Six Flags Discovery Kingdom (SFDK) Discussion Thread

While 2 hours is far too long for me to wait in, I'm relieved it isn't longer. After thinking things through when watching the POVs, reading the reviews, I came to the realization that loading a 12-passenger train should be fairly quick. And if the noodles are a rather simple setup (as in just pull the lapbar down) the whole process should be speedy. Top it off that the ride cycle happens pretty quick, the line should hopefully feel like it's moving. I'm really wanting to head up to Vallejo real soon and ride this coaster, or perhaps get a SFDK pass to join forces with my CGA pass and have 2 parks to hit up for 2013.

And I like the look of the trains. Sure, they look like stylistic mine carts but I like them.

Random note, I remember getting ready to take on the line for Pandemonium later in the day last year when after waiting 5 minutes we cut out and headed to V2 instead. The line felt like it was just stationary, not moving whatsoever.

[sfmman2000What would donkeys be like on the moon?]

Does anyone know what typical 4th of July crowds are like at SFDK?

[rolercstrluvrWhen I grow up, I want to breed donkeys!]

Yesterday was just an amazing day for me at the park. It was season pass holder preview day, so I managed to get 8 rides in during that. My friend got in 18 rides, man this ride packs a punch, sure doesn't look like it but go for row 6 or 3. I was just blown away at how great this ride is. I also saw some of the park management waiting in the exit, they were at the bay area bash last year, I told them they had a winner on their hands.

[AndrewoplisWhen I grow up, I want to breed donkeys!]

Does anyone know what typical 4th of July crowds are like at SFDK?

Like any park on the 4th of july, I'm sure it is going to be VERY crowded. Just run to Superman the second the park opens and you should be ok!

[RAWKIN_coaster38Jar-Jar Binks smells like Donkey]

Saturday I went to the season pass preview and I'm glad I took the no spoilers route because the coaster completely blew me away! The first time off I almost keeled over at the exit... SOOO INTENSEE!!!

I rode 19 times total: 18 in the morning and one in the afternoon with a two-hour wait. The lines were surprisingly very short for the season pass preview, and actually got shorter until about 8:30 am when the ride first broke down for about 30 minutes. After that the lines were a little longer, but nothing worse than 15 or 20 minutes.

They assign rows, and you can't switch. The employee told us she was being more lenient for the pass holders but once the coaster is open, you don’t get to choose which row you want.

My lap count per row: row 1: two times; row 2: once; row 3: five times; row 4: four times; row 5: twice; row 6: five times.

I think the best rows are row 1, 3, 4, and 6. My personal favorite: ROW 6!!! It is by far the most extreme. Coming out of the barrel roll into the vertical plunge there's an INTENSE thrust of ejector followed by some very strong positive Gs in the loop. Basically you're thrust upward just before being shoved downward... really insane feeling.

That being said... they assign rows in the station, and you can't switch. The employee told us she was being more lenient for the pass holders but once the coaster is open, you can’t choose your row.

I was surprised how quickly they dispatched this thing. The two hour wait seemed to be more because of technical difficulties rather than bad capacity. When the coaster didn’t have any issues, the line moved fairly quickly.

Conclusion: SFDK has a GEM on their hands here. It really is a remarkable coaster and easily the best in Northern California!

[AndrewoplisWhen I grow up, I want to breed donkeys!]

^ For some strange reason, I found the lap bar on my ride in row 6 to be much tighter then my ride in row 2. ( I only rode a few times.) I don't know if it was the way I was sitting or what, but it happened. But other than that, Superman is an outstanding ride! The park really has a winner on there hands!

I think the best rows are row 1, 3, 4, and 6. My personal favorite: ROW 6!!! It is by far the most extreme. Coming out of the barrel roll into the vertical plunge there's an INTENSE thrust of ejector followed by some very strong positive Gs in the loop. Basically you're thrust upward just before being shoved downward... really insane feeling.

That being said... they assign rows in the station, and you can't switch. The employee told us she was being more lenient for the pass holders but once the coaster is open, you can’t choose your row.

And since there are only 6 rows, from your review it sounds like seating might not matter too much for many people. While I'm often one to completely ignore the front on any given ride in favor of the very back, on some rides I strongly prefer the front and the front of any car, and I'm guessing on this one I might especially like rows 1 and 4.

[Double0KevinJar-Jar Binks smells like Donkey]

^ It's pretty amazing in all rows. I personally found the front having more airtime because of the crazy pop you get going over the top into the barrel roll. The back gets more of a pop than the front on the cliffhanger drop but all seats are pretty good there.

[RAWKIN_coaster38Jar-Jar Binks smells like Donkey]

And since there are only 6 rows, from your review it sounds like seating might not matter too much for many people. While I'm often one to completely ignore the front on any given ride in favor of the very back, on some rides I strongly prefer the front and the front of any car, and I'm guessing on this one I might especially like rows 1 and 4.

You’d think so, but I was surprised the difference one row made on this ride. Row 5 was just okay but row 6 was like ZOMG!!! Row 4 was nice because it was the best of both worlds... it had more of the intense positive Gs, and it has a better view than any row aside form row 1.

I agree with Kevin that row 1 had the best airtime coming from the first vertical twist to the barrel roll, but I thought the transition from the cliffhanger into the non-inverting loop from row 6 was much more intense because of how quickly it went from the awesome ejector to the crushing positive Gs.

Think of it this way: the two portions of the ride that had the most intense feelings were the transitions from the vertical to horizontal track and vice versa. The closer to the front, the more intense the first transition is; the closer to the back, the more intense the 2nd transition and the non-inverting loop... but you lose some of the view.

Row 4 was nice because it was the best of both worlds... it had more of the intense positive Gs, and it has a better view than any row aside form row 1.

That's pretty much what I was getting at in my thinking. I'm not as big on unobstructed views as a lot of people (for example, I rarely go for the front on inverts), but with a lot of Premier and Intamin train designs I need the extra open space in front of me that comes with sitting in the front of a car.