Photo TR Six Flags Great America 09-10-09

[Voyage_freak]

Well I made it up to Gurnee for my 13th visit to Six Flags Great America, and as usual, I wasn't disappointed. We got to the park at 11:00, and since my friend hadn't been to the park, I let her guide the way, she wanted to make a b line for the Southwest Territory section of the park to ride Raging Bull, so we headed that way.

 

Our first stop was for a ride on the Whizzer. No visit to SFGA is complete without a ride on Whizzer, this has always been a favorite of mine at this park,

 

 

after a rather long wait for Whizzer, we headed back to Viper, they added some games at the entrance to the Southwest Territory, and its really filled the section up, it looks nice. so it was off to Viper. This was a pretty long line too, it was about a 35 min. wait for the coaster, apparently they have implemented a new way of loading the stations up. the hold the line till the que lines in the station all empty out, then they only let up a certain number into the station then hold the line again.

 

They did this on Batman, Raging bull, Superman, Viper, it makes for a longer wait, but once you get into the station, its not all jammed pack with people.

 

 

Viper has always been a great coaster, nice fast pace, some airtime on several hills, but it really grinds the track like the Screamin Eagle does, and it has gotten rougher over the years for sure. but still a great coaster non the less.

 

 

 

 

after the Viper it was time for my favorite in the park, Raging Bull!

 

Raging Bull is still a kick butt coaster, something like that would be perfect in our park. now so many people say thats been trimmed to death, but I don't think it has, it has a trim on the camelback, and a mid course break otherwise that thing moves smoothly over those tracks at a great speed, and that first drop is incredible!

 

Raging Bull has gotten a fresh paint Job, and looks great!

 

 

 

 

 

 

After that we headed over to the "Demon" no wait whatsoever, walked right up, and right on to the coaster. this coaster is really showing its age, its rough as can be, and losing its popularity quick, heading the same way as the Ninja.

 

 

 

 

ok then after Demon, we headed over to American Eagle, I was shocked as hell as I headed over to the big top tent that housed its que lines, they had moved the que line and filled under the big tent with a "Wiggles World" omg! what a nightmare...

 

 

 

So as far as the AE goes, this coaster is in bad shape. The American Eagle is really in bad need of some TLC big time. how was the ride? well we rode it 2 times today, the first time was the longest wait we had to wait, and that was about 40 min, they only had the blue side running, 2 trains, it was a slow loading and unloading process.

 

after American Eagle we took a spin on Iron Wolf, I keep telling myself that I am done riding this coaster, but my friend hadn't been on it ever and I wanted to be with her on her first try, rough as can be, with a big dose of "bang your head on the head rests" thrown in for free.

 

 

 

after we got tackled by Iron Wolf we took a ride on Batman The ride, the original one of these coasters, and still the best one. their que set up is great, and they were controlling how many people were up in the station.

 

 

After Batman we took a spin on the Ragin Cajun, and that was a blast, we got lucky with a nice spinning car and took advantage of that spinning, it just wouldn't stop..

 

 

 

 

after the Ragin cajun, we headed over to Vertical Velocity, the line there was huge! so we decided to skip out on VV and head over to Superman, but first we took a spin on Darknight, and I liked it, but I think it would be better as a coaster in the dark, no scenery, you just travel past it too fast, and don't really see it. still fun for a wild mouse coaster.

 

Superman Ultimate Flight was up next, and man that is one smooth coaster. its an incredible ride, and one of the best additions the park ever made. the only thing I don't like about it, is the open lift hill, there is nothing underneath you as your going up, your just kind of hanging there. it needs to have like a metal mesh or screening there, it's just to unnerving.

 

 

 

 

 

after SUF we sat down and had a snack, before making another round of the coasters. we stopped and rode the old Carousel, and took a spin on the Sky-Trek tower to get some shots from up there

 

 

 

 

 

after that we took another ride on Viper, Raging Bull, and American Eagle, we then hit a couple of the shops, then by that time it was already 7 o clock, and the park closed at 8. so we headed out and back to the hotel.

 

Overall I give the park a great review as usual, The customer service really needs work, and it's not just this Six Flags either, its a company wide thing.

 

it was too cold to do the Buccaneer Battles, but it did look pretty cool. once the weather warms up it will be a popular water ride, YOU WILL GET SOAKED NO MATTER WHERE YOU SIT just a warning.. oh and get this, they have "people dryers" across from the ride, you go in to this room and stand in front of these giant dryers and your wet clothes get all dried off pretty quickly.

 

 

I wanted to get my onride photos put onto a photo card that I could go to the my six flags photos site and view and purchase my pictures when I got home. I was told I had to make a purchase to get one of those.

 

I did buy our raging bull pic, it was worth it.

 

one other thing before I end this TR, if you have a season pass to our park and it has parking on it, you can use it up there, and you get free parking, AND you get to park in priority parking with it.

[Jerrykoala2112]

Nice report! Fun and interesting to read. Your 13th time? I already went 12 times this year...hehe!

 

-Jeremie

[Voyage_freak]

Since I live 5 hours away, once a year is how often I get up there. Now my home town Six Flags, SFSTL, I average out about 12-18 times a season...

[mcjaco]

So as far as the AE goes, this coaster is in bad shape. The American Eagle is really in bad need of some TLC big time.

 

Almost the entire ride has been retracked.

 

The helix is the only rough part in my opinion.

[Airtime&Gravity]

So as far as the AE goes, this coaster is in bad shape. The American Eagle is really in bad need of some TLC big time.

 

Like mcjaco said, the ride has been re-tracked over the past few years I believe. It is bumpy, but by no means rough (go ride Predator or Zeus for rough). It isn't smooth like Viper, but as far as wooden coasters go, American Eagle runs pretty well. Of course, my lap bar seems always seems to go down a few more clicks when the train bottoms out after the first drop and over the first few hills.

 

 

Nice trip report though, and I like the ariel photos.

[kumba830]

I'm not sure about AE being rough. I know Blue side is definitely rougher than Red, but as the others have said its nothing compared to some of the other wood out their.

 

 

Oh and it seems you really like yellow text outlined in red!

[cycamps]

Oh and it seems you really like yellow text outlined in red!

I was thinking the exact same thing!!

[atem122]

is the open lift hill, there is nothing underneath you as your going up, your just kind of hanging there. it needs to have like a metal mesh or screening there, it's just to unnerving.

Somebody would have a royal freakout on Tatsu! Haha I like it without the mesh, it makes you think about your mortality more (For the record I've only been on Tatsu and not this) but that was a great report, except for the REALLLY bright yellow lettering haha

[Primogen18]

Nice TR, while we were there on the 6th there was hardly anyone else in the park. AE was such a shame IMO, needs new paint and the track squeaked pretty back the whole way through. Some good speed but overall it looked quite bad.

I posted the TR here a bit ago, but like most of my posts here it went completely ignored, I don't even know why I bother typing them up anymore...