Galvan Investigates: Fact Checking ScreamScape.com

[Galvan]

The Following post, does not necessarily reflect the opinions of SFGAmWorld.com, its webmaster, staff or its readers. This posting is a fact finding study and several sources have been used to discover the facts with-in.


Galvan Investigates: Fact Checking Screamscape.com

Whether you’re the most die hard coaster fan, or just someone who casually enjoys theme parks, you’ve probably heard of “Screamscape.com”.

For those who’ve never visited this site before, Screamscape.com is a coaster/theme park fan site devoted to posting rumors of either new ride additions, theme park news, and of course ride removals. The site indicates that “sources” from either the park or “Screamscape fans” have submitted a rumor to the site and then posts the submission on the main site.

And with Six Flags Great America being involved with one of the biggest rumors I can remember with the addition/non addition of Six Flags Kentucky Kingdom’s Chang coaster. I figured now might be as good a time as ever to find out really if Screamscape.com is on the money or just plain full of themselves.

The common consensus around a lot of coaster fan sites is that in fact SS is full of themselves, but what I am going to do in investigating this site objectively, is using the Internet Archive website, RCDB.COM, and other “sources” to fact check just what SS has to say.

I am going to fact check stories reported on the site over the last 6 years starting June 26, 2004 until June 26, 2010. I am strictly going to focus on Six Flags Great America

Each “rumor” will be evaluated on a scale of 0, 5 or 10 with a rumor that has partial truth to it being awarded a 5, completely false 0 and completely true 10. After I have rated all the rumors found, I will give my recommendation about the site and what was reported (NOTE: Rumors involving Chang will not be fact checked)

ANY Rumor that falls outside the dates mentioned above WILL NOT be counted either for or against the site.

I will be strictly and impartially checking the validity of SS coverage of rumors involving Six Flags Great America and while I have my own opinions, they will not conflict with gathering the information used for this fact check.

The date posted before each rumor will be the date as stated on SS, and a brief description of what the rumor actually was. Followed by my 0, 5 or 10 score.


Fact Check: Screamscape Rumors for Six Flags Great America since 2004

1. Rumor - (6/25/04) “Screamscape has learned of “Project Tumbleweed” a 4D coaster addition at SFGAm. FACT CHECK: 0/10 in the 6 years since this was posted; this has been somewhat a running joke amongst many SFGAM fans.

2. Rumor - (7/26/04) “Our latest spy transmission indicates that the next major new coaster (Tumbleweed or anything else) will not arrive at the park until 2006 now.” FACT CHECK: 5/10 Six Flags Hurricane Harbor added a Pro Slide Tornado in 2006, The Next Coaster in the park wasn’t added until 2008. (The Dark Knight)

3. The Next Coaster - Rumor - (12/3/04) The latest rumor coming down the pipe about the park’s next big coaster claims that they may want to build a new large steel megalooper to fill in the void left by Shockwave’s removal(B&M Floorless). FACT CHECK: 0/10 In the 5+ years since this rumor has been made, no floorless, no looper, nothing (Chang withstanding)

4. (12/17/04) Sources tell us that a new coaster for 2006 seems to be solidly locked in. Still no confirmation as to what type it may be... FACT CHECK: 0/10 SFGAm added a coaster (TDK) in 2008, but as this rumor states it was referring specifically to 2006.

5. New Attractions - Rumor - (12/17/04) A spy with a crystal ball tells us that the park is planning on adding marketable new attractions each year for the next several years. Nothing is set in stone yet, but we may see some kind of dark ride added to the park in 2007 while 2008 is earmarked right now for a possible new coaster. FACT CHECK: 5/10 while not quite what they had posted, 2007 saw the Wiggles and 2008 saw The Dark Knight. They also were right on the money about the dark ride only a year too soon.

6. New Coaster - Rumor - (1/13/05) The latest wild rumor is that the park may choose to retheme the Yankee Harbor into something new with some new themed attraction as they did in 2004 with the Mardi Gras area. FACT CHECK: 0/10 Yankee Harbor remains today much the same as it was in 2005.

7. 2006 - Tornado - Rumor - (5/2/05) Source tell us that the addition of a Proslide Tornado slide to Hurricane Harbor is all but confirmed already for 2006. FACT CHECK: 10/10 Added the year after SFHH opened.

8. (6/21/05) – Whizzer Removal: FACT CHECK: 0/10 5 Years later Whizzer still stands.

9. New Ride(s) - Rumor - (6/17/05) While some sources claim that a coaster may still be on the way, others think they may add another small collection of themed flat rides to several areas of the park. FACT CHECK: 5/10 TDK was added in 2008, and if you consider Wiggle’s World to be the “collection of small flats” you can at least give SS credit on this one, but the wording is vague (as is usually the case)

10. (8/31/06) If the rumors are to be trusted, Great America will add two new attractions next year. Unfortunately for the thrill seekers, one will be a new show of some kind while the other may be a near copy of the same kiddie land rumored to also be going to Great Adventure. Anyone know more? FACT CHECK: 10/10 Operation Spy Girl’s one and only season was 2007 along with the addition of the Wiggles that same year.


