Six Flags Great America (SFGAm) Discussion Thread
January 14, 2006 in Theme Parks, Roller Coasters, & Donkeys!
Turkey Leg
^Is there anybody who really thinks The Dark Knight is that great to the point that this rant was needed, especially over five years after the ride opened?
The ride was added to the parks as a way to tie in to an insanely successful intellectual property and satisfy management's overflowing desire at the time to add family-friendly attractions across the Six Flags chain (see Thomas Town and Wiggles World for further proof). There is no purpose in altering the attraction at this point in time--it does what it was meant to do and nothing more.
At the end of the day, you need to remember that Six Flags didn't build this ride to satisfy you or any other coaster enthusiast. The ride was built for the general public that buys tickets when they see a new coaster added to their "home park," especially one that ties in with one of the most successful and popular comic book films in the history of cinema. It may not bring people into the park now like it might have in the year or two that the ride was first marketed, but is still a functioning roller coaster that ties into the still-profitable franchise while satisfying the needs of the guest looking for a family-friendly attraction.
I can see why you were disappointed with this attraction, but it is by no means a failure when you consider why it was built, what it was built to be and what it continues to do for the park.
I agree it was never meant to be a great "coaster enthusiast" ride and we shouldn't expect it to be, but is it too much to ask for the details to be working properly? How much could it possibly cost to fix the "security monitor" in the line?
Jerrykoala2112 243 posts
deathbydinn 357 posts
ilrider 348 posts
GoBears 311 posts
coasterbill
I'm so ready for these totally arbitrary and nonsensical covid rules to be over. So a waterpark with no masks was fine all summer but they can't run a coaster Or a Scrambler with a bunch of empt
Coasters & Lamps
I'm divided when it comes to COVID. If a state is going to have restrictions, at least do it right. Illinois is allowing water parks because the chemicals in the water have been found to kill CO
CenturyFlyer
Just like at Over Texas, I think that Great America may have leaked its plans for 2021! 🤯🤯🤯
Does anyone know what happened to the red Raging Bull train? I don't think it's been in operation at all this season, and it's not even in that garage off to the side. I hope it's just out for maintenance. I'd hate to see Raging Bull go down to two trains permanently.
It was put on the storage track Saturday should be in operation soon
EDIT: Here's a video of them putting it on
GoBears
I went to SFGAm yesterday and everything had a very short wait. I only got to stay for an hour and half though because of a family emergency so I had to leave around noon. I hit up Viper first and got the first train of the day. I still consider it one of the more underrated airtime machines. Always packs a nice little punch!
Next I went to Raging Bull and waited only 5 minutes. The red train has been assembled but was still sitting on the storage track. They might wait until this weekend to run it. Raging Bull always provides a fun and smooth ride. After I got off, I hit up X-Flight for the first time this season. That first drop always has such a unique and exciting feeling.
After this I went to my favorite coaster in the park, American Eagle. It was only running the red side but both trains were going. It's definitely the roughest coaster in the park since Wolf left but still my favorite because of that classic thrill it provides. I went to Viper once more and then had to leave. I wish I could've gotten pictures but that was the last thing on my mind. Maybe next time when I go again in a couple weeks.
LoopScreweD
ok so first time on Namtab (Batman) and to be honest it sucked the line was out to the fist switchbacks out of the sewer entrance. After a 25 minute wait i got on the fourth row far left seat and up the lift hill it felt strange to be facing backwards. The drop and twist was fine and the pullout was pretty forceful as always, the fist loop felt oddly forceless but wasnt rough.
Now is where the ride started sucking the lead into the Zero G roll gave a viscious snap to the left and was really unexpexted given the usual ride experience. Second vertical loop same as the first, however the turn out into the turnaroud gave another good wap to the skull. The dive into the corkscrew was decently smooth then the corkscrew itself was another headbanger the rapid bank up and around into the other corkscrew was just plain bad left to right head bang.
Second corkscrew was just like the first uncomfortable the final turn into the brakes was smooth but at this point all i was saying and thinking was how dissapointing it was im not sure what i was expecting maybe a more dizzing experience but it wasnt and the forces felt weaker so if this is how the rest of the batmans around the country in the next few years some people are gonna be split over the ride experience, i hope i just got a shitty ride but i dont know.
coasterfansince1999
A couple of weeks ago, I had the chance to ride the Batman Backwards, or "namtaB" Making it go backwards has definitely sparked popularity in the ride, as later in the day the line was out of the entrance. Thankfully, I got on it while there was no wait in the morning.
