Six Flags St. Louis (SFStL) Discussion Thread

[teacherkim]

16 hours ago, DavidB said:

I was born in 1982 and definitely rode with the old trains but that's literally all I specifically remember...being in the old train, then the difference after they changed.  I also remember wanting to ride Jet Scream and not being tall enough...and it was gone in the next year or two and I never got the chance.

Jet Scream was my first coaster with an inversion. When I was in junior high they used to have "double rides after 5" on Friday nights which was really nice for Jet Scream because that thing was super short, lol.

[teacherkim]

9 hours ago, jackinbox said:

Thanks for the info.  I often visit parks by myself, so I guess I'd just have to use the bins by the rides?   

The discount on merchandise, parking, etc will also be good up at Great America, correct?   At least that's the way I'm reading it.

Yes, your member perks should work at all SF parks. Although I did run into a weird thing where I could not make two preferred parking reservations even though they were for two different parks a day apart. Every ride that you cannot carry your drink cup on has the holders at the stations. 

[teacherkim]

4 hours ago, SteveStL said:

You got me by one year ... I was 9 in '76.  I rode it opening year with my Siblings.  I almost chickened out when we got to the station and I looked at the height of lift hill.  My sister said 'No way!' and forced me on.  Glad she did

My Dad was the same way, I almost bailed after we had been in line for a while but he talked me into it. In the summers when school was out, he used to have Thursdays off because he worked Saturdays and we would "do stuff" every Thursday. I can remember we both got in trouble with my Mom after a day at the park, she had prepared a nice dinner and after a day of rides and lots of junk food neither one of us could touch it. She was quite put out and we got lectures that night!

[jrkstl]

6 hours ago, SteveStL said:

You got me by one year ... I was 9 in '76.  I rode it opening year with my Siblings.  I almost chickened out when we got to the station and I looked at the height of lift hill.  My sister said 'No way!' and forced me on.  Glad she did

Growing up in Quincy, IL we didn't get to SFoMA to ride the Eagle until 1977, it's second year. And I was born in 1965, so I was nearly 12. Yeah, I'm old... I was slightly hesitant, especially after seeing the lift hill in person (was completely obsessed with the ride during construction - couldn't see enough photos!) but my older brother was all "we are riding now!" Once we reached the top of the lift, the fear completely left me and I couldn't get enough.

 

[jamesk25]

Quick trip report from 4/23/16:

Not much changed from last Friday, crowds were light and the weather stayed decent. It was an awesome night to spend riding roller coasters as every ride was a walk on with a lot of coasters allowing instant rerides if a spot was open.

Quick changes, they opened Xclaibur and Shazam for people to ride, Spinsanity was down a few times. Mr. Freeze never opened and The Boss was running a sandbag train so operations at Boss was slower than usual. No Kids area rides were opened this time, and River King Mine Train was only operating every other row unlike the rest of the park filling every spot. Oh and it seems like they adding more LED color lights around the park.

ALSO the park extended the Power Nights into May! The new nights are:

-April 30th

-May 7th

(American Thunder and Justice League will be closed for a private event the 7th!)

-May 14th

-May 21st

-May 28th

[Danrarbc]

Unless the Mine Train station gets reconfigured to be a more standard loading design I can't see them loading every row until protocols end.

[jamesk25]

The ride operators at Mine Train had to work hard to keep everyone in check, as there is no blocking of the unused rows and the mask policy seems to be of no concern to the GP. I swear, besides Pandemonium, Mine Train had the most yelling at the GP's to put thier masks on.

Speaking of Pandemonium, the ride ops were giving out mask strikes to the GP's that kept refusing to pull thier masks up. One group got 2 strikes and the ripe op was getting ready to call security before they finally decided to listen to the operator.

[jamesk25]

Another update from Friday I forgot to mention is that Batman has a new logo made up in the new shortened queue line. I don't remember it being there last time, and I wonder if this a return to some sort of theming in the queue. Curious to see what the area looks like when its complete:

[bert425]

^ that looks like the base of a Batman statue going in.

similar to ones they've installed at SFFT (that now has Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman statues close to the entrances to "their" rides).

 

[Nrthwnd]

I can just see one of these parks going for the "Most Statues of Super Heroes in A Theme Park" Award, hee hee.

And of course, use that info. in future publicity, lol.

Of course I remember "One of The Tallest Statues in A Park" ... Zeus in Parc Asterix.

And then there is A LOT of Gi-normous ones in a lot of China franchise parks ...

....... and Speaking of China ........ me and my buddies. TPR 2012 China Tour.

[Danrarbc]

If the fog machines are restored inside the Batman station I'm going to be super happy and impressed. I mean we already got the lighting back on Freeze.

[bossstl]

16 minutes ago, Danrarbc said:

If the fog machines are restored inside the Batman station I'm going to be super happy and impressed. I mean we already got the lighting back on Freeze.

The original system was/is water based and was made by a company call Mee. Most of the guts are still there I believe. There are hopefully other things "coming back" to batman and other rides.

https://www.meefog.com/fog-special-effects/themed-entertainment/

 

 

 

 

[prozach626]

Who would have thought they would put so much love into an older ride? Big Kudos. Batman is still one of the best rides in the park.

