Hurricane Harbor is a nightmare

[sheried]

I purchased a season pass to Six Flags Great America and am very disappointed. I purchased the pass because of the new addition of Hurricane Harbor. Although my previous 3 visits this year were ok my visit yesterday was a nightmare. Two of the largest slides were again broken as they were on 2 of my previous visits. The waterpark has been filled beyond what is safe capacity every time I have been there. Yesterday was the worst. At 12:45 pm they shut the wavepool down for a safety check. They kept it closed for 45 minutes because the lifeguards were doing a control thing telling the crowd that unless everyone was at least 6 feet back it would not open. There was no where for the crowd to go. Wall to wall people. They finally opened it only to close it 15 minutes later for another safety check. We finally left at about 2:30 pm. On the way out our children asked to ride The Whizzer. Would'nt you know, the ride broke with at them top. What a day. It is obvious to me that the capacity of Hurricane Harbor is not 7100 as it states at the gate. If they are having safety problems because of the number of people they are letting in then they need to reevaluate their capacity number. What will it take? A tragedy???

[DejaVuGurl1203]

Yeah, the crowds got very large in HH yesterday. I didn't really mind it too much though. The slides I think you are talking about, one of them actually opened around 1 or so. I was disappointed that they were closed though, and once I saw that one was open I wanted to ride it but the line was too long.

I know the capacity is large, but I can deal with it.

[rctfan1556]

My suggustion is to get their around 10 that way your in at 11. Ride the slides you can before the huge crowds come a bit later then hang around in the main park for the rest of the day. The lines in the main park should be less than HH.

[danieln84]

How do they know when they hit capacity, is someone checking the numbers on the TURN STILES when people walk in and out? they need to seriously LOWER capacity to an EXTREMELY low number. so the park can still have lots of guests but making the lines not so long

There is what i would change.

Lower Capacity to 5,000

Also, what would i do if say, I went out to my car to EAT FOOD and the park hit CAPACITY while i was there? would they tell me i couldnt go back in? they seriously need to do something with like a WRIST BAND or something. or have the people who plan on reenter NOT GO THROUGH the Turn Gates. that way it still shows your "In the water park" so that they dont let more people in the park. THAT Is what i think., ALSO alot of guests are not even participating in the park. Just walking around and hanging out!!!

They need to DIS-CONTINUE letting people WALK THROUGH!!!!

that takes up Capacity numbers as well

[StealthNet]

This reminds me of my thread to expand Hurricane Harbor... We haven't even reached July yet, which is the busiest month where the lines will be huge to even enter the waterpark.

http://www.sfgamworld.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=3749

[sfgam05]

I've never gone to hurricane harbor(not yet anyways) but I dont plan to go anytime soon. It always looks packed. I was on the lift hill of viper and I noticed a huge crowd in hurricane harbor. Big lines and ignorant people piss me off, not saying everyone in hh is ignorant its just that that some people tend to be a holes. It seems cool though, might go, maybe.

[themanoftheland8]

I would say that HH disappointed me as well. I have been to Noahs Ark and I think that HH just doesn't have as many good slides. I thought Wahoo Racers would be more like the plunge, but they were much slower. I did enjoy the body slides though.

[da rcman2001]

They need to make the park less crowded by increasing the capacity of the park, not lowering it. This can be done by adding more slides and by buying more rafts for the lazy river. I think it is absolute crap that they expect people to buy rafts, and then after waiting in line for 20 minutes because they didnt, kick them out of the lazy river after 1/2 lap.

[Galvan]

You make it seem like its the worst thing ever... "Oh its a tragady... oh boo hoo"

First of all its 94 degrees outside, what do you expect the crowds at a WATERPARK to be? Light?

Secondly, regaurding saftey, id rather have SF play it safe with safety then have someone drown in the wave pool or otherwise.


Sorry you had a bad day at the park, but calling it "a nightmare and a tragedy" was a little heavy on the Melodramatic

[Chitown]

As Mike said, it's been in the 90's which is early for this time of year.

My guess is that they wanted to test the waters (no pun intended) the first year to see what type of turnout they are going to get as far as crowds go in HH. If the whole summer turns out to be max capacity, you know they will expand on the waterpark.

[EagleFan344]

Your kids got stuck on the Whizzer? I was on that train! Got an exit pass too

[CoasterDave316]

On Sunday the line for the waterpark stretched all the way back to the new Southwest Territory games. The line was huge, and the last thing they need to do is decrease the capacity. Your not going to go to a waterpark on a 90 degree day and not have to wait in lines for the slides, it's not going to happen.

[Coaster Alex0805]

Is Six flags great america really getting Tornado? When I was at Six Flags last which was the 22. I noticed that they still hade the fence up next to the parking lot where they built all the water slides. Is that are still roped off and does anyone have a picture of it?

[StealthNet]

Hopefully Chitown is right, and given the business we have seen... "Phase 2" might be where the barricaded parking lot currently is.

[SFGA 11]

^ I just checked the webcam yesterday to see if it was still on the site and it looks like they repaved that section of the parking lot and cars are now there.
EDIT:I just checked now and it is back to January 26

[CoasterDave316]

Yeah that section of the parking lot is now open again....it was being used for preferred parking now.

[rctfan1556]

If their is going to be an expansion, don't hold your breath on it, then they could always clear that part of the parking lot again and expand.
Don't get excited over any expansion at this time because we don't know if it will even happen.

