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Six Flags Discovery Kingdom (SFDK) Discussion Thread


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Unfortunately they do not.

 

The only single you'll find at this park is single train operations. Only Medusa and Joker run two trains, but that seems very rare on the latter from the trip reports I've seen and my own visit.

Misinformation. Kong sometimes runs two trains and the rest of the coasters couldn't run two trains if they wanted to.

Also it just really depends on when you go. During summer months you'd be more likely to see two trains but while school is in there's really no need for the park to be running two trains as the waits are very short even with just one.

 

There are no single rider lines, but in the past when the park was busy they would sometimes call out for single riders on Superman and Joker. This was moreso in their opening seasons and I haven't been back during the summer since 2016 so I can't speak whether they still do this on busy summer days or not.

 

I'm glad they do call for singles at least. That doesn't surprise me at Superman since that crew has been top notch in all my visits.

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  • 2 weeks later...
I've got some news, everyone. I recently got a monthly passholder news from Discovery Kingdom, and it turns out that there will be a redesign for the DC area of the park. Also, in other news, Batman will be getting a shop!

 

[attachment=0]sfdknews.png[/attachment]

That image is way different than any other promo pictures they have released. The yellow is darker than I'd like and the queue building is not there which I find weird since they have already started building the shop and hopefully what is the entrance. I know its just concept but I'm still a bit worried.

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Is there a reason that most of the coasters and big rides are packed along the front areas of the park? I remember Pandemonium, Zonga, and now Superman and this new DC nook all working along the same strip. I'm wondering if it's simply the space that's most readily available, or if there is some reason that this is where the park has to pack in its rides.

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Is there a reason that most of the coasters and big rides are packed along the front areas of the park? I remember Pandemonium, Zonga, and now Superman and this new DC nook all working along the same strip. I'm wondering if it's simply the space that's most readily available, or if there is some reason that this is where the park has to pack in its rides.

 

There really isn't a quick answer to this one. Marine World moved to Vallejo in 1996, the same year that the naval base was decommissioned, but the complicated use of that base site still by others including the Coast Guard meant during the key years of growth for the park, Marine World developed under much of the same restrictions as when the base was operational. That tells much of the story of how the land, sea, and water areas developed for the park as they did. Management has said before that the park has adapted and evolved around the restrictions into what it is today and that has worked well for park flow, for the wildlife habitats, visibility of new attractions at the front of the park and working within their restrictions.

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Is there a reason that most of the coasters and big rides are packed along the front areas of the park?

 

This is my biggest gripe about the park. Discovery Kingdom is HUGE and yet they smash everything together on top of each other in a typical Six Flags blacktop laden treeless wonderland like they have NO ROOM else, and it completely ignores and fails to incorporate the amazing tree laden natural atmosphere around 3/4 of the rest of the park.

 

Even worse, the rides are on a big "horseshoe" guest walkway designed around the entrance of the park which is smack dab in the center of all the major rides. So if you're on one side of the park where Joker is, and want to go ride Medusa you have to walk ALL THE WAY around the horseshoe to get over there even though it's literally as the crow flies, a stones throw away. I think a bridge over or tunnel under the entrance plaza would be an AWESOME addition!

 

What's sad is they don't seem determined to keep any of the animal exhibits up to par either, so I'm not sure why they keep installing rides this way. Really a shame considering they actually have a beautiful park and some pretty decent rides. I wish they'd "round out" the park and spread the attractions considering how beautiful the rest of the park is.

 

Last but not least, kinda sick of the flak Scream gets for having a reputation as a "parking lot" coaster when literally Medusa is the exact same thing. You can *still* see the parking lot lines beneath the coaster several times.

 

But besides that, I love the park! Great selection of rides, great atmosphere away from the cluster crap of rides, will probably be visiting this Summer for my brothers birthday since we had a pretty good time on our last visit!

 

But pick somewhere else to put rides for gosh sakes!

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Is there a reason that most of the coasters and big rides are packed along the front areas of the park? I remember Pandemonium, Zonga, and now Superman and this new DC nook all working along the same strip. I'm wondering if it's simply the space that's most readily available, or if there is some reason that this is where the park has to pack in its rides.

I believe that there are couple of reasons for this. First, the land on the other side of the lake is residential, and the homeowners don't want noisy roller coasters echoing across the lake. Second, management keeps that side of the park quiet so as not to disturb the animals. I think that those are the main reasons for the lopsided layout of the park. The decommissioned naval base accounts for the 150' height restriction in the park. I could be wrong, but I believe those are the reasons that the park is laid out the way it is.

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The park has begun removing the Dolphin Pool in the DC Universe area.

 

We noticed that on Sunday, too. I asked around about what the plans are but no one seems to know anything. Are there any rumors out there? Not a lot of room for a new attraction there...except maybe bumper boats. Hey, Aquaman Bumper Boats. That could work!

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Is there a reason that most of the coasters and big rides are packed along the front areas of the park? I remember Pandemonium, Zonga, and now Superman and this new DC nook all working along the same strip. I'm wondering if it's simply the space that's most readily available, or if there is some reason that this is where the park has to pack in its rides.

