Minor Updates, Rumors, and Happenings

[RobSFGAm]

DINOSAUR DRIVE-THRU coming next weekend (May 13, 2021 – June 6, 2021).
Some of the dinosaurs are already there and being put in place. This will be in the overflow parking lot.
This is an extra admission / tickets

https://www.dinosaurdrivethru.com

[coasterfanatic]

The dinosaur drive thru thing is not affiliated nor run by the park. It’s a third party company using Six Flags back lot to host the event. Tickets are like $55.


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[CoastsToCoasters]

The dinosaur drive thru thing is not affiliated nor run by the park. It’s a third party company using Six Flags back lot to host the event. Tickets are like $55.


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Which I think Is a ridiculous cost. The park itself has the cheapest tickets it has had in years. I understand it's third party but $20 per car for a drive through attraction makes more sense.

[CoasterRiderSC]

The dinosaur drive thru thing is not affiliated nor run by the park. It’s a third party company using Six Flags back lot to host the event. Tickets are like $55.


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Which I think Is a ridiculous cost. The park itself has the cheapest tickets it has had in years. I understand it's third party but $20 per car for a drive through attraction makes more sense.

Agree 100%! When I saw that price my first thought was "Who's gonna pay that??"

[RobSFGAm]

The dinosaur drive thru thing is not affiliated nor run by the park. It’s a third party company using Six Flags back lot to host the event. Tickets are like $55.


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Which I think Is a ridiculous cost. The park itself has the cheapest tickets it has had in years. I understand it's third party but $20 per car for a drive through attraction makes more sense.

Agreed that the price seems a bit high, bit when I went to the park today, Dinosaur Drive Thru was really busy. The entire course was full and then there were people waiting to get in the actual drive thru event. Even when I left it was just a busy.

[RobSFGAm]

The Scenic Railroad tracking is fully complete, so they should be able to open for Memorial Day.

[CoasterRiderSC]

The Scenic Railroad tracking is fully complete, so they should be able to open for Memorial Day.

Thanks for the update! That's great news and it's long overdue!

[Carlo]

The dinosaur drive thru thing is not affiliated nor run by the park. It’s a third party company using Six Flags back lot to host the event. Tickets are like $55.


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Which I think Is a ridiculous cost. The park itself has the cheapest tickets it has had in years. I understand it's third party but $20 per car for a drive through attraction makes more sense.

Agreed that the price seems a bit high, bit when I went to the park today, Dinosaur Drive Thru was really busy. The entire course was full and then there were people waiting to get in the actual drive thru event. Even when I left it was just a busy.

People are not paying the full price. They have a coupon code kid25 gives 25% off. So it's about $40 a car.

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[CoastsToCoasters]

If you go with four people, $10 a person isn't bad.


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[SFGAM_Hog]

Hi I haven’t been on for sooo long. I know this is discussed a lot but how long do you think Demon has left? I’ve gone to the park only a few times now so far this year and it looks like there is rarely ever a line, and the trains I see running don’t have many people in them. Does anyone think there’s enough room for a Jersey Devil *clone* or a raptor with that type of layout for Demon’s footprint? Before the Demon stans come for me, I know, it’d be sad to see it go because they still seem to care for the ride (the audio going into the tunnel and before the corkscrews) and it has a lot of charm, but it is rough. I’m 5’9” and the restraint is very uncomfortable on my shoulders. Demon is a great first upside down ride for kids, but I honestly don’t see it staying at the park for much longer.

[JaminOut]

I think it depends on what the company’s current motives. It seems that under the new CEO we will be seeing more minor updates and general improvements to the properties. This may extend to older attraction such as Demon. As such, I believe one of the following situations will occur:

A) Removal. I do not believe this will occur in the near future, if this occurs. This is mainly speculative, but Roaring Rapids is not opening this season and all of its signs have been removed. I’m not sure if this is an annual process for opening and closing the ride, but this is the first time I’ve noticed it. Additionally, other rides have lower ridership (Buccaneer Battle). It would be wise for Great America to focus on this space (and potentially the Go Karts) for redevelopment first.

B) Renovation. This possibility I believe is fully reliant on how Six Flags felt about the success of the Blue Hawk conversion at Over Georgia. If ridership increased and maintenance costs decrease by the combined necessary margins to break even on the investment, I believe Great America would go this route.

C) Remain. Maybe the explicit and implicit costs (including opportunity costs) of removal or renovation currently outweigh the benefits. Until there is good reason for the operational status of the tide to change, no major actions will occur against the ride.

My preference would be a renovation. Demon was my first non-kiddie coaster (even before Whizzer), so I would hate to see it go. It’s basically the coaster that made me an enthusiast. The ride could be made far more comfortable with new trains, renovating the station, and adding special effects (fog in the first tunnel, new LED lights in the second, turning the waterfall back on with corrosion prevention measures for the underlying track) are fairly low cost and not too expensive to maintain. I believe marketing a renovation of this classic would be highly marketable (more so than Blue Hawk was) due to this ride’s history with the park.

Those are just my two cents.

[SFGAM_Hog]

My preference would be a renovation. Demon was my first non-kiddie coaster (even before Whizzer), so I would hate to see it go. It’s basically the coaster that made me an enthusiast. The ride could be made far more comfortable with new trains, renovating the station, and adding special effects (fog in the first tunnel, new LED lights in the second, turning the waterfall back on with corrosion prevention measures for the underlying track) are fairly low cost and not too expensive to maintain. I believe marketing a renovation of this classic would be highly marketable (more so than Blue Hawk was) due to this ride’s history with the park.

