Batman the Ride Tribute

[ttd rox]

I was looking at a timeline of the roller coaster industry when I came across that in 1992 the first inverted roller coaster in the world swooped into Six Flags Great America. I knew that BTR was built in 1992 but I couldn't believe that next year is its 20th season! BTR even over this span of time has remained one of the most popular rides at Great America. I must say it's stayed in good shape as well! This was the first of the many clones but will always be the original.

I created this thread for people to post a good memory of the ride whether it be its forceful inversions or back when it was painted black. I never got a chance to ride it when it was black but none the less it remains one of my favorite rides at the park. My favorite memory was when this guy tried pulling out a piece of a newspaper on the ride and it got plastered to his fast next to me. Once the ride was done he got reported but I didn't see the conclusion.

Go ahead and post your favorite part or a good memory of the ride! Quick question, was anybody there on its opening day?

[w00dland]

Seal: Kissed by a Rose.

At the end of a summer night running through BTR's queue to see that it has no line when you probably waited 45 minutes for it earlier that afternoon. So much fun.

[ragingbull1331]

Seal: Kissed by a Rose.

At the end of a summer night running through BTR's queue to see that it has no line when you probably waited 45 minutes for it earlier that afternoon. So much fun.

I agree, last few friday or saturday nights of the summer me an my friends got at least 5 rides in 10 minutes on Batman at closing. It's just so much fun to ride at night and not a lot of people come back to it at night.

[tribar]

The first hour the park is open the station is mostly empty. Plus alot of the time even if you did wait 45 mins for it the back row is ususally empty. I don;t know if its because it's kind of dark in there or if it's just tucked against he cave wall but it's often just a 1-2 train wait.

[CoasterNick3157]

My best memory will always be the first ride in 92' I was 13 and this was my first big looping ride and every switchback was full, if I can remember the line started behind East River Crawler. Remember going through the tunnell which had alot of fog. Going up the lift scared the crap out of me cause there was nothing beneath you but after the first loop I was fine, loved it, and made me attack other rides that night (Iron Wolf and American Eagle) and came back to ride Batman at night which was even better.

[JamesMC]

Rode it in it's debut year. Is it just me, or does anyone else remember the stairways being almost completely dark the first couple years? Used to have to wait 90 min plus-----and those were 'slow' days. Have always loved the ride, but I am getting a little tired of how "Loud" it is in the queue, and the fact that after 19 years, people "STILL" haven't figured out the right side of the stairs are for front row only guests. Sheesh, what a learning curve.

[tribar]

^The first time i rode it in 2009 i think the stairs were dark

[Ilovthevu']

^^I don't know about the very first years, but I think it was dark in there because didn't they have red bulbs more than what they have now? Now, all the bulbs are white. Even the blacklight over those 2 signs, I believe are white now.

[tp41190]

I remember when they would pump tons of fog in the station for Fright Fest (2008 seemed like the year for fog).

[CoastsToCoasters]

Ugh I loved it black...Seemed more Batman esque bein dark. I want them to have ours black & blue...darker than SFOG/SFMM. Whenever I go to SFStl I just gaze at it cause its so familiar lookin but so different.

YES - ugh kissed by a rose on a summer night Batman ride. Perfect.

I have so many memories on this since '98 but the one that pops in my head was the fact that it ook my mother years upon years of convincing & she finally did it in 2010. She was a wreck....cried on the lift hill, pleaded no & let out the most god awful grunting noises on the first drop/1st loop. Went completely silent on the heartline & 2nd loop when her head tilted backward, somethin wasnt right then all the sudden put her hands up & started kickin her feet out screamin YEEAAHH!! ...I was like WTF when we hit the brakes, cause I thought she seriously passed out. Then of course we were both laughin cause I was happy she was not only alright but made us ride it again! ;D Its not nice to give your 22yr old son a heart attack though haha

[Sporlo]

Ugh I loved it black...Seemed more Batman esque bein dark. I want them to have ours black & blue...darker than SFOG/SFMM. Whenever I go to SFStl I just gaze at it cause its so familiar lookin but so different.

Black definitely suits the mood better. Actually I think the ride seems more intimidating when it's black. I remember years ago I would watch it go by while riding the ERC, and it seemed like such an intense ride. Personally I think the yellow rails looked great. Blue works, but the dominant black plus the yellow accents give it that sharpness it needs.

[Johnny.Ink]

Was there a reason why they repainted it? Did it just need a refresh and that's when they lightened it up? I agree, if you are going to theme a ride, keep with the source material, I mean sure, batman does have yellow in his suit, but to a very minimal degree.

