Six Flags Great America
A few buddies and I had the chance to visit Six Flags for a Chicago buddies weekend. If I’m honest, I have tried versions of this trip for years: get a few friends, go to Chicago, hang out around town, and go to SFGA. But if we’re honest, a comedic number of hangovers and debauchery always sunk the task of getting to SFGA. But not this day!
Whizzer
There is a multiverse where Whizzer is my first 300th roller coaster. I’ve always been fascinated with this classic Schwarzkopf, both in its unique sprawled layout and ability to stand the test of time.
Ride Experience
The ride itself stands up great as a family coaster for modern days, with a little zip in some of the turns and drops for those looking for a more aggressive ride. The swooping through trees and close cuts in the ground give a great ride, very akin to Arrow mine train coasters.
Viper
Oh yeahhhh they have that Cyclone clone!
Ride Experience
I have to say it was far smoother than I feared, thanks to some new love on the woodwork. Of "Cyclone clones", it's actually one of the better ones that I've ridden. Honestly, I'm at a loss if we're supposed to celebrate these mid-90s woodies as still alive, or can still acknowledge that even at they're best, they can be pretty meh.
X-Flight
Geauga Lake be proud.
Ride Experience
I'm not sure if I had a glitch in the matrix, but boy howdy how great a ride was this! We saddled up in the backmost row, which brought some superlative positive and negative g-force throughout. Call it also being quite used to Gatekeeper as our home wing coaster, but the difference in layout was a greatly welcomed change (even if it felt we got to the top of the lift hill quite fast. Honestly an all-round great ride, and one that snuck quietly into collective B&M rankings.
American Eagle
The once world's tallest, fastest wooden coaster!
Ride Experience
This is an interesting one, and a coaster layout that feels a bit out of it's time. While a rather simple racer layout, some of the element designs are built with a cut more aggression than PTC or other wooden coaster builds before. Honestly was pretty smooth sailing, with some interesting, high-speed passes throughout.
Raging Bull
Respect the local favorite.
Ride Experience
The greatest taboo to ever tell local Chicagoland residents is that Raging Bull is not that good. It's like telling a child Santa Claus isn't real, or taking the head off of a mascot at your favorite sportsball game. You are ruining the illusion that gives so many joy and comfort, and sense of purpose as "having that one" roller coaster that stands out. Even with Goliath or Maxx Force across the causeways, "did you ride Raging Bull!?" always feels the go-to question for local park goers.
And it's for good reason - for what it is, and especially what it was at opening as one of the very first hyper coasters - it's a pretty banger ride. Sure the trims bite at the most imperfect times, with an MCBR that can kill any buzz. But there's no denying some still solid airtime and swooping turns and dives. There are other, more favorite B&M hypers; but it's always great to see what gets the locals most excited.
Superman - the Ultimate Flight
Swooooooosh
Ride Experience
What's not to like on B&M flyers? They go high, they go low, and you get to scream like a giddy school girl.
Batman the Ride
Honestly Batmans are starting to run together, but there's no denying the fun of riding the original B&M invert!
Dark Knight
Oh yeahhh, that other Batman coaster. Let's just move on.
Flash: Vertical Velocity
I'll take any Intamin Impulses I can get these days - bummer the hold brake was not in commission.
Goliath
Not to save some of the best coasters for last, but by this time we were grateful to have the solid coaster stock on remaining tap!
Ride Experience
Goliath feels more and more the "first" ideas of concept that walked so Steel Vengeance, Iron Gwazi, and Zadra could run. It's a jam-packed coaster layout, with one of the greatest dive loops in the business giving gorgeous wooden structure swoop. But just as great as it starts, it ends so quickly. It's a great Schilke design, but by today's RMC standards I fear one that can be "lacking" on element count.
Joker
These 4D spinners never get old.
Ride Experience
I'm lucky to have ridden an Intamin Zacspin and S&S 4D Freespin within the same year this year. And let me say, S&S remains the far superior design - what Zacspins left to chance of flip physics, the forced brake spin designs of Joker keep each and every flip perfect in its own way. This ride was the most targeted for rerides by our group, and for great reason!
Maxx Force
What's this - a non-magnetic launch!!??
Ride Experience
To keep the S&S funkiness going, we rounded out with a twilight ride on Maxx Force. To start, I will say these S&S coaster train designs remain extremely jank - what can only be described as somehow worse in every way, from still ratcheting restraints to seats that sit a little deep. But rest assured, what this coaster lacks in train design it quickly makes up for in "WHAT WAS THAT???" as your body hurtles on one of the world's fastest launches, spinning and careening through who knows how many inversions and turns. While I have gotten to experience some of S&S's inversion design with Steel Curtain, Maxx Force takes the cake for true mastery of unique inversion design and variety. All packed in a ride time of 23 seconds, it really is a ride to behold.
After having made our formal rounds, we were able to double back for a wide variety of night rides and some haunted attraction participation. A VERY full day, but one so grateful to finally have!
Final Park Thoughts:
- I'll chock it up to Wrath of Shikakakakakaka construction, but boy is the park layout a little hard to navigate. Too many times did we end up in the wrong corner of the park, or find ourselves having to often back track.
- Bummer to not get to ride Demon, and hoping to get a shot to ride the classic Arrow.
- The park's full scare zone design for Frightfest was pretty well done, in it's own special kind of janky way.
- Honestly one of the better Six Flags parks I've had chance to visit, with nice variety and scale.
