Six Flags St. Louis (SFStL) Discussion Thread

[Danrarbc]

9 hours ago, prozach626 said:

You have to be a little more calculated on what's going to pay off. You're resources are already limited and this is a game of logistics. Is the juice worth the squeeze on this particular project? Maybe for 1% of the guests. If that. Imagine how many weeds could have been pulled with all of the man hours spent on this project. TTD will have almost killed someone, gone SBNO, and reconstructed as a record breaker in less time than this project has taken to finish.

From what they've said there are generally just two people working the project. A carpenter and a painter.

How many weeds would these two have pulled?

[jamesk25]

"The team has completed two horses since beginning work in October and is close to finishing another two of the 70 pieces. About 26 of the horses have begun the long process. Before Rhoades and Read can start work, each horse is shipped to a facility in Oklahoma City to have the previous coats of paint chemically stripped off. Rhoades said sometimes up to eight pounds of paint are removed to get to the original wood base. Often the solution seeps into the cracks in the wooden horses, which are over 100 years old, and can erode the glue and cause limbs to fall off."

Missourian- Feb 21st 2021

@Danrarbc

So yes, a team of two working out of the maintenance shop at SFStL working to paint and restore broken wooden parts but a whole team in Oklahoma City is doing the heavy lifting of stripping and cleaning. I can see the shipping causing much of the wait.

[SteveStL]

That's it!  we need the Mule-Go-Round back!!

[theymitbgi]

16 hours ago, prozach626 said:

And how many people would have noticed over the past two seasons who could have been riding it?

It's not whining. We passed that point and we've long been mocking.

Calling it: In just as many years they have taken to restore the ponies they are going to look like trash again.

  

You have to be a little more calculated on what's going to pay off. You're resources are already limited and this is a game of logistics. Is the juice worth the squeeze on this particular project? Maybe for 1% of the guests. If that. Imagine how many weeds could have been pulled with all of the man hours spent on this project. TTD will have almost killed someone, gone SBNO, and reconstructed as a record breaker in less time than this project has taken to finish.

Hey prozach long time no see, hope all is going well for you and you're still in our little town.   Is the juice worth the squeeze? ,  kinda unique expression a local radio host uses quite a bit.  Are you a fan of his or just coincidence?

 

Anyway looking at some of these pictures just presents a sad state of affairs SFSL is in.  I haven't been in 4-5 years and have no intentions of going back soon.  I now consider SDC my home park and only make that trip 3-4 times a year.  

[prozach626]

^Took a job in Troy last year. Huge improvement on quality of work life for me.

Hope all is going well with you.

  

20 hours ago, CaptainUnknown said:

@prozach626 I wonder if you would be this up in arms about the carousel I'd you weren't the father to a toddler?

You mean the target market?

  

12 hours ago, Danrarbc said:

From what they've said there are generally just two people working the project. A carpenter and a painter.

How many weeds would these two have pulled?

Quite a few, actually. Or maybe they could have... repaired and painted some stuff over the several years they have dedicated their time to something no one will notice.

 

No one will ever convince me that this isn't a huge waste of time.

[Danrarbc]

And no one will ever convince me that there wouldn't have also been complaining if it was a 2-month replacement with plastic horses and generic art decals on the boards. We beg and plead for good work to be done - for things to be done the right way. And then it happens and it's not worth it.

[teacherkim]

To everyone that thinks this is a waste of time, as usual we will have to agree to disagree, I have equal conviction doing it slow but well is best. Unless something has changed the artist was hired just for this job so she wouldn't be doing other things at the park anyway. You think no one will care, I know some non theme park people that are interested in it just for the historical/artistic component. A scientific survey has not been conducted so no one knows the true numbers on each side and likely never will. When Michelangelo painted the Sistine chapel hardly anyone alive at the time got to go in and see it, and most of the populace at the time probably would have preferred the money be spent on providing food and shelter; but that doesn't make it any less magnificent or worthwhile. Just saying. (And don't everyone jump on me for comparing a carousel to the Sistine chapel......I'm not, just making a point and you all know that)

[Danrarbc]

There is one thing the park could have done to get this done faster while still doing it the 'right' way - send everything to PTC for a refurb by them.  I'm not sure why they didn't go that route but what they decided on was a full true refurb done in-house and with a small team - and that leads to a couple of years of downtime. Even a PTC rehab would have it down at least a year.

