TR: Six Flags Astroworld 4/10/05

This is my first trip report posted on here. I usually do them on RRC, but really, what a bunch ta-ra-ra-goon-diays they are. I had been hearing that SFAW had really changed for the good this year, so I was curious to see if that was true.

This was my first coaster trip of the year since we boycotted the Houston Rodeo for certain reasons. Weather was great, high 70s and overcast.

The day started out with really bad signs. "Welcome NASA" on the marquee and a looooong line to pay for parking at 10:15. However, it seemed like just everyone showed up around then, as the park never got much more crowded. They had 5 metal detectors going, which was an improvement over the past. Since I set off the detector they actually took me to a little room to use the sweeping wand. They make you put your pocket contents on a dirty air conditioner edge that barely holds stuff. VERY strange, and a bit creepy too.

First up, which was my son's decision, was Viper. He always wants to ride this, but always gets off a bit shocked. Today was no exception, but he was a bit less shocked. Not much of a wait yet, but they were already back to the lovely one train operation of the ride, with no second train in sight. Hmm, seems like normal disAstroworld to me. The rides ops throughout the day did seem a tad bit more energetic than last year. A little less apathy for the job. I wonder if there is a new rule saying no enless phone calls from ride ops. In years past, most ride ops basically were on the phone all day except when us annoying customers interupted them and they had to dispatch a ride.

Next, we rode XLR-8. This was my son's first ride on a suspended. He was tall enough last year, but was scared of it, but not Viper??? It took a lot of coaxing and screaming, but he finally rode it. We felt sort of bad, but after the ride he was ready for it again. I'm sure we were getting "bad parent" comments from people, but I was certain he would like it, he's just real cautious and shy. Again, XLR-8 was one train. Sure, the wait was only about 15 minutes, but on a Sunday there is no excuse not to start a coaster out with 2 trains, knowing it will be needed later. Again, it seemed like classic disAstroworld disdain for customers.

After playing WAY too many games, and one game operator that was actually helping my son win, which was quite surprising, we headed to Serpent. Still a fun kiddie Arrow mine train. The ride op was better than last year where disAstroworld had brought in a celebrity ride-op: "The slowest, most apathetic human being in the world". No braking on the ride through the station to the second lap, which was nice. We then rode the always fun log ride.

Next up I wanted to get my son on Mayan Mindbender. He's not real fond of dark things, but he loved Haunted Mansion Holiday last October, so I figured he was ready. He didn't argue as much as he did against XLR-8, but was a bit frightened from the dark station and loud sound effect screams. He again ultimately like the ride.

We then headed around to Texas Cyclone. I was going to ride Dungeon Drop, but it was down. Cyclone was running 2 trains, which is a welcome change this year. I had a 2 train wait for a front row back car ride. The station really filled up behind me though. I must admit they were dispatching MUCH better than last year. The track seemed a bit smoother, and it delivered a very wild ride with some really good negative g's on quite a few of the drops. Probably the best ride I've ever had on it in my 6 years in Houston.

We then got our SFAW/Splashtown season passes processed and left. Total food purchases at park: $5 (dippin dots). Not bad, I usually aim for $0 as my personal crusade against bad management. Total spent on games by wife: way too much. A fun day at Astroworld, surprisingly.

Overall, the park was a notch cleaner than last year, and the ride operations have definitely improved a bit. Serial Thriller and Cyclone did have 2 trains as opposed to the classic operation of the park that was basically 1 train on everything all the time. But, XLR-8 and Viper should be 2 trains at opening on weekends all the time.

A move in the right direction for one of the worst parks in the country, and sadly, my home park. But in the 6 years I've been here, they have put in Serial Thriller, SWAT and Diablo Falls. SWAT never has a line. DF had a posted 90 minute line yesterday, which means about 100 people thanks to absolutely atrocious operations, and ST is a crappy Vekoma hang-n-bang. Hell, a wild mouse would be a great addition to this park.

I probably won't return until the fall. The Splashtown adder to the season pass is nice this year though.

Rastus O'Ginga

Maybe it's still early enough in the season that the ride ops still have that 'youthful energy' to them. It will be gone very soon.

Glad your son had a good time getting on some new rides...what's his coaster count up to nowadays?!

Elissa "Heck, Colossus has been running 1 train for about 4 months now!" Alvey

I must admit that being a ride op at SFAW would SUCK!!!! Very few of the coasters have air conditioned control booths. I practically passed out just walking over to the gates one July afternoon last year. It was just brutal. After one hour I barely made it back to my car. That's the last time I'll be going in the Summer.

My son is up to 30 now, only 2 behind my wife!! Hopefully he will overtake her this Summer on our trek from Chicago to Minneapolis.

Rastus

^ You are a bad parent!!!

Was XLR8 still running part of the train backwards?

I thought that was pretty cool, although kind of nausiating!

