New Policies and Information for 2008 Season

[Iggy ACE]

Is America really that lazy that you can't walk from the back lot to the gates without complaining about it? Look how much you walk all day at the park!

Also SFStL had their parking passes for $45.00 and you could add a second pass for $15.00 last weekend.

New shirts are very bright! Look nothing like a bee unless the bee is florescent yellow!

Also, atleast SFGAm is not closing off any section of the park like SFKK is. So be glad it opens just an hour later.

[Bob O]

The thing with opening a section of the park later is that this year it is county fair, if they dont get many complaints next year what do you think will happen?? Will it be two sections. or only one side of the park, it is a slippery slope you dont want to go down!!!

As for the lockers, they make not make back there investment this year, but they will also have this next year, and likely on more rides and at a higher price. So it is just part of a trend to fleece the guests and make you pay for what once was given free. No longer free bins on rides, make you pay for a locker. As for waits fro rides, I think this will have little effect on the capacity of rides, as I found that wait time was caused more by guests not being able to fit on rides/kids too small etc. than a guest throwing a item into a bin.

I didnt go to any shows at the theater last year so I dont recall if they had one in there. But im sure they could have moved the show elsewhere to aid in the construction of the new attraction if they cared too. There was no rain ride at FF last year and im sure that site prep work wouldnt have effect Superman as it was far enough away and wouldnt have been done during the hours of FF. And from reports I had read it seemed that work began on the ride long after FF had ended.

I agree that there was no theming to the uniform shirts last year, which is sad when you compare it to the uniforms worn when Marriott operated the park. But even a blue shirt is much better than the gaudy shirt they will be wearing . And just having a employee wear a bright shirt will do nothing to improve customer service. To improve guest service will require much better training of employee's and better supervision of the employee's, nothing that is impacted by a bright shirt.

Are Americans lazy, yes some are. But that has little to do with a park having a tram service to give there guests a break when they walk from the parking lot to the front entrance, that is a company showing they care about the guest experience. Parks like Dollywood/Silver Dollar City/Disney/BGW provide tram service to make it easier for there guests to get to and from the park. I would likely not use the service as I get to the park very early so I get a close parking spot , but alot of guests get to the park later in the day and while they may not be disabled, they may be old or not in the best of shape health wise and would appreicate a tram ride to the front or back to the car at the end of the day.

And I hope we never get so bad that we have to compare SFGAM to SFKK to say we are a good park!!

[tp41190]

I could see them not opening County Fair until 11:00am during the week but not the weekends.

Saturdays and Sundays can get very busy in the morning, and all opening County Fair later will do is cause confusing and longer lines else were in the park.

[CoasterDude12-2]

I wish I had known this before I bought my 2008 season pass. Shapiro has successfully ruined my favorite theme park. No way am I ever going to pay $25 bucks for parking. I always used to go to county fair first. That's the best part of the park. The new names for restaurants is stupid. I could care less what uniforms the employees have on, they're usually asses. I'm going maybe 3 times to the park and once to HH and that's it, until Shapiro leaves. And the only reason I'm going 3 times is so my season pass will have been worth something.



INDIANA BEACH '09!!!!

[cycamps]

^While I don't agree with every statement you made, I do agree with your opinion of County Fair being the best part of the park. Just like you, I would go there right away. However, 1 hour is more acceptable than say, 2 hours.

[BrianPlencner]

As for waits fro rides, I think this will have little effect on the capacity of rides.....

So, did we go back to the 70's? How big was the FRO ride? Where was / is it at, Bob?

There was no rain ride at FF last year

Now, I did not attend FF last year, but you can't tell me that it did not rain at all during the month of October. If you ask me, when it rains at the park, and the rides run, EVERY ride is a rain ride!


I know you are upset over the changes the park is making, but at least take the time to look over your post before you hit the Submit button.


Now, to keep things On topic....



I have a question about the changes to the opening of County Fair. While I understand that the rides/games/food places/etc will not open until 11 AM, do we know if they are going to allow you to walk though the section, or are they going to keep the section closed? For example, if you are in Yukon Territory riding Loggers Run, and want to ride Raging Bull, is the park going to make you walk all the way around via the front of the park, or will they allow you to walk though County Fair to go into SW Territory? Sure, its only an hour, but I don't see why they could not allow you to walk though, just not open anything up till 11 AM.

Something else that comes to mind is in regards to the parking. What happens if no one parks in the $25 section, and everyone parks in the $15 section, and fills the lot? I can't see the park telling a guest "We're sorry...you got here to late, and the $15 section is full. If you want to stay, you have to pay $25 to park, or arrive earlier in the day". While this is not a problem for me as I usually arrive before 8 AM, I can see this being a problem for those that arrive between noon and 2 PM.

Also, I remember times in 2006 that, if you arrived after a certain time (I think it was 8 PM or so), there was no longer an attendant standing by the booth for Preferred parking. There were a few times that I saw this, and I was able to park in that section without paying extra. Do we think that the same could happen this year?

--Brian

[DejaVu2001]

Guests will be able to walk through County Fair the first hour. Also, about the parking, I'm pretty sure this year that anyone who gets a Season Parking Pass gets free preferred parking every visit.

[BrianPlencner]

^ Ahh I see now. I re-read the first post, and then your comments and I get it now. RagingBullFan indicated the two sections as "Regular and Value" and goes on to say that "Season Pass Parking is in the Regular Lot.". I took "Regular" as the non-preferred lot, but in fact, regular is the preferred lot, as "value parking" is the back lot.

So, with that being the case, having a parking pass is really a good deal. Of course, knowing that you can park in the preferred parking, which is $25, the cost of the parking pass would be a multiple of that cost, like $50, or $75. If we look at the price of a season pass, and the fact that the park says that a Season Pass pays for itself in 2 or 3 visits...a parking pass would also pay for itself in about the same number of visits. I would then put the price of a parking pass at $75 (3 visits at $25 = $75).

