JamesMC

Papa John's is an 'okay' pizza when you get it from a real outlet, but I am almost completely dissatisfied whenever I actually get some at Six Flags Great America. Of course I have no choice in the matter because there is like 12 Papa John outlets at the park (YAY for Variety!!!!) I can eat the same "Mediocre" thing everywhere I turn . . .UGH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Johnny Rockets on the other hand is quite delicious but wildly overpriced. Same thing with pop. Why do I want to spend $12.99 on a souvenir bottle (which I'll have to stow at nearly every ride I like....for a dollar locker rental fee) for a product that is worth about $ .12 to $.15? I would love to see a pay one price wristband for pop (and I WOULD even pay that) if I could just get my diet coke in a regular cup and NOT have to get nailed for the storage fee. And If that's available and I just don't know about it, PLEASE someone correct me, there's only so many times I can refill the water bottle I bring into the park before I HAVE to go out to my car and get a Diet outta my cooler. And that takes time out of important things like riding Raging Bull and Viper.

I personally doubt it---- In fact, I can see some of the smaller Six Flags around no longer carrying the S.F. stamp in the years to come . . . I think Six Flags Over/Texas, Over/Georgia, St. Louis, Great America, Magic Mountain, and New Jersey will be around a Long Long Time, but the others . . . I am not saying they won't exist as a theme park, but as a 6F property, I have my doubts. . . I don't mean to be pessimistic . .

If you actually go to the Wikipedia Website the top half of the page is all disclaimers saying that this "posting" cites no references etc. etc. I was just reposting it because no one else had. I'd love a GCI in that area (and I believe it could be done) but CP says NO, so I guess we gotta go with that. I'd love a flyer foremost, but no B&Ms either (again, so they say) I think the 2010 project WILL involve H20 in some way, and I can believe the fact that they said "You will not get wet" may actually read "Because You will get Drenched" I think the new project does indeed involve "dual" something or other because of the "Strikes Twice" tagline. Whether it's a dual coaster (which unless it's a small spinning ride- I don't think it's gonna be a coaster- getting a little late for no obvious construction ((tho Evel Kenieval was a relative 'Quickie')). I can "Kinda" believe the Wiki Post, but I can kinda see how someone not affiliated with CP might've just put that out there to stir up the pot. In any case we'll know soon, and I'm just glad there's a Real Project going on for 2010. I didn't get to CP this year, BUT I WILL be there to ride whatever the heck it is they build for next year.

Not sure how true or valid- but the following is from Wikipedia: Opening spring 2010, Whyte Lightning is a coaster/flume-hybrid reversing boat ride at Cedar Point Amusement Park and Resort in Sandusky, Ohio. Merging the experience in Flumes and Spillwaters with the experience in Roller Coaster technology, Whyte Lightning combines the best of both rides. The Reversing Boat Ride is a new concept incorporating the airtime thrill of a coaster with those of a water ride. Using a new design of boat seating 8 passengers that can go either forwards or backwards, the ride is designed to give guests the familiar and exciting sensation of a typical wooden roller coaster as the vehicles go over the ups and downs in the hills and valleys before a flume-type splashdown. The ride's tagline "Lightning Strikes TwYce" represents the ride's final drop, which is preceeded by a turntable that sends the boats down one of two hills, either forward or backward. The top of the hill splits off into a Y shape. The ride's entrance is located along Cedar Point's Frontier Trail, with the majority of the ride track housed on Milennium Island. When finished, Whyte Lightning will be the first reversing boat ride in the world, making it the world's tallest, fastest and steepest. The addition of Whyte Lightning will boost Cedar Point's number of roller coasters to 18, the most in the world. Physical Dimensions Angle of lift hill: 30 degrees Angle of first drop: 65 degrees First hill height: 120 ft Flume drop height: 85 ft Angle of flume: 62 degrees (I myself was trying to see if there was a link for the new ride to NASCAR since Jeff Gordon had just paid a visit to CP. . . but I found this (above) instead. I kinda thought it might be a dueling spinning coaster- we shall see.

