The Good, Bad & Ugly..SFWOA

I first visited SFWOA last year and just returned from a trip on 07/18/02. Baring a miracle, I will not return. "Better than Cedar Point"? Please.

I knew WOA would be sub par as I walked up to the front gate. Looking at the ferris wheel, which was motionless, I observed that it was missing a car. Not a big deal, but you would think they would park the wheel so the missing car was in the station, not at the top. As I walked in the front gate, the park had a dead feel to it. The landscaping and attention to detail was horrible. I saw small groups of employees standing around talking. Taking their time opening their respective booths and food stands. No sense of urgency at all. The only thing I did like was the security at the front gate. They had metal detectors and were checking hand bags and purses. I did feel safe. On to the rides.

Superman - One of the better rides in the park. Walk on so I couldn't judge how well the crew would work under busy conditions. The ride itself was ok. I could feel that the ride was not a full power, making it only 3/4 the way up the second forward trip. The holding brake on the rear spike was nice and the best part of the ride. 6 out of 10.

X-Flight - Long line, single train operation, and a slow crew were my complaints. The ride was ok but not all it is hyped up to be. I thought it was a bit slow but the overbanked turns while in the flying position were cool. The ride is also short, but that is to be expected seeing as this is still a realitivly new coaster type. 7/10.

Batman - By far the best coaster in the park. The location of this coaster is great. The theming is good and the ride packs a punch. It did get through the course somewhat quickly and made it seem a bit short. The changes in direction were great and I though the inversions were smooth. The crew was surprisingly quick and made the short line move very quckly. 8/10.

The Villian - I first road this coaster last year and thought it was great. Taking the #3 spot in my top 10. Now, it is off my top 10 list. This ride was very rough on me and my partner. Laterals were extreemly high. We sat just past the half way mark of the train towards the back. As the train made turns, I could see the front half shaking violently and it seemed to lose speed quickly do to this. The air time I remember was all but gone. This coaster was not this rough a year ago. The crew was horrible. I didn't think it was possible to screw up loading when the ride was a walk on but they found a way. It tooks us approximatley 4 1/2 minutes from the time we entered the train to the time it was dispatched. We also sat a while when we were on the brake run, waiting for the next train to be dispatched. The crew moved like turtles when walking down the platform checking lap bars. It was a sad sight. 4/10.

Double loop was closed and to be honest I really didn't care. I have been on it before and didn't plan on getting back on it. In fact, the coasters I just listed were the only ones we went on. The rest of them actually had lines and I don't know how, considering the park was empty. Many flat rides were closed for unkown reasons. The park was dirty and the food was horrible and over priced. I bought an ICE and they didn't even have the correct cups with the lids. They gave you a spoon and a small cup, still charging the regular price for a smaller product. After seeing this, I called it a day and started out on my 4 hour drive home. What I really don't like is the fact this park could be so much more. It needs some new management and some TLC. Total time in the park: 3 hours. Total money spent per person: $65.00. Will either of us return: Not a chance in hell.

*** This post was edited by Winston on 7/20/2002. ***

Yeah, I'm going tomorrow. Seasoned members will know that they should stay away from the park tomorrow because whenever I'm there, Villain goes into 'try to break self apart' mode. I've heard good things about this ride, and I've been there twice since it has opened. Both times, I've ridden it multiple times, and everytime I ride it, it is bad. The airtime is much more violent (and painful) than Magnum's (if you can really call Villain's airtime 'violent') and the thing vibrates and shakes like it wants to rip itself apart. I blame the rolling stock. I know this isn't normal, fun, wooden coaster shaking...

Kind of a shame that they haven't figured out X-Flight yet... It is really disappointing to see the second station go to waste. Some people don't like B&M (weirdos... :) ) but you can't argue with their engineering practices. Just look at S:UF.

Nice TR, though.

So much negativity towards Villian. I never rode it in its inaugural year so i dont know how good it was. But i do know it is my second favorite ride in the park next to B:KF. To us the Villian did not seem that rough. Isnt all wooden coasters supposed to be a tad on the rough side. If you want smooth ride the Steel ones. I was on Villian a total of about 12 times in three days. Our 2 trips in the back were rough. All the front ones were a little rough but added to the experience. Villian bumped ST from the top of my list of CCI's We Loved it. Cant wait to go back for frightfest. Bring on the hyper!!!!!!!

