For those who are getting worked up over all these mysterious utility marks, here is a breakdown of the meanings.

Red: electric power lines, cables, conduit and lighting cables

Orange: telecommunication, alarm or signal lines, cables or conduit

Yellow: natural gas, oil, steam, petroleum or other flammable

Green: sewers and drain lines

Blue: potable drinking water

Purple: reclaimed water, irrigation and slurry lines

Pink: temporary survey markings, unknown/unidentified facilities

White: proposed excavation limits or routes

Unless you see white or maybe pink, nothing is being removed. My guess is that it's part of some internal GIS. If you are going to do any future work, you need to have your utilities mapped out. The most likely reason they are outside the rides is due to safety or the possibility of repaving and landscaping.

After being down for the first 4 hours or so (more than likely due to the misting occurring today - as would soon be confirmed) Time Traveler at Silver Dollar City finally opened to the delight of everyone that had been waiting by the entrance, including my girlfriend and I as we had already knocked out the rest of the credits at the park. First ride went fine (this is a great coaster if you weren’t already aware), 2nd ride… got stuck on the 1st launch - came to a very abrupt stop after attempting to launch. An announcement came over the speakers that they were once again shutting the ride down. I thought for sure we were gonna go evac’d when maintenance personnel came up to us (and confirmed the LSMs were being temperamental due to the mist), BUT that they were going to roll us back and try to launch again to get us back to the station instead of unloading us. 2nd attempt was successful!

Sorry for yapping but this is my first unique experience like this on a coaster and I thought I’d share! :)

Uh-oh.

https://preview.redd.it/1qkeca4xuxzd1.jpg?width=864&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=7ac5af9111fc3bf90a7c273f69570f6664d989aa

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I preface this by saying I don't agree with how the new Six Flags corporation is potentially quietly removing legacy attractions—but I truly believe this is good for the parks.

As someone who's been to most legacy Cedar Fair and Six Flags parks, it's clear there's a quality divide. Every Six Flags I've visited, except Fiesta Texas, fails to provide a clean, cohesive experience that prioritizes customer satisfaction. These parks have high-maintenance thrill rides (with sporadic operations) that are costly to run. That money could be invested in other areas that parkgoers need to see: food, guest optimization, experience, events, and aesthetics. Such investments improve the experience for guests and families—the main draw for these parks—and can fuel future improvements and attendance. One of the biggest goals set forth in Project Accelerate (from the earnings call) is to get legacy Six Flags attendance back up to 2019 levels. As someone who frankly geeks out more on guest experience than rollercoasters, I'd pick Valleyfair, Worlds of Fun, or Dorney Park over Great Adventure, Great America, or Magic Mountain for guest experience. Why this matters is historically, happier guests fuel more in park spending and return more frequently which is why experience matters.

According to multiple media reports, Kingda Ka allegedly costs a million dollars per year to operate. This money could be better allocated than spending it on a single attraction that's not attracting new guests—it's nearly twenty years old and isn't advertised in local markets—nor generating merchandise sales for a return on investment. Instead, these funds could support newer, more reliable rides while also improving food options and overall guest experience.

What I'm saying is that Six Flags was in financial woes for a reason. If the new leadership sees millions of dollars being spent on attractions that aren't returning on the investment (whether in popularity, guest satisfaction, or reliability), they need to act. We coaster enthusiasts might not agree, but we're not the target audience—we're not the ones funding these parks. There's a reason why only one X2 was ever built in the United States: the investment wasn't returned. Meanwhile, there are now five B&M wing coasters that, while not typically in enthusiasts' top ten lists, do bring in attendance.

Let me use Six Flags Over Texas as an example that has one of the largest markets in the country to attract visitors from. On a peak day just two weeks ago, I waited in line for food (All American Cafe) for over an hour, only to receive a cold slice of pizza in one of the dirtiest restaurants I've ever seen while experiencing low guest satisfaction due to the wait as well as losses in revenue. Now, compare this to venues like Harmony Hall at Carowinds, Lazy Bear Lodge at Canada's Wonderland, and the Grand Pavilion at Cedar Point on similar days. These are designed for high-quality food with optimized throughput, making them real moneymakers for the parks. I'm not claiming the legacy Cedar Fair parks are flawless, but I'm confident these properties are generating much more revenue than the setups at legacy Six Flags parks. A family of four—the target demographic—would much rather have an experience at the legacy Cedar Fair parks. These restaurants are costly in terms of product, staffing, and maintenance, but they see a larger return and greater guest satisfaction. With the larger return on investment, the more opportunities to invest in new experiences and that budget has to come from somewhere, if not from the high maintenance budget.

