While I understand both sides of this discussion, the real test here (as others have said) is time. Take a look at B:TR's queue, and you will know what I'm talking about.
Think back to 1992 when it first opened. Remember how nice and well kept the first part of the line looked? Lots of green grass, flowers, the working fountain, the sounds of kids playing and birds chirping over the speakers? Then, there is the whole "Bad" part of town, with the police car, the sounds, the effects, the working fan / fog in the sewer pipe and the lights under the grate on the floor.
Look at the ride line today, and it does not look as good as it did in 1992. Sure, its been 16 years, but the park should be able to perform the needed upkeep to keep it looking just as it did when it opened.
My point is the same thing could happen with TDK. I really hope it does not. We will just have to wait and see.
--Brian
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Dark Knight coaster confirmed for SFGAm in 2008
if anyone is interested in seeing some of the painting going on for the soon to be no gray box over at gadv....
http://www.gadvonline.com/photogallery/ ... p?album=38
I am sure SFGAm's TDK will get the same painting treatment on the building.
Brian: Big difference for theming waiting in a queue outside to ride a coaster. This one is meant to be a darkride so I am sure the theming will be kept up since it will be part of the ride experience itself. For the record, I have no problem with the way B:TR's queue is now. Sure, it was more realistic to the ghetto part of Gotham when it first opened, but the queue area as a whole is kept up. I finally retired the Sarah Palin signature because she is now 100% irrelevant.
A queue is often, and should be a setup for the ride itself. So if a queue isnt kept up properly, it does have a effect on the ride experience. I liked the queue for BTR when it was more realistic, than it is now and with SF's history I do have concerns for the proper upkeep of TDK as years go by.
As for BTR, i dont find the tv monitor's playing CMA/coke video's etc doing anything to keep up the theming of the ride. Now if the tv monitor's played clips of Batman movie's, that would more keep up with the theming of the ride, especially if they came up with new video to explain the reason we need to escape the batcave.
^ I was disspointed that some of the blacklights were replaced with regular flourescent lights and the overhead lights which were a soft white are now compact florescents, which takes away from the theming.
Wow, that painting is amazing! I can't wait to see ours fully painted!
 This is where I would usually put stuff. Can't think of anything right now... =/
Chitown, I agree with what you have said. I'm hoping that it does not happen, but looking at past history for rides and lines with a lot of theming, the odds are not that great. While B:TR still has a great line, some of the effects that it opened with are no longer there, or no longer working the same as they did before.
The same can be said about Demon. Look at every effect that was in place when that ride opened in 1980, and see how many are still there today. While both of these examples are for rides that are outside, and loosing part of the theming does not fully hurt the ride experience, I hope the park will do a better job to keep the theming working on TDK. If not, the ride experience would suffer. To use a phrase I heard a few times on 5/10 while in the park, TDK would be no more then a "Mouse in a box". I thought of an example of an indoor ride that had a lot of theming in the line, but has lost a lot of it over the years: Disaster Transport at Cedar Point. When I rode that in 1991, there was a full storyline with a few pre-shows areas. When I went back in 2004, none of that was in place. The rooms where still there, but they were empty. So, it can happen to indoor attractions too. Again, I don't want it to come down to that, and I am very excited at the money and effort the park has put into the ride. I'm just saying that I hope they continue with it. --Brian
I wonder how long they will keep the pre-show.
I really hope that GAm does a better job with keeping of with themeing than CP did with Disaster Transport. It'd be a shame if they didn't.
Great Adventuure's Dark Knight opens tomorrow, and only 7 more days for ours! I hope we're going to be ready. Anyone know where to find pictures of their opening day?
13 - GateKeeper
14 - Millennium Force 15 - Enchanted Tales with Belle
^ im going tomorrow for gadv TDK opening, will have pictures of the outside (not of the inside so i dont ruin it) and a full review once i get back.
Great Adventure Online went out today and got ALL the coverage of The Dark Knight Coaster! Check out over ninety pictures below!
     For more pictures, click below! http://www.gadvonline.com/photogallery/thu...ls.php?album=39 Hopefully, you guys got a bit more themeing then we did.. and these pictures spread some light on what you guys to get to enjoy in a few days!
And the 1st one opens! I am really looking forward to ours opening!
Less then a week away! Great pictures you took! I really am impressed with all the theming your TDK got. It is probably the best theming I've ever seen from Six Flags period. It looks like what theming should look like. I can only hope ours gets the same treatment. We shall see.This is where I would usually put stuff. Can't think of anything right now... =/
^Golden Kingdom still has the best themeing for Six Flags, in my opinion.
 The Dark Knight is almost like a random placed themed Dark Ride that goes extremely fast.
I can't wait until it comes out! I am going to SFGA May 25th, the day before Memorial Day, I should be able to ride Dark Knight then! I can't wait! Also, I am going to get the Gold The Flash Pass!
-jbujwit10 Six Flags Great America=GREATNESS! & THEN SOME!
it looks great!
http://themeparkcritic.com/scripts/profile/ViewProfile.asp?ViewID=2909
A furious storm once roared `cross the sea, catching ships in its path, helpless to flee. Instead of a certain and watery doom, the winds swept them here to Typhoon Lagoon! *****Are you ready to Rockit?!*****
Ah, I cannot wait til Wednesday! It is going to be awesome.
Whizzer isnt a bad ride at all!!!!!
