Six Flags Discovery Kingdom (SFDK) Discussion Thread

[Reality15]

Medusa (and throw in Superman as a close second since it will be the new hotness next year) should be the all-stars of ride operators at the park. I don't know how SFDK divides the park, but the best of the best should be operating the star rides.

As someone with five years of operations management experience, that's the last thing you want. If I were to put all of my best employees on the star rides, what happens to the capacity on smaller rides, and especially children's attractions? Nine times out of ten if I respond to a complaint call about an employee moving too slow, it's going to be on a single-operator attraction like a kids ride or a smaller flat ride.

 

When I do hiring, my focus isn't on speeding up my star attractions, you have to put them where they're going to fit best. A teenage guy who thinks he's the best thing since sliced bread would probably be best on an attraction like some go-karts, while a college student looking for an education degree would be best in the kids area. When you put them where they fit best, they'll have a better work ethic and, as a result, move faster. I know a lot of other parks that do this as well, like Cedar Point, the Disney parks and even Universal (to an extent). You usually don't hear about capacity problems from any of those.

[CoasterGuy06]

Medusa (and throw in Superman as a close second since it will be the new hotness next year) should be the all-stars of ride operators at the park. I don't know how SFDK divides the park, but the best of the best should be operating the star rides.

As someone with five years of operations management experience, that's the last thing you want. If I were to put all of my best employees on the star rides, what happens to the capacity on smaller rides, and especially children's attractions? Nine times out of ten if I respond to a complaint call about an employee moving too slow, it's going to be on a single-operator attraction like a kids ride or a smaller flat ride.

 

When I do hiring, my focus isn't on speeding up my star attractions, you have to put them where they're going to fit best. A teenage guy who thinks he's the best thing since sliced bread would probably be best on an attraction like some go-karts, while a college student looking for an education degree would be best in the kids area. When you put them where they fit best, they'll have a better work ethic and, as a result, move faster. I know a lot of other parks that do this as well, like Cedar Point, the Disney parks and even Universal (to an extent). You usually don't hear about capacity problems from any of those.

 

That's what I mean when I say "all-star." I remember reading here one of the chain parks having anyone interested in working at their big new coaster that year write an essay about why they should be chosen for that crew. Believe me, I'm aware of the number of complaints kids rides can draw Parents are like hawks with their kids and do not hesitate to report an issue, and I totally agree with knowing your ride op for a best fit. I just believe you use that knowledge to improve your capacity. If I have two equally awesome employees, whose best fit is working our major thrill rides but one of them simply can't keep up with the fast pace of running two trains on a coaster, I'm not going to put him on that coaster the days it is running two trains with a long line unless I can balance them being there with someone that can cover them and keep the line moving.

 

One thing I enjoyed seeing here is reading about the challenges the three CF B&M mega coaster crews have where they see which ride can have the highest through put over a certain weekend. Six Flags could do the same kind of thing with similar rides across the chain. Have the Medusa/Bizaro/Scream crews or all the B:TR crews challenge each other say Memorial Day weekend. Give something to the winning crew. Keeping the crew motivated is important to see a good performance.

[robman]

I might be going to the park next week to check out Holiday in the Park. I was wondering, how are the crowds usually during Holiday in the Park?

[Andrewoplis]

I might be going to the park next week to check out Holiday in the Park. I was wondering, how are the crowds usually during Holiday in the Park?

 

It's usually not that crowded when I go to holiday in the park, if you get to the park when it opens there should be little to no lines on the major rides. But it tends to get a little busy later in the day when it gets darker.

 

By the way, make sure you try the snow hill, its a lot of fun!

Edited December 23, 2011 by Andrewoplis

[XYZ]

I might be going to the park next week to check out Holiday in the Park. I was wondering, how are the crowds usually during Holiday in the Park?

 

It's usually not that crowded when I go, if you get to the park when it opens there should be little to no lines on the major rides. But it tends to get a little busy later in the day when it gets darker.

 

By the way, make sure you try the snow hill, its a lot of fun!

