Recent *positive* SFMM experiences?

I've found myself with a free weekend on the west coast in early September, and am trying to decide exactly how to spend it. My original plan was SFMM on Saturday (with a possible stop at KBF in the evening) and DL/DCA on Sunday. However, after going back through SFMM TRs from this summer (there are only three or so) it sounds like a visit there is still an exercise in frustration.

I'm too crotchety to put up with being annoyed by a park visit. So, I am thinking about just staying in Orange County for the weekend, even though I've been to those parks already, on the theory that fun times riding things I've done before will beat frustration riding things I haven't. Does anyone have any recent positive experiences at the Mountain? If so, I'd love to hear them. I'd like to try this park out, but not unless it seems to have its act together.

Note: the ony visit that is non-negotiable on this weekend is DL/DCA, since I've yet to ride ToT or Indy, and I happen to have an annual pass that I bought during a weeklong trip this past February. Since I don't expect to buy one of those again anytime soon, I figure I may as well get what use out of the AP that I can. On the other hand, I'm expecting that I'll be buying a Six Flags pass again, so there's less of a hurry there.

Brian - I'd only suggest visiting SFMM if you can avoid the weekend. Otherwise just stay in OC. SFMM isn't going anywhere and I'm sure you'll be back in LA someday.

mOOSH

I would love to hear a positive report about the place again, but I still (sadly) think the that pigs will fly before every coaster is open at the same time (and I think it will be the end of the world if the coasters and sky trek tower are open at the same time)

Didn't you go this year yet Moosh? I thought you had a mediocre time

I was just in the Anaheim/LA area 2 weekends ago and managed to goto DCA/DL for about 2 hours on Saturday as well as hit up SFMM on Sunday. The short stay at Disney was due to both my fiancé's uncle's free passes, as well as hitting Disney World in March for a week. Since we only rode the Tower (35 minute wait) & California Screamin' (15 minute wait), that is all I can really comment on.

Let me preface SFMM's trip by saying that I was there last summer a couple days and got my first and second laps on X, both with 3 hour waits. I loved the assortment of coasters at this park, but the whole experience was one of the worst I have had at a theme park. The only bright spot was one, lone, happy employee who was loading their raft ride.

This trip to SFMM was a bit different. The Sunday we chose to go was about 90 degrees, or there abouts and the initial lines were crazy. The lines just to purchase tickets were 1 hour long (we have season passes from SFGAm so we didnt need to wait, but people we were meeting up with did). One thing you will instantly notice is that the workers are actually smiling and mostly plesant to deal with. It is still no comparison to SFGAm, but a HUGE improvement over last year.

After viewing the lines and how hot it was, we bought some fast passes and used them all up on the water rides. The lines for most of the water rides were 1-3 hours long. The lines for the coasters running multiple trains were walkons. The lines for Batman & Riddler we didnt even try since they appeared to be stagnent. Deja Vu had a 45 minute wait, and our X (running 2 trains) wait was about 1hr & 20 minutes. The X que has a major improvement with operators standing near the entrance to the station and only allowing a few guests in. This both eliminates line jumping as well as eliminate the over-crowding of the station (which in turn, doesnt make it so d*mn hot). Another thing we noticed in the lines was they had most of the water fan misters going, something that wasnt working on the X line last year.

Hope that helps you out a bit,
-onceler

Didn't you go this year yet Moosh? I thought you had a mediocre time

I've been only once, in March to have my season pass processed. Bass and I spent a few hours at the park. Yeah, I guess you could say I had a mediocre time there...certainly not a good time, and certainly not a good-enough time to warrent returning to the park again this year. I'll visit next year to renew my pass again [which I use at other parks].

mOOSH

I have plenty of NEGATIVE to say... that trip report will be coming soon. Or maybe later. Well, eventually...

The park was open when I arrived -- that was positive. They also let me in with my unprocessed Marine World season pass voucher, though they wouldn't process it for me there.

The operation of the park on a day with exceptionally light crowds was absurd. I don't think I'd ever bother going back unless I lived nearby and Disneyland was closed. Forever.

So in summary the positives are:

1.The park is open
2.The ticket salespeople smile this year, which is exactly what you are looking for after waiting one hour just to buy your ticket because the park does not open up enough ticket windows.

I can’t wait to go myself! :-)

Let's see, my most recent positive SFMM experience...

12/23/01, my first ride on X.

I'd have to go back to the mid-90's for the one before that.

Season pass only days on X, 7 rides one day and 14 another.

The day after Solace with buzzers, more the company than the park.

Riding by on the way home from Laguna Seca, never mind.

Who is up for the SFMM Challenge, $10.00 entry fee, last one to leave keeps the pot? Any one? Bueller? What?

I went on a Saturday in March of 2003 and had a great time. I'm easy to please, though. :)

I'll second what Boblegone said... Season-pass-only days, early 2002. That was undeniably nice, mainly cause, for me at least, it didn't involve any other rides and whether they were open or not.

I'm not too up on the current situation at SFMM, but a couple of years ago, I pretty much decided it really wasn't worth visiting anymore (above mentioned days excepted). *** Edited 8/2/2004 11:54:44 PM UTC by Gravitationally Challenged***

As much as I enjoy SFMM, it's only cause it's close by enough to visit during off season. A Saturday visit with 1 train op on most of the coasters will definitely be a test of your patience.

I also say skip SFMM for another time, and do a DCA/KBF day, then a whole day at DL, plenty there to keep you entertained for a full day.

Worst. Park. Ever.

I have sworn off SFMM forever. It has become the worst run park in the country, possibly the world.

Sad. :(

I guess the answer to the original title is a resouniding "NO"!

And my question is, why?

Why does the SF corporation neglect this park for customer service? Why do they plop a bunch of coasters in this park? Why, if they have a bunch of competition in that market, do they continue to displease guests?

I don't get it. You have a park with other major players but piss off the masses. Yet, you have SFGAm which has no competition but they continue to operate efficiently and please their customers.

Am I missing something with this strategy?

Agreed. I think the park has SO much potential, and could be a world-class park, but it's not even in the ballpark...it can't see the ballpark.

Open up ALL your rides and work your butts off to satisfy the customer. It doesn't seem like that hard a concept. Other parks do it.

It's sad. Things were improving at SFMM at the start of the year. Employees were nicer then they have been, the park was cleaner then in the past, all the the flat rides actually opened up for once. Unfortunatly, it sounds like SFMM is reverting back to it's olds ways (still 1 train ops on RR and BTR???).

From what I have read, 1-train op on RR & BTR is due to lack of certifications for the other trains, or something like that. The experience I had was positive compared to last years experience, but the only reason I would go back would prob. be just to catch a lap on X.

Note: one of the reasons the ticket lines are so long (and yes, all windows were open) is they are running that buy one, get one promotion with a coke can.