What happend to this Great America Ride Removal...

....Business?

I thought that Great America wasn't in the business of removing rides. They have a massive coaster count, adding is better than subracting---than adding again.

I think that the whizzer and shockwave should say. Sqweeze a roller coaster somewheres, there has to be room.

I don't understand these people, talking about land issues...? I would prefer a tight compact B & M Flyer rather than a stretche d one over pavement. So what if it goes over buildings or paths, that adds to the excitement.

As far as this BS crap about Great America pulling a KennyWood. PULEEEZ......Great America decided to gamble their reputation and pull the first sneaky publicity stunt since their entire existence of the park, so that it could win over a few thousand people (entusiasts and Whizzer fanactics)?

That is bogus, I don't think any park other than kennywood has pulled something like this.

CoasterSmith

RCT InSomniAcS

I actually like these announcements, at least it has people talking.

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Cuz When Your'e in the new World order, Brother, you're in it ---FOR LIFE!

There are starting to be a lot of topics on this, and again i hope Shockwave finds a new home, and i always thought this park had alot of space!?

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Im the #1 Canobie Lake Park Fan!!!These are my top 3 coasters:
1. S:RoS @ SFNE 2. Yankee Cannonball 3. Cyclone/B:TDK

Oh geez.

What makes one park a candidate for not being in the "removing ride business."?

If a park feels that an attraction needs to go, then it will.

And also, please don't make up stories about Six Flags pulling off a scam when you don't really know that it is true. Some people just like to make themselves feel better about a situation by doing so. Please don't in the future cause it makes you look really foolish.

I think it's a scam too. Obviously it boosted attendance a bit. I can tell. I don't blame that, it's sneaky but it works.

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(Former Signature replaced due to bad joke with accident) The Beast at night-Two peas in a pod? http://www.geocities.com/moviecoaster/safetyeditorial- Next article against Markey!

Ahh.. Shockwave is just another rough arrow looper. Besides anything could be in the location.. Even a nice Floorless B&M, Or maybe they modify shockwave the say that they did to Kennywoods Phantom.

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Also known as "akivota"
and "ROAR"

Hmm ... Kennywood comes up with a great idea, Six Flags has to copy it ... and my opinion of Six Flags as a company plummets even further ...

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Steel - #1 Kumba, #2 Millie, #3 Mantis ||| Wood - #1 Thunderbolt, #2 Villain, #3 Gwazi
"The key to a happy life is moderation" -- Jon Stewart

Yep...suuuure...Kennywood was the first company in the history of the world to change their mind after making an announcement due to popular demand...

(Hoping you notice the dripping sarcasm)

I can think of one company right off of the top of my head...Coca Cola and their ill-fated change to their formula...

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Goodbye Whizzer, dear friend. You set me rolling many years ago into this fun hobby...

RIP Whizzer: 1976 - 2002

Im sorry but taking out shockwave just for a flyer seems just horrible to me. Many people have memories of whizzer but I have memories of shockwave. It was my first coaster ever and I still love it. If they are going to use such a huge space it better be for something bigger than a flyer.

Kennywood didn't change their mind and I don't think Great America did either. It's been discussed before that this kind of decision was made way before anyone thinks. Announce one ride is going out so that there is public outcry and attendance is boosted and the rumor mills start, then once the public has been whipped into enough of a fury over something, tell them the real plan, which saves their beloved coaster (mostly in Kennywood's case) and is a good compromise for all. I'm not saying it's a bad idea, in fact, it's a great idea, Great America will probably have a great customer turnout for next year (at least comparative depending on the economy) but still, Kennywood did it first.

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Steel - #1 Kumba, #2 Millie, #3 Mantis ||| Wood - #1 Thunderbolt, #2 Villain, #3 Gwazi
"The key to a happy life is moderation" -- Jon Stewart

Who cares who did what first? On a more serious note, some of you have your minds made up that this was a scam all along. Unless you are in the top brass of Six Flags and know for sure, stop assuming things.

I personally believe the public outcry gave the park a change of heart.

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""To be the man, WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!, You got to beat the man""!!!

Your Kennywood theory doesn't hold water. Their "beloved" coaster was not saved. Removing the loops and replacing portions of the track completely changes the ride, and makes for a cheaper replacement. You cannot tell me that by taking these actions Kennywood was appeasing their customers. There were still many people pissed that the loops were gone.

The Whizzers format is not being changed or enhanced, a complete different situation than Kennywood.

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wof fan

I believe there are tons of areas that they could utilize for a new ride without removing anything yet. Except for a few shops of course. As is SFGAm dont have enough of those anyway.

