Coaster Envy

Maybe Im just a bit of a cynic, but is anyone else a little disappointed about the following:

A: SFOT removing the Chute Out and Flashback and teasing us for a new attraction - Only to find out that its getting one of those lame swing things?

B: Passing off Flashback (which will be 24 next March) to SFSTL as if doing them a favor ?

C: That SFOT and SFSTL seem to be the perpetual step-children in the family ?

And whats a bit comical is that SFOT is the ORIGINAL and yet their coaster collection pales to the "BIG THREE".

I was just curious.

We see posts like this all the time. My park is getting the shaft. My park deserves a new ride. My park is the ugly step-child of the chain.

SFoT has a really great collection of coasters. It is on my wish list. What you describe as a lame swing thing is one of the most popular rides being installed in many parks all over the country, and the one in TX will be over 400 feet tall, which is absolutely insane by any standards.

I look at SFSTL and think to myself, "That park looks dinky", but all I hear about it from people who actually go there is good things. Because of that, it is on my wish list as well. The boomerang that they get will gain a new popularity, because it is new to the people at that park. If the ride still works, but SFOT needs the space that it sits on, why not send it to another park that could use it, sucky boomerang or not?

Realizing that taking out rides and revamping a park with the latest and greatest thing in the amusement industry is a good thing. A 400 foot swing is nothing to be upset about. Have you rode one yet and if not don't knock it until you try it.

I mean you lost a boomerang coaster, which by most standards in the amusement park business are found in many parks and are not the most exciting coasters out there. Recycling rides is something that Six Flags tends to do. However, you have to see that a new audience gets to enjoy that ride now in St. Louis and many people will not even know that it came from another park.

Cedar Point for example is an hour away from where i live. They removed two coasters this year and added luminosity and dinosaurs alive. Sure the additions were not what people were expecting and we seen alot of grumbling among the fanboys and general public. However, I'm sure it didn't detour many people from going to the park and still watching luminosity and shelling out 5 bucks to see dinosaurs. My point being is that even though you feel you are getting slighted, they are still improving the park and I'm sure you will still go there because of what they have. I for one am jealous of the New Texas Giant and would love to have a ride of that caliber in my back yard. BTW that opened last year, you can't get a new coaster every year. Its just not something that fits into a corporate model of their capital expenditures every year.

Having SFoT as a homepark, I think that NTG makes up for everything. It easily rivals the best coaster at GAdv. (El Toro) and IMO, beats everything at MM and GAm. (though it's been about 10 years since I've been to either).

What did you think would go in the flashback/chute out spot? It's not big enough for a big coaster anyway...

So in conclusion, would I prefer a B&M Wing coaster? Absolutely. Am I disappointed, upset, or in any way let down by the announcement? No, because I didn't have huge expectations and more importantly because the park doesn't owe me anything.

I'm curious to know what "big three" you're referring to. Gurnee, Valencia, and... ? Atlanta?
I'm with Mr Krause on this one. I'd hold SFOT's collection up against just about any in the country. And trust me, when that 400 ft tall Star Flyer hits, Chute Out and Flashback will be a distant fading memory for riders and onlookers alike.
As for St. Louis, yes, they do seem to be the step child in more ways than one. It does kind of suck that they're receiving used equipment in the form of some old assed boomerang. Especially for the poor public relations people there who are stuck for a whole year touting a fantastic new ride when 1) it's used and everyone knows it, and 2) they already have a superior inverting shuttle coaster in another corner of the park.
It would be nice to know that they're finally going to get the large steel hyper they deserve to round out their collection, and that day may come yet. But I have a feeling overall market and attendance numbers may ultimately determine who gets what and when.
Edit to say duh! Great America would be that third park. Sorry, duh...

^Not Great America..you already said Gurnee, so that covers that third of it.

I imagine Great Adventure completes that trifecta.

Having just been to SFOT for the first time - if you're complaining, you're crazy (or just spoiled). The coaster collection there is incredibly well rounded, and the big 4 (Titan, Texas Giant, Freeze, Batman) are just flat-out awesome rides. They're getting rid of a dull, rough turd of a boomerang and replacing it with a ride that will make Texas Chute-Out look like a child's toy, not to mention one that will be only the second attraction of its kind in the world. That's a huge win as far as I'm concerned. Is it a coaster? No. But the place just got TG. You don't get a multi-million dollar coaster every year. Or every 2 years. Or every 3 years. That's not how it works anymore, because, as proven several times, it's financial suicide.

SFGAm may get gobs of everything, but they're like the Canada's Wonderland of the SF chain: one of the best parks overall, but possessing an enormous collection of mostly meh coasters. On my visit, I really enjoyed B-TR, SUF, and Viper, with Raging Bull and V2 being decent, though not outstanding.

ApolloAndy hit the nail on the head with SFOT. Their big 4 are a force to be reckoned with, and I would give my right arm and both legs to have that as a home park.

Wait, then I wouldn't be able to ride anything. You get my point, though.

Same thing with SFStL. B-TR, Mr. Freeze, and American Thunder? Heck yes. The Boss is also pretty epic if you ride in the front. I thought it was a better night ride than The Beast.

