Six Flags Over Texas (SFOT) Discussion Thread

[krazekiddd]

This was in the Star-Telegram. Doesn't mean anything, but interesting reading.

 

Star-Telegram

 

Signs point to big top coming to Six FlagsBy Barry Shlachter, Maria Perotin and Jim Fuquay

Star-Telegram Staff Writers

\Is the circus coming to Six Flags Over Texas?

 

The Arlington theme park has sent out a holographic image of a bare-chested acrobat with purple leotard pants suspended from a crescent moon as part of an invitation to a news conference scheduled for 11 a.m. today.

 

While Six Flags officials declined to reveal details of the announcement after Arlington Mayor Robert Cluck excitedly told a room full of local business people about a “huge” deal at the park last week, a quick Internet search turned up an image of an acrobat in a similar flying pose (this time in yellow tights) performing in a Cirque Productions show.

 

Based in Pompano Beach, Fla., Cirque Productions creates “European, theatrical and cirque-style shows for corporate events, theatres and tours,” according to its Web site. Its Cirque Dreams show performed in Bass Hall last year, and the company opened a year-round permanent show in Branson, Mo., in 2004 called Cirque Branson.

 

And the company seems to be developing one of these shows for Six Flags’ 2007 operating season.

 

After reporters Andrea Ahles and Andrea Jares talked with several officials at Cirque Productions and elsewhere, the company said any questions about its new production with Six Flags needed to be answered by Six Flags spokeswoman Sandra Daniels.

 

[jmccalip]

Haha, maybe it was just saying they thrilled you last year, and this year will be no different(as in no ride).

[Jive]

I big circus could be fun. I wonder what the inside of a tent is going to feel like in August though.

[jmccalip]

I big circus could be fun. .

 

 

You're kidding, right...?

[coaster1]

Official Release:

 

Cirque Productions Dreams Up a World of Fantasy and Lights For Six Flags Over Texas Guests In A New World-Class Show To Debut In 2007

 

"Coobrila” Highlights Park's "Cooler, Brighter, Later" Experience

 

(Arlington, TX) On the heels of its 45th anniversary season, Six Flags Over Texas today announced its plan to unveil a world-class spectacle of lights, sounds, imagery and unprecedented showmanship in an original production to debut in June 2007 exclusively at Six Flags Over Texas. Next summer, Six Flags Over Texas guests will be amazed, mesmerized and electrified by the park's new stage extravaganza, Cirque Dreams Coobrila!

 

"Cirque Dreams Coobrila will be like no other show we’ve ever presented at Six Flags Over Texas," said Steve Calloway, vice president and general manager of the company's flagship park. "This is exactly the kind of world-class entertainment our guests have been looking for — an escape that will transport them to another place and time. It will, quite simply, take their breath away!"

 

Cirque Dreams Coobrila will come to life in the 10,000-seat Music Mill Amphitheatre under the sultry Texas nighttime sky. The theater will be completely transformed and reconfigured with multiple stages and performance runways designed to connect the performers with the audience in an intimate and totally engaging experience. High above the theatre, an elaborate truss structure will accommodate special effects, brilliant illuminations and amazing displays of aerial artistry.

 

The word "Coobrila" was created by combining three key descriptive elements of the show — the outdoor performances will be presented at night when temperatures are COOler...illumination effects throughout the park BRIghter…and park operating hours LAter to maximize guest enjoyment. These elements also fuel the three principal characters of this new Cirque Dreams attraction.

 

"Cirque Dreams Coobrila is a fantastical journey into a world of imagination," said Neil Goldberg, producer and artistic director of Cirque Productions. "In the Coobrila dream, three personalities reign supreme…the 'cooler', the 'brighter' and the 'later'. When aligned under the light of a bright new moon, their inventive antics and acrobatic adventures will unfold to inspire, entertain and amaze audiences, bringing them to their feet, cheering and chanting 'Coobrila, Coobrila!'”

 

An international cast will perform this original production and showcase their diverse talents along with Cirque Productions' signature style of wildly bizarre and creative costumes, original music and unlimited imagination, all blended together to create the world of Cirque Dreams Coobrila, presented exclusively at Six Flags Over Texas!

 

Later Park Hours means Late Nights @ Six Flags

 

To complement the Cooler, Brighter, Later elements of Cirque Dreams Coobrila, from June 16 – August 19, Six Flags Over Texas will remain open until 11 p.m. Late Nights @ Six Flags will beckon park guests to escape from the humdrum of everyday life and discover a world of light under the moon! During the evening hours, the park will be filled with illuminated characters and a pulsating energy. Three uniquely different high-energy bands and nine performance groups will take to the streets and various stages of the park creating an all-out party atmosphere for families, teens, tweens and even senior citizens to enjoy.

