if you look it says physics days starts april 3rd? it says april 3rd right? is that the opening day of 2009? wont it be cold
Physics Days Educational 4/3 - 6/14 Teachers and students explore the inside and upside downs of physics in an amusement park in this hands-on educational event. Check back soon for more details. ADD TO FUN PLANNER
Math & Science Days Educational 4/3 - 6/14 Elementary and middle school students enjoy an interactive day of academic thrills at the Midwest’s most exciting outdoor classroom. Check back soon for more details.ADD TO FUN PLANNER that was found here-http://www.sixflags.com/greatAmerica/events/CalendarEvents.aspx thanks and lets hope this is so because that just means a longer season! also... the 3rd is a friday... how could this happen... now I am very curious. and on the calendar on the sit the opening day was not up yet. if it was I would not be writing this
I don't think that opening day would be April 3rd for the general public. It would probably be the 4th because that's a Saturday. For the kids in school, they could go April 3rd, so it's probably just for them on that day. During the last conference call, they said that they were going to be opening up early, so I don't doubt it. Opening early in my opinion has to do with that they have to make money fast, and get attendance up too before August.
"I've been staring at the world, waiting. All the trouble and all the pain we're facing. Too much light to be livin' in the dark. Why waste time? We only got one life. Together we can be the CHANGE. So go and let your heart burn bright"
Yeah but better than nothing. Guess that means the rides will start testing by mid-March...wow. Still all the water rides will be down for most of April, if not longer.
not sure what is actually happening, but when SFKK used to have their Spring Breakout, it always started on a friday, which was their opening day. So friday open isn't entirely out of the question. I think it'd be pretty unwise, and on that friday at SFKK you could hear a pin drop.
Favorite Wood Coasters: The Voyage, Ravine Flyer II, Thunderhead, Balder Favorite Steel: Voltron Nevera, Steel Vengeance, Expedition GeForce, Olympia Looping Parks visited: 232, Coasters Ridden: Steel: 894, Wood: 179, Total: 1073
Yeah but better than nothing. Guess that means the rides will start testing by mid-March...wow. Still all the water rides will be down for most of April, if not longer.
Many rides are testing during mid March normally, they might have to start have to testing rides significantly earlier. Dont be surprised if theres some 1 train ops/closed flats etc because theres no way they will have everything ready by early April. Around that time sometimes theres still snow on the ground and there are and cranes all over the place putting things together, so im sure that will be a challenge.
But it does make sense to open early as long as they keep the costs low, im sure some people will go. The question is how low will they keep the costs (as the first 3 weekends in 2008 a significant amount of rides were closed).
I think that it would be great if they opened up the park ealier. I didn't understand why most of the other Six Flags like Great Adventure opened up ealier than our park for the 2008 season.
It will be 50/50 good and bad. Most rides will be short-staffed (Students still in school), not running at capacity and April tends to still be quite chilly especially all the way up in Gurnee. It is good because the crowds will be tolerable and it give you more options to go.
SFGAm07 wrote:Many rides are testing during mid March normally, they might have to start have to testing rides significantly earlier. Dont be surprised if theres some 1 train ops/closed flats etc because theres no way they will have everything ready by early April. Around that time sometimes theres still snow on the ground and there are and cranes all over the place putting things together, so im sure that will be a challenge.
I, too, worry about this. Certain rides usually aren't ready until the initial training weekends. Part of the crew training is still integrating running cycles for the state too, which was 50 cycles (not including downtime issues where maintenance has to come and run cycles to reset the ride). I see them running around crazy at the end of February and all of March trying to get the most done. As stated, I'd expect some 1-train operations and some flats closed. It probably won't make that much of an impact as I wouldn't expect attendance to be massive.
I think it's great they are going to try and open early, but April weather is very unpredictable and if it does decide to still snow (it's happened before) I wouldn't expect them to open certain rides, or even open the park at all...I guess...don't get your hopes up. It's definitely something to check on prior to visiting if they decide to go through with this idea. As with trying anything for the first time, it's a "trial and error" process. They may find out that doing this was comparable to the "Last Blast" thing they did in 2001, or it may go over with the public quite well...especially if they try and open during spring break week, but then you run into problems where IL/WI schools don't have the same times off so you struggle to find workers. Full Time/Supervisors can take positions, but there's only so many of them in the park too.
^As long as there only open weekends, I don't think work will be that hard to find. Hell, I might as well work there weekends just for the first 2 moths (if they do open that early) for some extra money when school gets out.
Benefits of doing that instead of working during the summer.... -No scorching hot days -short hours -small crowds -not being forced to work weekdays -since they will be hurting for work, you may get treated better?
^ When they are looking for employees, I think they want someone who can work for a good portion of the season. I don't think they would take someone for just the first part of the season before the summer. Though, there is nothing stoppping you from saying that you will work for that long and then either quitting or getting yourself fired
Staffing wouldnt be a big issue in early April, having the park ready to open/rides running would be. Around that time they need more help on weekdays when the park is closed.
I think this idea is a great idea for us who are rushing to get to the park as early as possible. However, for them I see this idea as them losing money, or barely breaking even on the days at least in April. How many people without a season pass are really going to visit is what I wonder? The new ride won't be open, there will probably be no water rides open, no waterpark definitely, and a lot of the other rides might be closed.
"I've been staring at the world, waiting. All the trouble and all the pain we're facing. Too much light to be livin' in the dark. Why waste time? We only got one life. Together we can be the CHANGE. So go and let your heart burn bright"
onyxhotel08 wrote:Which rides require the most work before the season begins?
You never know whats going to happen when you start up any ride after its been sitting there for 6 months and it can take a really long time to find/fix a small problem, so those weeks from when they start the ride up to when the park opens are very important. Theres just a lot to do before the park opens, the more people they can get to work weekdays when the park is closed the better.