--------------- Sunday September 1st, 1996 Park Sale
The parking lot is as empty as ever as the park desperately tries to find a new owner
The park is as lifeless as a corpse
All Heage Lake signage has been removed
Construction crews prepare to demolish 6 years of memories
Interestingly, I have heard that there is a 52% chance a major theme park company is finalizing a sale with the state of Connecticut right now. This is pretty exciting news, but still, there's a 48% chance it won't happen.
Update soon! Please no one post (I want to have one for December 5th, one for December 6th. I'd have an extra hour but the site's clocks haven't been fixed yet.)
Saturday April 5th, 1997 Opening Day Full of Surprises - Part 1
Welcome to Six Flags Connecticut Kingdom!
The entrance plaza has never looked so refreshing
New SFCK signs have replaced the old Heage Lake ones. Also, as you can see, the park's first ever COASTER CLASH event is set to debut next month! I can't wait!
It's been too long since my last shot of the front pond'
I think you could guess where I was headed...
TTOD's awkwardly small sign is dominated by the ride
I caught a glimpse of the Gotham City Amphitheater from atop the tower.
SFCK from 223 ft. in the air
Bayou Gifts? Nope. This is now Gotham Gear, and it looks great if you ask me!
Backlot Bites > Gary's Grub
The Gotham City Arcade is looking rather nice
Black and White would've looked better than Yellow and Blue in my opinion
The Joker Inc. was really nice looking
Same goes for Batwing, I love the Bat symbol attached to the ride
It wouldn't be Gotham without Batman and the Batmobile
Unfortunately, Aquaman Splashdown was down in the morning
Crimewave Cafe is a huge step off from On The Trail. No more Caribou meat, rather, roast beef sandwiches, salted turkey legs, and fresh cinnamon bread is now sold here.
Verdugo is actually running??!??
I wonder how long the line will be...
As I was about to enter Verdugo's queue line, I noticed this...
--- Saturday April 5th, 1997 Opening Day Full of Surprises - Part 2
...Unfortunately.., yes, it's true.... Mine Shaft Drop has been removed over the off season
According to Ken Burstein, the new park president, it was just in too poor shape to continue it's run at the park. Safety is their number 1 priority, and each off-season every ride receives thorough investigations and inspections to make sure they are safe to run. Alas, Mine Shaft Drop did not pass this inspection, and is the first ride at Heage Lake/Six Flags Connecticut Kingdom to bite the dust. On the bright side, though, this years graveyard for Fright Fest will be on Mine Shaft Drop's former plot of land.
Verdugo only had a 30 minute wait... Not bad. Funny story, my cousin Mark (Who has still not had a ride on Verdugo) was NEXT IN LINE (He let my brother Neil ride with me) and the ride broke down. Boy is he pissed
Of course Mark got his laugh, though, as Neil's sunglasses that he JUST BOUGHT from Recuerdos were stolen.
I can't tell you how many times I've seen couples getting off in El Scrambler's queue line. Something about Spanish architecture just drives Connecticut teens crazy, I guess. We reported it to Guest Relations and got 3 free drink coupons in compensation... yay.
I'm pumped for Coaster Clash, I hope we can get some more details on what it is exactly, though.
Here are the queue line remnants of what was supposed to be an "Apocalyptic Picnic" themed attraction for the never-to-be Fall Fest 1996. Mr. Burstein has promised me though, that Heage Lake granted them permission to recycle the idea for this year's Fright Fest.
Grand Stand... it's been too long
Oddly, it's one of the least popular attractions in the park. I guess some people just don't know how to ride a stand-up...
Cab Derby never seems to be a hit with the crowds either...
Always give a nice view of Fairgrounds
Scream Machine was running BAD today, this will probably be the last time I'll have ridden it until maybe Labor Day. I can't believe the line was 90 minutes, this is a lot rougher than Grand Stand. I just don't get the GP
Mark had to leave early for work so he wanted to see if Verdugo was up and running... it wasn't. He left creditless, once again.
Hurricane is such a photogenic coaster
Pontchartrain Cafe was having a sale on coffee
Connecticut Twister from afar. Loving the new dark blue railings!
Ferris Wheel got a brand new sign for 1997! Looks great if you ask me!
Junior Twister time!
