[MarkD]

I've been reading this and I think everyone has missed one big thing.

Since we will now be parking up front that means we don't have to put our cars in 4 wheel drive just to get through the parking lot. I don't mind parking up front or going in the front gates at all. Ah, no more 2 lanes going into 8 lanes with everyone jocking for position, no more front end realignments on my car, the instant smell of food entering the park. Life is good.

Of course I hope not to go to the park on those crowded days anyway.

[MarkD]

Of course I still think they should build a multilevel parking garage so they could free up the existing parking lot for expansion.

And, if the rumors were true about us getting FOF then what better place to put it then the parking lot beside T.R. and just tear down the back gate and use it for an entrance to that? After all it is an indoor attraction so you could plop it down on asphalt right?

[coasterdude89]

Don't forget about me!!!

I think that they should leave the South Gate open...so much easier & is faster to get through....especially going to the WP....I mean, who really wants to carry stuff (towels, bags, etc..) all the way from the NG to the WP?

[Jonathan]

The North Gate is actually a bit closer to Boomerang Bay I think now that Borg is there and you can go straight across.

[coasterdave]

Does it really matter which gate you enter to enjoy the park? Last I looked, I went to the park to enjoy myself and not get all bent out of shape because one of the gates where closed. You would think it was the offseason or something.

[Edwardo]

I personally perfer the look of the South Gate myself. Walking in between the batwing of Top Gun as you walk in to the park is really pretty cool. This year was the first time I've used the South Gate in like 8 years or more.

But I see the reasoning behind closing it during the week.

[chargercrazy]

Nice avatar Foreseer! GO PACK!!

If closing down the South Gate altogether brings us a new coaster, I'm all for it!
I do like the convenience of the South Gate and how less crowded it is, but I don't blame the park for not wanting to pay folks to work the gate if very few guests enter through it.

[TheFluffyGun]

I do not know if anyone will remember this or not, but back in 96 South gate was only open on the weekends. When waterworks opened in 97 they decided to make that gate open everyday, because it was closer to waterworks. It will be interesting to see how everything will pan out this year.


Now my personal preference is the south gate. I know that I can always get closeer to the gate because a lot of people don’t realize the parking in the back. I am a man of trying new things so I am welcoming this change.

[kewlaidkiddd]

I'm a little split on my thoughts about the gates and their openings.

I have always been partial to South Gate before when I didn't have a season pass.... and still am... Mainly because of my dorky habit and parking. I usually park towards the back behind the Platinum Parking Right underneath the Top Gun Drop. This is so when I first walk in as well as any other time I ride Top Gun throughout the day... going up the hill I can look down and see my car from the ride

So I am missing out on that during the week.... but thats totally fine... I'm one of the unfortunate many with a season pass who works the M-F 9-5 work week. But living at Arrowwood and Tryon now and working so close... I do take full advantage of the fact that I do have a season pass and hit the park near the end of the park day.

I'm usually pulling in around 6:00 and don't have to wait to get inline....everyone is leaving the park cos their day is practically done... And I make a u-turn at the Orange Cones and find an empty space on the front row behind the Handicapped Row at North Gate... It totally RULES!!

So though I don't get to see my car, I am able to take full advantage of the North Gate option. Plus getting there at that time of the day the Ride Operators are SOOO much more fun cos they are excited about leaving work in a couple hours so they hype up their sillyness and we get major fun with the loading experience. Wanna Race On Thunder Road???

[coasterholic14]

Yea, i had the crew that raced them the other day...just my luck though, they were really close to actually racing when i was on (they are usually about a car off because usually the backwards breaks near the end of leaving the station, and i think also sits a few feet further forward, but this time it was cloaser) and when we neared the top of the hill our chain stopped and we went off a few seconds later.

But, back on topic, I love the south gate because i loved, like you, parking under it, riding first thing of the day, looking for my car. Then making sure that's also the last thing i hit. Now i have to ride it 3 or 4 times in the middle of the day to make up for that. Also, they need to re-think it a little harder than not open any weekdays (except friday) and then open it friday-sunday, because when i was there...i believe last thursday (not just this past one but the one before), we were parked way back in row 20-something and could have easily taken a few skips to the South Gate, but instead, had to make the long, hot trek over blacktop to go to the North Gate. Actually, going wasn't that bad, it was making the walk back at the end of the day (around 5) that was NOT fun at all. I would say that maybe once they have so many cars they should open the South Gate, but that wouldn't really work because they would not have anyone scheduled to work back there, but does anyone have any other ideas for what they could do on crowded days like that? Maybe open the South Gate for entering the park after so many hours and just use the front for exiting? Just a thought. (it won't fix my South Gate craving if i go early, but if i go later it might)

[kewlaidkiddd]

I would say its prolly a staffing problem... though i don't see why... lots of high schoolers can make bank there during the summer. But in that case I would say actually only opening North Gate all Day and then for the unfortunate people who hit the park at the peak hours of the day and end up closer to south gate.... send like two employees from the front gate to the back gate nearer the end of the day and open up the exit only for south gate to make that trek easier on them