Chang track at SFGam.

I still think Chang as a floorless would be a great addition to SFGAm, especially up front by the pictorium, since there's virtually no rides up in that section of the park.

If it does in fact end up at SFGAm, I really see it becoming another Bizarro coaster. I went on both this summer, and they were the most crowded rides at both parks. At SFGAdv, Bizarro had a 45 minute wait with 3 trains, while Kingda Ka was a WALK ON with 2 trains. I think by theming it to Bizarro, this can help differentiate Chang from Iron Wolf by providing a different experience in terms of theme and special effects. It already has the blue supports, just paint the track purple and there ya go. From the pictures, it looks like Chang was in need of new paint before the move. While there are other parks in the chain could use a large looping coaster, especially one that doesn't already have a stand-up coaster, I definitely see a new Bizarro on the horizon.

I wouldn't attribute a long wait for Bizzaro at SFGadv to it being a popular ride. The ride ops at that ride are usually terrible and dispatches are slow. Most times all three trains will be sitting at the station. I don't even know why they bother with three train operation on that ride because the trains always stack.

Durring my 2 visits to the park this year, I noticed the same thing on bizzarow. Kind of weird because the rest of the coasters were hitting intervel most of the time. Also kind of weird that they were stacking, because it's a people eater.....No reason for the stacking other than a slow crew.

I've been going there frequently for 5 years now and that's the way it has always been. Even when they've had supervisors in there the trains still stacked and dispatched slowly. Oh well, at least it usually doesn't usually attract a lot of people even with the redo.

What incentive would the entire chain have to try to not stack their "new" coaster? I bet they make more money when it stacks.

^Maybe in the short run. I think good service pays off (Holiday World, no one ever heard of the place before 1995, now it's always on TV, lists, etc.)

They loose money when people are stuck in a line somewhere. Guests are not spending on games, merchandise, food (save for vending machines), extra charge attractions, etc when they are in line. Not to mention the negative experience is likely to reduce repeat visits and may also cause visitors to tell their friends about their negative encounter (case in point: http://graphjam.com/2009/06/19/song-chart-memes-six-flags/ ).

Is there any indication that the dive loop will stay if Chang is converted to a floorless coaster? I know very little about the g-forces of this particular inversion, but correct me if I'm wrong, this element has never been seen on a sit-down coaster before? (compact coasters like the old Shockwave @Santa's Village being the exception--though I've only heard bad things about this coaster).

Converting Chang to a floorless (which I am convinced will happen) will be a little like this. Take the ride as is, standing up. Raise your knees up a little bit, move your torso and head down a little as well. That's it. There will be less roughness too.

Vertigo said:
Is there any indication that the dive loop will stay if Chang is converted to a floorless coaster? I know very little about the g-forces of this particular inversion, but correct me if I'm wrong, this element has never been seen on a sit-down coaster before?

You are indeed wrong. The dive loop element is on these B&M Floorless coasters: Batman Dark Knight (SFNE), Medusa (SFDK), Bizzaro/Medusa (SFGAdv), Scream (SFMM), Kraken (SWF), and Insane Speed (Jandusen Fancyworld).

^Moosh, I think he may have been referring to the elevated helix/tilted loop or whatever it's called. Either way, won't be much of a difference when it's floorless ;)

"Inclined loop" is how B&M refers to that specific element. According to rcdb, B&M and Top Fun (Typhoon x 2) offered the traiditional inclined loop while Hydra alone features the inclined dive loop.

BDesvignes said:
I've been going there frequently for 5 years now and that's the way it has always been. Even when they've had supervisors in there the trains still stacked and dispatched slowly. Oh well, at least it usually doesn't usually attract a lot of people even with the redo.

I have probably said it before but I think the horrible dispatches are because they only have 2 people checking restraints. By the time they buckle the empty seats, and check all 30 restraints it takes forever. Hydra with a much shorter track rarely stacks for more than a few seconds if at all with 2 trains since they have 4 people checking restraints.

I like the link to the blog which mentions that Chang was designed to fit into its location. May look like that now from an aerial perspective. But, when it opened, there was nothing else around it except for T2. There wasn't much at the waterpark yet. Those expansions came after Chang.

I still think Chang was maintained better than Mantis. I wish it would replace Iron Wolf since it is a horrible piece of crap now! I find Chang & Georgia Scorcher to be the best of the bunch.

Iron Wolf is my favorite of the stand ups. I don't understand all you whiners complaining about it. :)

^ So exactly how many different stand-ups have you actually ridden?

A solid majority of them that are either currently in the US, or were at one time. There are a couple exceptions, but what difference does that make, exactly?

'Cause you don't look like you're a very stand-up guy. ;)

HIYOOOO! Looks like I'd better sit down after that one.