Six Flags Great America, 5/28/2010

I went to Six Flags Great America last Friday for the first time. I'm not sure I can say enough positive things about the park and the experience. It was a great day and I loved pretty much every part of it.

My friend and I rode the Metra up from downtown and Mike (onceler) was kind enough to pick us up at the train station. He and his darling daughter, Natalia, went to the park with us for a bit. Here are my thoughts:

Dark Knight: This was the first ride we caught as Superman: Ultimate Flight wasn't open yet. Mike provided a lot of great advice about what order to do things in order to maximize the day. So, what can I say about this one? Uhhh... ok, it sucked. I wanted to like it. I really did. But beyond the theming in the entrance, there's nothing to get excited about this indoor wild mouse. I hoped the cars would spin, but they didn't.

Ragin' Cajun: Speaking of spinning cars on the wild mouse, they do on this one. I think that's a lot of fun. Unfortunately, the excruciatingly long wait for this ride kind of deterred from the simple fun it provides. I'm not used to standing in line... I mean, literally standing... as in not moving. Weird. And before anyone mentions the F word, it had nothing to do with our wait. This coaster just doesn't move people. Period.

Fiddler's Fling: Nope, not a coaster, and not nearly as fun as the name would imply. Mike recommended it as the fastest spin ride around and he was absolutely right. It was ridiculously fast and spinful. Very, very spinful. I'm glad I experienced it and I'm glad I don't have to do it again. :)

American Eagle: Mike suggested we go for the red train if we had the option, but unfortunately we didn't have the option. After walking for an eternity through the empty queue, we finally got to the line up near the station. We waited for the front car and had a really good time.

Raging Bull: This one brought our longest wait of the day at one hour. I have about zero tolerance for waiting in line these days, so that was hard. But the coaster was totally worth it. We rode in the back seat and I can't say enough about how much fun it was. I think Raging Bull is better than Apollo's Chariot. I spent more time out of my seat than in it and I love that!

This is where Mike and Natalia had to say good-bye. It was so great to see them and I was really appreciative of all Mike did to help make the day for us. :)

Superman: Ultimate Flight: I really, really looked forward to riding this. After the Batwing disaster I had at SF America two years ago, I wanted to know what this one would be like. It felt so weird when the seats flipped back and I felt like I was doing the downward facing dog. But I have to say, that pretzel loop was so much fun I still smile thinking about it. Completely cool and made the ride for me.

Demon: This made me giggle. I really wanted to ride in the Stride gum train, but it wasn't meant to be. We rode in the boring, old Demon-like train. It was still cool though. I love me a double loop for some reason.

Vertical Velocity: Having ridden Wicked Twister at CP and Voodoo/Possessed at Dorney there wasn't anything new for me with V2. But I must say, this coaster still gives me the butterflies every time I ride. I'm not sure why. It's so much fun and despite the back holding break not working, it still offered the great ride I've come to expect.

Batman The Ride: What can I say? It's the first inverted outside-looping coaster. I paid it homage and enjoyed the experience. Thank you, Batman.

Viper: So at this point of the day my friend had had enough. Good coaster friends are so hard to find. ;) While we were planning a trip west later in the year for SF Magic Mountain and Knotts Berry Farm, she decided this park stuff isn't for her and bailed. She tried; She didn't like it. I respect that. But hey, I came this far and only had a couple more coasters to go, so we pressed on. Does that make me a bad friend? I can live with that. :) Viper was a fun woodie.

Iron Wolf: Mike warned me earlier in the day that Iron Wolf is a bit rough and if I didn't "have" to then I shouldn't ride it. But having never experienced a coaster of the stand up variety, I decided to go for it and round out my coaster experience. Mike was right. :) It was rough, but whatever. I've experienced worse. *I'm looking at you, Son of Beast*

Little Dipper: No, I didn't ride it. I believe kids' coasters belong to the kids. But it looks great and was providing a lot of smiles later in the day when we walked past. It's great to see something so special having been preserved and continuing to offer memories to the little ones.

Service: It was outstanding the entire day. I have never, I repeat never, had a park experience where so many people were willing to help in any way they could to make the day better... or as they put it "Have a Six Flags Day!" :) Any time we stopped to look at one of the park maps posted throughout the park, within a minute or so someone approached us to ask if we needed any help finding anything. At one point I needed to find a rest room and asked a person working in one of the gift shops where the closest one was. She pointed it out, gave me a hug, and then sent me on my way. Ok, she didn't really hug me, but she looked like she wanted to. She was very enthusiastic about helping me find the bathroom. :)

Food: It was ok. We had Papa John's for lunch and it was pricey, but not deal breaking. I also had a hot fudge sundae at the Ben & Jerry's stand which was completely awesome. I love hot fudge.

Overall, I cannot recommend this park enough. It far exceeded my expectations. I had a great time and would definitely go back even if just to walk around and continue to soak up the ambiance. Great day, great park.

I think Six Flags has really turned the corner as far as customer service. I visited SFNE for the first time last fall and had the same experience as you did. I literally could not even take the map out of my pocket without an employee magically appearing to ask if they could help me find something. When I'd say "no, just looking" I half expected them to give me their cell number in case I had any questions later in the day.

I need to visit my friend in Chicago and go to Great America. I've never been. Every time I visit her, though, it ends up being in the winter because of some cool concert that is skipping Pgh. (Nitzer Ebb and Sisters of Mercy, I'm looking at you ;) )

If that service experience is a chain-wide initiative, I can't imagine anyone having cause to complain about Six Flags for a long time.

Great America has been a cut above the rest of the chain for a long time. The last time we had an event there, our morning ERT got rained out, so they gave us an assload of their line skipping passes at the time (they were an upcharge perk you could buy). I think most of us had more fun with this than we would have with the ERT!

I'm surprised that you like Bull better than Apollo. Through some weird coincidence, I got to ride Bull, Apollo and Nitro within about a week and a half, and much preferred Apollo to the other two. Of course, now I think Diamondback owns them all, so tastes (and rides) change.

No Whizzer on your list of rides? Hope you didn't miss that, as that is a classic Anton coaster.

Glad you had a great time.

No Whizzer for me.

^U ok? I hope you have been on it at some point - it's a classic!

Different tastes I guess :) Sometimes Whizzer is the ONLY coaster I ride there.

I found the service and clenliness of the six flags parks to surpass cedar fair parks in the past few years. In the last 3 years, I have been to every six flags park in america(except for the texas parks), and I have found them more enjoyable than what cedar fair has been dishing out as of late.

I would say that the employies were on par with Disney and dollywood employies.

CoasterDemon said:

^U ok? I hope you have been on it at some point - it's a classic!

Different tastes I guess :) Sometimes Whizzer is the ONLY coaster I ride there.

I had to choose my battles at the end of the day. But besides, we've already established on several occasions that I make a terrible coaster enthusiast by some people's standards. I guess this reinforces that. :)

Which is not all that terrible. :)

Indeed. Thanks, Vater. :)

You're still calling yourself an enthusiast? I've established long ago, that I'm just a slightly-more-interested-than-average park-goer. :)

^^^^Nahhh.. your not a terrible enthusiast, it's good we all have different tastes :)

I hear what your saying - the B&M lines will be one person shorter - I'll be at the oldie coasters!

Despite my joking about pressing on after my friend hit the wall and cried "uncle", I would never do that to anyone. We headed out at that point and only caught the ride on Iron Wolf on the way past because it was literally a walk on.