Six Flags Great America (SFGAm) Discussion Thread

[DanM64]

^Just about every ride- with the exception of the Southwest Territory and Mardi Gras- no longer fits the themed areas of the park. As long as Goliath kicks ass, I honestly don't really care, and I actually feel Goliath IS an appropriate name for the new coaster. If the largest drop and fastest overall wooden coaster isn't "Goliath", then I don't know what is!

[RandallDuell]

It really did seem like the park was trying to get back to theming with the Mardi Gras area - with Rajin' and Jester's etc. Now they're yanking the main attraction out of that area, it will be interesting to see if they make an effort to theme that spot properly or not going forward.

 

Shockwave was one of the first "uhhhh" disregards for theming that I can recall. They obviously followed that up with Superman (also not a fit). Was The Edge the first new install that didn't really fit the theme of the area it was installed? Maybe that was the "example" used when new rides were being considered, and themes didn't match - "well, we put The Edge in there and that didn't fit, so how big of a deal is it?"

 

I guess those that were around are a bit spoiled by the whole atmosphere of theming from the Marriott days - with the Gurnee park (I guess) making more of an attempt to maintain theme, any time it falls short it's a bit more noticeable?

 

I always loved the theming of the Tidal Wave based Yankee Harbor. From the coaster's theming to the lighthouse to the Yankee Clipper, that whole area really did have the feeling of a east coast oceanside town. Batman ultimately replacing that ride was GREAT (as Batman's spot in rollercoaster history/evolution is big), but was definitely a nod towards "we're worried more about marketing/brand than some silly area theming". Not saying they were wrong, as a bunch of rope "fencing" doesn't get you the same bang for your buck as some logo'd merch being sold next to a big ole rollercoaster.....but the overall theming definitely suffered.

 

SW Territory was a really pleasant surprise, I think it far surpassed any expectation out there - including the original plan for the "Great Southwest".

 

Anyhoo, it is what it is - I'm just glad they make some attempt to maintain what theming is left.

[tororific]

yeah, I miss the themes that Great America used to have.

The problem is with the takeover of parks by media/ film conglomerates who think that tying a ride to a movie somehow increases either park attendance or movie attendance -- when, in fact, I suspect is does neither. Days of Thunder ride simulator anyone? I bet The Demon has more lasting brand recognition than any movie-based tie ride.

[LoopScreweD]

Wow i never knew that the demons track was submerged like the Matterhorn amazing.

at around 1:28 the whole track is under water that makes a connection to the shock wave SFGAM wiki page saying a segment of track was re fabricated to fix a corroding track piece...

[CMV]

To the best of my knowledge, the Demon's track was never submerged at either park. The closest the track came to water was on the entrance to the corkscrews, as it passed the waterfall. Not really sure what I'm looking at at 1:28, although that's what SFGAm's corkscrews have felt like for the past five years or so.

 

EDIT: Well, shut my mouth. It's difficult to see, but the track (not the rails) is submerged at one point in that vid. I'd hazard a guess that's because of some one time water level abberation (flooding?) at the CA version, because IL's has never been like that. Good eye, mate. Good eye.

[LoopScreweD]

^when was the waterfall turned off? The pool is still there and the cut out for the falls are still open and visible.

A nice clear shot of the Wa Wa in question

SFGAMs water fall in action

Entering the screw view of the pool from the waterfall 2001

2013 view

[Cameron]

For a number of years they ran the water (blood red) during Fright Fest only, but for the last 5 or 6 years they don't even do that anymore.

[CMV]

Best I can tell, it's flooded at the lowest point coming out of the second corkscrew. It probably never got any higher than that, I'm assuming the park wouldn't operate the ride if the water level rose enough to actually contact the train.

 

I miss the days that waterfall looked like tomato soup. Then it went clear, and then intermittently. I'm always hoping for a permanent return.

[traincrossin]

While i'm excited for Goliath, I would have thought that they'd wait longer to put in another coaster after X-Flight. Why do you think we're getting another coaster so soon, for more capacity since Iron Wolf and Ragin Cajun are gone?

[willthegolfer]

While i'm excited for Goliath, I would have thought that they'd wait longer to put in another coaster after X-Flight. Why do you think we're getting another coaster so soon, for more capacity since Iron Wolf and Ragin Cajun are gone?

I think it's because we had to wait 9 years since superman in 2003 until we got X-FLight.

[thedirtyspaniard]

People are never going to stop complaining about the ride's length are they? ... both Goliath and X Flight are monumental for Six Flags Great America... X Flight was the first original layout, and actually good capacity roller coaster the park got in 13 years (Since Raging Bull, that's right.)

 

Anyways, with all of these pictures of the plot of land being cleared, I heard from a source (though I don't trust it) that vertical construction of Goliath won't start until November... 6 months to build an entire wooden coaster seems very short. Anyone know anything about this?

[TXman308]

^I think it's entirely possible. Remember this ride is just a figure 8, sits on a pretty flat piece of land, and uses many parts of its structure multiple times. Also, this SFGAM we're talking about, not SFMM.

