Six Flags Great America (SFGAm) Discussion Thread

[AirMBTB]

^ In defense of Goliath, however, SFGAm didn't have much space there where Iron Wolf was to work with. SDC had tons of land to create an amazing layout. Though I haven't ridden Goliath yet (I hope to rectify that in less than two weeks!), from what I've seen, it looks like they still made a pretty amazing coaster in that limited space!

 

The park wants you to believe that; remember, we're dealing with Six Flags here. The same park that claims "cleanest theme park in the country" and "best waterpark in the country." They're not interested in building a full, world-class ride. SF doesn't do that anymore; they're building mostly "test track" type coasters, or conversions of older woodies (that have lost popularity due to neglect -> rough track). The new "coasters" are short rides, but marketable enough to get people to invest in cheap season passes. Sure, it's their business model, but let's keep it honest. It's not a space issue.

 

I rode Goliath again yesterday, although an OK ride, it still feels silly short. There is easily enough energy coming into the 65 foot high brakes for another 1,500 feet of track, probably more. My friends (who went to the park for the first time yesterday) chose Whizzer, Raging Bull, Demon and American Eagle as their late-in-the-day re-rides. They didn't want to waste time riding Goliath again.

 

There is ALWAYS enough room:

[DILinator]

I rode Goliath again yesterday, although an OK ride, it still feels silly short. There is easily enough energy coming into the 65 foot high brakes for another 1,500 feet of track, probably more. My friends (who went to the park for the first time yesterday) chose Whizzer, Raging Bull, Demon and American Eagle as their late-in-the-day re-rides. They didn't want to waste time riding Goliath again.

 

There is ALWAYS enough room:

 

I do always get the feeling just from watching the POV, that it is crazy short. If I have to wait in a ridiculous long line for it, that will become a factor in judging a short ride (which is partly why TTD isn't in my Top 20 coasters). I guess my point is simply that for what it is - it looks REALLY fun, especially since I have no previous RMC experience!

 

Personally, I LOVE when parks twist their coasters all over each other, like some of the delicious pictures you posted! I know SFGAm could have done that with Goliath, but there really isn't much precedent for it there, or really at any other SF park that I can think of. FWIW, even CF doesn't really do that with their coasters too often. I'm not sure what it is about more corporate parks, but they seem to follow a mantra of "A footprint for every coaster, and every coaster in its footprint." So, knowing SF operates with that mentality, I feel like they did they best they could do given their limits (granted, some of them self-imposed) to pack a powerful, fun, and record breaking coaster into that small area. Could they have done better, if they'd have been willing to broaden their horizons, and run it over some other things? Certainly! But like you said, this is Six Flags we're talking about here...

[AirMBTB]

^I'm sure you'll have fun on Goliath (provided you are not as restraint-sensitive as me), and you know what you are getting into. If you go to Goliath later in the day, you might be able to use the single rider line... but even that can be heavy with operational issues.

[PKI Jizzman]

I rode Goliath again yesterday, although an OK ride, it still feels silly short. There is easily enough energy coming into the 65 foot high brakes for another 1,500 feet of track, probably more. My friends (who went to the park for the first time yesterday) chose Whizzer, Raging Bull, Demon and American Eagle as their late-in-the-day re-rides. They didn't want to waste time riding Goliath again.

 

There is ALWAYS enough room:

 

I do always get the feeling just from watching the POV, that it is crazy short. If I have to wait in a ridiculous long line for it, that will become a factor in judging a short ride (which is partly why TTD isn't in my Top 20 coasters). I guess my point is simply that for what it is - it looks REALLY fun, especially since I have no previous RMC experience!

 

Personally, I LOVE when parks twist their coasters all over each other, like some of the delicious pictures you posted! I know SFGAm could have done that with Goliath, but there really isn't much precedent for it there, or really at any other SF park that I can think of. FWIW, even CF doesn't really do that with their coasters too often. I'm not sure what it is about more corporate parks, but they seem to follow a mantra of "A footprint for every coaster, and every coaster in its footprint." So, knowing SF operates with that mentality, I feel like they did they best they could do given their limits (granted, some of them self-imposed) to pack a powerful, fun, and record breaking coaster into that small area. Could they have done better, if they'd have been willing to broaden their horizons, and run it over some other things? Certainly! But like you said, this is Six Flags we're talking about here...

