Six Flags Great America (SFGAm) Discussion Thread

[Canobie Coaster]

Six Flags America's crowds aren't that heavy so all of the cars probably won't be necessary anyway. It still would be nice though.

[GoBears]

Six Flags Great America will reveal their biggest roller coaster announcement in the park's 37 year history at 4 AM Central tomorrow on their website!

[TheMaxster]

Six Flags America's crowds aren't that heavy so all of the cars probably won't be necessary anyway. It still would be nice though.

You don't know what you're talking about...

[ernierocker]

^Actually, there wasn't anything wrong with his post. And please refrain from being rude to other members on the site.

[TheMaxster]

^Sorry, it's just that I have had to wait 4 hours to ride X-Flight, 3 hours to ride Raging Bull, and over 2 hours to ride Ragin' Cajun. The park gets so packed that I wish that the Chicago area had another park so we wouldn't all cram into SFGAm. There are just no other theme parks for people to visit in my area so ride waits are the worst I've had at any park. I was better off at Universal and Busch Gardens during spring break with the wait times at this park compared to them. I wish the park would do a better job at keeping the crowds moving in lines.

[willthegolfer]

^Sorry, it's just that I have had to wait 4 hours to ride X-Flight, 3 hours to ride Raging Bull, and over 2 hours to ride Ragin' Cajun. The park gets so packed that I wish that the Chicago area had another park so we wouldn't all cram into SFGAm. There are just no other theme parks for people to visit in my area so ride waits are the worst I've had at any park. I was better off at Universal and Busch Gardens during spring break with the wait times at this park compared to them. I wish the park would do a better job at keeping the crowds moving in lines.

He said six flags America.

[GayCoasterGuy]

^Sorry, it's just that I have had to wait 4 hours to ride X-Flight

That really had to suck!

 

3 hours to ride Raging Bull

You could, in a very polite and nice way, suggest they get a single rider line. But you must make that suggestion at Guest Relations, and make sure it's on paper.

 

This picture was taken on Saturday, July 13th of this year:

 

Think about all the single riders waiting in line that would love to take any one of those 10 empty seats to avoid the line. The picture was taken walking out of the Viper queue, and I notice the empty seats later. It's not uncommon. I've seen as many as 13 empty seats on one train.

 

You do not need assigned seating to fill the train and get it out on time. I'm cursed knowing that can be done, having worked at Cedar Point in the early 90s. It's a blessing but a curse at the same time

 

The park gets so packed that I wish that the Chicago area had another park so we wouldn't all cram into SFGAm.

 

Another park would be great! We had Kiddie Land, but a mid-sized park would be great. Some people kept trying to get another Riverview started (in the south burbs, I think), but no go so far.

[GoBears]

^Sorry, it's just that I have had to wait 4 hours to ride X-Flight, 3 hours to ride Raging Bull, and over 2 hours to ride Ragin' Cajun. The park gets so packed that I wish that the Chicago area had another park so we wouldn't all cram into SFGAm. There are just no other theme parks for people to visit in my area so ride waits are the worst I've had at any park. I was better off at Universal and Busch Gardens during spring break with the wait times at this park compared to them. I wish the park would do a better job at keeping the crowds moving in lines.

 

I visit SFGAm about 10 times a season and mostly during the summer months but I've never experienced 4 hour waits on any coaster in the park. The only time I remember being a line that long is when Superman first opened but that's about it. You are right though, due to the lack of big attractions in the Chicagoland area, SFGAm is definitely one of the busiest non-Disney/Universal parks in the country. Most of lines are out of the ride's entrances but I usually don't wait more than an hour or 90 minutes. I've just gone on lucky days I guess.

 

SFGAm has also never had another star attraction since Raging Bull. Sure they have Eagle (my favorite coaster in the park BTW), X-Flight, the original BTR, and SUF but I wouldn't consider those roller coasters where people would travel across the country or even the world to ride. The park doesn't have one coaster in the top 55 anymore, but that's sort of misleading because SFGAm does have as a whole one of the best coaster collections in the world. I'm just saying that if this coaster is as awesome as we're thinking it is (especially if it's like Outlaw Run or better), we might be looking at one of the best woodies or coasters of any kind in the world which is quite exciting!

