6/6/03 SFWoA "The Day of Breakdowns"

[coasterzak]

Since I have a pass, I didn't get to the park until late. It was about noon and so we parked and entered the park. Seemed like a nice day, no coasters were down and the slides look fantastic. So we headed to the batman, but it still hadn't opened since the park opened. Went to Raging Wolf Bobs and it was a walk on. The front of that ride is great. By the time we got off, the batman had gotten very full, that is the area in front of it, and they finally let people in.About 10 trains went and my mom and sister went ahead of the rest of our group and I. They left the station and we entered the train. The train was just about to go after we had almost gotten cleared, but all of a sudden, the loudspeaker cut out and they went, "Oh No!" The power cut out. We sat in the station for about 20 minutes and the people out on the brakes were stuck for good. Eventually the brought the floor back and we got out with the fork in the station. The power had cut out to the park and surrounding businesses, Aurora was without power. So after a while they took a temporary floor with a rail out to the people on the brakes. The maintenance people inched the ride up and just about got pinned under the train. I watched from the exit ramp. Everyone got out onto the one row of temporary floor and then they moved it back. This went for all the rows and when they returned safely to the station they took their names and gave them each a free ticket to the park. To our surprise, the same type of deal happened on about every other ride. The batman people were very mad because they had finally got the ride up for the day and then this happened. So after almost an hour and a half in the park, we had been on one ride. We left for lunch.We came back when we saw the Superman running. We were very glad because we hadn't got on S:UE yet this year because of its delayed opening. When we returned, the Mind Eraser was yet to take people from the power outage, but was testing. So we hopped on the Superman because X-Flight still had a train on the lift hill in which they had to remove guests from. I rode front seat on S:UE. It was a great ride. This is one of my favorite rides in the park. After we got off, we headed to the Mind Eraser. It was working and this is when breakdown #2 occurred.So I'm talking to the ride op, I'm about the next cycle to go and we see it come back through the station. It goes up the next hill and we weren't paying attention. All of a sudden, a guest says, "Are they supposed to be on that hill that long?!" And with that, the train was stuck on the hill. They had to call maintenance. They came and took the train to the top of the hill, working from the station, and let it go into the loop. They turned the brakes on though, and allowed it to valley. I have no idea why it couldn't just go the whole way through the loop and boomerang, but it stopped between the loop and the second hill, not quite making it through the loop. We left, and headed to the big dipper.Front seat ride, very good. The wait was about 15 minutes and well worth it. Our group headed to the El Dorado for a ride and headed back to the entrance to meet up with my dad. At the entrance we met up with my dad's identical twin that we thought was my dad at first, but he had his kids with him. How ironic! We hung out the rest of the day and got my dad. From there, we went to X-Flight. After a 10 minute wait, and not one train dispatched, someone yelled from up top, "It's broke!" We didn't stick around to see, and we got out of line. Back to the El Dorado. A few rides here because my younger cousins don't like coasters.From there we headed to the Batman - still down from earlier. They jumped on the Ferris Wheel, we went to the Villain. 20 minute wait, got the first car. Great ride! Such a difference from the back to the front. More airtime, smoother, I like it a lot. About 6 and almost time for my group to leave. We headed to the Batman and it was open. We got on and got out of the station, we knew we had the ride! We rode second row. I like the extreme front or back, no second row deal, but it was the shortest line. We waited almost 15 minutes for it, but it too was well worth this short wait. Afterwards, we headed to the parking lot and departed. A short day at SFWoA, but many breakdowns and disappointments. Despite all this, I was a good sport and I think I will return tomorrow, I'm just looking for a riding buddy. I want my first night rides of the year!

[DejaVuGurl1203]

Nice TR. Sounds like you had a good day except for all the breakdowns and the power outage. I might get to head out to SFWOA this August, I doubt it but there's still a chance. It looks pretty awesome.

[SFGAmfreak4life]

Good TR. I hope I can make it to SFWoA some time over the summer. coasterzak- how is X-Flight? Is it better than S:UF?

[CoasterDave316]

They are both pretty even as far as rides go in my opinion, but as far as comfortability and loading times S:UF kicks ass. It takes about the same time to load a X-Flight train as it does on Deja Vu which equals very slow lines and bad capacity.

[SFGAmfreak4life]

Thanks CD316.

[coasterzak]

X-Flight is very intense and I love it to death. I have to say though that BKF is a better ride at SFWoA... it's just my opinion though. I have to agree that they suck with capacity, but X-Flight is Vekoma and they have had their share of problems. EX. the train getting stuck halfway in the loop last week after putting train two back into the circuit from the infield. It is a great ride though, I've never been on S:UF so I can't directly compare, sorry.

[SFGAmfreak4life]

Thanks coasterzak. I bet that S:UF is worse than X-Flight anyway. You should make a trip to the park sometime this year.

[coasterzak]

I would love to make it to the park again. Guess what, I've been to SFGAm for one and a half days. Can you even believe that!?!? I might take a trip to SFGAdv this year and catch S:UF there. I am guessing they are the same experience.