[jamesk25]

7 hours ago, Danrarbc said:

There is one thing the park could have done to get this done faster while still doing it the 'right' way - send everything to PTC for a refurb by them.

I wonder if it was originally the matter of money, maybe someone convinced the head of the park that they could do it faster and cheaper. But I think after all this time and money spent, I wonder if dollar for dollar it matched up? I mean they already spent the money to two-way ship all the horses and such to get stripped and cleaned, so how much more would it have cost to have it all done at one shop and one crew.

In the end it's going to be nice to have the carousel back, even if it's just to bring some life in that corner that is elsewise a passthrough. This was the parks choice, this is how they wanted to spend their money, we can all groan and complain for the next ten years but what is done is done. Now let's go back and enjoy our park for what is and be greatful that Saint Louis still has one.

[prozach626]

15 hours ago, teacherkim said:

Unless something has changed the artist was hired just for this job so she wouldn't be doing other things at the park anyway.

Sounds like she's a master at creating her own job security. Hopefully she hasn't convinced them yet that she wants to take on refurbishing the Log Flume logs. I heard she was also the same person in charge of figuring out what to do with the Hannibarrels area the season after it closed.

[jamesk25]

Went to the park today, not much to really report that's new, every ride was a walk on and park overall seemed very clean. Many buildings and rides had new roofs/new paint, also noticed that there was a lack of arcade game buildings that were left which I honestly enjoyed seeing.

I didn't ride Boss today but Screaming Eagle was running rough today even though there is new wood scattered throughout the layout. American Thunder was a lot better and honestly Eagle needs Thunders trains badly. Out of the coasters I payed attention to, Freeze and Ninja was only running one train. Also Mr. Freeze animatronic is working again and all tunnel lights seemed to be on. I think Batman needs new types of vest restraints, I honestly ain't that big, but I had a ride op throw her weight on to the restraint to get the belt to latch. Maybe its cause of my dad shoulders, idk. The restraint locked without problem and I still had plenty of room but that belt needs to be another inch or so longer, again that's my opinion.

Outside of that, a small detail I noticed is the removal of more TVs from ride queues. Alot of fright fest material is still up, which is a love it or hate it ordeal. Catwoman's whip looked like fun but the loading process looks horrible. Also Screaming Eagles ADA ramp looks like it might replace the old one in the new future, I honestly don't see a reason to have two separate ramps. For Log Flume fans it was open and yes still awesome.

Oh and yes the carousel is still in shambles, which I have a picture of, and no vertical construction yet on Racer.

[prozach626]

2023: Blame the seat belts. They're designed by the oppressive patriarchy.

[jamesk25]

22 minutes ago, prozach626 said:

2023: Blame the seat belts. They're designed by the oppressive patriarchy.

Never to blame, they are designed keep us safe. But I do say you always got a chip on your shoulder. I just can't wait to see your positive side.

[Danrarbc]

I've found all of the seat belts always seem short at the start of the season.
 

Not sure if they just have to stretch out from usage or if we're all a bit bigger from winter (ever notice the coldest holidays all have eating food at their cores?).

[jamesk25]

8 hours ago, Danrarbc said:

I've found all of the seat belts always seem short at the start of the season.

I can see that, I hopefully will get to the park more this season to try it out. But honestly the belt isn't going stop me from going onto Batman. I just find it annoying that a ride op has to push down so hard just to get the silly safety belt engaged when the main vest is already locked.

The only other rides I have problem with is Screaming Eagles annoying seat divider and Pandemonium not really made for long legs.

[southpuddle]

You realize the seatbelt is a safety device that 1. Is a backup in the event the shoulder restraint fails. 2. Ensures the shoulder restraint is down far enough. “A few more inches”  would allow the restraint to be dangerously loose for a child who barely meets the height requirement. Unfortunately it’s a balancing act between ensuring the smaller riders are secured and allowing larger riders to fit. 

