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Why do we visit SFGAm countless times?

Talk about anything that has to do with the amusement park industry here.
Postby Dan The Coaster Man on May 3rd, 2017, 5:03 pm
Hey guys, something a bit interesting. So in one of my classes we are working on Perspective Presentations. It can be about whatever we want as long as it changes the perspective of people on whatever we talk about. Everybody at school knows I am Dan the Coaster Man and so I decided to do my presentation answering a common question I get within my school: "Don't you get bored of going on the same rides time after time?" Or "Doesn't SFGAm get dry after a couple of times?" Or some variation of those questions. Why do we go once every week or two time and time again? Me personally, not that it's a therapy, but it's a total stress free enviorment that can take my mind off whatever. What would you say makes you come back frequently? What do you really love about going to amusement parks? Obviously the rides are fun, but what else beyond that?
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Postby RollingCoasting on May 3rd, 2017, 6:08 pm
Nobody asks, for example, sports fans, if they ever get tired of watching the same game. Amusement parks are something I'm passionate about, so it really doesn't get boring.
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Postby Whizzer Whiz Kid on May 3rd, 2017, 6:13 pm
I just honestly love the sensation of being at an amusement park. I can sit there and people watch while I eat or re ride rides. I don't think it can get repetitive though because there are so many things to do at the park. It is so stress free and I can do whatever I want once inside.
Favorite @ SFGAm - Eagle ~ Favorite Steel - Skyrush ~ Favorite Wood - El Toro
35 Rides on Eagle in 2015
68 Rides on Eagle in 2016
102 Rides on Eagle in 2017
9 Rides on Eagle in 2018
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Postby CoasterCale on May 11th, 2017, 10:00 am
I wouldn't say it's stress free but it certainly less stressful. The park never gets boring because of the people I hang out with and the various ways we can switch it up. Start and finish with different rides. Change seats. The weather is a huge factor. Idk. It's hard to explain but a true passion will never get old.
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http://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_o4Mtg8LDHpRuK7rRKMdAQ

It seems like the other side always wins on American Eagle :?
Also, I've ridden Goliath 23 times in one day. HBU? :roll: :P
(Sorry in advance for unnecessary commas and parenthesis every where)
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Postby CoasterRiderSC on May 11th, 2017, 12:20 pm
For me it's sort of an "escape" - I go there to have fun and not have to think about problems. It's a happy place for me.
It also does make me feel young somehow, like the "kid" inside me is coming out when I'm there.
And I'm a thrill seeker so that's another obvious reason.
And now, I get to bring my kid to the park for her to enjoy!

I like RC's analogy about watching sports. I don't have to explain why I watch football every Sunday. What about people that LOVE golf?? Why do they have that passion?? Or fishing for that matter.
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Postby Dmrbug on May 24th, 2017, 3:55 pm
The smells and sounds instantly trigger something in my head when I walk in. My Parents and Grandparents took me to the park all the time when I was a child. I find it a way to be with them again since they have passed. I now carry on the tradition and bring my child there to hope that I can create the same memories and feelings that I have. So I would say it brings me a sense of comfort just being there and I want to have that feeling all the time.
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Postby CoasterRiderSC on May 25th, 2017, 12:19 pm
Dmrbug wrote:The smells and sounds instantly trigger something in my head when I walk in. My Parents and Grandparents took me to the park all the time when I was a child. I find it a way to be with them again since they have passed. I now carry on the tradition and bring my child there to hope that I can create the same memories and feelings that I have. So I would say it brings me a sense of comfort just being there and I want to have that feeling all the time.


I totally resonate with what you're saying about creating those memories with your kid! I love bringing my 7yo daughter and she loves the rides! I'm developing a 2nd generation coaster rider -- my parents were not into the rides at all . I also have brought my wife a couple of times and she likes the park as well.
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Postby maxwellt on May 27th, 2017, 7:58 pm
RollingCoasting wrote:Nobody asks, for example, sports fans, if they ever get tired of watching the same game. Amusement parks are something I'm passionate about, so it really doesn't get boring.

