3r1c
Posts: 5466
Registered: 6/7/2003
Rank: Platinum Critic
|
 7/13/2003 10:42:00 AM
Ok it's not a piece of crap (but I did think it was after my first few rides), but I do think Nitro is overrated.
Six Flags Great Adventure would be my first Six Flags park, and I would also get to ride my first flying and floorless coasters, Batman clone, as well as my first Togo sit-down. Nitro would also be the tallest and fastest coaster I've been on.
Overall: I kept an open mind about the park, even after hearing all the negativity about it. However after the visit, I think that all of that negativity is deserved. Frontier Adventures was the only area that I really liked, everywhere else it was either dirty or it looked like crap. Lots of the rides didn't look like they were being well maintained, and the employees sucked. Plus, many rides didn't open until mid-afternoon and many closed around dinner or before. Maybe I'm spoiled by parks like Hershey, Dorney and Knoebels, but I think that this is perhaps the worst park I've visited. Although I didn't like the park I still had a nice day, as the coasters are awesome.
Staff: They sucked. Are all Six Flags employees stoned? 'Cause it sure looked like they were, and seeing as how slow they moved, I wouldn't be suprised if they actually were. What could have been a 15 mintue wait for Robin turned out to be about 35 minutes. Stacking was everywhere and a few times there were 2 trains stacked and one train in the station on Nitro and Medusa. There was also an old jerk at the park entrance who seemed extremely pissed for no reason. A bunch of employees would also sit in the coaster before the gates open to board. Lazzyyyy. The one good thing I saw the staff do was try and get this overweight man into Nitro. They tried for a few minutes, and all the trains were stacked and many people were getting irritated, and they were still trying. Gotta give them props for that.
Wait Times/Crowds: The crowds were non-exisitant until around 2:00. The longest wait was 35 minutes for Batman and Robin: The Chiller. It could've been shorter, but the ride operators were extremely slow. But they were this way with every coaster almost. Nitro was about a 30 minute wait for the front, and a 20 minute wait for any other seat. Medusa was a walk-on most of the day. Batman: The Ride was a 30 minute wait when it opened around dinner, and a walk-on shortly after. A ton of rides were not open, or were only open a few hours.
Coasters: This is where Six Flags shines. Their collection is awesome! If only the park experience lived up to their coasters...
Nitro - After riding Apollos Chariot, I was really excited to ride Nitro. The layout is visually impressive, as well as the color scheme. I took my first ride in the back. The drop was impressive (one of the best), but I felt the rest of the ride (aside from the helix) was a complete bore. I didn't recieve any airtime in the beginning, and in the bunny hops I recieve just a tiny bit. Needless to say I extremely dissappointed, and I decided to try it again towards the front. I sat in the 3rd row and had a much better ride. Still not one of my favorites yet though.
Later on, Sheryl and I decided to take a front row seat, which was a 25 minute wait. Hanging over the first drop in the front is insane - and a little scary. Before you know it, your racing down and up the next hill and turn to the left before once getting flying down. There was some floater air on the next hill, but it was barely noticable. The hammerhead is great - my favorite part of the ride. The next hill offers a little floater air, and the next park (the helix) is extremely intense, as I "grayed" out. The bunnys actually offered some airtime this time.
When we hit the breaks, I felt Nitro was a great ride, but still overrated. Maybe a point ejector air would've made this ride my favorite, but it just popped in at #6. 9/10.
Best Part: Hammerhead. Rides: 5
Medusa - This was my favorite ride at Great Adventure
|
Horizons12
Posts: 4860
Registered: 8/16/2002
Rank: Extragalactic Invader
|
7/13/2003 1:33:00 PM
Since this is my home park I have evolved to expect nasty ride ops everywhere lol
|
smk
Posts: 1123
Registered: 6/26/2001
Rank: Platinum Critic
|
7/13/2003 2:08:00 PM
Seems to be the trend with Six Flags parks. I went to SFA last year, and loved the rides but the staff was horrible, just like you described.
|
Red Rascal
Posts: 7284
Registered: 1/28/2003
Rank: Croatian Critic
|
7/13/2003 8:40:00 PM
Good TR. Yeah, Medusa is one hell of a ride, but not better than Knight Flight.
|
3r1c
Posts: 5466
Registered: 6/7/2003
Rank: Platinum Critic
|
7/14/2003 12:02:00 PM
I was going to go to SFWoA but I think I'll probably go to Kennywood instead now.
|
Red Rascal
Posts: 7284
Registered: 1/28/2003
Rank: Croatian Critic
|
7/14/2003 12:44:00 PM
WoA has a better coaster selection. Just KF beats every coaster at Kennywood.
|
3r1c
Posts: 5466
Registered: 6/7/2003
Rank: Platinum Critic
|
7/14/2003 1:08:00 PM
Yeah, but I'm going with my family, so I think Kennywood would be better.
|
Red Rascal
Posts: 7284
Registered: 1/28/2003
Rank: Croatian Critic
|
7/14/2003 2:26:00 PM
Why? WoA offers a waterpark, kiddie areas, sealife, wildlife and great shows, including the killer whale show.
|
smk
Posts: 1123
Registered: 6/26/2001
Rank: Platinum Critic
|
7/14/2003 2:51:00 PM
Kennywood offers the advantage of not being a Six Flags park. 