Those are just my two cents.

I agree, I’d like to see them renovate it more than anything! And about Roaring Rapids, I think I heard someone say a concrete pillar collapsed and that’s what they’ve been working on? I do find it weird that the sign is removed, but they could just be making touch ups to it.

[coasterfanatic]

My preference would be a renovation. Demon was my first non-kiddie coaster (even before Whizzer), so I would hate to see it go. It’s basically the coaster that made me an enthusiast. The ride could be made far more comfortable with new trains, renovating the station, and adding special effects (fog in the first tunnel, new LED lights in the second, turning the waterfall back on with corrosion prevention measures for the underlying track) are fairly low cost and not too expensive to maintain. I believe marketing a renovation of this classic would be highly marketable (more so than Blue Hawk was) due to this ride’s history with the park.

Those are just my two cents.

I agree, I’d like to see them renovate it more than anything! And about Roaring Rapids, I think I heard someone say a concrete pillar collapsed and that’s what they’ve been working on? I do find it weird that the sign is removed, but they could just be making touch ups to it.

From what I heard, Rapids needs quite a bit of work done. The plan is for them to refurbish the ride this season and reopen next season! While the removal of the sign is interesting, it’s not uncommon when refurbishing/closing a ride for a year.

Of course, anything could change between now and next year in terms of the plan for Rapids. The ride is very costly to maintain but is the most popular water attraction in the park. Only time will tell. I’m definitely a bit worried about it, but the plan is for it to reopen next year after a refurbishment.


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[JaminOut]

Between Rapids’ refurbishment and the situation with American Eagle’s trains, I think the next couple years of capital investments are going to be interesting. It feels like Eagle may only run red side this year as the blue trains have yet to make an appearance and with likely budget constraints due to covid I wouldn’t be surprised if they opt to just not open that side.

Are there any other minor planned capital investments the park is making? There was a teaser about a V2 repaint, correct?

[coasterfanatic]

I believe you are right. I did hear that only Eagle Red will operate this year too.

Sky Trek will be closed too but that’s covid related. The park needs some serious landscaping and stuff done as well, and other general upkeep so hoping they get that done.


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[JT2002]

Agreed hopefully the landscaping gets done, they're always a little short staffed and behind schedule to the effect.
The train will be the first big refurb (which maybe the track is done but the stations and train itself I hope got and are getting worked on, then rapids I think, and I really hope Eagle is next on the docket (then comes the flumes *gulp*).

I prefer this approach than just letting stuff sit and removing a thing a year to put in a new small ride tbh with less theming and character.

[RobSFGAm]

Yesterday the Train Station by Goliath they had all the chairs back (staked to one side) and it looked like they were doing refurb work to the station. The track is complete and they pulled the cars out from the tunnel next to the Demon. Train could open Memorial weekend as I believe that the work they left could easily be complete by then.
As for getting the park in order, it is going to be a struggle as they are having a hard time filling positions this year. Seeing that most people want to ride the rides, that is where they are putting staffing so other things will not be a focus. At least the staffing is not as bad as Cedar Point where they had to increase the pay from $10 to $20 and still cannot enough staff. Now they are going to a 5-day a week operating schedule through June.

[JackGlass]

$20 an hour is awesome. Hopefully Cedar Point makes that wage hike permanent

[anewman35]

Is a switch to Pepsi something that's officially happening? Seems like Six Flags making a deal like that would have press releases and stuff, and I can't find any...

[CoastsToCoasters]

Is a switch to Pepsi something that's officially happening? Seems like Six Flags making a deal like would have press releases and stuff, and I can't find any...

My questions exactly. Where is this info?!

[Airboss]

Was there all day yesterday. All coasters running full trains. No more hourly train sanitations. Masks only required on rides and in lines, not on the midways.

[UnclePennybags]

Was there all day yesterday. All coasters running full trains. No more hourly train sanitations. Masks only required on rides and in lines, not on the midways.

Happy to see this. Hoping for more if Illinois can make it to Phase 5.

Since last week, Six Flags Over Texas, Over Georgia, Fiesta Texas, St. Louis, New England, and Frontier City have lifted *all* masking requirements and no longer require reservations or temperature checks to get into the park. Same for Great Adventure and America, although both of these parks require masks indoors or while in queues or on rides.

Great America, Magic Mountain, and Discovery Kingdom have yet to post anything on Facebook, but it looks like we'll be seeing something before this summer heats up.

I really like going to the park on hot days, but wearing a mask in the dry park on a hot day would be too much for me. Looking forward to this summer.

[CoasterRiderSC]

Airboss - Thanks for the update!!!

[coasterfanatic]

Kind of disappointing to see the park hasn’t even mentioned today being the 45th birthday! While I know this season is technically the 46th season, since they couldn’t celebrate the 45th season last year, you think they would acknowledge or celebrate the 45th YEAR, this year

Seems like the same for Eagle, where they did mention its 40th birthday, but not going to do anything special for its 40th year.


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[JT2002]

$20 an hour is awesome. Hopefully Cedar Point makes that wage hike permanent

Lol six flags would never
They'd rather have like half the rides closed due to shortness of staff.