Ummmmmm, hello . . .we don't have to worry about CP in 2015, because the Mayan calendar says the world is ending in 2012, Can everyone PLEASE get their facts straight?

Here's where I think Great America will expand in the future: Sky Trek Tower/Go Kart/Space Shuttle America "Dead Zone"- because they have already said that, but I think that will ALL be waterpark area expansion. Southwest Territory: Land behind ampitheater and out towards the American Eagle. County Fair: Former Splashwater Falls area/car-ride. I don't think they'll salvage (or at least not relocate the car ride) not to replace the big gaping hole where the water-ride was. Hometown Square: At some point, there just won't be parts or if there are it will be just too high of a maintenence cost to save the Whizzer. (we got lucky a few years back with that, but that's only gonna hold out for so long). If Whizzer goes, expect to see Hometown Fun Machine go as well. For a small flat ride it really does occupy a lot of space. Especially if the Whizzer's footprint is removed next to it. County Fair (again)- I truly believe Iron Wolf's days are numbered. It's just not the ride it once was and it really has become a head basher. That's still gonna be a bummer though. Yukon Territory/Yankee Harbor: I don't think Logger's Run will go anywhere but Yankee Clipper . . .? And that takes up quite a bit of space. On the positive side . . .I will personally help them remove the $7 million Dark Knight if I get the chance. What a waste!!!! I hate to always bask D.K but I really have no other option . . .where was a Tony Hawk Big Spin when we needed it the most?

I've always wanted to go to King's Dominion but have not had the chance to visit . . .yet, Anyway, I'm not impressed at all with the Teaser Logo- honestly it's kind of dull and certainly not "meanest" or baddest" Looks more like a windchime in a sea of mustard. I am assuming the ride with be much more exciting than that though. But if not, hey I like mustard more than ketchup.

Sauzer's Kiddieland, Schererville IN.: Roller Coaster Mad Mouse Galaxi Six Flags Great America: Turn Of The Century (though half of it plus lift hill is still Demon) Tidal Wave (Viper/Greezed Lightnin') Z-Force (Flashback) Rolling Thunder Shockwave Deja Vu King's Island: Screamin' Demon King Cobra Let's face it . . .Son Of Beast (with Loop) Six Flags St. Louis: Jetscream (The Defunct and relocated side of) River King Mine Train Six Flags Kentucky Kingdom: (again, and I hate to see this happen) Twisted Twins Busch Gardens (The Dark Continent/Africa): The Python Six Flags Magic Mountain: Pscylone Flashback (see Z-Force at SFGA above)

That's what I was thinking . . .

My guess is it's a coaster (wow, really?), but there's plenty of enough room for the lift hill on the walkway side of the waterway, with mulitple crossovers to Millenium Island and back. If it is a GCI and located in Frontiertown, I would think they could recycle the name that was proposed for Great America (CA.) and call it "Stampede". By the way, any TPR CA. members know what the heck is going on with that "in-development" coaster over there? or the proposed Stadium for the 49ers (though I suppose this isn't the thread to answer that ?)

I only had the chance to ride SOB twice (with the loop) on my last visit which is way too long ago (though I am hoping to get down there next Monday, but we shall see). I remember thinking that it LOOKED like such an awesome ride, but I absolutely disliked the second helix and ending, and I ended up with a head that felt like it had been bashed to a pulp. (I didn't even mind the fair amount of boxing I got on Cyclone at SFOG as much). My gut feeling is this . . .SOB will be SBNO next year while Cedar Fair decides whether to completely modify the ride with a new layout (I can see them keeping the lift hill, first drop and all the way up to the top of the first Helix)((and personally as much as I don't like it's current configuration, I HATE to see a woodie bite the dust)) or figuring out what to put in it's place for 2011/2012. If it remains SBNO next year I think it will be dismantled in the 2010 Off-Season. In any case, I hope everyone got a chance to ride before this lastest incident, because I don't think it will reopen in it's current layout again. My .02

Yes actually, I saw "Fountains Of Wayne" at a local venue for free. (acoustic show) Have you ever knowingly eaten "garbage food" at your local amusement park, not because you really had a taste for it, but just because it was "There" . . .and you were hungry?