 

I wouldn't let the length of the ride deter your from riding or lower your expectations. I'm a fan of long ride duration (Millennium, Beast, Space Mountain) but I didn't really even think about that before riding Goliath. For sure ride the back seat. It's one of the most ...odd rides I've ever been on. It's got the giant steep Millennium-esque first hill, a tunnel, the big turn arounds, a massive air hill, and then there's the two hang time moments. A strange combination of elements in one ride. It's worth the wait. It accomplishes a lot for the duration it has.

[DILinator]

So, this is what I've been deliberating on... First ride... First ride ever on an RMC... Do I ride it in the very front? Or very back? I'll definitely ride the coaster at least twice, regardless of the lines, to experience both. But which should be my first ride experience? I'm curious what the general thought regarding this is, and whether there is a consensus!

[ilrider]

So, this is what I've been deliberating on... First ride... First ride ever on an RMC... Do I ride it in the very front? Or very back? I'll definitely ride the coaster at least twice, regardless of the lines, to experience both. But which should be my first ride experience? I'm curious what the general thought regarding this is, and whether there is a consensus!

 

I have always been a back seat guy over front, but I have heard Goliath is better in the back from others. I have ridden it in the very back seat and it was awesome, but not the front. The first drop is amazing in the back.

[Jodon]

So, this is what I've been deliberating on... First ride... First ride ever on an RMC... Do I ride it in the very front? Or very back? I'll definitely ride the coaster at least twice, regardless of the lines, to experience both. But which should be my first ride experience? I'm curious what the general thought regarding this is, and whether there is a consensus!

 

I have always been a back seat guy over front, but I have heard Goliath is better in the back from others. I have ridden it in the very back seat and it was awesome, but not the front. The first drop is amazing in the back.

 

Both the front and back are solid! If I can, I try to get front row rides first to "see" the coaster for the first time. With that said, I prefer Goliath in the back.

[ytterbiumanalyst]

So, this is what I've been deliberating on... First ride... First ride ever on an RMC... Do I ride it in the very front? Or very back? I'll definitely ride the coaster at least twice, regardless of the lines, to experience both. But which should be my first ride experience? I'm curious what the general thought regarding this is, and whether there is a consensus!

Ride it in the back. If you've never been on an RMC, you will be blown away. Goliath was my second RMC, so I couldn't help but compare to Outlaw Run, and while Outlaw Run is better, even the worst RMC is still one of the best coasters in the world. Goliath is short, but they didn't phone it in. It's an amazing ride, and you'll love it.

[ALT2870]

So, this is what I've been deliberating on... First ride... First ride ever on an RMC... Do I ride it in the very front? Or very back? I'll definitely ride the coaster at least twice, regardless of the lines, to experience both. But which should be my first ride experience? I'm curious what the general thought regarding this is, and whether there is a consensus!

 

I have always been a back seat guy over front, but I have heard Goliath is better in the back from others. I have ridden it in the very back seat and it was awesome, but not the front. The first drop is amazing in the back.

 

Both the front and back are solid! If I can, I try to get front row rides first to "see" the coaster for the first time. With that said, I prefer Goliath in the back.

 

Same thing, seeing that track is a thing of beauty. I did front for my first RMC (Rattler) and it really is something. (The back though hands down beat the front with all that ejector air.)

[PKI Jizzman]

So, this is what I've been deliberating on... First ride... First ride ever on an RMC... Do I ride it in the very front? Or very back? I'll definitely ride the coaster at least twice, regardless of the lines, to experience both. But which should be my first ride experience? I'm curious what the general thought regarding this is, and whether there is a consensus!

 

If you ride the front row you will miss the air on the first drop. You will be very sad. And so will I.

[DILinator]

Thanks for all the advice, guys! It seems like even those who recommend front for the first ride, still prefer the back. As much as I'm typically a front-seat kind of guy, it really sounds like the back is the money seat on this coaster! I am definitely leaning towards the back row at this point (especially since I don't want to make PKI Jizzman sad), but I have one last, deciding question... Since I'm going first thing, and plan to ride twice in a row (unless the line is already over half an hour - which it sounds like it could be), which line tends to be longer? Front, or back? I know front usually is the longest, so I'm wondering if logistically it makes the most sense to do that first, since it'll be shorter. Just a thought...

