SIX 2O15

[TheBEASTunchained]

Six Flags NEW for 2O15:

[TheBEASTunchained]

Individual ride videos can all be found on Six Flags Park's YouTube channel.

[CedarPointer]

Hmm, some good new coasters, and some good new "coasters".

[McSalsa]

Some of my general thoughts:

Twisted Colossos & Wicked Cyclone: While Six Flags turning a bunch of their old wooden coasters steel is questionable, at least they do appear to become incredible coasters once built and these two look like no exception. Twisted Colossos in particular looks like it could give New Texas Giant- and thus nearly any other major coaster- a serious run for its money. And, by combining both sides into one track, it avoids the usual RMC shortness (Iron Rattler, Outlaw Run, and Goliath aren't very long at all) and is actually a very long ride. Wicked Cyclone also looks like a very fun, airtime-packed and twisted ride.

Batman: The Ride @ SFFT: The only other true new coaster in my eyes, but I'll get to those next. For now, this...could go either way. It could be an awesome ride, but it looks kinda cheap and gimmicky from the video and will likely have dreadful capacity. This one is a wait-and-see, and I seriously doubt this will challenge Fury 325, Thunderbird, or the RMC's for best new coaster 2015...

Mega Loops @ Various Parks: WHAT THE HECK!?!? This type of ride really should have no place in huge amusement parks like Great Adventure, especially when there are full blown full-circuit looping coasters in the park like Bizarro & Green Lantern in the same park. If you were looking to improve your flat ride lineup, there were other, better options. And if you're thinking of counting these as actual roller coasters, Six Flags, then I pity you...and yes, I have ridden one of these before and while it's a good ride it is no replacement for a real looping coaster.

Justice League Battle for Metropolis @ SFStl & Over Texas: This is actually IMO one of the cooler additions- I like the concept and if they pull it off well, I'm sure these will be a hit.

Maison Rouge @ La Ronde: A year-round haunt maze themed to clowns? Pretty interesting. Looks pretty cool, too.

Others: None of the other stuff seems too noteworthy, just some water attractions and yet another SkyScreamer. But for those parks I'm pretty sure those are going to be solid additions.

Overall: While I liked the RMC coasters, Justice Leauge, and Maison Rouge a lot some of the other new additions- mainly the Mega Loops since half the parks seem to be getting them- don't make much sense to me and kinda soiled this announcement a bit. Also a bit disturbing is that, outside of RMC, the last true new steel or wood coaster at Six Flags was X-Flight in 2012...have they been saving up for some huge additions, or is Six Flags done with huge coasters period...

[bkroz]

^Maybe they are. It's a different time. That said, the Mega Loops don't exactly align to the time I thought we were in... We'll see. Right now, they've struck gold with the conversions of their wooden coasters. And if you ride them "before" and "after," it would be pretty daft to even begin to assume they're the same or even similar. They ARE new coasters, it's just a new way of creating them.

These dark rides... VERY interesting.

Animatronics provided by Sally Corp.

Interactive elements designed by Alterface.

The "multi-DOF" vehicles by Oceaneering... The people behind Spider-Man and DarKastle.

Hmm...

This is NOT a straight-up-Sally dark ride like the one in Australia.

[The Interpreter]

Things are not as they seem

Skim milk masquerades as cream.

And the kitties lap it up.

When the moon hits your eye

Like a big pizza pie

That's Apollo.

[Hank]

I think RMC is old news anymore. Once you've been flipped, it's all the same. Besides - all of the great feelings that a wooden coaster gives are gone.

The S&S thing (Batman The Ride) looks interesting. I wondered how they were going to give the idea some length, but they did.

The 360 degree circle thingys are great - the thrill of these cannot be duplicated by other current rides, so until then, they have an earned spot in the amusement business.

Haunted houses, such as the one being built, will have a finite lifespan - unlike the old-style fun houses which never go out of style. Once new technology is developed, and this happens quite fast, the new stuff will be out-dated and seem pong-ish.

And just how many more water parks can the country sustain? The market is flooded (no pun intended) and something is gonna fold-up soon.

[The Interpreter]

Have you ridden an RMC conversion?

If not, you have no idea.

New Texas Giant is undoubtedly my second favorite steel coaster...unless SFGAm's Goliath is...

[Hank]

I just never got into upsidedown stuff. I can't feel anything so to me it's a waste of money spent to twist track - money that could have been used to give other experiences on a coaster....taller lift hill, longer ride, more air time hills, etc.

[NoChickens]

As has been stated more times than I can remember, you may not be the target market.

[Gplez90]

Wow! Im impressed! I love what SFMM did with Twisted Colossus. Two lift hills? Count me in! And Wicked Cyclone? definitely count me in! I think i like Wicked Cyclone better though. As for the other additions, i feel as if the only other addition that is noteworthy are the Battle For Metropolis additions at SFSL and SFOT.

