[JDcoasterConqueror]

I went to SFNE on Sunday, and rode Bizarro a few times. It was a great ride, and enhanced the slightest amount after it's big change from SROS. Even though the coaster was enhanced, why shut down the park's main attraction for months?!? In SFGAd too. Why would they shut down one of their most popular rides in the middle of a season? What could the reason be and what do you speculate about the park's next move?

[CoasterCrazy]

^I'm pretty sure both transformations were done during the offseason.

[HCL]

^You are correct.

[JDcoasterConqueror]

Oops...

My friend must have lied to me... But still. Why?

[TwiDragon]

Well Texas Giant, there going to be working on it in the 2010 season. Also, X2 was being worked on during on-season as well.

[Coasteridiot]

Twidragon1000, on 29 October 2009 - 07:50 PM, said:

Also, X2 was being worked on during on-season as well.

That's because there is no 'off-season'.

JDcoasterConqueror...what do you mean by "why?"?

[TwiDragon]

I'm sorry, I just have too


-Matt

[Vater]

I'm going to speculate and say that what he means by 'why' is...what the flippity flap is the point of spending a fortune to 'enhance' (i.e. add silly and unnecessary effects and music to) what is consistently voted the BEST steel coaster on Earth? Paraphrasing, of course.

I speculate this because I frequently ask the same thing...

[JDcoasterConqueror]

By "why" I mean why would they do it? Is there a real point in changing these coasters that's worth using a few thousand dollars? They could use the same amount of money leveling a space for a new coaster. And why now? What are they up to?

And to Twidragon1000,

EDIT: Vater double posted with me

This post has been edited by JDcoasterConqueror: 29 October 2009 - 09:57 PM

[drachenfirebgw]

First of all, it costs millions to renovate a roller coaster. Secondly, both Bizarro opened on-time, before Memorial Day as I was there Memorial Day and rode Bizarro at SFGAdv. Three, it tricks the general public. They here 'Bizarro' coming to SFGAdv and think it's a new roller coaster. The people who are actually smart enough to realize that it was the same as Medusa and Superman - Ride of Steel don't really care because the newly transformed roller coasters are a different ride experience. It's all part of Six Flags maintaining the upkeep of their, and advertising new additions while spending less money than they would if they bulldozed the ride for a $20+ million dollar steel roller coaster. That and if enthusiasts saw either of the now Bizarro roller coasters dismantled, we'd be up in arm, considering that's two perfectly good roller coasters being destroyed for additions that probably wouldn't be as good.

The X2 transformation happened during the operating season because their is no off-season. The Texas Giant transformation will take from now until Spring of 2011 because they have hired the company who built El Toro at SFGAdv (note; Intamin merely designed El Toro but did not build it, a US contracting construction firm that has experience building roller coasters built El Toro) to take the Texas Giant under the knife. The structure will be renovated, some turns will be banked at different angles. The ride will obviously be retracked, etc.

Because of the actual structure and track work, the transformation will take a while longer. Also, we're not sure wither the Texas Giant will get a new name or be rethemed or not. We'll just have to wait and see.

[netdvn]

Since Drachen covered all the major points, I'm going to dive a bit deeper.

1. Six Flags doesn't have the money to plop down new coasters into all their parks anymore, so instead, they upgrade their old rides.
2. Chances are, the rides SF just upgraded are probably starting to show their age. By upgrading the trains and taking care of the track, the coaster's shelf life is extended a few more years. This not only extends the life of the coaster, but reduces maintainence costs as well. The added theming is tacked on to enhance the ride experience for the GP.
3. In today's economy, SF needs all the money it can get. By upgrading old attractions and billing them as new rides, people are drawn through the gates and spend their money inside the park.

[Vater]

They spent millions improving rides that didn't need to be improved (some might say couldn't be improved). Like, two of the better rides in their respective parks. If they're going to spend that kind of dough, why not upgrade older, less-popular rides that could use an overhaul? It doesn't make sense. I have yet to hear a review claiming that either Bizarro was so much better than their previous incarnation that it was totally worth the expense.

I was with Shapiro until they started wasting cash on sound systems, cheap props, and unneeded special effects for the chain's best coasters.

[Coasteridiot]

^ I agree.

The X2 re-vamp was needed, and what they did to the ride really did help. X was (from what I've heard) really rough. Not only have they made the coaster smoother (even if not by much), they have made the ride more interesting with on-board audio (which is GREAT) and fire.

However, the Bizarro's were perfectly fine coasters that didn't need a change. So now, on two great rides, you have fire (which I like, but both spots seem out-of-place) and from what I've heard, annoying audio that just spits out random movie quotes. The transformation may have helped the ride a little for some, or it could have taken away a little for some, but overall it didn't do much just wasn't needed like X/X2's was.