11. Wiggle’s World - Rumor - (9/5/06) The latest rumors from New Jersey are true, then SFGAm will also add a Wiggle’s World kiddie area for the preschoolers next year. FACT CHECK: 10/10 SS hit a home run with this rumor

12. Thomas The Tank Engine - Rumor - (1/15/07) On top of the new SpyGirl live show and the new Wiggle’s World area (the later yet to be confirmed) we’ve heard that a Thomas themed area may be on the way to the park as well, though if it doesn’t make the cut for 2007, it seems a sure thing in 2008. More on this as we find out. FACT CHECK: 0/10 SS hit a home run with Operation Spy Girl and Wiggles, but struck out on this one. Thomas Town’s have been added to other parks that do not feature Wiggle’s World

13. (2/8/07) Screamscape has heard that Six Flags Great America will update their FlashPass programs this summer to use the electronic Q-bot pager style system instead. FACT CHECK: 10/10 Nice little bit of reporting by SS on this one.

14. (8/17/07) We’ve been sent an anonymous tip that this could be the last season for Déjà Vu, claiming that all three of the Six Flags rides may be removed this winter. Can anyone local confirm this rumor? FACT CHECK: 5/10 2007 was in fact Déjà vu’s last season at SFOG and SFGAm. SFMM’s Déjà vu is still alive and well.

15. (9/5/07) Finally most of our sources have all reported in again and most are now in agreement that Splashwater Falls will indeed be removed along with Déjà Vu. The list includes the likely removal of Spaceship America all together along with the removal of the Go-Karts this year or next to make room for another future project Iron Wolf is also an item of some debate… with some claiming it’s life could be coming to an end in the next few years while others claim it may be given some capital to freshen it up, get repainted in all new colors (Silver, Blue and Purple), and possibly see about buying some new trains. As always the fate of the Whizzer comes up whenever people talk about removing older rides… and the Whizzer is really the last of its kind in the country. While that makes it unique… it also makes it a bigger headache to maintain and obtain new parts for. FACT CHECK: 5/10 SWF and DV where removed in the 2007 off-season and SSA was removed prior to the 2010 season, The rumors about Iron Wolf and Whizzer are constantly being talked about in the park, and recently IW has seen an up-tick in the rumor mill. Whizzer as you’ve read earlier has been “on the chopping block” since 2005.

16. B&M Dive Machine - Rumor - (9/7/07) I’ve been hearing more and more whispers throughout the summer claiming that after getting a feel for the parks for two summers now, the new Six Flags management has come to realize that no matter how hard they try to change the image of Six Flags, the one thing Six Flags is known for is the rides. If my spy network is hearing things right, it seems Six Flags Great America is in line to receive Six Flags’ first B&M Dive Machine as early as 2009. FACT CHECK: 0/10 while the SWF area of SFGAm remains to this day vacant, the former DV site has Buccaneer Battle. This rumor like the now infamous “Tumbleweed” rumor was/is the more talked about coaster rumor SS uncovered in recent memory.

17. Hurricane Harbor Expansion - Rumor - (9/7/07) If the latest rumors are true, 2009 could be a year off good news / bad news. In On the good side we have the possible addition of a B&M Dive Machine and new rumors indicate possible plans to expand Hurricane Harbor to all new levels. On the bad side of the coin… we’ve heard that there is talk of making Hurricane Harbor a separate gate attraction much like how it’s done at Six Flags Magic Mountain and Great Adventure. FACT CHECK: 0/10 SFHH remains to this day, that same as it was in 2005 when it opened (FREE with admission) and since 2006 when the last SFHH addition was Tornado.

2008 through 2010 have seen rumors about more Hurricane harbor expansion(covered above), the addition of Chang(Not covered), and other various park news items including coverage of Little Dipper, Addition of new up charge attraction in County Fair and more SF related non-rumors and news.

Adding up all the “points” Screamscape comes out with a 65/170 (170 points being if everything SS reported being 100% accurate), or in other words, being right about 38% of the time with the rumors/news posted on the site.

Looking back at these rumors, it is quite clear that when it comes to the addition of a major coaster or expansion of Hurricane Harbor. Screamscape is wrong more often then not when it comes to reporting on these stories, However, they are more likely to be right on when it comes to stories about park improvements (Lo-Q, Wiggles) and right about half the time when it comes to stories about ride removals (Déjà vu, SWF SSA)

What can be gained from this Fact Check? That is for you the reader to decide.

Thank you for reading.

Galvan

I hope to make the Galvan Investigates post a feature here on SFGamWorld.com if you have some topics or items that you want to see featured here in the future, Let me know I maybe able to feature your story here soon!

