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Six Flags: General Discussion

If I'm totally honest, all the rides announced by Six Flags look a bit naff to me.

Collossus looks alright, the twists should have been interlocking rather than follow one another. Cyclone looks ok, but I just don't get the RMC hype at all.

The Batman ride is just a bigger zacspin and looks frankly nauseating, in the bad way.

The less said about the looping flat rides, that they're desperately trying to market as coasters, the better!

So yeah, not that excited to be honest. Bring on Carowinds and Holiday World instead!

:)
 
Colossus looks incredible in my opinion. Looks dead long and dead fun.

I think the S&S Batman looks pretty good too. From what I see, it is free spinning but has 6 individual spinning 'moments' which are activated by the magnets? Looks interesting anyway...
 
I was getting bored by all of these RMC conversions of the Woodies at Six Flags Parks. However, Colossus looks beautiful like that. I think it should be a great improvement for the ride!

That Batman ride at Fiesta Texas looks interesting as well. But I wouldn't be surprised if it ever turns out to be a maintenance nightmare.
 
Wow, what a bland upcoming year for Six Flags. Purchasing the same flat ride in mass bulk and labeling them all as coasters is pretty shocking. Hopefully it won't be too many years now until Six Flags can stop with their conversions because they'll have massacred all their woodies for these RMC incarnations, regardless of how good they appear to be. Last year had several promising additions in the video (am I the only one who prefers Jim doing the whole video rather than just the introduction as undertaken this year?) whereas 2015 only has the S&S 4D Free Fly as an out of the box idea. What a shame.
 
I had a feeling Six Flags would take some stick following the annoucement, and I am going to leap to their defence.

Firstly, we all know that not too long ago Six Flags were in deep financial trouble. As posted previously in this topic they came very closed to selling off Magic Mountain. I won't repeat all the stuff about this trouble they had and how it was resolved but it must be remembered that it wasn't that long ago. They have since re-structured and rebuilded the business in a very sensible and effective manner; the parks are doing pretty well. A lot of this is due to their investment strategy. They aim to have something new in each of their parks every year. Of course this means that some parks are going to get more exciting additions than others, that is only natural.

Buying rides in bulk. It makes sense for Six Flags to do this with their current strategy. It will mean they're getting a better deal financially. The USA is huge so if some of their parks have the same rides then it's not so much of an issue as they are so far away from each other. In the last few years they've given most of their parks a wind seeker style attraction. Now they are giving some of their parks these looping flat rides (I agree that marketing them as coasters is pushing it a bit). If it means that all of their parks get something new then it's great!

Now the RMCs. It's a similar approach Six Flags are taking. They have an exclusivity deal with RMC for the conversion of woodies into hybrids. No doubt they are getting a good financal deal on this as well. From what I have gathered the old woodies that they have closed for conversion are nothing to write home about apart from the fact they are old. Colossus for example, all I saw was people saying that at the end of its life it was nowhere near as good as it used to be. These old woodies probably had high maintenance costs also. So why not convert them into these new and somewhat unqiue hybrid coasters? It makes good sense for me and they are very easy to market.

Some people continue to say that they don't get the RMC hype etc. However I think I am right in saying that no-one on here as been on one? They get very good reviews in the USA, ok TPR maybe overhype them slightly, but they appear to be great rides. They have unique layouts and elements. I also think they look great but I know I'm in the minority there. It shouldn't matter if a coaster is made of wood, steel or a combination of them both; a good coaster is a good coaster. If they had flopped or been a disaster Six Flags wouldn't keep adding them. I'd imagine their aim is to have on in each of their major parks at least. I'm certainly hoping that Great Adventure will be getting one next year, they are long overdue a new coaster for such a major park.

Finally I agree that the video is better when Jim does the whole thing, Jim is great! For those that don't know he was born in Iraq but carried out his studies and degree here in the UK!

:)
 
For those that haven't seen it, it looks like SF Fiesta Texas are getting their own "Batman: The Ride"...

And it's not a B&M invert! Instead, they have gone for S&S's rip off of an Intamin Zacspin.

 
Rob said:
Some people continue to say that they don't get the RMC hype etc. However I think I am right in saying that no-one on here as been on one? They get very good reviews in the USA, ok TPR maybe overhype them slightly, but they appear to be great rides.
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I have only been on one RMC conversion and that's the New Texas Giant. The ride did not blow me away and is currently at number 101 in my combined coaster list. Maybe it was the hype that the ride had when it opened? Maybe?? But for me, it just seemed a bit of an odd ride. You have this tall fast first drop and then the train repeatedly trying to throw you out of the car, with the odd curve thrown in. It seemed a one trick wonder and towards the end and the tunnels, it seemed to fizzle out.

