Six Flags Great America (SFGAm) Discussion Thread

[Imagineer Josh]

SFGAm is known for getting pretty much the worst lines of any SF park even on less busy days. You'll probably be able to do every coaster once but that's about it.

 

Yeah, with being my home park I noticed.

If it's your home park, you probably shouldn't need to worry about doing everything.

 

Normally I wouldn't, but because I ran out of money to buy a Season Pass with Cedar Point and Kings Island, this might be my last time this year I go (unless I find sometime during Fright Fest).

 

The first time I went this year was on opening day (big mistake) and throughout the ENTIRE 12 hours of operation, I only rode Whizzer, Raging Bull, Goliath, X-Flight, and Spacely's Sprocket Rockets. 5 coasters in 12 hours

[LiftThrill]

Ah, gotcha. Well, staying as long as possible should help. Prioritize stuff you haven't done this season, or just do what you want. If it's your home park then you'll get plenty of other opportunities to go, but do try and make the most of it.

[PKI Jizzman]

I don't think I've ever seen a local asking for advice for their home park. Uhhh follow the rules of hitting the low capacity coasters and be like Bam Margera and do whatever the eff you want. You'll fit in nicely with the other teenagers.

[RaceBoarder]

Alright, I'll be going on Friday the 22nd. What's the best strategy for a day like that to get every coaster in? I don't care about Justice League

 

I am NOT using Flash Pass

Dude, you've answered your own question already...

 

I'm hopefully visiting this Tuesday and Wednesday. I'll hear to Goliath first no matter what but anyone have an idea of what crowds should be like?

 

Lines can range from nonexistent to packed in, depending on what day you visit and what ride it is. In the five times I went last summer, Dark Knight generally has horrendous operations so if you want it, ride it in the morning. By afternoon it will have a full queue. Goliath right away will have a the first major switchback area full but that's it, and Superman always extremely close to spilling out on the walkways. X-Flight gets big lines as well because it's a wing coaster. Raging Bull can get long lines, but I have yet to see a line longer than 30-ish minutes. I'm sure it happens though. Later in the day, the lines can absolutely horrific even during the week and probably approached about an hour or more. The rest of the lines were pretty evenly crowded, with Superman of course taking the lead.

[Imagineer Josh]

Alright, I'll be going on Friday the 22nd. What's the best strategy for a day like that to get every coaster in? I don't care about Justice League

 

I am NOT using Flash Pass

Dude, you've answered your own question already...

 

I'm hopefully visiting this Tuesday and Wednesday. I'll hear to Goliath first no matter what but anyone have an idea of what crowds should be like?

 

Lines can range from nonexistent to packed in, depending on what day you visit and what ride it is. In the five times I went last summer, Dark Knight generally has horrendous operations so if you want it, ride it in the morning. By afternoon it will have a full queue. Goliath right away will have a the first major switchback area full but that's it, and Superman always extremely close to spilling out on the walkways. X-Flight gets big lines as well because it's a wing coaster. Raging Bull can get long lines, but I have yet to see a line longer than 30-ish minutes. I'm sure it happens though. Later in the day, the lines can absolutely horrific even during the week and probably approached about an hour or more. The rest of the lines were pretty evenly crowded, with Superman of course taking the lead.

 

Oh wow, I remember that now! Never mind then kthxbye

[DILinator]

So many times when I'm reading TPR, I see things that just leave me with Mark Whalberg-face...

 

[Rollercoaster Rider]

^

 

What? No

[coasterbill]

I don't think I've ever seen a local asking for advice for their home park. Uhhh follow the rules of hitting the low capacity coasters and be like Bam Margera and do whatever the eff you want. You'll fit in nicely with the other teenagers.

 

This post didn't get nearly the attention that it deserved.

[ABW]

I will also be visiting on a Monday and Tuesday in early August. I understand based on past answers that it will be crowded. Could somebody outline what the true low capacity attractions are, so I know to head to them first? I am completely clueless as to how this park functions, and further, what a good "plan of attack" would be, so if you have tips that work for you, I'd love to hear them. My apologies if this has already been answered. Thank you in advance.