Whether we agree with it or not, Six Flags is protecting pass sales by not announcing these potential removals. While we have valid reasons to be upset about unannounced removals, these decisions aim to allocate funds for growth—something the legacy Six Flags parks failed to do, leading to their financial troubles. Without changes, the company would continue to struggle and potentially face sale or closure. Legacy Cedar Fair was the healthier company, and compared to Selim's leadership, optimization is crucial for growth and transforming the parks into destination experiences. The new company has no reason to intentionally close rides without a plan, as that would only alienate parkgoers leading to poor business. I believe there's a strategy in motion—let's just hope it pays off. I'm hoping the short-term pain can lead to long-term success for these legacy parks, as they truly are in the best markets in the country.

Just like the title says, they have a new water feature that allows you to get soaked or dry. Though it looks like " Car Wash, The Ride!" I actually think this is cool idea and if it got flushed out with reason and theming could be really fun at a water park! https://youtu.be/ZBzZtoUfWSk?si=LJTQ_2hHtZhBenJt

Is there any roller coaster at SeaWorld Orlando that you think is the best and you think is the worst?

Trademarks filed by Merlin Entertainments, owner of popular UK theme parks such as Alton Towers, Thorpe Park and Chessington seem to suggest a Minecraft themed area is coming to one of their theme parks. The trademark is an image with text "Adventures made real" in a very recognizeable typeface...

From info already known, this is most likely coming to Chessington World of Adventures, as they already have plans for a new area opening in 2026 or 2027, and speculation about Minecraft being the theme of this area is rife amongst UK theme park enthuisasts.

Would you make the trip to the UK to experience such an area?

(Image credit: Attraction Source)

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I can't remember the name of the ride or even if it really was in Wyoming, but here we go.

In July 2017, I went on this ride at a pop-up fairground that had the normal stuff like Alien Invasion and teacups. But what truly stuck with me was this one ride that blew all others out of the water. It was a simulation ride of a car crash in some race like IndyCar or F1, that you were strapped into with a full shoulder cage and then lifted into the air by a crane-like element. Around you were screens that flashed with images of cars surrounding the raised platform of the ride, and the crane element whipped around with 2 riders, changing height and direction rapidly to approximate whiplash.

Please, if anyone knows the name or if they're still being run, I'd appreciate it!!!

Luckily it’s not the awful test paint that appeared two years ago, it is a fresh coat of the original iconic colors. (I don’t have a photo as it’s from within employee only areas since the only repainted sections are in the helix area.)

Should B&M discontinue there first roller coaster design?

I was thinking today about what Six Flags should build and I think the answer is actually a pretty obvious throwback to the park's history. SFGA attendance has been flagging for a few years, and its status as a top tier park is being called into question. The last time this happened was the 1980s, and they should respond now the way they responded back then: they should build a 2025 version of the Great American Scream Machine.

When GASM came out in 1989, it was the tallest and fastest looping roller coaster in the world. It was right in the front of the park and had big capacity (1680 per hour), height of 173 feet and max speed of 68 mph. It was the headliner. And it looked great from the parking lot, situated exactly where the (inferior) Green Lantern sits today:

https://preview.redd.it/3wz744ikzqzd1.jpg?width=640&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=a857fa1d771a7b4995213ff5252e83f032c76a8a

In 2025 I think you build a modernized, hypersized version of that coaster. You can set some records - tallest looping coaster, tallest loop - without being Millennium Force sized. It won't be like any other coaster at the part (closest might be Medusa) and you know that a similarly designed coaster was very popular at the park a generation ago. Three train operations, 1700 riders per hour. Don't necessarily make it too intense because you don't need huge design risk, you want a high capacity crowd pleaser sitting right at the front of the park as cars pull in.

Thoughts?