No, that is not new paint that you're seeing. That is the same salmon color, but very dried out. Compared to everything else Six Flags has done for this park so far, this is just plain awful. I hope it gets a new paint job in 1998.
So Verdugo opened back up! But to a 3 hour line...
...Which landed us on the last ride of the night! And boy, was Mark pissed when we called him about it later in the night!
Thanks for reading, I can already tell 1997 is going to be a great season!
Glad to see that SF is improving the park. Can't wait for more!
Thank you! Let's just say that Mark won't be riding Verdugo for, well, quite some time
---
Sunday April 27th, 1997 Spring Update
Scream Machine's loops compliment the front plaza nicely
I decided to start with Connecticut
From Ferris Wheel, Hurricane looked empty
Hurricane was not busy today
Surprisingly intense for a family coaster
I've always enjoyed the morning views from Sky Wheel
I got stuck on Sky Wheel for 30 minutes! Gave me some good photos, though
The Gotham City Amphitheater
I had lunch at Orleans Grille
I went to see the "Batman and Robin: Saving Gotham" show, and it was awful. The batmobile didn't move once the whole show, acting was terrible, Robin didn't even have a costume! I feel like someone wrote the script on a piece of toilet paper in the bathroom 20 minutes before the show started
Gotham City Arcade has a lot more options than the one in Connecticut
Harley Quinn's Spinsanity, fun as usual
Haunted Ranch is always a great ride, no matter what time of day
Not very scary, but it is a heat relief in those warm summer months
Of course
Got this shot on Zipper
My final destination of the night
With Delirium moved to Gotham Backlot, this corner of the park feels pretty empty
Who doesn't love a late evening spin on Americana Swings?
Even better, being on the last Grand Stand train of the night, which, I was on
Sorry for the delay, I was planning on having this update on December 19th but... ---
Saturday May 24th, 1997 and Sunday May 25th, 1997 Coaster Clash
Today's the park's 1st annual Coaster Clash event!
But it's not for everyone! The park is closed to the general public today and tomorrow for this special event
I somehow managed this shot. The landscaping of this park is beautiful!
Let me explain the Coaster Clash event
Basically, it's a pre-registration only event where guests race to be the first 20 to ride every coaster in the park. (1000 people attended the event) Everyone is given a punchcard, which is marked by an employee at the exit of each coaster after they've ridden it.
The first 20 to ride every coaster in the park wins an ERT session and backstage tour for the rest of the day, and everyone is invited back on May 25th for a private day of thrills.
The park dropped the rope at 10:00, and everyone was off. Of course I had to start with Grand Stand
My strategy was to go clockwise from Grand Stand (Which is hard to do in a park with an F-shaped layout)
My plan meant skipping Verdugo for last, which turned out to be an obviously fatal mistake
Please somebody give this coaster a paintjob
Connecticut Twister is still my favorite RCCA woodie.
I failed to mention this before, but with the transition of the park from Heage Lake to Six Flags Connecticut Kingdom, Heage Lake Monster has been rethemed to simply Monster. I love the colors!
Hurricane + No Line + Private Event = Steal
This.. Is where I messed up... I failed to realize before that Verdugo only runs one train, plus it's Verdugo, there's always a delay of some sort.
RIGHT before I was going to board the train, an announcement came over the loud speaker
"Attention. Verdugo is currently experiencing a series of technical difficulties. We are unsure how long the wait will be. You may leave the line the way you entered, or if you wish, remain where you are. Thank you."
I knew I was done for right there. The wait ended up only being 20 minutes (Lift hill problems), but...
... by the time I reached the finish line, 121 had finished before me. And 122nd place wasn't welcome for the rest of the day ...
Additionally, I had work the next day, So I had to deny the free ticket I was handed. Oh yeah, every participant of the event was rewarded a SFCK T-Shirt.
Saw this laying in the field next to their parking lot, old pieces from Mine Shaft Drop. R.I.P.
Recently installed is the parks's NEW Quick Pass building! In my opinion, it looks a lot better than the old one! Fits the main plaza much better.
And what better way to celebrate than buying a Quick Pass? (10% off today!)
Something different today, I started with Ship Dip. Definitely one of the park's most intense flat rides, though the lap bar crushing into my stomach is not a good feeling
Sky Wheel shines in the morning sun
With the hot summer days finally upon us, The Lost Rapids 1 1/2 hour queue was reason alone to have a quick pass
Still has the best theming of any rapids ride, in my opinion
The Tower of Doom has easily become one of my favorite rides in the park
As has the Joker Inc.
