Six Flags Great America (SFGAm) Discussion Thread

[ilrider]

^I am only speculating of course, but I don't think Illinois will go full shutdown again anytime soon.  Just today Pritzker sounded very optimistic (for him) and said the cases in Illinois hospitals are starting to flatten.  Well over half of Illinois is vaccinated, and even though the delta variant is surging, we are in a better place than last fall. The positivity rate is just over 5% and dropped today, but was around 20% when we went full shutdown last year. I am a public school teacher here, and 4 weeks into the new school year, we have not had one case in our district of almost 4000 students and over 300 faculty and staff.  The schools who are having outbreaks are not usually more than 5 cases per school, I just read this week. 
 

I think the indoor mask mandate will be the height of the mitigations for the time being, and right now that is the only place SFGAm is requiring masks, indoors.  Hopefully you will be okay to take your trip out here.  Have fun if you come!

[tndank]

Just an FYI: V2 is now closed until 2022. 

[ilrider]

^Sounds like it is getting rethemed to The Flash. Probably a new paint job to fit too.

[CaptainUnknown]

Hey, a couple questions now that I'm 2 weeks from my visit on Saturday 9/25 during Fright Fest. Previously visited back in 2009.

-I pre bought Platinum Flash Pass. The email I received about this talks about using it on my phone. Will I be able to get a physical band?

-Any rides with mandatory fluffy, fluffy bunnies filled with medicine and goo? Might have a bag/personal water bottle with me depending on this.

-Does the park have bottle fillers? Are they active?

-Recommendations for late-night eats within five miles of the park? Bonus points if Chicago-style deep dish.

-X-Flight is the only ride I really need seat recommendations on

-While it's currently not forecasted to rain, I'll ask anyway: does the park have an asinine rain policy?

-Does Whizzer have a "no single riders" policy?

-Any night rides I should prioritize?

-Anything else I should know?

[prozach626]

Front. You can hang over the inverted drop and the keyhole elements are more effective.

If you ride it again, choose the back row to get whipped (kinda) through the back row.

[ilrider]

1 hour ago, CaptainUnknown said:

Hey, a couple questions now that I'm 2 weeks from my visit on Saturday 9/25 during Fright Fest. Previously visited back in 2009.

-I pre bought Platinum Flash Pass. The email I received about this talks about using it on my phone. Will I be able to get a physical band?

-Any rides with mandatory fluffy, fluffy bunnies filled with medicine and goo? Might have a bag/personal water bottle with me depending on this.

-Does the park have bottle fillers? Are they active?

-Recommendations for late-night eats within five miles of the park? Bonus points if Chicago-style deep dish.

-X-Flight is the only ride I really need seat recommendations on

-While it's currently not forecasted to rain, I'll ask anyway: does the park have an asinine rain policy?

-Does Whizzer have a "no single riders" policy?

-Any night rides I should prioritize?

-Anything else I should know?

I’ll answer the ones I can:

No  mandatory lockers. Rides have free storage bins and racks.

Get Chicago deep dish at Giordano’s 5 minutes west of the park on Grand Ave. Check hours ahead though, as some nights I know it closes at 9.

X-flight seats I always like the back, but I always prefer the back on coasters. Row 4 can be used for larger riders. 

Rain policy is generally lightning closes the rides. Most run in the rain. Some rides such as Whizzer close in any rain.
 

You can ride solo on Whizzer.

Any coasters are good at night to me.

Hit Raging Bull or Superman first. Maxx Force, you can come back to a bit later and it should not be too bad. Goliath gets busy pretty fast too, though it is in the very back of the park.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Mike240SX]

@CaptainUnknownYou can still get the wristband.  Just bring the voucher to the FP building

[JT325]

You used to be able to ride Whizzer with 3 in a seat!  With no seatbelt, no airgates and 5 trains.  But alas... either way, the ride runs better than new, a true classic (with classic trains).  Ride Demon at night (so's you don't carry the headache, unless you can learn quick how to ride a new Arrow).  2nd to back seat (row 11).  The drop kicks, enjoy.

[Dan the Coaster Man]

On 9/12/2021 at 7:51 PM, CaptainUnknown said:

Hey, a couple questions now that I'm 2 weeks from my visit on Saturday 9/25 during Fright Fest. Previously visited back in 2009.

-I pre bought Platinum Flash Pass. The email I received about this talks about using it on my phone. Will I be able to get a physical band?

-Any rides with mandatory fluffy, fluffy bunnies filled with medicine and goo? Might have a bag/personal water bottle with me depending on this.

-Does the park have bottle fillers? Are they active?

-Recommendations for late-night eats within five miles of the park? Bonus points if Chicago-style deep dish.

-X-Flight is the only ride I really need seat recommendations on

-While it's currently not forecasted to rain, I'll ask anyway: does the park have an asinine rain policy?

-Does Whizzer have a "no single riders" policy?

-Any night rides I should prioritize?

-Anything else I should know?

You will still be able to get the physical band. I would highly recommend using your phone though, unless your phone battery wont last all day. The flash pass line is brutal to wait for the physical band.

The park has bottle fillers, but I cant say if they are currently on or off. Normal water fountains are on.

Girodano's is the tourist classic for Chicago deep dish. I prefer Lou Malnati's, which is also nearby. I dont know the hours on the top of my head.

I like front left seat the best. I only really do the left side.

You can ride Whizzer by yourself, and it is insane how much room you have with only the seatbelt!

I recommend Terror Twister II in the night for FF. Not a coaster, but its one of my favorite experiences. Other night rides would be Goliath, AE, Whizzer. Not many bad night rides but nothing like Kings Island where they are a must.

_________________________________________

I went to the park this past Saturday. Not slammed like most Saturday's during FF! I was able to get on 7 rides, two meals and a snack in 6 hours. Not bad, especially considering I waited in Maxx Force's line only to be told I couldn't ride because of my arm cast. Speaking of food, I thought this was the best FF food service I had ever seen at the park. No line at strutters for lunch, no line for ice cream for snack, and spent ~30 mins at Chop 6 for dinner. Terror Twister II was slightly disappointing, music seemed really low compared to past years. Maybe because I did not ride at night?

[Bob325]

On 9/12/2021 at 11:14 AM, ilrider said:

Sounds like it is getting rethemed to The Flash. Probably a new paint job to fit too.

The Flash retheme (basically) confirmed!

Pictures taken at the park yesterday.

[bert425]

^ um. .those are Shazam's colors too. . . .


(tho, granted, I believe the sign noting it's closed makes some mention of "back in a Flash in 2022" right?)

[thrillseeker4552]

Looks very nice. I'm happy that Six Flags is breeding new life into these Impulse coasters, especially after Wicked Twister's demise. Although the one at SFDK literally never operates ever so maybe "life" is a bit of a stretch.