It was probably the most unique experience I have had on a coaster so far. The loops seemed very forceful. It was actually much more intense than usual. It seemed as you kind of "snapped" into the inversions, especially that Zero G roll.
Overall, I enjoyed it going backwards. I would ride it again, but I like it a tiny bit better forwards.
Also, I quickly notice how Six Flags is trying to promote their popularity on Instagram, with stickers on the TV's in the lines with hashtags for the rides and their official IG page, so that's interesting.
batmanfan80
Went there yesterday 5-close. Lines were maybe 30 min max for everything. We started with Condor, Balloons, and Whirley gig. Then I think we went to Demon, X Flight, Eagle red, Bull, Viper, and Namtab. We're stuck with row 4 on X Flight due to the seatbelts being so short on the others, but it was an awesome ride on the right side. I think I built up a real coaster tolerance last year because this ride was definitely Batman-esque in its forces. Last year after riding it a bunch, row 4 started to feel pretty tame. The wife leaned into the corkscrews on Demon and no headbanging this time. It's riding about the same as last year. Still havta keep my head away from the headrest or it'll snap back and hit at the end of the loops. I still end up smacking back against the seat on Eagle and Viper. It feels like a very mild whiplash. Viper breaked kind of hard at the end, so the lap bar smashes into my gut and my head smacks the back of the seat lightly. These wooden coasters would be so much better for me if I had a way to brace my torso. Lap bars just kinda leave me flayling at times. Bull is definitely smoother than the woodies but I still think it'd be a much better ride without the trims and mid-course brakes. They really kill the momentum. It ends up feeling too twisty turny instead of fast. The forces aren't too comfortable for me when it does all those slower turns. I think I've read other people say the forces would be more comfortable if the ride went faster. I'd definitely like the ride better if they just removed all those helixy parts altogether if they're going to keep the brakes. I still don't like Namtab. It definitely feels like it pushes the G force to the max almost the whole ride while also causing constant ear banging. My ears were red afterwards. Normally I'd reride Batman 3-4x if I could. I had no such urge with it backwards(it was a walk-up after 9). I'm hoping they don't screw anything up when it goes back to normal. Saw some of Ignite. The singing, like the show earlier near the Iron Wolf queue, sounded slightly out of tune. The stage setup definitely pales in comparison to Cedar Point's big finale. I have never heard such loud, thunderous fireworks before. Probably really makes the neighbors angry. It was fun to watch some of it from Namtab's lift.
yay101
Location: Not far from Six Flags Great America
Member Title: What's a member title?
Bull is definitely smoother than the woodies but I still think it'd be a much better ride without the trims and mid-course brakes. They really kill the momentum.
Completely agree! I find it weird that most coaster enthusiasts who have ridden Raging Bull (if not all coaster enthusiasts) say the trim brakes should be removed since when it first came in usage, but SFGAm still hasn't done anything about removing them. I think the midcourse brakes are there as block brakes, but don't quote me on that.
BigBomer
Completely agree! I find it weird that most coaster enthusiasts who have ridden Raging Bull (if not all coaster enthusiasts) say the trim brakes should be removed since when it first came in usage, but SFGAm still hasn't done anything about removing them.
I like how you said that as if the park actually pays attention to the enthusiasts wishes
Raging Trimbrake is a compromised ride IMO. It starts out as an awesome and fast coaster. Then it becomes more about taking you through turns at a slower pace with high g-forces and some slower airtime hills. It's a potential 10/10 ride watered down to a 7/10. The brakes also ruin the pacing, makes it feel less consistent. The elements don't feel as cohesive as they should. It feels more like you get hit with a random hill followed by a random turn, etc, etc. At least someone decided to run it more efficiently. 3 trains. The flash pass person kept the line at bay so we weren't all crowded onto the stairs and the ride ops were attempting to group everyone so there was no empty seats. I saw them do that with giant drop too. Instead of turning Batman backwards, I wish they would've just redone the queue house. You end up with so many empty seats because it overflows and people are stuck on the stairs when some customer walks down and informs the other customers they can fit two more. I guess they could also try to limit the amount of people on the stairs, but that would take some extra staff coordination. It's like they purposely designed it for maximum inefficiency. I don't believe they use brakes for the GP. If they really believed the GP wanted tamer rides, they wouldn't run namtab and designers wouldn't be clamoring to build bigger and bigger coasters. I would argue that the GP craves thrills and big heights a lot more than I do.
