Six Flags St. Louis (SFStL) Discussion Thread

[Mad Hatter]

You cannot compare Universal/Disney to any Six Flags park. And what you are saying/writing is nothing we don't already know.

 

Understood. But we do our own house up each year better than Six Flags does. It was embarrassing. All the sets in the houses start to look the same after two of them. And they REALLY like banging on empty 55 gallon drums. I guess that is spooky?

[SteveStL]

We went Saturday, my son, nephew and myself. We didn't get the Haunted House passes but did enjoy the atmosphere. I haven't been to our park in 4 years probably, we had a great time. Eagle ran wonderfully, as well as American Thunder. The Boss hasn't changed, rough as hell and not very enjoyable. We did the extra wait and did the VR thing on the Ninja... it was okay, once is enough. Mr. Freeze was awesome too. The new rides over the past few years have filled out many of the dead spots around the park. In my opinion the park is in great shape.

[ElvisLuv]

We went Saturday, my son, nephew and myself. We didn't get the Haunted House passes but did enjoy the atmosphere. I haven't been to our park in 4 years probably, we had a great time. Eagle ran wonderfully, as well as American Thunder. The Boss hasn't changed, rough as hell and not very enjoyable. We did the extra wait and did the VR thing on the Ninja... it was okay, once is enough. Mr. Freeze was awesome too. The new rides over the past few years have filled out many of the dead spots around the park. In my opinion the park is in great shape.

 

 

We were there on Sat nite as well. No matter what year it is the ridiculous food and drink lines make me laugh. Folks with the dining pass willl throw away fun time just so they can squeeze every dollar they can from it.

 

We opened and closed City Museum yesterday, I sat there on the roof just imagining what they could do with an old wild mouse or junior coaster up there.

Praying Falstaff

[prozach626]

Don't expect sh*t for park food service during fright fest, especially during peak hours. This pretty much goes for all parks. Carowinds was a sh*t show this weekend, also. Instead of waiting in atrocious food lines that I fully expected, I made other food arrangements. I really don't know what people expect.

Edited October 25, 2016 by prozach626

[ChrisGraslie]

Wikipedia lists Log Flume as being rethemed to 'Steven Universe: Warp Pad Splash' for 2017. Is this just a rename or an actual retheming? I know that Steven Universe is immensely popular, so it'd be cool to see the latter.

[ElvisLuv]

Don't expect sh*t for park food service during fright fest, especially during peak hours. This pretty much goes for all parks. Carowinds was a poo-poo show this weekend, also. Instead of waiting in atrocious food lines that I fully expected, I made other food arrangements. I really don't know what people expect.

 

Oh, we didn't show up hungry, I made the most of my three free drinks at Drury and some Pappy's Ribs we had got earlier

[RKO]

Wikipedia lists Log Flume as being rethemed to 'Steven Universe: Warp Pad Splash' for 2017. Is this just a rename or an actual retheming? I know that Steven Universe is immensely popular, so it'd be cool to see the latter.

 

I doubt that. There is no reputable source to that. Most likely someone screwing with the article.

[Mr. Corn]

Wikipedia lists Log Flume as being rethemed to 'Steven Universe: Warp Pad Splash' for 2017. Is this just a rename or an actual retheming? I know that Steven Universe is immensely popular, so it'd be cool to see the latter.

 

I doubt that. There is no reputable source to that. Most likely someone screwing with the article.

 

Its fake, they have no trademark filed for that name

[HWFan]

We went Saturday, my son, nephew and myself. We didn't get the Haunted House passes but did enjoy the atmosphere. I haven't been to our park in 4 years probably, we had a great time. Eagle ran wonderfully, as well as American Thunder. The Boss hasn't changed, rough as hell and not very enjoyable. We did the extra wait and did the VR thing on the Ninja... it was okay, once is enough. Mr. Freeze was awesome too. The new rides over the past few years have filled out many of the dead spots around the park. In my opinion the park is in great shape.

Hmm, after reading your post, I think you might be confused. It sounds like you might have been visiting Universal.

 

In all seriousness, glad you had a great time. The overall atmosphere is my favorite part of Fright Fest.

[Danrarbc]

We went Saturday, my son, nephew and myself. We didn't get the Haunted House passes but did enjoy the atmosphere. I haven't been to our park in 4 years probably, we had a great time. Eagle ran wonderfully, as well as American Thunder. The Boss hasn't changed, rough as hell and not very enjoyable. We did the extra wait and did the VR thing on the Ninja... it was okay, once is enough. Mr. Freeze was awesome too. The new rides over the past few years have filled out many of the dead spots around the park. In my opinion the park is in great shape.