Black on black with some highlights of black are predominantly in his suit.

I'm frankly shocked Six Flags never went more superhero on more rides ala St. Louis.

X Flight could have just as easily been a Green lantern themed ride (although I still hold out hope that what goes in Iron Wolf's spot is a clone to Green lantern First Flight at Magic Mountain). V2 could have been a Flash ride, etc etc.

[DejaVu2001]

I think we are just fine with superhero rides. I don't want to end up like Great Adventure with 4 superhero (well, one is a villain) coasters scattered all over the park.

[Jackluver18]

I wish it had stayed black. 3 yellow coasters in the same vicinity is a little much I think

[Johnny.Ink]

I think we are just fine with superhero rides. I don't want to end up like Great Adventure with 4 superhero (well, one is a villain) coasters scattered all over the park.

All 2 of them huh Vu?

Seems like a waste of the licensing opportunity frankly to me.

[tribar]

Was there a reason why they repainted it? Did it just need a refresh and that's when they lightened it up? I agree, if you are going to theme a ride, keep with the source material, I mean sure, batman does have yellow in his suit, but to a very minimal degree.

Black on black with some highlights of black are predominantly in his suit.

I'm frankly shocked Six Flags never went more superhero on more rides ala St. Louis.

X Flight could have just as easily been a Green lantern themed ride (although I still hold out hope that what goes in Iron Wolf's spot is a clone to Green lantern First Flight at Magic Mountain). V2 could have been a Flash ride, etc etc.

Trust me that ride will do nothing but bad for the park. Intamin plus low capacity equals a line that barely moves.

All 2 of them huh Vu?

SFGAv has 4 (B:TR S:UF Green Lantern and Bizarro) Funny that their all Beemers

[Johnny.Ink]

Tribar - I meant our 2. As for Green lantern I heard it's a super fun ride. Plus, not every ride needs to be high capacity.

GL runs 2 trains at a time, yes?

[Goku1910]

Tribar - I meant our 2.

Three.

Although two of them are the same character; one is just more modern.

Superman: UF
Batman
The Dark Knight

Those are our "superhero" rides.

[FParker185]

of which, oddly, the 20 year old one is more modern.

[Stoogie]

Hahaha..LOL.... I remember back in '99. My then wife and I rode it, but waited a good 90 minutes. The fear of it was building up and building up for her. Me? I could not wait to get on it and ride it! I rode it before. She got off and was a complete wreck, crying, buckling her knees, just carrying on..lol. I laughed my ass off. She's my ex now, but my new wife loves coasters so i lucked out this time.

[Ilovthevu']

For Batman the Ride, I'm glad that they moved the turnstyle to before you go in the sewer / tunnel to the Batcave. That really does help get people faster out of the station. They might have done it 2 years ago, but to me that's an improvement. To me, stuff like that really helps move the line. I don't know what they aren't doing that for Superman. As for a negative in 19 years, the park has not figured out to put something inbetween the front line and all other rows line such as a rope, or a chain so people from all other rows line could not be blocked by the front row people.

[CoastsToCoasters]

I wish it had stayed black. 3 yellow coasters in the same vicinity is a little much I think

Though its not truly a square, I call that section Yellow Square, cause every angle is a yellow coaster with different colored supports. I want V@ to get an electrifying blue track with either black/dark greay supports or a shocking yellow. Though the blue on yellow would look better, its kinda that way now with yellow on blue...an odd blue but blue.

Ever seen Goliath at SFFT? ... http://rcdb.com/3976.htm?p=0 ... mmmmm

[tribar]

For Batman the Ride, I'm glad that they moved the turnstyle to before you go in the sewer / tunnel to the Batcave. That really does help get people faster out of the station. They might have done it 2 years ago, but to me that's an improvement. To me, stuff like that really helps move the line. I don't know what they aren't doing that for Superman. As for a negative in 19 years, the park has not figured out to put something inbetween the front line and all other rows line such as a rope, or a chain so people from all other rows line could not be blocked by the front row people.

It doesn't help that the path is so narrow

[scott2608]

It does not help when people reride that don't get calculated, I've been on 5-6 times switching rows/seats

[Luxornv]

Rode it once 5 times in a row, first time in the front, then we got on the back and kept riding until park close. Next time I picked a better seat and rode it 7 times before closing.

As for colors, I thought they had this once, black supports, black track with yellow rails.