--Brian

[RagingBullFan]

Added one little thing...

Home Town Fun Machine has received a new lighting package of LED's similar to Orbit.

[Colonel Mustard]

I wish I had known this before I bought my 2008 season pass. Shapiro has successfully ruined my favorite theme park. No way am I ever going to pay $25 bucks for parking. I always used to go to county fair first. That's the best part of the park. The new names for restaurants is stupid. I could care less what uniforms the employees have on, they're usually asses. I'm going maybe 3 times to the park and once to HH and that's it, until Shapiro leaves. And the only reason I'm going 3 times is so my season pass will have been worth something.

I'm sorry, but I laughed out loud when you said the new names for restuarants are stupid. No one else on the planet cares.

Of course people care, I think it sounds stupid, but it's a freaking restaurant, the world is still spinning so I say Bravo.

[Chitown]

To the people who are complain and moaning, DON'T GO!!!!! Spend your entertainment dollars elsewhere.

Of course you still will so give the whining a rest.

[tp41190]

With the parking...isnt this the same exact thing as last year. They had the prefered for season parking passes or for an extra $10. So this is noting new. Because I dont think they will use the $25/pass parking for the entire front lot. It will just be a section of the front lot instead.

[DejaVu2001]

^Unless plans have changed, the $25.00 parking is indeed the entire front lot.

[diggerg56]

I do know from an email response I got that Season Parking Passes will be $65 this year. They will use the same procedure as in the past. You can get the parking you pay to get in to the park ($15 or $25) credited toward pass parking. They will then reprint your SP with "Parking" on it.

[demon boy]

With the parking...isnt this the same exact thing as last year. They had the prefered for season parking passes or for an extra $10. So this is noting new. Because I dont think they will use the $25/pass parking for the entire front lot. It will just be a section of the front lot instead.

No its not, its close. Last year you could pay $25 or get a parking pass for preferred parking. However, preferred parking was the first maybe 15 rows of so of parking stalls (minus bus parking). This year, the whole front lot it preferred (left side of the road) and the entire back lot (right side of the road) is value or regular parking which is absolutely insane.

[Director_Guy]

The only thing I don't like about parking in the far lot is that it's a scary place to try and drive out of if you're a nervous drive such as myself.

[cycamps]

I've never seen anyone park in that back lot before. It'll be interesting to see that happening to say the least.

[tp41190]

The only thing I don't like about parking in the far lot is that it's a scary place to try and drive out of if you're a nervous drive such as myself.

Are you talking about pulling out on the main road or just driving in it in general?

But I know what you are talking about when it comes to driving. I live in a small town so Im not used to driving in the city. Then whenever I go to Six Flags I am freaking out because of the 4 lane intersections and all the traffic and lane changes.

One thing I never go though was the lane thats a white stripped and is on the right side of the road. I came off of the freeway and was going West on Grand Ave and I was in this lane that I thought I could be in. Then I realized it was stripped and I got honked at by someone who was trying to cross.

[yankee Clipper91]

I wonder how the Hometown Fun Machine will look?

[rico28]

Parking lot 101
total about 9,000 car spaces -100%
Back Lot ($15) about 5,600 spaces -60% and about 150 spaces not available due to dirt on then or no markings near the LED highway sign. About 25 spaces hash out for improved traffic flow!
I would suggest not going to run out of space until October for FF like years past!
Front Lot about 3,400 spaces-40% this needs to be broken down-
Handicap spaces -108 spaces($???)
Pick up/drop off-31 spaces
Bus lot- Cars 842($30)2007/ buses 221($???)
Usually setup in 2007 is 88 buses (4 rows) and 505 Cars in Bus lot preferred parking overflow in 2007
about 30 spaces hash out spaces for sericity and traffic flow
The rest of front lot car parking- 2,476 car space
preferred parking- 774($30)2007/Regular Parking-1,703($15)2007 in the summer but during FF 2007 change to PP-1,336/RP-1,140
potential PP revenue is in 2007 is $55,230 =1,841 spaces*$30 not includes season parking passes
in 2008 they added 770 spaces more spaces for more parking profits
That all folks -I'll update more later This is a-lot of infor Enjoy!

[bork]

I'm supposedly the demographic that Six Flags is going after (family with kids, no annual pass), but it's getting to the point where it's just not worth it.

We're already paying how much for tickets for everyone. Then I have pay an extra $10 for parking or else I have to have the kids walk all the way from BFE. Food prices are crazy. I was shocked at how high they had gotten last year, after not going for a few years.

Then, if we want to go on the new "family coaster" Dark Knight, I have to pay a buck every time for a locker. And what family doesn't need to bring a bag along for stuff for the kids?

Then they close attractions and shows with no replacements, giving you less value. But prices still go up.

Then open a section of the park later, making it harder to get on rides with short waits when the park first opens. Or I can pay even more money for a Flash Pass.

And then my kid has to pay adult prices in a few years when he reaches 48"?

It looks like I will be taking my money elsewhere.

[superflybri]

New Park Map is now available. Wow, The area by Vu looks dead... http://www.sixflags.com/greatAmerica/info/parkMap.aspx

[kpkammer]

Loose Article Policy - Bad Idea Six Flags

They better come up with a new plan for that loose item policy, because i'm gonna give them a peice of my mind everytime I have to put anything in a locker that costs me $1 per ride... or i'll just put stuff in a locker and not pay (or are all the lockers locked untill you pay)

[kpkammer]

Parking

"Season Pass Parking is in the Regular Lot"

Does that mean this year people with season passes get free parking? or if you add parking to your season pass you get to park in the regular lot?

[kpkammer]

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