SFGAm announces Rip Tide Bay

[FParker185]

It would make it easier for the day when the park comes to it's senses and makes HH a separate gate.

[Goku1910]

It would make it easier for the day when the park comes to it's senses and makes HH a separate gate.

And you'll be paying for it.

[FParker185]

Well, either me or the $30-$40 separate admission charge, that could probably pay to build what was in the original blueprints.

[Necropolis]

I would actually prefer the entrance relocated. Only because there have been a few occasions where people have been wearing very REVEALING swim-wear and walking through the regular park after they went swimming. There were kids everywhere and I even saw a parent covering their kids eyes because the swim outfits were so revealing. Talk about enforcing rules and not having any manners and maturity.

[T.K.]

^ Come on, kids of all ages have seen totaly naked people already, it's not a secret to them. I don't know why people get so "OMG!" about it. Could they be jelous that they don't look like them? I noticed in Europe or even in french part of Canada, girls revealing her body, or guys in speedos, not a big deal at all. Some Americans are so closed minded... Ehhh.

When I was a kid, I have seen many people naked, people swearing and etc... and I'm a totally normal person today. Only adults over react.

1.) Kids will not be criminals or rapists or etc, after seeing person naked.
2.) People showing off their parts of body more or less, is their lifestyle not maturity level. Majority of mature people tend to be well educated, well educated people are not grossed out by nude people, because nothing is new to them .

[RagingFanatic]

And the Tantrum slide is nowhere near the first of it's kind, even outdoors

It's not the first of its kind...The site said first of its kind in North America. Correct me if I'm wrong...

[traincrossing9]

And the Tantrum slide is nowhere near the first of it's kind, even outdoors

It's not the first of its kind...The site said first of its kind in North America. Correct me if I'm wrong...

Omaka Rocka at Aquatica opened either last year or this year.

[monsterfan99]

^Omaka is a 2 person Topsy-Turvy slide. That said, ProSlide says there are 7 in North America in all 3 formats the ride comes in.

[DejaVu2001]

Looks like they're very close to pouring concrete for Monsoon Lagoon, maybe tomorrow. Also, the supports for the start platform on the slides are starting to go up.

[Necropolis]

^ Come on, kids of all ages have seen totaly naked people already, it's not a secret to them. I don't know why people get so "OMG!" about it. Could they be jelous that they don't look like them? I noticed in Europe or even in french part of Canada, girls revealing her body, or guys in speedos, not a big deal at all. Some Americans are so closed minded... Ehhh.

When I was a kid, I have seen many people naked, people swearing and etc... and I'm a totally normal person today. Only adults over react.

1.) Kids will not be criminals or rapists or etc, after seeing person naked.
2.) People showing off their parts of body more or less, is their lifestyle not maturity level. Majority of mature people tend to be well educated, well educated people are not grossed out by nude people, because nothing is new to them .

There are NEVER any naked people at the park. When have you seen THAT?Im sure you are a normal person, but not everyone is you. Everyone reacts differently to odd situations. Relax. This is not europe or canada, not every country will have the exact same ideas/values etc 100% as the next country. They can show off their bodies at the beach all they want, but when you are at a place where kids are, especially at our park for example, take responsibility and respect those around you and have some manners. Im sure all parents wouldn't appreciate naked people walking around the park when the have their kids with them. Don't forget the fines and probable jail time they would immediately get. But when theres rules you have to obey them, they're called rules for a reason. Swearing isn't new, the kids will obviously be exposed to that within time but we try our best not to expose them to THAT at an early age. When I am talking about kids I mean like 5-10 year olds. They are not mature enough to handle those kind of images. Yes well educated people know what naked people look like duh, but kids are not well educated duh too. Families bring in the most money income for the park and if we had naked people walking around the park we might as well kiss our park goodbye. Well educated people can do the math. SFGAm is a place almost all families do not go to on regular basis, and they would sure like to have some of the best times of their life there without any problems whatsoever. Its an experience to go to the park. I am just sticking up for the families who want to raise their kids the way most parents want to raise. Thank you.