[VF15]

I would definitely ride it in the back. When I was at the park last summer, my first ride on Goliath was a little underwhelming. Later in the day, I re-rode it further back in the train and had a pretty insane ride. Just hope that they're not assigning rows (this park has a tendency to assign seats from my experience).

[DILinator]

Just hope that they're not assigning rows (this park has a tendency to assign seats from my experience).

 

Nooo!! Say it ain't so! I hate that practice!

[ilrider]

Just hope that they're not assigning rows (this park has a tendency to assign seats from my experience).

 

Nooo!! Say it ain't so! I hate that practice!

 

Sometimes they do, sometimes they don't. Just tell the grouper you really want the back row and maybe they will let you.

[PKI Jizzman]

Just hope that they're not assigning rows (this park has a tendency to assign seats from my experience).

 

Nooo!! Say it ain't so! I hate that practice!

 

Sometimes they do, sometimes they don't. Just tell the grouper you really want the back row and maybe they will let you.

 

So far I've never been assigned. I tell them front/back and they're cool. You shouldn't sweat it.

[DILinator]

Just hope that they're not assigning rows (this park has a tendency to assign seats from my experience).

 

Nooo!! Say it ain't so! I hate that practice!

 

Sometimes they do, sometimes they don't. Just tell the grouper you really want the back row and maybe they will let you.

 

So far I've never been assigned. I tell them front/back and they're cool. You shouldn't sweat it.

 

Cool! That's good to hear, as I was sweating it! I never did get a front row ride on Fury in a number of tries, due to those types of policies, so they really annoy me! (Though I got a few back row rides on it, and those kicked all sorts of tail - enough to make it my #1 coaster!)

[AirMBTB]

So, this is what I've been deliberating on... First ride... First ride ever on an RMC... Do I ride it in the very front? Or very back? I'll definitely ride the coaster at least twice, regardless of the lines, to experience both. But which should be my first ride experience? I'm curious what the general thought regarding this is, and whether there is a consensus!

 

If you ride the front row you will miss the air on the first drop. You will be very sad. And so will I.

 

Actually, I found there was "uplift forces" (as much air time as you can get being synched and stapled to the hard plastic seat) in the front seat on the first drop.

 

Do yourself a favor and ride front and back. A friend advised me to check out the front, at night, last year... one of the better rides I've had on Goliath. My favorite spots are the first turn and the dive loop through the mountain of wood.

[Jodon]

So, this is what I've been deliberating on... First ride... First ride ever on an RMC... Do I ride it in the very front? Or very back? I'll definitely ride the coaster at least twice, regardless of the lines, to experience both. But which should be my first ride experience? I'm curious what the general thought regarding this is, and whether there is a consensus!

 

If you ride the front row you will miss the air on the first drop. You will be very sad. And so will I.

 

Actually, I found there was "uplift forces" (as much air time as you can get being synched and stapled to the hard plastic seat) in the front seat on the first drop.

 

Do yourself a favor and ride front and back. A friend advised me to check out the front, at night, last year... one of the better rides I've had on Goliath. My favorite spots are the first turn and the dive loop through the mountain of wood.

 

One more recommendation: When ever you are upside down, look up (i.e. look towards the ground), Seeing the wooden structure when you are upside down in the dive loop is pretty spectacular.

[gerstlaueringvar]

Going to the park on 13th, thinking about purchasing Platnium Flash Pass for Goliath. Is it still limited to one ride on Goliath or is it now unlimited? Thanks.

[Blue Turbo]

^You get two reservations on Goliath with the Platinum Flash Pass

[gerstlaueringvar]

^Thanks for the info!

[RollingCoasting]

Credit it to SFGAmWorld User Nerdguy 5:

 

 

 

Credit to SFGAmWorld User DejaVu2001:

 

 

 

[zombi3elephant9]

Clearly they're remodeling the Southwest Amphitheater to bring back the Batman stunt show for the new attraction next season.

[anewman35]

 

Basically confirms Justice League, right?

[SFGAmFan1976]

^This all but proves that they are (finally) bringing the Green Lantern stand up coaster to SFGAm just like they should have 5 years ago! You're not getting away this time Chang!