X: Is Six Flags full of crap, or is there a good reason?

So supposedly X is closed until 2007. While this is old news, I thought I spark some conversation.

According to Six Flags, they are waiting on a part for the thing. Now Arrow and S&S were/are both located in Utah, so it shouldn't take too long to get a part made there and then sent to Cali.

Is Six Flags trying to pull someone's chain, or does X really need a part that can only be manufactured by someplace overseas? (forgive me if this has been discussed already)

*** Edited 11/29/2006 9:14:10 PM UTC by rablat5***

coastin' since 1985

They are only full of crap when whiny enthusiasses are there. Neener neener neener!!! ;)

Sorry, I couldn't resist (nor could I spell).

*** Edited 11/29/2006 9:55:20 PM UTC by janfrederick***

"I go out at 3 o' clock for a quart of milk and come home to my son treating his body like an amusement park!" - Estelle Costanza

Look at it this way. How long did it take Conneaut to get a part for it's Bug? Custom parts can be tricky. After they made X, they cracked the mold.
:)

Great Lakes Brewery Patron...

-Mark

I think Six Flags being full of crap and X being down have nothing to do with each other...even if both are true. ;)

coasterimage - lordgonchar

^ Full of crap in the sense that are they "feeding us a line"?

Of course, "crap" can reference different things, so I suppose that they could be full of crap in more ways than one :)

coastin' since 1985

rablat5, please tell me which one of the following two is more appropriate and less of an embarassment from a business perspective to put on their website:

1)

** X is currently undergoing rehab. The process involves a long lead time on a major component. X is scheduled to reopen at Six Flags Magic Mountain in mid January 2007.

Thank you for your understanding and we apologize for the inconvenience.

2)

** X is currently closed due to numerous failed mechanical parts. We are unable to take care of these issues due to inadequate corporate funding and must wait until we receive our allocated 2007 infrastructure budget. X is scheduled to reopen at Six Flags Magic Mountain in mid January 2007 once corporate management allows it to happen.

Thank you for your understanding and we apologize for the inconvenience.

___________

Please, none of this "so, they're lying" bullcrap. Parks do it all the time and manipulate words and phrases in lots of situations. When a ride breaks down, it doesn't "break down" or "go down." It's a "temporary delay in operation." It's all sugar-coated to make everything seem okay and reasonable.

That sounds like six flags all right.

Really Six Flags wants to be What Cedar Fair is

And they did a crappy job of this.

At least days Top Thrill Dragster is doing bad. It actually runs the same day

^^ Just because parks do it all the time doesn't make it right. So it sounds prettier--doesn't mean it's all true.

So are you saying it's ok to lie to people, as long as it sounds nice and technical, so that they can save face?

I don't want to defend SF on this one unless they literally do have to wait for a part that is actually coming from overseas and/or it takes a long time to manufacture.

Which takes me back to my original question: are they feeding us a line, or are they truly waiting on the manufacturer or shipping?

Sugar-coating and being politically correct can get annoying sometimes.

coastin' since 1985

Can't you just accept the fact that it's closed for a legitimate reason?

When you are at a park and see a ride down, if you approach the ride op manning the entrance and ask him why it's down, they will give you a generic answer.

X being one of SFMM's most popular coasters, I doubt they are just sitting on it and saying "screw it, we will fix it when we are good and ready".

My favorite MJ tune: "Billie Jean" which I have been listening to alot now. RIP MJ.

Chitown said:

"screw it, we will fix it when we are good and ready".

Isn't that their new motto?

Real Cbuzz quote of the day - "The classes i take in collage are so mor adcanced then u could imagen. Dont talk about my emglihs" - Adamforce

FLYINGSCOOTER said:
Look at it this way. How long did it take Conneaut to get a part for it's Bug? Custom parts can be tricky. After they made X, they cracked the mold.
:)

And built another one in Japan LOL.

My guess is its purely a maintence cut of the budget, However S&S did tell me that before they built another, They had to come up with a much lighter train. Perhaps the trains are getting modifications in this time. Anyone been there? Any trains missing?

Chuck

I remember reading that X was going to get new trains.

Of course I read this on the internet and it's been known to lie.

www.coastercommunity.com

Even though S&S may have most parts in stock like brake pads, wheels, lap bars,etc at their shop some big items, such as train chassis (parts that usually don't need replaced) they may only keep one or two of. If a park needs several or two trains worth they will take some time to manufacture. They could probably get them rushed to be made quickly but are they willing to pay double or more to get it done?

Most people keep spare lightbulbs in their house but not the entire light fixture too.

rablat5 said:
^^ Just because parks do it all the time doesn't make it right. So it sounds prettier--doesn't mean it's all true.
So are you saying it's ok to lie to people, as long as it sounds nice and technical, so that they can save face?
I don't want to defend SF on this one unless they literally do have to wait for a part that is actually coming from overseas and/or it takes a long time to manufacture.
Which takes me back to my original question: are they feeding us a line, or are they truly waiting on the manufacturer or shipping?
Sugar-coating and being politically correct can get annoying sometimes.

Sometimes that happens.

I recall a similar situation with two face at SFA a couple years ago.The ride was down for like the first month or so of the season with the train nowhere in site because they were waiting on a part to be produced & shipped out.

Because the ride only sold four units vekoma didn't have the part readily in stock to send to the park & had to spend a few weeks producing said part before they could ship it.

SFMM being a year around park put it at a bit of a maintenance disadvantage compared to seasonal parks that can rehab rides over the winter. I know Disney, Universal and Sea World will take attractions down for weeks to months for maintenance. I know both disney and Sea World (probably Universal as well) has extra trains for their coasters and ride vehicles for their other rides so they can rehad throughout the year so that the attractions stay up and running. I don't if SFMM has extra trains they change out or they just run short in the slow periods during the season.

At least it has a reopen date and its not SBNO like flashback or other rides in the park.

Perhaps they are redesigning a part that breaks often and hope to replace it for good when it is finished?

Thanks,
DMC

Lord Gonchar said:
I think Six Flags being full of crap and X being down have nothing to do with each other...even if both are true. ;)

The first time I read that I swear it said that "X being torn down". I think it's this board that does that little thing, really. You just kind of shove more words into a Six Flags post here and there, and the outcome could almost seem believable.

:)

-nesdude

Geauga Lake - We is Gooder.

jive2 said:
I remember reading that X was going to get new trains.

Honestly, with all the problems X has had, would new trains really help the ride? Would a huge investment like that for a 6 year old ride plagued with problems really payoff?

Somewhere a few years ago I remember hearing that B&M had helped rebuild one of the trains. Now given it was only an unfounded rumor, but if it was true, the "excuse" could be legit...

Just throwing that out there.

Maybe they are waiting to see if the park is sold? If it is sold, by doing nothing now, X will be the new owner's problem (if it remains an amusement park).

I'd rather be in my boat with a drink on the rocks, than in the drink with a boat on the rocks.

rOLLocOASt said:
jive2 said:
I remember reading that X was going to get new trains.
Honestly, with all the problems X has had, would new trains really help the ride? Would a huge investment like that for a 6 year old ride plagued with problems really payoff?

Who knows? Unlike X's trains, each one of Eejanaika's vehicles have built in computers YET they managed to shave off more than 500 pounds per car through the use of new and lighter materials. One of the busted parts on X as of now is the lift-motor, among other things. If anything, lighter rolling stock definitely improve X's reliability in many ways.