Tips for Six Flags and your summer memories
Growing up Atlanta, Six Flags was an annual summer event. Our summer camp took us, and it was always the best day. We went in groups of six or so with teenage counselors. The counselors were willing to ride everything, and actually harassed kids into riding scary coasters. We ate crappy food and were sick as dogs by the time we loaded back onto the bus. It was thrilling!
As I got older, Six Flags was all about trying to sit next to a boy you liked and hopefully getting kissed or holding hands. The Monster Plantation, newly remodeled and now called the Monster Mansion, was the main site for make-out action. It was dark so nobody could see what was going on. (See a photo gallery of construction on the ride.)
The Scream Machine was also a good for holding hands – not too scary like the Mind Bender. You really had to concentrate on not falling out on the Mind Bender. On the Log Jamboree you could try to snuggle up to the guy you liked if you made sure he was directly in front of you in line. (They used to load from the back to the front I believe!)
Plus if you timed everything right you were able to chitchat with the boy you liked in the long line. He could even be one line over and it still worked.
We have yet to take our kids to Six Flags because we didn’t think they were big enough for the roller coasters. But I think they may be ready this year.
I found this really helpful chart on Six Flags’ site. It tells you the height requirement and intensity of each ride.
I haven’t been to Six Flags in probably 10 years so I need your advice on the best rides for kids and the best strategies to navigate the park. Which rides have the longest lines now? Which rides are way too scary? Which rides do your kids like the best?
Also we definitely want to hear your favorite memories of going to Six Flags. Jesse’s Girl started telling us about all her making out last week on the blog but I told her to wait. So I hope she’s around today to share! And we want to hear your stories too. (I will throw out that after one trip to Six Flags, I had a guy in the Army call me collect for weeks!)
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61 comments Add your comment
JATL
May 23rd, 2009
12:30 pm
OMG -I STILL miss the Okefenokee Swamp Ride! And Nurse and Mother, I used to love those fruit-shaped drinks -the grape particularly! As far as gum on the trees -they were “gumming” trees there in the 70s. I think the park made an effort to clean it off then though -maybe they don’t now.
Has anyone been to the place in Valdosta? I think it has wild animals and rides. Kind of a take-off on Busch Gardens.
Lee
May 23rd, 2009
5:31 pm
We got some free tickets and took the kids about 10 years ago. As I was standing near the log ride, I kept noticing a stench. Then, it dawned on me, there is a sewage plant about one mile upstream on the Chattahoochi. And where does Six Flags get their water for their water rides? Yep, pump raw water right out of the Hooch.
Needless to say, we were in the doctor’s office about a week later due to both kids coming down with ear infections.
Never been back since. Never have allowed my kids to go back since.
deidre_NC
May 23rd, 2009
7:26 pm
lol @ jg!! my 6 flag days as a kid are way too x-rated–if skeeter was watching then im sure he had a great time lmao…havent been in years..im a dollywood people now..i love dollywood…something for everyone..and if you stay overnight theres tons of stuff to do in pigeon forge and gatlinburg…
Tiffany
May 23rd, 2009
11:16 pm
Oh the memories! I remember my friends and I following cute guys around the park. I always loved Mo Mo the Monster…and of course the Scream Machine and Mind Bender. I did like all the shows they used to have. Mom would make us go to at least one of the indoor shows where it was air conditioned. I remember the little fruit drinks too…and the frozen Cherry Berries. There was the Chevy show and Skipper and Dolly’s Dolphin Follies. My mom thought Buford the Buzzard was rude. Good times! I plan to take my younger kids this summer. They haven’t been in a while. We are looking forward to it!
FCM
May 24th, 2009
4:12 pm
My grandparents took me to 6 Flags as toddler….I had new baby brother at home and they bought me a stuffed Doxie that had ’six flags’ on it. Then my brother (toddler) and I rode several of the children rides…my parents have the photos. There were various trips over the next several years. In 6th grade the middle school went for the day. It was the first time I was allowed to go with minimal supervision (we did the buddy system and checked in w/teachers at certain times). In 9th grade I went to Halloween weekend all weekend…first time I saw the park in the dark. End of 10th grade I went with friends…I was wearing a stylish outfit of cotton and got stuck under a fall at Thunder River–they had to come push the tire thing out. I spent most of that overcast day wet to damp. It is also what I hope is the only time I will ever spend nearly naked in a public ladies room—I was using the hand dryer to get my clothes dry. In college I went as a team building event and that was fun.