 

"Once the sun sets, we're going to completely 'amp up' the wow factor," said Bruce Mather, Six Flags Over Texas entertainment and special events manager. "We're going to literally 'light up the night' with lasers, sky trackers and thousands of twinkling lights all over the park. Look one direction and you might see jugglers; turn in another direction and there could be street dancers; another, an alternative rock band. Even the uniforms of our park hosts and hostesses will have an illuminated element. This will truly be a different park after dark."

 

The Six Flags Over Texas nightly parade will kick off the Late Nights @ Six Flags event each evening featuring park performers, elaborate floats, the Justice League of America Superheroes and, of course, Bugs Bunny and Friends.

 

With the debut of Cirque Dreams Coobrila and Late Night @ Six Flags, the summer of 2007 promises to be a summer like no other!

 

Video Too:

http://streams.sixflags.com/Video/Nov1006/sixflags_cirque-dreams_56.wmv

[DerekRx]

Woohoo! And here I thought I'd have to try to cram in a trip to Texas again in 2007. Pfffew! That was a close one! Let's watch SFOTs attendance go thru the roof next year!

[jmccalip]

Lame.

[robbalvey]

Official Announcement here:

http://www.themeparkreview.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=30884

 

--Robb "Thread closed!" Alvey

[SharkTums]

Well, that sure makes more sense based on the guy flying from the moon Teaser Card than anything else.

 

Nothing against the 'Texas GP' but I really don't see this as a great idea for the park.

 

At the same time, it is good I guess to see Shapiro sticking to his vision, but let's be honest, is Six Flags really where you expect to see a Cirque show?

[Primogen18]

well they have a point when they say it adds extra hours to the day and what not, and the nighttime party atmosphere thing really sounds like a cool idea. Im sure itll be a big hit even if some of us may label it lame. I was thinking this would be a new ride or something as well, but this seems like a better improvement.

[coaster1]

Personally it's a great fit, last year's expansion was great with the families and this improves on it and gives the park a good closing show again.

 

Something they haven't had in a while and avoids the congestion at the front gate from the last few year's "closing" shows. Just creates a problem with some of the concerts, but I assume on concert nights, there is no show.

[ParkTrips]

Cool! I don't necessarily see this as an attraction that will bring tons of more people through the gates, but do see it as something that will improve the overall experience it one's day, and if its good, hopefully leave a great lasting impression on guests a la Illuminations and such at Disney...

[DerekRx]

I don't know how much money was put into this show, but it seems like a bigger waste of money than any sort of ride. Looking back at the majority of shows (especially at a SF park), they have like a 2 year lifespan. While the whole nighttime atmosphere may be neat, it also seems like a heck of a lot of people to employ. So now instead of having every ride opened and running maximum capacity, we're going to have 40 photographers and a bunch of jugglers running around.

 

Its a cool concept, but I don't see it lasting too long, not at a place like SFOT. SFFT I could see (or other parks well known for their shows, as hey attract more showy people; like Dollywood, SDC, etc). But yeah, a SF park is NOT where I'd think to go see a Cirque show.

 

"Ferget Vegas honey, put on yer best cowboy boots and hat, we're going to Six Flags to see Cirque!"

[Wes]

I CALLED IT!!

[thrillrideseeker]

THATS [NOTE: I AM TOO STUPID TO FIND A BETTER WORD THAN "GAY" TO EXPRESS MY DISCONTENT] I was expecting a good ride like a rocket coaster or a screamin swing...or anything execept a stupid show type thing Im so disapointed

~Matthew

[arrowfanman]

High above the theatre, an elaborate truss structure will accommodate special effects, brilliant illuminations and amazing displays of aerial artistry.

 

My guess is it will include a moon with many faces.

 

Hmmm...I dont know what to think of this. One side of me says that this is Six Flags--the show will ultimately run like a Six Flags show, no matter how great the performance actually is. The other side of me says this is Cirque, and that they will damn well make sure that anything with their name on it is going to maintain a certain standard.

 

...then again, thats what I thought about the Papa John's deal.

 

...yea, this isn't a good idea.

[Wes]

The disappointment in this thread is far more entertaining than any coaster SFOT could have received.

[coaster05]

I have no real interest to see a Cirque show, but I do think it could keep people in the park longer as it is a well know name.

 

What I find funny is all the people who expected a ride even after Shapiro has said there will be no huge additions for awhile. For those who say this won't bring in the people like a new ride, if that was the case why is SF in such financial peril considering they have done nothing but put in rides for the last 15 years. What they were doing before did not work and as much as we enjoy rides we should realize they have to try something new.

 

Success or failure on this endeavor will take time but at least its a different approach.

[apollo210]

This just has to be the biggest rip-off ever! If anything, why a circus? I'd rather have a spinner than this.

-Stephen "Six Flags, Snyder and Sharpio all suck"

[rctman]

I swear SF has some hatred for Texas or something. We just can't seem to get anything worthwhile in a long time. Yet other parks receive world class rides almost every year. It's really beginning to get frustrating. I think Texas deserves atleast something a little major after tearing down SFAW.

[robbalvey]

I have no real interest to see a Cirque show, but I do think it could keep people in the park longer as it is a well know name.

