Six Flags Great America's Whizzer to close Aug. 11

StealthmF5m3, I can't believe you said that. How can you be glad that the park is removing a ride like the Whizzer. Sure, it's not the most thrilling ride in the park but still.... :(

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Don't Fight It, Ride It, RAGING BULL!!!!!!- SFGAm

Some of you tend to forget that a coaster need not be "thrilling" to be a key part of a park's collection. If that was the only criteria, we wouldn't have the scores of kid and family coasters that have been built the last few years.

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Jeff - Webmaster/Admin - CoasterBuzz.com, Sillynonsense.com
7/27: Subdivision Cam becomes party cam at the year's hottest Ohio luau!

Everbody hoping for it to go to another park, IT WILL NOT! That ride is literaly duct taped together! I am serious. If you want to see for yourself, go there befor Aug. 11, and in the lower part pf the station look to the left (left being left as you enter the "house". You will see a valve or something made out of duct tape.

I guarantee if parks built all coasters over 200ft, the general public would lose interest very quickly. WHY??? Because the general public likes variety. Most of them dont travel to other parks, they mostly visit one or two parks out of the year. They like variety in rides and coasters. The variety does come in big coasters, however, there are more smaller ones that bigger ones. For example, look how many Wild Mouse coasters are being built. The GP really enjoy these rides because while they do have somewhat of a thrill, they are more geared towards families, and those who are not up to riding the big coasters. Even take a look at all the wood coasters. Most dont even break 100ft, and yet, they still give good rides. If you build a park with nothing but hypers and gigas, just declare bankruptcy now, because its the families that bring in the money. There are more families than thrillseekers.

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Take a Virtual Ride:
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Mike "Viper" Semtak

:( My whole family is at SFGAm today too. And I decided to be a good employee and come to work.

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If you're skating on thin ice, you may as well tap dance.

The phone message says:

"In preparation for future attractions in 2003, this will be the last season of The Whizzer roller coaster. Capture one more ride before it's final date of operation, Sunday, August 11th, 2002."

And now for my comments:

AttractionS. Could this mean mor than one attraction will be put in Whizzer's space?

I don't care at all. I had my final ride this season. I'm not sad to see it go.

For you who say "We dont have enough family attractions", we have FOUR water rides. And Raging Bull is fine for seven year olds. Why? No inversions! And I don't think many kids coming to Six Flags mind speed. We also has a good amount of flat rides, and even a kids area. No wait, TWO kids areas. American Eagle forwards is very family. My mother and I rode it alot when I was tall enough. Not enough family? BAAAAAAAAAAAH!

(I'm psyco, TYVM)

Think about this- If they take out Demon in two years, we'll have everything we need for a vintage Marriott's Great America to be built elsewhere: Sky Whirl, Hay Baler, Cajun Cliffhanger, Whizzer, and even possibly a restored Turn Of the Century! Just order a few flat rides and we're in business!

It'll never happen, but just imagine how they could theme the park to 1976 style!

Now that would be fun.

Lets think about this! Who Said it would go down in August! Now I think that we will get a SUF there. I have my evidence and I dont care if no one else thinks this is what is happening i know were getting a B&M flyer right there!

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Have you ever been to SFGAm and seen Deja Vu closed? If you have then go again and it WILL BE DEJA VU!

Sorry I couldn't hear you, The voices in my head are drowning you out.

SFGAM man, with all due respect, if you are 'in the know' about the plans, why does the announcement say "attractions" plural. And what are they, then?

I am not doubting your info, but if everyone seems to know that a B&M Flyer is going into the Whizzer's, area, then shouldn't everyone else know what's going into the park in addition?

I am just playing devil's advocate.

"Without suffering, life has no meaning."

And so ends the legacy. The oldest roller coaster in the park is going down. sniff Sorta brings a tear to your eye, don't it.

I think they are getting that Superman ride. I dont know how many roller coaster ethusiasts or whatever they are , I have heard in lines at the park say the same thing. Guys from all over the country.

I wouldn't count on the Whizzer being installed at another park, no matter what Six Flags says! The Big Bend at SFOT was supposed to be installed at SFSL, and it's still rusting away in their bone yard! Coasterguy is right, Six Flags will totally BOTCH the dismantling, so that it CAN'T be installed at another park! That's what they do to rides that are that old! Do you really expect an old relic from the 70's to go to another Six Flags park in 2003? Get real! IF it survives, it WON'T be installed at any park inside the US!

