SFA 2nd Day of Season 4/13/03
Associated parks:
None
First ride was SROS which was moving nicely. Only one train ran all day. I understand that this was due to late delivery of parts from Intamin. SFA concentrated their efforts on getting the red train ready and will have the blue train ready for operation by the time that crowds get heavy. At any rate one train operation was not a big issue. We only had to wait one cycle in the morning. During the afternoon peak we were able to ride front row with only a 10-15 minute wait. This coaster is really a better ride in the back though. You don’t have to be last row, just anywhere in the back third of the train seems to give the same incredible air time.
Batwing was a walk on when we got there. Only one train was operating in the AM. The second train was parked on the other side of the station. I think they ran the second train in the afternoon, but I’m not sure since we didn’t ride it then.
Joker’s Jinx was running one train, but with just a one train wait. The public still seems to be having trouble understanding the new restraints, but they have vastly improved the ride and increased its ridership. What used to be a head banging pain is now a really fun ride.
We got to Roar just as they were adding the second train. They weren’t as quick as Knobel’s (The best I’ve seen.), but they did get it going in 10 minutes or so which is better than many. Roar was running well with some nice pops of air on this excellent basically twister style woodie. The departure of my train was delayed while the crew tried to explain by hand signals to a non-English speaker that he couldn't take his bag on the ride.
Mind Eraser had new head pads which seemed to soft enough to reduce the impact of head banging while sealed enough to not soak up sweat. I hope that these pads hold up well, they were the best that I’ve seen on an SLC. I’m not an SLC fan, but for me at least, SFA’s is one of the smoother. I didn’t suffer any pain even though I’d had some rough dental surgery 3 days before.
Wild One’s trains had been spruced up a bit over the winter though they could have used new padding on the lap bars. Actually, the padding still works just fine, it just doesn’t look very pretty. I still enjoy this fine old out and back woodie, especially the twist at the tops of the hills that combine air time with the twist.
Two Face was not operating. It’s train was late returning from the welders. I don’t know the cause of the delay. Contrary to what someone said recently in one of the forums, no one I know considers Two Face to be a real headbanger.
All of the wet rides were down except Shipwreck Falls which was cycling empty boats most of the day since it was really too cool to get wet.
A few flats were down in the morning, but by early afternoon all flats were operating including the sometimes troublesome Iron Eagle.
Penguins Blizzard River was still under construction. Even though work was continuing on Sunday, I would guess that it has at least a month until it’s ready. Weather on the east coast this winter and early spring has been terrible, putting all construction including my own way behind schedule. Hopefully it will be ready by the time that the weather is warm enough for guests to want to get wet. I really wish that they had chosen less vibrant colors that the red, yellow, blue scheme. Shades or blue, white, gray, and turquoise would have been more appropriate for the blizzard theme.
Operators seemed to be taking their jobs seriously. They were still a little tentative in some cases, but no major complaints. I can’t say anything about the food since I didn’t eat at the park.
SFA will need to beef up their crew sizes on some rides to keep things flowing smoothly when the park gets busy. This is especially true for some of the flats. Single operators just aren’t enough to keep the cycle times reasonable on an Octopus or Mad Cow. Right now the effect of light crews is minor, but it will become important on busy summer weekends. it wouold also help if they had more signs and talked more about boarding procedures. This might reduce that delays in baoarding caused by guests which are a frequent problem at the park.
*** This post was edited by Jim Fisher 4/14/2003 2:47:20 PM ***
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Be polite and ignore the idiots. - rollergator
"faster, cheaper, and more often" that's somebody's new sig -UpsideDawnGrrrl
My shirt in my photo seems to be for "Aging Bull"
ApolloAndy said:
Any idea on ETA's for trains on S:RoS or Two Face?------------------
Be polite and ignore the idiots. - rollergator
"faster, cheaper, and more often" that's somebody's new sig -UpsideDawnGrrrl
My shirt in my photo seems to be for "Aging Bull"
S:ROS with the good weather this week, I would be surprised if it wasn't up by this weekend, I don't know what is involved in putting those pads back on. Two Face, that's a good question, they need to get the coaster back from rehab first, then put it on the track and test. I'm going to be liberal and say maybe by memorial day, but I did talk with a guy wearing a SF name badge and time on Saturday and he wouldn't give me any ideas.