A few buddies and I had the chance to visit Six Flags for a Chicago buddies weekend. If I’m honest, I have tried versions of this trip for years: get a few friends, go to Chicago, hang out around town, and go to SFGA. But if we’re honest, a comedic number of hangovers and debauchery always sunk the task of getting to SFGA. But not this day!
Whizzer
There is a multiverse where Whizzer is my first 300th roller coaster. I’ve always been fascinated with this classic Schwarzkopf, both in its unique sprawled layout and ability to stand the test of time.
Ride Experience
The ride itself stands up great as a family coaster for modern days, with a little zip in some of the turns and drops for those looking for a more aggressive ride. The swooping through trees and close cuts in the ground give a great ride, very akin to Arrow mine train coasters.
Viper
Oh yeahhhh they have that Cyclone clone!
Ride Experience
I have to say it was far smoother than I feared, thanks to some new love on the woodwork. Of "Cyclone clones", it's actually one of the better ones that I've ridden. Honestly, I'm at a loss if we're supposed to celebrate these mid-90s woodies as still alive, or can still acknowledge that even at they're best, they can be pretty meh.
X-Flight
Geauga Lake be proud.
Ride Experience
I'm not sure if I had a glitch in the matrix, but boy howdy how great a ride was this! We saddled up in the backmost row, which brought some superlative positive and negative g-force throughout. Call it also being quite used to Gatekeeper as our home wing coaster, but the difference in layout was a greatly welcomed change (even if it felt we got to the top of the lift hill quite fast. Honestly an all-round great ride, and one that snuck quietly into collective B&M rankings.
American Eagle
The once world's tallest, fastest wooden coaster!
Ride Experience
This is an interesting one, and a coaster layout that feels a bit out of it's time. While a rather simple racer layout, some of the element designs are built with a cut more aggression than PTC or other wooden coaster builds before. Honestly was pretty smooth sailing, with some interesting, high-speed passes throughout.
Raging Bull
Respect the local favorite.
Ride Experience
The greatest taboo to ever tell local Chicagoland residents is that Raging Bull is not that good. It's like telling a child Santa Claus isn't real, or taking the head off of a mascot at your favorite sportsball game. You are ruining the illusion that gives so many joy and comfort, and sense of purpose as "having that one" roller coaster that stands out. Even with Goliath or Maxx Force across the causeways, "did you ride Raging Bull!?" always feels the go-to question for local park goers.
And it's for good reason - for what it is, and especially what it was at opening as one of the very first hyper coasters - it's a pretty banger ride. Sure the trims bite at the most imperfect times, with an MCBR that can kill any buzz. But there's no denying some still solid airtime and swooping turns and dives. There are other, more favorite B&M hypers; but it's always great to see what gets the locals most excited.
Superman - the Ultimate Flight
Swooooooosh
Ride Experience
What's not to like on B&M flyers? They go high, they go low, and you get to scream like a giddy school girl.
Batman the Ride
Honestly Batmans are starting to run together, but there's no denying the fun of riding the original B&M invert!
Dark Knight
Oh yeahhh, that other Batman coaster. Let's just move on.
Flash: Vertical Velocity
I'll take any Intamin Impulses I can get these days - bummer the hold brake was not in commission.
Goliath
Not to save some of the best coasters for last, but by this time we were grateful to have the solid coaster stock on remaining tap!
Ride Experience
Goliath feels more and more the "first" ideas of concept that walked so Steel Vengeance, Iron Gwazi, and Zadra could run. It's a jam-packed coaster layout, with one of the greatest dive loops in the business giving gorgeous wooden structure swoop. But just as great as it starts, it ends so quickly. It's a great Schilke design, but by today's RMC standards I fear one that can be "lacking" on element count.
Joker
These 4D spinners never get old.
Ride Experience
I'm lucky to have ridden an Intamin Zacspin and S&S 4D Freespin within the same year this year. And let me say, S&S remains the far superior design - what Zacspins left to chance of flip physics, the forced brake spin designs of Joker keep each and every flip perfect in its own way. This ride was the most targeted for rerides by our group, and for great reason!
Maxx Force
What's this - a non-magnetic launch!!??
Ride Experience
To keep the S&S funkiness going, we rounded out with a twilight ride on Maxx Force. To start, I will say these S&S coaster train designs remain extremely jank - what can only be described as somehow worse in every way, from still ratcheting restraints to seats that sit a little deep. But rest assured, what this coaster lacks in train design it quickly makes up for in "WHAT WAS THAT???" as your body hurtles on one of the world's fastest launches, spinning and careening through who knows how many inversions and turns. While I have gotten to experience some of S&S's inversion design with Steel Curtain, Maxx Force takes the cake for true mastery of unique inversion design and variety. All packed in a ride time of 23 seconds, it really is a ride to behold.
After having made our formal rounds, we were able to double back for a wide variety of night rides and some haunted attraction participation. A VERY full day, but one so grateful to finally have!
Final Park Thoughts:
- I'll chock it up to Wrath of Shikakakakakaka construction, but boy is the park layout a little hard to navigate. Too many times did we end up in the wrong corner of the park, or find ourselves having to often back track.
- Bummer to not get to ride Demon, and hoping to get a shot to ride the classic Arrow.
- The park's full scare zone design for Frightfest was pretty well done, in it's own special kind of janky way.
- Honestly one of the better Six Flags parks I've had chance to visit, with nice variety and scale.