More and More Like Disney Each Year

[Lizzybee]

Maybe it's just me, but I think that Six Flags Great America is trying to become more and more like WDW. SFGA is just north of Chicago. Last year when they opened the waterpark area I noticed the lines at the food service area were set up just like WDW CS. They have a version of Fastpasses, only you pay for them. Last year they also started having a Character brunch for the first time and early entry for season's pass holders. This year, there are signs up all over the park announcing the new smoking in designated areas policy. They are also celebrating a 45 year anniversary, kinda like WDW because this park has only been open for about 30 yrs so it must be all the Six Flags parks. They increased character interaction and have even added some people like the actors on the streets at MGM. For the first time they have face characters too. I hope they succeed in making it more WDW, maybe it won't have the "mouse magic" but it could at least end up being more family oriented than in the past. Anyone else near a Six Flags who notices similar changes?

 

[momrek06]

My mom used to always say to me..."if someone copies you, it is the biggest form of flattery"....so that being said....I would have to say SFGA must have some "spys" keeping a close eye on the WORLD and likes what they see...so hum...why not incorporate some of WDW ideas....and that also being said...it will probably be US, all of us here on the DIS BOARDS that will notice it more than just the usual guest going to SFGA!!! YUP, we are the MICKEY FANATICS that live and breathe every aspect of WDW soooo, we would be the FIRST to notice!!!

 

[KJHawley]

They're not the only ones. Have you heard about Universal's new evening show? Here's a quote:

"Universal Orlando is unveiling a new night show called "Universal 360: A Cinesphere Spectacular." The show features four spheres, each four stories tall, that act as projection screens for Universal movie clips that will appear with lasers and pyrotechnic effects over the park lagoon."

Projection spheres floating over a lagoon? With lasers and pyrotechnics? Where in the world did they get THAT idea????

 

[momrek06]

They're not the only ones. Have you heard about Universal's new evening show? Here's a quote:

"Universal Orlando is unveiling a new night show called "Universal 360: A Cinesphere Spectacular." The show features four spheres, each four stories tall, that act as projection screens for Universal movie clips that will appear with lasers and pyrotechnic effects over the park lagoon."

Projection spheres floating over a lagoon? With lasers and pyrotechnics? Where in the world did they get THAT idea????

SEE, this is exactly what I mean ...you noticed this RIGHT AWAY!!!!

BTW KJ, noticed your ticker...HAVE A BLAST IN 7 DAYS!!!!!!!!!!

 

[HunnyPots]

Personally, I'd LOVE it if Six Flags over Texas would try to copy WDW in ANY way at all! They have removed classic rides and lost all original theming and are adding all these cheesy little carnival type rides. The park is dirty, the employees are surly, and the food is awful and WAAAAAAAY over-priced. Oh yeah, the do have their version of Fastpass but of course you pay extra for it.

 

[wings91]

I haven't been to Six Flags Great America is at least 5 years, and its only 80 miles from me. I'd rather spend a week and thousands of dollars going to WDW and Universal Stuidos rather then that park.

SFGA has great rides, I just cannot get over how dirty and unkept the park is. I realize it's not a "theme" park, but it seems more like a traveling carnival then a park.

Maybe its changed since they added the water park and I should give it a try again. I hate that there are such cool coasters so close to me but I refuse to go there.

 

[FanOfStitch]

I live pretty close to SFGA and although I love the coasters, I just can't bring myself to go this year. The park is dirty and unkempt, the employees are generally pretty rude, and it's always so crowded. And it really irks me that I have to pay to get a fast lane card. Last year it was $15 for only four rides. Maybe Disney has spoiled me and I'm just used to the "Disney Way", but unless there were some major admin changes, I don't see that adding some character brunches and some new shows and characters is going to make SFGA any better. JMO.

Wings91--The water park is a joke. It's so tiny and the lines are horrendous. The wave pool, which is really small, stops every 15 minutes and everyone has to get out in order to "take a break". SFGA claims this to protect the guest.

 

[cabanafrau]

I also read online that Six Flags will be implementing a no smoking policy in all of their parks this year. It didn't specify that there would be smoking in designated areas, it merely said a smoking ban. Granted, we're not smokers, but that sounds like my idea of heaven. I actually wouldn't mind it so much at Disney if they did enforce it to remain in the designated areas. Specially bugs the daylights out of me when the air is thick and heavy w/ the humidity -- who needs smoke to make things worse?

 

[MareSINY]

Not Six Flags, but along the same lines, I saw a commercial for a new ride at Hershey Park, it's supposed to be some Reeses inspired ride. It looks EXACTLY like Buzz Lightyear. Everything is neon and you fire guns at targets as your car twirls around. Some Hershey engineer must have taken his family to Disney on vacation and his kids just loved Buzz so he had to make one of his own for them. LOL

 

[Luv2CtheMouse]

I agree with many of the above statements. SF is VERY dirty and their bathrooms are disgusting, unlike WDW. I live 30 - 40 minutes frm SF over TX and have not been in about 15 years.

