Getting Recon on Six Flags St. Louis for April trip...

[Johnny.Ink]

Decided to heard down to the Six Flags park in April - since we have family 10 miles away from the park, on April 14th.

This is the second weekend the park is open so I'm hoping it's nice and dead. Anyways, I've never been down to the park, so what rides are good to hit first, etc.

We want to ride everything, so knowing that a particular ride is super slow in loading etc would be good to know.

Also, what highlights are there for you in your opinion. Seems like they are really wooden coaster heavy - so that will be cool...

Thanks in advance...

[BLADE]

I don't think you will have any trouble with crowds. I was there on a Sat. in August last year and crowds were manageable. American Thunder, Mr. Freeze, and Scooby Doo ghostblasters are the 3 I would not miss. Scooby and Mr. Freeze are not the best for capacity.
I think I liked American Thunder best from somewhere around rows 3-6. I've found GCI's seem to ride best near the front, but not the front seat.
I only got on Freeze once at the front.
Scooby had reduced capacity that day. It's a water ride, but you won't get wet.
The Boss was rough, but alot of people like it. I rode in the front.
Screamin Eagle is a shorter, milder and smoother version of the eagle here.
If you have never ridden a newer GCI with Millenium flyers, American Thunder will show you why we need one here.
Overall a good solid park.

[Johnny.Ink]

Thanks Blade.

No, I haven't ridden many woodies. So it will be fun to try a different park. Thanks for the low capacity rides. What rides get jammed in the morning aka - most popular.

Hopefully it won't be an issue either way

[BLADE]

I forgot about Big spin also. That's the old Tony Hawks. It only has 4 passenger trains, so I would suggest that one early, along with Scooby. I wasn't there first thing in the morning, but I don't think you will have any trouble.

When I went to Great America on a Sat in April a few years back, I rode a PR 47 rides. I left the park in the middle of the day for a few hours and left before closing. I had to take rests throughout the day. It's a great time to ride.

[Johnny.Ink]

I forgot about Big spin also. That's the old Tony Hawks. It only has 4 passenger trains, so I would suggest that one early, along with Scooby. I wasn't there first thing in the morning, but I don't think you will have any trouble.

When I went to Great America on a Sat in April a few years back, I rode a PR 47 rides. I left the park in the middle of the day for a few hours and left before closing. I had to take rests throughout the day. It's a great time to ride.

Awesome. It sounds like my son and I will have a blast. He's been there before but didn't get to go on the "Big Boy" 54" rides. We'll make sure to abuse all of them.

From looking at the map, it would appear starting at either Mr. Freeze and Scooby or Boss seems to be a good plan. Yeah / neigh?

[BLADE]

Scooby and Mr. freeze are right by each other, so you could. I was there from noon til 8 just once, so I really am not the best person to give you a plan.

[BP317]

Normally the longest lines in the park are for Scooby, Big Spin, and Mr Freeze. I'd recommend doing those 3 early then you shouldn't have a problem, plus giving the wooden coasters time to warm up isn't a bad idea. I'd definitely try out Boss and Evel Knievel at night if the park is still open.

Other than that there's not much to say other than SFSTL is a nice park with a really fun dark ride and surprisingly great coaster collection. It's worth the trip just for EK and BTL (Batman the Line)

[Johnny.Ink]

Thanks BP! Appreciate the info. Really looking forward to starting the season

[DeathbyDinn]

Does anyone know if Mr. Freeze will be opening late like the one at SFOT?

[Ilovthevu']

My favorites to go on at SFStL would be Mr. Freeze, Screamin Eagle, Falling Star (Think of Trailblazer if you seen what that is or if you have seen a Rainbow ride, or if you go to a carnival and their is a 1001 Nachts ride), Scooby-Doo dark ride that everyone is talking about, Thunder River (Their Roaring Rapids) (When I went before, I always went on that ride), River King Mine Train, and Excalibur (Excalibur is a ride in which the the whole structure goes upside down while it's spinning. Granted, it's not a superb ride to me, but it's different even though the ride feels more like the Orbit.)

Excalibur Video - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8t2pv49UE3k

Now, I haven't been to the park since Big Spin, Sky Screamer (in which they took out a swing ride), and Evil Kinevil (They call it something different now) have been added.

If you want to compare and contrast, SFGAm and SFStL

SFStL has these rides that SFGAm doesn't:
Ferris Wheel / Ninja (which is a head banging Vekoma coaster) / Skyscreamer / Mine Train (even though it's a more rougher than Whizzer, it's in that order I guess) / Scooby-Doo dark ride / Screamin Eagle / Evil Kinevil / They still have a Splash Water Falls ride. / They still have an Antique Car Ride / Excalibur / Falling Star / The Boss / Big Spin (SFGAm doesn't have that exact model) / Mr. Freeze / Thunder River (It's different than Roaring Rapids.)

Similar rides at SFStL to SFGAm:
Orbit ride (They have the Excalibur ride, and an Orbit ride)/ Merry-Go-Round / Scrambler / Log Flume / Train / Bumper Cars / Giant Drop ride / Batman the Ride (It goes the other way though which means it goes from right to left instead of from left to right) / Pirate ship ride (themed to Joker - Looks better in my opinion)

[w00dland]

Don't forget to ride Ninja for the world's greatest headchopper.