 

When I went to SFDK on Black Friday, it literally took me an hour and a half to cover the whole park, heck that is the wait for Medusa in Fright Fest.

[scooterdoug]

I might be going to the park next week to check out Holiday in the Park. I was wondering, how are the crowds usually during Holiday in the Park?

 

I went 2 Sundays this month (December 4th and 11th). The place was absolutely dead. Medusa was a 1-3 train wait for the front (walk on for all other rows), ditto for V2. Both Kong and Roar were station waits, though they were both running only 1 train. Pandemonium was a 5 minute wait. Never bothered to check out Boomerang, as I'm not a huge fan of concussions. I'm not sure how it will be now that schools are on winter break, but the park was gloriously empty on those two Sundays that I went.

[Andrewoplis]

I might be going to the park next week to check out Holiday in the Park. I was wondering, how are the crowds usually during Holiday in the Park?

 

It's usually not that crowded when I go, if you get to the park when it opens there should be little to no lines on the major rides. But it tends to get a little busy later in the day when it gets darker.

 

By the way, make sure you try the snow hill, its a lot of fun!

 

When I went to SFDK on Black Friday, it literally took me an hour and a half to cover the whole park, heck that is the wait for Medusa in Fright Fest.

 

Oh, I knew I was forgetting something!

 

It's usually not that crowded when I go to holiday in the park

[JJnCFL]

Just went last night (12/22), and was there from 3 till 9 (Closing). Everything was a walk on except for Roar (due to running 1 train) & Pandemonium (about a 10 min wait). Overall a nice evening, definitely bring a warm jacket and gloves!

[robman]

Im glad that the rides are all mostly walk on! I'm going next Thursday so it seems that lines aren't too bad.

Just

 

 

went last night (12/22), and was there from 3 till 9 (Closing). Everything was a walk on except for Roar (due to running 1 train) & Pandemonium (about a 10 min wait). Overall a nice evening, definitely bring a warm jacket and gloves!

 

 

About how long was the line for Roar? I rode is back in late June and it was very rough. I was just wondering if I should even bother giving it a second chance.

[Sunfire]

^I went on Sunday 12/18, and ride lines were generally short. Roar, however, was about a 30 minute wait due to one train. It's still running pretty rough though so definitely brace yourself for that.

[Commando]

So have they started clearing the site or anything to do with the construction of Superman yet?

[SoCalCoasters]

So have they started clearing the site or anything to do with the construction of Superman yet?

 

Superman won't break ground for another month or so. Pandamonium is open for the next two weeks following Christmas for Holiday in The Park, then it'll probably take them around 1-2 weeks to dismantle it.

 

I don't think track will arrive until Feb or March and I doubt the trains will show up until March-April or so.

[Sunfire]

So have they started clearing the site or anything to do with the construction of Superman yet?

 

Superman won't break ground for another month or so. Pandamonium is open for the next two weeks following Christmas for Holiday in The Park, then it'll probably take them around 1-2 weeks to dismantle it.

 

I don't think track will arrive until Feb or March and I doubt the train will show up until March-April or so.

 

Fixed.

[JJnCFL]

Im glad that the rides are all mostly walk on! I'm going next Thursday so it seems that lines aren't too bad.

Just

 

 

went last night (12/22)' date=' and was there from 3 till 9 (Closing). Everything was a walk on except for Roar (due to running 1 train) & Pandemonium (about a 10 min wait). Overall a nice evening, definitely bring a warm jacket and gloves![/quote']

 

 

About how long was the line for Roar? I rode is back in late June and it was very rough. I was just wondering if I should even bother giving it a second chance.

The line was not too bad, about 15-20 minutes though it felt longer as we were being held at the bottom of the entrance. Fortunately I was in front of the fire pit. The rides I took definitely were the roughest I've ridden in a long time, more than Kong IMO, and that says a lot lol.

