Six Flags St. Louis 2013 Update

The weather could not have been better for my trip to Six Flags St. Louis yesterday. The sky was clear and blue; and the temperatures were mild.

I had not been to the park since April 2012, so I was excited to see what was new, namely Boomerang.

We arrived shortly before noon, yet the crowds were relatively light. Batman stands tall over the entrance plaza, welcoming guests as they enter the park.

First up was American Thunder, or as I still like to call it, Evel Knievel.

I think it is one of the most re-rideable wooden coasters.

New since I last visited the park was Mr. Freeze: Reverse Blast.

I didn’t think that reversing the trains would change the ride experience that much. However, the backwards launch was very intense, as was shooting up the spike backwards. You don’t realize how tall the spike is when you’re facing forward. When you go up backwards, it’s easier to tell as you’re looking straight down.

The pacing of the second half seemed faster. That may have just been my imagination.

I am not a huge fan of reversing trains, but I think in the case of Mr. Freeze: Reverse Blast, the park made a fantastic decision. The crowds seemed to love the coaster, too.

The Colossus ferris wheel provides great views of the park.

Seen above is American Thunder’s twisted layout. It crosses over and under itself 14 times.

Batman: The Ride may be my favorite coaster at Six Flags St. Louis. Batman is my favorite superhero, and I love Bolliger & Mabillard coasters. It makes sense.

A section of the viewing area was closed for the construction of a Fright Fest maze. Regardless, I still managed to get some shots of the coaster’s second half.

I enjoy watching the coaster almost as much as I enjoy riding it.

Up next: Boomerang, the park’s “new” (relocated from Six Flags over Texas) coaster.

Embarrassingly, Boomerang at Six Flags St. Louis was my first Vekoma Boomerang model coaster. Yes, I am a Boomerang newbie.

These types of coasters have a notorious reputation in the coaster enthusiast community for being a bit rough. I was somewhat apprehensive. Was my head going to take a mid-afternoon beating?

However, the overall ride experience surprised me. It was rather smooth, and I really enjoyed the free-fall-style drop from the spikes.

The coaster’s location in the park is great. It takes advantage of the hilly terrain and guests can walk right under the boomerang element.

The train zips through the course of the ride quicker than I thought it would.

With the bright green and orange color scheme, you won’t have a hard time finding Boomerang.

Pandemonium is the only coaster at the park that I have not ridden. I can’t muster up the courage to conquer my hatred of spinning. Maybe someday I will.

Speaking of spinning, I was shocked to see Xcalibur operating. For some reason, I thought the ride had closed for good. I was glad to see it running, though. It is a very unique spectacle to watch.

Evel Knievel pokes out above the Scooby Doo Ghostbusters facade.

If you’re a DC comic book enthusiast, you’ll definitely want to take a stroll through this store in DC Comics Plaza.

It appears that Superman: Tower of Power received a fresh coat of paint recently. Can anyone confirm or deny?

The only headache of the day was the wait for Boss. The ride broke two times mid-queue, and crews took one of the trains off the circuit, leaving only one train operational. Luckily, I eventually got to ride twice. I do hope Boss gets the Rocky Mountain Construction makeover (i.e. New Texas Giant, Iron Rattler). I enjoy riding it, but it could be better. And doesn’t Iron Boss have a nice ring to it?

While I was waiting for Boss, I enjoyed watching the Six Flags St. Louis skyline.

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The park is preparing for its Fright Fest event which begins September 28, 2013. Some decorations were already in place, such as the one pictured above. I think this may be Elvis. Feel free to chime in if you know what’s going on here.

The sun began to set, but I still had a couple more hours of coaster-riding left.

The lines were a roller coaster throughout the day. They grew and shrank erratically throughout the day.

I got one last ride in on Batman before calling it a day.

Overall, we had a great time at the park. The employees were friendly. Ride operations were efficient even with the lighter crowds. Most coasters were operating two trains.

We wish the park a great Fright Fest season!