If you live in the midwest , you can get coaster fix sooner in 2009.

I really don't think this is a good idea, but Six Flags will open SFGAm on April 3rd, 2009. The weather in the upper midwest is really hit and miss during that timeframe. Oh well, they might get lucky and thrillseekers can get some coasters in a full month before other parks in the midwest open.

SFGAm 2009 operating schedule

Thats frankly insane.

Didn't Geauga Lake open in mid april in the early eighties (weekends only)? I vaguely remember , but i do remember them giving out free pizza on saturdays, and though it wasn't great, it was free.

;)

Well, with the global warming trends, this should work out just right. :-)

Missouri is split on this issue.

SFStL has moved their opening day forward to March 28 while WOF has moved its back to April 25.

I can't believe they are opening earlier than Great Adventure, only 1 day but it is still surprising. I'd really like to see Great Adventure go back to March openings.

Sounds aggressive. I like it.

The aspect of this that really appeals to me - more time to get people trained and get the *kinks* worked out before the real big crowds of the mid-season come along...more opportunity to decide who should be "in charge".

Hey, if they are willing/able to adjust to a shorter off-seasonmaintenance schedule, then more power to them. Plus it likely meansmore opportunity to visit the park with fewer crowds.

That sounds like a bad experiment to me. Unless the schools get out a lot earlier there, it doesn't sound like a good idea.

I'm sure they must have some indicators somewhere in the numbers that it's at least worth a shot.

It's only weekends until the middle of May. And I'd expect 'limited' operations those earliest weekends.

If it extends the season in a good way, then great. I'm not sure how inclined I'd be to visit a park north of Chicago at that time of year. I still prefer the warmer weather for park going.

It also looks like just the weekends before/of/after Easter (which is late this year), and then a weekend off until the first weekend of May.

Lord Gonchar said:
And I'd expect 'limited' operations those earliest weekends.

They'll still probably be peddling Q-bots.

Awesome, I will be taking advantage of this. I enjoy coasters in inclimate weather. Some of my fondest coasting memories took place on Last Blast at SFGAm a few years back. Iron Wolf, Batman. amd Bull in frigid weather at night all but amounted to Beast or your choice of HW coasters on the darkest of nights. Perfect. The waterpark crowds won't be there either. A season pass has been born.

Assuming they can get the coasters up and running, an April opening means they need to start warming them up in March.

There is usually plenty of snow still on the ground (and more will fall as well) at the start of April.

This looks like a great way to beat up most of their rides right at the start of the season to me.

I seem to remember a few nice weekends in April where I thought it would be nice if Great America was open. I think it might be better, however, if they opened mid-April instead of the first weekend in May. There is too much chance of a late blizzard in early April to really put a hamper on things.

Is the new ride going to be open for opening day!?!

I think they will have to market this a lot if they plan on making this work. I also see them doing what they did this past year more frequently is either close the park early or not open due to the weather conditions.

I think this early opening will potentially make the park do the things that got2havefun mentioned: close the park early due to lack of crowds or not open at all/close early due to weather conditions. I can just hear the complaints of those people who drove 2+ hours each way when they find these notices upon arrival.