Six Flags St. Louis (SFStL) Discussion Thread

[aaronmb]

Got a survery in my email today. It was mainly about the 2017 season and dining pass and why you did or didnt have one.

[SixFlagsAstroworld]

I saw the video of rage of the gargoyles VR on Screamscape and I find this version of the VR more exciting than the New Revolution version. Even though it's a gimmick on a bad ride, I'm going to give it a try

[HWFan]

^ I've been thinking a lot about VR coasters, especially with Ninja. My research has led me to only one logical conclusion:

 

1. Six Flags needs to get the second track of River King Mine Train back from Herschend. Herschend seems way too wholesome and perfect to be true. With SF looking to have parks in Asia/China, get help from Chinese cyber espionage teams to find dirt on Herschend. Then blackmail them to putting the coaster for sale on Amazon with Amazon Prime eligibility so that SFSL gets free shipping.

 

2. Move Ninja to China. I mean, c'mon, an older but real Vekoma/Arrow can't be any worse than the cheap (and potentially dangerous) knock offs that litter the continent.

 

3. Put second Mine Train back in its original position. Herschend bought newer and a little more comfortable trains for it. Lol at their lost investment now that SFSL has it back. This will make it perfect to become a VR-only coaster. Plus, an elongated station with a load & unload area would increase efficiency (plus no OTSR). If Mine Train's theoretical hourly capacity with three trains can even beat Batman's, VR slowing dispatch times won't hurt capacity as much (if you consider it as a percentage of capacity lost per hour) as it does Ninja.

 

4. The penultimate step is just making sure everything operates well and things like the haunted attraction currently housed there is moved carefully for the future seasons.

 

5. The last step is probably the simplest. Basically, make a lot of small changes, including but not limited to: Replace TR with the Mississippi River Cruise. Replace Boomerang with bumper cars. Replace Fireball with a Chance Shooting Star. Replace Superman with a smoking area. Replace SkyScreamer with a Huss Condor. Replace JLBM with a fun and not-100%-politically-correct boat adventure into a cave named something like Washington Redskin's Cavern. And finally, turn the trains on Mr. Freeze back around so we don't have to listen to anyone complain about how it "ruined" one of someone's favorite rides .

 

 

Thoughts? Ideas? Questions?

[ytterbiumanalyst]

Well, Dollywood sold RKMT to Magic Springs quite a while ago. Other than that, your scheme is perfect.

[prozach626]

5. The last step is probably the simplest. Basically, make a lot of small changes, including but not limited to: Replace TR with the Mississippi River Cruise. Replace Boomerang with bumper cars. Replace Fireball with a Chance Shooting Star. Replace Superman with a smoking area. Replace SkyScreamer with a Huss Condor. Replace JLBM with a fun and not-100%-politically-correct boat adventure into a cave named something like Washington Redskin's Cavern. And finally, turn the trains on Mr. Freeze back around so we don't have to listen to anyone complain about how it "ruined" one of someone's favorite rides .

 

 

Thoughts? Ideas? Questions?

Where does the Mule-Go-Round fit into this equation?

[Kevin Long]

^ I've been thinking a lot about VR coasters, especially with Ninja. My research has led me to only one logical conclusion:

 

1. Six Flags needs to get the second track of River King Mine Train back from Herschend. Herschend seems way too wholesome and perfect to be true. With SF looking to have parks in Asia/China, get help from Chinese cyber espionage teams to find dirt on Herschend. Then blackmail them to putting the coaster for sale on Amazon with Amazon Prime eligibility so that SFSL gets free shipping.

 

2. Move Ninja to China. I mean, c'mon, an older but real Vekoma/Arrow can't be any worse than the cheap (and potentially dangerous) knock offs that litter the continent.

 

3. Put second Mine Train back in its original position. Herschend bought newer and a little more comfortable trains for it. Lol at their lost investment now that SFSL has it back. This will make it perfect to become a VR-only coaster. Plus, an elongated station with a load & unload area would increase efficiency (plus no OTSR). If Mine Train's theoretical hourly capacity with three trains can even beat Batman's, VR slowing dispatch times won't hurt capacity as much (if you consider it as a percentage of capacity lost per hour) as it does Ninja.

 

4. The penultimate step is just making sure everything operates well and things like the haunted attraction currently housed there is moved carefully for the future seasons.

 

5. The last step is probably the simplest. Basically, make a lot of small changes, including but not limited to: Replace TR with the Mississippi River Cruise. Replace Boomerang with bumper cars. Replace Fireball with a Chance Shooting Star. Replace Superman with a smoking area. Replace SkyScreamer with a Huss Condor. Replace JLBM with a fun and not-100%-politically-correct boat adventure into a cave named something like Washington Redskin's Cavern. And finally, turn the trains on Mr. Freeze back around so we don't have to listen to anyone complain about how it "ruined" one of someone's favorite rides .

 

 

Thoughts? Ideas? Questions?

