Six Flags Great America (SFGAm) Discussion Thread

[coasterbill]

I feel like Holiday in the Park probably exceeded their expectations. Obviously I have no way of knowing what their expectations were but of all the cold weather parks it seems like the wait times and crowd levels at Great America were WELL above the other parks the vast majority of the time and I don't know how it would have been possible for them to project that (because it's insane).

 

I mean, the place looked like this on a 19 degree night and I lost count of how many times Raging Bull posted wait times in excess of an hour on hilariously frigid nights.

 

In my non-professional opinion, that event isn't going anywhere ever.

[jlp94]

^ Having gone to Holiday In The Park many times, I can tell you right now one of the main reasons rides like Raging Bull have such a long wait is because they ran one train on it the whole HITP season. The only coasters running more than 1 train were actually Joker and Dark Knight, so hopefully they learn from that this coming November/December

[ytterbiumanalyst]

Even so, you have to actually get enough people in the park to form a line of that length, so hundreds of Chicagoans were unfazed by winter (which is completely unsurprising if you've ever met a Chicagoan--they talk about snow like Texans talk about secession).

[RaceBoarder]

^ Having gone to Holiday In The Park many times, I can tell you right now one of the main reasons rides like Raging Bull have such a long wait is because they ran one train on it the whole HITP season. The only coasters running more than 1 train were actually Joker and Dark Knight, so hopefully they learn from that this coming November/December

 

Umm, they ran Bull with multiple trains during a good chunk of HitP, up to and including 12/30... Same thing with X-Flight.... And Batman... But I'm sure you stayed at a Holiday Inn Express last night

 

The event was tremendously well attended. Until the public quits showing up on "good weather" days, this event isn't going anywhere. Yes, the park will close due to "weather" (low attendance) several times each HitP season... But the park will make $TEXAS on days where it's 30*F and sunny....

[jlp94]

^ Having gone to Holiday In The Park many times, I can tell you right now one of the main reasons rides like Raging Bull have such a long wait is because they ran one train on it the whole HITP season. The only coasters running more than 1 train were actually Joker and Dark Knight, so hopefully they learn from that this coming November/December

 

Umm, they ran Bull with multiple trains during a good chunk of HitP, up to and including 12/30... Same thing with X-Flight.... And Batman... But I'm sure you stayed at a Holiday Inn Express last night

 

The event was tremendously well attended. Until the public quits showing up on "good weather" days, this event isn't going anywhere. Yes, the park will close due to "weather" (low attendance) several times each HitP season... But the park will make $TEXAS on days where it's 30*F and sunny....

That's good to hear. Maybe they did run it with multiple trains for the last half of the season, but I don't remember it being that way.

[coasterbill]

Six Flags New England and Six Flags America run one train on everything and the lines rarely exceed 5 minutes (except for of course on Thunderbolt where the wait time is 25 minutes all day every day regardless of season of crowd size). Those events are obviously considered to be successful.

 

Every northern park pulls trains off of most of their coasters for Holiday in the Park (Great Adventure always runs one train on Superman and Lantern) and on most days they're all still between 0-5 minute waits.

 

Great America is killing it.

[_FuryBull_330_]

The construction of Maxx Force has started to go vertical, the supports and the track will most likely go up fast. Also the ride is confirmed to have two trains with 16 seats per train.

[bluestreak]

The park posted a couple pictures of vertical construction on their Instagram story.

[prozach626]

I'm not trying to complain, but I was surprised at how short the ride was after watching the recent POV rendering. It's like Mr. Freeze short.

[ytterbiumanalyst]

That's how they get the force to the maxx!

[thrillseeker4552]

At least there isn't a single dull moment on the coaster. They use every inch of track to their advantage. I suppose I would rather have a short coaster that kicks a$$ than a long, drawn-out snoozefest.

[TurnOfTheCentury]

I'm not trying to complain, but I was surprised at how short the ride was after watching the recent POV rendering. It's like Mr. Freeze short.

 

Actually looks shorter than Mr. Freeze (which I love).

The launch looks great on this one, and the ride elements look fun (but, yes, it does feel short).

[SteveStL]

The preview video from August made it look much longer for sure, looks like a great ride though

[bluestreak]

I'm just happy to finally see some vertical construction.

[9Armgeddon4]

At least there isn't a single dull moment on the coaster. They use every inch of track to their advantage. I suppose I would rather have a short coaster that kicks a$$ than a long, drawn-out snoozefest.

 

I completely agree with this. Besides Maxx Force is all about that launch and the two inversion records so it doesn’t need to be a long.

[i305isdaddy]

The launch will probably be amazing (air launches rarely disappoint) but just like with Goliath Six Flags again forgot to purchase the back 2/3's of the ride. Given the expected wait times for a new coaster every single guest is going to think "wow, that was short" since we're not talking a Top Thrill Dragster or Kingda sized "trick" on this "one trick pony."

[Vonni]

I'm not trying to complain, but I was surprised at how short the ride was after watching the recent POV rendering. It's like Mr. Freeze short.

 

 

That really seems to be a trend with pretty much all of the coaster installations for SF parks the last several years with West Coast Racers and Twisted Colossus being the only two exceptions that come to mind.

 

I understand why. I just hope that in a couple of seasons they chain can get back to adding some longer and more detailed coasters to the parks.

[jlp94]

I'm not trying to complain, but I was surprised at how short the ride was after watching the recent POV rendering. It's like Mr. Freeze short.

 

 

That really seems to be a trend with pretty much all of the coaster installations for SF parks the last several years with West Coast Racers and Twisted Colossus being the only two exceptions that come to mind.

 

I understand why. I just hope that in a couple of seasons they chain can get back to adding some longer and more detailed coasters to the parks.

Wicked Cyclone and Joker at SFDK I'd say make that exception too. Otherwise, yeah, I can't see anything else that's longer than a minute.

[theredskull84]

Saw this on Ohio Valley Coaster’s Facebook page...

[thrillseeker4552]

Sweet! Can't wait to see more of it get built.

 

The fact that Maxx Force is this far along (which isn't saying much) and there aren't even pieces on site for West Coast Racers really has me curious that there is something going with SFMM and Premier beyond the usual "Six Flags slowness."

[theredskull84]

^That’s interesting to hear, actually. Also, I found a couple more good pics courtesy of the Daily Herald (local newspaper)

[ytterbiumanalyst]

Woohoo! Vertical!

[prozach626]

Nice. Looks like the track is almost finished.

[ytterbiumanalyst]

Nice. Looks like the track is almost finished.

You're evil.

[Vonni]

Nice. Looks like the track is almost finished.