 

 

We were there on Sat nite as well. No matter what year it is the ridiculous food and drink lines make me laugh. Folks with the dining pass willl throw away fun time just so they can squeeze every dollar they can from it.

 

We opened and closed City Museum yesterday, I sat there on the roof just imagining what they could do with an old wild mouse or junior coaster up there.

The 207m variant of a Vekoma might be a decent compromise - seems to fit. Layout probably works with the stuff already on the roof. And no need to manage the logistics of lifting any chains up there.

 

They'd have to deal with the safety rules and maintenance schedule though.

[Kevin Long]

We went Saturday, my son, nephew and myself. We didn't get the Haunted House passes but did enjoy the atmosphere. I haven't been to our park in 4 years probably, we had a great time. Eagle ran wonderfully, as well as American Thunder. The Boss hasn't changed, rough as hell and not very enjoyable. We did the extra wait and did the VR thing on the Ninja... it was okay, once is enough. Mr. Freeze was awesome too. The new rides over the past few years have filled out many of the dead spots around the park. In my opinion the park is in great shape.

 

 

We were there on Sat nite as well. No matter what year it is the ridiculous food and drink lines make me laugh. Folks with the dining pass willl throw away fun time just so they can squeeze every dollar they can from it.

 

We opened and closed City Museum yesterday, I sat there on the roof just imagining what they could do with an old wild mouse or junior coaster up there.

The 207m variant of a Vekoma might be a decent compromise - seems to fit. Layout probably works with the stuff already on the roof. And no need to manage the logistics of lifting any chains up there.

 

They'd have to deal with the safety rules and maintenance schedule though.

 

with the untimely death of the creator, I feel as though expansion on that level is not likely... is the ELI Ferris wheel still up there though?

 

Klong

[Mad Hatter]

We went Saturday, my son, nephew and myself. We didn't get the Haunted House passes but did enjoy the atmosphere. I haven't been to our park in 4 years probably, we had a great time. Eagle ran wonderfully, as well as American Thunder. The Boss hasn't changed, rough as hell and not very enjoyable. We did the extra wait and did the VR thing on the Ninja... it was okay, once is enough. Mr. Freeze was awesome too. The new rides over the past few years have filled out many of the dead spots around the park. In my opinion the park is in great shape.

Hmm, after reading your post, I think you might be confused. It sounds like you might have been visiting Universal.

 

In all seriousness, glad you had a great time. The overall atmosphere is my favorite part of Fright Fest.

 

I assume your Universal comment was a dig at me. I like (don't love) our park. I've been a pass holder since the 80's so I've seen my fair share of ups and downs at SFSTL. The Fright Fest is a joke and waste of time and money. That was my point. But you are correct...Universal DOES rock (Pass Holders as well).

[teacherkim]

Can anyone tell me if the food trucks are still there and/or will be for the coming weekend? Particularly the yummy grilled cheese truck that was in front of BTR a couple weeks ago. We do have dining passes but have more than gotten our money out of them and will happily splurge on the trucks for speed and quality.

 

And to the poster that wondered about people getting the dining plan......it's not necessarily squeezing every dollar but when you have kids that go literally once a week all summer it's not only a savings but super nice NOT to have to send cash with middle schoolers, so there is a convenience factor and on random Tuesdays and Wednesdays in the summer lines at food venues are not really an issue. So, does depend on your schedule and frequency of attendance.

[Mad Hatter]

Can anyone tell me if the food trucks are still there and/or will be for the coming weekend? Particularly the yummy grilled cheese truck that was in front of BTR a couple weeks ago. We do have dining passes but have more than gotten our money out of them and will happily splurge on the trucks for speed and quality.

 

And to the poster that wondered about people getting the dining plan......it's not necessarily squeezing every dollar but when you have kids that go literally once a week all summer it's not only a savings but super nice NOT to have to send cash with middle schoolers, so there is a convenience factor and on random Tuesdays and Wednesdays in the summer lines at food venues are not really an issue. So, does depend on your schedule and frequency of attendance.

 

They had two food trucks out there last Saturday night when we went. I'm not sure of the menus but I do remember seeing two food trucks. One near the Train Station and one over by Justice League. They had long lines so it appears they are quite popular.

[Baelfael]

with the untimely death of the creator, I feel as though expansion on that level is not likely... is the ELI Ferris wheel still up there though?

