Disney / Six Flags - keeping things in perspective

[KevinPage]

Not to plug another website, but a brilliant article over at Jim Hill Media today about Six Flags Great Adventure.

I had to endure this park for most of my life living in the Northeast, as well as visiting 5 other SF parks across the country.

For all the complaints about Disney cutting back or being cheap, whether valid or not, you should at least visit a SF park every so often, just to experience life the way it shouldn't be at a park.

Not that you give anyone a pass because they are not as bad as the next guy, but it still is an eye opener and helps you appreciate what we have in Disney that much more

 

[Buzz Lightyear]

Amen Kevin. I ha gone to SFoG for a few years before I ever went to WDW and enjoyed it. But after going to WDW, SFoG was never the same. Sure they have great rides, esp. the roller-coasters, but the atmosphere and their workers leave alot to be desired. Their restaurants were not even air-conditioned. If I go back to a SF park, it will be purely for the rides, no the whole experience. No one can do it like Walt.

 

[kal1484]

I call it Hell on Earth.

 

[Sherm00]

i went to a six flaggs only once, it was filthy, garbage all over the place, every ride was a roller coaster, so i couldn't ride anything, the batman stunt show was ok. i never went back..

 

[Punkss]

----------------------------

Slight Drift

-------------------------------

What does anyone think about Busch Gardens in FLorida, just curious as i am going to Florida next year and want to see if its worth it as we will be getting the 7 day pass for Disney and going to Universal as well.

People ihave spoken to say yes or don't bother, i want to know what you park intelectuals think :animwink:

 

[MrNonacho]

Originally posted by Punkss

What does anyone think about Busch Gardens in FLorida, just curious as i am going to Florida next year and want to see if its worth it as we will be getting the 7 day pass for Disney and going to Universal as well.

If you've never been, I'd say it's worth a day. My last couple of visits (the most recent being a few weeks ago) haven't been all that great, though. The park is fairly clean, there's lots of animals to see and some good rides, but the employees there tend to be the bottom of the barrel. They're not very friendly and they're generally apathetic when it comes to their guests. Some of their policies (like their NO CAMERAS ON THE COASTER EVEN IF IT'S IN YOUR POCKET OR SURGICALLY IMPLANTED IN YOUR BODY or LET'S ONLY RUN ONE SIDE OF GWAZI AND TAKE A REDICULOUSLY LONG TIME TO LOAD A TRAIN policies) stink and are often rudely enforced. Overall, I'd put them slightly ahead of Six Flags but way below any of the Orlando parks.

I can't see myself going back there for quite a while, but my advice would be to check it out for a day and see how you like it for yourself.

 

[Shaman]

Originally posted by wdwprincess03
I call it Hell on Earth.

Is it that bad...I've never been to an SF park. And I think it really isn't fair to compare SF to Disney cause SFs in many ways are more of amusement parks than THEME parks.....and well we know that the DISNEY standard is higher.

 

[dox]

Trust me they think they are "theme" parks. They actually have "lands", eg. a frontierland, looney toon lagoon, superheros, southwestern. Not that they make any sense. The Superhero section is on the complete opposite side of the park from Superman ride. And Nitro an awesome rollercoaster is right next to batman the ride although they have nothing in common.

That said i do have a season pass to SFGA. As I couldn't go to WDW this summer I need to at least get some kind of a themepark fix.

To the post above re: Busch Gardens. I've been about 3 times. Last time was in 1994 i believe. I don't know if things have changed, but it is a nice way to spend a day. Not as creative or beautiful as AK, but a lot more fun. Although the animal theme is not as integrated in my opinion.

If you really want to see a non disney park or non universal park that really is up to snuff, youshould see Cedar Point. I went a few weeks ago and the place blew me away. Really clean, well landscaped, with lots of entertainment. Nice friendly crowd and employees. Awesome coasters and a great location.

 

[HebeJebe]

There is a Busch Gardens in VA also. It is somewhat similar to the World Showcase in EPCOT except with rides and shows at each country. There are a few roller coasters and a few other mixed rides. Plus the traditional Anheuser-Busch etc. Not Disney but at least it is landscaped nicely.

 

[Punkss]

OK, thanks for the advice, i think i will go there now, sounds ok but looks like nothing can rival the Disney adventure After all thats primarily what i am going for and probably wouldn't go to Florida if there was just Universal, busch and Sea World. (no offense intended because i'm sure its lovely.)

Also i went to Universal Mediterreno (formerly Port Aventura) which was good but is not really amazing. Only one ride which i would say was excellent (Dragon Khan) the rest were just good.

 

[surfsupdon]

I find Six Flags Great Adv. to be horrendus. I live 40 mins form it, and we all dislike it.

Both Busch Gardens I find perfectly acceptable, especially in Williamsburg, its absolutely beautifully landscaped moreso than a lot of parts of Disney...but it just sint Doisney.

 

[One Lil Spark]

I live near SFoG and I go whenever I have a day off from classes or whatever to get an adrenaline fix. It is nothing more than a fair with high priced rides. You can't walk into a park like that expecting Disney's service or standards.

The scariest ride there is Monster Plantation (the kiddie boat ride) because the AA's are as bad, IF NOT WORSE than the one's in DollyWood (which is really close to me too).