[XYZ]

I went to SFDK on 12/23 and these are the "highlights" of the trip:

 

-Roughest ride on Kong with me. I love calling it "Train Wreck: The Ride" (If you here someone yelling Train Wreck: The Ride on Kong's lift, that's probably me. )

 

-They painted the 3rd train on Medusa (under re-hab) and it looks so amazing!

 

-Only 3 trains running on Pandemonium

 

-Big Clearance sale in SFDK's shops (I really don't know why they are selling things they are going to use next year [e.g. SFDK jackets, Shouka products])

 

-I went on my 21st credit: Roadrunner Express! (It actually suprised me on how *tough* NOT rough it is on you, I saw tons of kids going off of it crying and I was the only one in the whole train having fun. )

 

-Even though it isn't inside SFDK, we beat the traffic from the whole Bay Area going to Lake Tahoe.

 

-Oh, also they gave FREE giraffe feeding because the cashier didn't come on time and when he came, the zookeepers told him to leave. This was the 1st time I fed a giraffe and I got to say that $5 is a rip-off but a good money-making device just like those horrible lockers.

[SoCalCoasters]

Went to the park today and had a great time all around!

 

We headed straight for Pandamonium and got the best ride I have ever had on it. Two heavy set teenagers on one side and no one on the other side starting out backwards was insane, I had no idea the ride could spin that intense. Also entered myself in the first ride contest, doubt I'll win, but still.

 

The animals were incredibly active today, moreso than I've ever seen them before! Everything was out and about, including the Walruses, Lions, Elephants, etc. The area where they have the baby animals had the cutest and most active baby monkey I've ever seen, seriously the cutest thing ever, period. There was also a sloth, I think the most we saw it do was blink.

 

The birds in the birdshow however were refusing to cooperate with the trainers, may have had something to do with the cold.

 

There were a couple rides down, but a LOT less than in previous years. Only Boomerang and Voodoo were down besides the water attractions, and Tasmanian Devil was actually running!

 

Roar was running decently, but both it and Kong were running with one train ops, driving the wait times up towards the afternoon. Cobra had a short wait, so they were actually doing two cycles per round! Medusa was successfully running two trains with zero stacking! They kept it 1-2 train waits the entire day, even with a decent crowd constantly pouring in. Best part:

 

And the gum wall is gone.

 

They were heavily advertising Superman throughout the park, and people were sounding very excited about it.

 

That' all for now.

[Noobitizer]

No stacking or gum wall?!

[SoCalCoasters]

No stacking or gum wall?!

 

 

Yup! Couldn't believe either of them! They were doing great, and overall pretty much every employee was actually smiling/happy in a genuine way.

[Sunfire]

No stacking or gum wall?!

 

 

Yup! Couldn't believe either of them! They were doing great, and overall pretty much every employee was actually smiling/happy in a genuine way.

 

This shocks me, but pleases me too. That gum wall was just hideous.

[RAWKIN_coaster38]

This shocks me, but pleases me too. That gum wall was just hideous.

It'll be back again next year.

 

But still good to hear that they're doing well!

[ABW]

No stacking or gum wall?!

Did an SFDK supervisor seriously just poke fun at his own park's "issues"??

 

I find that genuinely awesome!

[154bmag]

No stacking or gum wall?!

Ok who divided by zero?

[MrSum1_55]

No stacking or gum wall! What's next? Adding shade to the front of the park? Descent food offerings? Aliens blowing up the Earth's core? What!?

[XYZ]

I went to SFDK yesterday, on the 28th and it was much more crowded than last week suprisingly. I guess it is because this week people are off of work.

 

My highlights:

 

-Better than usual operations on Medusa, instead of 3-minute dispatches, they were 2-minute dispatches!

-Pandemonium is continuing with the drawing of winning free tickets to go on Superman.

-Also, this one person told me that a Six Flags employee told him that Boomerang will be removed next year.

This is a rumor and I hope that particular employee doesn't know what he is talking about (which probably is going to happen ). Though, we should still look at this as a rumor.

[DarienLaker]

Well I hope Pandemonium finds new life in another park!