[ilrider]

Six Flags Great America will reveal their biggest roller coaster announcement in the park's 37 year history at 4 AM Central tomorrow on their website!

 

Not that I'm complaining, but why would they announce it online hours before the official announcement at the park? Will be great to wake up to though!

 

Edit: Just read the ceremony at the park is the groundbreaking. Makes sense now.

[TheMaxster]

He said six flags America.

Oh that makes a lot more sense. I just get them confused with the two names being so similar. Sorry about the confusion I had.

SFGAm has also never had another star attraction since Raging Bull. Sure they have Eagle (my favorite coaster in the park BTW), X-Flight, the original BTR, and SUF but I wouldn't consider those roller coasters where people would travel across the country or even the world to ride. The park doesn't have one coaster in the top 55 anymore, but that's sort of misleading because SFGAm does have as a whole one of the best coaster collections in the world. I'm just saying that if this coaster is as awesome as we're thinking it is (especially if it's like Outlaw Run or better), we might be looking at one of the best woodies or coasters of any kind in the world which is quite exciting!

SFGAm kind of feels out of place with its lack of thrill rides compared to some other parks in the chain so I'm really excited for this coaster. I don't think I will be able to sleep tonight.

[ilrider]

^^^I agree with everything you said except about B:TR. It was the world's first inverted coaster, not just the first Batman. That coaster was a game changer and did have almost 4 hour lines. I know I waited over 2 hours the first time I rode it, the longest line I have ever waited in.

[GoBears]

^^^I agree with everything you said except about B:TR. It was the world's first inverted coaster, not just the first Batman. That coaster was a game changer and did have almost 4 hour lines. I know I waited over 2 hours the first time I rode it, the longest line I have ever waited in.

 

I didn't mean when it first opened. I'm talking about the park and coasters right now in 2013. American Eagle and Shockwave both broke many records and were huge (though not as big of a deal as Batman) when they first opened too. I guess what I'm trying to say is that the park no longer has that one standout coaster that ranks among the best in the world but they still have one of the most solid coaster lineups of any park. This addition should really make the park standout. When people think of coaster parks, they immediately think of SFMM or CP. I would say that after this record breaking addition, SFGAm will be a 1st tier coaster park, if it isn't already.

[AndCamSS]

^Sorry, it's just that I have had to wait 4 hours to ride X-Flight, 3 hours to ride Raging Bull, and over 2 hours to ride Ragin' Cajun. The park gets so packed that I wish that the Chicago area had another park so we wouldn't all cram into SFGAm. There are just no other theme parks for people to visit in my area so ride waits are the worst I've had at any park. I was better off at Universal and Busch Gardens during spring break with the wait times at this park compared to them. I wish the park would do a better job at keeping the crowds moving in lines.

 

There is no way you have waited 4 hours to ride X-Flight. I don't buy 3 hours for Raging Bull either, unless there was some huge downtime in the middle of it.

[ilrider]

^^Oh, okay, I got you. Sorry I misunderstood. I agree with that assessment. I am very excited about tomorrow's announcement! It's awesome X-Flight, which I thought might be our only major coaster installation for several years, was just the prelude to what might be one of the world's best coasters.

 

^I agree. X-Flight has never had 4 hour lines that I have heard of.

Edited August 29, 2013 by ilrider

[GoBears]

^^Oh, okay, I got you. Sorry I misunderstood. I agree with that assessment.

 

^I agree. X-Flight has never had 4 hour lines that I have heard of.

 

I should've clarified my post better. SFGAm has had many game changers over the decades and hopefully this one will be the best yet!

 

^^I've never experience more than an hour wait for X-Flight. Even its first year last year, coasters like Bull, Superman, and BTR still had longer lines than it. I'm not complaining though!

