My Observations from Opening Day

[Aaron084]

Hey all, I just got back from opening day and wanted to share a few of my thoughts on it. I'd like to know what you all have to think about this stuff.

The Good:

Wiggles World - I was way impressed with this addition. Great location and great area for little kids and families. The splash pad will be a big hit this summer and the show stage looks way fun for little kids. They're just going to need a place to park all those strollers.

VIP Parking - At first I thought the HUGE blocked off area of front row parking spots was only for preferred parking, but now that I found out its for season parking pass holders also, I'm all for it. It'll be awesome to leave mid day and still get a good parking spot when I come back.

Rides - Almost everything was open and running at full capacity. Bull had three trains, Eagle raced nearly every run and Triple Play was up and running! I'd be nice if they got the last two cars on Ragin going, take a hint from California Adventure's Mullhullond Madness, in which the cars never even stop moving in the station.

Weather - We lucked out with no rain!

The Not so Good:

Landscaping - I know in the podcast they talked about how hard they work on this, but most of the flowers in the park were dying and looked awful for opening day. The flowers in front of Hometown Square's train station were all dried out and dying, all they needed was some water! Also, the grass everywhere really needed to be cut. Outside the entrance by the bathrooms and kennel the grass was nearly ankle high. I'm sure it'll get better as the season goes on, but I was expecting more for opening day.

Afternoon Parade - Wow, this was just plain terrible. It wasn't a parade, it was people walking. No floats, no music, no fun. Our high school homecoming parade was tons better. If I remember correctly, it was one car, some characters, the mystery machine (looked like a '91 grand caravan mini van), some more characters and an antique car, some more characters, and bugs in the Elvis car, with a crappy sign taped over the Elvis logo on the side of the car. I think there was just as many park employees watching out for the characters as there were characters in the parade. There were a few kids who tried to run out and shake the hands of the characters, but they cut off by escorts to try to keep the parade moving. If they want a parade, make a parade with actual floats, music, like a regular parade. If they just want characters walking though the park, then do a huge walk through meet and greet where characters can give kids high fives and such. The current form of this is pathetic. Also, the paper confetti needs to go, nobody is impressed with it anymore, and it just litters the entire park. Sorry to rant so much about this parade, but I was just truly disappointed. I hope Spygirl lives up to its expectations.

Crowds - Although the overall crowds were slim compared to summer, the 200 busses that were there really added to the mix. Oh well, it was still a great day.

[CoasterDave316]

Some notes from my visit today:

Finding out my parking pass is now good for Preferred Parking was the best surprise of the day. That is really going to come in handy this year, especially when the water park opens. Too bad I found out about it too late to take advantage of it today.

I also thought Wiggles World looked good, looked better then the pictures I had saw of it from last weekend.

The Wii Experience is located in County Fair where the old arcade was. I had never played Wii before, so it was cool to try it out. I bet it's going to be packed in the summer.

The only minor negative of the day for me was American Eagle's new line. It's a hike to get to the station now.

[Mr. D.T.]

They have Wii in the old Arcade? I'll try it out as long as you can access the old NES games.

I never seen the parade so I can't comment. But from what I just heard in the forum it's not all that exciting. The Mystery Machine spent most of its time in the employee backlot and Bugs rode what was once the limo used for Dead Elvis and The Tomb Tones. I thought they were gonna use all the floats for this parade. I sure hope they still have the old floats from long ago.

As much as I miss the old queue for American Eagle, I was really impressed with the Wiggles World attraction. Never before have I seen spitting fountains in a Six Flags park. They reminded me of the ones in front of the Journey Into Imagination pavilion at Epcot. Also all the kiddie rides looked really impressive and the plane ride makes up for the demolition of the old one at Hometown Park. The car ride, I wasn't too thrilled with because it was a really small ride and it looks rather ugly in its current state. All the cars do is creep around a winding track surrounded by grass and rock-shaped speakers.

Now that the parks are going through their second 45th year, the soundtracks are still the same except now Hometown plays what County Fair played last year which is their part-70s-part-90s-mostly-80s compilation and their 60s playlist was taken out.

THEY PLAY THE OLD ORLEANS SOUNDTRACK!!! There you go, Six Flags, one down. Still a lot more to go in restoring your beloved Marriott theming, if at all possible.

[Bob O]

So does everyone with a parking pass get to park in the perferred parking section????? That is nice since I have one.

But I wonder in summer how long it will take for that section to also be filled up as I imagine the park must sell a ton of these parking passes when you consider how many season passes are sold.

Interesting to hear the observations and wish I could have been at the park.
Any differences in the booklets they give out to season passholders??

As for the parade, they have ALL been medicore at best so I cant say im surprised this one is also.

[Aaron084]

Some notes from my visit today:
The Wii Experience is located in County Fair where the old arcade was. I had never played Wii before, so it was cool to try it out. I bet it's going to be packed in the summer.

Oh yeah, I forgot to mention that. As a Wii fan, the Wii experience was great. Free Wii! Theres a few games you can choose from, and if it's Wii Sports you can always go back and choose a different sport than whats playing.

