Six Flags Great America (SFGAm) Discussion Thread

[JRHcoasterki]

Do you think they might have one train run backwards and one train run fowards?

[JRHcoasterki]

^Oh yeah, I didn't think about that. Oh well...

[Lightning9SX]

I too would like to give it a try once. I think the best case would be to have the first 4 rows forward and the last three backward. During the presentation video they mentioned another surprise would take place when they are converting Batman back to forward, any chance X-Flight will get the Swarm treatment?

[GayCoasterGuy]

In the fall 2012 issue of Rollercoaster! magazine, there is an early rendering of Batman from B&M and the ride only has 3 inversions. The 2 vertical loops are there, and one corkscrew. Interesting stuff! I'm glad they decided to add to it. I remember at the No Coaster Con 1991, the park announced the new coaster would have a 50 foot first drop, 2 vertical loops and 2 corkscrews, and that it would be painted black. That was all they could say at the time - very weird and made it sound like it was a smaller version of Demon!

 

I think the best case would be to have the first 4 rows forward and the last three backward. During the presentation video they mentioned another surprise would take place when they are converting Batman back to forward, any chance X-Flight will get the Swarm treatment?

 

That would be a nice surprise, wouldn't it!? I'm not a big fan of X-Flight (I don't hate it) and I think that would be very interesting!

[SharkTums]

Thorpe and Universal Japan have both announced that there will be a forwards and backwards option on their coasters. Japan will run one train forwards, one backwards, and Swarm will have some rows forwards, some backwards. Hopefully we can get details soon on what Batman will exactly be doing.

[GayCoasterGuy]

Thorpe and Universal Japan have both announced that there will be a forwards and backwards option on their coasters. Japan will run one train forwards, one backwards, and Swarm will have some rows forwards, some backwards.

 

I was just thinking about having trains with both forwards and backwards seats. Then thinking about having a station with 2 load positions: one forwards and one backwards. That got me thinking about Phoenix's station, which was originally an old fashioned 2-position unload/load setup. Then that brought me to Phoenix backwards... I think I've had too much caffeinated pop this morning.

[Geauga Dog]

Too bad they couldn't make it like a Vekoma Intertigo where you face each other but then again with the intensity of Batman I wouldn't want someon'es lunch on my lap.

[DejaVu The Ride]

Thorpe and Universal Japan have both announced that there will be a forwards and backwards option on their coasters. Japan will run one train forwards, one backwards, and Swarm will have some rows forwards, some backwards. Hopefully we can get details soon on what Batman will exactly be doing.

 

At No Coaster Con, the park confirmed all 7 rows on both trains will be running backwards.

[Jojo19799]

Do you think they might have one train run backwards and one train run fowards?

 

It seems like that would cause a mess in the station. People would like be fighting to see who gets on the backwards train.

 

How would it cause a mess in the station? All the park is doing is rotating the whole entire train so it runs backwards. They did the same thing to American Eagle and there wasn't a problem with loading.

[Sir Clinksalot]

Thorpe and Universal Japan have both announced that there will be a forwards and backwards option on their coasters. Japan will run one train forwards, one backwards, and Swarm will have some rows forwards, some backwards. Hopefully we can get details soon on what Batman will exactly be doing.

 

Not having been to either of those parks, do those coasters have multiple loading stations? If not it would be confusing to have one train forward/one backwards and have everybody loading from the same station. This is why I don't think Batman would work with 1 forward/1 backwards.

 

^ It works on things like American Eagle, Colossus, etc because they have 2 stations.

Edited January 23, 2013 by Sir Clinksalot

[DougMJr]

^^Hollywood dream has a duel station. SWARM will have the same two back rows of each train backwards so you will just have to fight for which row you want to sit in, not which train.

[deathbydinn]

I think the smart way is to do it like Thorpe...offer some rows backwards so people can voluntarily wait just for the backwards seats even if their wait time may be longer. It won't effect anyone else.

 

I think it will definitely effect everyone else. Last year when American Eagle blue was turned backwards for a few weeks the rides line was spilling out the entrance, yet the red side had no one waiting in the station. You still had to wait in line with all the people who wanted to go backwards. Thorpe might not have a huge problem with it since the ride is still so new so many people may just want to ride it in general, but with a 20 year old ride like Batman I just don't see how it could work well. The GP already can't figure the idea of people wanting to go front row waiting on right side of the line. Batmans station is fairly small and only having a few rows backwards would result in huge bottle necking and horrible lines for either forwards or backwards. In this case it's really best to have all the rows backwards. Besides, it's not all summer long so people will still have a chance to go forwards.

[Jojo19799]

I see what Jake and Gregg are saying and yes I do agree with both of you. We all know that some members of the human population is not the smartest.

 

When I first read the post I was looking at it as both trains going backwards. However this ride will be awesome.

[Sir Clinksalot]

^ Yep, unfortunately in this day we all have to account for the lowest common denominator.

 

^^Hollywood dream has a duel station. SWARM will have the same two back rows of each train backwards so you will just have to fight for which row you want to sit in, not which train.

 

Ahh, didn't realize Swarm was just the back two rows. That works.

[jedimaster1227]

X Flight dusted with a fresh coat of snow

Tracks of American Eagle covered in fresh powder

Wouldn't want to be in your bathing suit today!

The reflection pond is ready for a game of ice hockey!

Big Easy Balloons

Camp Cartoon

[eddie200330]

^Not a problem in Japan..........However I couldn't imagine trying to have fun in the cold on any ride.

[cfc]

^I remember riding Big Bad Wolf during a snowy spring day and being showered with freezing water all the way through the ride. Ended up with a case of "brain freeze" that put Dole Whip to shame.

 

Very nice picture of Great America in the snow--I think this is the first "real" snow the Chicago area has had this year.

[jray21]

I'm loving all the pictures of parks in the snow. Maybe because it hides all the faded paint and bad landscaping.

[11slataus]

Something I've been wondering about for a while is Viper in its inaugural year. I read that it opened in 1995 with its entrance in Hometown Square as Southwest Territory wasn't created yet.

 

Does anyone know where the old entrance was located and are there any pictures?

[Ed Farmer]

^Not a problem in Japan..........However I couldn't imagine trying to have fun in the cold on any ride.

 

Probably the most memorable time on a roller coaster I've had were on Iron Wolf at Great America during a year that the park stayed open during the first week of November for Last Blast. Conditions were wintery, and at the end of the day we started seeing a mix of freezing rain and some snowflakes. The ride itself was probably running it's course slower than usual, but the blast of frigid air we were subjected to in the front row made it seem faster than I ever remembered it. Great stuff.

[Randomman295]

X-Flight looks really nice in the snow, but then again, which B&Ms don't?

 

When does this park open up again?

[kidcoaster 2]

When does this park open up again?

 

www.sixflags.com/greatamerica/info/parkInfo.aspx

[mcjaco]

Something I've been wondering about for a while is Viper in its inaugural year. I read that it opened in 1995 with its entrance in Hometown Square as Southwest Territory wasn't created yet.

 

Does anyone know where the old entrance was located and are there any pictures?

 

I don't recall this....It sits on Rolling Thunder's old site. If I recall correctly it was just a really long queue off the midway from Hometown Square.

 

That was an era I didn't go very often though being away at school, and the park not being known to be as safe.....

[Olsor]

It sits on Rolling Thunder's old site. If I recall correctly it was just a really long queue off the midway from Hometown Square.

 

That's my recollection as well. You just went under the train bridge, and there was the queue. A long, long queue.

[vacoaster09]

http://www.casabrian.com