The State of the Park: Six Flags America

[horsesboy]

Had the day off today and decided that it would be a good day to break out my legacy pass and visit. I have been a big advocate over the years that SFA's reputation is unfair and that it's a far better park then many give it credit for being. I sadly most withdraw that opinion after today's visit. I was here for rode drop which happened 20 minutes after the posted time. Once the park finally did open almost every ride was closed with Superman and Joker the only two major coasters running for over the first two hours that the park was open and both running only one train ops at that. The park feels like a dieing park at the moment. I came on a 10 year old legacy gold pass and I still feel like I over paid.

 

[warfelg]

Had the day off today and decided that it would be a good day to break out my legacy pass and visit. I have been a big advocate over the years that SFA's reputation is unfair and that it's a far better park then many give it credit for being. I sadly most withdraw that opinion after today's visit. I was here for rode drop which happened 20 minutes after the posted time. Once the park finally did open almost every ride was closed with Superman and Joker the only two major coasters running for over the first two hours that the park was open and both running only one train ops at that. The park feels like a dieing park at the moment. I came on a 10 year old legacy gold pass and I still feel like I over paid.

Sadly - this was easy to see coming. A student of mine was SFA director of finance last summer. Across the board much of the individual park leadership was condensed into HQ rather than unique to each park. That person left working for SF because of all of it.

I can see a smaller chain try to jump on some of SF’s smaller parks. SFA is in a good location to hit up roadtrippers.

 

[Mushroom]

Sad to hear, especially with all of the reported changes the park’s new president is trying to make. Even though they all seem like small-budget improvements, like new seating areas and rethemed signs, it seems like at least somebody still cares about this place. That can’t make up for a third-closed park and almost nonexistent operations though.

I agree with @warfelg. Clearly the Six Flags model doesn’t work for this place. It seems like both the location and the “bones” of the park have so much more potential than are being realized right now. A buyer really ought to snatch this place up and begin the long process of turning it into a premier park for the DC/Maryland market and the many tourists the area gets.

 

[Nicole]

For what it is worth, I’m not sure it is well located to be a huge tourist draw, regardless. There is no easy way to metro there.

 

[horsesboy]

more rides did open later in the afternoon with every coaster and almost every flat open by 2 which seemed to be when the park started to get busier and they were scheduled to be open till 9 yesterday so maybe it was a crowd flow decision or staffing availability but it's still a really bad situation for the park.

 

[Zachary]

more rides did open later in the afternoon with every coaster and almost every flat open by 2 which seemed to be when the park started to get busier and they were scheduled to be open till 9 yesterday so maybe it was a crowd flow decision or staffing availability but it's still a really bad situation for the park.

2pm to 9pm actually sound like fairly sensible hours for SFA's dry park during the week. Maybe they need to consider cutting hours?

 

[horsesboy]

2pm to 9pm actually sound like fairly sensible hours for SFA's dry park during the week. Maybe they need to consider cutting hours?

Yeah I could see that working nicely for them. They had 11 to 9 listed as park hours with 11:30 to 6 as water park hours. I would see no issues with them open the main park later and just running the water park earlier in the day if that is what the crowd and cash flow dictates needs to be done for business just advertise that if that is what they are going to do.

 

[warfelg]

For what it is worth, I’m not sure it is well located to be a huge tourist draw, regardless. There is no easy way to metro there.

FWIW I was referencing highway access, position relative to population centers, and not far from hotels.

Metro - well don’t get me started on American attitude to public transit.

 

[Crunchewy]

On a related note, how are they preventing people from entering the water park without the appropriate ticket? Did they add a new gate? I think any park with Wild One is a premier park. I will just plan to go later when I do go this year.

 

[horsesboy]

On a related note, how are they preventing people from entering the water park without the appropriate ticket? Did they add a new gate? I think any park with Wild One is a premier park. I will just plan to go later when I do go this year.

They have employees rescanning tickets at the old entrance no other change that I saw but I didn't venture into the water park either.

 

[YachtyLogs]

Went to Six Flags America for the first time today on a road trip: here's my report.

Jokers Jinx and Ragin Cagin were the only two coasters that opened with the park.
Firebird and Batwing opened about an hour after the park opened.
Superman opened about 45 minutes after that.
The woodies are still closed.

