Cyclonic
Posts: 2636
Registered: 7/19/2002
Rank: Experiment 626
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 4/23/2003 8:41:00 PM
Six Flags New England
Opening Day April 19, 2003
4:15 Am, and the shrilling sound of my alarm clock startles me out of a comfortable slumber. Normally, I would not be happy, but this day was different, this day I was headed for Six Flags New England for the first time. In no time I am on my feet, dressed, and with computer (AKA my super large MP3 player), and out the door I go. I picked up my friend Greg, stop at the Wawa for gas and food, and we are on the Turnpike by five.
The ride up was uneventful, and we made good time, getting into Springfield before nine. I did, however, screw up on where I was going, and missed the exit for the park, which is actually in Connecticut, although the park is in Massachusetts. That is OK though, since Greg does not have a season pass, he has to pay to get in, and I wanted to track down some discount coupons somewhere. We hopped off the highway, and conveniently right ahead of us is the visitors center, so we are in good shape. Get the coupons, and getting back on the highway we go right past the Basketball Hall of Fame. I have no real interest in basketball (baseball is my sport), I've got to say, it is one really cool looking building. It reminds me of how the 1939 World's Fair (no, I was not there) looked. Anyway, I digress.
9:30, we pull into the park. Parking was a bit of a workout. There were no booths, just two girls taking money. That would not have been bad, but they were trying to sell everyone a season parking pass, and it was really slowing things down. Still managed to get a very good spot though, nice and close to the gates.
We got into the park, and got our hats for the free sodas. I had them a little confused, I was wearing my hat from Six Flags America from the previous week, which is almost exactly the same. It was fun.
The rope drop was down a the main street a little ways. We went past the season pass processing, and man, I am glad I wasn't in that line, it went all the way up the the main gates and then doubled back down to the center. They delayed the rope drop just a bit as they brought out the Loony Toon characters, who then did this little show. I don't think anyone really cared about it, but it was nice that they tried to make the opening something special, something I had not seen at the other parks.
After the rope drop there was really only one place everyone wanted to go, and that was Superman: Ride of Steel. They walked us down there. It is funny, I think had this been Great Adventure, the park employees may not have survived, but the crowd was very polite, and well as quite anxious. Once down at the ride, it was maybe a ten minute wait for it. They were running just one train, with the other sitting on the transfer track. This did not change throughout the day, but it didn't really matter, as there was little line anywhere all day.
The ride? Well, lets put it this way, I have a new favorite steel coaster. It was amazing, with airtime galore, and great laterals as well. The tunnels create a great effect as well, particularly the second tunnel, which has a great head chopper. The misters were not turned on, though it was a nice day, high in the upper sixties, and would not have been too cold for me at least.
This coaster was also a milestone coaster for me, number 100. I am very happy to have it as number 100.
Next we headed over the the Joker's Wild Card. Unfortunately, we did not get the chance to ride, for even pushing as hard as the ride op could, she could not get the restraints down for Greg. He was just a hair too big. I hope he can fit on Wicked Twister in June. So we rode Poison Ivy's Tangled Train instead. This is simply a family coaster, though it did have a couple of good laterals, and the themeing was very well done.
We next worked our way towards Batman: The Dark Knight. We hit Mind Bender on the way, and Greg got to learn the meaning on a hang and bang. I actually like the SLC's.
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CoasterMac
Posts: 205
Registered: 3/24/2003
Rank: Bronze Critic
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 5/1/2003 10:11:00 AM
Yeah i was out there on opening day too. my friend dave and i drove up and made better than great time, we got there at 9:10 when we wnated to get there at 9:30. so we went in, got our free Coke (which we didn't know about and made our day ten times better!!!! we both drank approximatle $20 worth of coke that day, completely for free!) and then we got our season passes, afer we waited for the ribbon cutting, followed by that thrilling Loony Tunes Extravaganza, we laughed at the "mad rush" towards Superman, as we power-walked to Batman. we got the very first ride on Batman, and from what we understand the very first ride of and ride in the park!!! front seat, and i got park side....there were only 6 oher people pn the train!!! we rode it again, that time we had to wait though (for like what 5 min., if that). I have to say that i was not as impressed with batman as i thought i would be, but i still got the very first ride all season, it don't get much better than that!!! then it was Mind Eraser, and then and wonderful hour and 45 min wait for the front of Superman....because thank's to SF management there was only one train operating. but that was a great ride. we also got on Blizzard river twice, which i didn't even anticipate would be open, but it was so we did it. we also rode Cyclone twice, Ship Wreck Falls, Flashback twice, Superman two more times after the first, there was only a 30 min. wait the last time we went!!! i rode Scream 3 times, and dave did it twice, he was scared of the ride, so he was a bit aprehensive, but he managed to over come that fear and now he loves the ride!!! and we hit a couple of Flats, Buzsaw a couple of times, Twister, Time warp, and Double Trouble...i think thats it. all in all a very successful first day, no lines, first ride on batman, Free coke, and season passes. Great Day.
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"The only thing we have to FEAR is FEAR itself" - FDR
So don't fear the ride of u'r life, embrace u'r fears and u can accopmlish anything...even the impossible!
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