I hate to say it, but I saw this coming. This has been heavily rumored for 2-3 years now, if not longer. When the rumors starting really flying, I had a feeling it was going to go - so when I rode it last a few weeks ago, I did so realizing that it would probably be the last. Sad... I liked that coaster. It wasn't painful like Demon or Shock Wave... just nice and relaxing - I could ride it all afternoon. Plus, it was my first coaster also.

As far as next year goes... I strongly believe the B&M Flyer rumor. Not only because it's the predominant rumor at the moment (in fact, is there anything else rumored for that area?) but also because it's Six Flags' latest novelty coaster, which means, much like the stand-up and the inverted coasters before it, every major Six Flags park will have one. Just watch, as soon as the work out the kinks with X, the 4D will start circulating among all the parks also - it's the Six Flags way.

Regarding the mentions of "new attraction(s)" next year...First, I think if they do put a new coaster in place of the Whizzer, the Hometown Fun Machine will go to or be relocated. If they relocate it, that could be the other attraction. Either that or another flat ride (they could use a newer, more innovative one!!). On the other hand, I have a feeling something new is going to replace the recently removed Power Dive. I doubt another coaster (although I love that Wild Mouse rumor!!) but something. We'll See...

Farewell Speed Racers.

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Fear the Wrath of the Orient Express!!
http://www.wofcoasters.com

I have to disagree with what Swimmerkev said about having enought family rides...yes we have two kids areas, and you mentioned that 7 year olds can ride Raging Bull and you rode Eagle with your mother.

But, if you notice, Raging Bull is only for people over 54 inches tall. On Eagle, you need to be 48 Inches or taller to ride.

With the exception of the Kiddy Coaster over in Camp Cartoon Network, name a coaster at the park besides Whizzer, that you can ride and be UNDER 42 inches? You can't can you...Nope! You can ride Whizzer with an adult at 36 inches. I've taken my 4 year old on it, and he loves it. That is the problem....with them taking out Whizzer, we loose that jump between kiddy coaster and Raging Bull for a stepping stone...yes most young kids (like 7 to 15 year olds) will ride and love Raging Bull, Eagle, Shockwave, etc...but younger kids that think the Kiddy Coaster is to small, but not tall enough for Eagle, Raging Bull, Viper, etc can ride Whizzer. Also, Whizzer is a gentle family ride that everyone can enjoy. It does not go that fast, has no loops, and has a great layout thought the woods.

I am very sad to see this ride go, and will be out at the park on August 11th to get in my last rides. I do hope that whatever happens to the ride, it ends up going somewhere else, so other people can enjoy it for years to come.

As far as rumors go for what will replace it....I have heard the B&M flyer rumor as well...I have also heard rumors that a flat ride will be put in place of Power Dive. But again, until the park makes an official statement, we can only guess at this point.

I do know at this point that no height varriances have been submitted to the Village Of Gurnee. So, this tells me a few things:

1) The new attraction that will replace Whizzer or go where Power Dive was is under 125 feet. If the park builds anything over 125 feet, they need a Height Variance from the Village of Gurnee to do so (and it must be under 304 feet, which I beleive is the height of Sky Treck Tower).

2) Either attraction could be over 125 feet, and they have yet to request the variance. Which, would be kind of odd, since we are gettting into the latter part of the season in a few weeks...with Whizzer set to close on August 11th, construction on the new attraction could start as early as October or November...that is only 3 months away..I would think the park would want to make sure they had the needed varriances in place well before this.

Of course, not knowing how tall the other B&M flyers are, they might not even need one for the ride.

--Brian Plencner
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E-mail: saurses@attbi.com
*** This post was edited by Brian A. Plencner on 7/25/2002. ***

Air is 65'7" high, S:UF is 115' high. I just hope we'll need a height variance...

X-Flight is also 115' high, and I personally thought it was slower than a snail in a tar pit, but maybe B&M can make me forget a lack of speed.