...the ride ops were attempting to group everyone so there was no empty seats. I saw them do that with giant drop too. Instead of turning Batman backwards, I wish they would've just redone the queue house. You end up with so many empty seats because it overflows and people are stuck on the stairs when some customer walks down and informs the other customers they can fit two more.
They should redo the queue houses for most rides to include single rider lines. Some groups will be willing to split up to get less wait time, and they would usually still be on the same train, just not next to each other. It works well for Ragin' Cajun and Disney World.
mcjaco
I've yet to see anyone provide any evidence that the trims were added later. We've asked numerous people at SFGAm at TPR events, Media Days, and construction tours about them, and they all say to a T that they've always been there, and that the trims are actuated by the trains weight, and always have been. The heavier the train is, the more the trims activate. The lighter, the less likely they'll turn on.
We've discussed them ad nauseum in this thread soooo many times.
^ Agreed - All trims were there when the ride opened in 1999. They are not stronger now than they were .. the ride was built with them. At this point it seems extremely unlikely that the trims will go away, so just deal with it. The first half of the ride sucks anyway, it's all about the second half (which isn't trimmed) - so really, who gives a crap?!
(Can we get "The ride was built with them, shut up" t-shirts?! )
If that's not good enough - think of it this way: Raging Bull was (presumably) engineered to be traversed at a particular speed. The trims ensure that the train is going that speed. If the trims were to be removed then the ride would be "too fast", and the actual ride elements would have to be adjusted so that the train traversed them at the same speed as it does now - so really there would be no difference.
Raging Bull isn't my favorite ride in the park (by a long shot); but that's because of the layout (particularly the first half), not because of the trims.
However, the public still loves this ride - 14 years later. That's what matters to the park, and it's the park who builds the rides. So again - deal with it
Cameron.
ScottyDoesKnow
Amen. Trim brakes won't save a sub-par layout! They are here to stay. If you want a stellar B&M hypercoaster, take the trip to King's Island.
I'll have to ride it with an empty train and see what happens. I always found all this trim and mid brake stuff kinda weird. It's not impossible to build a ride that runs correctly without all those brakes. I've read that every B&M hyper has trims, although I don't know how accurate it is nowadays.
zombi3elephant9
Personally i never noticed the trim breaks, i knew they were there i just never got upset about them, but i guess the ride would kick ass even more if they got rid of them, or if they ran the ride backwards (I know that last one isn't happening ever just let me have my fantasy this one time). But I love Raging Bull, It was my very first Hypercoaster and the ride that influenced me to become a big dumb coaster nerd
^^ The ride runs correctly with the trims .. they're part of the design.
Pretty questionable design if it needs to be slown down out of the box for every Bam hyper.
DanM64
Why do the mid course brakes and trims keep getting lumped together? Yes, Bull's MCBR does trim the train, but its REAL prupose is to allow for the 3 train operation. You can't just remove them. While it's true the trims are set to keep the train at a specific speed, they have been changed vs. when the ride was new, the set on the camelback used to allow the teain to run faster. SF maintenence changed it to offset the aging of the ride.
I also believe that RB seems slower and worse now because there are just a lot better coasters now than there were when it was new. Those of you talking about a trimless RB not saving the layout are spot on, IMO. I still find a few other coasters at SFGAm better than Bull, but that's just me. To each their own.
Woodie Warrior
Member Title: Alan Schillke is my man crush
IDK, I haven't ridden X-Flight yet, but Raging Bull is by far the best coaster at SFGAm IMO, but I respect that some don't believe that.
It may be because it is the first and only hyper I've been on, and will be for the next one to two years.
I just remember my ride on it, it was a night ride, and I was COMPLETELY blown away. I was freaking speechless.
I can't wait to ride it again sometime in September.
deathbydinn
Not sure why they moved it up from July 8, but Viper is now running with both trains backwards.
I personally love Raging Bull and wouldnt mind a copy of it in my home park! (SFStL)
^ Funny you should say that..
Okay I'm dying to know, did you find that at SFSTL or SFGAm?
I would love to see it moved there. Then Great America can get a new giga. St. Louis is still close enough to go ride Raging Bull when we feel like it.