Its is a classic family coaster that should be kept as long as possible.
Well, this is my review on the SIX FLAGS GREAT ADVENTURE Dark Knight, so it gives you guys just a little bit to what to suspect Wednesday, though you guys have a complete indoor queue line and more scenery then ours.
Well this is my review on the "new" Dark Knight Coaster after my first rides on it yesterday. First off, from entering the employee entrance onto the actual park (not park property), I was first blown away with the amount of work put into it since I last saw it back in only the second week of April. What caught my attention the most was the unique "two-layered" queue shading unlike El Toro's or Nitro's traditional little shade. This thing seemed really sharp and edged looking, and colored perfectly to the building around it. The actual building "eh"ed me. I was very disappointed to see that Gotham's skyline was never put up, since it was in the park, and that the other three sides of the building were not painted. The one side that was looked fabulous and stood out perfectly.. but the other sides were sure a disappointment. After themeing being a nessential to Six Flags, this was sure a shocker. The queue line though was extremely spacious and I believe is the perfect length for the ride after the next month of it being opened. Though again disappointed to see the fountain being cut out, the flag pole with the American flag was such a nice idea. Hopefully they will actually keep a flag on here now on, and maybe even add a GCR one in the near future? After the media event, and the ribbon cutting and the news media all around us, we were in! I was in the top five riders, and going to be the second train before the public and the media. The queue was perfect, and the landscaping was great! I want that landscaping in front of my house.. haha. The Six Flags TVs were perfect too, though the speakers seemed to be "blown" out? Meh, and the cursing. I would love if they add the Batman music they were playing when I first got to the media show... even if it was from Batman Returns and not the new Batman series. Once we enter the preshow room, it was pure amazing. It was Disney style themeing in every corner.. and a news report playing on the TV like we were waiting to catch our subway. NOTE IF YOU DO NOT WISH TO READ SPOILERS GO TO THE NEXT PARAGRAPH! Once everyone entered, the doors closed and we the lights were full blown. A news report went on about a traffic update until breaking news hit the television. Suddenly it was a Harvey Dent media conference (the irony that we were really at a media circus too!). The conference went on all the recent Joker attacks, and some little jokes. It went on a tiny bit too long but it is alright for it was probably timed so the inside queue would empty out for the the people in the preshow. Finally, when Harvey Dent mentions Batman the TV becomes all weird and the lights dim out. The TV starts rewinding and fast forward and random clips. And people in these clips saying Batman. Also the lights start to freak out going off and on and the words Haha and Why So Serious and What doesn't kills you make you.. Stranger appear all over the walls. It was insane, and the Joker appears on the TV and draws a smiley face on the TV. Suddenly the doors open, and Chillers old Spinning Lights "Warning Lights" start circling and basically telling you to evacuate. Into the indoor queue, which seemed to be themed to the control panel and security room for the subway underneath Wayne Tower. The TVs for the security had blood all over them and Joker Cards with smiley faces. The room has been all messed up with Joker Cards, and even rats! They aren't real, don't worry. At the end of the queue had a security camera screen, and if you look DIRECTLY at it, it puts a Joker face over yours. It is quite amusing, and something I love cause it makes the queue more interactive and more fun. Into the station, which was themed to be a Subway platform. It is really small, but still it is nice. They rush you onto the train due to it is always moving, but still it reminds me like Disney so it is alright. So now onto the ride. When you take the first right turn, there is basically the whole entire layout in front of your eyes to your right. Was kind of disappointed at that. The lift didn't look anything how I thought it would, more of less like blinking Christmas lights.. though it was still interesting. The turning left symbol followed which turned right which was neat. The ride layout itself was the most sick Wild Mouse I've ever rode. Ejector air and the sharped right hand turns! You speed. Sadly, for a themed ride that is not good. The themeing was so fast that it took me a ton of rides to actually get familiar with all the themeing. It wasn't in order either, as like the Joker screens went on before we past them and were off by the time we were passing them. That was very cool though. The scenery when it was there was amazing, though I felt as if they could had added more. I'll admit though, one of the best family coasters I've been on and I'll ride again and was indeed a GREAT addition for Six Flags! After the exit, we received our free Media ORP and actually wanted to ride again. It was a great ride for families. If you are looking for thrills, you'll be disappointed but if you are looking for a real experience, then this ride will be for you. I enjoyed it, not a top ten, well maybe for a mouse it is number one, but it was a great ride and thanks Six Flags for inviting us to the event and to ride!
Great footageClick Here
The coaster is supposed to open next week and the theming so far is so so. The building is still gray, the trees have little grass, and little flowers around them. The entrance building is probably the only part of it that is themed good. I am worried about the theming for ours. I'll post some pics I got today later.
This is where I would usually put stuff. Can't think of anything right now... =/
Question for anyone who may know. What time does TDK ceremony/grand opening begin on Wed? I have an exam until 10... so I wouldn't get down there until probably 11:30
 I'm assuming I would miss it, but i have high hopes, and that won't get my spirits down.Coasters Ridden: 131
Top 5: Maverick, El Toro, Voyage, Fahrenheit, Dominator
Go to the site now as fast as you can!!! This is so cool!!! Keep watching!!!
http://www.sixflags.com/greatamerica
I do not think that TDK will have any type of Grand Opening cermony on Wed. It will just open at 10 am like normal. Carlo
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