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SIX FLAGS
NEW ENGLAND
Agawam, Massachusetts
Six Flags Theme Parks
 Park News - (6/19/13) Quick update on Twister at SFNE... not only is the ride closed, but has been removed from the park’s list of rides on the official website as well.
(6/18/13) A reader reports that Twister at Six Flags New England (a Top Spin) is currently closed and according to the staff, the rumor around the park is that it may be removed to make way for a new future attraction. Anyone else know more?
(6/10/13) The latest rumor from Six Flags New England is that we may see Goliath open towards the end of June… but as rumored… most likely with the old train back on the track. There are still too many issues with the new train from Premier Rides at this time it seems. Rumor has it that the new train is a bit too light compared to the old one. I believe it was designed to be lighter on purpose to help solve some issues with the vertical lift hills, but now it seems it may be a big too light and has suffered increased problems with valleying. I’d expect to see it get revamped to add a little more mass and come back for another round of testing for the 2014 season.
(5/30/13) Perhaps Six Flags New England has not given up entirely on adding those new trains to Goliath. A video was posted by Coaster Crew showing off the new train on the track shortly after a test run failed and the train failed to catch to the second lift. After a time they managed to get it hooked up to the lift and completed the test run, though it looks like it was going a bit too slow through the boomerang element.
(5/27/13) While nothing has officially changed at Six Flags New England, Screamscape sources tell us that we can indeed expect to see the new train removed from Goliath in the near future, and the original train used last season put back on the rails for the rest of the summer. Unless any recient testing with the new train has gone better than it was going… but a picture from the park taken the other day was making the rounds showing off the train valleyed between the loop and second lift tower. In other words… it doesn’t sounds like things are going to well right now.
(5/22/13) While SFNE guests await the opening of Goliath, a reader did snap a picture of the new train sitting in the station with the water dummies loaded and ready to ride. While there was hope to have the ride tested and open in time for this holiday weekend, the latest rumor send in does not paint a pretty picture.
According to
our source, the new train was seen being taken OFF the rails. While this could just be for some kind of maintenance project, I’m told that there seems to be some kind of issue with the new trains moving too fast for the lift hill catch car. (Of course, the original trains also didn’t play well with the catch cars, so this isn’t entirely a new issue.)
While I suppose they could be trying out a more sticky wheel to try and slow down the train a bit, the more concerning rumor going around is that the old trains may be put back onto the coaster this week instead and the new Premier Rides trains could be sent back for some retooling. Anyone know more?
(4/17/13) Thanks to one of our readers, we have a nice picture of the new Goliath train sitting in the station on the tracks. There is still plastic wrap on the restraints, so it doesn’t look like they’re tried to load it with water dummies or start testing just yet.
In other news, Six Flags New England will offer a new bad weather guarantee to park guests this year. If bad weather hits the park during your visit that causes the park to shut down the park’s 15 major rides for at least an hour straight, then you qualify for a free return ticket to the park good any day within the same year. According to Six Flags, this is a test program that may be rolled out to the rest of the chain’s parks in the future if it works out well for everyone.
(4/15/13) An opening day report from Six Flags New England can be found at SFNEOnline. Goliath is still closed, but the new 4-across train from Premier Rides is now on site and in the station. I can’t wait to see it start testing and get a better look at it in action. A sign in front says Goliath will reopen in late Spring.
(3/11/13) In a sad development a video has been posted (see below) showing off pieces of the Catapult ride leaving Six Flags New England, showing signs of damage and having being cut apart. Unfortunately it seems clear that the pieces are headed to the scrap heap rather than attempting to save or rebuild the ride elsewhere. The S&S Sky Swatter was a fairly unique ride with only two ever being sold in the world, and as we have seen happen with other low production count attractions, spare parts eventually become either too difficult to obtain, or too costly, resulting in the rides eventually being scrapped. Just as with the Sky Swatter, we saw S&S also retire another ride concept the same way last year (the Sky Sling) forcing most parks with them to retire them one by one. For now there is still one Sky Swatter left in the world, Slammer at Thorpe Park, but I’d expect to see this ride also forced into early retirement at well within the next year or two for the same reasons.
It also kind of makes me sad… since I was invited out to test ride the prototype Sky Swatter at S&S HQ in Logan, Utah way back in 2002 alongside the aforementioned Sky Sling and the very early prototype for the Screaming Squirrel which would eventually evolve into the current El Loco ride concept. If you haven’t see that report from over 10 years ago, you can see it here.
One more development for SFNE… the park will apparently reopen Whistlestop Park in 2013. I’m not sure if the train ride will reopen or not, but the park tweeted that they will use the building as the new Season Pass Processing center.
(3/4/13) Six Flags New England has confirmed on Twitter that they are removing Catapult (S&S Sky Swatter) which will not be there for the 2013 season. I might suggest that Six Flags transfer this fairly unique ride creation to someplace with a warmer climate… to another park so desperately in need of new flat rides for the last 20 years. Please Six Flags… send Catapult to Six Flags Magic Mountain. I’m sure they can give it a good home.