I believe that there are couple of reasons for this. First, the land on the other side of the lake is residential, and the homeowners don't want noisy roller coasters echoing across the lake. Second, management keeps that side of the park quiet so as not to disturb the animals. I think that those are the main reasons for the lopsided layout of the park. The decommissioned naval base accounts for the 150' height restriction in the park. I could be wrong, but I believe those are the reasons that the park is laid out the way it is.

 

That is what I have heard as well. Makes perfect sense really.

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To add to what Doug has said, the last time I was at an enthusiast event at the park and participated in a Q&A (which was some time ago) the park management said they could negotiate the height restriction with the city but it would take some paperwork and money. Given that since then the park has continued to put new additions in the front and kept the rides <150' and no one has heard otherwise, I'm guessing they haven't negotiated the height restriction yet.

 

Maybe in the future the park will look to add something taller or further back in the park but there are other factors at play, such as keeping the noise level down closer to the lake (which is probably more because of neighbors than needing to have coasters away from animals). I'm sure it would take a lot of fighting to enact any change and why fight it when you've been successful obeying it? I could see them removing Kong or shoehorning another coaster or ride into the Medusa area sooner than I could see them fighting to put something along the lake.

 

I'm sad to hear the dolphin pool is going away. I did notice it seemed the pool was empty more often than not in recent years. I hope they build another one like that elsewhere because it really was cool to view the dolphins so up close. Maybe the site of the Walrus exhibit? Does anyone who has been to the park recently know what has happened (if anything) to the walrus area since the walruses are gone?

 

Also, it wasn't too long ago that Six Flags put out a survey asking people's opinions about putting in new animal exhibits, so maybe a new or revamped exhibit will come in the next couple of years now that the park has finally filled out its DC area.

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I'm a bit concerned to hear about the Dolphin Pool going away... I'm going up next week to do the Dolphin Encounter that's included with the Diamond Elite. We signed up and got a confirmation, so it's happening somehow... does that happen in a different location?

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I'm a bit concerned to hear about the Dolphin Pool going away... I'm going up next week to do the Dolphin Encounter that's included with the Diamond Elite. We signed up and got a confirmation, so it's happening somehow... does that happen in a different location?

The pool they are removing is not the one they do the encounters with.

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Is there a reason that most of the coasters and big rides are packed along the front areas of the park? I remember Pandemonium, Zonga, and now Superman and this new DC nook all working along the same strip. I'm wondering if it's simply the space that's most readily available, or if there is some reason that this is where the park has to pack in its rides.

I believe that there are couple of reasons for this. First, the land on the other side of the lake is residential, and the homeowners don't want noisy roller coasters echoing across the lake. Second, management keeps that side of the park quiet so as not to disturb the animals. I think that those are the main reasons for the lopsided layout of the park. The decommissioned naval base accounts for the 150' height restriction in the park. I could be wrong, but I believe those are the reasons that the park is laid out the way it is.

 

That is what I have heard as well. Makes perfect sense really.

 

Thanks guys, and everyone else who chimed in, too. I've always been curious about the tightly-packed rides areas compared to most of the rest of the park!

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I'm a bit concerned to hear about the Dolphin Pool going away... I'm going up next week to do the Dolphin Encounter that's included with the Diamond Elite. We signed up and got a confirmation, so it's happening somehow... does that happen in a different location?

The pool they are removing is not the one they do the encounters with.

Yes, there are some "backstage" dolphin pools accessed past the dolphin pool in question and the picnic areas. They let people go there to see the baby when the baby was new. I believe the dolphin encounter pool is one of those.

 

They previously had an upcharge dolphin feeding and photo op experience at the pool that's being removed but it's been a while. It was only $15 compared to the encounter which is $150+. I've never done the encounter but one day I will...

IMG_0057.thumb.jpeg.5336a74df193b6f48f69d0e1346b0cd1.jpeg

Too cute not to reshare

IMG_0058.thumb.jpeg.b3e06cf75574a6b3528889319e69dad6.jpeg

You can somewhat see that this is a different viewing area based on the concrete at the bottom

IMG_0133.thumb.jpeg.ca420d2def63c0d610fdd72742ed728a.jpeg

IMG_0134.thumb.jpeg.071741d669387067296f7dc449c7ed81.jpeg

Aborbs

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I think it is fairly clear that six flags intends to slowly but surely phase out the animal aspect from this park. Northern California I cannot imagine is too keen overall on captivity.

 

I've had a similar feeling over the last few years, as more and more exhibits went empty and things seemed to be headed towards either a much smaller number of animals, or none at all. However, one of the last Park Surveys I had was focused entirely around animals, possible new exhibits, and potential new animal experiences. Of course, none of this means any of this will happen, but it does mean that Six Flags hasn't made the decision to phase out animals or remove them, and is actively thinking about some expansion in this area. The reality is probably that things will continue along the current trend, but they are at least aware that Discovery Kingdom is unique in what they currently have, and there is at least potential interest in maintaining or even expanding that aspect.

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Keep in mind SFGrAdv has a HUGE animal attraction... so unless they decided to close that (and it's so immense and integral to the park, I can't imagine it)... SF will always be forced to dabble in the animal game.

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