Anybody Been to Big Ol' TX Lately?

[CoolestCoaster]

Hello, just found this forum tonight. Hope all you nice people are doing good here in the roller coaster forum.

Well just wanted to ask yall if you been to Six Flags Astroworld lately. I am currently employed there and am having a great time. (Been there for 2 years now) I am usually working the ride "Greased Lightning" but not always. I sometimes am stationed at the front gate for ticket sales. Our manager has asked our staff if we had any suggestions for anything in the park, so I told him I might have a few. Anything that you good patrons of SFI would REALLY like for me to mention to managment?

[raptorrvnge4928]

Well good evening, (or morning perse') Welcome to the forums. I am sure there are some ideas that are floating around, but if you want somebody who has suggestions towards a better SFI, you need to talk to Harpo.... He seems to be one of the most experienced rollercoaster enthusiastists on this board, having traveled to many different theme parks across the country.

[CoolestCoaster]

Well thank for that advice. If there is a Harpo out there, got any suggestions?? If you do I would LOVE to here them. Have a great night you guys!

[CoolestCoaster]

Well thank for that advice. If there is a Harpo out there, got any suggestions?? If you do I would LOVE to here them. Have a great night you guys! I've got to go to work at 8:00 A.M.!!! Why am I on this schedule I will never know.... Maybe its my love for the coasters...



I am so sorry about the double post. Hit the stupid button twice.;)

[Xzentrificenceo]

Hold on there Raptor, Harpo is not the only with complaints about SFI. A SFMM season pass holder here has several things to say about them.


1. CLEAN YOUR PARKS! That is the single biggest complaint about SF parks. They are dirty. There is gum all over everything, statutes, coaster supports, and buildings. Please get people to clean those areas.

2. Ride Ops. Some are good, then there are those that don't really seem to care about getting people on and off the rides. I once sat for about 2 minutes in a train while one of the Ops put his newspaper away. This was almost as annoying as the girl who was trying to make a phone call while operating a coaster. Not a call to another ride or even anyone in the park. She had her Cell Phone and was calling outside the park.

3. I have always thought that anything within the queue area for a ride should fall to the ride ops to clean. There is a crew that closes the ride. At the end of the day they should be going through the queue and cleaning it. This includes gum on statues and supports, as well as trash on the ground.

4. You should give the season pass holders something nice on a daily basis, perhaps opening the season pass gate 30 minutes earlier that the rest of the gates. We deserve first rides.


I could keep going but it is late and I am tired.

[Harpo]

I'm not really sure you want to hear my comments about Astroworld. I'm sorry to say I was very unimpressed.

But, yes, I can provide suggestions. First, and foremost, there should be better signage pointing to the parking. I was unfamiliar with the area. My hotel was just west of the park, so I didn't get back on the freeway to get to Astroworld. As I approached, I could see the park, but I didn't see any signs for parking (nor did my "navigator" in the passenger seat). I wound up completely circling the park. As I was coming back around the front, I noticed people walking over the freeway, so I turned north. I went straight north past the Astrodome, still looking for where to park. Although I quickly determined that it must have been necessary to turn west before the Astrodome, it took me a little while to find an adequate place to turn around. Eventually, I did find the parking, but I was a bit frustrated by the time I got there. In general, I feel Six Flags has had among the worst signage I've seen, as if they only care to cater to those who are familiar with the area.

Next, a great deal of that park could really use some paint. Most of the rides looked awful. The mechanisms also felt rather clunky, indicating that they could use more maintenance than just paint.

It would also help to have enough staff on hand to get all the rides open every day. The day I was there, a couple of rides were closed due to insufficient staff, yet all the revenue areas were open. I found that to be insulting.

I'm hoping something was done about this: While waiting to ride XLR-8, I heard a ride operator use profanity when a rider needed help getting a harness open. (Apparently the harness was stuck and needed to be re-released.) I commented on that to Guest Relations.

I'm not sure if it's bad design or bad maintenance, but Ultra Twister's harnesses are just plain dangerous. As I was getting situated, that thing came slamming down on my arm. Fortunately, it only resulted in a bruise, but it hurt. Also, the harnesses for that ride could desperately use more padding. It would make the ride far more enjoyable.

Sorry to be so negative, but those are things that I feel really need to be fixed. Aren't you sorry you asked?

[CoolestCoaster]

I like those comments you gave me Harpo, they really make sense. When was your last visit? Earlier last month they posted a huge billboard (Kinda a sign) to tell people where the main parking gate is. Hope that helps people.

I hate the maintenance guys! Not really, but I feel sorry about all the people having to wait for a ride to open, 'cause they guys sit around eatin' ice cream all day (The head mechanic's name is Dean, and yes he really does eat ice cream all day, I guess 'cause it's free for him. I really despise him.). And also there have been plans in this year's off season (November-March, excluding Holiday In The Park in December.) to repaint the queues and some of the ride supports.

The issue with the bad ride op (did you catch the person's name?) really is bad. Some of the other workers really get on my nerves, it's like they don't care about AW, just the money there getting from it. Me, I try to be nice and help people I see in a bad situation. I always check each person's restraint GOOD. Push down, then pull up. And pull up hard not just quickly bump it up.

I have reported the issue about Ultra Twister, (me and about a gazillion others) that the padding needs updating. The thing I see wrong there is their is not even enough pads. It doesn't even extend all the way to the back of the headrest, and thats the part where your shoulds and head touch. See anything wrong there???

Well I will tell some people of you guys ideas and see if they take any into effect.

P.S. Astroworld Will be tearing XLR-8 down at the end of this operating season. They think they could use the space to put in anther coaster. They are thinking of a "Goliath" type really tall one to try and beat Steel dragon 2000's record of the highest coaster in the world. (excluding TTD) But I dought that will be built, the other choices are: Batman: the ride or a new LIM style, never before seen coaster (it's secret, can't tell you!) Well hope they build something new 'cause XLR-8 sucks! J/K.

[Harpo]

Looking at my notes (which I didn't have with me when I made the previous post), my visit to Astroworld was on Thursday, May 29, 2003. I arrived at the park at 10:19 AM, departing at 4:35 PM.

As I recall, the name of the ride attendant on XLR-8 was "Bill." However, I'm terrible with remembering names, but I believe I remembered the name correctly.

Oh, I also commented about Batman. My notes say, "Strange harness is very uncomfortable & questionable safety." (For those who have not been to Astroworld, Batman The Escape is a standup coaster.) I didn't write down specifics of that harness, but, as I recall, one side of the shoulder harness was fixed, and the other side moved. It resulted in the two arms being locked in differently, which I found to be very uncomfortable. I also wondered if the unusual posture caused by this harness could lead to a broken arm or shoulder, or unusual stress on the back. The Giovanola standup coaster really should be retrofitted with the B&M style harnesses.

Checking through my notes, I found comments stating that the park could use more water fountains and more shade. Being so far south, I would think both items would be fairly critical. I also noted that there was moderate litter -- that makes it better than many Six Flags parks, but worse than the average park.

In my comments, I stated my opinion that the Texas Cyclone was the best coaster in the park. I also enjoyed Viper.

I commented that Serial Thriller was very bumpy, apparently needing maintenance. I know, it's a Vekoma SLC, and those are typically very bumpy. However, I've been on many Vekoma SLC's, and this one was bumpier than usual.

In case you're curious, my comment for Greezed Lightnin was very simple: "Shuttle loop coaster. Small but fun ride."

I hope the information is helpful!