P.S. I am a huge fan of Six Flags' super original ride naming....... Kidding

EDIT: What's with the horrid music in the Twisted Colossus video? That'll really get you pumped up for the 2015 season... Now the question becomes, can Six Flags actually get these RMC coasters up and running by "Spring 2015"?

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Joncars05]

2015 the year of the mega loops... hahaha

[medford]

I'll give the marketing department an A+ for finding a enough unique ways to describe all of those super loopers that a person paying half attention may not notice that its the same ride in however many parks with different "theming". Having never been on a ride of this nature I won't dismiss it, but based upon looks alone, I'll take my Viking Fury every day of the week.

How exactly is the Batman ride different from Green Lantern? I mean that seriously, I've never bee on Green Lantern, but it looks similar, though a different manufacturer. Looks like it could be fun, but looks like a capacity nightmare.

The RMC conversions look awesome, as have all of the other wins 6 Flags has done recently. Its a shame they're losing a perfectly good woodie for them, but they both look entirely enjoyable. If the ride cycle (ie coaster interaction) on Twisted Colossus runs just like it does on the POV, that would be awesome, I just wonder if a handful of idiots is going to make them cycle the rides so the two coaster never really see each as the pass around the track. I wonder how much savings there is b/w the conversation of this ride compared to building it from scratch? I'd love to see something like that at KI, but not at the expense of The Beast or Racer.

[Gplez90]

I have my doubts about Twisted Colossus being able to be timed perfectly like that at all. When i visited SFMM last month (and every other Six Flags park as well) timing was really their strong suit. The ride ops move around the station at an incredibly slow pace, usually taking anywhere from 3-5 minutes to dispatch the next train. It'll be interesting to see if they can pull it off consistently.

[silver2005]

I think its very clever what they did with Colossus. Its basically like how Smiler was designed, where its all a mobius track and the ride is still a racing coaster, and you only need one crew at the station vs 2 to operate it. I'm also glad they put in the double downs and double ups that Colossus used to be famous for.

Also, at least with Colossus and Wicked Cyclone, they are using the Iron Horse track, so there is no question they are steel coasters now.

Speaking of Wicked Cyclone, I am dissapointed I never got to ride it when it was still a woodie. I was rather intrigued by its layout. I'm seeing a lot of outside banked curves on the steel version.

Batman: The Ride turned out different than I thought. I expected S&S's Free Fly design to have an actual layout, not what is essentially a clone of an Intamin Ball Coaster. This is yet another example of a company taking an Intamin design and, hopefully, making it better. I might be paying a bit more attention to this just to see how S&S coasters fare over time.

For the rest, I really didn't think SFGAm was going to get anything seeing that they recieved 2 major roller coasters over the past few years. They could use a year to just work on the little things, especially for their big 4-0.

Can't really say much about the rest. The dark rides might turn out well, though I don't know how well Six Flags has pulled off dark rides. The Giant Loops are starting to grow on me, and Six Flags can have their 'Giant Loops are roller coasters' advertising all they want, I think even the GP realizes they're not coasters, but I think they'll make decent additions none-the-less.

[MrPKI]

I'll give the marketing department an A+ for finding a enough unique ways to describe all of those super loopers that a person paying half attention may not notice that its the same ride in however many parks with different "theming".

I agree with this. And in general, I'm glad that they actually chose to give all four different names and themes. Based on history one might assume an across-the-board name like Sky Screamer, Goliath, or Batman: The Ride would have been chosen. I can see it being up for debate whether this type of ride is the best choice for the parks receiving it (particularly SFGAdv and SFDK), but I like the way they have personalized each installation for the park. Special mention goes to SFOG, since they appear to be filling up that empty blacktop space in front of the stunt show arena AND they're putting in the extra Tilt-A-Whirl (best surprise of the announcement, haha).

How exactly is the Batman ride different from Green Lantern? I mean that seriously, I've never been on Green Lantern, but it looks similar, though a different manufacturer.

I understand the main difference to be the magnetic fins situated at various points along the track. These fins encourage extra spins/flips as the car passes over them. So the flipping motion falls somewhere between completely controlled (X2) and completely free spin (Green Lantern).

[thekidd33]

I have my doubts about Twisted Colossus being able to be timed perfectly like that at all. When i visited SFMM last month (and every other Six Flags park as well) timing was really their strong suit. The ride ops move around the station at an incredibly slow pace, usually taking anywhere from 3-5 minutes to dispatch the next train. It'll be interesting to see if they can pull it off consistently.

I would bet after media day the chances to "high five" will be few and far between.

[Merthecat]

My reaction:

[silver2005]

In reference to the possibility Colossus won't be timed like that, RMC could tinker with the sensors to make it work. For instance, have it where the chain motor on the 2nd lift slows until the train on the first lift gets to a certain point then gets back up to speed in order to coordinate the dueling moments. Dueling Dragons at IOA had a similar system in place where it weighed the trains and set the chain speeds accordingly. There are ways to work around the inconsistent crews.

