SFA Opening Day 4/9 Superman Valleys, what a way to start 2005!

Plus, like I said, all the work to pull Superman back into the station was RIGHT over the path back to Batwing. They had several ladders and a cherry picker all in that path and you really don't want the public walking under there when they are working hard to get the coaster back to the station. Batwing DID open later that night after Superman's train was back in the station and Superman DID open today (even if it was late...see my TR). The crew was very well trained on that coaster.

Ok Colin, recently Ronald Reagan died. It was a huge deal. I still got my mail and I'm sure everyone got their UPS/FedEx/DHl etc. packages on time as always Sure the Pope was an extremely important person in many peoples lives, but I doubt this supposed part supplier wouldn't ship a part-or it would be delayed- just on that account.

Coaster Lover, there are always work-arounds to things. They could've set up a detour around the S:ROS station that would re-enter the Batwing path at the double gates.

The Pope thing was a horrible attempt at a joke. I highly doubt the Pope's Death had anything to do with the parts arrival and Two Face's down time. Their working on the ride, I wouldn't be surprised if it opens next weekend.

I-Fan, I don't know how you would go about detouring people around Superman's vallied train. The terrain is a little steep to detour them behind Joker's Jinx, you don't really want to ask parks guests to walk through the grass on purpose. If anything, it makes a stronger arguement for building a path from either Skull Island or Coyote Creek back to Batwing. I'm sure they will develop a contigency plan in the off chance something like this happens again.

I was talking about having them walk around the S:ROS station, which is not steep at all. I was at PKD last year opening day and there was some incident on Hypersonic XLC. The train stopped on top of the hill (I've got the picture to prove it, as well as other witnesses). There was a mechanic with climbing gear on, so it must have been somewhat serious. Instead of closing the whole area down, they merely detoured people through the gift shop, so we could still ride Richochet and Hurler. You're right that a legitimate path doesn't exist as an alternative. Maybe one of these years.

When you've got coasters and rides as close to each other as you do at SFA, I think it 's bad to close down a whole area because of one attractions problems. When Two-Face got stuck and made CNN (woo-hoo!), I heard they closed all or most of Southwest Territory down. That's four other attractions, plus the go-kart track that this would've effected.

I'm sure this is company policy, and I'm sure there are reasons for it that weren't explained to me in ride training, but I just hate to see disappointed guests not being able to ride things because of a problem on another ride. *** Edited 4/12/2005 2:56:28 AM UTC by Intamin Fan***

Me and a pal were there for opening day as well to process our season passes for the US tour of Six flags parks.

Noticed quite a few Coaster Zombie members there. Nice. Superman was an experience of watching all daylong. I'm not going to go into a long trip report but about 5pm the SFA maintenance crew were running the water dummies in the first half of the train to add weight to get the sluggish car around the track. Had the pleasure of watching the blue train coming through the bunny hops with a loose "body" slamming into the rails at the apex of each hill. Water was flying everywhere.... made me think of the unfortunate few who have *ahem* left the train while in operation. Needless to say we left the line around 6'ish with the report that the ride wouldn't open.

Batwing on the other hand was another interesting entertaining factor. Waiting in line after they opened up the barracaded area, the third or fourth train they sent out made a very LOUD smacking sound through the loop. Turns out the polyurethane cracked and they had to replace one of the wheels. Heard reports also that Jokers Jinx caught fire halting the train hanging half out of the station.

Bah! So here I go again rambling on. That's my two cents.... oh.. and MUST comment on how friendly the staff was. There were employees going out of their way to say hello and wish me a good day at the park. BIG STEP UP from the past.

JJ catching Fire? Sounds like an erroneous report to me. It was running just find on Sunday with no signs of a fire.

Catching on fire? No, a malfunctioning proxy sensor, I'd say that is the more probable cause for JJ sticking out of the station.

I just got back from the park. Operationally, they had a better day than last Saturday and Sunday.

Ups:

At some point today, every ride worked in the park. Just not at the same time. But the mear fact everything opened at least once today is a step in the right direction.

Chick-Fil-A opened and the good news is it's been managed and operated by the Chick-Fil-A in Bowie.

Typhoon Sea Coaster (TSC) opened for the season today which surprised me.

Two Face opened for the seaon today.

Iron Eagle opened and looked to be running one heck of a program.

ME is just about finished with it's paint job, just need to paint the underside of the station and under the cat walk going over the brake run.

About half of the track on JJ has been painted.

I met Homey G....

JJ was giving some kick but rides.

Downs:

JJ opened at 3:30

Superman opened at 4:00. I heard a bunch banging and clanking coming from the train as it made it's way up the lift when I was back there around 12:30.

While talking with Homey G he said they experienced problems with the restraints releasing on Mind Eraser and Two Face. While in line with me on Wild One two the restraints on the blue train was stuck in the open position and couldn't get them closed.