Credit and Source: https://www.instagram.com/p/DCHqzQqJYcW/?igsh=ZjdlNjJrMnIxM3o3

In 2009 I visited Six Flags Great Adventure for the first time and Kingda Ka was closed and I was gutted. Last year I was finally able to revisit and got one awesome ride on it. It was well worth the 14 year wait! With the rumors of Ka closing, I’m glad I got my one ride. I could have easily gotten more rides because the park was empty, but due to it being sooo hot, we prioritized riding what we could/wanted. Am I sad I only rode it once? Maybe, but I can say the one ride we got was awesome. Who knows I might have gotten another ride which wouldn’t have been good and I would have regretted reriding. I’m fine with my choice, glad I did get to ride it and keep this memory for years to come.

Now let’s hope it’s all just rumors and see what happens. If it does get axed I’m sure Ka will be welcomed to coaster heaven by Mr. Schwarzkopf.

F.

Last year I had maybe 20 days at parks, this year I’ve been crazy busy and have only had 1, and I also stopped following a lot of the news in the industry, what have I missed.

Edit: Thank you all for your answers, bad year for strata coasters.

According to Coaster Studios’ new video it seems La Vibora at Six Flags Over Texas is also on the chopping block, which makes me question how many unreliable and outdated coasters are gonna be closed without any official announcements. It really feels disrespectful to give these rides no send off at all, as like they said in the video, everything means something to someone.

I'm so glad I still own this..it has great pictures and full ride reviews of some of the most historic and famous roller coasters in the world. It also touches base on the history of all roller coasters starting from the beginning in the early 1800s which is awesome 👌🏾.

Can someone pls help me find out a reason why in 2002 paramounts great America decided to remove our shuttle loop tidal wave ? I have been trying to find out why they removed for a very long time and I was wondering if someone that worked at paramounts great America during that time knows the exact reason why it was removed because the park removed it with out anyone knowing can someone help me out with this mystery thank you :)

among all the talk of ka closing, i'm just wondering if there is any other coaster out there that compares to it in terms of launch intensity, drop, etc. i never got to ride the original ttd and won't be able to make it out to sfgadv in time to ride ka, and i really just need to hear that i'm not missing out on something i can't get anywhere else

TL:DR- Shredder, Timmy's Half-pipe, and Slime Streak were all running today, Nov 7, 2024. Sandy lived up to it's manufacturer's rep. It ran, but not much.

Obviously no Shellraiser. I didn't see any people working on it either.

Shredder, Timmy's Half Pipe, and Slime Streak were all running at park opening. Sandy, sadly was not. I noticed yesterday that besides having Shellraiser down for maintenance, Sandy was added to the website since I last looked. But the downtime was only listed to be until tomorrow (11/8/24).

I'm at the mall the 7th & 8th, so I got my hopes up that I may get Sandy on the 8th. I did see a couple people working around the train this morning.

Fast forward a few hours, we are eating lunch and I check the website again. Do my eyes deceive me? Nope. Sandy was no longer listed as being down for maintenance. We walked back to Nick Universe to check if it was running. We get there and Squidward was on Sandy's sign telling me the ride is closed and to come back later. Boohoo. I took another ride on Slime Streak and we headed back out into the mall.

About 4ish we do one last check. We waited at the top of the escalators and watched. A few minutes went by and there it goes. Sandy's train. Down the escalator we go. Only to get back to the coaster and be told, "not yet." So we sit for a few minutes and I ran to the restroom. As I was walking back to the ride, I noticed they were checking restraints. Yep, there are guests on the train. I left my mom sit on a bench and off I went. I rode once, got off and went back in line and walked right back on. After the second ride, I took a little breather for a cycle. The loop-de-loops are getting tougher to marathon as I get older.

I walked up the queue to get a third ride. In true Intamin fashion, Sandy went down again. It literally ran 4 trains of guests. The op said I could wait, so I guess they weren't expecting it to be down long. I didn't stick around to find out if it came back up.

No rankings outside of me saying Sandy was my favorite of the 4 coasters I rode. It was shaking a bit, but it didn't bother me too much. Not having OTSRs was a delight.

On a side note, does Slime Streak always have such abysmal loading times when there is an actual line? When I went back in the afternoon, they weren't scanning wristbands or getting the standby area behind the gates filled at all. There were enough people in queue to fill at least 3-4 trains. It's not like the queue was empty.