[monsterfan99]

Did I miss the day when the park had naked day(s)?

And the park better be ready for the nudity caused by the FloRider. If people think it's just women loosing their bikini tops, think again. While waiting a 30 person line at Kalahari last year I saw 2 women loose their tops and a guy lose his shorts. No harm in any of it (kids in line were laughing with good reason) but you know some parents will complain about it

[T.K.]

^ haha I can't wait to put that up on youtube ;p

re: two posts up.
Yes I do get your point, and I do agree. I guess it's just how people tolerate that behavor, and btw I didnt say naked people in water park, I said that in general. I said about guys with speedos and girls exposing too much.

It will take years for Great America to bring in more families. I do think rip tide bay is perfect addition to the park, and it will bring in more families. Kids and youth like rides and atractions where there is theming to look at, or with special effects. So far rides in SFGAm history that were themed brought in more people then other rides. Batman The Ride was huge succes, themed like Universal would. Today we all know how it changed.

I do think that in future SFHH will be a seperate gate, original plans were ment for it.
As for SFI going back to what it was years ago now.. 1 train up in some parks and lack of theme, huge rides. SFGAm will still hold the tittle of the best in the chain, and hopefully it can fight back some ideas that SFI will try to bring or change. This park needs 4d attractions, dark rides, and retheming/theming existing areas/rides, and bringing back old theme to some (batman).

[wishman35]

Or to drive season pass sales, HH will be included with a season pass purchase. But a separate admission if you do not have one.

And then at the Hurricane Harbor gate, will be a season pass upgrade kiosk for $55 This way they will say well for $20 more you get to come free for the rest of the year!

[RobSFGAm]

I agree that HH should be separate charge/upgrade and would be fine paying an additional fee on a season pass for HH. There are a lot of times that I see people just sleeping on the lounge chairs in their clothes when people who are there (in swimwear) have no where to sit, especially around the wave pool.
As for the separate gate for HH I agree as well. Even if they would have an exit only to transition to a full separate gate. I know they put in games on the walkway to/from HH, but to be honest when I go with my kids we want to just get to HH and get a chair and the last thing I want to do is waste time playing a game, where I have to carry around a huge stuffed animal (Someone has to babysit this stuffed animal from walking away or getting wet...so what is the point in playing the games at the HH entrance).
Plus a separate entrance would allow the lines to get into the theme park a faster / smoother process since there would be less people with swim bags to be searched (at the theme park).

[BP317]

I think it works fine connected to the main park. It's a big seller of season passes, when it closes at 7 it dumps into the theme park and increases length of stay. The main problem having it connected to the main park is that it gets over-crowded, but obviously any company would rather have the park be over crowded than under. Plus with all the big, medium size, and small coasters has as well as their flat collection AND water park included it makes SFGAm one of the most well rounded seasonal parks in the world.

As for SFI going back to what it was years ago now.. 1 train up in some parks and lack of theme, huge rides. SFGAm will still hold the tittle of the best in the chain, and hopefully it can fight back some ideas that SFI will try to bring or change. This park needs 4d attractions, dark rides, and retheming/theming existing areas/rides, and bringing back old theme to some (batman).

More importantly than anything, in my opinion, SFGAm needs to improve the quality and speed of their food service (I havent been there since 08 but assuming it's the same as then, that department is in need of some serious help), and improve uptime on the attractions.

[6Flags4Evr]

If HH's popularity grows even more this season because of the expansion, which it probably will, I think Six Flags will then sease the oppurtunity for the additional fee. To be honest, I don't know why they have kept it a free addmission for this long anyway. I would think they would make more money if they had been charging seperate addmission for HH these past couple of seasons but thats just my opinion.

[T.K.]

^ Oh yeah, almost forgot about the food service
They indeed need to improve that ASAP. Long lines to get food, is no hungry's wolf favortie.

[Necropolis]

Some of the grammar needs to be cleaned up around here for some people. We can't understand what some of these posts are saying.

Its been a constant theme around this site and in real life that families do bring in the most money. We all know that here. Its been a reoccurring thought and statement that has been known and repeated a lot here. Its so obvious. More families already go to the park at this point in time, but obviously more families will go to the park in the future. Duh.