I took some photos and have them posted here.
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"If you make it too smooth, it'll be like sitting in your living room."
-Bill Cobb - Designer, Texas Cyclone
Jiim were you anywhere near Mind Eraser when they had that emergency? at around 2 in the afternoon they had to E-stop the train on the lift because a large persons lapbelt was not fastened (how the attendants missed that while checking restraints is beyond me) my friend & I were just to cycles away from getting on in row #1,later when the ride re opened we tried to get on again only to have them shut it down because the PLC detected the restraints as being unlocked upon leaving the lift,maintenance had just left from fixing the ride when we entered the line & after just 1 cycle is when this incident occurred.
Jim Fisher said:
I wasn't in the area at that time, I was back over in Gotham City at SROS. I'm really surprised about the belt since they not only checked mine in the morning, they gave it a good sound jerk to make sure it was secure. Maybe it waws wedged, but not properly latched. I've seen that happen on some belts, thought I don't recall it on an SLC.
I never rode Mind Eraser, is it possible the guest could have unfastened the seat belt?
What I want to know is why they didn't use a belt extension when they saw that it wasn't going to latch in the first place,or when they saw that the guy was too big to fit safely in the train that they didn't say " I'm sorry sir but you are just too big to fit safely into this ride",now another thing that puzzles me is after they closed the coaster to perform the evacuation why is it that they insisted that everyone move back out of the area? first we were told to move down to renegade rapids,only to be told 5 or 10 minutes later to move down beyond the bumper cars?,hell they even shut the bumper cars down about 15 minutes later & after a while we just left the area all together.
BATWING FAN SFA said:What I want to know is why they didn't use a belt extension when they saw that it wasn't going to latch in the first place,or when they saw that the guy was too big to fit safely in the train that they didn't say " I'm sorry sir but you are just too big to fit safely into this ride",now another thing that puzzles me is after they closed the coaster to perform the evacuation why is it that they insisted that everyone move back out of the area? .
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Many times when people see a lift evacuation theyassume people are in danger, probably npbody on the train was really in danger, but they did the right thing by making absolutely sure of that.
As for the heavy guys seat belt, here's a scenario for you. I'd bet that he undid the belt himself after it was checked, or it was latched but not completely (I've seen them come undone)
As for lunch by the TSC, you never even said hi, and we were sitting just across the walkway under the SWF top turn! hmph!
SAM
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never met a coaster I didn't ride (except Junior Geminii) :(
If you're going in early may I plan to be there so maybe we'll run into each other then.
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Ah what the hell.....Magnum What?
S:ROS blew me away
MagnumForce said:
Was a great day at the park. Did you notice "Whistle Boy" or "Dog Man" by any chance? .Dog Man I know about, whistle boy I don't. Dog Man has been described by a friend of my wife as a co-worker. Whistle Boy I haven't heard of.
MagnumForce said:
Was a great day at the park. Did you notice "Whistle Boy" or "Dog Man" by any chance? .Not sure who whistle boy is, BUT! I know who Dog man is :) IN FACT, I was in the Wild World Gift Shop at the moment he found his "dog"
I don't mind the dog thing, what I do mind is this 400lb man walking around in a Lycra wrestling singlet!!!!! I mean DAG !!! THERE SHOULD BE A LAW!!!!!!! LIKE LYCRA ABUSE!!!!!
Whats truly sad about him is he gets mad at the parks show people if they don't say hi to him EVERY DAMN SHOW!!!!!!
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never met a coaster I didn't ride (except Junior Geminii) :(
Nothing like an obscenely obese man walking around with an invisible dog, a pickle on a stick complete with juice all over him in lycra.
Sounds more like eye abuse Sam ;)
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Ah what the hell.....Magnum What?
S:ROS blew me away
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