 

[Lizzybee]

It seems they are actually trying to make it better, cleaner, and nicer. It wasn't a complaint they were trying to copy WDW, it's a compliment. My kids love the waterpark, but we don't do the big slides so it's fine for us. Yesterday, the opening day of the waterpark and the brand new waterslide the Tornado (big slide with a cone ending), we went and I expected big crowds, honestly, we walked on all rides. My kids are small and we only go on the old coasters, but I saw lines and there weren't as packed as usual either. I think the waterpark has really helped cut down on some of the lines in the park for coasters and such. As for the poster who asked about the smoking ban, there are designated areas and I didn't see anyone smoking anywhere else. I was quite amazed really, I thought it would be one of those unenforced rules but either people are really compliant or someone is telling them to go to the smoking areas. It's still no Disney, but I'm glad they are working on being a better amusement park.

 

[starwood]

We went to GA in Jackson NJ several years ago. I had gotten 2 free tickets so I only had to pay for 1 more ticket. It was after Labor Day and all of the water rides were drained. However they still charged full price admission when 1/2 the rides were closed. Almost all of the rides are coasters which I don't ride so I don't think I did 1 ride the whole time we were there. It was dirty and there was no way I was going to pay for their version of fast pass. They have a long way to go before anyone can compare them to Disney.

 

[LUVMICKEY]

I noticed the same thing. I think all the Six Flags parks are trying to take a page out of the Disney book. SFGA in Jersey really has to make some gigantic improvements before they even come close to Disney. It's been several years now since we've been there, but the last time we were there I could not wait to leave and I'm not usually like that at all. It was one of the most dirty parks we have ever been in and the people that work there, for the most part, are not real polite or helpful.

Michele

 

[zurgswife]

I think they have too far to travel...

 

[QueenGoblin]

We are pretty close to Hershey PA and I have toyed with the idea of taking DD for a day trip. I was looking at their site a while back and they were talking about "character meals." So I take a look, and since when is a 6 foot tall walking Hershey bar a "character"? I don't blame them for trying to capture some of disney's success, but it seems like they should stick to their strengths. I mean, they have CHOCOLATE!

 

[Daxx]

We refer to our Six Flags Darien Lake as "Not Disney". It *wants* to be like Disney but just does not even give 1/10th the effort needed to be like Disney. They boast a character meal but I've yet to see any information on it. Nothing to advertise it, no posters on whatever building is supposed to house the "character meal". So lame.

Personally, I cannot stand Six Flags and we only go once a year b/c we get free passes from the 6 hours of reading program in school. I get a pass b/c, as the teacher, I have to run the program in my classroom. DS gets them for his reading for 6 hours. Every year, a teacher gives me her adult pass b/c she never uses it, so Daxx gets in for free. I would not pay the $$ to go there myself. I'd rather go to the smaller amusement park (Fantasy Island) which doesn't try to be something it's not. It's smaller, quaint, has a nice water park and the kids working there are nicer than the ones working at Darien Lake!

Our Six Flags has quite a ways to go before they'd ever measure up to Disney. The staff (mostly kids) are so disinterested and not helpful. They've been rude to us. Every time we're there, I think "Not Disney" every time someone's rude to us.

 

[llp479]

I live 2 miles from SFGA and worked there for 10 seasons through HS and college. I haven't been in over 4 years because it killed me to see how run down and dirty the place was. The new CEO was quoted in a local paper as saying he was trying to make it like Disney. They've got a long way to go.

Our neighbor is the fire chief and he said the new mgmt team is much more committed to safety than those in prior years, so that's a good thing. Maybe they will turn it around. But the food prices...OMG! They make every other venue look like a bargin.

 

[Spinning]

I find all parks borrow or lift ideas from other parks. heck look at the carnival rides! They are in all the big theme parks including Disney. Spinning tea cups? Dumbo ride? Also at Island of adventure the attraction Posiden has the water flowing with a cartoon type show shown on it. I have no idea which attraction is older, this one or fantasmic. So did Disney lift the idea and make it better?
As for characters....that is what people want the interaction. My kids love the walking candy bars!
And as for smoking. That has nothing to do with Disney that has to do with the change in the US. In Delaware you can 't smoke at any resturant or bar! I don't htink you can smoke in the malls in PA. Thanks goodness! The change couldn't come soon enough.
Disney definately has set the bar, but they have also lifted ideas from other places too.

 

[Jeafl]

We live about 45 minutes from Six Flags Great America, and we generally take the kids once a year. The schools in this area give the kids a free ticket if they read 400 minutes on their own or something like that.

My problem with GA is how expensive it is. The parking this year is $15, which is ridiculous, the food is expensive and most of it is horrible! We usually get our hand stamped and go right outside the park for Subway or something like that for lunch. I do think they are trying to improve though, and that is a good thing.

I certainly wouldn't pay full price at the gate though. I think it is $56 this year. You can either buy discounted tickets at Jewel ($42) or you get $15.00 off coupons at Dunkin Donuts.

 

[Chuck65]

We live halfway between Six Flags over GA and Paramounts Carowinds. I agree with the poster who said they would rather spend their money at Disney. The last time I went to Six Flags was 14 yrs ago. We did Carowinds last year only because our church had some unused tickets at bargain prices. My company is having their family day at six flags so we'll be taking the trip this year. It is nice the way Disney spoils you You can tell how much the CM cares about the park when you see the people walking around with the little brooms sweeping up any trash they see Did I see this at Carowinds? yeah right!