Comparing New Texas Giant to the some of my favourite airtime machines like Alpina Blitz, Bizarro, Expedition G-Force and Goliath (Walibi Holland) these are all far superior in my opinion. They have the air time, but so much more. Big steep drops, high g-curves which all break up the moments of Air-time. Where New Texas Giant seems a one trick wonder, the above mentioned rides are more complete for me.

I am hopefully, if its open, going to be able to ride Iron Rattler at Six Flags Fiesta Texas later in the year, so will be interesting to see how this rides.

But all that aside, I do really like the look of Twisted Colossus. I have been lucky enough to get to Magic Mountain three times now and really enjoyed Colossus on each visit. In fact earlier this year, Colossus was running really well. Nice and smooth and a fast ride to boot.

So I am looking forward to hopefully riding it again in 2015 in its new form, just hope it lives up to the animation.

Just nice to see a chain re-investing each year. So then Merlin, what are you up to in the UK parks for 2015??? ;)
 
At times I really don't understand this community.

RMC coasters provide Six Flags with the opportunity to install a series of innovative, world class rides across their chain, each with a custom layout and at an affordable price. The only possible downside is the loss of a few tired and mediocre wooden coasters over which few tears would be shed if they were demolished. And people are bored with this? If Six Flags weren't installing RMCs, what would they be building that was more exciting? Premier launch coasters? I don't think their budget would stretch far beyond that right now.

Yes, Six Flags are installing many rides of the same type over a short space of time but this is nothing new, they always have done. It comes with being a regional park operator. Oddly enough, I don't remember any complaints that Six Flags installed too many Batman clones and that was literally the same ride at every park.

I think that RMC have made the coaster industry a much more exciting place and I think that perhaps people have forgotten how stagnant the market had become without them. Any RMC creation has to be preferable to a wingrider.

In any case, I'm probably in the minority but as impressive as Twisted Colossus looks, I'd say that Wicked Cyclone looks like the better coaster.
 
CGM said:
At times I really don't understand this community.

RMC coasters provide Six Flags with the opportunity to install a series of innovative, world class rides across their chain, each with a custom layout and at an affordable price. The only possible downside is the loss of a few tired and mediocre wooden coasters over which few tears would be shed if they were demolished. And people are bored with this? If Six Flags weren't installing RMCs, what would they be building that was more exciting? Premier launch coasters? I don't think their budget would stretch far beyond that right now.

Yes, Six Flags are installing many rides of the same type over a short space of time but this is nothing new, they always have done. It comes with being a regional park operator. Oddly enough, I don't remember any complaints that Six Flags installed too many Batman clones and that was literally the same ride at every park.

I think that RMC have made the coaster industry a much more exciting place and I think that perhaps people have forgotten how stagnant the market had become without them. Any RMC creation has to be preferable to a wingrider.

In any case, I'm probably in the minority but as impressive as Twisted Colossus looks, I'd say that Wicked Cyclone looks like the better coaster.
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I agree with everything said here. RMC gets too much flack here when they are literally all about the riding experience and, as far as we know, only one person on here has ridden one. And seeing what Pete has said, about trying to throw you out of the car, I know he has his own opinion on what constitutes a good coaster, but I would disagree with it and suggest that is exactly what I love about coasters so much- the out of control feeling. The general consensus elsewhere is that these RMC coasters are good things and, as CGM said, they are removing tired, boring and old coasters that no one really fully enjoys riding anymore.
 
These are essentially becoming filler coasters, things to build in years between major investments. There are some that I think just look awful, utterly awful, and others look quite exciting and lend themselves to the... unique... style of construction and the associated aesthetics.

Let's put it into context, if they'd done this to the Dipper/Nash I'd be pretty outraged, but if perhaps they had done it to Rollercoaster whatever it is called now at BPB, would it really have been worse for it?

Perhaps, this is what Blackpool needs?
 
Nick said:
seeing what Pete has said, about trying to throw you out of the car, I know he has his own opinion on what constitutes a good coaster, but I would disagree with it and suggest that is exactly what I love about coasters so much- the out of control feeling.
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Don't get me wrong that's what I like on a coaster too :) Its just that New Texas Giant, was a just bit too repetitive for me. I love ejector air on a coaster, but I also like strong g's, a helix or two and long low to the ground high g curves. By the end of my runs on NTG, my legs were hurting after being bashed into the bar so many times. I just came off a bit... underwhelmed.

This is why it will be interesting to ride Iron Rattler later this year, to see how their rides have improved.:)

I am sure I read somewhere that RMC have an exclusive contract with the Six Flags group for the conversion of woodies into their creations. That's why the likes of Cedar Fair haven't done any yet. If that's true, its probably a five year deal so would run out in 2016, so makes sense why Six Flags are converting their woodies now.

