I went to SFStl with my dad on a Sunday. The weather looked to be good, nice and warm but not too terribly warm. We arrived at the park really early before they had opened up the gates to the parking lot. So we waited about half an hour to pay the ridiculous nine dollars for parking. Then walked up the park where we spent another half hour waiting for the gates to open. Once I went through with my season pass and my dad with his free ticket from the company he works for (they were having a regional picnic thing, so my dad had to go out and do “networking” type things with the employees in this region) we got to wait another 15 minutes for the security guard to let us enter the actual park beyond the main entrance plaza area.

Finally, we were allowed in so we went straight towards Mr. Freeze.

We waited one train for the front seat; only the left side of the station was operating. The launch wasn’t very spectacular. But the top hat was ridiculous, what an amazing inversion! The over bank turn was also pretty neat. The vertical tower gave a cool somewhat tilted view of the park as well as some nice weightlessness. The positive g’s at the bottom of the vertical hill and the entrance of the over bank were pretty impressive. Going backwards through the top hat was the best part of the ride though. The view of the track twisting and everything being upside down was great and was soon followed by a little bit of hang time and some airtime going through the 90* twist, dropping back onto the launch track. All in all a great ride so we went around for another ride in the back. There was no wait this time, the back seemed to have a bit more shaking going on, but the positive g’s at the bottom of the elements were much intense. All in all the back wasn’t quite as good as the front. We took one more front seat ride this time waiting about 3 trains before moving on. I’d give the ride something like an 8/10.

We went on Xcaliber as there was no wait and they had just begun loading the ride. I had a good time on this flat although it made me a bit more nauseous then I like. Still a fun ride though. At time it appears the train is mighty close to colliding with the supports which gives an extra bit of excitement at the rides conclusion. Defiantly suggest giving this ride a chance though.

Next we made the LONG trek back to Boss, easily the one ride I was the most excited to get on. I could not believe just how massive this ride looked. We waited 4 trains for the front seat. Although the Gerslaughter trains detract from the ride by beating up your legs a bit and giving a kind of rough ride with lots of shaking, I still has an absolute blast. The massive drops and turns, including the awesome double-down beginning, at the beginning followed by the impressive 540* helix finale were all great. My dad was a bit too roughed up for another go around and there were still a few coasters left to ride so we moved on. I’d say Boss gets an 8.5/10.

Screaming Eagle didn’t have much of a line so we waited a few trains for the front. It appears this ride would give some nice air time, however very little is found. On the third bunny hill I got a nice pop of ejector air, which was the only air I found on the whole ride. It was still a blast though. The ride takes place almost entirely in the woods and is a very fast paced coaster. Although the turns are a bit rough, the rest of the ride is pretty great despite a lack of airtime. The large drop after the turnaround was a big surprise for me and a huge plus for the ride. I went around for another ride in the back to see if there was any more air, there wasn’t. The view was obscured and the turns were rougher, so the front is superior. I’ll give it a 7.5/10

Next up was River King Mine Train. Not too exciting except for the final drop in the tunnel. Not a bad ride though. We had to wait 15 minutes (longest wait of the day at that point), so I came away from the ride a bit disappointed. I’ll say it’s a 5.5/10.

Ninja had no wait for the front seat of the back car so we hoped in. The little dip off the lift gave some nice weightlessness and the first drop although small gave a bit of air. The first two inversions, the vertical loop and sidewinder were smooth enough and intense. The exit of the sidewinder though was the highlight of the ride as the chain return gives one of the most insane head choppers ever. I’ve never been so intimidated by a head chopper in my life. The corkscrews were smooth but didn’t provide any real forces; sadly the helix finale was the only real rough part of the ride. Still a decent ride though. 6/10

Batman: The Ride was the last ride to be ridden; at this point it was about 1:00. I knew if I waited until later the line would be shorter (at this point the line stretched to the very end of the Gotham City Park section. But I really felt like getting it out of the way before, knowing my luck, the ride would break or something of that nature would happen. It was about a 35 minute wait total before arriving in the front seat. The vertical loops were great and filled with positive g’s, and the high speed turn following the second vertical loop had such speed it left my legs feeling a bit tingly. The corkscrews were taken with some great speed and the finale provided some nice foot chopper type effects with the ground. I liked it better then the SFGAdv version (the other Batman clone I have been on). I’d say it was an 8/10.

