Six Flags Over Texas survey

I'm on the listserv for Six Flags Over Texas. Yes, I joined on purpose when I was a season pass holder.

I was a season pass holder a couple of years ago and was for a few years. In my eyes, it's more of a value to purchase season pass tickets versus buying a one-day ticket. One reason is because you don't have to feel like you have to fit in getting to ride all the rides in one day and then feel jacked for not being able to do so because two to three rides had a wait line for an hour(s) or more.

Anyway, trust me. The season pass with season parking is the best deal becaus if you go 2-3 times the ROI on the passes costs is made back. Plus, the first time you go you can ride just five or so rides then the second time you can ride five different ones and the third five more different ones or even the same. That way you don't feel like you got jacked out of your money like you would with the one-day costs unless, of course, you got very lucky and went on a non-busy day for the one-day ticket.

My season pass days were for my kids...and me. I like to ride almost all the rides. There are some that sort of made me sick, mainly kiddie rides, because I guess I'm old(er) but all of the big rides are not a problem so far. We did season passes because my kids were younger and still wanted to hang out with their dad. But they got older. One wanted to go with just friends even though those friends liked to have me along because I'm a FUN. The other decided there was really no desire to go because of the hatred of roller coasters and anything else that goes higher than ten feet.

Six Flags Over Texas sent me a survey to complete via email. I thought it was interesting when I got to this part shown in the screen shot below.

The second sentence starting with "Below" must have been written by someone for whom English is a second language.

The questions to follow were about ideas of new rides and what I thought about them. Basically, they are querying people (well me) about things that are already being done at other amusement parks. I get it. They are trying to see if there is an interest in certain types of rides/attractions. That's what they should do.

But...can they really and truly hold me to clicking the "Yes, I promise" button? Who's going to know if it was me or someone else who spilled the beans?

Although, the best idea would be a NEW idea and not one that's already being done.

Anyway...stupid randomness, I know...

Women’s Auxiliary Annual Family Night at Six Flags

The parents of a friend of my oldest had free tickets to the Women's Auxiliary Family Night at Six Flags Over Texas on Friday, April 1^st, 2011. Well, they gave them to us for free but I'm not sure if they were free for the parents.

Anyway, this even is for a good cause and it was a fairly priced event. They discount the tickets to $25 if you purchase them in advance at a Tom Thumb. If you purchase them at the gate, they were $50.

Thursday morning, the mother sold this as "they are closing the park for a private event." She said she could get six tickets for her son and some of his friends. He's a pretty good kid and he even invited my younger child to go along as well as the same-aged sister of one of his guy friends. They are all friends more or less even though there is a two-year age difference. I tried to see if they could get me a ticket because I'd go for free and I know my kids aren't the biggest fans of riding the roller coasters...just about ANY of them. To me, that defeats the purpose of going to Six Flags but my kids said they'd enjoy just hanging out with their friends and seeing them have fun. Again, the friends try to pressure them to ride but my kids usually stick to their guns and hold firm.

Anyway, come Friday morning I see a story line in my Google Reader feed of the Dallas News or maybe the Park Cities People mentioning the Family Night. I click the link and it turns out the park will indeed close for a "private" event but when anyone can get the tickets, it's not really private in my eyes.

The bonus part about this is that I could buy myself a ticket for $25 and tag along with my kids which they were so adamantly against the night before. I consider myself a great, fun dad but my oldest kid didn't want me to cramp their "style." What effin' style is the question but I held off pushing the topic until I found out this private event wasn't so private.

Anyway, longer story short, the night was pretty fun. It was interesting to see the dynamic of my kids' friends and siblings hanging out together as well as the interesting people that attended the event. My kids were glad I came along because I am fun and I didn't get into their business. I only step in when I need to and a couple of times the friend that invited them all was a little hyperactive so I had to tell him to "sit" a few times.

I didn't ride every ride but I did ride The Batman, The Flashback, The Judge Roy Scream, The Texas Chute Out, The Roaring Rapids and The Texas Titan. We did a lot of walking and I was plum tuckered by the time I got home around 10 after midnight.

I think I can say that I've had my fill of Six Flags for the season. I don't see any reason to return as a full-paying guest if at all...maybe another freebie. It's not that I didn't enjoy my time. I think it's more that the rides are still the same and I've already ridden them a buzzillion times. I can find much better things to do than drive for 30-45 minutes to the park and then ride/walk all day long. I'm too old for that shit...did I just type that? LOL.

