Six Flags WofA announces next month

I spent a third of my life working and dedicating my time to that park. And i don't think it's underrated at this time. Ask me in 1999 and i would have said heck ya, but branding and the SWO purchase has raised the bar for that park. Capacity is a major issue. Complimenting facilities to run a major theme park are abysmal. The park is understaffed at both levels. And the company will not spend capital money wisely. Most of the ills of the park stem directly from corporate mismanagement of the purchase and merger. Sure there are many things that past and current staffs did errantly or stupidly, but many of the main problem could be solved if corporate listened to their staff on site and the park visitors. Now you have a park where most of the talented staff has been pushed out or left leaving a group of less experienced, ill equipet personnel trying to run in the SF model. Furthermore, as the park struggles and has trouble meeting numbers; the budgets get scaled back.

I find it funny that coastingohio complains about lines in the old SWO because talking to the management from that park you would think that there were never line problems. To touch on another point made by MR ohio i have always felt that the Marine side held no more atmosphere appeal than a cleveland metropark, before or after purchase.

I just wondering if anyone heard whether or not the plans for the Intamin coaster the park was going to get in 2004 have been scrapped or not. Cause if they are moving the rode that goes past the entrance of the park, that should give them some room to build it, unless they're still fighting with the city of Aurora over the idea.

------------------
Top 3 Wooden Coasters:
1. The Villain
2. Thunderbolt
3. The Big Dipper

Top 3 Steel Coasters:
1. Batman: Knight Flight
2. The Phantom's Revenge
3. X-Flight (front seat, at night)

I visited last year for the first time. It seems to me that the investment in that park needs to be in competent operations staffing, customer service theory, hospitality management, and studies on ROI aka "Return on Investment".

I can't help but feel that the Six Flags organization has simply surrendered in the customer service arena. New exciting rides do not make that park more appealing. Quite to the contrary, they make it all the more disappointing. There's not a ride there operated with an inkling of enthusiasm. The employees are sullen and act as though the park is the last place they they'd like to be.

I'd never seen as many mechanical problems in one day at a park as I saw at WoA. There is so much potential for a great park that is just being squandered by an organization that seems to be sailing a rudderless ship.

The announcement I look forward to is a new general manager.

---

BullGuy said:
I love HUSS, but I really wish Mondial would get more recognition. You don't see much of them around at American parks...

------------------
Never Has Gravity Been So Uplifting.

---

There Are MANY Reasons Why There Are Few Mondial Rides In The USA, Just Ask Any Park That Operates One. Mondial's Rides Look Nice, Are Fun To Ride, But Otherwise, They Really Aren't That Great. I Know There Are A Few Other Buzzers Who've Dealt With A Mondial Top Scan, And One That Has Dealt With Both A Top Scan And A SplashOver, Other Than Myself.

------------------
Lagoon Park
New For 2003 - The Spider and the Fly

I live in Northeast Ohio. Only about an hour away from it and I don't think Six Flags runs the park badly at all. Six Flags gave it the Six Flags name in 1999, put an unheard of 4 coasters in, a BM floorless, CCI double out and back, a prototype Intamin Impulse, and a Zierer Family. They then bought Seaworld and built a state of the art Vekoma Flying Dutchmen, the first one in the Midwest. Sure they had a little problem getting into the swing of operations, but what new park doesn't? They had a bad staff, but it's getting better. Six Flags turned an average park with 5 coasters into a super park with 10 coasters and doubled its size in 3 years! How is that run badly?

A new GM wont fix things, we've had a new one every year since 2000.

------------------
SFWoA TL 2003!

The park staff wasn't a problem before 2001 in my opinion. With the merger the vast majority of people who RAN that park were flushed out. Now you have a bunch of people with no idea. Add on top that the company will only spend money on ride capital improvement. HA. They dumped a lot of money into the park, true; but not in all the areas that were needed. Yes, they don't need to put in another coaster so soon. But they do need more flats, more children rides, updated food facilities, more food faclities, perhaps a new bathroom... the list goes on. And you will not hear about any spending in these areas whenever the announcement comes UNLESS the company makes a complete u-turn on their current model. Buying things is not running a park. Hiring/firing, budget management, producing a product that people want is all a part of running a park. You can have a park with the best coaster selection and still have it run piss poorly. WOA has half of that equasion, and it's not the coasters.

Perhaps Six Flags problem is a new GM every year. Cedar has been essentially run by the same people for the last 25 years, they know every inch of that park. A new GM at SF doesnt have the chance to solve it's problems in just one year.

When Geauga Lake was run by Jeff Lococo, it did pretty well each season, then they moved him around.

Perhaps this would make a good seperate thread.

Did WoA get another new GM? How in the heck can there be any kind of operational turnaround if the park's GM can't even unpack his suitcase?

I still like SFWoA a lot.

X Factor

---

Villainboi said:

---

---

What happened to that Lost Island attraction that they were gonna build.