[Gplez90]

^^ Theres no doubt that the manufacturers can get it right, but can Six Flags/the seasonal employees get it right? My previous experiences with Six Flags ride capacity tell me no. My hopes and wishes tell me yes.

[silver2005]

I just re-watched the video- did Six Flags honestly just call one of their looping rides a 'hangover coaster'?

[thedevariouseffect]

Just watched the video

Six Flags pulled a Kinzel and bought the same ride for practically every park..

Critiques later when I have time..

The way the CEO says world cracks me up..and his eyes go big lol

[coasterfanatic83]

Both of the hybrids look like phenomenal rides. I hate to see it at the expense of classic wooden coasters, but those rides look very intriguing.

I feel like the mega-loop rides belong more at county and state fairs and small family parks than at a big chain like Six Flags. I can't imagine capacity being very good one those either...

[bkroz]

Stupid complaint but Twisted Colossus looks a little silly to me having a green and blue track. Why not the "classic" red vs. a gray track or something? Small complaint, but it would be cool to play up the iron / metal look.

As for the loops, definitely pretty well marketed. I do think it's an odd choice, but if they can get people in the gate for a million-dollar carnival ride, then more power to them. Seems like it's just one step below Premier's launched loop coasters (what's the name of that model? Like Busch Gardens' 2015 coaster or Superman at Discovery Kingdom?)

And in the whole thing, there's only two "family" rides: the Spinsanity flat at Six Flags Over Georgia and Mexico's SkyScreamer. Which is fine, I guess, but not the trend we've seen at other parks / chains. Maybe that's a drawback of this mass-announcement type. If everyone else is getting a thrill ride / coaster and your park is getting a nighttime show or family flat, it stings.

[Gplez90]

Stupid complaint but Twisted Colossus looks a little silly to me having a green and blue track. Why not the "classic" red vs. a gray track or something? Small complaint, but it would be cool to play up the iron / metal look.

Im actually kinda glad to see Six Flags using a different color track for an RMC coaster, but i do think the changing colors (most specifically the choice of the changing colors) is kind of odd.

[KI Guy]

You guys don't realize how fun those ring loopers can be. I rode one at Lake Winnie, the smaller version I think. I think they're great.

[Merthecat]

Yeah, but...claiming it as a coaster? Come on...

[Dieseltech20]

No worse than claiming the same for Surf Dog.

[silver2005]

Go look at any of the Facebook pages of the Six Flags parks that are getting the looping rides, even the GP is privy to knowing they're not roller coasters.

[Spectrum91]

Let's face it, no theme park, or amusement park for that matter, that is perennial and sticks to one spot, has one of these.

Actually, Elitch Gardens in Colorado opened Brain Drain this year, which is the same model as the four SIX parks are adding.

Mega Loops @ Various Parks: WHAT THE HECK!?!? This type of ride really should have no place in huge amusement parks like Great Adventure, especially when there are full blown full-circuit looping coasters in the park like Bizarro & Green Lantern in the same park.

This seems to be the general census among enthusiasts, and I can't understand why. Ignoring the fact that they're being marketed as coasters, they're no different than other flat rides, which most people seem fine with. And from what I've heard, these are larger, more fun versions than typically found at carnivals.

Haunted houses, such as the one being built, will have a finite lifespan - unlike the old-style fun houses which never go out of style. Once new technology is developed, and this happens quite fast, the new stuff will be out-dated and seem pong-ish.

How is that different from old-style fun houses, which did indeed go out of style... hence why they're no longer a staple at all amusement parks, as they were in the mid 20th century.

The RMC conversions look awesome, as have all of the other wins 6 Flags has done recently. Its a shame they're losing a perfectly good woodie for them, but they both look entirely enjoyable. If the ride cycle (ie coaster interaction) on Twisted Colossus runs just like it does on the POV, that would be awesome, I just wonder if a handful of idiots is going to make them cycle the rides so the two coaster never really see each as the pass around the track. I wonder how much savings there is b/w the conversation of this ride compared to building it from scratch? I'd love to see something like that at KI, but not at the expense of The Beast or Racer.

I was afraid of the same thing. Twisted Colossus looks incredible in the POV rendering, but slow operations may create a totally different attraction. Also, I'm afraid of a Dueling Dragons like incident, which will cause the park to no longer race them.

Go look at any of the Facebook pages of the Six Flags parks that are getting the looping rides, even the GP is privy to knowing they're not roller coasters.

The common commenters on Facebook aren't an accurate representation of the GP either, it's more frequently a level inbetween enthusiasts and GP. And, just to point out, the only reason some of those top comments are indeed at the top is because enthusiasts continually "Like" them and push them upwards.