SF Great America - Need some facts...any help?
Hey all!
Been perusing the forums for quite some time ... trying to search and find some information about Six Flags Great America in Gurnee, IL.
There are a few questions I cannot find the answers to, so I thought I would make a quick post here to see if you any experts out there could help.
All of these questions pretty much pertain to SFGA specifically.
1. Does anyone know "where" Sky Whirl ended up?
2. Power Dive ... it's whereabouts and "why" it was taken out?
3. Name of the old ski-lift type ride that would carry you across the park (from Orleans Plaza to Hometown Square) suspended from the cable high in the sky?
4. Urban legend or truth -- is there a "lifespan" for wooden coasters ... that is, a certain age at which a woodie can no longer be fixed but needs to be torn down/completely rebuilt?
5. Hay Baler ... does a ride like this actually get sold once dismantled or just scrapped?
6. Did Bally's "own" Great America inbetween Marriott's and Six Flags?
7. "Where" did the Columbia Carousel come from ... where did it reside prior to the park's opening in '76?
8. Is the Flashback at SFMM "literally" the old SFGA's Z-Force?
9. Rolling Thunder ... did someone actually buy that joke of a ride or was it simply scrapped?
10. Tidal Wave ... after being taken out for Batman, it eventually went to Atlanta (as Viper) ... where is it now?
Okay, I apologize that this post is a bit longer than I first planned...just had a few questions and was hoping that some of you guys could chip in with an answer or two!
Thanks in advance...I appreciate it!!!
-MrSkyWhirl
1. The cages are in the employee parking lot, the structure I think is in the dump.
2. It's in the employee parking lot.
3. Delta Fliers and Southern Cross were the name of the 2. I don't know which went where to where, but they did have 2.
4.Coney Island Cyclone is like over 75 years old, and Leap the Dips is 100... Guess :)
5.Some people I chat with think it got moved to SFWoA, because they have an identical ride with an identical theme.
6. I dunno.
7. It was built for Mariott, it came from raw material, not another park. The carousel in the back of the park I think came from a Texas park, but I'm not sure.
8. Yes.
9. It is at The Great Escape as Alpine Bobsleds.
10. It's probably in SFoG's employee parking lot, but I don't know for sure.
TrBiggar said:
4.Coney Island Cyclone is like over 75 years old, and Leap the Dips is 100... Guess
Yes, but dont forget Leap the Dips was closed down for a while then got a very demanding facelift :) Cyclone, however, is still standing because of the constant care that is given to it, so the better answer to his question would be, that the legend is false only under the right care, though. :)
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My fellow Americans; Let's Roll!
Woodencoaster.com
The World of Thrills
-Nate
*** This post was edited by coasterdude318 on 8/13/2002. ***
I do remember my mother telling me when Marriott had its park up for sale that 3 companies were interested. Bally, Paramount, and Busch.
Obviously Bally(Six Flags) got it.
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Ric Flair was hitting on the female host, he told her - "Space Mountain may be the oldest ride in the park, but it has the longest line." WOOOOO!
Wow! You guys are the best...thanks for the info.
Since you all were so quick to answer those, let's try a couple of more....
11. Conspiracy theory about the Whizzer ... does anyone else think it's "coincidence" that SFGA suddenly withdrew it's "The Whizzer is history" campaign due to "public outcry" ... while, all along, they have obviously been clearing out the Orleans area for a new ride (removal of Power Dive, Cajun Cliffhanger AND have you noticed that the Orleans Grill restaurant-once a BUSY and POPULAR place-has been closed for quite some time)? Seems a bit odd to me is all. As others have suggested, it seems like the imminent death of the beloved Whizzer may just have been a publicity stunt and nothing more ... if not, why would they be clearing out the Orleans area as well as getting the Whizzer acreage cleared?
12. The Edge ... a relatively short lived ride at SFGA (because of a pretty nasty accident) ... was removed because of the negative PR involved with the serious injuries suffered by the young riders. Question is, how does any corporation justify selling a "bad" ride off to other parks? Is there any legal issue in the reselling of equipment that failed? I am just curious ... I know there is a twin of "The Edge" out at SFMM (Freefall), I just wonder about how ethical it is to just pawn off a tainted ride like that.....any comments?
13. Has anyone heard anything more about the proposed water park for SFGA? Seems like every couple of years there are rumblings...but nothing concrete. Anyone heard anything?
Thanks again for all the great input....you have helped to put to rest questions that I have wondered for awhile!
14. Who made the Sky Trek Tower?
15. Who made Splashwater Falls?
(the last 2 rides that I don't know the manufacturer for... :) )
12. The ride was fixed. It is now Mr. Hyde's Nasty Fall at SFWoA.
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Did you know that 1 in every 5 American teenagers believes that the US declared its independence from FRANCE???
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Did you know that 1 in every 5 American teenagers believes that the US declared its independence from FRANCE???
The Haybaler at SFWOA is not SFGAM's old hailbailer, I believe they were both installed at the same time.
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BMCOASTER
bmcoaster@wi.rr.com
3. Southern Cross was the sky ride that had a required round trip. It left from Orleans Place and went out to a turnaround near where Splashwater Falls is located today, then returned. Delta Flyer was the one-way sky ride that ran between County Fair (its old station is now the Funnel Cake Foundry) and Orleans Place.
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Revised projection for 2002: 37 parks & 140 coasters. 27 & 105 through 8/11
Anyone remember all of the wonderful flat rides they used to have at Great America. I remember the Industrial Revolution that sat where the Orbit is today. It was a Himilaya style ride that only ran forwards, had the theming ripped off the back, and was slower than most others I have been on.
There was also the Yukon Yahoo in Yukon Territory which was an old Bayern Kurve.
Other rides I remember are a car ride in Orleans Place, a ride called Davie's Jones Dingies but I cannot remember for the life of me what it did, and there was a ride like the Schwabinchen at Cedar Point but I cannot remember the name of that one(I want to say it was Bottoms Up but I think that isnt it). I remember power riding all these as a kid.
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Bob Hansen
A proud CoasterBuzz Member
"So you think your'e really brave, gonna see the DEMONS cave.
You silly dude, your'e only food, for the DEMON"
Kick, the Orleans Place car ride was Traffique Jam. I think you are right that the name was Bottoms Up (Bottom's?) on the Trabant-like ride. Where were it and Yukon Yahoo located? I don't remember.
Also, more answer to #3. The sky ride that went one-way from Orleans Place to County Fair was called Delta Flyer. The one that did the reverse trip was Eagle's Flight. Of course, they were really just different names for two sides of the same sky ride.
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Revised projection for 2002: 37 parks & 140 coasters. 27 & 105 through 8/11
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Bob Hansen
A proud CoasterBuzz Member
"So you think your'e really brave, gonna see the DEMONS cave.
You silly dude, your'e only food, for the DEMON"
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