---

As for the new "World" it looks like it will be built for 2004 and open with the new roller coaster. They already have trees marked off in the area for it...or something in it's area. The park originally stated that it will take almost 2 years to build and have a walkthough volcano with lucious landscaping, birds, water/boat ride, dark attraction, and a few more things. Will it happen? Who knows, but I would look for 2004. It really depends on the coaster.

As for the coaster. Yes it has been put off for 2003 (as you all probably know). No it's not scrapped, according to park officials. I would look for it in 2004 possibly themed with the new world (depending on if they use the same location of they orriginally released to the public).

The Flat Rides:
SFWoA added 5 new flat rides in 2002 (mostly kiddie ones though over in Happy Harbor and around the stunt show stadium. The 2002 map (At the park) shows 3 flats right in front of Aquarium entrance. But they were not there. I would look for those in 2003 to be there on opening day.

Other things:
The park also finally got approval for the tube slides that were suppose to open up with the park during the Six Flags Name change. The drawings of them can be found under the Six Flags Media page. But they will go where the Beach Volleyball courts are (there is already tubing and pipes there for it under the sand). They will empty out on the side closest to the wave pool. There were also stakes in the ground by the court on a Jan. drive by. SFWoA is alos persuing another (different) male whale now.

One (somewhat) big thing that a lot of people over look for 2002 was the chaning of the boardwalk. Those who have gone there alot, have seen a DRAMATIC change in crowd flow. IMO it's a 1000 times better.

As for all the new things remember if they don't get done for one reason or anthor it's probably because they are training the rest of the penguins to take over the world's zoo...strange I sense this weird Batman idea coming on....

------------------
"The Future of Roller Coasters"
9 Days Until RollerCoasterGod's Wedding!!
http://OhioThemeParks.com

Although i don't know for certain i heard that Mr. Lococo chose to get out of the amusement park business. On the other hand the park definately needs some consistancy from the top of the chain. Most of the word on this new guy isn't to positive, but i think that over time his reputation will improve. Most people don't take change to well. And you can believe that there has been quite a bit of change over the past few years.

A roller coaster back between the Shark Encounter and RWB would actually fall within Bainbridge Township jurisdiction. Aurora has no say on what goes on there. I would estimate that less than a third of the actual park (not including parking or other properties) lies within Aurora borders. With that in mind, the area being discussed does have rather strict height limitations. Up until recently Bainbridge has encouraged all construction to be as close to the Aurora border as possible as not to disturb their residents near the park.

Last I heard Lococo was up around that park up North, but that could just be scuttlebut.

------------------
- GeaugaDog
Ain't Nuthin but the Dog in me..
*** This post was edited by GeaugaDog 2/7/2003 1:53:35 AM ***

That park is a wonderful park for families and SF did a lot to bring it up quite a few notches, all of those coasters in one year, connecting the parks, getting the new tiger attraction, etc.

The park itself is really good and getting better with it's additions but not in management. It's really a shame how it is run because it has so much potential.That fact that it is now so big and has combined animal attractions with rides makes it a great park with so many options of entertainment for any age and "thrill threshold"

I wish them the best of luck and success also. Six Flags has so many parks all over the place, I really hope the corporation helps this park get it more together.

:)

------------------
...Agghh, gimme a break will ya?

True SF has added to and created a good list of attractions, but they havn't brought the rest of the park up to the same level of quality.

Lococo is currently the GM at the Great Bear Lodge Indoor Waterpark.

Tim Black, another Six Flags GM has had a new job almost every year. In 1997 he was GM of Astroworld, followed the year later by Wyandot Lake, SF St Louis the following year, and Riverside after that. I have no idea where he is now.

This years GM is the same as last years. I believe they brought him over from Marine World, but that could have been the GM before him. I lose track sometimes. about 75% of management is gone from 2001 it seems, its hard to work for new bosses year after year. Hopefully this year will offer more consistency as well as improve on our 40% decrease in complaints we had last year. Thats right folks, SFWoA does realize where work needs to be, and as a whole the parks complaints from guests dropped 40% from 2001 to 2002.

------------------
SFWoA TL 2003!

Not to be uncharitable, but what did attendance do from 2001 to 2002?

Dropped, but they factered that into their figures.

------------------
SFWoA TL 2003!

If you're talking percentages it doesn't matter how many people attended the park. But knowing that park they are probably comparing total complaints.

And it is a shame that the employees at the park have to deal with a turnover rate as high as it has been at the park over the last two years with management. It shows in guest satisfaction, attendance and it shows how well the merger has gone.
*** This post was edited by meangene 2/9/2003 1:25:36 AM ***

Six Flags World of Adventures is flat out the best six flags I have ever been too (and it beats Great America hands down) the staff might not be of CP or BGW quality but again everyone this is a six flags and there are some very nice people operating some rides. It is also really nice to have a park with 8 coasters and Sea World shows.

------------------
I don't care what anyone says, Magnum is better then Millenium Force.