Ultimately, sure, if I could have my choice for a home park, SFA wouldn't win. However, when I realize that I have Superman - Ride of Steel right up the street, I feel far more privileged than most. It may be the only 5-star ride in the park, but it blows the doors off of the vast majority of the rides in my track record, and for that reason alone, I'm grateful.

Mike Gallagher said:
^Not Great America..you already said Gurnee, so that covers that third of it.

I imagine Great Adventure completes that trifecta.

OH duh. That's exactly what I meant. Great Adventure. Yes. I think I'll hang up now and come back when I'm a little less sleepy...

Coasterhound36 said:

is anyone else a little disappointed

Nope.

Almost nine hours since this thread was started, and no post from Timber-Rider.

He had to park Mid-Timbers. He's probably still walking to his car.

I just said his name three times.

BatwingFanSFA just got his first new coaster in a dozen years, a hand-me-down stand-up....it's even been quite a while since they LOST their last coaster (Two-Face, 1998 after sitting idle for some time). And they also lost one o fthe coolest flumes ever in the meantime....

So if anyone has the right to complain about getting the shaft, it's BFSFA...

SFoT had arguably the best coaster line-up in the country BEFORE the remake of NTG....there are no tears for the Texans on this one...

I know right? Cry me a river, build a bridge, walk over it, and fall into aforementioned river. The only parks that should be complaining about any semblance of neglect is Six Slags America.

sirloindude said:

SFGAm may get gobs of everything, but they're like the Canada's Wonderland of the SF chain: one of the best parks overall, but possessing an enormous collection of mostly meh coasters. On my visit, I really enjoyed B-TR, SUF, and Viper, with Raging Bull and V2 being decent, though not outstanding.

Ultimately, sure, if I could have my choice for a home park, SFA wouldn't win. However, when I realize that I have Superman - Ride of Steel right up the street, I feel far more privileged than most... I'm grateful.

You know, if I were being completely honest, Camden Park in Huntington is my home park. It might be cute and historical, as far as parks go, but it doesn't have any real thrill rides. It's more of a kiddy park than anything. I would LOVE to have a park like SFOT closer to me.

That's why I consider Kings Island to be my home park. It's 3 or 4 hours away, but I visit it much more often than Camden Park, which is less than an hour away. I feel somewhat lucky, because KI has always been my favorite anyways.

Bill, you're about 10 years off on Two Face's removal ;). I know cause I rode it in 2001, and then in 2007 (On a trip with you!).

I wish SFoT or SFSTl were closer to me. Both great parks that haven't gotten the shaft. Both have well rounded coaster AND ride collections, both are great parks, and neither one is in desperate NEED. Step Child? Please.

Tekwardo said:

Bill, you're about 10 years off on Two Face's removal ;). I know cause I rode it in 2001, and then in 2007 (On a trip with you!).

I wish SFoT or SFSTl were closer to me. Both great parks that haven't gotten the shaft. Both have well rounded coaster AND ride collections, both are great parks, and neither one is in desperate NEED. Step Child? Please.

Tekwardo, sending Six Flags St. Louis a 23.5 year old boomerang coaster is essentially shafting them! Its just three steps below Six Flags Great Adventure taking a (then) 14 year old stand up coaster and putting it where Great American Scream Machine stood. I dont care that SFOT removed Flashback, but just like Magic Mountain removed LogJammer, I would have thought something a bit more spectacular would go in its place. Ive ridden those things in Canada and Virginia, and really wasnt that impressed with them. Now my friends have ridden X-Flight and Wild Eagle and said they were definitely worth the wait. I was just hoping that FOR ONCE SFOT would get something new from B&M. They were the LAST park to install BTR in the chain and I was just thinking that rather than waiting for the Big Three to get all theirs, they would step to the front and install something besides a 400ft swing. But hey, I guess growing up and visiting Los Angeles all these years, Ive been spoiled on Magic Mountain, so my opinion is a bit biased when it comes to coaster collections.

Oh and I believe someone asked me where would I fit a new coaster on that side of the park ? Well if you take a good look at the area, you could very easily construct it going from the footprint of Flashback, along the side of Judge Roy Scream. Have the drop go over Judge Roy Scream and have most of the coaster travel over the lil lake and part of the parking lot. After all, SCREAM sits entirely on what was parking for SFMM and coasters like Manta and Anaconda prove you can build over water. Just an observation.

I know I am in the minority, but I was pretty "meh" on SFoT's coasters before NTG. Not a huge fan of B:TR, Freeze, Titan or Shockwave, mostly because I'm a sissy when it comes to positive G's. NTG, on the other hand, is worth every other coaster in the park combined, IMO.

Coasterhound, I don't get your argument (mostly because I don't think you have one). Are you saying it's a bad business decision for the park or are you saying you personally don't like it? Because the first reeks of ignorance and the second of entitlement.

Can the park physically install all kinds of new fangled coasters? Surely. Is there a need to when 2 years ago we got the best coaster this side of the Mississippi (IMO)? Surely not.