SFSTL - Opening Day 3/25/2005

[DejaVu The Ride]

Would you rather get to stay on the ride rather than walk all the way back around again because their is only 2 people waiting for your row? It works out somehow and it is a promotion that looks good to the regular park goer.

[Aero737]

Easter is spring break Jason

Really, then why am I on spring break this week? Every school has it at a different time. Marquette has theirs next week.

[CoasterDude12-2]

If someone will DRIVE ME I'll be there

[Galvan]

Easter is spring break Jason

Really, then why am I on spring break this week? Every school has it at a different time. Marquette has theirs next week.

Jason, i think your just a party pooper, Everyone else is out having fun, youll be at school

[w00dland]

Wow thanks Jeff that's totally awesome news for me. Sounds like a great plan.

[ihauntu2]

http://www.sixflags.com/parks/stlouis/ParkPress/article031005.html

For those of you who will be there the first few weekends, look at what you get to take advantage of.

Quite interesting if you ask me.

Wow, guess that means my little girls first experience on Screamin Eagle gets to be a double ride. Cool

[Raging_Bull]

I will be back for Spring break from the University of Kansas, and I live in Evanston. do you guys think it would be worth it to drive up thursday night (possibly on my own, but hey I LOVE coasters) and come back after the park closes on Friday? I am really considering it if its really as empty as you guys think it should be...

[punkbunny24242]

Uh Oh Raging_Bull... I think it's only open on Saturdays and Sundays. Not Fridays. That kind of sucks because we also come up on Fridays to check into our room. Oh well at least it gives us time to relax and settle in. We go to the park Saturday all day and from 10am-1pm on Sunday and then head home

[w00dland]

Opening day for SFStL is Good Friday, March 25th. I'll be arriving into my room around 7 PM Thursday night, park all day Friday then head home on Saturday morning.

[coastermadness05]

Thats great.. double ride time.. ill be there at 9 Saturday morning.

[sixflagsguy5]

Would you rather get to stay on the ride rather than walk all the way back around again because their is only 2 people waiting for your row? It works out somehow and it is a promotion that looks good to the regular park goer.

Sometimes they don't make you get off, so you could get 5 rides in a row without getting off. And if they are able to squeeze in the people that are waiting for the ride and the people already on it, then they let you move rows if your row is taken.

[DejaVu The Ride]

Like I said, it is a park promotion to get people to go, it doesn't matter if it will matter, but depending on how much they are advertising this, then it could warrant you to walk back around. Anyways, I'm not sure how they are with the re-ride rule. For both Batman and Mr. Freeze I was told to get off even though there was no one in the stations.

[sixflagsguy5]

If they advertise it enough, then maybe alot more people will show up and then there will be lines.

[Ilovthevu']

Too bad I can't go. For that double ride thing, I want to point out that Mr. Freeze is not on the list. I would love to ride Screamn' Eagle, River King Mine Train, and BTR so more than one time without getting off.

I smell one train operation though. Otherwise, it's not that easy to tell whether two trains on a ride like BTR have gone by. The trains are the same color. I don't know, that's just my opinion.

[DejaVu The Ride]

If they advertise it enough, then maybe alot more people will show up and then there will be lines.

Yeah, I pretty much said that in my post right above yours.

So Yeah. Mr.Freeze, Scooby Doo, and Xcalibur are rides to point out that won't be using the double rides. Freeze for possibly a few different reasons, Scooby because of the unload, and Xcalibur because 2 rides in a row would suck if you only wanted to ride once.

[w00dland]

Too bad I can't go. For that double ride thing, I want to point out that Mr. Freeze is not on the list. I would love to ride Screamn' Eagle, River King Mine Train, and BTR so more than one time without getting off.

I smell one train operation though. Otherwise, it's not that easy to tell whether two trains on a ride like BTR have gone by. The trains are the same color. I don't know, that's just my opinion.

I was just thinking that. With the blocking and things it just seems like the rides would have to be in one train op for it to work well...

[punkbunny24242]

Ah man Xcalibur 2 times in row would kill me.. I can hardly even do it once. I wish Mr Freeze was included.. oh well I'll have fun anyways.

[DejaVu The Ride]

Too bad I can't go. For that double ride thing, I want to point out that Mr. Freeze is not on the list. I would love to ride Screamn' Eagle, River King Mine Train, and BTR so more than one time without getting off.

