What Should SF Do?

[Ilovthevu']

For a couple years now, SF has been having money problems to say the least. Why is this happening? Of course, people will say that the smaller parks are the problems, but what is the "real" problem with them? Let's say that certain SF parks only have five or six rollercoasters. Universal can have only five at IOA and be successful.

These are the problems I see with SF. I see them lacking in the thrill non-rollercoaster rides. Many of the flat rides don't have a punch in them to thrill the teens (Not me, I'm not even a teen.) in the park. How about a Zipper (There's more but I would have to explain them and get pictures of each.)? You can tell it's "teen day" because most of the flats are empty.

I think that all the parks should offer you get in line before the park closes and can stay in the line policy (unlike SFOG). While being at SFGAm in September, they decided to issue a new policy for D Vu. After the park closes, they have assigned seats. However, it doesn't help much because they have a person talking over and over about them that wastes time.

You also need to satisfy the customer. Shorter lines are better than longer lines. Rollercoasters should have two trains (unless they can't considering maintenance, and the type) at all times. Even if the line is a walk-on, your job is to get people to come back.

The other thing is just making terrible decisions, or not making them at all. Some lines are terrible at some SF parks (Hmm.. Viper.. Station). Another thing I saw at SFGAm in September was the awful parking. They obviously didn't finish the back parking lot (They need time parameters.), and they had people park inbetween the two parking lots one day I was there. Cars were everywhere. They lined them up on in back of each other. They finally finished it, and it's back to normal. It just doesn't make sense to tear apart the old parking lot, before you finished paving much of the other one.

[Chitown]

You can't re-pave a parking lot in the winter time. It has to be completed before the snow and cold temps arrive. Don't use that situation as the reason why SF is in debt.

SF is in debt due to the majority of their parks lacking good customer service. SFGAm is an exception in this case thanks to the local management of this park actually caring.

Doesn't matter if you have 12 coasters in one park or just 5. It's the overall customer satisfaction that brings back repeat customers.

With the expection of DV, SFGAm has a policy where you can enter a ride's line up until closing. It has been this way for as long as I can remember.

We can sit here and preach the gospel as to why SF is in debt, but in the grand scheme of things, it's whether the customer leaves happy or not during their visit.

[SFGA Bob]

actually, they were closing Ragin Cajun's line a bit before closing the few times I went this year. but I've never had a problem getting on any of the other coasters at closing.

[Ilovthevu']

With the expection of DV, SFGAm has a policy where you can enter a ride's line up until closing. It has been this way for as long as I can remember.

SFGAm is not the problem. It is the other parks (SFOG for example) that don't do this. They should also be open longer at other parks. People like it when they have enough time in the park.

[CoasterDave316]

With the expection of DV, SFGAm has a policy where you can enter a ride's line up until closing. It has been this way for as long as I can remember.

You can enter Deja Vu's line up until closing still, he was refering to after the park closed now they assign seats. Which really makes guest angry, especially those who want a inside seat and they tell them to sit in a outside seat. I found it slows it down more then it speeds the process up.

[SFGAm Rules]

actually, they were closing Ragin Cajun's line a bit before closing the few times I went this year. but I've never had a problem getting on any of the other coasters at closing.

I've had this problem with RC and RB.

[planea380]

Your whole hypothesis is wrong, there is nothing wrong with Great america nor Six Flags. The company is going through a change and is leaving most of the bad premier ways. I expect alot next year from every six flags park. Six Flags has so much unreached ptoential it is scarey and other companies should be afriad of the potential. I remeber a time when Universal didnt make money, they spent too much painiting nightly. Now we dont want to turn into a cedar point who closes their rides to clean them.

[w00dland]

When you say that parks like Universal or Buesch Gardens can have 4 coaster and success, but smaller SF parks cannot.

I'm not one to Six Flags bash very much but I think most of us know that we aren't the best at theming our parks. Universal and Buesch Gardens theme their parks and have totally awesome food. They attract everybody and are places (espicially Universal) that people will go across the country to see. SFMM, SFOG, and even our park aren't nearly as themed as those parks. We have a huge advantage to other SF parks because we make so much revenue off of our area where we basically have no competition. Smaller parks make no revenue and can't get thrills to make up for everything else most SF parks can lack.

I don't know if that made any sense to you guys or not...

[shocker]

six flags needs better themed rides. not to say new names but more theming. The old demon sign was great. superman has boring theming if u can call it themed. batman is the best themed ride in the park.

Think about the themes though, american eagle, iron wolf V2, deja vu, they are boring

[sixflagsguy5]

The only rides i have seen the lines closed down early for are ragin cajun, and dejavu. Also, at coasters after dark they close down the ride lines early and then re-open them later. Then at closing they close down the ride lines early.

[Ilovthevu']

^I was talking about the time this year when I was at SFOG. They closed the ride lines 15 minutes before the park closes. Also, over there, they didn't run BTR, Mindbender, and Georgia Scorcher with two trains.

Something must be happening with management because they seem to be moving people around. Maybe, they want people that manage a good park well to go to a park that isn't doing so good and help it out.