-----------------
Drive It Like You Stole It!

Ride It Like You Own It!

Nice Trip Report!

-----------------
Sean

Too bad Villian is getting rough now. I rode last year and loved it. My number one woodie. I geuss I'll have to try it again to see how it rides now.

-----------------
Steel: 1)MF, 2)Goliath, 3)Magnum
Wood: 1)Villain, 2)Beast, 3)Roar(SFMW)

Yes please....when you go just clear your minds of all negative things. Thats what i did and i had a blast.

-----------------

I was there on 07/19/02 and at first I was like "here we go again...." when I noticed that the Ferris Wheel, Double Loop, Mind Eraser, and X-flight were down but the longer I stayed the better it got. Batman was running two trains so there was barely a wait. Villain also a near walk on (at least when we rode it) with 2 trains. And X-flight did open and was running two trains. Park was clean and the Mandarin Buffet was great!!!! If you buy a season's pass you get a coupon book with $2 off the buffet :)

On Saturday the park was packed. The bathrooms were bad but the midways were pretty clean for the crowds. Xflight ran 2 trains/2 stations, Batman had 3 trains, Villain had 2, ST had only one. The double loop was open too.

Villain was very rough when I went on it in the past..........

-----------------
Good Times!! Good Times!!
CCI Lives On!!!!
-Patrick

There's so much negativity towards this park on this board. I know it's not Cedar Point but I like this park. I like how it has an animal park with good shows and excellent places to eat. (Swampwater jack's and the Mandarin Buffet come to mind). Also, I found the rides to be very fun at this park. Sure I felt like it could need one more good coaster but that didn't get me down. Also, the lines are very minimal at this park.

Finally before you guys start screaming about rides being broken down you should that for the most part parks don't do it to make you mad like you think. Rides are complicated machines with many moving parts that break down easily. Especially on rides like a Boomerang constant maintenance should be expected. It's for your own safety, really.

I don't think they need another coaster that bad, it will be just another ride that will run at half capacity and make me mad. What I want from Six Flags WoA is to get their act to gether a little better, and run their park in a more efficient matter. Once they prove they can do that, then they can get another coaster.

Don't get me wrong, I love SFWoA's coasters, I just wish I could ride them more often!

-----------------
"Jessica, you're turning me into a criminal, when all I want to be is a petty thug." -Bart Simpson

There just isnt enough people to run 3 trains on B:KF. It wouldnt be worth it. I agree X-Flight needs to run two trains. Waiting a hour for any coaster in this heat kills. Also it is their newest one right now. Wait for the hyper next year. Everyone will divert their attention to that and the X-Flight lines will be smaller. I dont see why everyone says they run at half capacity. Everything was almost a walkon when we went and we was there three days in a row. Only one that wasnt was X-Flight. Also Big Dipper ran two trains. Serial Thriller ran two. The Villain ran two. Raging Wolf Bobs which sucks ran two. B:KF ran two and all were walkons. They need to figure out when to run 2 for X-Flight. Everything else i dont agree with you on. No one complains when they have to wait 2 to 3 hours for Millie. I hear nothing about that. Just jump on the band wagon and bash WoA!

-----------------

I'm sorry I didn't wish to bash WoA. I'm not just talking about their coasters. I just think that they could be an EXCELLENT park if they cleaned up the rough edges (small crews, rude employees, etc.) of the park. In my experience with the park, these are my humble observations and suggestions.

------Craig, whose second favortie steel is X-Flight and whose second favorite wood is Big Dipper

I guess what made my "opinions' so negative was the fact that I know SFWOA could be so much more. I am comparing this years trip to last years. I was thinking that the park would have improved and I wasn't going there (and spending money for that matter) so I could come back and rant on coasterbuzz. I am noticing that WOA could be hit or miss. From one day to the next, it goes from ok to bad. As I said my original post, it could be so much more. In fact last year I posted (can't remember what site) that in a few years this park could be up there with CP & PKI. Now, since they have seemed to go backwards, not to mention SF stating they would only be spending 150 Million on all parks in the next year (also look at their stock price PKS) I don't see that happening.