Anyway, it was good times and thanks for the event Children's Medical Center.

Cirque Dreams Coobrila

I took the kids and their cousin, my nephew, to Six Flags Over Texas last Wednesday. We have season tickets with season parking so it's not that big of deal other than time and gas cost for us to go when we want. We've already been twice which has already equaled what I paid for the season tickets.

We had a free ticket that was given to my youngest from school for reading six hours. It's actually a pretty good deal. I mean how hard is it to read six hours to get a $60 ticket? If you were a dishonest child with dishonest parents, it would be even easier to do so if you get my drift.

Anyway, we got there around 2:30 p.m. and didn't get home until around 11:30 p.m. Reason was because the kids wanted to stay and see the show Coobrila. The show wasn't until 9:30 p.m. The park closes at 10 p.m. but the show didn't get out until about 10:30 p.m. It's a short show with a lot of things going on at once but it was still worth staying to watch especially since it isn't any additional dollars over the park entry for the show. So, for us, it was free all around.

The picture is just one of many from our day at Six Flags but it's the entrance to the show.

A Trip to Six Flags Over Texas

These shots taken from the 'Tower' through the fencing:

La Vibora

The Titan with The Rangers Ballpark in Arlington in the background

The Titan with the new Cowboys Stadium in Arlington in the background

The Shockwave's double loops

The Superman

Roaring Rapids

The Judge Roy Scream

The Texas Chute Out

View from the kiddie ferris wheel in Toontown at Six Flags over Texas

Random observations of entertainment park guests

Okay, so this is the "meaner" version of my comments about Six Flags Over Texas. It's not really mean. It's just...honest. So without further adieu.

Here are some randomly generated stats by yours truly based on my observations of the day. Out of all the people carrying around prizes such as over-sized stuff animals, basketballs, and any other stupid products that you could have purchased cheaper some where else:

• 80% are BLACK (how many of these people still have African genes, so why call them African-American?).
• 12% are MEXICAN (we're in Texas people, they are Mexicans unless they can prove they are Latino or Hispanic.)
• 8% are believed to have departed a double-wide (ya'll know, white trash? Anyone that is medically considered obese and comes to 6-Flags without a bra but wearing a tank top that doesn't cover what it should and needs to or tries to cover that love seat of an ass in shorts/pants that are tighter than Joan Rivers' face.)

Most of these people are so stupid to "win" prizes such as these from the game booths because in the end, if they think about it, they probably spent double, triple or even more for a product that they probably could have found elsewhere for a lot less. Now, I'm not saying all of them are dumb asses. I'm sure there are a few people who got lucky and paid to play once or twice and won. They are truly the smarter ones of the bunch.

Let's take for example one fellow from the 5% area. He was about 5-8, 210-225lbs, buzzed or bald head, pretty flabby, wearing an oh-so-attractive black sleeveless shirt. Anyhoo, I forget the name but there was this game which involved a basketball goal on a half court set up. There were three racks of four basketballs placed in specific sports around the arc of the half court. Picture something like a three-point arc from side to side but the top of the arc touches the top of the free throw circle. I'm not a basketball fanatic, anymore, so I'm not sure what the exact terminology is. Anyhow, the point is you pay $10 to (hopefully) shoot and make the basketballs in an allotted time...

Oh wait, it's like the three-point shooting before the NBA All-Star games but...not! Damn, lost train of thought. Okay, back on track.

...I think they gave like thirty seconds on the clock. So, this big, burly but not athletic man, after paying his $10, starting shooting the first four balls worth two points each from behind the arc at what would be the baseline(?). Two rim shots and two air balls. He trots to the top of the arc which are worth one point each. He misses the first, hits the second and backboard to rims the last two. Running to the third spot which is directly across from where the first spot is, he seems a little winded. He launches three air balls, the last hits the ground as the buzzer sounds.

A few people rotate through. All doing basically just as poorly as this man did. In fact, a female that was easily a quarter of his size made only one shot but air balled none! Two black guys followed her. One sadly didn't sink one ball. The other got four points which won him a medium prize. The medium prize was a Dallas Cowboy flag/banner time thing. It looked to be about the size of a regular size bath towel.

I asked the kids if they were ready to stop watching the sadness but they wanted to watch a little more. I turn my attention back to the court and who did I see but the burly man about to start another attempt at "stardom" after paying another $10. That's $20 that's he's spent now. He starts at the buzzer and crashes and burns. He didn't even make a basket this time. Bummer for him.

