The "Will Superman be open?" Questions

A B&M train on a Intamin track is just plain silly...

What next? Halo on PS2?

Seriously... the trains are tailored for the track. You put a 4-seat wide train on a track designed for 2-seat wide coaster? The trains would smack into the side of the poles if it's the SFDL or SFA layout coming out of the 1st helix (or at least... someone's hand).

They're going to find the most effective, quickest, yet efficient resolution to this... and entirely new trains is not the answer. This is just an additional safety precaution. It's not like many peeps have been known to fall out or get injured on this ride, only a couple, and only because they had different proportions than the average Joe. I'm sure a seatbelt fix will probably be the only fix (for now)... along with employee education on proper restraint checks.

One alternative to what was mentioned by Batwing which seems to be an obvious one, is a retrofit of the current trains with the newer style seats and belts. But as Mamoosh has said over and over, this will take time to research if it is possible and if it is financially feasible. I am sure if Six Flags is smart they will not just take any old crappy quick fix on this and will do whatever it takes to make the ride safe but still keep it enjoyable. It would also be in Intamin's best interest to do so as well. Especially if there is even a hint that the "restraint style" is in question. I know if I were Sandor Kernacs I would be thinking long and hard about the design here and would seriously take the time to research the issue at hand. Even if the "restraint design" isnt the primary cause of the accident there is a need to at least look at that.

New trains are not a time efficient solution, especially when you consider that Intamin would have to fabricate, manufacture, and ship 50 cars for 6 trains. Besides, I think that the parties involved already have a good benchmark for modification with the newer Expedition GeForce/SFH Goliath trains. That is, of course, if they decide to stick with the T-bar restraint. *** Edited 5/13/2004 5:25:58 PM UTC by TCKR***

Danimales - I'm an ad sales rep for a travel trade magazine. Ironically, I don't get any travel benefits or special deals [it's against company policy] so, like you, I scour the internet looking for the best deals. And I always check with a travel agent first. In fact anyone who travels should have a good relationship with a travel agent...they can save you a ton of money!

If you need anything else send me an email or private message ;)

mOOSH

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Mamoosh said:
But many people visit parks for reasons other than riding coasters and they'll still continue to come.

*** Edited 5/12/2004 4:59:45 PM UTC by Mamoosh***

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Can you give me one reason why a person would drive more than 45 minutes if Superman isn't open? Most people go to parks for thrills. But they have to add other rides to suit people in those groups who don't like coasters.

"Can you give me one reason why a person would drive more than 45 minutes if Superman isn't open?"

Most people who are tell enough or old enough to ride thrill rides go to parks for thrill rides. Those who are too young or too short [i.e. children] are taken to parks by their parents to ride everything else.

As an example, many families drive to Knotts and never leave Camp Snoopy. They never ride the thrill rides.

And answer me this: why did people drive 45 mins to SFDL before Superman was built?

"I hate Six Flags"

Yeah...how dare they close three coasters to better insure rider safety.

Stop thinking like an enthusiast.'

*** Edited 5/12/2004 6:49:37 PM UTC by Mamoosh***

I'm an enthusiast. But, when I'm with family (which is more than half the time, easily) I have a very simple policy: I don't ride anything unless at least one kid rides with me.

This policy means that when the family goes to Cedar Point, I could care less if Dragster, Millennium, or nearly any other coaster in the park is open, 'cause I'm not riding either way. However, if Jr. Gemini is down for any reason, you can bet I'll be in park ops wondering why. And, now that my eldest is just barely over 46", I can marathon Iron Dragon 'till the cows come home! Woohoo!

Of course, there is the occasional exception---when the kids are napping, or if the park is open well past their bedtimes, I'll get kids+my wife back to the hotel and sometimes sneak back to ride something quickly. Other times, my wife will sneak back. Usually, we're both too tired to bother.

So, count me in the camp that doesn't really care much one way or the other if these rides are open.

Sometimes I'm asked why I do this. The big coasters are going to be in these parks for a very long time. However, my kids will soon want to ride by themselves or with their friends rather than with me. During our opening weekend trip, we met up with a family my wife knows from work---they have a daughter the same age as mine, and the two rode everything together, leaving me in the seat behind them. My three year old son---who was terrified of the Lolli Swings last year---insisted on taking his first ride on them by himself this year. I get verklempt just thinking about it.

Families are definately ones to consider who goto Six Flags not for just the thrills, but overall atmosphere & lighter rides...

Not only that... but there are a lot who are afraid of the higher thrill coasters, and will just rely on flats or the milder coasters. If everyone looooved Superman, then lines would always be 2+hrs long or so...

