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Six Flags Great America (SFGAm) Discussion Thread


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I believe it was just the first loop. If you look at GASMs loops you can see they have a different style of track from the rest of the ride. It's because it needs extra support. I think the first loop didn't always have that type of track but a few years ago they replaced the track and put the old track in the safari.

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Just found this on GAm's Facebook...

 

I just hope Whizzer can make it to 50, just ten more years...

©2002 ...Fail

 

As for the differences between Shockwave and GASM, Shockwave's second and third loops go to the left and GAMS's go to the right. I believe this was changed for GASM for a smoother transition to the MCBR.

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Six Flags Great America appears to have abandoned, at least for now, putting a new-generation roller coaster inside the Gurnee park.

 

And a spokeswoman for Six Flags indicated Friday that any notion that the coaster would be built was premature, even though the park management was at the last step in the process to get village approval.

 

Great America had petitioned for permission to build a 150-foot roller coaster near the main entrance of the park near the parking lot.

 

Village documents showed the coaster previously operated at a now-closed Six Flags park in Kentucky, and the company needed a special permit because the ride would have topped the 125-foot height limit.

 

At the May 26 zoning board of appeals meeting, Great America General Manager Hank Salemi said the roller coaster is a new-generation model produced by Bolliger & Mabillard of Switzerland. It was intended to be the fifth B&M coaster at the park, joining the likes of Raging Bull and Superman: Ultimate Flight.

 

Zoning board members recommended the roller coaster be approved and Great America was then expected to take its case to the village board for final approval.

 

However, park officials backed out of a village board appearance listed on the June 21 agenda. Great America officials at the time said they were still considering the roller coaster.

 

On Friday, however, Gurnee Mayor Kristina Kovarik said Six Flags has withdrawn its petition to build the ride.

 

Kovarik said she is disappointed, but added Great America isn't standing still.

 

"They're going to look at some other options that they think are just as exciting," Kovarik said.

 

Six Flags spokeswoman Meredith Kelleher said the fact the company went through the process to gain the special permit from Gurnee never meant the coaster would be built.

 

"We're still looking forward to many things in 2011 at the park," Kelleher said Friday.

 

Great America's parent company, Six Flags Entertainment Corp., announced in May it had emerged from Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. The company filed for bankruptcy in June 2009, citing high debt and declining park attendance.

 

In a U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission filing June 24, Six Flags argued for the company's viability, saying it benefits from a lack of direct competition and the limited availability of land needed for amusement park construction.

 

"Based on our knowledge of the development of other theme parks in the United States," the company says in the SEC filing, "we estimate that it would cost at least $300 million and would take a minimum of two years to build a regional theme park comparable to one of our major Six Flags-branded theme parks."

 

http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=393014&src=3

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I love the part of the article that reads : "Six Flags spokeswoman Meredith Kelleher said the fact the company went through the process to gain the special permit from Gurnee never meant the coaster would be built."

 

Well why the heck would you go through the process if that wasn't your intention?

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PR saying that it didnt mean the coaster would be built is exact that...PR. The ride just got cancelled. It was planned to go in next year but the corporate plans changed that. They just don't want it published like that I'd say.

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I think the first loop didn't always have that type of track but a few years ago they replaced the track and put the old track in the safari.

 

I thought that track found in the safari section was the old track from Lightning Loops. I could be wrong, though.

 

That piece of track has been in the Safari since at least 1996. Not sure which ride it came from, though I'm inclined to go with Lightning Loops.

 

EDIT: I'm just going nuts. Looking at my pictures from back then, I can't find any evidence of the track being there in 96, and the crossties match GASM, not Lightning Loops.

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^Someone brought up a comparison between Shockwave and Great American Scream Machine, which lead to a discussion about whether Great American Scream Machine or Lightning Loops' loop ended up in Great Adventure's safari.

 

I don't really care that we aren't getting Chang. It's a good ride, but unless they changed the trains or had a good marketing team, it would be difficult addition. Since I doubt either would have happened, I see the addition of Chang being a failed attraction like Dark Knight or Buccaneer Battle.

 

I hope they use the space to expand the water park as it continues to fill to capacity, and a significant expansion could bring in visitors who visited it back in 05 but haven't since. Sure thrill seekers will continue to complain, but I'd rather have the park continue to improve like it has the past few years instead of throwing another coaster in. I just hope the plans to bring theming back haven't been canceled since Shapiro left.

Edited by Airtime&Gravity
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^^They're referring to these monkey bars, located in the drive through zoo next to Six Flags Great Adventure in NJ.