I smell one train operation though. Otherwise, it's not that easy to tell whether two trains on a ride like BTR have gone by. The trains are the same color. I don't know, that's just my opinion.

I was just thinking that. With the blocking and things it just seems like the rides would have to be in one train op for it to work well...

If the ops can't tell one train from the other, they shouldn't be running the ride. 2 train op is still possible so don't think that there will only be one train running on the ride.

[coastermaniac04]

i'll be there april 2nd! woot!

[sixflagsguy5]

I think that the ops could keep tabs on two trains that are identical, but for sure not three. If there are different colored trains, then that will make it easier.

[Galvan]

Some people are worried about one train ops when they arent even going to the park for the double ride event.

Why speculate on things that have little or no importance?

[ihauntu2]

Really long post with a bunch of info- hope it is useful.

For those of you going, the following is based on all of last years slow spring days.

Lines should be short all day. Batman may get a line early in the day, and toward the end of the day (No more than 30min). Scooby doo will probably have the longest line all day. The only other long line may be season pass processing, but I think I'm the only one here that it will affect

Expect two train operation on all rollercoasters with the exception of Mr. Freeze for starters. This was SOP for the rides last year even on incredibly slow days. Mr. Freeze only has two train op when it is crowded down there. There will be one point during the day when Mr. Freeze is running two trains, but that is only for 10 minutes or so while they switch the crowd over to the other sides train.

Depending on the level of business, Screamin Eagle may be changed to one train op late in the day.

I visit SFSTL a lot during this time of year and in the fall on slow days. I don't claim the above info to be gospel, but it should be reliable enough for expectations.


As for highway travel - all road construction is suspended in Illinois effective 8am 3/25/05 - 8am 3/28/05, but lane closures may be in effect, speed limits will still be in effect!

I-39 - I was last on this road Feb 13th, the only headaches are the tollway area between Belvidere & Rockford / Magic Waters & the connection to I-55 in Bloomington - be on the lookout for sudden lane changes.

I-55 - I was on this route Saturday coming back from Chicago - clear sailing all the way down to Bloomington Normal. Once in the Bloomington area lane closures and construction zone speed limits will still apply as most of the interchanges at I-74 & I-39 are still torn up. ISP has been making a killing issuing fines in the area so heads up. Try to pass through this area prior to 7am as most businesses are still open, don't know if ISU is in session or not.

I-55 south of Bloomington - no construction as of late. If you like classic cars look to your left around Glenarm (just south of springfield / toronto rd.) and Staunton (10-15mi S of Litchfield). I reccomend taking I-55 all the way to I-44 in St. Louis. It has always been faster than taking the I-270 loop even during rush hours. When crossing into Missouri, I-55 will split in two sections - stay to the right when both sections regroup near the bridge, you will want to be in the 2nd lane from the right, this is the exit for I-44 west and the faster you are in that lane, the better off you will be. Watch your speed in the suburbs on I-44, local sheriffs are pretty
clever in that area & I think they lowered the speed limit again - you'll be in the clear once you start seeing more trees than houses.

It really doesn't make sense to get there around 9am, it isn't like SFGAM at all. 9:30 is more like it. Gets you enough time to be at the front get into the plaza and wait for the guards to drop their arms.


If you want any info on good food along your routes, fireworks stores in the area, or what to do in St. Louis at night since the park closes at 6 - just PM me. I'll be around until Thursday.

[punkbunny24242]

On the bridge in Missouri trying to get onto I-44 last time I almost got killed. They had so much construction so most of the signs were hard to read or detour signs and I had never been in the area before so I was not familiar. It was crazy! My nephew thought it was a fun car ride. That was Sept though. Hopefully it'll be smooth sailing on my trip on the 8th

[ihauntu2]

Yeah, many an illinoisan has almost met their maker on that bridge myself included . Thats why I posted those exact instructions.

As of the end of January there were no projects in the area. MoDOT is only reporting a small project on I-44 eastbound and in Franklin County.
The one in Franklin should be wrapped up by 3/25 though.

Here is an address to their interactive map
http://www.modot.state.mo.us/road_conditions/#

Click on work zones

[w00dland]

Wow, thanks a lot IHauntU that was really helpful for the drive down. I just remember that bridge bouncing up and down like no other last year as I was on it around 930AM. Ik it's not going to fall down or anything, just freaked me out.