HH will be included in the season pass. Theres no doubt about that. I would like to see HH as a separate admission price for those who do not have a season pass, but then again pushing season pass sales would only encourage more people to get one and thus having more people at the park and then more crowdedness,etc. You get the picture. I really like the idea of having the entrance totally separate from the main park, because it was brought up before that the line process would be smoother due to no more swim bag checks at the gates. I hate waiting in the slow lines due to HH people. Ugh.

I'm actually pretty happy with the way the food lines move. Last season, the lines went fairly quick. I got in line at panda express, there were about 6 or 7 people in front of me, and waited no more than 3-4 minutes to get my food. No problem. Although the only thing I will say here is that the food, depending on where you get it, tastes like cafeteria food. Theres no doubt that some of the places have frozen precooked food and they just heat it up and serve it. The prices are ridiculously high. $15 for a pizza meal?? C'mon. I can get 3 pizzas for that same price at Little Caesars pizza. I'm sure the park takes advantage of the situation. I mean your at the park and I'm sure most people are tired by the time that they take a lunch/food break, then the people are too tired to go outside the park to get food, or to make their own food and go out into the parking lot to your car. People like fast and nearby service and convenience. Someone who is real tired is not going to take that extra step and go out to say like subway or mcds or burger king, etc which are all just on the other side of the street from the park. Thus they will most likely purchase food at the park because its right there in front of their faces.

I can wait for food. I'm not in a rush. I don't understand why people cannot wait to get food. Its not like your gonna pass out in the line. They should just invent a flash pass for the restaurants for people who want to move up to the front of the line at a restaurant. Now THAT I would really laugh my butt off if anyone actually got that.

[Necropolis]

On another note, Screamscape has posted something new which talks about HH.

"A little bit of new information about some of the new slides coming to Hurricane Harbor when it opens can be found in this article. In addition to Riptide Bay, the park will add two Mega Wedgie slides (dropout slides with a trap-door capsule at the top) as well as Dive Bomber, “another set of twin free-fall slides, ending in loops” which will also use a trap-door system at the top. They will also add Wipeout, a double-funnel raft slide.
Now unless something has changed from the early concept artwork, the Dive Bomber description in the article said to end “in loops” is misleading. As the previously released artwork shows off the slides ending with a large curving turns and not one of the new style AquaLoop slides."

Heres the link to that article that Screamscpae is talking about: http://triblocal.com/gurnee/2011/04/22/ ... t-america/

*The article pretty much confirms that the new rides for HH will be open memorial day weekend and that there will be no separate entrance for HH. It will be the same entrance as always, next to Viper.

[6Flags4Evr]

I was stalking on the webcam alot through out the day today and I have to say I was very impressed at how much they got done in a few hours. Most of the drop-out/looping slides are mostly complete as well as staircases leading up the tower platform and more work on the activity pool.

[Necropolis]

I was watching the webcam right now. I wonder if the thing on the bottom left, the white sandy stuff will be where the surf simulator will be going. It looks like they are working slow but then again we are restricted on the view. Also I live far from the park, I'm not gonna drive 45 minutes just to see the construction. haha. But I'm glad to see that they got that trench/pool at the end of the black and white striped slides on the right. I cannot wait to use the trapdoor that they are installing!! 40mph! I cant wait!

[DejaVu2001]

^ The surf simulator is not visible on the webcam, that is way to the left. All that is visible on the webcam is the slides and the end of Monsoon Lagoon.

[Paradise]

I still want my vertical drop slides....

[Necropolis]

Ugh...with all this rain that has been dumping on us lately, I wonder if Riptide bay will even be completed by opening day (next saturday). Do they even have to complete it by opening day because hurricane harbor doesnt even open until May 28th.

[Goku1910]

Ugh...with all this rain that has been dumping on us lately, I wonder if Riptide bay will even be completed by opening day (next saturday). Do they even have to complete it by opening day because hurricane harbor doesnt even open until May 28th.

As much as I hate to say it, I really doubt Riptide Bay will be ready.