This will be my first visit to SFGA. We will be there for one day, May 17. Being from Houston, the only Six Flags park we have any real familiarity with is Fiesta Texas (have been to SF Over Texas and SF Magic Mountain many years ago).
We have purchased a Platinum Flash Pass (we already have Six Flags Season Passes) since we want to make sure we get to ride EVERYTHING since we don't know if/when we will make it back (and were told by the CSR that it was the only level Flash Pass that could be used for X Flight-one use only ).
Being Disney and Universal junkies, we are used to parks that know how to handle crowds and keep things moving and have things well maintained. How well does SFGA handle themselves in these regards. Our home Park, Fiesta Texas, has to be one of the worst parks on the planet as far as ride management and maintenance (surprised to read a positive review over in the trip reports section). I mean, most of the coaster cars look like they haven't been maintained since their inception (missing chunks of padding, faded paint, generally dirty).
With the relatively short operating hours the day we will be there (10-6)the big things we want to know, though, are what to expect as far as crowds (we know school lets out that week as we will be in town for my nephews graduation) and if there are certain non-fast pass rides we should hit early.
Thanks!!
Last edited by tweak89 on April 25th, 2012, 1:09 pm, edited 1 time in total.
If you go on a weekday, you shouldn't have a problem.
You may be one of the people that uses flash pass on a ride with no line *facepalm* (Count me in as one who really despises the concept of pay to cut; nothing personal, I understand you simply want to get your rides in.)
I go during the week in May quite frequently, and usually can re-ride whatever I want, with out even leaving the station.
Of course, X-Flight will have a line. Superman sometimes has a line on weekdays in May, but not much. Ragin Cajun, even with a very short-looking line, takes forever; but it has a very cool (and smart and practical) single rider line.
Make sure you ride Whizzer near the end of the day (again!) after it's had a while to warm up.
Get your flashpass imediately and I'd start in Southwest Territory since that would be the closest. Hit each ride, and my little trick, after you scan your flash pass, immediately reserve your next ride, whether it's a re-ride or whatnot, that way you don't wait at all to jump on your next one.
But like coasterdemon said, it should be pretty dead.
And with flash pass, I'm not sure you can pick your seat on Demon. You definitely want to try the back seat (or 2nd to back) to experience the *snapping, vertical torque-ing, attempt to throw you knees over your head* first drop. I also wouldn't miss a front seat ride on this old technology wonder.
Platinum is definitely overkill, unless of course like you said, X-Flight will only be accepting Platinum Pass riders. I had a Platinum pass last year and Raging Bull had a 45 min - 1 hour line and the pass was ready in 2 or 3 minutes. The Re-rides are nice, but when rides are pretty much a walk on already its a bit redundant. Anyway, get your pass early before you're forced to wait in line so you can avoid lines (ironic right?). There should be nothing out of the ordinary on your trip. Enjoy your ride!!
Thanks for the info so far. Believe me, we are not fans of the pay to ride scheme (we love Disney's Fast Pass System) but since it's likely the only time we will ever visit this park we want to get it all in. We aren't anticipating a big crowd, but you can never tell. This would be the first time we've done it as we never use one at Fiesta Texas.
I did put a call in today to ask for further information on how X-Flight will be handled, and if there is an extra fee (which has not been officially decided, nor have re-rides) we will probably ditch the platinum pass for a gold/silver and just get in line and hope for the best.
Not sure if it's normal to be able to get a refund on Flash Passes, but they said I could do so since I based my purchase on info given to me by one of their CSR's (who did not mention the possibility of an additional fee).
tweak89 wrote:Thanks for the info so far. Believe me, we are not fans of the pay to ride scheme (we love Disney's Fast Pass System) but since it's likely the only time we will ever visit this park we want to get it all in. We aren't anticipating a big crowd, but you can never tell. This would be the first time we've done it as we never use one at Fiesta Texas.
I did put a call in today to ask for further information on how X-Flight will be handled, and if there is an extra fee (which has not been officially decided, nor have re-rides) we will probably ditch the platinum pass for a gold/silver and just get in line and hope for the best.
Not sure if it's normal to be able to get a refund on Flash Passes, but they said I could do so since I based my purchase on info given to me by one of their CSR's (who did not mention the possibility of an additional fee).