[Danrarbc]

They're doing a great job this year. If we really sit down and look at all of the things getting TLC in 2021 it ain't bad. Batman queue, Freeze tunnel, Power Hours lighting, a massive amount of fencing and new decks, multi-year flume restoration project, the carousel restoration, Colossus paint job and I'm sure I'm missing more. Heck do the HVAC on Freeze and Batman and I'd swear the (Holiday World) Koch family or Herschend owned it now

[mikeykaise]

My fiancee and myself are planning a long weekend away with the kiddos (all teens) in St. Louis from July 2nd to July 5th. We were planning on doing Six Flags St Louis one day, the Zoo and Aquarium one day, and the City Musuem another day. I was thinking hitting up City Museum on the 5th as we're leaving town but wasn't sure about Six Flags how bad it could be on the 4th of July. I know with the Zoo I've been told to get there before it opens as it's usually busy, any tips for tourists would be appreciated.

[prozach626]

Make sure to ride the train at the Zoo. Grant's Farm is another popular attraction, although even though I'm native to the area, I've never been. We attempted twice, but I think you have to get there way before opening.

[castaway_kid]

Anyone driving by the park today on I44 will notice some big changes 

[bossstl]

Has it finally gone up!?! Can't wait to see it at night!

[liltrekkie]

Well don't keep us waiting! Tell us what happened!

[castaway_kid]

8 minutes ago, liltrekkie said:

Well don't keep us waiting! Tell us what happened!

But this is more fun.

[liltrekkie]

1 minute ago, castaway_kid said:

But this is more fun.

That's it I'm getting me mallet!

[Danrarbc]

Y'all making me want to take a 1hr 30min round trip drive just to see what you're talking about.

 

 

It's just a crane for Superman demo isn't it?

[bert425]

2 hours ago, prozach626 said:

Make sure to ride the train at the Zoo. Grant's Farm is another popular attraction, although even though I'm native to the area, I've never been. We attempted twice, but I think you have to get there way before opening.

we got there on a Monday right around opening, and had no problem getting in (tho it was PACKED by the time we left ~4 hours later).

 

well worth the effort (I loved the Carousel, of course, even tho it's a tiny one), but the "zoo" atmosphere, and the ability to feed the goats, feed the fish/birds, ride the camels if so choosing was a nice perk for the little ones.

the free tram up to the main drop off is really nice, but it IS a lot of walking to get down to the "return" tram, so warning, if you have any mobility issues.

added perk too?  free beer samples in the festhall/food area, for adults.

it's well worth a stop.  especially since it was free admission (we paid upcharge for the photo tho, and parking is charged)

 

(oh, and agree COMPLETELY on the train at the zoo. .and those tickets also get you on the Conservation Carousel there, which is lovely).

[bert425]

 

4 hours ago, mikeykaise said:

My fiancee and myself are planning a long weekend away with the kiddos (all teens) in St. Louis from July 2nd to July 5th. We were planning on doing Six Flags St Louis one day, the Zoo and Aquarium one day, and the City Musuem another day. I was thinking hitting up City Museum on the 5th as we're leaving town but wasn't sure about Six Flags how bad it could be on the 4th of July. I know with the Zoo I've been told to get there before it opens as it's usually busy, any tips for tourists would be appreciated.

personally?  I'd blow off the Aquarium. . we were *not* impressed (we're aquarium people. . I wasn't impressed by Shedd in Chicago either. . but we love Vancouver Aquarium, Maui Aquarium, and favorite is Georgia Aquarium - if that gives you an idea of our aquarium likes).

so I would NOT spend the money.

the zoo is free entry/exit. .so I'd totally spend full day at the zoo (it's a large zoo and will take you at least 4-5 hours anyways, without riding the train or carousel, if you buy that ticket that also includes Sea Lion show, and touchtank experineces) -   at the back entrance (near the Penguin encounter) is the gate that will lead you out, and just up the hill is the Saint Louis Museum of Art.

i *loved* this museum, even tho I only spent an hour there power walking thru it (my spouse was wiped from all the walking in the zoo, so I left him sitting on a sofa at museum entrance and I enjoyed it myself)  it's a wonderful museum, and I recommend it:   oh. .and Admission is free to all main exhibitions.  (only the special traveling exhibition is an upcharge)

https://www.slam.org/

 

also, as noted above, Grant's Farm is a great way to spend a few hours, if you get there at open.

[teacherkim]

5 hours ago, mikeykaise said:

My fiancee and myself are planning a long weekend away with the kiddos (all teens) in St. Louis from July 2nd to July 5th. We were planning on doing Six Flags St Louis one day, the Zoo and Aquarium one day, and the City Musuem another day. I was thinking hitting up City Museum on the 5th as we're leaving town but wasn't sure about Six Flags how bad it could be on the 4th of July. I know with the Zoo I've been told to get there before it opens as it's usually busy, any tips for tourists would be appreciated.

Keep in mind with your planning that the Zoo and the City Museum both require reservations at the moment. Whether they will or not in July is anyone's guess but 4th of July weekend in Forest Park will be insane. The Cardinals are out of town which will help but if the VP fair goes on as usual at the Arch it will only compound the crowds. You will need to plan and I would make Zoo reservations early and plan on that taking up most of the day. The aquarium really only needs an hour or two, so you will have to decide if the money is worth it. It's not bad just really small and a "short" experience. Again depending on the status of the fair parking could be a nightmare all over downtown and there will be streets blocked off. 

I have not heard if they have made a decision on how or if the fair will be conducted this year but that is crucial information to your plans. If it goes on downtown hotel rooms will be sold out for the whole weekend. And it will make every tourist spot way more crowded.