacking trains and the glacial dispatch pace that many Six Flags ride ops operate by.

[Gyrowolf]

How come every time I go lines are hours long? Someone let me in on the secret! Is there a day this week I should go if I want to avoid lines or did I miss the boat?

[bgtgwazi]

How come every time I go lines are hours long? Someone let me in on the secret! Is there a day this week I should go if I want to avoid lines or did I miss the boat?

 

Sundays during the spring (except during spring break, which you can figure out because it's the only time before summer that the park is open daily instead of just weekends), and sundays in the fall are usually the best days. I usually go in late march or mid april, then again in september. Avoid the summer at all costs. Once you get past mid-May it starts getting pretty busy even on Sundays. If you can shell out the 50 bucks, the gold flash pass is pretty nice on a crowded day.

[linearinduction]

^ I completely agree that ride ops shouldn't be having races or making it a competition to check restraints. That's not safe. Though it was probably too much, at least they showed some initiative to avoid stacking trains and the glacial dispatch pace that many Six Flags ride ops operate by.

Slow doesn't equal safe. There's is nothing wrong with "racing" while checking lapbars, especially on a Schwarzkopf! We did it at Lagoon ALL the time on Fire Dragon when running 2 Trains. Used to do it on Roller Coaster at Lagoon as well and we used to check em by pushing down AND pulling up.

 

-Sid

[vacoaster09]

Im just stating that Six Flags does not allow racing to check seats. The fact that its been stated that employees were seen doing it will mean disciplinary action if management becomes aware. Lagoon is not six flags so they may allow it. Six Flags does not. I personally don't want someone racing while checking my restraint. However, I don't mind a sense of urgency.

[josephcissell]

^ I completely agree that ride ops shouldn't be having races or making it a competition to check restraints. That's not safe. Though it was probably too much, at least they showed some initiative to avoid stacking trains and the glacial dispatch pace that many Six Flags ride ops operate by.

Slow doesn't equal safe. There's is nothing wrong with "racing" while checking lapbars, especially on a Schwarzkopf! We did it at Lagoon ALL the time on Fire Dragon when running 2 Trains. Used to do it on Roller Coaster at Lagoon as well and we used to check em by pushing down AND pulling up.

 

-Sid

You're right, slow doesn't necessarily equal safe. My point though is that checking restraints as quickly as absolutely possible isn't the proper way to do it. When checking restraints, ride ops should be focused on the task at hand and focused on ensuring that the restraint is secured, not on the absolute speed with which they can complete the task. Sure, no one wants slow operations, but when the ride op is doing his/her job as it should be done, they will be reasonably quick but more importantly attentive to each rider and each restraint. Whether its a Schwarzkopf with lap bars that is pretty safe anyway or not, the bottom line is that safety must always take priority over speed. Your point is well taken, however I disagree that there is nothing wrong with racing. I personally would rather see a ride op take the extra few seconds a cycle to do the job right and with excellence, than rush through the job and eventually cause an accident that would ruin the theme park experiences we all enjoy.

 

I personally don't want someone racing while checking my restraint. However, I don't mind a sense of urgency.

I agree. Reasonable urgency and the focus to complete the task with both excellence and speed is fine, but I would never want someone racing to check my restraint.

[Aceattack52]

^ I completely agree that ride ops shouldn't be having races or making it a competition to check restraints. That's not safe. Though it was probably too much, at least they showed some initiative to avoid stacking trains and the glacial dispatch pace that many Six Flags ride ops operate by.

Slow doesn't equal safe. There's is nothing wrong with "racing" while checking lapbars, especially on a Schwarzkopf! We did it at Lagoon ALL the time on Fire Dragon when running 2 Trains. Used to do it on Roller Coaster at Lagoon as well and we used to check em by pushing down AND pulling up.

 

-Sid

Actually, there's some of truth to this. On the Scream Machine, one attendant in particular was going very slow, and not checking the seat belts AT ALL. She just checked the lap bar. By contrast, another ride op earlier in the day was doing an excellent job with the seat belts. She was tightening everyone's belt weather it needed to be tightened or not. To add to that, they were pushing all the way down and pulling up. There were times in which one guy had to stop and help someone. They weren't being negligible in the slightest. They were doing an excellent job.