I wasn't sure what to expect with this trip. Like I note later in this update, there have been plenty of rumors swirling about ride removals at SFDK but I didn't really expect to see anything this trip. Maybe later this summer but not this time. That wasn't the case as I was shocked to find Skycoaster removed. I wonder if any more will be gone the next time I show up at the park! But although that was definitely the big news, there were plenty of smaller updates that's worth noting. Keep reading to find out what's changed!

Table of Contents

• Ride Updates
  • Sidewinder Safari
  • Kid's Areas
  • Ride Removals
• General Park Updates
• Animals

Ride Updates

Worth noting that this visit was on a Friday (of a holiday weekend but still) so closed rides this trip shouldn't be representative of what rides you can expect to be open on a normal weekend day.

Boomerang wasn't open but at least its train wasn't valleyed like it was on my last visit!

Scatabout was closed for me this visit when it was open last visit

Kong was just starting to test when I walked by

The train goes up and over!

And it opened shortly after testing!

It would look so good with a new paint job!

Medusa was still operating as expected

I'm so glad that we have this workhorse of a ride! It's always reliable and such a people pleaser. I don't think I've ever seen a day where it was closed the whole day

Cobra was open (and had a massive line) this time around

As was Wave Swinger

Love the colors on the ride when it spins

Superman wasn't running this visit

But there was an employee standing by the entrance so I bet it was just a transitory issue

Sidewinder Safari

Another month, another lack of activity...

When I walked over to the area for the first time I thought that there might have been some dirt movement but on closer look, I don't think so

Kid's Areas

This time Seaside Junction was closed

Tava's Jungleland remains closed

As does its Frog Hopper ride that was open last week. To be fair, I always was confused that this ride opened. With the main entrance to Tava's Jungleland closed, the only way to the ride was the back way which isn't exactly a popular path

Although interestingly, this time the front of the land was closed with this sign. Is the area actually closed for the season or is this just a sign? We'll see I guess!

Looney Tunes Seaport on the other hand was open with a good portion of its rides running!

Ride Removals

By far the biggest story this visit was about ride removals. SFDK's latest map has several rides missing. Some of these seem like COVID casualties but others seem like they might stick. I went to the park not expecting to see any of these removals play out IRL

But then I walked over to Skycoaster (one of the rides removed on the map), looked up and realized that the ride was gone!!

Kinda crazy that it was just there one month and gone the next

It doesn't really open up much land itself but can be combined with a couple of other rides to get a decent plot

There was also a rumor about Ark leaving since it wasn't on the park website for a little while but it's on the new map and its web page is back so I think it's safe

Tazmanian Devil on the other hand, is off of the map. And I've been talking about this ride maybe leaving forever so it wouldn't shock me at all to see it go. But I'll always keep checking it!

The bumper cars are not on the map but they seem to be ready to open whenever (if a little dusty). I have to assume that they might not open this year to try to prevent close contact between parties due to COVID

The other biggest news of the past month was the park confirming on Facebook that Harley Quinn is leaving

The ride still says that it's temporarily closed but with park confirmation, off the map and off of the website, I think it's a safe bet that it's outta here

Ironically, this is probably the most put together I think I've seen the ride since 2019. And tbh, I never got the hate that this ride got. Sure it was loud but I didn't think it was that rough and I'm definitely glad that I got to ride it

General Park Updates

Several of the animal exhibits including the nursery featured these new LCD monitors displaying some info about the cage's inhabitants

This probably is less "new" and more "new to me" but I'd never noticed the little mask icons on the map to indicate mask break zones

This snack stand is new!

It sits across from Cobra and serves popcorn, turkey legs, beer and other snacks and drinks

This weekend was the first one in a while where the tree in the central courtyard was down and the dolphin fountain was working again!

I was a day early for Asian American & Pacific Islander weekend but I got to see the stage decorated for it!

I thought the flags hanging in the main courtyard were a nice touch!

I walked over to the shark exhibit to find it without a closed sign!

But when I went to walk inside I found it closed off :( I'm betting that means that it is regularly open, just not today!

This is the first I've seen this sign. Guess SFDK must have had issues with guests eating while walking or eating (without masks) in places they shouldn't

I think this is also the first time I've seen the park totally cashless. Glad they have a good amount of these machines throughout the park or people might be in trouble!

Animals

You know how we like to finish off these updates, with some shots of SFDK's animals! Not a ton today but the couple I have I was very proud of!

The giraffes were feeding themselves this trip instead of relying on park guests to eat

This is one of my favorite shots of an animal at SFDK! The fence isn't great but this lion looks absolutely majestic as he surveys his kingdom!

So yeah, what an interesting visit! Wasn't expecting what I saw and it makes me curious about what's next. If Tazmanian Devil, the old Huss Top Spin, Voodoo, and the old Pacific Rim 5D theater all get removed, that's a pretty decent pair of expansion plots, especially if Whitewater Safari and/or Boomerang were to leave too. But this is all speculation, especially with COVID induced austerity sure to hit the parks, I wouldn't count on anything big and expensive to come to the park but it's fun to dream! Either way, I'll be back at the park late next month/early July to see if there's any other interesting removals!