I do believe removing Shockwave will free up a lot more land than Whizzer would. That should allow SFGAm to build possibly yet another ride in that spot besides the new for 2003 ride.

I believe that the land that Shockwave is on has already been given a height variance to 175 feet tall since Shockwave was there. So if the ride turns out to be taller than the 125 or 130 foot limit they may not need to get another variance for the new ride. Well in theory anyway.

I am sad to see any ride removed. However I am not as sad by the removal of Shockwave.

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Whizzer tribute page http://www.crosswinds.net/~zerogthrills/sfgam/whizzer.html
Zero G Thrills http://www.crosswinds.net/~zerogthrills/

Chitown,

We wil see. I am trying to find out more details from the Gurnee's zoning board meeting in July...the minutes have not yet been posted on the internet. the "announcement" of whizzer being "out" and a new ride going there was a few short days after the last scheduled meeting.

Given that, they probably got their variance approved (which is needed for all structures in the park between the heights of 120ft and 310ft.) during that meeting. The variance would be specific as to the location of the variance and would answer this conversation one way or another.

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Le roi est mort. Vive le roi.
Thanks Great America!

Ok, I am not talking about the design or the actual rides or anything concerning the rides themselves. I'm talking about the marketing tactic. Six Flags unoriginality just annoys me - from cloned coasters everywhere to cloned parks, to using a good marketing strategy, but still a cloned one none the less. They say the biggest form of flattery (sp?) is copying so I guess this is saying that the idea is a good one, but its just unoriginal. Thats my point, no inferred meanings, no conspiracy behind my words, just its unoriginal.

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Steel - #1 Kumba, #2 Millie, #3 Mantis ||| Wood - #1 Thunderbolt, #2 Villain, #3 Gwazi
"The key to a happy life is moderation" -- Jon Stewart

Beast,

A variance is needed no matter what. It is a new peice of contruction, thus it needs a new permit. New permit requires a new variance approval since the dynamics of the physical item in that place is different.

Example, SkyWhirl was taller than DejaVu, (wasn't it?) yet they needed to still get a variance http://www.gurnee.il.us/zoning_board/zba_minutes/09-27-00.html

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EDIT - Never mind, I found out that my memory of SkyWhirl's height was waaaay off from the Gurnee Zoning board meeting of Oct. 25, 2000...

"Mr. Wintrode noted that the Sky Whirl at 110 feet in height was the highest ride in the park when it opened"

I guess since I hadn't ridden it since I was very young, it just seemed taller.. ;)

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Le roi est mort. Vive le roi.
Thanks Great America!

*** This post was edited by redman822 on 8/9/2002. ***

I had thought that the Skywhirl was only 120 feet tall but I might be wrong.

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Whizzer tribute page http://www.crosswinds.net/~zerogthrills/sfgam/whizzer.html
Zero G Thrills http://www.crosswinds.net/~zerogthrills/

marokokisetter said:
Ahh.. Shockwave is just another rough arrow looper. Besides anything could be in the location.. Even a nice Floorless B&M, Or maybe they modify shockwave the say that they did to Kennywoods Phantom.
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Also known as "akivota"
and "ROAR"

I know how they'll modify Shockwave, they'll retrack it with B&M track, take out the Arrow trains and add Floorless trains, and change the layout a bit. That's how I'd like Shockwave modified. Shockwave does have memories, but I'd exchange 'em for Floorless memories anyday.

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What is it Lassie? Did Timmy fall down the well again? Rough. Did Mr. Wilson have a heart attack? Rough. Is the drug dealer here for his money? Rough Rough. RUN!

So basically, you want a B&M Shockwave....

Hello-

You are right, I don't know the park's intentions, I'm sure only a few people actually do. However, Don't turn around and blast me. All these people that are calling this a scam--they are doing the same thing I'm doing: Speculating.

There is nothing wrong with speculating, it makes a lot of conversastion on these boards.

By the way, Shockwave does sit on a nice plot of land. BUT--not only do we have to pray for a good coaster, but if it goes in the parking lot, we also have to pray for some landscaping---That's a helluva project to dig all that crap out.

At least with the Whizzer Site, removing some trees and the such would have taken care of most of the landscaping.

CoasterSmith

RCT InSomniAcS

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Hey Krax-

I was being sarcastic about Great America. I asked the question about gambling their reputation.

I bawk at these "enthusiasts" that for some reason call this for once decent move on behalf of Six Flags, a fluke.

You Un-Believers Are Pointers!

CoasterSmith

RCT InSomniAcS

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Cuz When Your'e in the new World order, Brother, you're in it ---FOR LIFE!