When we got to the park today, we walked all the way back to Superman and they turned us away telling us everything was closed (guessing that means wonder woman was closed at park open too). It seemed like most flat rides were open but The Penguin had a sign in front of it saying it was going to open at noon, but it was still closed after 1. We left the park soon after 1 because we wanted to get to Kings Dominion but we were very disappointed with how this park handled their coasters.

 

[rswashdc]

Went to Six Flags America for the first time today on a road trip: here's my report.

Jokers Jinx and Ragin Cagin were the only two coasters that opened with the park.
Firebird and Batwing opened about an hour after the park opened.
Superman opened about 45 minutes after that.
The woodies are still closed.

When we got to the park today, we walked all the way back to Superman and they turned us away telling us everything was closed (guessing that means wonder woman was closed at park open too). It seemed like most flat rides were open but The Penguin had a sign in front of it saying it was going to open at noon, but it was still closed after 1. We left the park soon after 1 because we wanted to get to Kings Dominion but we were very disappointed with how this park handled their coasters.

Wasnt much better this past weekend. Everything was running one train except Wild One, and the second trains were largely MIA. Lots of flat rides closed too. This wasnt a staffing issue, as every coaster had 6-8 attendants. Could be some serious maintenance backlogs at this point if they can't get rides open, but staffing isn't an issue.

 

[horsesboy]

Wasnt much better this past weekend. Everything was running one train except Wild One, and the second trains were largely MIA. Lots of flat rides closed too. This wasnt a staffing issue, as every coaster had 6-8 attendants. Could be some serious maintenance backlogs at this point if they can't get rides open, but staffing isn't an issue.

Capital Railway opened on my visit. I decided to hope a ride after eating lunch before going back to the coasters that were just opening. I saw trains from Superman, and Joker completely torn down and stored in the picnic pavilions and I do mean FULL off season tear down.

 

[warfelg]

Capital Railway opened on my visit. I decided to hope a ride after eating lunch before going back to the coasters that were just opening. I saw trains from Superman, and Joker completely torn down and stored in the picnic pavilions and I do mean FULL off season tear down.

I think we're heading towards SFA and some other smaller SF parks being sold off and written as losses for tax reasons. It's been that way on every visit I've taken this year where parts of the park are randomly closed, rides not open, booths closed; but when you get to the open spots it's almost overstaffed.

Personally I think there's some "good" to what they've done there and what's happened. They've made it so you can't just pay the down payment for a pass, have access, then not follow through. You have to pay it in full. But because people aren't cheating them like that anymore, and SFA isn't a popular park because of it's reputation, it's not full enough for them to need to open everything.

I wouldn't mind seeing someone like Hershand or Merlin buy SFA. I think they could do some really good things with that park with minimal investment.

I can't take credit for this, it was a fellow park lover friend in a discussion, but she suggested that if it were bought they could split the park in two, use the overflow parking for water park only. Move the current admin and support buildings behind the park (there's plenty of space) and put in a VIP lot there. This would allow them to destroy the small lot south of the water park for expansion. Now with the new lot you take out the amphitheater and build your new entrance into the Gotham City plaza. While a majority of the current park would be on the other side of Wild One, you can do things like build back behind Lasso of Truth and in the space between Superman and Batwing without them feeling like far reaches of the park.

 

[Crunchewy]

This really sounds awful. The new GM or whatever he is called keeps showing QoL improvements they are making on Instagram, so it's very strange. I don't have season passes this year and now I don't know if I will get one.

 

[YachtyLogs]

Also this isn't necessarily about ride operations or anything but the entry process was a little confusing for us first timers. There was a gate that was opened so we walked inside and security yelled at us and acted like we knew we were doing something wrong! There wasn't any signage telling us around that area to discourage us from going in there and it left a really bad first impression of the park for us.
Also just to add onto that, there were other groups asking what to do either so I don't think the entry process was very good in general.

 

[CoasterAuditor]

I've heard that hasn't been much progress on RipQurl Blasters construction at all.

 

[SLC Headache]

I'm not sure this is a state of the park itself, but the bring-a-friend weekend ticket led to a page saying No Packages Available. The weekday one led to a working link with a product.

 

[horsesboy]

I thought I would give s more full report on what was said during the Q&A yesterday.