[weezer17]

went there today. Holy hell, I have never seen the lines that long to get into the park. Even the Discover Card line was back onto the street. The lines went all the way back to the parking lot, and this was at noon. Any idea why today was so insane? Even the rain didn't keep people away. Viper had a 75 min wait.

[RaceBoarder]

went there today. Holy hell, I have never seen the lines that long to get into the park. Even the Discover Card line was back onto the street. The lines went all the way back to the parking lot, and this was at noon. Any idea why today was so insane? Even the rain didn't keep people away. Viper had a 75 min wait.

Four words: BRING A FRIEND FREE

[RaceBoarder]

I will also be visiting on a Monday and Tuesday in early August. I understand based on past answers that it will be crowded. Could somebody outline what the true low capacity attractions are, so I know to head to them first? I am completely clueless as to how this park functions, and further, what a good "plan of attack" would be, so if you have tips that work for you, I'd love to hear them. My apologies if this has already been answered. Thank you in advance.

If you're not using a Flash Pass, I'd suggest doing either Goliath or Justice League first. Goliath's capacity is bad and Justice League is the new Hotness. They are on opposite sides of the park, so you can get one early, but will wait for the other in all likelihood. Also, if VR is running on Raging Bull, your one shot will be at rope drop (there still isn't a start date for VR, so just keep this thought around). Non-VR Raging Bull has decent capacity, so don't be put off if the line is somewhere in the 1st set of switchbacks. Superman also has horrible capacity, but it's at the front of the park so it gets a crowd early and holds it for most of the day.

 

Whizzer, Batman and X-Flight can get up to an hour or so, so be aware. Demon and Viper are usually under 30 minutes.

[weezer17]

went there today. Holy hell, I have never seen the lines that long to get into the park. Even the Discover Card line was back onto the street. The lines went all the way back to the parking lot, and this was at noon. Any idea why today was so insane? Even the rain didn't keep people away. Viper had a 75 min wait.

Four words: BRING A FRIEND FREE

 

 

Jesus Christ, that was awful. Stay away! lol

 

Thanks for the respone.

[9Armgeddon4]

went there today. Holy hell, I have never seen the lines that long to get into the park. Even the Discover Card line was back onto the street. The lines went all the way back to the parking lot, and this was at noon. Any idea why today was so insane? Even the rain didn't keep people away. Viper had a 75 min wait.

Four words: BRING A FRIEND FREE

 

Yep, but for people with the gold pass only. So 7 words not 4, gold pass bonus bring a friend free. It's also a Friday which is usually a more busier weekday than normal.

[batmanfan80]

Went there the 2nd, the 10th, and yesterday. 2nd and 10th both had short lines with a lot of walk ups after like 5 PM. Yesterday was garbage. Lot was maybe 25% fuller but everything had long lines. Luckily the Peking show was easy to get good seats for and the concessions lines were real short.

 

Not factoring Flash Passers:

 

Whizzer 45 (queue about 75% full)

Demon 45-60(queue about 80% full)

Eagle 30-40(line down to the walkway below the blue stairs)

Raging 60(queue overflowing but they weren't using the North section)

Goliath 90-120(queue overflowing)

Justice League 90-120(queue completely full)

X Flight 60(queue about 100%)

Viper 60(queue about 80%)

 

The rest I didn't walk by. X Flight's line barely moved the several minutes we hung around the area. My guess is hundreds of flash passers and closer to a 120 min wait. They should really suspend or severely limit flash passes from mid-July til the end of the season. You get flash passers having a great time and everyone else stuck in these miserable waits.

 

The single rider line at Justice League did not take long at all on the 10th. Goliath single rider line is a scam. Takes just as long as the regular line(60 min on the 10th). Pretzelman was running one train on the 10th toward 9 PM and was extremely slow dispatching. People started jumping in the single rider line at the stairs and the employees must've stopped grouping it because people behind us who jumped were all getting on together and the regular line just completely froze. Getting in line at 9:40, we had been there til like 10:15 and would've taken til 11 to get on the ride had we stayed bc hundreds behind us kept jumping into the single rider line.

