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 Six Flags St. Louis Opening Weekend
This was our first visit to this park and we were pretty impressed with the overall experience. We liked how the entire park is nestled into rolling hills which makes for interesting terrain and great views inside the park.
We were also surprised how quickly we walked around the entire park, it has a fairly tight layout which makes some rides feel like they are right on top of each other. But this also makes it pretty easy to get around the whole park quickly.
There was rain in the forecast the day we visited so the crowds were very light and the employees probably outnumbered guests two to one. This of course made for a pretty good experience because there were no lines and there was always someone available to answer questions or give us directions. The employees were all extremely nice and helpful. One employee even walked us to the first aid station while he was on break.
I was pleased to see the bathrooms staffed at all times, and actually being cleaned throughout the day. All the landscaping was beautiful, with lots of blooming trees and all the flower beds were full of newly planted flowers and fresh mulch. These types of things really speak volumes about the park management, and really adds to the whole experience for us.
Our biggest gripe was the price of food inside the park. Of course we didn’t expect any bargains, but somehow we managed to spend almost $30 on pizza and drinks – for two people.
Overall we really enjoyed our experience and we’ll definitely be making a return trip.
Coaster Reviews
Batman The Ride
8 out of 10 stars
This is a very intense inverted coaster with tightly packed elements and high speeds. The only lulls in this ride are the lift hill and the final brake. We enjoyed the front for the view but the back row packed a lot more punch. Our favorite elements were the zero-g roll and the corkscrews.
The cue line theming is really cool as you start out in beautiful Gotham City Park and end up in a gritty maze of sewers and back alleys.
Mr. Freeze
8 out of 10 stars
Mr. Freeze is a launch coaster that shoots you out a 190 foot tunnel at 70 mph through an inversion and up a 218 foot tower. In the front of the train there’s nothing but sky and it takes you a few seconds to realize you’re being pulled down the tower backwards to repeat the entire ride. It wasn’t too intense and doesn’t last very long. It was probably our 2nd favorite coaster at the park.
The theming was a definite disappointment compared to Batman The Ride.
The Ninja
5 out of 10 stars
This ride was actually a disappointment for us as we were expecting a ride similar to the late great Orient Express at Worlds of Fun. We’re downgrading the entire experience due to several rough sections of track. The age of this coaster definitely shows. We thought what this coaster lacked most was a tall and steep drop. Although the entire height of the coaster is 110’, the first drop was not impressive. However there were some exciting elements like a head-chopper and an intense loop.
Screamin’ Eagle
5 out of 10 stars
A traditional out and back woody that was built in 1976 and doesn’t feel like it’s been retracked since. It was sporting a new paint job when we visited and it did look great. At one time it was a world record holder as its overall height is 110 feet with two drops of about 90 feet. We were disappointed that it was such a rough ride but all wooden coaster fans should definitely give it a shot.
The Boss
7 out of 10 stars
The Boss is a newer wooden terrain coaster with steep drops and intense turns. It’s a lot smoother than Screamin’ Eagle but still has all the character (i.e. roughness) you’d expect from a woody. Because of the height and speed, it could be a little too intense for finicky riders.
River King Mine Train
6 out of 10 stars
A fun coaster for the wee-ones and not-so-wee-ones. It features four lift hills with a final drop of about 40 feet into a dark tunnel. The track winds through a wooded area and provides a nice view of the back of The Ninja.
Other Rides
Xcalibur
5 out of 10 stars
I’m a big fan of whirling / spinning rides, so I was surprised that I actually didn’t like this very much. It sort of resembles a catapult where the riders sit in cars in a circle around one of the ends. The entire ride spins as it goes up to its highest reach of 113 feet. Once you are at the top, the ride flips several times. The speed and centripetal force combined with several horizon flips made this ride surprisingly intense.
Scooby Doo Ghostblasters – The Mystery of the Scary Swamp
7 out of 10 stars
This is an indoor boat ride (you won’t get wet) where riders sit two to four in a boat as they navigate through “The Scary Swamp” and help Scooby and the Gang blast ghosts and goblins. The sets are all very cartoonish, as one would hope, and they are all lit with blacklights. It’s a great ride for the kiddies. You try to rack up points with your ghostblaster gun by hitting targets throughout the ride. It was a nice break to rest our feet and get out of the elements. We didn’t encounter any major lines, but there was a back-up in the unloading zone so we had to wait for several minutes before we could exit the ride.
Colussus – Ferris Wheel
8 out of 10 stars
I’m a sucker for old-fashioned rides so if I’m anywhere near a ferris wheel, I must ride it. Colussus did not disappoint, it’s probably the 2nd tallest ferris wheel we’ve ridden (Chicago’s Navy Pier has a huge one). It offers great views of the entire park so it’s a great photo opportunity. For such a large ferris wheel, it even moves along at a pretty good clip. Also, the cue line is entirely shaded, which is a big plus on a hot day!
Tommy G. Robertson Railroad
8 out of 10 stars
I also have a thing for trains, so of course we had to give this one a whirl. It’s a nice break from walking as the train takes you around the park through mostly shady areas. We also found several good photo spots while on the ride.
Bugs Bunny National Park
Since we are lacking in the kidlet department, we didn’t actually ride anything here. But as a new addition to the park I’ll give it an honorable mention. The area is well shaded and features lots of large lodge-style benches – perfect for waiting parents. I actually wished they had grown up versions of some of the rides, especially Yosemite Sam's Tugboat Tailspin. We thought a major downside of this area was that everyone pretty much has to walk through this area to get from one side of the park to the other. We thought it would be much safer (and less stressful for parents) if there was only one entrance / exit point.
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