After him, I see a younger boy make his attempt and he fails as well. Not as miserably as the burly man but he still failed. He was one point/shot away from getting his own banner. Funny thing is that he was the son of the burly man which, since he just kicked his father's ass, gave him big bragging rights! Not to be outdone by his son, burly man takes a third attempt with the same results (losing) although he came within two points from getting his most awesome banner.

So, this man spent $40 ($30 for himself, $10 for his son) to come away with nothing! I mean he had a great time and his son obviously enjoyed taking it to his father but c'mon, that's $40 blown in two minutes!! Two minutes! If I spent $40 in two minutes, I'd better have gotten blown!

The dad voice in me sort of says, "I guess it's all about having fun and enjoyment with my kids and it is only $40 and you can't take the money with you when you die," but the cost-conscious dad in me says, "WTF? I can take them somewhere really cool and inexpensive where $40 would last an hour or two or more. I also won't feel so stupid for blowing that much cash on something so materialistic as trying to win a basketball (real or big bouncy one which was the "large" prize)." What's even worse is that you could buy a regulation basketball (which the ones at Six Flags are not) for less than $40 and take your kid to the courts at the park or local school and have him stomp your ass.

I must admit that I did, years and years ago when I was a young adult, play a basketball shooting game that was somewhat addicting. It's more of a "I'm gonna win" more than "This is way fun. Let's play some more." It was only $1 a shot and it was more difficult than this new game. For one, it was on a slanted part of the walkway by the Texas Tower and it was much farther a shot than the typical three-point shot. They already make the rims just barely bigger than the balls you are shooting so the shots have to be damn-near perfect. 5 shots and $5 later, I owned a basketball of the college my wife was going to school at the time and the one I attend now. Which is a feat in itself since they don't license their brand to just anyone. Truth be told, I was shocked to see it at Six Flags.

Anyway, that's my random observation and story.

Good Bye and Good Riddance!

Six Flags Over Texas

I took the kids to Six Flags Over Texas yesterday. It was beautiful day to go and the crowds weren't too bad...in Looney Toons Land, anyway. That's where we spent most of our time. We did venture into the far off depths of the park to ride the Carousel, Mine Train, Mini-mine Train, Antique Cars and El Sombrero but that was about it. I tried to talk them into riding the Judge Roy Scream, Texas Chute Out or even the Texas Tower but they were not going for any of them. Sometimes they are a waste of my hard-earned money. Ha! Just kidding. I guess there is enough for them to do in the "kiddie land" of Six Flags. It's just not where I'd care to spend all of my time every time I go there with them. But as a good, no grrreeeeaaaat, parent that is what I will do if that is what gives my kids the most enjoyment.

Anyway, I purchased season tickets for the family (four of us) so we could go anytime we wanted and not have to pay each time. This summer there will be a lot of visits to Six Flags. I also purchased, when I got to the park and the season pass office, season parking. It's a better deal, trust me. I paid $15 to park. I went to pay for season parking and I paid an extra $30 (that's $45 total for those of you NOT paying attention). So, if I visit the park more than 3 times, which I surely will, then I've made my money's worth and more. The only problem with this is that the season parking is tied to my season pass and only my season pass. So, if the wife and kids want to go without me or I'm not available, they'll have to pay. Or I'll have to find some sly way to ride with them, have the parking attendant slide my card for the "free" parking and then hitch a ride with a buddy or someone that was nice enough to come along in their own vehicle to whisk me away.

The odds are that my wife will not be going without me. I surely wasted money on her as she cannot do the roller coaster rides and such because she gets motion sickness or some shit like that. Basically, her season pass is payment for her being a "babysitter" for the kiddos if and when there is EVER a time I do not go along with the kids or as a family. 99% of the time I'm sure I'll be taking the kids and the wife will come along as she cares to. Like I said, she was basically a waste of my money (certainly not the first time for this) but there isn't anyone else I could call upon or depend on if I'm not available.

I've got some more thoughts about Six Flags but I thought I'd keep this post more on the "positive" thoughts than create a mixture of feelings all at one time. Highs and lows then highs and lows again is not a good thing for some people.

Who picked that guy to be the face of Six Flags

Remember that scary, bald, old man in the Six Flags commercials that would start dancing outside of that bus? Well, here he is up close and personal.



Needless to say, he's no longer their mascot.