Six Flags is such a ripoff

[FlyingBIZKIT]

At MM I always loved the Ninja and Batman rides, those were so much fun.  The last time I went I remember they had a new ride involving a dragon design and we waited 2 hours to get on that thing and it was such a blast.

The Mike Mangini theme park is amazing!

Psh, I was talking about the Majora's Mask theme park thank you very much!

[MetalManiac666]

The Six Flags in Buffalo, Darien Lake, sucks so bad.  hateithateithateit.  Then again the only amusement park I've particularly enjoyed going to is Bush Gardens Williamsburg.

[theliloutkast]

went to Six Flags in Maryland the other day, it was a horrible rip off. $36 each after the coke can discount, the safety crews were horrible at doing the checks, and it still took 20 to 30 mins to ride one ride even with close to no line. The only good thing was the pretty decent water park.

[Slain]

Went today with some friends.  The water park was a blast, and we couldn't have asked for better weather (85, sunny and not a cloud in the sky), but my goodness, what a ripoff the prices are now!  Unless you have a coupon or a deal or something, it is $45 to get in, and $15 to freaking park.  Thank goodness a friend has a season pass (she goes all of the time since she has two small children who love the water park), so we parked for free, my man oh man, what a ripoff that place is.  Even the cost of drinks and food is outrageous (like ball park outrageous), but we were smart and brought coolers of food and drinks.

But if nothing else, this ride is awesome:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/rollerfan/1389975462/

Let me tell ya about Six Flags (Maryland). IT'S TERRIBLE! My girlfriend and I went a few years ago, and we got stuck at the top of the ride "Superman" for about an hour. The car just fucking STOPPED at the top, and they had some guy walk all the way up the steps that were next to the incline just to tell us that we'd be okay. Of course we got to watch as a crowd surrounded the ride, and everyone from all around the park took pictures and stared at us hoping that they'd get to see some crazy shit happen.



There were also horrific stories of "fluid" from the ride being shot into people's faces on Joker's Jinx, and people being decapitated that I'd heard before. It's notorious for accidents, and being the polar opposite of safe.

Here you go:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Incidents_at_Six_Flags_parks

To be fair, there are pages like this for just about every park though. That doesn't mean that it isn't a ripoff, though.

[Tick]

It is a ripoff mostly because the staff and service is shit. The rides are awesome. Who really pays full price? Its so easy to get coupons. I wouldn't think of going without one.

[theliloutkast]

The staff and service sucked ass in more ways than I ever expected.

[Implode]

It's notorious for accidents, and being the polar opposite of safe.

Accidents that injure people at theme parks don't happen often at all. I don't know why you're saying parks are the opposite of safe because of a few freak accidents.

[robwebster]

It's notorious for accidents, and being the polar opposite of safe.

Accidents that injure people at theme parks don't happen often at all. I don't know why you're saying parks are the opposite of safe because of a few freak accidents.

They're given extra prominence 'cause they make the news, and they make the news 'cause they're rare.

If theme parks were truly dangerous - in the same way as driving a car is dangerous, or crossing a road - the occasions that people do get injured wouldn't be noteworthy for a second.

[Implode]

If theme parks were truly dangerous - in the same way as driving a car is dangerous, or crossing a road - the occasions that people do get injured wouldn't be noteworthy for a second.

Exactly.

Although it does suck that you had to be stuck at the top hill for an hour on one of the best roller coasters in the world.

[Cable]

 

This is a running theme in the business. As much as an advocate I am for Disney Parks over more traditional amusement parks, they are the worst offenders. I listen to a lot of podcasts about Disney Parks, and last year one of them had a wonderful episode about price increases. Last year, it went up around 9%, which as they stated, outpaced inflation and the rising cost of commodiies. Actually, they said last year those things did not go up last year, or if so, were up 1% at best. And Disney Parks has far outpaced inflation over time. Simply look at the Wikipedia for Disneyland, and it has a scale of the rising ticket prices.

Yet, supply and demand. There is a demand still to pay the prices. At some point though, I reckon Disney parks, and then maybe amusement parks, will be priced beyond your basic family. As these prices keep going up, the normal wage of families are not going up to match the rises. And people can only cut and slash so much to save and pay for their trips...

It is not just the ticket prices. Disney Parks has some fantastic dining options, and that has gone up. Merchandise it terrible. In 2008, the last time I was at Walt Disney World, my wife and I bought a Wall-E and Eve plush. They were over $20 combined. Back home afterwards, we got two that were twice the size, and made noises from the Disney Store. $20 combined as well.

[MetalJunkie]

I just came in here to say FUCK rollercoasters.

Maybe I don't like them because my dad took me on the Texas Giant when I was six...

[wkiml]

I just came in here to say FUCK rollercoasters.

Maybe I don't like them because my dad took me on the Texas Giant when I was six...

Grow a set and get over the childhood trauma

[El Barto]

My dad took me on Big Bend when I was about that age.  Nobody here remembers it, but it was a wild mouse coaster at Six Flags.  The cars were basically like the logs in a log flume ride with 4 people lined up and 1 belt around the four of you.  Scared the crap out of me. 

Groovy Pictures

Park safety does seem to have taken a hit.  Because of the much higher risk of state fair and traveling amusement rides,  Six Flags was always heralded as the benchmark for safety.  They always took maintenance very serious and only had reasonable and competent people operating the rides.  I haven't seen anything that concerned me at a Six Flags park,  but it does seem like the quality of 16 year olds they're hiring to run coasters has declined a bit.  One of the things that happens when you go from 1 park to 18,  I suppose.