That's what makes WDW so wonderful. It's NOT DollyWood or Six Flags. :sohappy:

 

[josh_e_washie]

I'm not sure if anyone here can agree with me, but an incredibly bad experience can be found at Six Flags Darien Lake. It was a privately owned amusement park that Six Flags bought. it has one good coaster, and the rest of the park is literally crap. They have been sited by the health department dozens of times for selling undercooked bugers and...yes...moldy bread and meat. But this is my FAVORITE part...they call it the first Six Flags RESORT, because they have a hotel on property...the funny thing is this hotel is called lodge on the lake, and it is built in a horeshoe shape around a central pool. When you walk into the hotel you even walk into a large lobby. Mind you everything is concrete and drywall...they have one log spanning the lobby...but I think it is a nice try....:lol: :lol: :lol:




P.S. I wouldn't be so mean...but I think that six flags is a rip off...so if they are mean to me...I'm mean to them!!! Nothing beats disney!!!!:sohappy:

 

[Gucci65]

Originally posted by One Lil Spark
I live near SFoG and I go whenever I have a day off from classes or whatever to get an adrenaline fix. It is nothing more than a fair with high priced rides. You can't walk into a park like that expecting Disney's service or standards.

The scariest ride there is Monster Plantation (the kiddie boat ride) because the AA's are as bad, IF NOT WORSE than the one's in DollyWood (which is really close to me too).

That's what makes WDW so wonderful. It's NOT DollyWood or Six Flags. :sohappy:

Can you remember when you had to stand in line forever for the Monster Plantation? I won't go in it anymore, because I do compare it to WDW.

I agree with everything you said. My daughter and I do go to SFoG because we love coasters. Not to mention that I get coupons at work for buy 1/get 1 free. If not for being coaster junkies we would not go. There is NO comparision

 

[spoodles]

I'm not sure if anyone here can agree with me, but an incredibly bad experience can be found at Six Flags Darien Lake.

We live near SF Darien Lake. I hadn't been there in years, since before Six Flags took it over. I always figured it must have been upgraded since Six Flags took over, but we were there for a concert last week -- what a hole, still!

I've never seen a worse parking lot, crap all over the place, and no organization to the layout. You should've seen the 10,000 or so cars all trying to exit at the same time. Cars pointing in all directions, with no one really knowing what to do because it just like a couple of big fields. Took us almost 2 hours just to get out of the parking lot. I mean, how hard is it to improve something so simple?

 

[Glasgow]

I live 15 miles from Six Flags and have been twice in 11 years. I live 480 miles from Disney and have been approx. 5 times in the last 3 years (twice for work seminars, mind you).

You do the math.

As for Busch Gardens, I used to live close by. I always enjoyed a day there. Lots of good stuff and there are 3 high quality coasters, IMO. Montu, Gwazi, and Kumba. You'll have a good time

 

[CSOM]

I used to live about 2 hours from SF Great America which is about halfway between Milwaukee and Chicago. We enjoyed the coasters, but other than that the parks stink. We always made sure to wear clothes that we didn't care about how dirty they got, the prices are outrageous, it's dirty, and just plain a horrible park.

That being said, now that I live near SF Astro World, I've heard this one is 5X worse (believe it or not) and to not even bother going there.

I think the one thing to keep in mind is that the crowd of people it draws is very different to WDW or even US/IOA. Not to get into a socio-economic discussion, or one regarding the maturity levels based on age, but the people who frequent a SF park seem to have much less respect for the property around them, and that contributes to the horrible atmosphere at SF parks. Anyone can scrounge up $40 to go to SF, but it takes a little more $ and planning to go to WDW.

 

[mkepcotmgmak]

i have been to SF Astroworld, SF over texas, and SF Fiesta TX, and i laugh every time i go because they try SO HARD to be a theme park, yeah right -

i can't help but laugh whenever i pass a door that says, CAST MEMBERS ONLY - ------ please

also - the costumes are all the same, did i just call them costumes? i meant uniforms, and the poor characters always look like they have been run over by a truck, then the truck threw it in reverse and hit em again - no joke, lola bunny the last time i saw her, had runners in her legs, like a bad paif of pantyhose, and the girls in lola's costume had parts of her ponytail coming out of the back -

the only sf i would give credit to as to coming 25% close to disney, is the new one in Australia - it looks really great and done how a theme park should be done - but also - there aren't just two categories of parks - there are four

1. CARNIVAL - travels and looks like SF Over TX (need i say carnies?) - main goal is to scare you

2. Amusement Park - 67% of Six Flags - also described as a carnival who is stationery, employs some carnies, and smells of rotten food. - main goal is to feed you and scare you (mainly on thrill rides and coasters)

3. Theme Parks - these guys try really hard, and do a nice job - they just lack magic, and will never obtain it either. - main goal is to scare you, awe you, and provide beautiful scenery with a story every once in a while

4. A DISNEY PARK - world of its own, not comparible to the above three... - main goal, money (j/k) - but there are so many more elements here that i can't list them, and you know what they are, but the main ingredient is pixie dust.

 

[Gucci65]

Just had to add this: The carnies just pulled into our town. It's time for the county fair. You want to talk about scary. I will walk around, but not ride:lol:

 

[HebeJebe]

Seriously, who rides a ride that can be put together in under an hour.