Id have to agree. With a passion nothing can get old. Like me in robotics, it's the same challenge for a whole year, but because of the passion, it won't get old. Plus, with determination, you could go to worlds, which is what my team did ;)

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Postby batmanfan80 on June 5th, 2017, 11:24 pm
I don't end up going a lot anymore, but if I don't go consistently, the rides don't do much for me. It used to be that the park could feel like an escape, but I'm always reminded that it's a business run by people who think packing the park with tens of thousands of more people than it can handle and letting a lot of them tailgate and litter up the parking lot is a sound business plan. Judging by those theme park attendance stats posted here, it looks like our park crams in 75% or more of the total annual visitors who go to Sea World or Universal-but in less than half the time. I've been looking at the queue times online and even tonight there were all these 55, 70, and 100 minute waits. Also, after we throw down for gold passes and platinum dining, it ends up being a waste of money if we only go 3 or 4 times. The fact that I've gone on better rides and had better experiences at Sea World and Busch Gardens doesn't help. And both those places are far more capable of handling crowds of 50,000 people. It's not impossible for Great America to do the same. Sea World was absolutely flooded with people when we went and Mako was a walk up without being more than 3 months old at the time.

When I go to Great America I don't want to think about how greedy and incompetent Six Flags is, it shouldn't be obvious to park guests that it's just a business. I told this to Universal corporate after they let in 14,000 UCF students without any warning when we went and Hulk went from a walk up to a 3 hour line instantly. People go to theme parks for a reason and the second you start getting greedy, the magic is gone. Let's say that Great America changes up its practices and becomes a reasonable place. Then the escapism, energy from the rides, scenery, characters, shows, it's just one great experience, an adventure that takes you back to a more innocent time. So much positive energy. For me the rides don't get old really. It's not the same as when I ride Kumba or Montu a few times here and there. With those it's usually an immediate rush and a much more satisfying feeling than some 5 looper like Batman, X-Flight, or Dragon Challenge. They're also easier on me than our stuff. Rides here are a bit more bumpy and rough on me except for Batman. It takes some adjusting before I really get anything out of them. Other people are probably different.
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Postby Ilovthevu' on June 18th, 2017, 10:00 pm
I'm just a rides, rides, rides, rides, rides type of person. I can't even say that I go for the theme at Great America other than some Dc themes. I don't look at Triple Play, and think wow that's an amazing theme, and neither do I look at Viper, and I think I need a Viper shirt because the Viper is such a wonderful name for a ride.

The lighting is very good on some of the rides which I like also like Hometown Fun Machine, Triple Play, Condor, and Whirligig. As much as I like Hometown Fun Machines, and Triple Play's lighting, It's like for 2 hours you can actually see the colors on top (the rectangular lights) because the newer lights are so dim. They should of just bought LED bulbs for the whole thing instead. The lighting on most of the roller coasters though is just so nothingness. One of the biggest billboards in the world (Raging Bull) from the highway, and it looks like nothingness at night. It's a shame. As much as I don't love all the rides at Disney, this park should take tips from Disney. They are the KING of wonderful lighting at an amusement park - Spaceship Earth / Tomorrowland neon area / Tower of Terror / Cinderella's Castle. The Joker roller coaster is a great start though. They should do something to every one of them. Big Easy Balloons has such boring lighting. They couldn't even buy a lighting package that would make the lights do anything at all? Plus, all these white boring bulbs?

Anyway though, I go to the park for rides with some shows as a side bonus - NOT all of them though. I would see a Back to the 80's show again like they had 2 years ago in the Grand Music Hall, but they have EFX ,and I don't care for that rave like party. For the 80's show, I was at the park, and than 2 weeks later, the 80's show left, and than I was stuck with the 60s /70s which made me disappointed. They changed it too fast. I guess though I still would see both 80's and 60/70's, but more the 80's one.

I think part of the reason you have shows in the Grand Music Hall is for parents and families. Other parks like a Dollywood or Busch Gardens get so many parents, families and seniors getting season passes because they have such a big selection of shows, and it increases their attendance by a lot. How many parents of families and seniors are going to see EFX? To me, the people that they want to see the EFX show are too busy riding the Joker, and Raging Bull to worry about it. At least you still have the train for the parents, seniors and families for 2 more months. lol A ride in which I keep seeing it full lasts only till the beginning of August. Pretty sad.

I think the place where EFX came from (Six Flags America) makes sense as it's probably not so much a family park as much as Great America is. Maybe, EFX belongs at Great Adventure and it will fit in greatly with the more rough crowd / more teens park.

When I think Grand Music Hall, that's supposed to be the park's STAR show. EFX is the star show this year? Wowsers.. I think the guy that played Frankenstein and the 3 other people walking all around the park in the mobile show department should be in the Grand Music Hall with a much longer show, and that be the STAR show.

For me though, rides are more important than shows. I will see shows I care for, but I'm going to be more worried about the rides.
"I've been staring at the world, waiting. All the trouble and all the pain we're facing. Too much light to be livin' in the dark. Why waste time? We only got one life. Together we can be the CHANGE. So go and let your heart burn bright"
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