Six Flags Great America announces Buccaneer Battle

Sounds cool. SF still needs to invest a MAJOR coaster somewhere. Maybe a big honkin' flyer.

Why do they need to?

Clearly, SFGA has a honkin' flyer deficiency.

This ride sounds great! From all the things that I've read, the one at Dollywood was a big success. Hopefully SF will put these rides in at more of their parks, as they sound like great interactive rides for the whole family.

Good addition to the park. I loved the one at Dollywood. This will be a great way for people to cool off without waiting in line, too, as it has a nice water "area of effect".

Only concern is the ride capacity. I'm not sure that this is the highest capacity ride. They need to buy some really high capacity attractions to eat the gi-normous crowds they get during the summer.

Biggest complaint other than the high prices I hear is that people don't like spending the big money to visit only to ride on three attractions during an entire day because of the long lines for even the crummy rides.

It is a fun ride system but it will be a capacity NIGHTMARE.

I rode this at DW on the Saturday after memorial day and it had 90+ minute waits...at SFGAm it will be insane.

Nice, but I'm still hoping a thrill ride comes along soon with Deja Vu's removal. Is there not a water park they've tended to quite frequently steps away?

And one could argue GAm has a flyer deficiency ;)

Well just another area to cross off of Shapiro's list of how to make the parks more well rounded. First kids with wiggles world, then TDK in the "tween" category, now this for the family category, looks like its nearly time to hit the teen young adult category....

Question: Would this ride be better off placed in the waterpark? Not suggesting that they could at SFGAm (I honestly don't know about space consderations at the HH in that park)....just I've always been intrigued by the idea of StCs, FSSs, etc. being placed in waterparks. Noah's Ark's Flash Flood was one of the most popular StC rides I've seen. And I guess I don't need to mention where PP is going in at that park in Southgern Indiana... ;)

How long of a ride is this?  It seems to me 10 boats with 8 people each

will be a big improvement on capacity over Deja Vu.

one of the reasons they gave for Deja Vu removal was capacity. They have put a lower capacity ride in its place.

A park of their size should be thinking more about capacity IMO.

^I was wondering if they'd considered "doubling up", a la Promeval Whirl. I'm always thinking about the capacity of new rides, and if this turns out to be as popular as I expect it to be (with considerable STAYING power) - it might have made sense to expand the area a little and put two "Splash Battle" rides intermingled - a Twisteed Twins on water. :)

^^^ I would bet this has higher capacity than DV. DV was what? 32 riders every 8 minutes?

Still wish they would just put back the Sky Wheel...

Whats wrong with the capacity? a pretty smooth moving boat process, 10 boats, that's 80 people on at a time. That capacity can't be bad, I would say it seems like it will be a more high capacity attraction. As long as operation keeps moving and the loading unloading process goes smoothly (which there no reason it shouldn't) I think it will be a pretty highly ranked ride in terms of capacity at the park. The mack website lists two capacities depending on models and boats and all that stuff, lowest being 900pph highest being 1800 pph. I mean if they are hitting 900 pph that is more than a high enough capacity ride.

People do NOT load/unload quickly from water attractions. If they hit 900pph, I'll be shocked. Completely. 600pph seems more likely, with 750 being a reasonable target. They hit 1,800, I vow to walk to Gurnee to ride it. ;)

I think the Splash Battle is one of the best inventions ever- what a great concept for families and especially kids who love to shoot at things and get wet. For some reason park goers love to get drenched with all their clothes on, so I can't imagine that the ride wouldn't be wildly popular wherever one is built. I've yet to see a really great installation like the one at Dollywood, and this one sounds fantastic too, but even the small one at Indiana Beach was entertaining and we had a ball watching.(and shooting).

I'm not sure what the pph statistic for this ride would be, but it seems like 10 boats with 8 riders each would put at least 60 riders at a time out on the course, and if operated efficiently, might be a continuous loader. Furthermore, what's really good for the park is that it's also a continuous money maker. That is, if spectators can only arm their cannons by depositing a quarter or a token, which is how I would have it if it was my park. Not only would it make money, but it would also keep the crowd of spectator/participants moving along while everyone took their turn. I've seen people drop quite a bit of change for the chance to bomb raft riders with geysers and this would certainly be as popular an activity if not more so.

I'd look for more and more of these to turn up. I'm surprised Cedar Point hasn't tried it somewhere. And actually I predicted we'd see one in the water where the swan boats used to be. (No need to be unhappy about it, though, since Maverick is there instead, but I bet someday they pick one up for somewhere.)

Your assuming that SFGAm will run the ride at full capacity. How often to you see all the Roaring Rapids boats in use? Even Dark Knight was suppose to run with more trains, but that didn't work out. I am predicting if you see 8 boats in use, it would be a good day.