Six Flags America: Abandoned Boogaloo
This is the third installment in my “Abandoned” Six Flags series of photos. I do these primarily for my own amusement, but some of you (OK, j-brew) also seem to enjoy them. Unlike the previous two posts, each of which was shot in a single day, the pictures in this entry were shot over the course of three visits to the park. (We are using the Hell out of our season tickets.) The reasons it took longer to accumulate these is that it’s getting harder to find new subjects to shoot and camera angles to shoot them from (although they are opening up more areas of the park as the year goes on) and it’s also getting harder to take some pictures without getting any people in the shot (as the crowds grow larger every weekend).
This path used to be open to the public, and led up from the Looney Tunes area to another children’s ride. I have pictures of Richard on it when he was one year old. Anyway, we believe the truck ride was moved to the Whistlestop Park area and recycled as a train ride, but oddly enough, it’s not listed on WikiPedia’s list of former Six Flags America rides. Anyway, where the truck ride once lay is now just a concrete path on the ground. This area is now only used during Fright Fest, when they set up a hay maze for the kids where the ride used to be.
Through the woods behind the Looney Tunes roller coaster we see another shot of the building where trick-or-treating is held for the children during Fright Fest, but is inaccessible to the public for the rest of the year. Right now you can see a lot of things through the woods around Six Flags because it’s still Spring and the trees haven’t grown out all of their leaves yet. In the summertime, a lot of the things which are visible now will then be concealed.
These scenery shots were taken outside the Looney Tunes area, between the tea cup ride and the carousel. I really wish that was a real suspension bridge rather than just a solid bridge designed to look like a suspension bridge, because I like the way they sway and shake when you run across them. Q is happier with it remaining stable and motionless, however. The foreground of the third picture is where a new drink(?) concession stand is being installed.
Here’s one of the old cars from The Wild One, on display next to that ride (to give you something to look at while standing in line). Here’s another shot of it from a different angle.
Still trying to get a good look into the Gotham Arena, I took the first shot through the tracks of The Wild One (the willow tree in the foreground makes it look like the tracks are covered in vines) and Q took the second shot while actually riding on The Wild One. (For various reasons, they normally prohibit - or at least discourage - picture taking on roller coasters and other thrill rides.) However, the very next weekend (when it was just Richard and I there), the Gotham Arena was open and I was able to just waltz in and get some shots from the inside. (And because Q asked - No, I didn’t actually waltz in.)
Years ago, the Gotham Arena hosted Batman stunt shows (here’s another picture that I took in 2006). Now, it’s almost always closed, except for the occasional special event. A couple of weekends ago, some group was spending the day in the park and using the Gotham Arena for an awards ceremony. I saw it open, so Richard and I wandered in. The stands were full of members and their families, and various groups (dance clubs, I believe) were being called out to receive awards. While that was happening, I moved around and took several shots with no people in them (which wasn’t easy). We didn’t go back to the park today, I but I believe another group - some cheerleader competition - was going to be there today. (I remember when the park was full of cheerleaders last year, so this must be an annual thing.)
Just random scenery throughout the park: a smashed barrel behind the large pirate ship ride, the side of a building where they serve food, and another building near the Shipwreck Falls. (I believe that door actually leads “backstage,” because I saw someone in a Looney Tunes costume come out of there.)
This little kiosk is right next to one of the walkways, but I don’t think I’ve ever seen it in use.
Behind this fence is a break area for the employees, with picnic tables and soda machines. (The vending machines in employee areas are normally priced, unlike the ones in the public areas that charge obscene amounts for a can of soda or pack of M&M’s.) Q took this shot of that area from above.
I have no idea what that first gated in area outside the park is supposed to be for, but there is occasionally something (for advertising or Fright Fest) within the round gate in front of the theater.
That platform in the middle of the picture is no longer accessible, as it is no longer used for anything. There used to be a small Ferris wheel for children there, but that ride was also moved into the Whistlestop Park area when it was created in 2010. The other wooden path behind it leads to an observation area where you can see the water slides from the water park.
The Hurricane Harbor water park section of Six Flags America still hasn’t opened for the summer yet, but the aforementioned observation area is now accessible. I wandered down to get a couple of closer shots of the drained water slides. Also from that observation area, you can almost (but not quite) get a look into the backstage area behind the pirate stunt show arena. That might be visible from the actual water slide area, unless the leaves on the trees are blocking it by then.
This old path near the waterslide observation deck does not appear to be used for anything, and wasn’t in use several years ago either to the best of my recollection. Maybe they should plant some flowers on those steps or something.
The water park isn’t open yet, but the water rides in the main park just started operating last weekend. We didn't go on Shipwreck Falls (we would have gotten soaked, and it was still in the high fifties that day) but did get some pictures of the area now that it was accessible. Note another of those remote smoking areas with the blue benches in the second shot.
From that smoking area, they forgot to close a gate to a garbage area.
We ate lunch in this building in the Old West area next to the Renegade Rapids water ride, but they didn’t have that outdoors porch open to the public yet.
We did go on the Renegade Rapids, since that one doesn’t get you too wet. (It’s a gamble; you can ride it twice in a row and get off dry, then get soaked on your third time through. I speak from experience.) Since this ride’s off in a corner, wedged in at the end of the Old West area and next to the Mind Eraser roller coaster, I thought we might get some shots from the exit path. I’d forgotten how high the walls were at the exit path.
Anyway, this is taken from right outside the Renegade Rapids, with the Mind Eraser on the right and the bumper cars building in the distance. I believe the Mind Eraser had just started for the day, which is why there wasn’t a lot of pedestrian traffic over here yet (though I did have to wait for some people to move before I took this shot).
These three pictures were taken from the Renegade Rapids ride. We went on it twice, and I (and my camera) got splashed really well the second time). The roller coaster that we’re passing behind is called Roar, and you can see a couple of small, unused facilities along the side of the river. I also spotted a decorative totem pole in the woods on the other side of the river, but didn’t get a good picture of it.
Another shot of the Mind Eraser. They were only running one car, since the crowds are still not up to peak summertime size yet, so the second car is off on a side rail in the back.
I took this picture on the way to the Batwing roller coaster. Through that locked gate you can see three roller coasters.
I don’t know how long it will be before there’s another installment in this series. I’m surprised that I’ve already gotten three full posts in it but (and I have said this before) I really don’t think that there are that many areas left to investigate and photograph. At least, not until the water park opens, and then until Fright Fest after that. But I could be wrong.