 

What I find funny is all the people who expected a ride even after Shapiro has said there will be no huge additions for awhile. For those who say this won't bring in the people like a new ride, if that was the case why is SF in such financial peril considering they have done nothing but put in rides for the last 15 years. What they were doing before did not work and as much as we enjoy rides we should realize they have to try something new.

 

Success or failure on this endeavor will take time but at least its a different approach.

I can kind of see your point, but you have to remember one thing....

 

Six Flags did seem to operate successfully on mostly "big rides" before Premiere took over, but the approach 'back in the day' was VERY different. It wasn't one 'big ride' after the other after the other, plopped down as quickly and cheaply as possible....the overall quality of each new big ride was certainly higher back then.

 

Look at SFMM as an example. In the few years before Premiere took over the park got: Superman, Batman, Riddler's, Goliath.

 

Since Premiere took over they got: X, Deja Vu, Scream, Tatsu. 2 of which have been nothing but problems, 1 that, while is a good ride was totally neglected (parking lot coaster) and then finally something of quality, Tatsu.

 

Back in the Time Warner days, each ride had good area theming, each ride had it's own staff "costume" and overall it seemed like each ride was more of an "investment" than just plopped down in Roller Coaster Tycoon.

 

The Premiere approach didn't seem to have the same level of quality or attention to detail. Not saying that Six Flags was ever on the Disney, Universal, Busch quality, but it was much higher than most of what we've seen recently (the Kingda Ka area being the exception.)

 

It was just massive coasters installed as quickly and as cheaply as possible, and in many cases the company making what seemed like HUGE mistakes of spending massive amounts of money for quantity over quality, like those years where parks were getting 3 and some 4 coasters in one season, that didn't seem to do anything to their attendance. They basically blew what could have been 4 years of marketing potential in one season. Or making very poor decisions like buying 3 Deja Vu's all in one year instead of buying one, see how it worked out, and then buying the other two for the next year. And think about...each park that got a Deja Vu...did they really even NEED that ride at that time? No!

 

While I do agree that parks need more than "big rides" over and over again, I'm not sure the answer is the current "let's go cold turkey and give the masses nothing but family attractions and shows."

 

That's not exactly what Six Flags was built on and while I applaud them for trying to do something different, I also kind of feel it's being "shoved down our throats." Know what I mean?

 

I too would like to see another major ride at SFOT, although with each major ride comes major long term investments. I just hope this show does what they are hoping it will do otherwise it does seem like quite a huge investment for a potential "risk."

 

I want to support this, I really do...I'm just not quite sure I agree it's the right direction.

 

--Robb "Not being a hater on the show idea, but I'm not completely sold on it either..." Alvey

[calcajun]

Well, As far as last season is concerned, there was all the talk about family atmosphere ,clean restroom,more characters ect. That seemed to happen very quickly and without much national advertising. At least i sure didn't see much in the way of comercials promoting this to those who rarely if at all went to parks. Sure we knew about it cause we look for the info.

 

Maybe what will make the big difference in 07 is a major advertising campaign to make known to GP about the new changes and bring in better attendance.

 

I believe 07 is the season we will really see if the changes make some major difference.

If not, i think SF won't be round much longer.

[BeemerBoy]

There's also another way to look at this addition. Not only is this a questionable strategic move for SFI, but it's also a huge risk for a very viable worldwide production company like Cirque.

 

If I'm not mistaken, Cirque only has current "resident" productions in two of the top entertainment destinations in the US - Vegas and Orlando. Taking that into consideration, I think the big point missed in this announcement for SFI is not only "why did SFOT acquire a Cirque show?", but "why did Cirque chose to do business with SFI?" And in Texas, nonetheless!

 

Although I could care less what happens to SFI, I must applaud Shapiro for staying the course in his "family entertainment" vision. The simple fact that Cirque was willing to put their great reputation on the line with this struggling company says something, IMHO. Everything starts with baby steps, and perhaps a new era for Six Flags will begin at the first SF park? I'll admit I haven't followed the latest news concerning the selling of SF parks very closely, but if the company downsizes significantly, maybe this will be considered the new starting point?

[coasterdude5]

^^^ Very well put, Robb.

 

I'm a little disappointed by the announcement, but hey, I'm a coaster enthusiast, what'd you expect? I'm glad to see them at least adding something new.

 

Maybe next year...

[Wes]

If I'm not mistaken, Cirque only has current "resident" productions in two of the top entertainment destinations in the US - Vegas and Orlando. Taking that into consideration, I think the big point missed in this announcement for SFI is not only "why did SFOT acquire a Cirque show?", but "why did Cirque chose to do business with SFI?" And in Texas, nonetheless!

 

I don't think it's actually THE Cirque du Soleil company. It just keeps referring it as "Cirque Productions".

 

EDIT: Yep, it's Cirque Productions, NOT Cirque du Soleil.

 

http://www.cirqueproductions.com/index_main.htm