KennywoodPhanatic - Believe me, I would complain if I ever waited in a 3 hour line for MF, that's why I always go on low attendance days. I will only wait 3 hours the day the 600ft coaster debutes.

I hate to hear stories like that about Villain. To me it has always been the sleeper hit of the 2000 install, but it apparently isn't being very well kept. Last year I brought Old Timer Tim to the park late in the season, hyped the ride to death, only to be disappointed.

People get irritated that members tend to rag on this park, but in all honesty I don't think it has anything to do with Cedar Point. It has to do with the fact that a park with some many good rides continues to fail to meet its potential. No one wants failure, they want good rides that are open and they want good service. They just don't deliver.

I'll be back next year with the new hyper, but this year I've saved my money for other uses.

-----------------
Jeff - Webmaster/Admin - CoasterBuzz.com, Sillynonsense.com
7/27: Subdivision Cam becomes party cam at the year's hottest Ohio luau!

I loved this park when I went last year. The coasters all had a wait less than 10 min (except X-Flight, but I didn't mind due to them actauly working on one train all day) and yes the crews did move slow, but who cares. At CP only the old coasters have waits like they do at SFWoA. The only problem that I saw was that the ride side needs more shade. Also I belive that most people "dislike" SFWoA because they have been spoiled by CP and PKI and want what they got at those parks. I say that you can complain about the ride crews when the wait gets over 30 min. The crews might suck, yet I don't see anyone complaining about the ride crews at IOA. When I was there, the crews took their time and the trains were allways stacking, somtimes all 3 trains would be stoped on the end brakes/sation on the Hulk (DD was only running one train each side so there was no way the trains could stack). SFWoA is just a place where everyone loves to hate it.

I was so looking forward to riding Villian before I got there. And then, the let down. It is NOT the same ride I went on last year.

Mark - I have been to IOA and yes the crews were not the best. The park however was breath taking, which made up for the lack of speedy crews.

I went to SFWOA with "they do have some great coasters" in mind. I did not set out to hate it. Don't blame me for my negative experience, blame the park ;)

Is there any way that SFWoA executives could read this board and get the hint that the park could be a lot better. They wonder why attendance is down. This park is really starting to diminish in quality and it is sad to see. I have been going there since I was 4 and it was Geauga Lake and this park is starting to disappoint me. Last time I was there SUE, Double Loop, Mind Eraser, and X-Flight were down just about all day. That is 4 coasters I was expecting to ride and I paid for. I guess I shouldn't complain and just accept the park as it is. Cedar Point is close enough to me...

---

Last time I was there SUE, Double Loop, Mind Eraser, and X-Flight were down just about all day. That is 4 coasters I was expecting to ride and I paid for. I guess I shouldn't complain and just accept the park as it is. Cedar Point is close enough to me...

---

I agree with you bro. If i went and SUE and X-Flight was down i would be upset also. But look compared to last year. Much better. Its just growing pains. Everyone must accept this. Look at the boardwalk. Increased attendence on the wildlife side. I also had a couple problems but i said them one time and dropped it. Read my trip report. I outlined by number my problems. Over all experience great. However could have been better. Period.

-----------------
Drive It Like You Stole It!

Ride It Like You Own It!

I was there the same day as Coastermania this year loved it. The only thing down wasDouble loop and S:UE but WT was down that day too. The employees were very freindly and when you bought the Icee you did not get a lid or a straw because with the animals they do not give out straws or linds as they are dangerous to the animals.

I could go to CP and do a trip report just like this. If I wanted to be totally negative that is. I am not and I go to a park to have fun. I had plenty of fun at SFWOA.

As for Villian I found it no rougher then any other CCI i have rode that has G trains. The airtime was there and plentiful and the laterals and speed was great.

-----------------
1989, 9 years old, Bawling my eyes out because I didn't want to ride Magnum. I did anyway and now look at me. YOU CREATED A MONSTER DAVE!!! ;)