Dark Knight Review (Possible Spoilers)

Let me first state, that this ride is way way over hyped.

We waited about an hour to ride. The Q line is nicely done. It moved pretty well and nicely done. Kind of reminded me of the Q for Dark Castle a little bit.

Once you enter the building you are brought into a large room with a big TV. On the TV is a news station with break news. Harvey Dent (2 Face) is at the mic talking about how the mob is going to be stopped and stuff. Then the Joker breaks the signal and shows various movie clips and then magically spray paint (lights) on the ways with different messages from the Joker.

The doors open and you head into anther Q line towards the loading station. There are fake pipes and security monitors with messed up transmissions or Jokers HAHAHAH written in what looks like blood. There are also large Joker cards all around. One cool part at the end of the Q line before you head up to load is a mirror thingy that puts a joker mask on your face. Its pretty neat!

Once you load on the ride its all down hill from there. You go up the lift pretty damn fast and wild mouse it out. The props and seens are poorly lit and your moving way to face to even see them. With in 1.5 minutes your done and wonder why you wasted that hour waiting.

All and all its a typical Mac coater with attempted Scenery and no story behind.

BIG LET DOWN!

We also hit up El Toro and Scream Machine. Lots of school kids today lines were very long.

Crashmando said:
this ride is way way over hyped.

LOL there was hype for Dark Knight?

I think we all assumed it would be exactly what it turned out to be: a family, indoor wild mouse with okay theming. That's exactly what you described, anyway. *** Edited 5/15/2008 11:02:02 PM UTC by Dusa65***

I'll post pics in a bit!

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Crashmando said:
All and all its a typical Mac coater with attempted Scenery and no story behind.

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I was under the impression everybody here is already aware of that.

Crash - Your review sounds exactly like what I was expecting it to be. What were you expecting it to be?

I still think it sounds fun. :)

I though the theming/scenes durning the coaster would be better. You could barely see them cause it was way to dark and you moved way to fast. The intro video was completely awesome though and got me fired up to think this coaster was going to be awesome.

7.5 million could have been spent way better.

How dissappointed can you be in a wild mouse? There is only so much you can do to dress up a mouse.

On the website, it's in the thrill category. Based on the Joker's laugh, you wouldn't think it would be a family coaster. This coaster was marketed two ways as I said before. It is marketed more as a teen/tween ride, but they add the family appeal in with it too because it has such a low height. The Dark Knight movie is PG-13. The preshow feels like it's for the teens/tweens, and not necessarily the happy go lucky families.

The Great Adventure president said that if you like Kingda Ka or El Toro, you will enjoy this ride in that video. It's in a box to cover up what it really is. What Mark Shapiro said in the conference call before was that we can attach any of these brands on rides, and people will ride them.

He felt it was the brand that made people ride the ride. I disagree with him severly. If the ride stinks, people won't ride it, or won't reride it.

http://www.sixflags.com/greatAmerica/rides/thedarkknightcoaster.aspx

Watch...they'll begin slowing the ride so people can enjoy the scenery and (some) enthusiasts will complain that the ride is trimmed! lol

It's a family coaster...as in (almost) everyone can ride it and enjoy it, even those who crave the big thrill rides. That's what the park president was getting at. It's not a thrill ride, but there are thrill elements that will keep thrill seekers entertained (ie the fact that it's a roller coaster).

-Nate

OK, so it's in a box... it obviously isn't any bigger than the box, so how big and/or thrilling could it be? It doesn't matter how they market the thing, every enthusiast knew what it was long before opening day. If I read a report from a non-enthusiast, I may understand the dissappointment aspect, but from someone here? Please.

I'm not sure which surprises me more:

The hating on mouse coasters or the hating on a coaster that everyone posting here knew was a mouse in a box.

I didn't feel mislead by the marketing of the ride at all. The park is in the middle of a transition they are trying to steer toward a more family friendly dynamic this is one of the best themed efforts I see the park present. What else can you do with a wild mouse? they took it to the max if you want thrills than you have the tallest/fastest coaster in the world one of the best woodies and hyper coasters around and looping coasters throughout the park. Its a perfect ride for kids who want their first big thrill or since there is lack of flats and its a empty day you'll take a spin on it, it is what it is with all the theming, smoke and mirrors its still a wild mouse and one of the best around.

I thought a few years ago when all SF was building were huge coasters this is what everyone said they SHOULD be doing (small family coasters or themed attractions), now they at least attempt it and it can still suck?

worst ride ever i think that the Pre-Show was more entertaining than the actual ride itself. this is an embarrassment to great adventure "u know u would think that the money they used to build this they could have paid to get new flags in the kingda ka station that have the wrong height on it its not 458 its 456 damn it" -jen

Gonch: Hate is a strong word. In my case I'd say it's disappointment over the fact that there's another one of these (and it spins) just a few steps away. Was a re-theme not possible? Ragin' Cajun's location makes more sense for a Batman themed ride anyway.

^^ I think I'm a little more stupid now.

I agree, though, that Dark Knight makes much less sense at SFGAm than it does at SFGAd.

I disagree, I think it makes more sense at SFGAm than it does at SFGAd. Just because they both fall under the category of "mouse" doesn't mean anything. This is the perfect coaster to compliment Six Flags Great America's collection. Bringing the first indoor coaster, and dark ride to the park is a tremendous addition. We all know its a mack, great, but that isn't what the ride is about, the ride is about The Dark Knight.

Ragin Cajun is just a family coaster, The Dark Knight is a dark ride with thematic elements. The attraction of this ride is all the sensory objects whether in the queue or the actual ride. I guarantee that no one in the general public is going to say "don't they already have this ride?"

But this isn't about SFGAm anyway.... Its hard to believe theres still the SFGA confusion....

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Kinda Ka <3 love it said:
..."u know u would think that the money they used to build this they could have paid to get new flags in the kingda ka station that have the wrong height on it its not 458 its 456 damn it" -jen

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actually, they measured the structure after it was built. It is 458. They just never changed all the PR materials.

I rode The Dark Knight. I liked it a lot. They had a short media thing Thursday and it opened to the public right afterward. This was one of those rare cases where the public was more critical than the enthusiasts. There were lots of people from the clubs and websites and they all seemed to like it but once the public got off, they all screamed that it sucked and they felt duped. What did they expect? Did they think Nitro would fit in that box? Do they think every single ride has to be a top-notch thriller? They don't get it - and they also lie. Some yelled "I waited two hours for that POS!" when the line was about 45 minutes.