IMG_3237.jpg.5e2d1a992d5e11fa5a5db65e70964fb7.jpg

 

^I apologize I didn't notice that you already answered it. I guess the latter 2 paragraphs erased the first sentence from my short term buffer

Edited by IBtacoDave
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Two patrons were ejected from the Six Flags Great America theme park in Gurnee this week after allegedly striking repeatedly a woman dressed as Porky Pig, police said Tuesday.

 

The woman, an employee of the park who was dressed as the Warner Brothers character, was hit 10 to 15 times on the head at about 4 p.m. Monday, according to police and a statement by Great America.

 

Witnesses reported seeing Taras Sikalchuk and Dmytro Petrychenko hit the character on the back, sides and top of her head after posing for a picture with the character, Gurnee police said.

 

The victim was taken to Six Flags’ first aid station, and said she was experiencing a headache and sore neck and shoulders. A Great America spokeswoman described the employee’s injuries as “minor.”

 

"This was an isoloated incident," the spokeswoman said in a statement. "We have a Guest Code of Conduct at the park that we expect all our park guests to abide by. These guests clearly violated our Code of Conduct."

 

 

 

 

 

"Park security responded immediately and ejected the guests from the park," the Great America statement said.

 

Near Great America on Tuesday afternoon, park-goers expressed support for the worker.

Sikalchuk, 19, and Petrychenko, 20, both of Waukegan, denied hitting Porky Pig, police said. But both were cited for battery and released from custody – and the park.

 

Linda Lozano, 14, Joliet, said she’d tell the nearest Great America employee if she saw Porky Pig getting beat up. And she might have a few words for anyone attacking the character.

 

“I would tell them to back off, because she probably didn’t do anything that bad – or anything at all, maybe,” she said.

 

“There’s a lot of security people around,” added Jacob Verner, 14, of Saint Charles. “You want to help them, but there’s probably someone better to do it.”

 

“What a loser!” said Mike Kuhn, 15, also of Saint Charles, when told of the incident. “Why would you pay … to come here just to get kicked out?”

 

“I’d be like, ‘What are you doing? That’s just a helpless cartoon character!’” he added. “… I’d wrangle up all the cartoon characters and riot.”

 

Joanna Chavez, 19, of Brookfield, didn’t think it was a laughing matter.

 

“That’s kind of disgusting,” she said. “You just have to feel bad for these people. They’re out there in the hot sun all day.”

 

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^Apparently no one over 15 was in the area to interview at the time until the end.

 

I know, when I was reading the article, I was wondering why the reporters didn't talk to any adults. Although, Six Flags does (regrettably) serve as day care in the summer, so maybe there weren't any adults in the area.

 

Also, it turns out it was employees that attacked the mascot.

 

Two Six Flags employees were ejected from the Gurnee theme park Monday afternoon after allegedly attacking a female employee dressed as "Porky Pig."

 

Taras Sikalchuk, 20, and Dmytro Petrychenko, 19, took a photo with “Porky Pig” about 2:20 p.m. Monday at Six Flags Great America in Gurnee, then punched the mascot in the head 10 to 15 times, Gurnee police said.

 

Both men are employees of the park and were visiting on their day off, Gurnee police Sgt. Jon Ward said.

 

Park security detained the men and Gurnee police responded about 4:30 p.m., Ward said.

 

Sikalchuk and Petrychenko, both of Waukegan, were issued local ordinance citations for battery and were ejected from the park, Ward said.

 

The suspects denied the attack, but witnesses confirmed the story, police said.

 

The 24-year-old woman inside the mascot costume suffered headaches and a stiff neck, but did not require hospitalization, Ward said.

 

The sergeant said the mascots are accompanied by a security guard, and attacks on mascots happen once or twice a year.

 

A Six Flags Great America spokesman was not available for comment Tuesday evening.

 

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I don't know why they said the characters are escorted by security. When I worked in that department, there was always at least one or two other department employees with us, but never a security guard. I haven't seen too many security guards out with the characters this year either, but I'm sure this will be made a new policy now that this incident has happened.

 

As for the two doofuses that did this, I don't know what to say. Send them home I guess this way they can't beat up any more characters.

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I don't know why they said the characters are escorted by security. When I worked in that department, there was always at least one or two other department employees with us, but never a security guard. I haven't seen too many security guards out with the characters this year either, but I'm sure this will be made a new policy now that this incident has happened.

 

Yeah, I usually just see them come out escorted by another employee, never have I? seen a full blown body guard.

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