I like a coaster with a cool name and a 'themed to the name' station, but after that, once I am on the ride- if I need a soundtrack, special effects /video screens or a move tie-in and/or "themeing" to make the ride fun, then it probably really isn't "fun". (See Dark Knight- 6.5 million in housing and theming and a $Half Million wild mouse...Borrrrrring) I don't want "Makeup" on a coaster, I just want a good coaster.

^ Okay, I am not sure who put the "cookie" in my last post, but every time you read the words Fluffy, Fluffy Bunnies in my my post, insert the word "L. O. C. K. E. R. S." in it's place. Kinda funny tho, but just "Kinda"

Also - - -bring and carry nothing that cannot fit in your pockets. Most rides have l o c k e r s that you'll have to stow your belongings in at the entrance otherwise. (for a fee) Bring a cooler with sandwiches for the car and don't eat in the park, unless you are a really big fan of overpriced Papa John's, Papa John's, Papa John's, Papa John's or Johnny Rockets, Johnny Rockets, or nuts and berries you may find on the trees near The Whizzer. Aunt Martha's and Moosejaw Restaurants aren't bad if you like "decent" food with financing options available. Yes, I am not crazy about the dining options but I LOVE the park---If it's busy skip Dark Knight (lame any which way you look at it), and Rajun' Cajun (though if you HAVE to go on a MadMouse, go on this one. If the wait for Iron Wolf is less than a half hour it's worth it, but you WILL get your head boxed around on the run out to the Flat Spin unti the station. Raging Bull is the BEST coaster in the park and Viper is better than American Eagle despite it's size. Both deserve a ride though . . .but if you HAVE to choose, go on Viper. Superman tends to load slow and have a longish wait, but boy oh boy that Pretzel Loop is fun. Batman is Batman. (if the "portion" of the queus is full, expect to wait at least an hour though) Whizzer is kinda pokey, but still fun and you are riding the last vestige of a piece of history. What a classy/classic throwback station though!!! Vertical Velocity is actually more fun since they do not use the holding brake on the rear spike. Demon is fun, lean "into" the direction of the corkscrews though. If the waits are decent, go on "Fiddlers Fling". "Triple Play", "Richochet" and "Revolution" for some good flat rides. Giant Drop is fun if the wait is less than 20 min. Hurricane Harbor is a BLAST, but get an all day locker outside the waterpark to store your clothes and just change in the regular bathrooms---or your car if you can----leave your cover-ups and shoes on any chaise lounge in the park. I have been doing this since HH opened in 2005 and have never had anyone mess with my stuff. Go early, and leave early, cuz when it gets hot HH gets busy but the ride waits decrease. If it's humid and sunny, expect a thundershower/rainshower. SFGAM is pretty good about restarting the rides after the rain though. The train ride is "nice" but awfully squeaky around the curves and mostly the ride path is curved. If I think of anything else I will post it later.

You'll have to rent a car. No public transport from Chicago goes directly to the park. You could prob. do a train/taxi combo, but you are gonna spend more than you would on just renting a car as far as I know.

Adventure Express is not only a terrible finale, but what makes it worse is that it is "Themed"...ugh (although I do think the pre-ending ride is fun) Same thing with Ninja at 6F Magic Mountain- It really is the best Arrow Suspended that I've been on (haven't had a chance to ride Big Bad Wolf), but the ending???? Wish they put the station 50 ft lower and just had a really long lift hill. I'm not crazy about the ending of Superman at my home park of 6F Great America either. Everythings' cool until you hit the last inversion and then whammo-brakes, a very slow ride until the pre-station brakes, which gives all the delinquents a chance to spit or throw gum on the brake run. Then a meandering few seconds until you are back in the station. I think the ending of "The Beast" (after the helix) is anti-climatical and "Son Of Beast" just out and out painful. As far as "Good Endings"...I never want a coaster ride to end, so there's that . . .