My predication is that Six Flags Great Adventure will get a brand new wooden RMC in 2016. Over Georgia will have an Iron Horse conversion of the Georgia Cyclone in 2016 along with the Screamin Eagle at Mid-America.
 
TheMan said:
These are essentially becoming filler coasters, things to build in years between major investments. There are some that I think just look awful, utterly awful, and others look quite exciting and lend themselves to the... unique... style of construction and the associated aesthetics.
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They are not filler coasters built between major investments though. For the parks that get them they are the major investments for Six Flags that year. And if it means that they are getting a good financial deal on them then why not? And I don't think any of them look awful either. Of course some look better than others but they all look unique, relentless and exciting.

:)
 
Rob said:
They are not filler coasters built between major investments though. For the parks that get them they are the major investments for Six Flags that year. And if it means that they are getting a good financial deal on them then why not? And I don't think any of them look awful either. Of course some look better than others but they all look unique, relentless and exciting.

:)
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OK I stand corrected, we have to disagree sometimes though Rob as seems to be strangely infrequent nowadays! On the matter of how they look I guess like anything it's in the eye of the beholder. For me, in general, I am not a fan - on the whole, from pictures/videos anyway, I just feel they look a bit messy.

These last two at present seem a bit of an exception to that though, I agree they both look rather amazing and exciting!
 
I'll admit that these newer RMCs look far more exciting than the first few they converted... But they are still some of the ugliest rides I have ever seen.
 
RMC are just what the industry needed, like them or not. They're willing to come up with silly ideas and then build them. Would B&M dare to build a 200 foot wooden coaster and put a dive loop in it?
 
TheMan said:
These are essentially becoming filler coasters, things to build in years between major investments. There are some that I think just look awful, utterly awful, and others look quite exciting and lend themselves to the... unique... style of construction and the associated aesthetics.

Let's put it into context, if they'd done this to the Dipper/Nash I'd be pretty outraged, but if perhaps they had done it to Rollercoaster whatever it is called now at BPB, would it really have been worse for it?

Perhaps, this is what Blackpool needs?
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You'd be outraged if they did it to the Dipper/Nash? Really? It'd be celebration time if that ever happened; turning tired, old, wholly poorly operated coasters into monstrous thrill machines for a fraction of the cost of a brand new coaster?!
 
Alastair said:
You'd be outraged if they did it to the Dipper/Nash? Really? It'd be celebration time if that ever happened; turning tired, old, wholly poorly operated coasters into monstrous thrill machines for a fraction of the cost of a brand new coaster?!
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But I love Nash how it is :(
 
I have to say I agree with TheMan here. Nash and the Dipper are both traditional attractions steeped in history. If Pleasure Beach ever considered giving either of them the RMC treatment I'd be disgusted. It would completely ruin the heritage for which PBB is so famous for. It'd be like saying The Shroud of Turin is looking tired and old, so should we laminate it and give it a bit of tie-dye to liven it up and create something new? :p

At least with Six Flags they have been converting tired wooden coasters which no one seemed to overly care about, and that won't really be missed in their old form. But there are some rides, such as Pleasure Beach's larger woodies, which deserve to be preserved in their original form for generations to enjoy.

PBB is very much a museum of historical attractions, but this is what makes it so unique by comparison to the Merlin, Six Flags and Cedar Fair parks for example. I for one love being able to walk through the park and see how the industry has evolved from the early 1900's to the last decade. Don't get me wrong, they aren't all great (*glances at Blue Flyer, Infusion and Big One*), and the park does undoubtedly need a new coaster, but RMCing its heritage is not the way they should go in my opinion.

As many know, I'm not a fan of these RMC conversions. Innovative or not, they're just not to my personal taste, and I find them pretty ugly, but for as long as they're happening to forgettable wooden coasters then no harm is done really. However, parks certainly shouldn't all jump at the change to convert their woodies. If they do we will have hardly any traditional rides left.
 
Alastair said:
Perhaps, but I think you'd love it more were it transformed in the way Six Flags are doing. In fact, I can't envisage of any thrill enthusiast who wouldn't like it more.
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I don't get the point of giving it the RMC treatment though. Sure it's old and poorly operated, but that's because it's nearly 80 years old and only recently they've had all the health and safety rules which has made it have a poor operation (this is all referring to nash of course. As Ian said, it's a ride with a rich history (same with the dipper) and overall one of the best coasters in the UK, and a highly rated wooden coaster in the world, still ranked in the top 50 in the Mitch Hawker poll from last year.

I'd welcome a RMC in the UK, but not a conversion of Nash and Dipper.
 
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