Six Flags Great America (SFGAm) Discussion Thread

[traincrossin]

Do the dryers actually dry? I've heard yes, no, and kinda answers. The dryers are only $3 now instead of $5. I enjoyed Buccaneer Battle a lot and think it will be a hit because it is interactive not only by shooting targets but also by having hand crank guns and the ability to get people on the midway wet as well. Anyone know what the capacity is? I've also heard high and low answers.

[GriffyTiffy]

The driers are like giant toaster ovens with the orange lights. They are really warm inside, but my friend burnt himself touching the lamp, so don't touch the lamps! I heard that BB will have the highest capacity in the park, and I belive it.

[Jerrykoala2112]

Anyone know what the capacity is? I've also heard high and low answers.

 

Yep! Highest in the park. 2,000 riders - 2,200 riders per hour. I think Dark Knight only had 1200

[monsterfan99]

i rode BB opening day and it was beyond cold. It was fun and cool to ride on opening day, but it will have to be near 90 to ride again. When people say you get wet, that is beyond an understatement. The people that shoot are what gets you wet, not so much the ride.

[Jerrykoala2112]

I was the first rider of the 2nd day it opened to the public! ^

 

And I rode it 15 times in a row and one more time later. I rode it for over 1 hour and 45 minutes! Hehe. I actually like it! People on path really get you...although maybe 3 targets are needed...and more peeps on other boats...haha

[coasterer]

I have yet to ride it, mainly because I'm not the biggest fan of wetness by any means. And really, it seems kind of silly to me - the ONLY point of the ride is to get you wet. There aren't any rapids, or any drops, or any impressive splashes. So, that really doesn't appeal to me.

 

Iron Wolf used to be my favorite ride in the park, back in the day, probably about 10 years ago or so. Now I can't stand it, am appalled at what it turned into, and would choose it over any other coaster to leave (except for maybe Dark Knight, but that would be unrealistic seeing how new it is). And let's be honest, this park has hit high time for a new good coaster, so if removing Iron Wolf is the means for that to happen, I'm all for it.

[supercellcoaster]

Iron Wolf is my favorite ride at the park.....lol.

 

It may help that I'm tall, but I think a good ride is all about where you position the restraint. Last time I rode it about a week ago, I had one headbang and a big fat 0 nut crunches. I also kind of like the stress it puts on your legs without any "support" from the crunching part of the restraint. But yeah along with the incredible pacing, compact layout and flying through trees, I really love that ride.

 

If the park removes anything, i would definitely want it to be either Dark Knight (as mentioned, almost out of the question) or Ragin' Cajun. It's pointless to have two wild mouse coasters in the same park, even if one does happen to spin. Plus, they both suck.

I just wish SFGAm had gotten a GCI instead of Dark Knight. It would have fit in well (MUCH better than a family ride very similar to a current coaster but with added lights), not to big for little kids/not lame, but still delivers thrills that everyone can enjoy. At least I still have EK.

[Jerrykoala2112]

Rumors say to get a GCI where Splash Water falls were. And hopefully with a splash down

 

But Buccaneer Battle might seem kiddie, thats why I though. But it is not like you will be angry on the ride, it makes you smile when you get wet from people squirting you...

[monsterfan99]

^ Agreed there. It is great fun getting the dry people on land. Heck, on land you get just as well as Loggers Run.

 

The one thing i have noticed is a ton of people use the land cannons, but not many people on the ride. It seems like they should have made the ride part in Hurricane Harbor and the land guys in the theme park side, but oh well.

 

Hopefully it finally starts to warm up around here, but it's not looking good. The Weather Channel has it being 80 or over just twice between now and the 23rd. That could put a damper on the ride.

[Jerrykoala2112]

^I actually think if there is a line for the ride...people would be like "Hey a line for a water ride...must be good. Lets get in line"

 

I remember we did that at parks we went to such as SFMM and SFSTL and SFOT...haha.

 

Also...once the boats fill up...it will be a hurricane storm in there.....boats will splash eachother so violently (in a good way) that people would want to be part of the experience. I don't know. This ride has great potential...

[steel]

I would take Whizzer in a second.

 

 

How dare you little *****!

 

By the way Whizzer is the only of its kind in the states! (2 left in the rest of the world) I really think Whizzer, although a pain to maintain. Isn't going anywhere soon!

That's what I said. If I had to choose between throwing out Whizzer and throwing out Iron Wolf, I would throw out Iron Wolf.

[kumba830]

^Really? That's not what I got out of it!

Sorry for the misunderstanding.

 

 

 

 

As for V2's holding break. I really hope they fix it some time, because without it the ride just seems kind of dull...

