Holiday In The Park 2021

[anewman35]

Has anybody mentioned that HITP info is on the website, but it's 'Holiday In The Park Lights' again and says 'Enjoy family rides at Holiday In The Park Lights while our more thrilling rides, including coasters, hibernate until next Spring.'

Not that I was going anyway, but what the hell?

[RobSFGAm]

I wonder if it has to do more with lack of staffing to run rides. The drive thru experience does take people as well to direct people through the park at the turns, but not nearly as much as have the rides, food, entertainment. Just my guess at to why they are doing it this way this year again.

[anewman35]

I wonder if it has to do more with lack of staffing to run rides. The drive thru experience does take people as well to direct people through the park at the turns, but not nearly as much as have the rides, food, entertainment. Just my guess at to why they are doing it this way this year again.

They actually do appear to be running both the drive thru and the more traditional version, except with no roller coasters. Staffing might be a reason, although some other Six Flags parks I checked do seem to be running more normally and including coasters, so who knows.

[CoasterRiderSC]

What's the whole point of the drive thru?? I don't understand it. We went and walked thru the park last year!

[Coaster Justin]

I would love if the Train operated.

Maybe turning Roaring Rapids area into a Walk Through would be cool?

[ilrider]

What's the whole point of the drive thru?? I don't understand it. We went and walked thru the park last year!

So the Karens don't have to worry about their family catching Covid. We just did the walk through last year before the drive through even started.

[CoasterDemon]

What's the whole point of the drive thru?? I don't understand it. We went and walked thru the park last year!

So all the Brittany's can have a few minutes more of outside time.

[Coaster Justin]

What's the whole point of the drive thru?? I don't understand it. We went and walked thru the park last year!

So they can operate the park with less employees and electricity
And if 3-4 people that night buy Hot Cocoa and Popcorn, That should cover some of the employees

[RobSFGAm]

Based on Six Flags website, they will only have 10 rides operating during this time, three of the ten are toddler rides.
They listed Batman - the Dark Knight (which is a coaster?)
Here is the list from their site:
https://www.sixflags.com/greatamerica/events/holiday-in-the-park-lights/rides
No Train for the person who asked (probably too hard to keep the tracks clear if e gt a lot of snow?)

[CoasterRiderSC]

What's the whole point of the drive thru?? I don't understand it. We went and walked thru the park last year!

So the Karens don't have to worry about their family catching Covid. We just did the walk through last year before the drive through even started.

ilrider - Love your response!!

[CoasterRiderSC]

I would love if the Train operated.

Maybe turning Roaring Rapids area into a Walk Through would be cool?

These are great ideas! If the Metra train can run all year, why can't the Six Flag train??

The B&M's ran in 2019 and I was there when it was high 20s! What a thrill! Why not run the 4 B&M's ?

[ilrider]

^^lol Thanks! I just assumed that was the reason though. You would not believe how many people were complaining on FB that the park should not be open last year and that HitP was totally unsafe, even though 1. Everyone was wearing masks 2. We were all well socially distanced and 3. We were outside. Low risk activity if you ask me.

[CoasterRiderSC]

^^lol Thanks! I just assumed that was the reason though. You would not believe how many people were complaining on FB that the park should not be open last year and that HitP was totally unsafe, even though 1. Everyone was wearing masks 2. We were all well socially distanced and 3. We were outside. Low risk activity if you ask me.

Incredible! It's totally voluntary to go to the park.......

[anewman35]

^^lol Thanks! I just assumed that was the reason though. You would not believe how many people were complaining on FB that the park should not be open last year and that HitP was totally unsafe, even though 1. Everyone was wearing masks 2. We were all well socially distanced and 3. We were outside. Low risk activity if you ask me.

Last year was after an entire year when the park had been closed, and cases at the time were significantly higher than they had been that summer, so I think it was a fairly reasonable question to ask why it was ok to open in December if it wasn't in June. Not really interested in having that debate again right now, but I understand it.

I don't think the drive thru this year has anything to do with Covid, more that they figured out they can make some extra money without too much effort, so why not?

[CoasterRiderSC]

^But if people drive thru, aren't they LESS likely to spend $$ on concessions? They'll be in their nice warm vehicles and probably have food or snacks with them. So less hot chocolate and treats will be purchased.

[anewman35]

^But if people drive thru, aren't they LESS likely to spend $$ on concessions? They'll be in their nice warm vehicles and probably have food or snacks with them. So less hot chocolate and treats will be purchased.