The Big Red Car Ride was pretty sad. They need a few trees and cutouts to add to the ride, but I'm sure that's coming.

[Viper 06]

I just want to mention in defense to six flags that the afternoonp parade is not yet ready. There will be 15 completly new vehicles instead of rehashing the old stuff. It was a bad move for them to open it so early, expect a completly different afternoon parade by memorial day probably. Also there was music it's just so quiet that you can barely hear it (which is six flags fault, i'm not blaming that one on you)

[SFaddiction84]

The Frightfest music was still playing in the Viper Que Line, and along PARTS of the Senic Railroad!

Was NOT impressed at all with American Eagle, The red train slowed down toward the top of the lift and creaped over the hill, later on we decided to ride the Blue side and this time that train did it! Not pleased at all

Very excited to see that Revolution was open finally, upset to see that they still cant seem to fix Deja Vue!

Very pleased with the new Season Parking Pass! Although suprised that it was a sticker after everyone insisted it would be printed on my pass.

[Mr. D.T.]

Fright Fest Music??? Oh dear, somebody wake me up and tell me I'm dreaming. Which kind, the Halloween theme?

[LaTiNoObSeSeDSFGAm]

Thats why I never like going opening day because nothing is ever ready. I like going around June or at least Memorial day weekend. That way almost 90% of what the new additions to the park are added.

[Bob O]

We got our season pass's last year and parking is printed on my season pass.

[zjohn1988]

hahahhahahahahahaa i really wish I went today......fright fest music+bad landscaping+worse parade= a great future for six flags! *end sarcasm*

On a side note, if anyone here has any stock left in six flags, take a look at the future projection of the debt report..im dumping everything i have in that company. Its getting worse instead of better.

[cycamps]

Is the American Eagle line confusing?

[Viper 06]

^No to that one, it's entrance is not yet done actually there is going to be a sign and the big eagle will return. Btw zJohn if you had actually read my post you would know that the afternoon parade is not yet ready so you really can't use that as a point against six flags just yet. The Bad landscaping is always like that on opening day, check out your opening day pictures or other's opening day picture from about the last 20 years and I'm guessing you'll find that nothing has ever been perfect on opening day. As Latinobsessedwhatever up there said things frequently aren't ready on opening day. It didn't, for example, hear anyone complain about how often The Yummy Yummy Fruit Salad tower and Bouncin' with Wags went down (and I did see both of them go down quite often). And the fright fest Music was playing over the Hurricane Harbor speakers...it was a fluke, I'm sure it'll be gone by tomorrow or next weekend, the reason you can hear it from viper's queue is becasue the entrance is right next to viper's line.

[RagingBullFan]

The "bad" landscaping is due to that very late freeze we had. Most of the plants were planted and that freeze killed them. They won't be replaced until the next batch of plants is ready to go.

[DejaVuGurl1203]

I had no idea we could use the preferred parking spots with the parking pass! It would've been nice if I'd known that earlier.

Haha yeah, the Fright Fest music...

One of my main complaints of the day. LINEJUMPERS WERE AWFUL TODAY!!! Oh my god. Security REALLY needs to be improved. I'm becoming very disappointed. In so many lines, there were about 1-2 linejumpers. Later, in line for Bull, a few people were in front of us. Then, 7+ people cut in front of others and us to get to their friends right in front of us! That was ABSOLUTELY ridiculous and ignorant. I was looking everywhere for secuirty. A few minutes later we left the line because I was so angry, and someone peed on Bull, supposedly. Then a bit later we got in line for it again, and 2 girls were in front of us and a few other people, and this girl with 3 others were trying to get past us. Me, my boyfriend, and a friend Josh we kinda ran into, blocked them from passing. She was SO pissed. She was calling us the n word, saying she would beat one of us down and crap. Eventually, by using the switchbacks they got with their friends. We told security but they didn't seem to do anything.

[sfgam1992]

Yeah there was a lot of line jumpers today, but all the ones I saw got caught. Also there were a lot of people smoking in the lines.

[Cs6153]

With the afternoon parade, I was disappointed. I know the parade is supposed to improve later, but I do not think they should not do a parade at all until they are ready. Otherwise it looks bad for our park.

Viper06: Do you know if they actually going to make floats for the parade? Or if it will just be a bunch of new cars?

[Mr. D.T.]

Now somebody PLEASE wake me up and tell me I'm dreaming.

I don't know what to say about linejumping since Security can't prevent every case. They can at least slow it down, but I don't know if that was the case yesterday. And smokng in the lines is ignorance at worst, especially now that the park as 'stopped smoking after 45 years'.

Long ago in 2001 the Southwest Territory music played in the old Plymouth Place. And another opening day years later the Great American Raceway still had the Hearsey Highway sign up. It's strange enough through six months of hibernation Six Flags does not have everything ready and I can't find a single excuse to make for them.

[Cs6153]

Security is so bad, I feel like taking a picture of people behaving badly and e-mailing it to Shapiro and saying that nothing is being done

[LaTiNoObSeSeDSFGAm]

^That can actually make a difference, and if you write a strong letter of c omplaint you might get something. Or the park might get something.

I have a feeling that SFGAm will find this out eventually and change it ASAP.