I'd still keep platinum just for the re-rides. That works on everything except X-Flight from what we have heard, and Vertical Velocity (V2)
First check the weather rainy windy cold means less crowd and more ride closure so check with the park first. MAy is not ussually that busy unless they get the bussess so its really unpredictable. Since you got a flash pass you dont have to worry about waiting in line. I would ride the rides that dont take em first like American Eagle if it gets super busy or the ride experience problems the wait time could last an hour or so but if you want to ride Xwing go for it first and head on down to Eagle they are in the same area then head to raging bull. Viper wait time could be long depending on crew. V2 an hour or so if its busy. Superman ok wait with premium pass depending on crew. TDk not that bad 15 to 20 minute or so with flashpass. Batman it gets busy if the park is crowded. Get a hand stamp and eat out theres a lot of fast food joint outside the park if you want to save money unless u included the meal deal with your pass drinks not included. If youre done visiting the park the Gurnee mills mall is really close by you can go to rinkside they got a mini golf and skating rink and they got a lot of shops in the mall to. Hope you have fun.
Thanks again for all the info so far. We are leaning towards keeping the pass (the type will depend on whatever they decide is required for x-flight).
We plan on making a beeline to pick up our pass (as suggested) and hitting all the non pass rides.
How large is the park (compared to any of the Disney or Universal parks, since we are most familiar with them)?
Looking at the website for SFGA it doesn't look like, apart from character appearances, there are any shows (or evening fireworks) to see. Is that the case or am I not looking in the right place? I know Fiesta Texas had lots of fun shows when it opened, but it has dwindled (although they will put on a great multimedia/fireworks show on special occasions) since it became a Six Flags park, so I don't know it that is just a trend for all parks under the Six Flags net or just FT.
The park hasn't announced any of the shows yet. Doesn't matter though, because nothing except the "IMAX" (I put it in quotes because the IMAX equipment is long gone and replaced by a glorified DVD player) theater starts before mid to late June.
Great America is probably a little larger than Great Adventure, but not as big as Magic Mountain (waits for hail of disagrees.. which is fine... I'm just guessing from memory).
Make sure to ride the front seat of American Eagle RED - at night or the end of the day, if you can. In hopes the brakes coming out of the big helix (barrel) are OFF this year.
Actually Magic Mountain is smaller then Great America. Great America is 284 acres including the water park. Magic Mountain is 262 acres including the water park. Fiesta Texas is 224 acres including the water park.
Great Adventure is huge 1,500 acres, although that includes the water park and Safari.
^Very interesting. I wonder what all they count in those numbers. I would be curious to see what the acreage of all the 'guest areas' is. Not including American Eagle's helix and stuff like that. I guess MM may seem bigger with the topography... been so long, though.
Great Adventure... ewwww... Aren't you all glad we have GAm instead of that place? (friendly joking, but true!)
Great America is a big but a lot of it's property is parking lot. MM certainly feels like the biggest when you are there but the fact that the middle of the park is a big hill doesn't make it feel any smaller when you are walking through it. GADV's property is really spread out, the park and water park are different gates and have different parking lots, whereas MM has the same parking lot for both.
DejaVu2001 wrote:The park hasn't announced any of the shows yet. Doesn't matter though, because nothing except the "IMAX" (I put it in quotes because the IMAX equipment is long gone and replaced by a glorified DVD player) theater starts before mid to late June.
How would someone know that the IMAX is gone when only theater personnel are allowed in the box? I do know that many film projectors in movie theaters today are being replaced by hard drives, which I say is way less cost-effective because film always was more reliable and gave out more screen resolution. Perhaps it's a hard drive behind the projector in the Pictorium, but I dunno.
R.I.P. Splashwater Falls and Space Shuttle America. Deja Vu, enjoy Idaho.
Hear ye, hear ye: "After 45 years, Six Flags has stopped smoking."
In light of recent developments, I'd say May 17 looks like a good day to visit the park, your only concern will be school groups that generally leave by 3-5pm basically giving you the park to yourself for a couple hours.
Favorite Wood Coasters: The Voyage, Ravine Flyer II, Thunderhead, Balder Favorite Steel: Voltron Nevera, Steel Vengeance, Expedition GeForce, Olympia Looping Parks visited: 232, Coasters Ridden: Steel: 894, Wood: 179, Total: 1073
).
*facepalm*