 

Yeah, although it's running intermittently (if at all) this late in the season. I actually haven't taken a good look recently to see if the cars are still on it.

[Kevin Long]

^^^^ thanks

[ElvisLuv]

Can anyone tell me if the food trucks are still there and/or will be for the coming weekend? Particularly the yummy grilled cheese truck that was in front of BTR a couple weeks ago. We do have dining passes but have more than gotten our money out of them and will happily splurge on the trucks for speed and quality.

 

And to the poster that wondered about people getting the dining plan......it's not necessarily squeezing every dollar but when you have kids that go literally once a week all summer it's not only a savings but super nice NOT to have to send cash with middle schoolers, so there is a convenience factor and on random Tuesdays and Wednesdays in the summer lines at food venues are not really an issue. So, does depend on your schedule and frequency of attendance.

 

There is absolutely no convenience factor to the food plan for Fright Fest. That was my point... why stand in line for an hour? If it's a Tuesday in July, I totally get it. We went to pick up our 2017 season passes. Since there are four of us, they were up graded to gold. All for 60 bucks a head with tax. We're planning on using the visit any park feature on our vacation to DC and Philly at America and Great Adventure. We plan on using the feature as well on short trips to Atlanta and Chicago. We bought one premium dining pass for 80 bucks just so we get the unlimited soda bottle that's good at all parks. Since our family already has coodies, we'll share the drinks.

 

But, when I passed the Panda Express I counted a line of 50 deep to eat flavored exlax. There's just something absurd about that.

[teacherkim]

Can anyone tell me if the food trucks are still there and/or will be for the coming weekend? Particularly the yummy grilled cheese truck that was in front of BTR a couple weeks ago. We do have dining passes but have more than gotten our money out of them and will happily splurge on the trucks for speed and quality.

 

And to the poster that wondered about people getting the dining plan......it's not necessarily squeezing every dollar but when you have kids that go literally once a week all summer it's not only a savings but super nice NOT to have to send cash with middle schoolers, so there is a convenience factor and on random Tuesdays and Wednesdays in the summer lines at food venues are not really an issue. So, does depend on your schedule and frequency of attendance.

 

There is absolutely no convenience factor to the food plan for Fright Fest. That was my point... why stand in line for an hour? If it's a Tuesday in July, I totally get it. We went to pick up our 2017 season passes. Since there are four of us, they were up graded to gold. All for 60 bucks a head with tax. We're planning on using the visit any park feature on our vacation to DC and Philly at America and Great Adventure. We plan on using the feature as well on short trips to Atlanta and Chicago. We bought one premium dining pass for 80 bucks just so we get the unlimited soda bottle that's good at all parks. Since our family already has coodies, we'll share the drinks.

 

But, when I passed the Panda Express I counted a line of 50 deep to eat flavored exlax. There's just something absurd about that.

 

 

 

I get it, no offense, we use it the same way; other parks and such. Just responding to the implication of cheapness.

Yes, it's totally absurd BUT it is what it is for FF. They are not going to build extra food venues for what comes down to 4 weekends a year when the crowds are 10 times larger than any other time of the year. Does it totally suck, yes. Should they keep experimenting with extra carts and/or food trucks and/or whatever they can to alleviate the lines, yes. Will it ever reduce the lines to a really reasonable level, probably not. Do you have alternatives, not many but a couple; such as leaving the park to eat via restaurant or picnic in car. Is that a hassle, yes. FF is a hassle, lol. Is it worth it? Personal opinion for each to decide.

[Mad Hatter]

Can anyone tell me if the food trucks are still there and/or will be for the coming weekend? Particularly the yummy grilled cheese truck that was in front of BTR a couple weeks ago. We do have dining passes but have more than gotten our money out of them and will happily splurge on the trucks for speed and quality.

 

And to the poster that wondered about people getting the dining plan......it's not necessarily squeezing every dollar but when you have kids that go literally once a week all summer it's not only a savings but super nice NOT to have to send cash with middle schoolers, so there is a convenience factor and on random Tuesdays and Wednesdays in the summer lines at food venues are not really an issue. So, does depend on your schedule and frequency of attendance.

 

There is absolutely no convenience factor to the food plan for Fright Fest. That was my point... why stand in line for an hour? If it's a Tuesday in July, I totally get it. We went to pick up our 2017 season passes. Since there are four of us, they were up graded to gold. All for 60 bucks a head with tax. We're planning on using the visit any park feature on our vacation to DC and Philly at America and Great Adventure. We plan on using the feature as well on short trips to Atlanta and Chicago. We bought one premium dining pass for 80 bucks just so we get the unlimited soda bottle that's good at all parks. Since our family already has coodies, we'll share the drinks.