[Danrarbc]

Look at it on the bright side.

At least we aren't Six Flags America. Losing two entire themed areas - 10 rides, including a rollercoaster.

[AmyUD06]

18 minutes ago, Danrarbc said:

Look at it on the bright side.

At least we aren't Six Flags America. Losing two entire themed areas - 10 rides, including a rollercoaster.

Is Mind Eraser not being accessible really a loss?  Really?

[jamesk25]

18 minutes ago, southpuddle said:

You realize the seatbelt..

I totally do, I even said it above in both my comments, and also I that's why I mentioned that Batman needs modern vest restraints that accomplish both small and big. Just hurts knowing a dad bod is not really a great fit to be riding a old B&M invert

[prozach626]

I'm a dad. Maybe we can just all stop making excuses and work toward meeting the ride requirements. All of Six Flags Saint Louis' restraint systems are just fine.

[jamesk25]

8 hours ago, prozach626 said:

I'm a dad. Maybe we can just all stop making excuses and work toward meeting the ride requirements. All of Six Flags Saint Louis' restraint systems are just fine.

Glad your under 6ft and skinny, these rides are marketed and made for a certain demographic. I'm proud of my body and no ride will ever change that, keep being sour, I can't change that.

I'm not at the best shape, but I can still fit many rides at the park, Batman is the only ride I've had any troubles on. Give a good ride op and good push and I'm good.

And I'm just going to say this, this should be a form for the enthusiast, if your not enthused about this park then you should just go and find another form. I'm just telling my current struggles and what I would like to see improved, if your not happy that an enthusiast wants to see the park grow and do better for all than you shouldnt be here commenting.

[prozach626]

It's a discussion forum, not a "support for the park" forum.

Here's the issue, dude. You're acting like there's some small percentage of "skinny" people demographic the park's restraints are designed for. I'm "supporting" the park when I say they don't "need" to spend a lot more money redesigning a restraint system that fits the vast majority of guests. You would need entirely new trains, as I believe the seats on Banshee are wider overall. That's spending a lot of scratch on a clone over 20 years old.

It's nothing against you, and on another note, it certainly doesn't mean that those of us who fit without assistance are "skinny." The ride restraint systems at the park are more than adequate for the majority of guests.

[jamesk25]

9 hours ago, prozach626 said:

It's a discussion forum, not a "support for the park" forum.

Why can't it be both? Especially when for some it's the only park that is drivable under a 2hr radius, so why can't the general enthusiast also support the park?

 

9 hours ago, prozach626 said:

You're acting like there's some small percentage of "skinny" people demographic the park's restraints are designed for.

 

I mean you don't have to look very far to look at the average weight increase with time, it is a well known fact that this has gone up since the rides conception and build in the 1990's. You can't tell me that when they looked at the restraints that they they didn't have a "average" in mind. Batman being one of the early invert designs fits in this category, and like you said Banshee was built in a different era of body types with wider trains and probably more forgiving vest restraints.

Now I'm not saying the park goes out of its way to just tear out and put back in new restraints cause in reality we know the real cost of that, but for an enthusiast one can dream right? It would be nice if they logistically could, but that is also like saying why don't they just rip out Batman and put in a hyper invert with that money instead.

Or even how everyone complains about Ninja when it's still a serviceable ride, you think by now after everyone complaining about it's restraints that they would do something but again more money vs completely installing a different ride.

I get it man, I really do.

 

9 hours ago, prozach626 said:

The ride restraint systems at the park are more than adequate for the majority of guests.

And again I completely agree.

Like you said we are here to discuss, but why do we have to be so serious about it sometimes?

It's not like anything we say here matters to the overall park. What they spend their money on, again is totally up to them. Still I'm going to be supportive of a park that doesn't normally get much. One day I hope we get that dream coaster or even flat that every other park has, but for now our park is beautifully maintained for a Six Flags park and honestly we could have much worse or nothing at all in our area.

[jamesk25]

Posted on Facebook, excited to hear more in the coming weeks

[prozach626]

This is the first new steel roller coaster track SFStl has had in the park in 16 years. There have been people born and driving who have never seen this happen before.