After riding Batman I snapped some photos, enjoyed a free catered lunch, and re-rode all the coasters at least one more time. I also rode another flat ride, Tom’s Twister, the old school gravitron type ride. It was fun getting stuck to the wall and it left me nice and dizzy.

After taking my last ride on Boss, where I waited close to 40 minutes, I grew weary of standing in line in the heat and crowds and decided since the park was only going to get more crowded as the water park would close at 7 and it was currently 6:00 it was time to leave. I looked and looked for a store that had roller coaster shirts and finally found one. I purchased a Boss and a Screaming Eagle shirt and then headed for the exit gates.



On the way back to the hotel my dad and I stopped at the St Louis arch and took in the sights and such. All in all a really great day at what I thought was a really nice park. The scenery was fantastic, all SFStl needs is some more flat rides and it’ll be a great park to spend a full day at.

__________________
Rebel Yell is better backwards.

You didn't go to Hurricane Harbor? How could you pass up on a great waterpark?

__________________
DHollon - MidwestInfoGuide.COM

Ehh, I don't go to waterparks myself. I can't pass up the coasters.

Boss is a great ride. Nice parts, and bad parts but amazingly huge. I love the double down into the support structure.

Freeze is also a good ride at the park. I think the best row is row 1. The best seat though is (from the left side of the station) the seat where you step over the seat. Confusing I know. The seat where your on the ride and you can look right and not see another seat. Reason being, my favorite hand-chopper at the park, the support beam. It feels like your hands are right there. I've tried to touch (your going so slow, it wouldn't hurt) but can't touch. I know I'm within 6 inches though.

Ninja does have a great headchopper. I grey out just before the sidewinder and can see again just as we hit the head chopper so it gives me an extra effect.

I'm surprised you liked Xcalibur. I hate it. I think its pointless, no thrill. I'd rather watch than ride it. It sounds like you got in about 12 or so coasters that day. You could have been there 3-4 more hours. On a Sunday with crowds, such as bring a friend free day, I can get in 25-30 rides. Its all in how you do the coasters and when to do them. Freeze first 2-3 times. Then boss 2 times. Then Eagle 2 times. Then Mine Train once, then Ninja 2 times, then Batman once, then do them all in the same order or do backwards. Don't do Batman at openin or just after 1 is all can say. Boss also has a line at about 8:30-9:00, but its worth the wait to do it in the pitch black.

Well since I have already had my annual "bruisings" from RKMT, Ninja, and Boss, it doesn't take too long for me to get through the park. IMHO the Boss is not that great of a ride. With that being said, it is easier to ride than SOB.

__________________
DHollon - MidwestInfoGuide.COM

Hands down you are right! I've never ridden SoB but from the way people talk who liked Boss and said it was smooth and hated SoB for its roughness, I think SoB is one of those "for the coaster count" rides.

I don't think I could even recommend riding it for a credit. There are easier coasters to ride out there.

__________________
DHollon - MidwestInfoGuide.COM

I still think Boss is absofrickinamazing, I just returned from a trip to Holiday World recently, and felt that Raven was definitly NOT number one, Legend was fun, but Boss still topped it for me.....

But I'm sure that Voyage will top out Boss. 1.2 miles with 24 seconds of air, 2 90 deg banked turns, and a triple down. But I think Boss is faster...

According to the 2004 Golden Ticket Awards it's not either Boulder Dash is.

http://www.amusementtoday.com/2004gtawood.html

__________________
DHollon - MidwestInfoGuide.COM

Meh, all water slides are the same to me. The only time I'll go to a water park is if I go with friends who REALLY want to, or if I'm bored and hot and need to cool off at SFA's water park. With the crazy Tornado thing at SFA and other parks I think I found the best water slide out there anyways.

I deffinately could have gotten a lot more coasters done had I stayed the whole day and if I didn't spend an hour and a half at the company picnic/taking pictures of rides. Thats cool though.

__________________
Rebel Yell is better backwards.