Let me start with I was very impressed with Ramar and the whole leadership team. When it was time for the Q&A not only did Ramar show up but he brought the heads of just about every park department with him. And they were willing to take just about any question.

There was a lot of talk by Ramar about improvements that were made this year. In all honesty my impression based on what had been shared on social media throughout the year was that many of these posts were simply blowing smoke while nothing of substance seemed to be happening. I now regret those thoughts as the picture of the status of the park pre improvement seems to have been that there was many areas that were being badly neglected. The plan was to use this year as a significant infrastructure rebuilding period to help prepare for Steam Town next year and according to his statement this year's projects both visible and behind the scenes total a couple of million dollars in infrastructure improvements in addition to the new water park ride. A sample of some of these projects is included.

New roofs on several builds
New flooring for one restaurant
New Pizza ovens for a restaurant
Replacement of worn cross ties and rails as needed on the railway
Modernization of the first aid building
Repainting several builds
New Shade Stuctures
Landscape improvements
VIP lounge
New speakers and audio equipment for several areas of the park
New lighting for several areas of the park
Redoing power and water lines in several areas of the park
New chairs in the water park
just to name a few.

He said that Steam Town and other 2024 work will be the largest capital investment that SF has made in the park since it took ownership. Key aspects of Stesm Town will include reimaging the saloon and shops to provide new in park sells potential.

He said the park is currently only using about 40% off the land they own but that their current business plans call for trying to improve and maximize their current holdings not expansion.

When asked about if their was any plans for a future return of Holiday in the Park he said that they continue to evaluate the potential for it but that it was a huge resource drain without a huge profit margin and that right now they are more focused in using that capital and resources on improving their core business.

The park has a new head of food and beverage that worked in the park in high-school and college before taking a position at Over Georgia after college he sound happy to back home and seemed to have big plans for future development.

Their head of Merchandise Saud they had a contract company wide with a new photo company and that on ride photos should return next year.

The head of security said that they have installed new detection equipment to better catch contraband at the entrance as well as expanded their security force and brought in more police officers to help during busy periods.

The Maintenance head said that Batwing continues to be their hardest ride to keep up an running but that they see it as a valuable asset given how rare that type of ride is and that they have no plans to remove it.

I think that covers all the highlights.

 

[warfelg]

The head of security said that they have installed new detection equipment to better catch contraband at the entrance as well as expanded their security force and brought in more police officers to help during busy periods.

I've noticed multiple changes on this front this year.

~The killing of payment plans for passes has really helped. (1) They don't lose out on the income of someone paying the 1st sub-$20 payment, going a bunch, then not paying, but (2) it's really prevented parents treating SFA as a daycare. I saw far less tweens roaming around unsupervised than before.

~Previously security was unseen and really only jumped in after things got really bad. This year I saw many more in uniform and getting involved in a de-escalation role much faster.

~Far less weed smells in the park this year. I saw days where 3-4 people in line to enter not only had it taken away but were refused entry. This is a great development in my book.

~This year I even saw them carding and refusing service to overserved individuals. One case where someone was kicked out of the park for being publicly intoxicated.

I really think that this is the very first step in getting SFA straightened out along with those other things they are doing. They can become a great little park (a la Dorney) but they couldn't do it as they were. Cleaning up the safety comes first. I think their next step of growth is what has been discussed in just taking their current areas of the parks and doing retheme's/updates to themes. They they should go in on doing new rides.

He said the park is currently only using about 40% off the land they own but that their current business plans call for trying to improve and maximize their current holdings not expansion.

When asked about if their was any plans for a future return of Holiday in the Park he said that they continue to evaluate the potential for it but that it was a huge resource drain without a huge profit margin and that right now they are more focused in using that capital and resources on improving their core business.

I lumped these two together - because I think they "work" together some. Expanding the park too much will likely be a struggle. It's very residential around the park and the residents there (I know a few) really like the "buffer" that's there with the woods currently. Their best "expansion" is likely to come from infilling the back half of the park.

I've been lucky enough to ride the 'ring road' around much of the park - and if they really wanted to, they have enough paths to make a great drive through holiday lights display. It could be great too because you need less staff to operate (just gate and a few traffic people along the way) and it could be high profit (I've been to ones that charge per passenger and some per car size).