Plus you have to realize there was not alot of security around the park since SFGAm does not get enough employees till the summer anyways.

And as for the general public smoking in lines, they probably didnt do it on purpose. They probably just misunderstood the signs and though that they couldnt smoke in the park parkways but allowed to in the lines. Once they see someone do it then they jump on the band wagon and smoke in lines too...its stupid for them but hey there are a lot of stupid people who do stupid things.

Also, for the people that jump in line I hate that. To the dejavu girl....that girl that was yelling at you saying the "n" word where they young teenagers? If they were then it was pretty obvious that they would do that. I witnessed a young girl doing the same thing to a man in his fifties in front of his two little girls which was sad and pathetic. I just wanted to get up and tell her ass off but knew that would be wrong on my part. Your never going to change peoples attitudes no matter what. Thats why SF wants it to be more of a family park rather than a teen park to get those type of kids away. Also, since SF is still attracting a lot of young teens because of their thrill rides like Raging Bull and BTR, then expect to see them around SF for a while. You have to think about it, SFGAm is in Gurnee, near Waukegan Grayslake, Zion, North Chicago, Antioch, etc. All those cities have majority of teens that know of SFGAm and get season passes. Teens tend to go to SFGAm when there bored on summer because they have no car, thats a place there parents can drop them off and be know that there safe. Trust me, I was one of those kids.

[T.K.]

My quick enough little trip report: I went with Dan, Ally aka Amy and the Director Guy's Corporation It was a lot of fun! That's all I have to say. For openning day it was crowded. The first ride we did was RB they stack every train, but oh well. It's beginning of the season.
The Wiggle's World is my favorite part of the park. if I was a kid again I would love it. Really nice themed and colorfull section, they really did a great job. it's really compact and has a shadow. the Wiggle's Show was fun, i watched just beginning. And Bouncin' with Wags OMG I fricked out the last cycle, and then the ride broke. I think I was to heavy
Ragin' Cajun didn't stack a single car which is nice, and also they are getting a single rider line very soon. Yuppi! And That's all more u can check out at Director Guy's TR or "That guy after that some other guy TR" LOL

[DejaVuGurl1203]

I did see a few get caught, but that was only one time. I remember getting off Viper for the 3rd time, and saw a security guard watching the line. I do understand that there is usually more security in the summer, but even then line jumping is still bad. I know they can't prevent every case, but I just would like to see at least one guard by each roller coaster line. That's when I tend to see it the most.

I really couldn't tell how old they were. I don't think they were younger than us, maybe around our age or a little older. I'm still a teenager myself at 17, but I respect the park and I follow the rules. I wanted to say something to the huge group that went right in front of us at Bull before we left the line. I decided to leave the line before I was going to start something.

I had this crazy idea last night, that I want to make a t-shirt and have the back say "line jumping is not permitted" and some other stuff. And I'd wear it to the park.

[SFaddiction84]

As far as the Parking Pass goes, it did state in the book and near the processing center to buy your parking pass soon, because there are limited quantities.

[mallclerks]

For openning day it was crowded. The first ride we did was RB they stack every train, but oh well.

It was reallllyyyyy busy for opening day indeed. I've been at opening day the past 4 years I think and this was surely the busiest. Wasn't even that nice of a day out. Also right about Raging Bull, while it looked like they were training a LOT of people in the part yesterday so hopefully that will fix the issues.

[Cryptkeeper]

My observations:

The good

- park seemed pretty clean.

- employees seemed friendly, overall.

- for the first time in recent memory, Wiggles World, the new attraction for the season, was ready opening day.

- lots of visible characters




The bad

- lack of signs in the parking lot indicating that there is now a special lot for season pass holders. The only way to have known this ahead of time was to be psychic or ask the guard watching the lot.

- parade needs a bit of work

- the "stage" by the train station/Iron Wolf. You have to see it to believe it. ha

- maybe others have noticed this before, but what is it w/ the ride stations for Bull and Superman falling apart? There is, and I'm told has been, a HUGE piece of Raging Bull's station (on the outside) that is missing. It's on the left right before you walk in the station. There is also a chunk missing from Superman's station (on the outside, to your immediate left, right before entering the station).

- security, as always, was awful. In all of my visits over the last 4 or 5 years at the park, I can honestly say I've not seen one person caught for line jumping and have only seen a handful of people told to stop smoking. Security visibility in the park, except at the entrance, was zero from my perspective, and is always that bad. I saw a lot of line jumping in lines and also cursing really loudly in the stations of rides, yet no security was present, and nor was any called when these incidents were occurring. Heck, even at the end of the night at close, at Superman, there were about 4-5 people walking underneath the ride looking for something that was dropped. One ride op was standing next to the queue talking to a few people in line...and he didn't notice them (and I have no idea how he missed them). Then, a few minutes later, 4 or so other people started walking under the ride looking for a dropped item, and finally the q-bot person noticed them I think - I don't remember if we had told her first or if she noticed it herself, actually - and called security and they finally e-stopped the ride and took care of the morons. This was a good 10 mins after the first people had started meandering under the ride, though.

So, over all, it was a day mixed with good and bad.