29yrswithaGApass Posted January 17, 2008 Report Share Posted January 17, 2008 We have all heard that Six Flags is reviewing all the rides in their parks and eliminating "inefficient" ones as a way of cost savings. I would assume "inefficient" could be defined in many ways including: - hard to maintain (older rides, lack of parts) - costly to maintain (ride mechanic intensive) - costly to operate mechanically (power demands, pumps, motors) - costly to operate labor-wise (large staff required) - unappealing (unpopular ride) The most recent removals include Batman and Robin: The Chiller and Movie Town Water Effect. Rumored removals for this year also include Fantasy Fling, Space Shuttle, Musik Express, and the Hand Trucks in Looney Tunes Seaport. The Parachutes and Flying Wave also seem like possible candidates to me. What other rides do you think are "at risk" of removal? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GAcoaster Posted January 17, 2008 Report Share Posted January 17, 2008 Skyride is always at risk, as it is labor intensive and maintenance intensive and one of the oldest rides in the park. Since most parks have already removed theirs, I worry that ours would end up on the chopping block. I also worry about Big Wheel. With the age of it, the manufacturer out of business, and SFNE losing their wheel, ours could be in danger. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
29yrswithaGApass Posted January 17, 2008 Author Report Share Posted January 17, 2008 The park's "original rides" are getting up there in age. - The Log Flume, Runaway Mine Train, and Flying Wave are the youngest because they were new rides in 1974. - The Giant Wheel and Fantasy Fling are a few years older because they were installed at other parks/fairs/expositions prior to GA and brought to the park in 1974 as "used". - The Sky Ride is even older dating back to the 1964/1965 NY World's Fair (even though it had several years off from 1965 to 1974). - The Carousel wins the award for the oldest with over 125 years of operation and its age is really starting to show. I think the Runaway Train is probably the safest out of all of these followed by the Log Flume. But with the recent removal of the Riptide Flume I guess nothing is 100% safe. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ray Posted January 17, 2008 Report Share Posted January 17, 2008 Its incredible to see how long some of these rides can last...especially the Carousel. It seems to me that over the next few years many of the rides that require high maintenance will end up leaving our park. I do see Space Shuttle, and Musik Express leaving in the next year or two. As for the Big Wheel and Flying Wave, they are some of the park's most popular family attractions (or at least they were when I was there). So why take them down? If it comes that these rides will HAVE to be taken down over the next few years, then I hope Six Flags has a plan to replace them all with more efficient rides. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Master Posted January 17, 2008 Report Share Posted January 17, 2008 (edited) I am afraid that SF may take out many rides and only put in a few replacements rides. Seems like that's what they have done so far. Enterprise, Riptide, Freefall, Chiller, and Splashdown have been removed in recent years and the park only got that new little kids plane ride and Dark Knight. Skull Mt may be in risk now since the park will now have two indoor coasters and Skull Mt is 12 years old. It is odd to put in a Dark Knight coaster at GAdv since it already has a indoor coaster. I would also say Houndini may be at risk since it is hard to maintain and is 9 years old. Edited January 17, 2008 by The Master Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
d a n n y Posted January 17, 2008 Report Share Posted January 17, 2008 I absoltely hate Space Shuttle. I wouldn't be dissaponted if Musik left, it feels very outdated to me. I'd be extremely disapponted if they got rid of the skyride, it's like a landmark to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ray Posted January 19, 2008 Report Share Posted January 19, 2008 (edited) I am afraid that SF may take out many rides and only put in a few replacements rides. Seems like that's what they have done so far. Enterprise, Riptide, Freefall, Chiller, and Splashdown have been removed in recent years and the park only got that new little kids plane ride and Dark Knight. Skull Mt may be in risk now since the park will now have two indoor coasters and Skull Mt is 12 years old. It is odd to put in a Dark Knight coaster at GAdv since it already has a indoor coaster. I would also say Houndini may be at risk since it is hard to maintain and is 9 years old. I wouldn't see Skull Mountain leaving anytime soon, because it does seem to be running well. But if it were too, maybe a dark ride themed to pirates or something would take over the building??? Edited January 19, 2008 by Ray Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redsoxfan0810 Posted January 19, 2008 Report Share Posted January 19, 2008 No way Skully is leaving soon. It's perfect for families, which is what they're focusing on, and it's very reliable. Skyride isn't leaving either, it is a landmark and I'm sure people appreciate getting a break from walking all the way across the park. Musik and Shuttle are old and troublesome, especially Shuttle. I would hate to se any more flats go, (despise it with a passion actually) but it wouldn't surprise me if they went. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Master Posted January 19, 2008 Report Share Posted January 19, 2008 (edited) One problem with the Skyride is that it is often closed due to weather but I hope that they will keep it and I am sure they will. I too think Skull Mt is probably low on the list of at risk rides but I still think it is at some risk, it really needs reroofing since even it's own waterfall leaks on the tracks let alone rain. Also I would say Rolling Thunder may be at "some risk" due to it being in rough shape and if it ends up needing a very major repair in the near future it's chances won't be great but it's risk of being removed are probably pretty low as of now. Most of the rides high on the at risk list would be easy to remove rides like flats while hard to remove rides such as coasters are probably more safe. Of course two years ago if somebody said Chiller was going to be removed within two years not many people would have believed it. Edited January 19, 2008 by The Master Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redsoxfan0810 Posted January 19, 2008 Report Share Posted January 19, 2008 Weather is a factor with any skyride. You can't avoid that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Master Posted January 19, 2008 Report Share Posted January 19, 2008 Weather is a factor with any skyride. You can't avoid that. Yep weather always going to be a problem for a Skyride and other tall rides, but at SFAW they used to have the same make Skyride as GAdv and AW ran their's in the rain. So some of it may be that NJ has stricter ride regulations than other states. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Up_Up_and_Away Posted January 20, 2008 Report Share Posted January 20, 2008 /\ I'd much rather be a patron at a park that exercises more caution than not enough... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Master Posted January 20, 2008 Report Share Posted January 20, 2008 (edited) Well you don't have to worry since SFAW is gone, besides only the skyride, train ride, and their indoor coaster where running in the rain and all the other rides where closed. It was just rain not windy so SFAW was being pretty safe. The real danger with a skyride is high winds swaying the cars and cable too much which GAdv gets a lot of being next to a lake while SFAW was in the middle of Houston so alot less wind. Last year on the Log Flume in GAdv a employee used the Estop on top of the last lift hill so he could dump water on the log in front of my log (looked they might have been his friends in the other log). Then they had a hard time restarting the Flume after messing around like that so that was not exercising much caution either. Edited January 20, 2008 by The Master Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JetsDevs4Lyf Posted February 11, 2008 Report Share Posted February 11, 2008 Skyride is always at risk, as it is labor intensive and maintenance intensive and one of the oldest rides in the park. Since most parks have already removed theirs, I worry that ours would end up on the chopping block. I also worry about Big Wheel. With the age of it, the manufacturer out of business, and SFNE losing their wheel, ours could be in danger. IN all honesty I think that if we were to lose these two rides it would ruin the park for me. Usually when I am there I make sure I get on both if at all possible (although the skyride is usually a crapshoot with the winds) before I am done for the day. I really think that they are park anchors at this point as nothing could really replace either of them. While I understand they are both very labor intensive (and the Big Wheel's Manufacturer no longer is around for support) I think that the rides are still loved by many in the parks based on the lines I have seen when riding. I hope the park realizes how much we all love these two staples. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
29yrswithaGApass Posted February 11, 2008 Author Report Share Posted February 11, 2008 I agree with you Chris. In addition to two great rides, they provide some of the best views of the park and are great for taking pictures. I would hate not being able to see the park from above. I was disappointed when they removed the Little Wheel (Phileas Fogg's Balloon Ride) because that elimiated the chance to see that whole section of the park from the air. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
d a n n y Posted February 11, 2008 Report Share Posted February 11, 2008 I don't think SM or Houdini would be leaving any time in the next 4 or 5 years. When I went in August, SM had a longer wait than Nitro. Houdini draws crowds for what it's worth, and it has good theming which is what seperates any Six Flags from Disney, Universal, BGE, etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JetsDevs4Lyf Posted February 13, 2008 Report Share Posted February 13, 2008 Houdini I think has its own little cult following, and you are right about the theming being good. Compared to some other rides in the park it is great, but it has been left without some needed attention for a while now. SM is just a great ride and I don't think has to worry much as it has become almost an anchor for the park. I do worry a lot about Rolling Thunder, however, as with the ride being