Unplanned Six Flags America trip

[Oldiesmann]

This past Sunday I made my first (and very likely last - because of distance) trip to Six Flags America. I had considered adding it to this trip since it's only two hours from KD but decided I wouldn't have time since I wanted to do two days at each of the Virginia parks and allow a day of free time. However, with the news coming Saturday that KD wouldn't be open on Sunday and it being too late for me to change hotel reservations to allow for an impromptu return to Carowinds instead (because Carowinds is closer to Beckley, WV than SFA is), I decided to make the trip, especially since SFA's 8pm closing time meant I'd have plenty of time to get back to the next hotel in Ashland, VA before it got too late. I left Beckley around 8:30am and headed north. The drive there wasn't too bad, though I will say that DC traffic was an adventure (tolled express lanes for instance). After stopping at a rest area and stopping for gas (I managed to find the one Speedway in northern Virginia so my extra discount that was set to expire before I got back to Cincinnati didn't go to waste), I rolled into the park at around 2:30. I grabbed lunch at the food court near the front of the park and hit the various rides as I came to them, also meeting up with a fellow coaster enthusiast who lives in the area.

Likely due to the extreme heat, the park was dead and I managed to get all the coasters plus a few flat rides and dinner all by 8pm. There are some interesting coasters at the park:
Firebird - the original B&M. Originally a standup coaster but converted to floorless and given its current name in 2019. Originally at Six Flags Great America from 1990 to 2011. Quite a wild ride.
Batwing - a clone of Firehawk.
Joker's Jinx - outdoor version of Flight of Fear but with no MCBR at all and no separate unload area
Wild One - an old PTC woodie that originally opened at Paragon Park in Hull, Massachusetts in 1917. Moved to SFA after Paragon closed in 1985.
Professor Screamore's SkyWinder - an intense Vekoma SLC originally known as Mind Eraser. Quite a thrilling ride, aided by the new trains that were added last year.
Ragin' Cajun - a spinning wild mouse coaster from Reverchon that originally operated at Six Flags Great America
Roar - a wild and somewhat rough woodie
Superman Ride of Steel - Intamin hyper coaster
Great Chase - a kids' coaster. Didn't ride this because I didn't know about it and never made it to that part of the park.

There are some good flat rides there as well - a carousel, antique cars, a Zamperla NebulaZ, two different swing rides (one like Zephyr and a StarFlyer), an older Intamin Drop Tower (like the one that used to be at Carowinds), a train ride that's apparently only open on weekends and an assortment of kids' rides

Overall I thought it was a nice park despite its reputation. With some investment it could be even better, especially since there isn't any competition really. It's a shame that SF chose to close the park instead of holding on and investing in it in the future.

[silver2005]

I know I'm going to a different Six Flags park (SFGAm), but I'm assuming you used your KI pass to get in?  Was there anything special with scanning the KI pass at OG Six Flags parks or is it just using the pass as usual?

[silver2005]

Disregard, wrong thread.

[silver2005]

Disregard, wrong thread.

[Oldiesmann]

4 hours ago, silver2005 said:

I know I'm going to a different Six Flags park (SFGAm), but I'm assuming you used your KI pass to get in?  Was there anything special with scanning the KI pass at OG Six Flags parks or is it just using the pass as usual?

I used my KI pass for parking but had the pass added to the Six Flags app to use for entrance. I've heard others saying they had no problem using their pass from a legacy CF park to get in and my sister and husband didn't have any problems when they used theirs at Great America earlier this year.