Six Flags extends Lo-Q another four years; adds 2 parks

Extending another four years of use of the Lo-Q line management system, Six Flags is adding Magic Mountain to the roster of parks that use this system and a yet unnamed property.

Magic Mountain's system will be up and running sometime in December of this year.

Note how Shapiro states that this system is a big driving force in regards to in-park guest spending. They first take your money with the rental of the device/service, then also hope because you're spending less time in line, you're going to spend more of your money on park vendors and attractions while wandering the midway.

http://www.sourcewire.com/releases/rel_display.php?relid=43454

I read on another site that pricing at SFMM is going to be slightly higher than Great Adventure's pricing. If that is true, that means it will be $50 or more for 1 person, gold will be $100 or more for 1 person. I guess with those prices, they are going to always be extending the contracts.

But...but...but...

I thought Q-bot was dead! :)

^You're thinking of Generallisimo Francisco Franco... ;)

That will be fun at SFMM. Running one train? No problem, BUY A Qbot! Duh.

^ That's what happens when people buy into stereotyping. (I suppose it's not your fault because the park used to be known for that in the past)

Magic Mountain has not had one-train operations as a result of understaffing or budget cuts since Jay Thomas stepped in.

Anytime a coaster is on a one-train operation is if the ride only has two trains (like Batman) and one needs to be serviced.

Anybody that visited this year will report likewise.

Yeah, the old ways of doing things created quite a stigma for the new guys to overcome - chainwide even.

I think there's a lot of people who'd be surprised as all hell after stepping into the SF of 2009 if they haven't been there since before 2006.

Hi everyone. I just joined the board. I was wondering if anyone has a guess about how much of a discount you will get on the QBot with an Xtreme Play Pass. I have mixed feelings right now about SFMM switching from paper flash passes to the electronic. I have always got free flash passes on every visit and am concerned about how expensive the electronic passes will be because if they cost too much I won't be able to use them anymore. Thanks for any info you may have.

Also, can you make multiple reservations or do you have to schedule one and use it before you can schedule another?

Here is some information about Q-bots from the SFDK website. It says regular will cost $32 for the first person and $17 for each additional person. I wonder if the prices will be about the same at SFMM and how much I will actually have to pay with my Xtreme Play Pass discount.

It also says they will hold your drivers license or season pass until you return the Q-bot. The idea of having them hold my season pass concerns me, because I use it for food discounts during the day. I guess I could leave my drivers license but I don't really like the sound of that either. I wonder if this will function the same way at SFMM.

We've gotten Q-Bot at various SF parks, leaving a driver's license and never had a problem.

Thanks, that's good to know. I will have to leave my driver's license. I need to keep my season pass with me, otherwise I can kiss my 25% food discounts goodbye.

Well leaving either seems like a bad idea to me. If I leave a season's pass, I lose out on discounts. If I leave a driver's license, then I lose out on beer! Neither is really acceptable for me. It's been a while so I might be "misremembering" but I thought @ GAdv I guaranteed the device with a credit card authorization. That would be much more acceptable to me.

Yeah, I'm pretty sure it's a credit card thing.

I mean you're paying for it right there (most likely with plastic), so if you don't bring it back they'll just nail your card for the device.

You people trust Six Flags employees with your credit card number? Oh wait,-they're Lo-Q employees. That makes if much better.

I trust them with my life everytime I get on a ride. :)

Yes, I'd rather use a credit card then leave my pass or my driver's license. After I logged off my computer last night, I started thinking, if I had to leave my license, does that mean I can't pay for anything by credit card since I won't have ID? It doesn't sound good to me either way. No license, means no ID and no season pass means I lose my discounts.

Also, just a random thought. What if you are a kid with a season pass and no credit card? Does that mean you can't rent a Q-bot? My parents used to drop me off at SFMM when I was a kid. Would you have to have somebody come in with you to rent it, even if they were not going to stay. This wouldn't affect me now, but I can't help but wonder.

I bet you still give your lap bar a little push to make sure, Gonch. ;)

I was kind of kidding a little, sort of. I seem to remember letting them hold my debit card the one and only time I rented a q-bot.

Oh yeah...I forgot to mention that Flashpass is a scam. lol

LostKause said:
I bet you still give your lap bar a little push to make sure, Gonch. ;)

Nah, I'm that confident in my initial lowering. :)

However, I found it odd that at Disney not one ride op touched a restraint on any coaster - they made you check yourself.

It's probably been discussed before, but what's up with that?

^Some thoughts:
-Means that there will be no SF employee "magic touch" maneuver (ie, if I touch the lap bar when Im checking, it automatically means its secure and I dont need to pull)
-Makes first time riders realize how secure they are
-Saves their backs
-Kids check it more thoroughly (ie push harder) then any ride op would do

I assumed there was some computer doing the checking in a way that Six Flags computers weren't.