Line Cutting is already beginning to be a problem, especially on JJ and Superman. On Superman, It was pointed out to Pat and Sam by a couple of people a group of teenagers was trying to cut in line. This was a good 10 minutes before Superman opened. They had plenty of time to call security but they let this group of teens cut anyways. The group kind of mixed in with the rest of the line as we entered the Superman queue.

In all, the park has a much better day operationally then last Saturday and there was a definite improvement over Sunday. Now if we could just get all of the rides open on time this park might become a winner.

*** Edited 4/17/2005 1:38:36 AM UTC by coasterguts***

Good Job Six Flags America! Getting Iron Eagle and Two Face finally running. I still think it is a little early in the season to run the water rides but hey, what the heck, if it's open someone will probably ride it. I'm just so glad 2Face is open, I've waited since last season to get my credit for it.

When I went last weekend, Wild One also had that problem with the blue train restraints, all I know is that it held the line back a while.

Well lets hope this weekend leads to even better ones and get SFA some status!

-Colin-

*** Edited 4/17/2005 1:41:17 AM UTC by Colin Fisher***

I just got back from another great day at SFA. Once again, every ride opened at some point. Iron Eagle is running consistently, Joker's Jinx and Superman is open at 11:30.

Something their doing new this season is asking for volunteer rides to fill in empty seats on Superman, with the promsie you will be able to reride without going through the queue again. I was able to take four laps on Superman (three in the morning and one in the afternoon).

Batwing is pulling some horendous positive g's going through the loop. I'm still trying to pop my ears.

I never knew the back seat on Tyhphoon Sea Coaster could be so fun going down the first drop backwards. It would have been better if the pre-teen kids in the front row wouldn't have been using foul language and giving people the finger. Problem solved! Notified security as I left the ride. Security stopped the kids and gave them a little counseling session.

Rode Iron Eagle for the first time. What a great ride. I still like the Huss Top Spin better. I would love to see SFA add some water that kind of girgles up at you when they tilt you forward and spin you when the ride starts.

Also took my first spins and likely my last on Falling Star. My lunch didn't tase so good after riding it.

I would love to see the water canons on Renegade Rapids working again. I'm getting tired of droping quaters in to test them.

Two Face was running. Ask Coaster Lover how it's doing he rode it while I took another spin on Superman. It's still having some operational issues. At one point it was caught partly out of the station. Sounds like another Proxy Sensor. This is third one in two weekends (Superman, Joker's Jinx were having problems last weekend).

Wild One is giving some real great airtime in the middle of the train. No ride on Roar today.

That's my day.

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coasterguts said:

It would have been better if the pre-teen kids in the front row wouldn't have been using foul language and giving people the finger. Problem solved! Notified security as I left the ride. Security stopped the kids and gave them a little counseling session.

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We (especially myself) as teens can sometimes start things, but im glad you stood up and you told security about it. Yeah foul language seems to always be a problem at SFA everytime I went, which really needs to stop. Addressing people that you don't know leads to fighting which is unecessary in the park. It has happened in previous years. If your having a bad day, please people LEAVE YOUR PROBLEMS AT HOME! Lets keep the park crime free!!!

I hope security increased this year!!!!!!

I don't know if its overall security imrpovement, but when I went this weekend, the security getting in to the park was very very slow, I guess you could call that a increse in security, longer time to check bags and I saw lot's more seaching of little extra pockets on Backpacks. O well,

-C ya-

They actually took away my fingernail clippers today because they had one of those little thingies that you use to clean out under your nails. Ohh well, I guess I could have just turned around and put it in my car, but it was time to get a new set anyways. Better safe than sorry as I say. For those who didn't know...the park does have a baggless entry lane to the far right. If you don't have any backpacks or any other sort of things like that, you can use that line which always moves pretty fast.

I was at SFA today too. I only had a short time, so I didn't get beyond SROS. I wonder if the filling in has to do with keeping the weight up after the valleying incident. It did slow the cycle time considerably reducing capacity.

One thing that I've noticed in my 2 trips so far this year is a greatly increased presence of visible managers. It seems like there is one in the station of every coaster that I've ridden.

Same here Jim, I saw many managers all over the park when I went, They were like little bee's running over the park on opening day because of all the problems with the rides. My dad kept telling me thats what I should do when after High School. Looks pretty cool but I think I'll pass, lol.

-C ya-

Jim, I'm sure that has everything to do with it. It makes perfect sense, the testing order seems to be, test it with water dummies, then SFA Employees and finally let the guest ride.

Trust me on this one:the staff outside superman told me & several other people who were hoping the ride would open that they were conducting staff training for the rest of the day after they finally got the train back in the station.

We were in the park all the way up to the 8 pm close & they never let anyone on superman for the entire day,on the bright side I'm glad to hear two face has finally opened & that they've fixed the opening day problems with superman.....maybe I'll actually be able to enjoy my trip that's coming up on may 7th a whole lot more than I did on opening day.