[david]

Very Nice post Galvan! never knew they we're wrong so much. They seem to be much more accurate now. Such as the whole Chang thing that everyone thought was fake.

[Galvan]

There is a trend with the site, like I said. If you looking for Coaster rumors, probably not the best site to look at, but for Park rumors unrelated to additions of coasters. They are very good.

[Cole]

So are you pretty much saying we still have a good chance for Chang?

[thedemonclown]

Completely missing the point

[Cole]

No im not.

[onyxhotel08]

Most of the news they get these days are not breaking news by them.

[Galvan]

So are you pretty much saying we still have a good chance for Chang?

I am saying that when it comes to coaster rumors of any sort, Screamscape is not the best source to use. All Im doing is showing the past 6 years in rumors from this site and not looking to conclude anything from this fact finding.

[Galvan]

It should also be pointed out that the original plan for this thread was to fact check SS listings from SFMM,SFGAdv and CP as well as Great America but I backed off that idea after I found more then enough data for SFGam to make a legitimate story.

[w00dland]

I think Screamscape has gotten much more reliable within the past two or so years then they used to be. Most of the older members in here say that Screamscape cannot be a reliable source because back in 2004 that was ALWAYS the case. Today Screamscape gets it right often enough for people to trust the site a bit more. It's like a previous poster said in that Lance gets this information from others after it had already been mostly confirmed.

It's also a matter of taking things into context, when a post on screamscape doesn't have many details or mentions a "spy network" it's almost always wrong or sent in from some coaster dork who is trying to start a rumor ala "Tumbleweed."

Great Post though, Galvan, good work and made a good point to younger members.

[Coaster Justin]

How did you remember all of this?

I'd Like to Hear some Six-Flags In General Rumors since 97 or so.

[[jonrev]]

How did you remember all of this?

He probably used this.

[acquaz10]

Galvan you do realize that plans change right? Lance is hit and miss with a few things but he's getting more and more accurate because his sources are getting better. Plans are changing constantly.

Screamscape is the most reliable when it comes to breaking the news. It just seems that some of you are upset about the Chang situation because he keeps reporting on how you're going to get a big coaster, yet it never happens. Not his fault, blame Six Flags.

[david]

When will you shut up about Chang?

[Cole]

^i agree. It seems like all you do nowadays is just come to our forum and rub in our faces that we arent getting Chang. STFU and leave.

[thedemonclown]

The chang rumor was originated on screamscape, so that's why I said bb was completely missing the point

[acquaz10]

When will you shut up about Chang?

What do you mean when will I shut the hell up about Chang? I just said the truth. Why don't you shut the hell up and stop being a little know it all. The topic is about Screamscape. Lance was the one who started the whole big thing about Chang in the first place. OF COURSE ITS GOING TO BE BROUGHT UP DAVID. Shut up kid. Really. When will you learn.

I'm done fighting with you on the forums. We all know this is going to end in a fight, it seems like you're the one who picks fights with people. I admit I started with you because you pissed me off when I was a lurker. But if you have anything else you want to say just PM me or something.

[david]

Every rumor starts somewhere. Lance doesn't start the rumors. Lance gets people who tell him about what could be happening and he posts it. He doesn't go out on a limb and say 'HEY! LET'S MAKE THIS UP!'

[Galvan]

As expected, I figured people would make the assumption that this thread has something to do with Chang, Which if you read what I wrote all it is, is a fact check from the last 6 years of rumors. Nothing more, nothing less.

Im not going to bash a site, which if you read what I wrote when the site was completely off base I never said anything derogatory towards them.

What this thread does do, and very well I believe, is since SS seems to be the source for A LOT of rumors, concepts whatever, this thread gives you the extra idea in the back of your head like... Hmm? maybe this idea isnt all that its cracked up to be. or... DAMN! theres a good chance this could happen.

As for plans changing, dont you think I already knew that? of course I know these things can change. Just look at the plan for Mr. Freeze to have been added at SFGAm instead of Raging Bull. It happens.

[david]

I thought the plans for Mr. Freeze died, so the next year we got Bull, and to make up for the launched coaster, and shuttle coaster void we got Vu' and V2.

[bizarroboy]

I thought the plans for Mr. Freeze died, so the next year we got Bull, and to make up for the launched coaster, and shuttle coaster void we got Vu' and V2.

I thought that also.

[onyxhotel08]

Vu...

[bizarroboy]

Vu...

I was sooooo close to getting on it, but it broke, I never had another chance

[Coaster Justin]

For Mr. Freeze, I Always read that because of Problems with the other 2, it was cancelled.


If you want to ride Vu, go to Silverwood, it's right there waiting for you to take a ride on it.

[monsterfan99]

It's a rumor site, nothing more nothing less. I figured others would treat it like any rumor site.