SFDL 5/25

I won't bore everyone with the x/10 ratings of the coasters, since someone just did a TR on this SRoS-less park earlier today. Just a few highlights/lowlights...

First, it was apparently Science Day for about 15 schools there, as I counted some 25 busses in the lot.

Mind Eraser is still a fun SLC, not B&M quality but not bad for what it is. And there's a twist on it this year. Apparently you don't have to stand in line anymore in the station. From what I saw the que rails are there simply to jump over and sit on. What should've been a 10 minute wait took 30 just because everyone kept jumping. The ride ops did nothing about it, but if you were to stand on the yellow line, LOOK OUT! Fear the wrath if you stand on the yellow line!

Predator... Wow, where to begin? Got in line for the 3rd row. A kid kept asking when Superman would reopen, the ride op ignored him the first 10 times and finally told him they were tearing it down! That rumor spread through the station in record time! The restraints wouldn't release, so they gave the "ride down speil." Man, you'd have thought the platform was on fire those kids took off so fast! Of course, the mechanic came up, did his deal, and the ride was back up in less than 5 minutes. It was like a cartoon; The whole mob stopped, reversed, and came back up the stairs then tried to get back into their original places in line. They dispatch the train, I see a girl (probably 12-14 years old) sucking her thumb on the ride. I think to myself "That could be bad." Sure enough, she came back screaming, her thumb bloodied. Some people are naturally dumb I guess... Oh yeah, they retracked parts of Predator. It's still pretty shaky.

Boomerang was Boomerang. Good times, same ride as a dozen other places.

Funny story in Viper. It was the only ride running more than one train (2), so there were no lines at all. I got to the station, theres a single kid waiting for the front seat for the next train. I got behind him, asked if I could ride with him. We get on the coaster, and half way up the lift he asks me if I'm okay. I dunno why he asked, so I replied "Last time I rode this I threw up all over." He freaked. He screamed out a play by play of what was coming up and kept yelling for me to get ready for it and not to puke. I kept making faces like I was gonna get sick. After the ride he ran away, I later saw him doing the same to his brother(?) on Boomerang. Priceless.

There were quite a few flats down, most of the water rides were closed (it was like 55 degrees) except Grizzly Run. The water park was open and actually had lines! A lot of the food stalls were closed. I guess they were still in preseason mode? There were gardeners everywhere planting flowers. And as for SF's "General Improvements," they were obvious. New Six Flags umbrellas on a lot of tables, the 3 bathrooms I went in were totally retiled and looked brand new, and a few other random things here and there. Not a whole lot but enough to be noticed. And the Six Flags dancing fool was featured on a lot of merchandise. One thing I hate though, is the generic use of coaster photos. I saw a couple shirts that said SFDL but the montage was obviously SFMM. And on some of those little photo booths they had a skyline shot of SFOT, obvious by the Superman Tower of Power. Even the SFDL map had shots of other coasters throughout it. Oh well.

And now for what you're all looking for... A SRoS update. Well, the trains are on the track, the shells on front of the front car are taken off, and from what I could see the yellow lapbar is gone but the upbar (you know what I mean) to the lapbar was still there. Seatbelts weren't there that I could see. Of course this was from the Predator exit ramp becuase the entire Superman Midway is blocked off... The seats were on the trains still. So my guess is they're getting new lapbars ala TTD, but the upbar and the seat will stay the same. No idea why the "hood" was gone from the fronts. I asked at Guest Services when it would open, they said they were waiting on parts from Intamin and that it was day to day depending on when the parts came in. Yes, they did say specifically Intamin which surprised me as they didn't treat me like an idiot. My guess (again) is that as soon as they get the parts they need, it won't take long to install them, test, and get certified as neccessary.

Anyone care to wager on how long the seatbelts will be and if this redesign will touch off as big a reaction as MF @ CP?? And anyone who says that SRoS being down won't affect attendance and that the GP doesn't know why is WRONG! That was the buzz throughout the park today. Although I did correct one gentleman (I use that term loosely) that the accident did NOT happen at SFDL, but in Massachussets at SFNE. But people do know generally what happened...

My guess is the belts will be the same as on MF & they'll probably have the same 1' slack rule that CP is currently enforcing.

It maakes me a bit worried that I'll no longer be able to fit on SFA's version but I guess time will tell by june 12 when I make my next trip to the park....wish me luck.

I also noticed that the metal part of the lapbar was gone when I was there but noone believes me.

If by the metal part you mean the yellow lap bar, then I believe you. Cuz I saw it was gone. If you mean the bar that comes up from the floor, then I'll leave that up in the air. From my angle it looked like it was still there...

For the most part the yellow section of the bar isn't metal(of course it really is but the yellow padding isn't) & as far as I know that's the only part removed so far.

I'm sure the restraints will be completely changed prior to opening....I mean why even take the yellow part off except to change it with a modified one? so that means that the post will be changed as well.

I'm sorry, let me clarify. When I was there the metal bar sticking out of the floor was THERE but the yellow part was GONE.

It's a shame about Predator, I remember riding it in it's first season and then again 2 seasons later. It was definately an excellant woodie with tons of airtime and laterals. Now its just a rattle fest that barely makes it around the course.

I can only imagine what this park would be like if it were to expand more. With it's hotel and campground it would be an excellant resort.

Predator is still a star on wet days...unfortunetely, on dry days its quite different.