....but... that doesn't mean the closing will have no effect on attendance. It will drop, it will be noticable, but it won't be so dramatic that the park is going to go bankrupt over. Having weekly events will keep the crowds coming, like Marti Gras, Classic Car Shows, Superheros Weekend, Christmas in July, and so forth.

Right. I never said these parks would not see an overall decline in attendance with Superman closed. Obviously most enthusiasts aren't going to go. But enthusiasts make up a VERY small portion of a park's annual attendance. I don't think the loss will be as drastic as many enthusiasts think.

What I meant was to remove the rides alltogether & have them replaced with B&M's that have the same layout....not replacing the Intamin trains with B&M ones.

And you think that's likely?

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Mamoosh said:

But enthusiasts make up a VERY small portion of a park's annual attendance. I don't think the loss will be as drastic as many enthusiasts think.

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OK, I'll say it since none of the other "reasonable" folks around here will.

There will be next to no attendance drop at the three SF parks with the S:ROS rides. A mere blip on the radar at best...an anomaly. This will affect those parks in such a small way that it isn't even worth discussing on that level.

However when year end numbers come in SF will blame this for sagging profits ;)

Furthermore, I suspect that 99.5% of all people who are going to those parks will have no clue that Superman is closed until they get there. Many will be bummed that it is closed, but again 99.5% will probably not even know why, just assume it is closed, as other rides are at times. (Joker down for the entire fall season of SFA, etc.) *** Edited 5/12/2004 9:13:23 PM UTC by Peabody***

Thanks, Gonch and P. That's what I've been saying!

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BATWING FAN SFA said:
What I meant was to remove the rides alltogether & have them replaced with B&M's that have the same layout....not replacing the Intamin trains with B&M ones.

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Wow, thanks for clearing that up. It makes complete sense now.

Not quite, Peabody... there will be a much larger portion than just .5% who won't know if it's open or not before they go... mainly because it's been blasted here in the news on both the paper & on television that Superman will remain closed while some changes are made to make the ride safer.

While there's no consistant update at all... but I'm sure since these parks are trying to ain the regional area, a lot of people are aware of the issue(s) at hand. Although a month from now, if it remains closed... they won't remember why intitially. Plus, if upon entry to the park, you see "Superman will be closed" (similar how CP had their TTD sign in front of the park gates), it might turn away a FEW guests (few being more than .5%)... while the rest will go, but probably b!tch to customer relations.

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Mamoosh said:
Yeah...how dare they close three coasters to better insure rider safety.

Stop thinking like an enthusiast.'

*** Edited 5/12/2004 6:49:37 PM UTC by Mamoosh***

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Theres nothing wrong with the damn ride. It's the operator and the riders fault. They should change the seatbelts to make it more obvious who should not ride but they do not need to have it unneedly down for 3 months.

When I'm driving 2.5 hours to go to a park which has its best ride closed I'm mad. I no you don't care but I'm mad. I sure people are mad when they go to SFNE of SFA too. Or last year when they went at TTD was closed.(I was lucky enough to ride it twice). It is easy for you to say, it won't be open till July because maybe you aren't near the park. And its easy for me to say X is barely ever open because I don't live in CA. But when I'm taking 6 kids to Darien Lake, and at the end of the school year when I can actually find a good day to go, this is exactly what happens.

Some of you have a season pass and are within 45 minutes of a relatively descent park but from syracuse, the only choice is SFDL. *** Edited 5/12/2004 9:50:07 PM UTC by Ride of Steel***

Does this remind anyone of the slogan from one of ARN&R t-shirts?

"My enthusiast group makes up fully 0.05% of the attendance at this park. Give us ERT now."

"Theres nothing wrong with the damn ride. It's the operator and the riders fault. They should change the seatbelts to make it more obvious who should not ride but they do not need to have it unneedly down for 3 months."

Oh really? Explain this:

"We have decided to modify the restraint system on this coaster to address concerns identified by the Department of Public Safety," said Sevart. "We believe that the current restraint configuration was the primary factor in Saturday's tragic accident," Sevart said.

You can read more here.

So tell me, Ride of Steel...where did you go before SROS was built at SFDL?

*** Edited 5/12/2004 10:15:55 PM UTC by Mamoosh***

Wow, I can't think of a single park of the almost 50 I've been to that doesn't have anything I enjoy beyond a marquee ride.

Sounds like they could've just built S:ROS on the lake up there and charge $40 to ride it all day and some people would've been happy with that.

Odd train of thought, huh?