I wish the Quick Pass was valid at Cocina Picante
If Grand Stand was the only ride opened I would've wasted my money on the Quick Pass. Very underrated
I saw the supposed CEO of Six Flags and 2 employees from an undisclosed company evaluating Delirium's old space... hmmmm... New coaster in 1998? Nah
In the Loop
In the Loop 2
Verdugo was running in the morning but broke down later in the evening
I actually won the Monopoly game in the arcade!
No shows at the theater today
Aquaman was only running 1 boat, so the line exceeded 2 hours at one point of the day
Verdugo falls into the night sky
It's never to late at night to save Gotham!
---Jacob Karse--- --- Very ironic that Batwing was the last picture I posted in 2016. You'll find out maybe.. next summer?
Is there a better way to spot the smallest line in the park than Sky Tower?
Mid-Century Square was rather empty, so that was my first stop
Does Cab Derby ever have a line?
This area needs some sprucing up
First long line of the day: Scream Machine
Zipper is undoubtedly one of the park's most popular attractions
I kid you not, Verdugo ran perfectly all day without a single breakdown!
I picked up a roast beef sandwich from Crimewave Cafe to celebrate my 3 rides on Verdugo. It was a bit too salty, but atleast the meat was juicy. The Caribou meat formerly served here was always on the dry side
Quite a nice view
Connecticut Twister time
Only wooden coaster where I've experienced ejector airtime
The view from Hurricane is astonishing, especially with the lake below
You're never too old to ride Dive Slide xD
Joker or Tower of Doom?
I chose Tower of Doom for my last ride of the night
I do not regret my decision
---Jacob Karse--- --- Sorry for the spam of updates, Inted to make up for the days lost. One more day tomorrow and then I'll wait for a few days - RC
--- Sunday July 27th, 1997 Connecticut's Got Talent
Once a year, a local television channel hosts "Connecticut's Got Talent", a statewide talent competition and this year, Six Flags Connecticut Kingdom was proud to host the event.
Advertisements were displayed at the main entrance
THIS was the line to get in the Americana Theater
With the temperatures in the high 80's, this really wasn't a fun line to wait in..
This kid was escorted out of the park for line jumping.. I'm sure he learned his lesson
First up was "Lil' Jim" who was performing some type of tribe dance
Usually, I'm not a fan of punk rock bands (Me and my cousin Mark actually had one back in high school. Ah the 80's ), but these guys weren't bad at all. Their band "Kids from Hell" was definitely one of the least terrible acts of the day. (That's fake fire by the way)
The Connecticut Rippers made their return to SFCK
This woman was performing a son entitled "Give me some sugar, baby." Felt more like something you'd see at a nightclub than an amusement park, but alright... xD
No idea what the hell was happening here. I'm almost assertive these guys were drunk. The guy in the green and his girlfriend were just spewing out random lyrics in jibberish while Jazz music played in the background. I think his friend was attempting some sort of somersault, it was very awkward.
The last act was.. rather strange to say the very least
I was a bit hungry after the show so I stopped at Andre's Pizza for lunch. (Been eating there alot this season)
I had to pass on Grand Stand. With local schools starting back up in less than a month, crowds at the park were horrid.
Even El Starfish had a 20 minute queue
I should've known. No wonder Verdugo ran so flawlessly last time. The train was parked in the station all day
I bought a hat at Gotham Gear and went home. Overall, I enjoyed the Talent Show, I think if there was more entertainment like this I'd visit the theater often. I hope next time I visit the crowds will be a bit lighter than today
I noticed something.. intriguing at the park today
Connecticut Twister soaring through the trees
The front of the park could use a new ride
Decided to start with Gotham Backlot today
It's peak-season, and with schools starting up soon, I figured I wouldn't find a walk-on for Aquaman any other time on this 85° degree August day, so I hopped on for 2 back-to-back rides.
I got in line for Tower of Doom before the queue became a monstrosity
Connecticut Twister from The Lost Rapid's line
The Lost Rapids from Connecticut Twister's line
Obligatory shot
Huh.. don't think I've ever seen Junior Twister closed before...