[Jerrykoala2112]

As soon as you enter the park, I'd go around the park starting with American Thunder, Tony Hawk, Mr. Freeze, and then finish the park off with Batman. That way, you start of with better rides in the beginning of the day, and you get the better credits towards the end.

The park has a lot of cool rides, American Thunder, Mr. Freeze, Scooby. But some rides I enjoy too are Screaming Eagle, the Mine Train, and they still have their rainbow. If you have heard of Excalibur, that's a really fun ride if you can handle the spinning, I almost got sick on it a few years ago.

To make the best of Ninja, I'd sit in the back so you get nice airtime on the first drop along with a somewhat smooth ride. Batman has an extremely long queue, and it can turn into a maze in some places, so try not to get lost. (I got lost, and many people were following us, and we all just didn't know where to go, they don't fence off the queue)

The log flume is also one of my favorites at any park. It's old, fast, and cute. I hope you have fun!

[ilrider]

I may be in the minority here, but I love The Boss. Sure, it knocks you around a bit, but it's a forceful woodie, so I don't mind. The double down, especially at sunset/at night, is awesome, especially the first time on it!

[monsterfan99]

Hit Big Spin and Boss early. Boss can/does run one train in opening weekend and Big Spin's capacity is not the best.

[Johnny.Ink]

Thanks Monster and ilrider!

I hope we'll be able to ride these all multiple times. I'm hoping that if we go the weekend after opening the crowds will be minor.

Either way I'll have to take some pictures and write something up for all the help given

[BP317]

Hit Big Spin and Boss early. Boss can/does run one train in opening weekend and Big Spin's capacity is not the best.

The only opening day i've been to at SFSTL Boss was running 3 trains (though that was 06).

[monsterfan99]

Hit Big Spin and Boss early. Boss can/does run one train in opening weekend and Big Spin's capacity is not the best.

The only opening day i've been to at SFSTL Boss was running 3 trains (though that was 06).

2009 or 2010 it was running 1 train (forget which year i went.)

[Sporlo]

Hit Big Spin and Boss early. Boss can/does run one train in opening weekend and Big Spin's capacity is not the best.

The only opening day i've been to at SFSTL Boss was running 3 trains (though that was 06).

2009 or 2010 it was running 1 train (forget which year i went.)

Yep I remember going one time with 1 train. Line gets just a BIIIIIT long...

And if you're looking to get lots of rerides in, keep checking back with Ninja, because while it can have a good wait, it can clear out REAL fast, allowing you to get 2-3 rides in with under 5 min wait times. I just love Ninja. Demon's loops are way better, but as a whole ride package, I'd take Ninja over Demon.

[BLADE]

Boss was running at least 2 on a Sat. in August last year, when I was there. It did have about a 40 min wait, but it's also high capacity and I waited for the front. I thought it was OK, but the real wood star is Thunder. I would still suggest Scooby and Big Spin (4 person trains) as the primary ones, followed by Freeze and Thunder. Boss has an outdoor que (no shade), Big Spin is covered, Scooby is partially shaded, Freeze mostly covered, Thunder shaded by it's structure.
Ninja is a solid ride, but had no waits and partially shaded.
There is also a pretty intense flat called Xcaliber, not shaded. I have not seen this anywhere else I have been.

[BLADE]

Ok, I just looked at the park map of St. Louis and this just got real easy if you get there at opening. Thunder is right by the entrance, to the left. Next in order are Scooby and Freeze. Big Spin is on the way to the Boss. All 5 rides are on the same side of the park. It would be like a Superman to V2/IW run at our park. Xcaliber is right by Big Spin and you could check it out on your way out of the Boss, if you want.

http://www.sixflags.com/stLouis/info/parkMap.aspx

http://www.sixflags.com/stLouis/rides/ThrillRides.aspx

[Johnny.Ink]

Thanks Blade.

Appreciate it. When we go back in June we are going to get a flashpass platinum so we can hit them again even more.

Starting with Thunder sounds like a good idea, as long as everyone else doesn;t have the same idea.

[Ilovthevu']

The way how many people do things is actually they want to start with things that are towards the front first so if American Thunder is right at the beginning. I think it would crowded first if people don't think that ride stinks. So, the way I see it is that if you are part of the first 40 some people in line for the ride, it's worth it. Otherwise just skip it. However, the low capacity (MAJOR) rides at the park are Mr. Freeze (and this even depends if they run 2 sides at all - 1 side = 20 people plus it's a shuttle coaster), Scooby-Doo, and Big Spin. Skyscreamer is newer at this park, and it could have a line also.

Batman the Ride at that park also glares at people on the right side of the park, and probably should be avoided first. To get on the most rides within the first hour (if that is your plan instead of reriding particular ride), I would personally go on Scooby-Doo, Mr. Freeze, than Big Spin, than Boss, than the Skyscreamer, and than Screamin Eagle. The caution about Scooby-Doo is that it will take longer as ride duration than something like Mr. Freeze.

Though, this is April so how bad could it be really? If the park doesn't look bad, I doubt it matters what your plan would be.

[BLADE]

^ This is a good plan if you are not there right at opening. Thanks for expanding on what I had!

[CoasterNick3157]

One thing about Mr. Freeze is that if it is running one train that day it will take 30-45 min to get one with not many people in line, the ride only holds 20 people. When I went in September they had one train and blocked off 1 row.

[Sporlo]

Speaking of Mr. Freeze, it may be launching backwards this year. It doesn't say anything about a more specific timeframe though.