As for SFNE… look for the New England Sky Screamer to appear near the Catapult on the Skycoaster site in 2014.
(2/28/13) Interesting news for Six Flags New England today, as I’m hearing that Catapult (S&S Sky Swatter) may not open in 2013, as the site may be used for the park’s 2014 Sky Screamer project. Can anyone else confirm this? Currently Catapult is also no longer listed on the park’s attractions page.
(11/9/12) Screamscape sources have confirmed that SFNE has also removed all of their SmarteCart lockers from throughout the park and waterpark.
(10/26/12) Six Flags New England put on a 5K Zombie Fright Run event at the park which actually looks like a lot of fun and ran the runners through a horde of zombies, over obstacles and through areas of the park property the public doesn’t get to see. Click here to see more.
(8/6/12) The fur was flying on Twitter over the weekend as park guests arrived to ride Bizarro discovered steel plates had been attached to the outside lapbar pole, cutting into the leg room a bit.
(6/26/12) A survey taker was quizzing guests entering Six Flags New England this week about what kind of rides are important to them. Questions asked include wanting to know just how important Roller Coasters are to Six Flags guests, and curiously enough, asked guests if they would rather have a new B&M style coaster ride or a LIM Launch style coaster. Curious… makes me wonder just what the park has their eye on for the future.
2013 - Bonzai Pipelines - (5/28/13) A preview peek at the new Bonzai Pipeline attraction at SFNE’s Hurricane Harbor can be found at SFNEOnline this week.
(4/29/13) CoasterOfTheDay sent us a nice picture of the new Bonzai Pipelines under construction at Six Flags New England this week. A nice general update from all around the park has also been posted to SFNE Online.
(3/27/13) A construction update from SFNE has been posted to SFNEOnline. The new slide pieces are on site, and some of the supports have now been put into place.
(10/23/12) SFNE Online reports that the plans to add the Bonzai Pipelines slide complex to the waterpark has been approved, along with some great looking renderings of the tower complex and layout of the six drop-pods where the guests all face each other, waiting to drop. You can also see where the slide will be placed as well as the relocation of the old pop-jet fountain from Thomas Town being added near the bottom of the new slides.
(9/3/12) Awesome new renderings of the Bonzai Pipelines attraction coming to Six Flags New England and Six Flags America have appeared on YouTube and I’ve got to say I’m impressed. There is just something really cool looking about this slide complex, especially with the fact that all six of the drop-pods appears to be set up in a large circle where the guests can face each other.
I see great possibilities here IF Six Flags is smart enough to capitalize on them. For starters, it is a must that the guests are loaded into all six of the tubes at the same time. Let them sit in there for a few seconds… let them squirm. And while it would be fun to drop all six sliders at the exact same time, I’d love to see some kind of randomizer effect used to drop them one at a time in random order. Let them sweat it out not knowing if they are next to drop, or the girl next to them is next, or… whoops… the guy across the way just dropped out of sight with a scream… and before they can laugh for long, they are the next to drop. For the hell of it… add in an 7th option into the randomizer for a “All Drop” command, where it will drop all the remaining pods at once so they never know when it will come into play.
(8/31/12) Bonzai Pipelines, a new set of six drop pod slides will be added to Six Flags New England.
(8/30/12) The new attraction is supposed to be called Bonzai Pipeline and while this name has been used before at other parks, I believe this installation may be similar to the one reportedly going into Six Flags America as well. This would be a tower with six speed slides that start off inside a drop pod.
2014 - Sky Screamer / Star Flyer - (8/23/12) Don’t ask me how or why... but listen to me know and believe me later. Six Flags New England will NOT be adding a Star Flyer ride until at least the 2014 season, opening up 2013 for something else entirely. Stay tuned...
(8/1/12) Six Flags New England was given unanimous approval to build their proposed world record breaking Star Flyer ride, which will apparently replace the park’s Sky Coaster ride. Even better, the town has also given the park permission to build up to 410 feet if necessary, to prevent anyone else from trying to swoop in and steal the record before they can.
(7/25/12) The local media has confirmed that the Sky Screamer ride proposed by Six Flags would be the biggest one in the world. The ride would stand 385 feet tall and be capped off by a decorative topper that would reach a total height of 400 feet.
(7/23/12) From what I’ve heard from a local source who attended the town meeting, the Sky Screamer ride Six Flags New England pitched to the town was for a ride tower up to 400 feet tall. The town did approve it, but before it is finalized, it must go before the zoning board at a meeting on Monday.
(7/11/12) In addition to the Sky Screamer proposed for 2013, I’m hearing that SFNE may also opt to add something new to the waterpark.
(7/6/12) According to the report filed from the Town of Agawam, Six Flags New England will be attending a board meeting on July 19th to show off the Site Plan for their 2013 projects… listed as “Main Street – Star Flyer”. Looks like Six Flags will be adding a few more Sky Screamer rides in 2013 it seems.
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