[CoasterCrazy]

^I hadn't heard that about the onboard audio just being a string of movie quotes. That is dissapointing. Normally, I am a firm believer that OA can make any ride better.

[JDcoasterConqueror]

It's true. I've ridden both rides before and after their transformations, and almost nothing concerning roughness has changed. The fire didn't make much of a difference, and the cutouts are just strange. And yes, it's true, the sound systems only spit out random movie lines cut and pasted in a jumbled collage...

So again, I ask, why would they waste so much money on an unneeded case when they could easily expand and add another attraction or delete-and-refill? They have so much money and they're throwing it away when they could do much more additions, not just to these two parks, but to some of the other parks that need that money for expansions that can save them (or at least bump them up a notch).

This post has been edited by JDcoasterConqueror: 03 November 2009 - 03:30 PM

[CoasterCrazy]

^That sounds all well and good but the problem with your theory is that Six Flags does not in fact "have so much money." As a matter of fact, they are currently in the process of trying to get out from under Chapter 11 bankruptcy. Renovating these coasters cost SF about the same as it would have to remove a coaster. Building a new one would have been much more expensive. I see this as a very smart business move as they spend less money and still brought in attendance figures comparible to that gained by releasing a new coaster.

[JDcoasterConqueror]

Well, OK. I guess that makes sense, because Terminator Salvation: The Ride, recently added, and the new mystery coaster for 2010, both for Magic Mountain is existent because their lack of money. If they're in so much debt, why are they adding coasters?

[Brad]

^Because shiny new things bring in the GP. People think Bizzaro and S:RoS/Medusa are 2 totally different coasters, regardless of new or not it still brings in more money in the long run. Money in = money out.

Why is Cedar Fair putting a $25,000,000 Giga at KD? Because that's going to bring in a buttload of people because it's a giant new coaster that "breaks a record"
Why is Cedar Fair putting a $23,000,000 Hyper at Carowinds? Because that's going to bring in a buttload of people because it's a giant new coaster that "breaks a record"
See where I'm going with this...?

[netdvn]

Pretty much every single addition to the SF chain in recent years have been inexpensive projects...

Both GCI's, both DK coasters, Buccaneer Battle, all the new waterpark additions and the Tony Hawk coasters don't really cost much compared to a shiny new Intamin or B&M. SF also managed to upgrade Medusa East, SROS, X, Texas Giant and Monster Plantation within the past few years as well.

Parks like SFMM, SFGAdv, and SFGAm draw a much larger amount of people from surrounding areas compared to smaller parks like SFKK and SFA. Therefore, they can pay off newer projects easier and therefore they get bigger additions. In fact, IIRC, SFGAm is the largest park in the chain in regards to attendance. In return, SFGAm has gotten a Dark Knight coaster, Buccaneer Battle, and a new parade. Same with SFMM and SFGAdv... Smaller parks are getting new additions like TGE and SFSTl which have been getting some large additions recently...

[CoasterCrazy]

SFoG is also in the upper ranks of SF parks in terms of attendance. I'm looking for them to get a new coaster in 2011 for the 50th. They haven't gotten one since Goliath in '06. That would make it 5 years between coasters - pretty standard for them.

[JDcoasterConqueror]

I know. SFOG has a few good coasters to help support the amazing Goliath, but I wish they could add something so the line for Goliath won't be that terrible...

[CoasterCrazy]

^It isn't bad. And they station crew is normally really good. Superman typically has the longest line due to its poor capacity. I want a new ride to go over on that half of the park. Maybe replace Ninja.

[JDcoasterConqueror]

Na. Demolishing Ninja won't do much good. It's a solid and reliable coaster. Plus it has a very small footprint, so not much else can fit well into the tight space. Although, I do agree with you on the fact that I would love to see them add another coaster that could go over the lake. What it would be is a wonder, though...

This post has been edited by JDcoasterConqueror: 06 November 2009 - 08:18 PM

[CoasterCrazy]

Well, to get this tread back on course instead of letting it turn into the SFoG Future thread (do we even have one of those btw?) lets talk about possible future morphs. I think the next ride to get a makeover will probably be at SFA. Whether it be turing SRoS into Bizarro or putting Joker's Jinx in a box. I just can't see SF being willing to drop enough cash to give that park a totally new ride. I can see them simply retheming an existing one however.

[Brad]

^Well if S:RoS is becoming Bizarro, then it's gonna be red and blue, seeing as they've begun re-painting it now.

38668686.jpg

38668461.jpg (the 4 supports on the left have been painted)