 

But, when I passed the Panda Express I counted a line of 50 deep to eat flavored exlax. There's just something absurd about that.

 

 

 

I get it, no offense, we use it the same way; other parks and such. Just responding to the implication of cheapness.

Yes, it's totally absurd BUT it is what it is for FF. They are not going to build extra food venues for what comes down to 4 weekends a year when the crowds are 10 times larger than any other time of the year. Does it totally suck, yes. Should they keep experimenting with extra carts and/or food trucks and/or whatever they can to alleviate the lines, yes. Will it ever reduce the lines to a really reasonable level, probably not. Do you have alternatives, not many but a couple; such as leaving the park to eat via restaurant or picnic in car. Is that a hassle, yes. FF is a hassle, lol. Is it worth it? Personal opinion for each to decide.

 

You know what would help alleviate some of FF food lines? Actually have more than ONE person at the register when it's set up for multiple points of ordering. JB's had one for the hours we spent there ( a lot of time at the bar, mind you, plus we had to wait an hour for nachos). I happened to witness a "not so kind" women telling them what she thought about the lack of multiple registers being operated.

 

We too buy our passes so we can use them at other parks. It is a huge benefit to buy them in St Louis because they are so much cheaper than say Great America or Magic Mountain. We've visited 5 other SF parks in the last few years with our passes. And now that the Dining Plan is accepted at other parks it makes it even more of a bonus. I just with there was some sort of competence level displayed when it came to staffing the restaurants/food carts. But then again, when you only have two scare actors throughout the entire"haunted house", I guess that is asking for too much.

[SteveStL]

I can only imagine how hard it would be to hire, rely and retain staff employees at Six Flags, I am sure it is not an easy task. Especially when it is hot as hades or when the park is filled like sardines during FF.

[castaway_kid]

Having multiple registers open or having multiple expeditors is always the plan. But when nearly 100 culinary service employees call in on a Saturday with 27,700 people in the park that is hard to do. They try and pull as many people from other departments as they can to help but they can only rob from one department to fill another so much. Funnel Cakes on Saturday had the Director of IPS, an entertainment supervisor, an HR supervisor, and 2 crowd control (lifegaurds) in there helping out. And they were the fastest ones in there. The actual culinary employees in the front is what slowed down the process.

[castaway_kid]

There will always be more than just 2 "scare actors" in a house. Blackout has the smallest staff and still has between 5-8 people...

[Mad Hatter]

There will always be more than just 2 "scare actors" in a house. Blackout has the smallest staff and still has between 5-8 people...

 

We never saw 5-8 people in any house on Saturday. Everyone that was in our group stated the same thing, "where are all the scare actors?"

 

Are you counting the people outside the houses that hold you up before you go in? In that case, there was 3.

 

From a Twitter user on Friday night (and this is about the scare zones - houses were just as vacant)

 

 

 

 

So it's not just me who has had a similar experience!

[ElvisLuv]

with the untimely death of the creator, I feel as though expansion on that level is not likely... is the ELI Ferris wheel still up there though?

 

Yeah, although it's running intermittently (if at all) this late in the season. I actually haven't taken a good look recently to see if the cars are still on it.

 

The pic I posted was taken Sunday afternoon from the ferris wheel, ran for the 5 hrs we were there.

[teacherkim]

Having multiple registers open or having multiple expeditors is always the plan. But when nearly 100 culinary service employees call in on a Saturday with 27,700 people in the park that is hard to do. They try and pull as many people from other departments as they can to help but they can only rob from one department to fill another so much. Funnel Cakes on Saturday had the Director of IPS, an entertainment supervisor, an HR supervisor, and 2 crowd control (lifegaurds) in there helping out. And they were the fastest ones in there. The actual culinary employees in the front is what slowed down the process.

 

 

Wow. That really sucks, but after 24 years of teaching in a middle school I cannot say I'm really surprised. I guess the only thing that might help is higher wages, bringing in (theoretically) higher caliber workers, but I assume that would have to be a corporate decision and obviously negatively affects the bottom line. Do you know if this is a problem across the boards at most Six Flags parks or is it unique to our area?

 

We were at Great Adventure in July and they didn't seem to have as big an issue with too few employees in any venue but don't know if that is always the case or we just hit a good day with low attendance. It was a Tuesday when we were there.