 

careful if you do a lot of that and you might get a theme park instead of an amusement park -

 

Kevin

[Peeps28]

Any ideas what you could do with the playground area in that plan..I got a couple of ideas spinning in my head.

[castaway_kid]

For anyone coming to the park for FF, the hours of the dining passes have changed a little to fit within the different park hours

Snacks are from 12:30-8:30 (one hour later shift from regular season)

Lunch is 12:30-4:30, no lunch available on Fridays

Dinner is 5:00-8:30 giving you an additional 30 minutes than during regular season.

Snacks and Dinner end at 8:00 on Sundays

 

Hope this helps!

[bbmchl]

For anyone coming to the park for FF, the hours of the dining passes have changed a little to fit within the different park hours

Snacks are from 12:30-8:30 (one hour later shift from regular season)

Lunch is 12:30-4:30, no lunch available on Fridays

Dinner is 5:00-8:30 giving you an additional 30 minutes than during regular season.

Snacks and Dinner end at 8:00 on Sundays

 

Hope this helps!

Thanks for the info Castaway kid. Good to know!

 

Mike

[Kevin Long]

For anyone coming to the park for FF, the hours of the dining passes have changed a little to fit within the different park hours

Snacks are from 12:30-8:30 (one hour later shift from regular season)

Lunch is 12:30-4:30, no lunch available on Fridays

Dinner is 5:00-8:30 giving you an additional 30 minutes than during regular season.

Snacks and Dinner end at 8:00 on Sundays

 

Hope this helps!

 

yes much appreciated planning is everything

 

Kevin

[MrFurious]

I HATE to use the forum to ask these questions...but the confusion is simply too great.

 

I am a current pass holder (along with the wife and small daughter). I purchased three more 2017 passes during the flash sale for us. I had six flags mail me the vouchers, and I have them in my possession. Hoping to go to the park tomorrow (Sunday). Also planning to use the bring a friend free perk for three people, as I received an email indicating that Sunday's were open for that for the rest of October if you purchased during the flash sale. I have called in past to ask these questions, but my other pass purchasing friends and I have gotta n different answers at different times. So, what is the most efficient strategy?

 

1) Enter parking using current gold pass, walking up to customer service outside the gates, processing there early (before 10:30 opening...if the window opens before 10:30), then taking passes and entering with friends through gate.

 

2) enter parking using current gold pass, use vouchers to enter the park at 10:30, then let friends roam free while we process passes by Excalibur.

 

Options 3 and 4 would be same, but using vouchers for parking for some reason.

 

If it makes a difference, one of our passes has dining attached (mine).

 

Even though I have done passes before, it has always been so confusing, time consuming, and frustrating. Trying to have the best day tomorrow in spite of accomplishing this task (and getting the friends in).

 

THANKS!

[MrFurious]

Well, ok...noon instead of 10:30...but same question...

 

Wish it was 10:30 though.

[ytterbiumanalyst]

If it were me, I'd pick option #2. In my experience, guest services line moves very slowly, and right before they open is their busiest time.

[Kevin Long]

Well, ok...noon instead of 10:30...but same question...

 

Wish it was 10:30 though.

 

here was my experience about 2 weeks ago

 

I printed out my voucher took it with me - I offered both ( my current pass and the voucher) at the toll plaza - they used my current pass-

 

I took both again to the ticket line - they asked if I wanted a new pass or to add my 2017 stuff to my current pass - I opted to keep the same pass just have the benefits for 2017 added. - they scanned both voucher and pass did some keying of something on their end said "all set" and let me go through.

 

I was skeptical at the ease of this procedure- so for my own piece of mind I went to the processing center by Excalibur - waited in about a 5 min line - I asked the attendant to verify everything on my pass they did and showed it all to me on the computer screen. Current and future pass info was there and visible to me.( including parking which worried me since they did not scan at the toll plaza)

 

it was mostly painless - in fact the worst part of all of it was getting my new drink cup - now that was a 25 minute wait as the attendant was either very new or mentally challenged. I never get why it is so hard to fill a drink cup and return it to a customer when there is no money being exchanged. seems each one took nearly 2-3 minutes - I used to work food service in several fast food and regular restaurants and I could do multiple drinks at once. oh well

 

good luck hope yours goes as smoothly as mine did

 

Kevin

 

PS I am single and have no friends so you may have different needs

[ZambeziZinger]

I'm at Fright Fest now and I have to admit I'm very impressed with the amount of live entertainment the park has this year. Will check out the mazes later on once they open. Headed to WOF next weekend to compare the two events first hand.

[HWFan]

I'm at Fright Fest now and I have to admit I'm very impressed with the amount of live entertainment the park has this year. Will check out the mazes later on once they open. Headed to WOF next weekend to compare the two events first hand.

Make sure to check out Freaks Unleashed!

[ZambeziZinger]

I'm at Fright Fest now and I have to admit I'm very impressed with the amount of live entertainment the park has this year. Will check out the mazes later on once they open. Headed to WOF next weekend to compare the two events first hand.

Make sure to check out Freaks Unleashed!

