SFNE June 10th. Park 3

Well after sfmm and sfgav, my next park was SFNE. I have got my dates worng and visited SFGADV on the 9th not the 10th as i said in the topis title. never mind.

I only had 2 hours to stay in this park as my parents were flying into Logan airport from the Uk so i dah to go pick them up, but i thought 2 hours would be enough to do all the big rides- especially superman. I was salivating at the thought of this coaster, and after Nitro being so good i was really looking forward to trying Intamins best.

Got to the rainy park early and there was no-one there- as we entered the park the security guard at the rope said that superman would not open until Midday. What??? that was when i had to leave to drive to Boston- i was not very happy but nothing i could do. Some kids nearby made a passing comment that they were still scraping the body up!! Quite a lot of laughs that got- even a rye smile from the security guard. Hopefully it would open on time and i could get 1 quick ride in- Come on six flags dont let me down-

So onto the coaster:-

Batman dark night:- My third floorless of the trip - and i was hoping that with it being a smaller layout, it would be more intense than scream/medussa. Not really. Fun coaster yes, but nothing that original. Better at the front, and i found it a bit shakey at the back. 2 rides, 1 train op, 7/10

Mind eraser:- Only my 3rd SLC after the ones at Ratanga juntion in South Africa and WBMW in Australia. I really enjoyed this ride. I have always thought that the slc is a great coaster- great layout, good intense ride with fun inversions. Only the horrible roughness that usually accompanies the ride screws it up. Maybe i got lucky but the two rides i had were pretty smooth- The front was great, the back fun but with a little bit of headbanging. I will be interested to see how the new SLC at Magic springs is going. 2 rides, 1 train op, 7/10

Thunderbolt:- It was raining by this time and this little coaster was going off!!! Great fun ride, really greased up and quick, good airtime- a surprising amount of fun:- 1 ride near the back- 1 train op, 7/10

Flasback:- My third boomerang, no change really, not too much headbanging. The usual ride- What was interesting was the general peoples reaction coming off the ride. They were screaming and yelling at how good the ride was- they loved it. You can see why these rides and their later brothers have done so well. Cheap and small yet very popular- Its just us coaster freaks that thumb out noses up at them. 1 ride. 6/10

Cyclone:- Fun looking woddie with waht looks like a re-tracked first turnaround after the drop- what happened there???? It started to piss it down so was quite a painful ride- rain in the face in the front row while going 50 mph hurts!!! Too busy howling to remeber ride much!! 1 ride 6/10.

Now onto superman:- They had 2 staff at the entrance to the fast pass lane saying it would open at 12 and directing people to the flats nearby (who did a very nice and polite job). I waited from 11.30 onwards for it to open. It tested a couple of times so i thought i would be in luck- Was i?? Hell no. Come 12.10 it was still not open and some female manager came over, i asked her what the ETA would be, and she said 'not sure' looking a bit pissed off, as she went back to some office anywhere. I could wait no longer and had to leave. This put a dampner on a great couple of hours.

SFNE is a great park- massive selections of flats which were all working (except the top spin- something about me and broken top spins) good selection of water rides, good coasters, nice location and really good and friendly staff. Just the Superman issue that let it down. If you tell everyone that the ride is going to open at 12, thats what should happen. Yes i know its had problems, but there has been plenty of time to get at least 1 train working well. Oh well, **** happens.

This is a park that could be a jewel in six flags crown. 1 more big coaster and this park has everything.

1 1/2 hours of crazy fast driving i was at the airport and met the parents with 5 mionutes to spare- A good thing i left the park when i did- even though i so wanted to ride Superman. 5 days with the family followed and then 1 more day at SFMM on the way home.

I will do that TR tomorrow and write about perhaps the worst experience i have ever had anywhere- with customer service. It pains me to say so, but SFMM is not really learning at all.

All that tomorrow.

Cheers for reading.

James

Superman almost always opens at 12 except during peak days. There should have been a sign right after you went through the gates.

I did not see any sign and nor did many others by the looks of it.

I can understand parks not opening some flats or water rides at opening as most people are there to ride the biggest and best rides- coasters. In my book there is no excuse to not have your best ride open at the start of the day. It is the middle of june as well, not exactly off peak, not packed but definately not dead either.

