I was at my company's outing at Six Flags Great America this Saturday and here are some points that I observed for the 2011 season. I am not sure if this reflects the normal operating season but with only a week away it seems likely.
Park music back to normal, no pop music playing
Entrance is very different with the construction of Riptide Bay being so close
New show debuting "Screams and Dreams" in May
Legends has been renamed to el Mercado
BBNP is gone and looks very weird as the go-karts are going there and seem to be in the same track layout
Other notes: V2 is still without holding brake. STT was not operating today BB was running empty boats every time I walked by No other water rides running(loggers run, etc.)
No one would know unless I go find out myself, but is that wizards shop still at the park? I wanted to buy something there last year but I didn't have the money. If the item I want is still there I will buy it opening day!
They always feature the Wilderness Theater on maps. My guess is to give people direction during special events like the Cheer competition during Fright Fest.
Looking closely at the attractions guide, I see that Whirligig is 48" height requirement, and Ragin' Cajun is 48" with adult and 54" alone!?!? Has this always been like this?
Admittedly, I have not paid attention to height requirements over the years since I have no reason to. I just find it odd that you have to be 48" to ride Whirligig, but only 42" to ride Demon, as well as The Orbit.
Just depends on the ride. X2 is 48", but Magic Mountain also has B&Ms which are 54" requirements, so kids can go on the most intense ride in the park but not even be close on other coasters. Giant Drop is a 48" requirement but Ricochet is 54" to ride alone, so sometimes people will send their kids in line to ride Ricochet right after they get off Giant Drop and the kid will need to leave the ride to get an adult after waiting in line even though they just rode Giant Drop alone.
Primeval Whirl at Disney's Animal Kingdom, same ride as Ragin Cajun, shares a 48" requirement which is the tallest height requirement at all of WDW (tied with Rockin' Rollercoaster). Space Mountain and Mission Space are both 44" requirements despite being much more intense rides.
When Cedar Fair bought the Paramount parks they changed a bunch of height requirements to match the other CF parks. For example, Orbit's requirement at CGA went up from 42" to 48"
Mr. SFGAm wrote:Looking closely at the attractions guide, I see that Whirligig is 48" height requirement, and Ragin' Cajun is 48" with adult and 54" alone!?!? Has this always been like this?
Admittedly, I have not paid attention to height requirements over the years since I have no reason to. I just find it odd that you have to be 48" to ride Whirligig, but only 42" to ride Demon, as well as The Orbit.
Manufacturers set the height requirements, although sometimes ridiculous heights are set. Demon is the only arrow looper I know of that is 42"....
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I think Demon just may never have been updated from the old Huss train requirements, as those restraints were much smaller, and can still be found on some older corkscrews. Anyone who has a tall torso (crotch to shoulders) knows all about that. I'm lucky I was able to ride Python at BGT, though they let me go with effectively no restraint at all
Also manufacturers use age and physical development of riders as well to come up with their heights. Someone who is 42" could realistically be 3-5 years old, and someone of that age has no business riding a ride such as Shockwave or the other larger, extremely forceful Arrow Loopers.
Another good example that illustrates that is a majority of Huss Enterprises, to ride solo there is a 60" height requirement, on a ride with no restraints.
Favorite Wood Coasters: The Voyage, Ravine Flyer II, Thunderhead, Balder Favorite Steel: Steel Vengeance, Expedition GeForce, Olympia Looping Parks visited: 222, Coasters Ridden: Steel: 822, Wood: 178, Total: 1000
Just saw the map and am very pleased with what I am seeing. All the old Papa John's are now back to their original names (Pizza Orleans, Pizza Luigi, Firehouse Pizza, etc.), and the renamings of some of the shops like El Mercado now fit in with their themed areas. Six Flags is getting creative and original again! BTW, nice pics lord soth.
With Splash Water Falls gone and now Great America Raceway, and with the Go-Karts instead moving over by Dipper, that frees up alot of land for a decent sized coaster. We shall see.
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