I have never ridden BBW- but I've been on Iron Dragon, Ninja, and Top Gun/Whatever the heck K.I. is calling it now . . .but I have always wanted to ride the Wolf, though never got a chance to do so. If Busch Gardens isn't planning to put their "next attraction" in the same footprint next year, I wish they would continue to "pour" money into it until they need the footprint to construct something else. If a new coaster is going to be installed in the off season, well, I guess that's the breaks, but if it's gonna be a couple years before that space is utilized, then I wish they would keep it open for me and or people like me who can't get this this year but would DEFINITELY visit the park next year, with a little more advance warning and a chance to finally ride it. My home park (though it's 70 miles away, is Six Flags Great America) and I remember clearly the year they "said" it was the last year for "The Whizzer" and there was such public outcry that they kept the ride and it is sitll running to this day! (True, they demolished Shockwave instead ((Grrrrr)) but at least the next year Superman stood where it was located). There was no "in-between year" with an emptly plot of land and no New Coaster/attraction and a promise of something. The Whizzer is the last remaining Speedcoaster and I know it has terrible maintenance issues (parts manufacturing/maintenence), but somehow or other, every year I can ride it. You'd think if BGE wasn't gonna immediately replace the ride next season, that they could figure out a way to keep it running until the space is needed. My .02

I haven't been to Holiday World since 2007- BUT when I was there (and this may be a double post somewhere waaaaaaaaaaaay back in this thread) one of the ride ops on "The Raven" I think, said that the next coaster was gonna fly over the lake. Take it for what you will, if I remember correctly the kid was prob. no more than 18 or 19. I'd like to see a "Flyer" there but I have strong doubts that this will be the next coaster. In any case, I'd LOVE to see a new coaster there next year. (as long as it's not a "Dark---nothing better to do than waste $7 Million---Knight" clone)

I got two cents so I figured why not throw them around on this forum topic! All the cryptic messages are on the walls of the container- so I take this as Carowinds wants us to think "outside the box". Let's assume for a minute that the B&M track isn't going here and the theme has nothing to do with NASCAR: Now- what do we have? What if (and it's a BIG what if)- Carowinds builds a twin track Top Thrill Dragster/Kingda Ka clone? It wouldn't have to be much taller to break the record- really an extra inch will still put it in the record books- and as the "racing" coasters descend back from the tower "Lightning DOES strike twice"? Looking at the footprint from the image on Screamscape I can almost imagine a launch, a quick curve, straight up, twist downward and maybe or maybe not an airtime hill-n return to the station. One side could be the "Bootlegger"(if we are going with the name "White Lightning"/a.k.a Moonshine) side and the other the "Sheriff" side" Or maybe I've had a beer too many tonight, and Carowinds will debut the first launched coaster pulled by Oxen (or similar Beasts of Burden)- reach a top speed of three miles an hour as you are pulled along a series of gentle bumps and curves with the ride named "Sonic Amish Raceway"

Here's my .02----IF this is going to be themed to "The Intimidator"/NASCAR themed . . . I don't think this coaster will be going vertical so much as horizontal, BUT extremely fast. Isn't there some coaster in Germany right now that's the fastest is the world but very LOW to the ground. If Carowinds is going to try to Mimic the whole NASCAR thing, my guess is this ride will feature a very Top Thrill Dragster/Kingda Ka launch- keep it very low to the ground and do a number of "laps" as opposed to "hills" and or inversions as most race cars don't really go up and down nor would it be a good idea for them to do an inversion. Again, just my thoughts if they are going with the whole "racing" theme.

Fleetwood Mac (and yes-believe it or not) they still ROCK. Allstate Arena, Rosemont, IL (Chicago) 03-05-09.

Very very cool indeed. And that was the year that I was born. Interesting to see what the park was like when I was still an infant.

Because we listen too much to the late great George Carlin. Why can I remember a phone number I learned when I was like eight years old, but I cannot remember where I put my keys in a ten by twelve kitchen just minutes ago?

Statistically speaking I am sure that there is life on other planets. Maybe it's just a simple bacteria or perhaps the other extreme where 'WE' on earth seem to be just simple bacteria to them. Who knows? But I do believe we are not truly 'alone'. I am however just a little jealous because if 'they' are smarter than us, they probably have cooler coasters with shorter waits.