--Robb

Yep, half is still backwards. I don't do backwards coasters though. I don't even like the Intamin V2 type rides because of the backwards motion. Mummy didn't bother me, but that was a small section.

Rastus

One of the worst parks in the country huh? Well I can certainly feel for you there pal. Keep in mind that my home park is the lowly Six Flags Darien Lake, which seems content in never again adding a new coaster after putting in their version of Superman: Ride of Steel, considered by many to be the worst incarnation by the way.

But, it's at least nice to see that Astroworld is at least making an effort to improve.

At least you have Superman, which perhaps is the worst of the Supermen, but it's still phenomenal. The drop alone beats everything at Astroworld.

Darian Lake blows, that's for sure. I lived in Niagara Falls for 5 semesters while co-oping. With Predator so rough now, Supes is all they have worth riding for the most part. Plus, they have no coaster for small kids at all.

But the Buffalo area still has one awesome steel coaster, and one awesome woodie (at Fantasy Island).

Rastus

^ I would trade everything at SFMM to have even the worst S:ROS and one decent woodie.

--Robb "Your home park is never usually your favorite." Alvey

Good TR, and the comments about Darien Lake make me feel better that SFNE is only 20 minutes from my house. My guess on why the SFNE superman has a unique layout compared to it twin sisters is because of the terrain the coaster is on. Not a lot of room to build a copy of SFDL S:Ros.

^ But the one weird thing is that SFA's SROS seems to also run a LOT better than SFDL's....at least the last time I was on SFA's back in 2002.

I have no idea why...but it does seem that way.

--Robb

Eh, whatever...I'm just glad I've been to better parks.

Cold, cloudy and damp Upstate NY isn't exactly the most ideal place for a park, especially under a state legislature whose answer to every problem is "keep raising taxes!!" lol.

They should seriously consider a big indoor park.

^ How about a huge dome over Martin's Fantasy Island?

--Robb

^

You know, that's a good idea. I'd like to see them try it.

Though you may not see it for many years. They're still trying to approve expanding the Carousel Mall in Syracuse to make it even bigger than the Mall of America (no joke!). But as with everything else, it's stuck in buerocratic limbo now...*sigh*

That's NY for you...nothing ever gets done :?

Craiggers wrote:

My guess on why the SFNE superman has a unique layout compared to it twin sisters is because of the terrain the coaster is on. Not a lot of room to build a copy of SFDL S:Ros.

Here's the story: SFDL's Superman opened in 1999. Pieces for SFA's coaster were at the park in late '98, ready to be built for a '99 debut, too. Darien's and SFA's were manufactured at the same time. However, SFA ran into problems with zoning so they couldn't get theirs open until 2000. SFNE's was version two. Intamin designed a hyper for SFNE, but Six Flags went back to Intamin and told them to add this and that. Had SF not requested the additions, SFNE's Superman would have been similar (to its current incarnation), but not nearly as good. If SFA was originally scheduled to get theirs in 2000, chances are, we would have seen a custom, and even better, hypercoaster at the MD park. For what it is worth, the original design for SFNE was not that impressive.

Robb said:

But the one weird thing is that SFA's SROS seems to also run a LOT better than SFDL's....at least the last time I was on SFA's back in 2002.

 

I have no idea why...but it does seem that way.

Yes, for some odd reason, SFA's runs extremely better than Darien's. I was so disappointed with the way SFDL's acted. It was sluggish and had pussified air. I guess it comes down to park maintenance, it must be that because SFA and SFDL are exact mirror images.

I will say, though, sometimes on cold morning, SFA's can run a little sluggish too. I remember one time in, I think, it was 2001 walking from Batwing with Robb and Elissa and we were watching the morning test runs as Superman struggled to get back to the station. A bunch of us started yelling when the train almost stopped on the last hill and nearly rolled back (which it did do this past Saturday!).

-kip-

(Intamin talk is fun! )

I have seen it almost stall there also. It was opening day 2004. It wasnt open that day, but with water dummies. I saw them take a few off and it went a little slower. I believe I have a video of it on the computer at my house.

Intamin designed a hyper for SFNE, but Six Flags went back to Intamin and told them to add this and that. Had SF not requested the additions, SFNE's Superman would have been similar (to its current incarnation), but not nearly as good. If SFA was originally scheduled to get theirs in 2000, chances are, we would have seen a custom, and even better, hypercoaster at the MD park. For what it is worth, the original design for SFNE was not that impressive

Well thats interesting, I never knew that. Have you seen the original Superman design for SFNE?

I have seen it, but that must have been more than five years ago. I wanna say I saw it in a magazine, but I'm not sure. One thing I do remember, the original design did not have a second hill. It went from the first drop, which was shorter and had no tunnel, right into the overbanked turn.

I will attempt to find the layout again. However, I can't guarantee that I'll have any luck.

-kip-

Hmm, sounds like the layout on the park maps.