[coasterer]

V2 has been frustrating the last year or two. Especially now without the holding brake. But has anyone felt like the line it gets now wasn't there a few years ago? I remember being able to just walk right into the station practically, especially after about 4 in the afternoon, but now it always seems to have a much slower longer line.

[Jerrykoala2112]

^I totally notice that...they use the queue now as if it were Fright Fest. I just wish they also fix that holding brake.

 

Has anyone noticed on American Eagle that it has been getting longer lines too? I don't think it is from slow ride ops...because the lines goes all the way back to dare devil dive.

[mcjaco]

From my Buccaneer Battle Media Day: 10 Boats, 8 people per boat. I thought it was closer to 3,000 per hour, but I may be mistaken. I'll see if I can get a real figure.

 

I was a Z-Force fanboy way back. I miss, even though it wasn't all that great. Iron Wolf has never done anything for me, except squish my cojones.

 

I was going to start this thread myself upon my next visit, so well done.

 

Mod Alert: Let's keep this to GAm talk, not rumors. Keep that in the Rumor Super thread. As for Dive coasters, and GCI's, those are bunk.

[traincrossin]

^I totally notice that...they use the queue now as if it were Fright Fest. I just wish they also fix that holding brake.

 

Has anyone noticed on American Eagle that it has been getting longer lines too? I don't think it is from slow ride ops...because the lines goes all the way back to dare devil dive.

 

On the note of V2, could they be doing it just to save money? I'm not sure how much money it would save though. Aren't they running only 1 side on Superman The Escape at SFMM and not having it go as fast as it can to save money? IDK, random guesses. Last year when it "broke" we thought that it was they couldn't get to the midway because V2 isn't near a service road, but now that it has continued into the season, I think it is just to save a little money.

 

I think lines are longer because more people are coming to the park. I'm sure with the economy the way it is, more people are buying season passes and coming to the park more often. At Coasters After Dark, I heard that it was way more crowded then it usually is. Also, American Eagle's line isn't as visible from the midway so people don't know it's long to begin with.

[Jerrykoala2112]

^Yes....and V2 is an old launch coaster. Launch coasters do not last as long as regular lift coasters. It will probably get moved to a new park just like Possessed at Dorney.

 

American Eagle is still my favorite roller coaster in the park. Use to be V2 at begining of this season, but long lines and no holding brake really turned my point on it. Although I sat in front, and every seat you can name on the ride, it is 2nd now.

 

I love Intamins!

[coasterer]

^American Eagle is your favorite? Interesting. You don't get to many positive opinions of that ride anymore. I'm a really big fan of AE, especially the red side. I wouldn't call it my favorite ride in the park, but I have a lot of respect for that thing.

 

I've also thought that the holding brake might have been axed to save money, although it might be more to save the ride from wear and tear. I imagine that brake did a number on the ride and on the train, and running the ride without it will probably reduce maintenance costs in the long run.

[Airtime&Gravity]

^Yes....and V2 is an old launch coaster. Launch coasters do not last as long as regular lift coasters. It will probably get moved to a new park just like Possessed at Dorney.

 

V2 won't get relocated. Steel Venom was sent to Dorney because Cedar Fair closed Geauga Lake, not because of mechanical reasons. I remember it was closed for a while a year or two ago, but I think that was because the coaster got a severe lightning strike. Using the logic you used, Six Flags will also relocate or sell Kingda Ka. It just isn't going to happen.

 

Also, where did you hear that launched coasters do not last as long as traditional chain lift coasters? Launched coasters are more complicated, but that doesn't mean that they have a shorter life span.

[GriffyTiffy]

AE Blue is my third favorite ride in the park. The roughness adds to the experience. I rode it at Coasters After Dark and the brakes before the final helix were almost off and we FLEW through the helix. But it just made the brake run a little more painful.

[traincrossin]

I like Red side better. I also rode Blue side at Coasters After Dark, but the brakes were actually on pretty hard. Wow we've had contrasting experiences on it. And was it Intamin's first coaster?

[GriffyTiffy]

AE was the first wooden coaster that they built, but I think that Revolution at Magic Mountain was their first overall.

[traincrossin]

Revolution was built by Schwarzkopf. Actually, it looks like Jr. Gemini at Cedar Point was their first coaster. http://rcdb.com/ir.htm?contact=8&page=1&order=6

[kumba830]

^ Isn't Revolution a Schwarzkopf

 

 

Edit: Never mind

[Jerrykoala2112]

Somehow, people say American Eagle is the first Intamin ride. So I will go twith that +

 

I am saying that V2 is a relocatable coaster. The holding spike at Gueaga Lake wasn't working until they relocated it to Dorney. Then they fixed up the ride. Just like what they did with Deja 'Vu.

 

American Eagle was rumored to go but glad it hasn't. It also probably doesn't go backwards to save money...