That ride has been a huge letdown for me, I've been trying to ride it for 3 years. Cedar Point I go once and ride dragster and then this I went after it crashed so it was closed, then I had to go back for my great uncles something, and we didn't have time for the park, and then we had to go see my cousin and again didn't have time for the park. I just need to ride it.

Superman is hit or miss as to opening times. I have been there when it opens at 10:15 and other times not til 2:00 or later. Glad that you liked SFNE. It has a beautiful riverside setting, good rides, and the potential to be a great park, but for those who go there often, it often brings out the "love to hate it" emotions.

That sucks about Superman. I don't see how it usually (before the accident) only opens at twelve though, that's stupid. When I went last July it opened with two trains at ten, but it was really crowded. I felt the same as you about Batman. That joke the little kids said was not too funny though...kind of rude. *** Edited 6/20/2004 1:58:47 PM UTC by Willh51***

You know it was not just kids making jokes about the accident- And i realise that it is in bad taste but kids will be kids.

Parents were also making jokes about it- and i know this will sound wierd but the reputation of the ride has increased. People are thinking that this ride must be awesome and intense because it managed to throw somebody out (regardless of the facts). Very strange, but thats what i felt listening to guys talk about in the park. *** Edited 6/21/2004 12:47:45 AM UTC by gyjdnb***

Too bad the park actually doesnt take advantage of the riverside. It would really be great if there was a boardwalk or maybe an eating area that went along the backside of the park. Just seems like a waste. Great park though, I really enjoyed myself there last season (except for the usual six flags cs bs.).

That place is under horrible management. I think it is awful that the ride open midday. No reason for it. From what I hear, and from what I've seen, (I've been there), its a great ride, but the park sucks. Great selection of rides, especially flat rides, and a great S&S triple tower but it is dirty, crouded, and really not enjoyable. Although SF Darien Lake isn't as big or have as many rides, I find it much more enjoyable because its cleaner and has a more friendly atmosphere, the ownly downside our Superman isn't as good as theirs.

Well, I got a SF Season Pass even though I live 2 hours from a SF park, I have only used it once, so I'm using it at Great Escape and SF NE this summer, especially to ride the ride of Steel. I just wish they would get their act together.

'Ride of steel' dont get me wrong- yes i was annoyed about superman, but the rest of the park seemed very well run. It was clean, well staffed and perfectly pleasant. I actually enjoyed its smalled more compact size over SFMM and SFGADV. Had more atmosphere.

Try to get back to SFNE to ride S:ROS. It's just superb. Pretty much has everything that could be asked for in a steel coaster - huge drops, massive airtime, intensity and perfect pacing. And it's a long ride. With the exception of TTD there's no steel coaster in the world I would rather ride. And yes, that includes GeForce, Nemesis, Montu and X.

I'm going back in August, even if its just for an hour or two, to ride Batman, Superman, Scream, and Tomahawk.

Your comment on Cyclone and the retooled track after the first drop- that is my biggest complaint! Six Flags purchased the park back in 1999. It used to be called Riverside. Six Flags replaced the Cyclone Morgan trains with PTC trains in 2000...ran two trains on it all season. Problem is...Cyclone was built in 1983 so it had some years on it and was not designed to handle the heavier PTC trains. In typical Six Flags fashion....they retooled the first drop to keep the ride from shaking itself apart (and to make it more calm...theat first hill was CRAZY!!!) It now is just an old woodie slowly rotting away. That ride has so much potential. I was hoping for a "20 years of Cyclone restoration" but that never happened last year. Sigh.

Palwine:- I think we have come to expect bad treatment of woddies by sixflags by now!!

Martin V:- I have heard amazing things about SROS and would have loved to ride it. Another time. Am curious, so will ask why you prefer TTD over those 4 coasters you mentioned. I have been on all expect G force, and would have to say that for one reason or another i prefered them all over TTD.

Nemesis:- for themeing and intensity and originality.

Montu:- size and length and monster inversions.

X:- Originality, intensity and just being plain crazy.

Just curious, thats all, definately not saying your opinion is not valid (just getting that in, as dont want an argument!!!!)

Interested to hear your thoughts.