Stupid Guest Tricks

Hmmm....the original Six Flags certainly sounds better than the one in my neck of the woods (Six Flags Over New England). I was somewhat disappointed with it. While technically the "oldest" Six Flags park, it had been another amusement park (Riverside) for just about all of the 20th century (bought by Six Flags/Premier Parks in the late 90s).

Unfortunately I also kept comparing it to the WDW/DLR/IoA theme parks, which of course was a foolish notion to begin with...

Ho-say wrote:Hmmm....the original Six Flags certainly sounds better than the one in my neck of the woods (Six Flags Over New England). I was somewhat disappointed with it. While technically the "oldest" Six Flags park, it had been another amusement park (Riverside) for just about all of the 20th century (bought by Six Flags/Premier Parks in the late 90s).

Unfortunately I also kept comparing it to the WDW/DLR/IoA theme parks, which of course was a foolish notion to begin with...

Once you've experienced a Disney park, others are never the same...

BRWombat wrote:Once you've experienced a Disney park, others are never the same...

How so true. A couple of years ago before we opened the gates at TL I was talking to a family from Texas. They mentioned how they lived only about a 30 minute drive from Schlitterbahn and how wonderful it was. I happened to recognize the family when they were on their way out and I was at the exit turnstiles and asked them what they thought, and was told they decided they had a new favorite water park, that really there was no comparison.

Ho-say wrote:Hmmm....the original Six Flags certainly sounds better than the one in my neck of the woods (Six Flags Over New England). I was somewhat disappointed with it. While technically the "oldest" Six Flags park, it had been another amusement park (Riverside) for just about all of the 20th century (bought by Six Flags/Premier Parks in the late 90s).

Unfortunately I also kept comparing it to the WDW/DLR/IoA theme parks, which of course was a foolish notion to begin with...

I went to Riverside all of my youth, and have to say that though I go more now then I did then (only cause I can't go to Disney that often, lol), I much preferred it as Riverside than as Six Flags. Maybe it was all the old rides that are no long there, or that I was with my family and cousins, lol.

Cheshire Figment wrote:How so true. A couple of years ago before we opened the gates at TL I was talking to a family from Texas. They mentioned how they lived only about a 30 minute drive from Schlitterbahn and how wonderful it was. I happened to recognize the family when they were on their way out and I was at the exit turnstiles and asked them what they thought, and was told they decided they had a new favorite water park, that really there was no comparison.

Depends if themes are important, Schlitterbahn kinda has a theme. Having been to TL, BB and Schlitterbahn, I would say that Schlitterbahn has a slight edge due to the various slides, however I have not been to TL since they got the water coaster (from Schlitterbahn no less!), so my opinion could change.

If you add in themes, TL or BB wins.

I'm immune to the constant dribbling of basketballs in amusement parks, having cut my teeth at Six Flags Great America where it is just accepted as a constant. Heck, even Mr. Syndrome would get into the action. I can't complain that he always insisted on winning a ball as I had mastered a couple of games (hoola hoops and quarter pitch) and always won at least one giant plush. I can't say our fellow park goers were terribly civil though. Line jumping was so bad that they literally gave you numbered tickets as you entered the line to prevent it. But SGs would STILL jump the line and then get into major self-righteous arguments with the workers when caught.

I've always loved TL's theming. When I married Mr. Syndrome, we'd go to Wisconsin Dells a lot. Noah's Ark in the Dells is a great park for rides, but I'd always yammer on and on about the lack of theming. He never understood until I finally dragged him to FL and he saw for himself.

BRWombat wrote:Ding, ding, ding! We have a winner! :D:

This original Six Flags park was always themed pretty well, with sections of the park themed to each of these six periods in Texas history. That's not emphasized as much any more, though the original sections are there along with a few new ones (Boomtown, Looney Tunes USA, Goodtimes Square, Gotham City).

But the generic "six flags" logo, with the bland multi-color pennants and no tie to history, just can't compare.

At least here at Six Flags New England they get to fly the state flags of the six New England states...

About the only truly good thing about Riverside becoming Six Flags was the installation of Superman: Ride of Steel, one of the best steel coasters out there... Though they're adding an on-board soundtrack and trackside fire effects this year, and it's becoming "Bizarro". Ugh. (And the newly-purple track makes it look like it should be "Hannah Montana: The Ride") I'm withholding final judgement until I ride it, though.

As for basketballs, I think the solution is to give them out partially deflated so that they can't be bounced around the park. (I've heard stories from ride ops of wayward basketballs bouncing and rolling into the track in the station, hitting a sensor and causing it to go 101...)
They can then have a place to fill the basketballs for free *outside* the park gates when you're leaving. (And then don't let the balls back into the park)

-Rob

Rob562 wrote:As for basketballs, I think the solution is to give them out partially deflated so that they can't be bounced around the park. (I've heard stories from ride ops of wayward basketballs bouncing and rolling into the track in the station, hitting a sensor and causing it to go 101...)
They can then have a place to fill the basketballs for free *outside* the park gates when you're leaving. (And then don't let the balls back into the park)

-Rob

I love it -- and I'd really love to be around on the first day watching a bunch of confused kids carrying around half-inflated basketballs all day!

Since this is a simple and sensible solution, you realize it has almost zero chance of ever being adopted, right?

Nah, the SG's would try to dribble the ball and when it went SPLAT instead, they would argue that they were given a defective ball and demand a new one.

:)