[ernierocker]

6 months to build an entire wooden coaster seems very short. Anyone know anything about this?

 

Outlaw Run actually took a little less than 6 months to complete construction. Sounds about right factoring in winter weather.

[DanM64]

Looks like "Tiny", the giant spider that used to be placed on American Eagle's helix during Fright Fest will be returning for this year!

 

The park made this teaser video and the following picture:

Tiny is back!

[Meteornotes]

^Yay! I believe the first time I was ever at the park was a time of year when the giant spider was on display. Glad to see her back!

 

dt

[Vonni]

Are there any footers in place for Goliath yet? The last photo I saw was just the ground grazed.

[Ed Farmer]

Are there any footers in place for Goliath yet? The last photo I saw was just the ground grazed.

 

By sheep?

[scott2608]

Are there any footers in place for Goliath yet? The last photo I saw was just the ground grazed.

 

GAm has been closed for two weeks opening for Fright Fest is tomorrow 9-28-13

[UrbanLegend]

I guess there has been nothing new to report then?

[djboss302]

I went there yesterday. There are still no footers in place yet.

[NAMTABSFGAm]

I went there yesterday. There are still no footers in place yet.

photo trip report?

[djboss302]

^No one in my party wanted to stop, so I was forced not to

[batmanfan80]

Was there Sunday. Great weekend to go like last year. Not a bus in sight so the lines were manageable. Even around say 2 PM we only had to wait about 15 min for Raging Bull. The park really feels like a theme park during FF. This is the element that's missing during the regular season. RB, Demon, and X Flight kept running test trains repeatedly in the afternoon. After riding River Rocker the wife and I got some sort of slight nausea that got slightly worse throughout the day. All this burping. Don't know if the huge pulled pork I got with the dining pass at Aunt Martha's had anything to do with it. Viper and Richochet before River Rocket didn't cause any ill effects. We ended up not riding Pretzelman, Condor, ERC, Whirleygig, and Batman because we were afriad we'd throw up. Onto the rides in the order we rode them, started probably around 1:40ish:

 

-Viper: Best ride I ever had on this. Completely smooth and comfortable throughout. Never felt my torso slamming around, didn't have to try to balance by keeping my arms up. Either I adapted or they improved something after turning it forwards again. When it runs like this, I might even like it better than Batman. Rode maybe 3 or 4 rows from the back. ten minute line.

 

-Richochet: First time we rode this. Lots more fun than it looks. ten minute line.

 

-Raging Bull: Tried row 7 for the first time. Didn't think the ride experience was much different from being in rows 3-6.

 

-Demon: This has been consistent. First drop is awesome. Those loops are a little jerky. Haven't found a way to offset that sorta whiplashy feeling. same back row as usual. This actually had a line like last time, maybe ten minutes deep.

 

-X-Flight: wife likes row 4 on the right so we went there again. About the same as last time. This one was less easy to take with the slight nausea. about a half hour line.

 

-American Eagle red: opted for a middle row but row 3 was free so we took that. Horrid ride this time after the great ride earlier last month. Trim brakes kept kicking in and I never noticed em before. When going up the hill into the helix, my wife flew upward so she was about a foot higher than me in the train. I think that's where it was. The last airtime moment before the helix. She claims she got so much air that she was standing upright but I couldn't tell. It felt much faster and rougher. The helix was almost Mean Streak bad the whole time, especially at the end. this was a walk up.

 

-Train: they didn't have much of any FF stuff up for this.

 

-Triple Play: Pretty fun and still worth riding but this kicked up the nausea some.

 

-Whizzer: Airtime in the 3rd to last seat does not happen like it does in the very last seat. It's barely there. This ride is rougher than people think. It's pretty jerky at times.

 

And after that we had to take a break for Fantome or whatever it's called. Then Susan Rosen. That was a great time. Too bad they don't make much use of the Pictorum and the ampitheater. Those should be treated as a lot bigger deal than they are.

 

Parade was great. The FF actors look a lot better this year. Not sure about the construction workers, but I didn't think they were that lame. Most of the FF actors were in Orleans Place and near the carousel. I didn't see any of them really when I was in Southwest Territory and County Fair. Maybe it was too early in the day. I'd like to do the specific FF attractions if I find the time to fit them in with the rides. We could've easily done the rest of the rides we wanted to. I'm hoping we don't get the horrific crowds of last year. Do they really need to let in 20+ buses?

 

The theming is such a big draw with FF. If they could try to come up with some other strong theming for other months, I think that would help a lot. They could probably get away with operating some selected days in the offseason too. A lot of days in May are just as cold as days in the winter. I don't see them taking gambles like that if they don't even bring back the strong theming culture of the Marriot days.

[scott2608]

Skip to 4:20 for Goliath

 

[djboss302]

Guess they're reusing the old Iron Wolf station because if they were not using it, they would've torn it down by now.