[Ed Farmer]

Some people kept trying to get another Riverview started (in the south burbs, I think), but no go so far.

 

I remember reading about this on CoasterBuzz - hard to believe that it was 10 years ago (almost to the day). I naively got my hopes up when this was initially announced. Too bad it never panned out. I used the google to see if I could dig it up, and luckily I did. I followed a link from that thread, and it took me to an archive of sorts pertaining to Riverview. The guy behind the concept was murdered in 2003, and I guess the idea went with him.

 

I vaguely remember hearing something about the project being revived by someone else in a different location (I know the original developer behind the project got as far as purchasing the land this was planned for) but it could just be my imagination.

Edited August 29, 2013 by Ed Farmer

[sfgam#1]

I know I'm late but I'm excited for the announcement tomorrow.

 

[ilrider]

Seven more hours! Hope I can sleep tonight.

[Rollercoaster Rider]

I'm gonna be at the Announcement tomorrow, Anyone going too?

 

I promise I won't do the "If I bought Six Flags in 1998, I'd do this" discussion.

[EricGarbo]

I'm gonna be at the Announcement tomorrow, Anyone going too?

 

I promise I won't do the "If I bought Six Flags in 1998, I'd do this" discussion.

 

I'll be there! I'll probably show up around 9.

[sfgam#1]

 

There is no way you have waited 4 hours to ride X-Flight. I don't buy 3 hours for Raging Bull either, unless there was some huge downtime in the middle of it.

 

 

Yeah I've seen raging bull with a full queue and the line going back towards viper and it was only 2 hours. Sometimes x-flight has to take out the extra gates that they turn into a small queue and even with that it was only 90 mins. I don't even know how far a 4 hour line would go. Unless it snakes all around county fair, but I've seen AE with a full queue only operating one side and that was 2 hour and 15 min wait.

 

Now If x-flight did have a 4 hour wait then rides like Viper, Batman, SUF, V2 and so on would have 4 to 5 hour waits. Even though X-flight is the parks new ride it's not the most popular in the park.

[AndCamSS]

 

There is no way you have waited 4 hours to ride X-Flight. I don't buy 3 hours for Raging Bull either, unless there was some huge downtime in the middle of it.

 

 

Yeah I've seen raging bull with a full queue and the line going back towards viper and it was only 2 hours. Sometimes x-flight has to take out the extra gates that they turn into a small queue and even with that it was only 90 mins. I don't even know how far a 4 hour line would go. Unless it snakes all around county fair, but I've seen AE with a full queue only operating one side and that was 2 hour and 15 min wait.

 

Now If x-flight did have a 4 hour wait then rides like Viper, Batman, SUF, V2 and so on would have 4 to 5 hour waits. Even though X-flight is the parks new ride it's not the most popular in the park.

 

Seeing as though you must have been 3-4 years old at the time you wouldn't remember seeing the Raging Bull line in 1999. I saw it go back to the restrooms next to Orbit a few times and even that was under 3! (Crews were fast, no flash pass, etc)

[Mr. Starr]

A side note from the 2014 announcement talk, NBC 5 Chicago will be doing an investigation report into apparent emergency medical care issues at the park. I haven't heard of anything wrong with the parks medical staff, and I've even dealt with First Aid on numerous occasions and they have been absolutely wonderful. It seems more prompted by the recent SFoT event. Also interesting that the report is airing tomorrow night at 10, same day as the park's big announcement.

 

http://www.nbcchicago.com/video/#!/on-air/tv-listings/station-images/Six-Flags-Emergency-Medical-Care/221375361

[DanM64]

^^That sounds accurate. I waited for Raging Bull in 99 when the line was right at the train bridge, and I believe it took right around 3 hours. Now that I'm older and "wiser" (though I don't act like it), I'd never wait 3 hours for any coaster.

 

However, I disagree that Flash Pass makes the lines any longer. Before it was offered, all the people using it were in the regular queue instead.

[sfgam#1]

^^^ But that was 1999 and a huge addition to the park and maybe a new experience for most people. So I could see a 3 hour line.