Uh, where did the sign go?
TV time
Verdugo's line was enormous
Yeah, no thank you...
Looking forward to Fright Fest this fall!
I have a feeling Apocalyptic Picnic is going to be a great attraction
--- Monday September 1st, 1997 Labor Day, Cab Derby's Last Day
As another season wraps up here at SFCK, it is unfortunate that one of our original 1992 attractions will close forever at the end of today. More on that later in the report
I started with lunch at Pizza Factory. I use to like it more, but I've grown to Andre's Pizza. Oh wait, it's closed now
No caption needed. They were ejected from the park (Without refund; Six Flags's new policy)
I have seen the amphitheater used once ever...
If it's even open, Verdugo will be undergoing a retheme for Fright Fest
I'm really hyped for Fright Fest
That's strange.. Never see Cab Derby's line THAT long
I stopped enjoying my day here. Cab Derby is a nice and relaxing ride, and it's one the only rides thats guaranteed to never have a line. This is very sad
Families enjoying their final ride
Decided to take a couple more rides on Scream Machine before the night ended
Line wasn't too bad...
Verdugo always looks so tall from this angle
Grand Stand closed early due to accommodate midway crowds
What could be coming in 1998?
Ironically, I ran into a guy who operated Cab Derby in it's inaugural season back in 1992. We had a nice chat, before it was time to take our final rides
--- Sunday September 28th, 1997 Fright Fest Opening Day - Part 1
After years of anticipation, Six Flags Connecticut Kingdom is back in the Halloween spirit with their latest fall event, Fright Fest
Apocalyptic Picnic was where I headed first
Here's a breakdown on the attraction: A group of 10 or so people meet with a "Ranger" who leads everyone into the forest. He eventually gets bitten by a "Zombie" and turns into one. He and the "Zombies" chase everyone the direction where they came. Anyone who manages to reach the other end of the trail wins a skip the line pass.
Here's our ranger, Joe, leading the way
The dead trees really helped with the atmosphere of the attraction
Grand Stand looks great during autumn
At this point Joe was pulled into the trees by a zombie
Every women or child was screaming at the top of their lungs
No skip the line pass for them
I'll admit I was running a marathon of my own but there's no way I wasn't getting the pass
Almost there!
Me and 2 guys finished the walk-through and were rewarded a pass by Joe
Next on my agenda: The Graveyard
Heage Lake, 1992-1996
Some of the gravestones featured clever puns
Oh yeah, I kind of forgot about Mountain Climber. Well it technically isn't a "Ride", so...
--- Sunday September 28th, 1997 Fright Fest Opening Day - Part 2
I have no idea what's going on. We'll have to wait until spring
Monster was running a special intense cycle for Fright Fest
The Hurricane Candy Trail made it's return this year
My only complaint is that there was less theming. The candy was surprisingly abundant
A nice view of the empty Gotham City Amphitheater
Sigh. Hurricane was down for the day. Then again, is there ever a day when everything's open at this park?
New this year is Corpse Cavern. Similar to 24 Elm Street (Attraction that gave woman heart attack in 1993), Corpse Cavern is a fully enclosed attraction. It was supposed to be themed to an abandoned morgue (Reminds me, park officials said Americana Morgue was supposed to return this year but cancelled due to "Construction in the area" ) but really, it was just pitch black walls with a strange odor and eerie music and sound effects.
The exit
I completely forgot upon entering, but I was able to get some great shots of Junior Twister being.. removed?
The exterior
Inside
The park's "scareactors" began to emerge at sundown
Woah baby
Will Grand Stand have competition in Mid-Century Square next year?
Or will it just be something small?
Ah, who cares. Grand Stand > Whatever's coming in.
Nothing like a spin on Gyration to close off the night
But of course, you always have to finish off Fright Fest nights with a ride on Fog.. er. .Scream Machine
Really needs new trains
The fog, however, is marvelous!
I'll be back once more for Fright Fest closing day, then it's 1998!
Only one comment in 1997, eh? Guess nobody liked my Gotham Backlot area lol ---
Saturday April 4th, 1998 Opening Day - Camp Cartoon Network and Connecticut Cruisers open
Welcome back! It's now 1998 at Six Flags Connecticut Kingdom, and I'm happy to tell you that TWO new additions will make their debut today at the park!