As for the Tornado, STOP BELIVEING SCREAMSCAPE! It would be cool to have one of them.

[Raging_Bull]

I was on the Whizzer Train that got stuck at the top too around that time, and my question is how can you complain about being stuck on the most comfortable coaster in the park for 5 minutes, and getting an exit pass out of it??? That was a great breakdown, got a night ride on Vu with the exit pass.

[EagleFan344]

I was on the Whizzer Train that got stuck at the top too around that time, and my question is how can you complain about being stuck on the most comfortable coaster in the park for 5 minutes, and getting an exit pass out of it??? That was a great breakdown, got a night ride on Vu with the exit pass.

[SIC COASTER]

As for the Tornado, STOP BELIVEING SCREAMSCAPE! It would be cool to have one of them.

Ummmm the hole is already dug out and the footers are already in. Right now they filled the hole in with sand.

[greatamerica2003]

I went to Hurricane Harbor today and spend about 5 hours there. Myself and my companions had A GREAT TIME!! Yes, not all the slides were open, but the lines weren't bad, the guards were very polite and easy to talk to, and there were more than enough lounge chairs for people. Skull Island is awesome, even for somebody like me in their 20's.

You just have go during the week. For those of you who go during the weekend and complain, thats your own fault.

[Aero737]

How do they know when they hit capacity, is someone checking the numbers on the TURN STILES when people walk in and out? they need to seriously LOWER capacity to an EXTREMELY low number. so the park can still have lots of guests but making the lines not so long

There is what i would change.

Lower Capacity to 5,000

Also, what would i do if say, I went out to my car to EAT FOOD and the park hit CAPACITY while i was there? would they tell me i couldnt go back in? they seriously need to do something with like a WRIST BAND or something. or have the people who plan on reenter NOT GO THROUGH the Turn Gates. that way it still shows your "In the water park" so that they dont let more people in the park. THAT Is what i think., ALSO alot of guests are not even participating in the park. Just walking around and hanging out!!!

They need to DIS-CONTINUE letting people WALK THROUGH!!!!

that takes up Capacity numbers as well

Lowering capacity will just leave angry people and families out on the midway waiting in the hot line. Nobody wants that to happen. Six Flags doesn't cater to enthusiasts who just want things better for themselves.

Why should Six Flags issue wristbands? So you can leave the waterpark and go outside to burgerking and not spend money inside Six Flags and expect to get right back in? I don't think so. They WANT you to spend money in the park, eat at the hurricane harbor stalls, and drink their overpriced alcohol. Again, Six Flags doesn't cater to enthusiasts.

Why should they stop letting people just 'walk through' the waterpark? Next time I go to six flags I am going to make a point to just 'walk through'. SORRY if I inconvience an selfish enthusiasts who just wants to get more and more rides in. Sorry if people just want to take in the scenery and enjoy themselves. Someone who just walks through, maybe gets something to eat, isn't hurting anything. Infact, thats just 1 fewer person in the lines for the slides.

Not to try and pick on you, but your solutions to common issues at Six Flags always favor you instead of the general public. Stop being selfish, and take a look at the real world. Six Flags makes money on people, and inconviencing them just leads to money loss.

And Yes, they do check the numbers on the turnstyles. What, do you think they hand count on their fingers every person who walks In? Turnstyles are there for one and only one reason, to count the number of people in the park. They aint there for looks.

[scbb11Sketch]

I was there today, and it was great. It was my first time, and the lines were not bad. The wavepool was a huge letdown, though, because the waves are absolutely nothing. The tube slides were okay, but they should not have one line for all four. Most people didn't even go on the Hammerhead and Barracuda, so there could be a separate line for those while others go on the atomic slides. The body slides were amazing, and even the slides in Skull Island were great. It's alot of fun spraying people walking below you.
All in all, I think the water park is good, but is still not the best I had thought it would be. The family raft ride line is insane, and slides in back need to be opened soon.
Now for my question - I noticed that to the north of the waterpark, there were a bunch of trucks and supplies with people milling around. What is that land going to be used for?

[greatamerica2003]

I was there today, and it was great. It was my first time, and the lines were not bad. The wavepool was a huge letdown, though, because the waves are absolutely nothing. The tube slides were okay, but they should not have one line for all four. Most people didn't even go on the Hammerhead and Barracuda, so there could be a separate line for those while others go on the atomic slides. The body slides were amazing, and even the slides in Skull Island were great. It's alot of fun spraying people walking below you.
All in all, I think the water park is good, but is still not the best I had thought it would be. The family raft ride line is insane, and slides in back need to be opened soon.
Now for my question - I noticed that to the north of the waterpark, there were a bunch of trucks and supplies with people milling around. What is that land going to be used for?

Just an area where there is some construction debris that hasn't been cleaned up.

Aero, that is the BEST post you ever made. And I am not being sarcastic.
BOO YAH!!!

[Binks Drake]

Yes, There are lots of construction things going on there (The North side) I'm guessing that if there is a phase two, They will build some waterslides on that hill with entrances near the Wave Pool. The Old lot has already been paved and is used for parking again.

They have also added some lawn chairs behind Bahama Mama and Bubba Tubba (the North Side) and Chairs in the sand where the Tornado Pool is going to be.