JoNoJ27
---Who hopes Gurnee gets a height variance request... *** This post was edited by JoNoJ27 on 7/25/2002. ***

Well, this does not sound too surprising, since there have been rumors appearently swirling round and round lately about this. Also, since some of you "claimed" you knew the information, so I figured an announcement was in order sooner or later.

What really befuddles me about this is that I thought Six Flags stated not too long ago that they "are not in the business of tearing down rollercoasters, but building them" so this places some irony on this whole topic.

I will miss Whizzer as well. I loved it was I was a youngin' and it will place a fond memory as my first major rollercoaster. I have, however, been finding that it just was not thrilling enough the past couple of seasons. I always wanted to turn to the larger rollercoasters much faster, and push the Whizz aside.

So, this really leaves me at a 50/50 angle on this whole demise. I really do hope that what we get next year will be largely worth it, and will be appealing to the visual eye. If it is a couple of attractions, then go SF! Maybe something for the families too... which would be quite a change from what SF has been doing lately with other parks.....

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Off to CP in August, Hopefully off to two other parks in July though!! YEA!!!! :-D It will be a good summer!
Questions:
smles@ilstu.edu

Even if the new coaster is 125ft high, that would be a sufficient height. They already have a 170ft looper, 147ft woodie, 208ft hyper, 178ft giant inverted boomerang, and a 185ft impulse.

Look at Batman and Iron Wolf, they are both under the 125ft scale and both pack a serious punch. The same can hold true for a B&M flyer(if thats whats going in).

Brian. They have plenty of time to get the height variance approval if it is needed. From what I remember correctly, they didnt seek the height approval of DV and V2 until the off-season. Also, the village of Gurnee wont turn the park down if its needed. History shows that whatever height the park wants for a coaster, they get 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!

I imagine that the new coaster that will replace Whizzer will be less than 125ft.

The last 3 coasters installed at SFGam were all over 175ft (Deja Vu, Vertical Velocity, & Raging Bull). I think the park will hype the new ride for it’s new (or newer) technology, not height or speed. There is still the possibility that some prototype could debut that will take everyone by surprise, but the flying coaster rumor seems most logical for that space.

Batman & Viper are both under 125 ft, and they’re remarkable coasters. Whatever they build will be fantastic. Height isn’t everything, and I think those coasters and our beloved Whizzer (R.I.P.) proves that.

Traditionally, whenever Great America has replaced a coaster or ride, something better has appeared in it’s place. Z-Force was removed and Iron Wolf rose in it’s footprint. Tidal Wave was sacrificed for Batman. Rolling Thunder made way for Viper & Raging Bull. Sky Whirl made room for Déjà vu.

I was quite fond of all these older rides, and was sad to see them go (with the exception of Rolling Thunder), but I wouldn’t trade them for what replaced them.

Prior to this announcement, I was hoping that a new coaster would be installed in the Power Dive/Cajun Cliffhanger area, with inversions, twists and curves over the midway & possibly over the Rapids ride. It would have preserved the Whizzer and make excellent use of a lackluster part of the park. After hearing this announcement, I’m guessing that the “AttractionS” mentioned in the phone message hints at something being built in this area that would appeal to families that will be disappointed by Whizzer’s removal. I could definitely see 1 or 2 family oriented flats added along with the B&M Flyer (or whatever it will be). Even a modern wild mouse type coaster could be an option… a great way to increase their coaster count and hit a variety of demographics.

I'm turning 30 August 2nd, so I guess my final ride on the old Whizzer will be kind of a rite of passage... a way of saying goodbye to my youth.

Even with both these events on the horizon, I feel optimistic about the future...

Cheer up everyone. I have a feeling next season is gonna be great!

Hey turn of the century, ever hear of some small things known as flat rides? Of course they will be getting a flat ride or two in that area along with superman because it's such a small coaster and really doesent take up a ton of room! Also they could be building other attractions around the park the same year! But i have spoken to several park supervisors who sang the same tune about whizzer in august and they all had one thing to say about the new coaster, Flying! One security gaurd said something about us getting a supercoaster like X but I just blew that off because arrows broke :-(

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Have you ever been to SFGAm and seen Deja Vu closed? If you have then go again and it WILL BE DEJA VU!

Sorry I couldn't hear you, The voices in my head are drowning you out.