But before we get to the new additions, I'd like to point out a few subtle changes. First, Tajito Village has been renamed to "Crack Axle Canyon", similar to other Six Flags parks.
Now onto the big changes
Andre's Diner is the new eatery at the park this year. Combining both the diner (1992-1992) and Andre's Pizza (1992-1997), this eatery serves everything from pizza to root beer floats!
Also, The Blues: Snacks and Drinks, has been renamed to "Cartoon Cafe." Why, you may ask? Well....
NEW in 1998, is Camp Cartoon Network! 2 BRAND NEW children's rides along with 3 returning classics from the park's former Nifty Fifties Playground are included in this new area!
The first new ride, is the Flintstones Rocky Road Rescue Service!
Grand Wheel has returned as "Bedrock Boulder Roller"
Cartoon Carousel is the reincarnation of Carousel
Musical Cups is back as "Yogi's Yahoo Cups"
Lastly, NEW is the Jetson's Jet Orbiters!
This unique children's attraction takes riders in mini "Spaceships" in which they try to bump each other's.
Possibly the biggest addition to Camp Cartoon is Spacely's Sprocket Rockets (Junior Twister with a new paint job)
Though technically not in Camp Cartoon, this fun coaster sits right across the midway and takes riders on an exciting one minute journey into outer space.
Another nice change is the addition of flower pots and the new County Fair Snacks facility in Fairgrounds.The area's entry sign has been replaced as well
The new bathrooms in Fairgrounds look great!
The 2nd new addition is Connecticut Cruisers!
Sitting on the former site of Junior Twister, now Spacely's Sprocket Rockets, this Arrow Dynamics car ride takes riders on a trip through the forests of connecticut. Fun Fact: It uses the cars from Cab Derby!
Some props were scattered throughout the rides's course as well.
One last shot of Connecticut Cruisers at night. You can see the nice shed in which the cars are stored parallel to the track, the queue is on the other side.
Local schools aren't out yet this year, so we have a few extra days of walk-ons
The park's skyline has barely changed since the grand opening in 1992
I made my way to Fairgrounds first
I was the only person on Dodgems
A few people lost their lunch to Scream Machine
Gyration is a very underrated ride
Some sort of dance competition was being held at the Americana Theatre. The park's entertainment offerings have improved over the last couple of years (Excluding that awful Batman and Robin show last year)
No line for Spacely's Sprocket Rockets, so, why not?
That's funny, I don't remember this character from The Jetson's...
Grand Stand's line was the longest all day at 10 minutes, but it was mainly due to 1 train operations
I had a value meal from Cocina Picante for lunch/dinner. Dunch? Linner? Meh
Harley Quinn is always an enjoyable ride. Fun Fact: SFCK is the only park in the chain with a ride themed to her
I wonder if the park could squeeze in a compact flat next to the bathrooms. The only thing I can think of is one of those launched drop towers, but The Tower of Doom is 10 feet away so I can't see it happening.
It's kind of funny how long Hurricane's line was in 1995 and 1996 compared to nowadays.
Do you realize how long it takes for my laptop to load all these pictures? Like I have said before, this park is really looking great. Now you just have to put in some star attractions so SF doesn't sell it when the go bankrupt. Keep the updates coming! Thanks, Whiz
Favorite @ SFGAm - Eagle ~ Favorite Steel - Skyrush ~ Favorite Wood - El Toro 35 Rides on Eagle in 2015 68 Rides on Eagle in 2016 102 Rides on Eagle in 2017 9 Rides on Eagle in 2018
Same, it takes a good 2-3 minutes to load all the pictures, then another minute to find the post again!
The park is looking really nice! Again, agreeing with Whiz here, a star attraction is needed. Two of the most hated coaster types aren't going to cut it(sorry, but that's kinda true).
Thanks guys! It's kind of funny, actually, how ironic your timing was ...
---
Wednesday July 8th, 1998 New coaster in 1999?
Does Six Flags Connecticut Kingdom have something up their sleeves for 1999? According to a recent Whitehall, Connecticut board meeting, it seems that the park may be looking to add a new coaster next year.
A friend who attended a local public hearing meeting last night showed me what was at the top of last night's agenda:
This is shocking, but welcoming news. If all goes through, this will be the tallest coaster in the park, and in the entire state of Connecticut, I believe.
...