 

I'm taking that is your version of Overlord's Awakening?

[ZambeziZinger]

Well I hope the other 4 mazes are better than the first two I went through

 

THE SLAUGHTER HOUSE

Relies way too heavily on compressed air blasts. I found the "balloons" you had to walk through to be more annoying than anything. The "window" effect was kind of cool but killed by the talent in the room.

 

BLACK OUT

Is the dark supposed to be scary? Enjoy walking through an old theatre in the dark. That's about it. I don't know about others but when I am forced to use my other senses to see where I'm going the whole "fear" aspect is gone. It becomes one of annoyance more than anything. The talent in this maze are armed with flashlight things. Is sudden light supposed to scare you?

[ragingnitro]

This is probably the best six flags park out there. It sticks or its roots and benefits from this greatly. It still has the kind of magical feeling to it that even Great America had already lost. It's one of the few six flags hasn't turned into a trash fest yet. Let's hope it stays that way.

[teacherkim]

For anyone coming to the park for FF, the hours of the dining passes have changed a little to fit within the different park hours

Snacks are from 12:30-8:30 (one hour later shift from regular season)

Lunch is 12:30-4:30, no lunch available on Fridays

Dinner is 5:00-8:30 giving you an additional 30 minutes than during regular season.

Snacks and Dinner end at 8:00 on Sundays

 

Hope this helps!

 

 

This is actually really good news! Previous FF have had dinner start at 6 which was a huge mess, everyone waited til then to use their pass but lined up right at 6 to get done and get to the mazes.....result massive crowd descending all at once on food venues. Starting at 5 is great because there will be some time to spread it out. And having lunch go to 4:30 even better because now you have the option to eat a late lunch and just have 2 snacks throughout the evening as you go from fright to fright. Yay! Maybe they do actually read those surveys.

[teacherkim]

I am also curious to hear how busy it is tomorrow, if someone can put that info up. We usually only go on Sat to get most time for mazes and just do FP. But of course we have some friends who are begging us to use our friends free option next Sunday and I have no experience what Sun FF crowds are like or how friend free will affect it. Curious to hear.

[ZambeziZinger]

After completing a night at FF I think my biggest complaint is how the mazes don't seem planned out that well. I guess since I'm used to the CF version of mazes where there is one central theme and it is carried out through the entire maze, what SF does is just a hodgepodge of props that doesn't really fit together. Camp is probably the only exception but since it is so wide open it's not scary at all. Also what is with those stupid balloons that you have to walk between? 3 had them.

[aaronmb]

I HATE to use the forum to ask these questions...but the confusion is simply too great.

 

I am a current pass holder (along with the wife and small daughter). I purchased three more 2017 passes during the flash sale for us. I had six flags mail me the vouchers, and I have them in my possession. Hoping to go to the park tomorrow (Sunday). Also planning to use the bring a friend free perk for three people, as I received an email indicating that Sunday's were open for that for the rest of October if you purchased during the flash sale. I have called in past to ask these questions, but my other pass purchasing friends and I have gotta n different answers at different times. So, what is the most efficient strategy?

 

1) Enter parking using current gold pass, walking up to customer service outside the gates, processing there early (before 10:30 opening...if the window opens before 10:30), then taking passes and entering with friends through gate.

 

2) enter parking using current gold pass, use vouchers to enter the park at 10:30, then let friends roam free while we process passes by Excalibur.

 

Options 3 and 4 would be same, but using vouchers for parking for some reason.

 

If it makes a difference, one of our passes has dining attached (mine).

 

Even though I have done passes before, it has always been so confusing, time consuming, and frustrating. Trying to have the best day tomorrow in spite of accomplishing this task (and getting the friends in).

 

THANKS!

 

Easiest way would be is to use the Six Flags app. Download it to your phone if you dont have it. Then scan the barcode on your voucher. Just do the same thing on a different phone if necessary.

[MrFurious]

Thanks for the tips. I was able to use the app and scan the vouchers, but I also wanted to use the cards. The easiest way to do that is to bring the vouchers right to the turnstiles, with your cards. They'll scan the voucher, your fingerprint, and then your card. Boom, 2017 is added to old card. Note, this cannot be done in discover line.

 

The decorations and fright fest activities were great (perhaps save for the weird children's area near tsunami soaker...which is just collision head team trauma central...heh). Crowd was super light. Overall, best experience we've had in a while.

 

Father of other family we were with was a little upset with a food kiosk employee. The poor kid left the ice scoop in the bin, then refilled the bin. Losing scoop in process. He then started digging his HOPEFULLY clean and hairless arms into the bin. This horrified my friend. Also, some "gentlemen" I chatted with from Pekin Illinois were laughing at how the ride operator of Pandemonium was asking everyone to go home so she could leave. I bet she was just in the fright fest character.

 

We need to get a babysitter and take in fright fest proper.

[SixFlagsAstroworld]

Well, late post, but did anyone ride JL last Friday? If so, was half the screens broken? It wasn't working when I rode last Friday