Well, they presumably think that the drive-through people are additive, not people that are choosing to drive instead of come to the park, because you're right about them being less likely to buy food. But if you're a person who's wasn't going to go to normal HITP (because of Covid, or you don't like big crowds, or you don't like the cold, or whatever reason) but will pay for the car version, then you're not taking anything away.

I also wonder if on some level they're ok with moving some people over... If it's anywhere near as busy as I gather the park as usually been this year, and staffing is as bad, and with a lot less rides, the lines for everything would be too long anyway, so you're not losing too much if you make them a little shorter.

[[jonrev]]

If the Metra train can run all year, why can't the Six Flag train??

Because the infrastructure and resources of a metropolitan transit system pummels that of an amusement ride designed for seasonal operation. I wonder if the diesel engines and other hydraulics in the loco would even get along with the cold weather.

[ilrider]

^^lol Thanks! I just assumed that was the reason though. You would not believe how many people were complaining on FB that the park should not be open last year and that HitP was totally unsafe, even though 1. Everyone was wearing masks 2. We were all well socially distanced and 3. We were outside. Low risk activity if you ask me.

Last year was after an entire year when the park had been closed, and cases at the time were significantly higher than they had been that summer, so I think it was a fairly reasonable question to ask why it was ok to open in December if it wasn't in June. Not really interested in having that debate again right now, but I understand it.

I don't think the drive thru this year has anything to do with Covid, more that they figured out they can make some extra money without too much effort, so why not?

Easy: attendance in December is nowhere near what it is in June. No rides were open. It was incredibly easy to get nowhere near anyone else. That’s why. Did you hear of any outbreak of covid at HitP? Me neither! The state said it was safe to open, so they did. Transmitting the virus outside is difficult, because it dissipates in the open air.

[anewman35]

^^lol Thanks! I just assumed that was the reason though. You would not believe how many people were complaining on FB that the park should not be open last year and that HitP was totally unsafe, even though 1. Everyone was wearing masks 2. We were all well socially distanced and 3. We were outside. Low risk activity if you ask me.

Last year was after an entire year when the park had been closed, and cases at the time were significantly higher than they had been that summer, so I think it was a fairly reasonable question to ask why it was ok to open in December if it wasn't in June. Not really interested in having that debate again right now, but I understand it.

I don't think the drive thru this year has anything to do with Covid, more that they figured out they can make some extra money without too much effort, so why not?

Easy: attendance in December is nowhere near what it is in June. No rides were open. It was incredibly easy to get nowhere near anyone else. That’s why. Did you hear of any outbreak of covid at HitP? Me neither! The state said it was safe to open, so they did. Transmitting the virus outside is difficult, because it dissipates in the open air.

I'm not arguing against that at this point, clearly it was fine. But it wasn't really a given that it would have been fine at the time, so it doesn't seem crazy to me that people in on FB would have been worried about it.

[UWW-10]

These are great ideas! If the Metra train can run all year, why can't the Six Flag train??

The B&M's ran in 2019 and I was there when it was high 20s! What a thrill! Why not run the 4 B&M's ?

I heard from a credible source that worked at the park during that time that they had to get specific permission from B&M to be able to run those coasters as I believe 30 or 35 degrees is the lowest temperature that they can be operated in per the ride manual.

[RobSFGAm]

Here is a quick video from Holiday ion the Park this past weekend if you want to see what it looks like this year. Sunday was a really quiet, Saturday was busier.
https://youtu.be/RgQjE_Umzms

[CoasterRiderSC]

Rob - Thanks for making that walk thru video! Great job as always!

It seems like there are some new things this year: the ice carving, the funhouse in Kids area, and more lights

Is there an extra charge for the funhouse?

[Coaster Justin]

Rob - Thanks for making that walk thru video! Great job as always!

It seems like there are some new things this year: the ice carving, the funhouse in Kids area, and more lights

Is there an extra charge for the funhouse?

The Funhouse is free. It's basically a Holiday overlay of the Haunted House, Complete with the repetitive flaw I have with that house.

[CoasterRiderSC]

Does anyone know why they aren't running coasters for Holiday? The B&M's ran seemingly fine in 2019 and even in high 20's/low 30's temps.

[anewman35]

Does anyone know why they aren't running coasters for Holiday? The B&M's ran seemingly fine in 2019 and even in high 20's/low 30's temps.

Obvious guess is either staffing or an attempt to save money, because obviously they CAN, and some of the other parks still are this year.