The thing I will remember most though….because it wouldn’t happen today….there was a shop near the Mind Bender that sold stuff made of wood. My mother bought a wooden board about 1.5 feet long with a curved handles. On it is a picture of two children their faces in a was tub and you just see the seat of their pants/skirt. The legend “Board of Correction” and 6 Flags Over Georgia are both very visible on the shellac front. You would never see that for sale there today! Times and changes (to bad they didn’t in time to save my seat!)
FCM
May 24th, 2009
4:14 pm
Oh and my best friend worked the Chevy Show….I never was able to go to one of the staff parties with him (held behind the Scream Machine)….but apparently they were wild!
DB
May 24th, 2009
7:21 pm
I didn’t grow up in Atlanta, so I don’t have childhood memories of the park. But one of my favorite memories was taking my children. At the time, the Mine Train was about the most excitement my oldest could stand (under 6), so we rode it over and over. Towards the end of the evening, we thought we had it fixed so that our family of four would end up together in the first car. An older couple, though, got between my and my son, to sit in the second seat of the first car. My husband and my 4 year old daughter were in the front seat, and we were all riding at the same time, and I asked, politely, if the couple would mind switching with us so we could be in the same car. The older couple refused!! And were downright snarly about it. So, just as the train took off, I leaned forward and said sweetly to my daughter, over the older couple’s shoulder, “honey, remember, if you need to throw up again, try to do it over the side, ok?” She laughed and said, “Ok, mommy!” The other couple looked at me in alarm and said, “Oh, does she get motion sickness?” I just shrugged and said, “Oh, she’ll probably be ok . . . ” The couple spent the entire ride nervous as cats, and when the train came to a gentle rise, the woman leaned over and tapped my daughter on the shoulder and said, “Honey, there’s a big hill — are you ok?” They were SO happy when the ride ended. We were DYING laughing — because my daughter has never had motion sickness in her life!! Hehe!
motherjanegoose
May 24th, 2009
8:03 pm
Just back from the beach with my daughter…wonderful. We saw dolphins at the sunset last night!
I am not a Six Flags Fan, we went to Silver Dollar City when I was a girl ( MO) and Dollywood reminds me of our fun days there. The park is clean and there are NO thugs. The most that could upset you is that more folks smoke up there ( some forget about the designated areas but the staff will remind them) and some are GEN-U-INE Hillbillies…tee hee! They have just put in some new rides and there is plenty to do for everyone. The food is good and the atmosphere is family centered…perhaps some folks do drop their kids off but you mostly see families, not much riff raff.
nurse&mother
May 24th, 2009
9:29 pm
Cute story, DB. Why would anyone be ugly about swapping so the whole family can ride together?! When we are trying to all ride together, we sometimes have to let others ahead of us to achieve the same goal.
Oh does anyone remember the cariacatures? I have one depicting me on the free fall. I think there was another one, but it has been misplaced. Boy, I miss the free fall and the great gasp!
nurse&mother
May 24th, 2009
9:31 pm
Dollywood is ok, but it seems like there are not as many rides as Six Flags. I will admit that it is much friendlier and cleaner.
motherjanegoose
May 24th, 2009
10:06 pm
n&m ….you are correct…there is not a huge focus on thrill seeker rides but the shows, food and cleanliness is so far above Six Flags that there really is no comparison.
They do seem to have new rides open for the summer…I also like the eagle exhibit, historical aspect and courteous staff. The music is something that even grandparents enjoy.
We took our now 21 year old son to Dallas TX Six Flags when he was 2. This was before all the fast food places had play areas ( like they do now) with those colored balls in a pit. We put him in this attraction in the Looney Tune area…it was filled with colored balls and he was having a grand time.
The teen supervisor said “time is up…” All the kids got out except him. We could see his little head covered with curls and he was in up to his neck. He would NOT get out.
The teen announced: “would the parents of the curly headed child….whom I do not know if it is a girl or a boy….please go ahead and fish your child out…he is not coming out on his own….”
Yes, I crawled through the balls and got him out, much to his disappointment!!! Seems like yesterday!