so old it has to take a lot to keep it in shape just to run a few trains. I went on it twice last season and one time some poor people were stuck before the loading station as one of the trains would not depart the station when they tried. Not only was this stressful I'm sure for workers and patrons, but took away from part of the ride's appeal in that the trains were supposed to be racing. The second time we rode the ride only one side was open (the side that was busted the first time) even with the lines for the ride being quite impressive compared to what I have seen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Master Posted February 13, 2008 Report Share Posted February 13, 2008 (edited) I like Houdini and I hope they don't get rid of it but every year more of the effects are gone and it keeps getting more worn looking. Two years ago I think it was closed for most of the season including all of FF. If it ever breaks down for a long time like that again. With SM, the ride building is in poor shape, most of the effects and soundtrack are gone, there is a brand new indoor coaster being built, and SM is a spooky themed ride right next to a little kids area (which is probably why the loud soundtrack is gone). But Skull Mt hardly ever breaks down and is a fairly popular ride which are big +s for it. I do like SM but half the people who get off of it complain that it sucks, but I think those people who say that must have poor taste. Edited February 13, 2008 by The Master Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
29yrswithaGApass Posted February 13, 2008 Author Report Share Posted February 13, 2008 I love the Houdini ride and I think it's great that GA has one of the few in the United States. I went on the same ride in Tivoli Gardens several years back that was themed to trolls and it was lacking without the mystery and "haunted" theme of Houdini. In 1999, Houdini was one of the last rides of the "War on Lines" package to open and I remember walking out of the queue after my first ride on Houdini thinking that we really had evolved into the "Super Park" that they were promoting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JetsDevs4Lyf Posted February 13, 2008 Report Share Posted February 13, 2008 Wow don't ask me why but I suppose I wasn't thinking straight last night when I interpreted SM as SuperMan and not Skull Mountain which would leave my entire argument completely wasted so please disregard my comments on that one. It really is at a bad stage right now where the theming is being forgotten about and the ride just doesn't have the overall feel it once did. As I have said before in a few places I have actually ridden the ting where the entire inside was lit up and the ride was just a complete diaster from start to finish. With a new dark ride being put into place something really does need to be done with Skull Mountain Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BuddyChrist Posted February 13, 2008 Report Share Posted February 13, 2008 Wow don't ask me why but I suppose I wasn't thinking straight last night when I interpreted SM as SuperMan and not Skull Mountain which would leave my entire argument completely wasted so please disregard my comments on that one. It really is at a bad stage right now where the theming is being forgotten about and the ride just doesn't have the overall feel it once did. As I have said before in a few places I have actually ridden the ting where the entire inside was lit up and the ride was just a complete diaster from start to finish. With a new dark ride being put into place something really does need to be done with Skull Mountain Skull Mountain just needs some TLC where they close patch up seams where light comes through. I'd like to see the waterfall running more often this season. The Facade needs some touching up too as I see parts of it ripped away or falling off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rcji Posted February 13, 2008 Report Share Posted February 13, 2008 As far as roller coaster "at risks" I would say GASM. It still runs well but parts are harder and harder to get and its popularity is low. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Master Posted February 13, 2008 Report Share Posted February 13, 2008 Skull Mountain just needs some TLC where they close patch up seams where light comes through. I'd like to see the waterfall running more often this season. The Facade needs some touching up too as I see parts of it ripped away or falling off. I think why they don't run the waterfall much is because it leaks into the building, both up top on the roof and in the cave queue by the ground pool. Reroof the building and fix the leaky upper waterall pool on the roof. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GAcoaster Posted February 14, 2008 Report Share Posted February 14, 2008 Actually, there was a problem with the pump last season (I think the pipes froze early in the season) and no money to replace/fix it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BuddyChrist Posted February 14, 2008 Report Share Posted February 14, 2008 ^^There is a trough on that roof where the water flows through, and I've never seen any leaks in that area. And the water in the queue area is intended to cool guests off on hot summer days. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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