We are living through the first "dark era" of SFGAm

[RemoveShapiro,NotVu]

I have been a fan of the park since it opened. When I was a kid, there was always a buzz about this park. As an adult working with kids in the last decade, there was always a buzz about the park. But over the last year or 2, the buzz has gone to nothing. I almost never hear the kids talk about the park. Simply stated, the park has done nothing exciting over the last half decade, since the water park, and they eliminated one of their absolute premier attractions. I ask you this...if six flags had gone 7 years between 94 and 01 without adding a new coaster, would you have been excited to ride Shockwave, Iron Wolf, Demon, etc in 01? Of course not, by 01, Shockwave was on the verge of death and was generally hated, as was Wolf. Rides get old and boring after a decade. Unfortunately, that's where things stand now for the Bull (eleven years old), V2 (9 years), and other coasters, which are, quite frankly, not as thrilling as they were when people hadn't ridden them 500 times before. The park feels like its slowly fading into irrelevance for the first time in its history. Just as a refresher, here's a list of their "thrilling" attraction additions. Note, there are only two periods (78-79, 93-94) where the park went 2 consecutive years without adding a thrill ride before 04. Those periods either preceeded or came directly after a record breaker. Assuming no thrill ride next year, that will make 8 straight seasons without a significant thrill attraction, and 6 straight seasons without a "big-time" new attraction. (05 waterpark being the last).


76 Demon
78 Tidal Wave
81 American Eagle
83 Edge
85 Z-Force
87 Power Dive
88 Shockwave
90 Iron Wolf
92 Batman The Ride
95 Viper
97 Giant Drop
99 Bull
01 V2, Deja Vu
03 Superman
04-11--Barren Wasteland

What else have we gotten during the Shapiro "dark era"? Nonstop pop music, ads everywhere, including on the roller coasters, lockers where we have to play to store our stuff, 2 additions that were complete bombs (TDK, Buccaneer Battle) and not one successful addition, and the removal of a coaster that was the favorite coaster of many, including myself.

I hope this park can make a comeback.

[6Flags4Evr]

I agree with you. The park has indeed been in a "dark era" for a very long time. Although we haven't recieved a major thrill ride in almost seems like forever, that has't stoped the crowds from pouring into the park. My last couple of visits to the park have been nothing but crowds, crowds, and more crowds. Even though the park has not had, in my opinion anything new (since all the new attractions have done really nothing to the park) people still come to the park all the time for the same reasons we do to keep riding all the coasters are park has to offer and also take a little dip into the water park.

[monsterfan99]

Nothing says dark days like new rides Try asking parks like Alabama Adventure, Six Flags America and the other Great America what dark days really are.

I would like to request an smilie that is ranting until their head explodes.

[BP317]

04-11--Barren Wasteland

In 04-08 they filled more gaps in the park that they neglected/needed to for years than they did in any of those previous years. 2004 = re-do a dead area of the park. 2005 = new waterpark (that has increased attendance way more than any new coaster). 2006 = new slide. 2007 = new kids area replaced the horrible tent area. 2008 = much needed indoor family coaster that can be open in all weather conditions (Whizzer and Cajun have to close in light rain).

[Goku1910]

Whizzer is actually ANY rain. Cajun is light. And any coaster with 3 trains is light rain as well.

[6Flags4Evr]

Ok sure maybe dark days doesn't mean we don't get new attractions but really how many of you honestly really enjoy riding DK, BB, Wiggles World attractions, and so on. Excluding the Water Park because that was probably the best decision the park ever made.

[BP317]

You are I don't enjoy all of them but other people do, that was the problem in the first place. If all the attractions are thrill rides made for people like you and I there would be nothing for anyone else to do. If there is one thing I would criticize SF for even now is still not making the commitment to their guests who do not go on the thrill rides, no park should close a bunch of attractions on any given day. Also be more adequately staffed: a ride like Rue Le Dodge can be run by 1 person and it gets one of the longest lines in the park, has an unorthodox height requirement, and a large ride area.

[monsterfan99]

Ok sure maybe dark days doesn't mean we don't get new attractions but really how many of you honestly really enjoy riding DK, BB, Wiggles World attractions, and so on. Excluding the Water Park because that was probably the best decision the park ever made.

I enjoy TDK greatly as it is a smooth ride out of the sun. Thing is, the market for Wiggle's World, TDK and BB are families. Unless you are a parent of a child ages 2-8, people here are not the target market.

[Galvan]

Oh boy, another rant and rave about how boring the park has gotten, and how theres nothing thrilling at SFGAm.

Theres usually one of these threads a month.

And just like the others.

Lets move along here