 

Batman's line on the 10th moved faster than ever. They were grouping. Liked the ride a lot better that time. Loved Viper on the 2nd and borderline hated it on the 10th bc it felt much more violent, hard slam on the first drop. Odd how rides vary so much. Raging Trimbrake's crew have been pretty efficient at dispatches too this year. Demon seems a bit smoother too. The loops weren't whiplashing me like usual. X-Flight's smoothness hasn't completely come back, just like the missing water effect.

 

Hopefully there's some decent days left this year. I wasn't even gonna go til my wife bought the passes. At this point the dinner pass and the free refill bottles are just as much a reason to come here as the rides.

[9Armgeddon4]

Took another trip to the park this week but this time it was a evening visit. Got to the park at about 6:15 and left about 9:45.

Got on

Viper

Eagle

X-Flight

V2

Superman

Dark Knight

Batman

Condor

Bull and Giant Drop were both closed. I guess Bull was down because of a early rain storm that messed up the brakes Giant Drop was down because of wind. Everything we rode was a walkon but V2, but only because of a short dreakdown. It was a great short visit.

Found out why Raging Bull was down. It valleyed during the morning test run before the park opened. I'm not sure where it valleyed though. I noticed a crane close to the MCBR.

[parkgoer1]

The single rider line at Justice League did not take long at all on the 10th. Goliath single rider line is a scam. Takes just as long as the regular line(60 min on the 10th). Pretzelman was running one train on the 10th toward 9 PM and was extremely slow dispatching.

How is it a scam? It was just being used by so many people that it took a while... There's typically only one empty seat on a train if being grouped properly. That makes the capacity of the SRL about 25 people/hr or less.

[coasterfreak101]

Pretzelman

 

Found out why Raging Bull was down. It valleyed during the morning test run before the park opened. I'm not sure where it valleyed though. I noticed a crane close to the MCBR.

Maybe if they'd turn that damn trim off...

[coasterbill]

They valleyed Raging Bull in July? That's impressive. I know high winds are a factor any time of year but you don't hear about many valleys in the middle of the summer.

[9Armgeddon4]

From what I heard it valleyed between the the banked turn over the station and the second hammerhead turn. Also still no signs of the VR which is good I guess.

[Superbatboy]

Pretzelman

 

Found out why Raging Bull was down. It valleyed during the morning test run before the park opened. I'm not sure where it valleyed though. I noticed a crane close to the MCBR.

Maybe if they'd turn that damn trim off...

[Ed Farmer]

Maybe if they'd turn that damn trim off...

Blasphemer! All it needs is some VR headsets and it'll be good as new.

[prozach626]

God it would be cool if they turned the trim off, but I doubt it will ever happen. I remember how disappointed I was on my last trip to the park a couple years ago when the coaster was just dragging ass after the camel back trim. The ride has such a great first drop into the tunnel with a nice pullout. Then... death. It depresses me knowing that this was my first hyper and my favorite coaster for a while.

 

Has the trim always been in use, or is that something that just came within the last 5-10 years? I feel like when I first rode it 11-12 years ago it hauled ass throughout the entire course. I can't tell, because I was so new into the coaster hobby at that time that it could have just been my perspective. My only other coaster experience at that time had been regular trips to SFSTL, two trips to BGT, and one trip to WOF.

[Ed Farmer]

God it would be cool if they turned the trim off, but I doubt it will ever happen. I remember how disappointed I was on my last trip to the park a couple years ago when the coaster was just dragging A$$ after the camel back trim. The ride has such a great first drop into the tunnel with a nice pullout. Then... death. It depresses me knowing that this was my first hyper and my favorite coaster for a while.

 

Has the trim always been in use, or is that something that just came within the last 5-10 years? I feel like when I first rode it 11-12 years ago it hauled A$$ throughout the entire course. I can't tell, because I was so new into the coaster hobby at that time that it could have just been my perspective. My only other coaster experience at that time had been regular trips to SFSTL, two trips to BGT, and one trip to WOF.

I recall it being there in '99.

[prozach626]

Does it seem like it's always hit as hard as it does today?