--------------------
In weightlifting, I don't think that sudden, uncontrolled urination should disqualify you.
|
Red Rascal
Posts: 7284
Registered: 1/28/2003
Rank: Croatian Critic
|
7/14/2003 2:57:00 PM
Yeah, and that advantage is not having many rollercoasters and rides.
|
smk
Posts: 1123
Registered: 6/26/2001
Rank: Platinum Critic
|
7/14/2003 3:03:00 PM
And reasonable prices and staff that don't treat you like a wad of gum stuck to the bottom of their shoe.
|
bb_dg
Posts: 3568
Registered: 7/31/2001
Rank: Site Moderator
|
7/14/2003 3:14:00 PM
yea, KW is probably better (havent been to SFWoA but ive been to other SFI parks). the prices are the best out there and food is about the same as it is outside the park. it has a better atmosphere and all the coasters are awesome. plus if you like classic woodies youll love it (and if you dont, youll love classic woodies after going)
|
Danny
Posts: 6316
Registered: 5/23/2003
Rank: Platinum Critic
|
7/15/2003 10:48:00 AM
I've never been to WoA, but I really think Kennywood is a wonderful family park.
|
Red Rascal
Posts: 7284
Registered: 1/28/2003
Rank: Croatian Critic
|
 7/15/2003 11:23:00 AM
Do you expect world class service from people who get paid minimum wage?
Quote:
smk said:
...and staff that don't treat you like a wad of gum stuck to the bottom of their shoe. |
--------------------
If you don't know me, don't judge me
Coaster count: 88
|
3r1c
Posts: 5466
Registered: 6/7/2003
Rank: Platinum Critic
|
7/15/2003 12:35:00 PM
Quote:
Big Red said:
Do you expect world class service from people who get paid minimum wage? |
At Knobels, Dorney, and Hershey, yeah. And they deliever it.
|
Red Rascal
Posts: 7284
Registered: 1/28/2003
Rank: Croatian Critic
|
7/15/2003 12:47:00 PM
Yeah, or they'll get fired, but not at Six Flags. They'll hire anyone.
|
3r1c
Posts: 5466
Registered: 6/7/2003
Rank: Platinum Critic
|
7/15/2003 12:58:00 PM
Which is why they're crap. If you're gonna treat guests like a wad of gum stuck to the bottom of their shoe (in smk's words) then how do you expect anyone to come back?
Message updated 7/15/2003 12:59:00 PM by 3r1c
|
Red Rascal
Posts: 7284
Registered: 1/28/2003
Rank: Croatian Critic
|
7/15/2003 1:04:00 PM
They don't come for the damn workers. They come for the rides!
|
Horizons12
Posts: 4860
Registered: 8/16/2002
Rank: Extragalactic Invader
|
7/15/2003 1:05:00 PM
yeah, I don't care about the workers unless they try to bludgen me with something cuz the lap bar wont open.
--------------------
"if it is just us, it seems like an awful waste of space." -Contact
"Open the pod bay doors HAL" -2001: Space Odyessy
|
3r1c
Posts: 5466
Registered: 6/7/2003
Rank: Platinum Critic
|
7/15/2003 1:08:00 PM
Quote:
Big Red said:
They don't come for the damn workers. They come for the rides! |
Why won't my youth group, parents and a bunch of friends go back to Great Adventure? Why do Six Flags attendence numbers keep slipping when they add 5 coasters in one year and tons of flats? Because the employees/service is crap!
|
Red Rascal
Posts: 7284
Registered: 1/28/2003
Rank: Croatian Critic
|
7/15/2003 1:12:00 PM
Why do you even make contact with the workers?
|
3r1c
Posts: 5466
Registered: 6/7/2003
Rank: Platinum Critic
|
7/15/2003 1:16:00 PM
Let's see, the employees on the coasters were slow, rude, looked stoned etc. and they weren't the greatest in the shops as they were following you behind the whole way through the store.
There's a reason why SF attendence numbers slip, it's because of bad service.
|
Red Rascal
Posts: 7284
Registered: 1/28/2003
Rank: Croatian Critic
|
7/15/2003 1:22:00 PM
They're just doing what they're told to do, not try to break a world record for the fastest loading time.
Quote:
Phoenix said:
Let's see, the employees on the coasters were slow... |
|
3r1c
Posts: 5466
Registered: 6/7/2003
Rank: Platinum Critic
|
7/15/2003 1:23:00 PM
Quote:
Big Red said:
They're just doing what they're told to do, not try to break a world record for the fastest loading time. |
But when all the trains are stacked continously on Medusa and Nitro? Sorry, that's just pathetic.
|
Red Rascal
Posts: 7284
Registered: 1/28/2003
Rank: Croatian Critic
|
7/15/2003 1:28:00 PM
I found the workers to be efficient on my visit earlier this year. If you found GAdv bad, don't go to WoA. Go to Kennywood, Thunderbolt, Racer and Exterminator are pretty good coasters. Don't expect too much out of this park.
|