PTR - Opening Day 2009

[[jonrev]]

So with the drizzle still coming down I drove out to the park and arrived around 7. One other guy was there, the same ACE guy who beat me there last year.

Around 8 they began testing Superman and Drop:


God I love my 18x Optical Zoom



Obligatory "Fiero at Six Flags" pic


So by 9:30 I had downed three cans of Vault (I was running on 2.5 hours of sleep, yes I'm screwed up) and I had to go so bad I was in horrible pain, so I floored it to go use IHOP's restroom. The guy behind me saved my spot thank god. Sorry if I pissed anyone off...

No chain drop this year, park started letting guests in at around 10:05. Of course for some reason their system wasn't showing my pass was activated so the guy sent me to Guest Relations, which was running one window. Gah.


I finally get into the park and head for Whizzer. Fun Machine has a new sign, it did not run at all today


These people are having fun.


Would-be end of coaster deprivation...


Yummy spiral lifthill


Whizzer doesn't like me, it went into downtime right as I was about to get on.


This is BuckyBattle. Moving on.



Rails


My season started with Raging Bull. Obviously Bull has a new sign. It's OK but I liked the old one more


Red train sits disassembled behind Hurricane Harbor. Right after I got off they went into downtime to put the teal train on and bring it to two-trains.


Ghost Riders


Demon time! THANK YOU FOR NEW RESTRAINTS!


Around this time I met up with friends Zach, Ben, Jerome, Alyssa, Ray, and Justine.

Eagle red also was running one train



Eagle's tent went to hell over the winter... it looks like they are installing new supports in Wiggles World


Here is "Vu 2". Moving on...


King Chaos is back to its old cycle. Lame.


Random plane flying low


Filming-site of "Dark Knight Madness". Also I count 9 trash receptacles in this shot alone...


Superman also running one train.


At least the park was dead, this was only a 1-2 train wait


Keep Out. This Means You.


The hell with $7 Pizza slices...




Since when did SFGAm become a Cedar Fair park? I see 15 cans in this pic.How many garbage cans can you find? [HIGHER-RES PIC]


Oh Say Can You Scream?


Time to run with the Bulls








Viper was running one train but like Superman it was dead enough the wait was not bad at all


On-ride photos are gone, looks like I'll do it myself...


...Or I can just pull it off the plastic door.


Zach and Ben got their DDR fix



"I'm alright Jack; keep your hands off my stack"


"OM NOM NOM!"


ACEr's on a kiddie coaster


Coaster Porn


"¡uʍop ǝpısdn ǝɯ uɹnʇ 'sıɥʇ pɐǝɹ uɐɔ noʎ ɟı"


In other news, Zach made peace with the flesh-eating Recycle Receptacles...


...before it turned on Zach and Ben.


"Twisted"


ACEACEACEACEACEACEACEACEACEACEACEACEACEACEACEACEACEACEACEACEACE...


"Loopy"


Cajun Time!


Having fun?


More Bull




More Viper



Demon ran one train all day Friday and Saturday


Riding into the sunset


"There goes the floor and you're out the door"


Whee...


Got time for one more ride


Easter Egg turn...


"Story Time!!"


Silent


Group Pic


Cyber Cafe. Doesnt look too bad but the exterior really goes against the "New Orleans" theme.


That "ON/OFF" sign looks so out of place in front of Columbia


"Good to be Back". Also, notice anything missing?


THE EDN


Some things were disorganized early but this was a MUCH better opening day than last year. The crowds were low, and the employees seemed very friendly. Let's see if it lasts.

(NOTE: Beginning this year all pics posted for PTR's will be resized, watermarked versions of the originals. Over the winter there were some issues with people (nobody from this site) "stealing" my Dixie Square pics and I am no longer taking any chances. If you want a high-res pic with a "hidden" watermark (for a background or whatnot), PM me for a request. Thanks)

[CoasterNick3157]

I was right behind you Jon, Zach, and the guy in blue hoodie on Friday in line to get in.

Good trip report. You don't get days like these too often.

[BP317]

One other guy was there, the same ACE guy who beat me there last year

Wasnt there, but know who exactly who your talking about (Brian) .

[bloodydude22]

lol i remember seeing the guy on the left standing in line for the single riders, he was with a bunch of people.

[onyxhotel08]

Queue line for Superman has no cover yet...man the this early int he season...the eagle has not flown back yet to sit by AE for the season

[Director_Guy]

Now I'm glad I didn't go. Those things are effing dangerous!

[tp41190]

lol i remember seeing the guy on the left standing in line for the single riders, he was with a bunch of people.

Yeah thats me...LOL



I love the group photo though....here is the "cool" group

[BrianPlencner]

One other guy was there, the same ACE guy who beat me there last year

Wasnt there, but know who exactly who your talking about (Brian) .

No, I did not get there before Jon. I think its Jason who was there before everyone else. I got there around 8:15 or 8:20. Normally I would be the one there early, but I had to stop for Breakfast on the way in!

--Brian

[[jonrev]]

The guy before me had a red Pontiac Sunfire with an ACE sticker in the window. I think he's in the group photo...

[Ilovthevu']

There's another money saving thing (opening the gates later in order to save money on the ticket takers -security checkers, and potentially some security in the park). For the previous years, how early did they open the first part of the park to guests? I barely get there before 10:00 am, and it might only be 10 minutes before. I wouldn't surprised if they start opening the parking lot later either. What time does that open at? I think 9 or 9:30 am would be a reasonably time.

This kind of stinks though now because there's going to be a backup of people if you aren't the first one in the line. So, potentially you get there at 10:00 am, and if there is a lot of people they might not let you in till like 10:20, and than it takes time to get to the ride you are going to which could be another 5 minutes. Maybe, they are just doing this for the slow part of the season. In July, the people that have the tickets are going to be backed up all the way to the ticket booths, and it's going to be a mess.

For Magic Mountain, and St. Louis they had you wait till opening to actually get in the park last year, maybe 4 years ago for St. Louis, and 3 years ago for SFMM. Maybe, for Over Texas they started it last year, but I'm not sure because I remember them having a rope near the rides, and I think that was 2 years ago, but I'm not positive.

[SixFlagsGuy76]

^^^Maybe it was opening day and there weren't many people there?? Wasn't there some presentation at the beginning anyways?

I'd assume that this wouldn't be the procedure all season as the Cyber Cafe would be a great thing to have open for guests as early as possible for breakfast items/coffee.