New Ride(s) for 2014

[T.K.]

I wouldn't be surprised if we get two new rides this year. One being a Sky Screamer in Rajun Cajun place- since there isn't any tower rides in that section of the park. And another one being a dark ride in Southwest, since nothing has been added there in over a decade.

If we get Sky Screamer it might be "free" since SF has bought so many already. So they will only pay for the new dark ride.

Btw today should be another hint.

[bluebear816]

I'm going today, so I'll keep you posted on what I find.

[RobSFGAm]

My friend who went to the park yesterday thought he saw something while going up the lift hill of batman. I dunno he might be trolling... could anyone confirm these claims?

What is "something"?

He says it looks like a sign...once again he could be joking. But still

There is an official Village of Gurnee sign with the date of August 23, 2013. There is one at Washington Street that i have personally seen.

[RobSFGAm]

Keep in mind that if they are going to the Gurnee board, (8/23) they are asking for a 125+ foot variance. Pictorium being converted to 4D would not require this. Also, if they re-tracked the Eagle (Track Topper), they would not have to go to the board unless they were adding larger hills (going over the 125 mark).
X-Flight just made it under the 125 foot so SF did not have to go in front of the board.

Actually they would have to go the board, because American Eagle is 127 feet tall. But they are not going to redo American Eagle, well at least not for 2014.

I live in Gurnee and have been to many village meting and if they were re-tracking the Eagle, but not changing the structure, they would not have to go before the board. It is no different when a business gets a new sign graphic (that is the same size) they do not have to go before the board.

The main reason for going before the board is so when a new ride is added, it's location changed or a ride is made larger, then need to go before the board so that the residences can voice concerns (usually about noise in relation the their houses).

[T.K.]

"Follow the journey of the ground breaking attraction... Sky Screamer- breaking height at 315ft"

[RagingBull14]

What about something like this http://youtu.be/uABlCbTV3qc

[PfightingPolish]

Yes, we know for sure they are going to the board. They put a big sign in the back entrance of the park. A picture of it is on another SFGAm website - Dejavu has it on there.

The mods will be happy to know my SFGAm traffic goes here, Screamscape and occasionally to the park site and that's about it, so I was unaware (and I probably waste too much time on here as it is).

That said, my theories change some. I still really think an Eagle retracking is unlikely. However, I give more credence to the SkyScreamer rumors now, although Mardi Gras still seems like the best locale for something like that and the survey markers aren't over there.

The part of my head that thinks crazy thoughts (well, the clean ones) still thinks the following would make sense: Remove Drop, put a SkyScreamer in Drop's spot (the survey markers), then build a new, launched coaster over in Wolf's area for 2015 with an integrated drop tower experience, a la California and some others. To me, this idea would at least make sense, given everything we've seen/heard.

Am I nuts?

[ilrider]

^Why would Drop go away? It is a popular, thrilling ride with few problems. Why get rid of it just to build another drop ride later?

[SFGAm Viper]

Yes, we know for sure they are going to the board. They put a big sign in the back entrance of the park. A picture of it is on another SFGAm website - Dejavu has it on there.

The mods will be happy to know my SFGAm traffic goes here, Screamscape and occasionally to the park site and that's about it, so I was unaware (and I probably waste too much time on here as it is).

That said, my theories change some. I still really think an Eagle retracking is unlikely. However, I give more credence to the SkyScreamer rumors now, although Mardi Gras still seems like the best locale for something like that and the survey markers aren't over there.

The part of my head that thinks crazy thoughts (well, the clean ones) still thinks the following would make sense: Remove Drop, put a SkyScreamer in Drop's spot (the survey markers), then build a new, launched coaster over in Wolf's area for 2015 with an integrated drop tower experience, a la California and some others. To me, this idea would at least make sense, given everything we've seen/heard.

Am I nuts?

Yes. Sounds like dreams not reality.

Skyscreamer would look ridiculous in SWT.

Anyone ever think that those markers have nothing to do with a ride? Orange flags don't equal ride. For all we know it's an electric line for a new Chevy display!

[UWW-10]

^I agree to an extent. Orange flags indicate electrical so it could mean nothing. Unless they were planning on removing the amphitheater, I don't think anything of real sustenance could fit in that space. Not to mention the service road that's right behind that area....and I'm going to guess (just by looking at google maps) that it probably is an important one if it runs from the maintenance area all the way to hurricane harbor.

When you look at that in proximity to where the flags were seen, it's not like they have a lot of leeway to move the road to accommodate something large.

[PfightingPolish]

^Why would Drop go away? It is a popular, thrilling ride with few problems. Why get rid of it just to build another drop ride later?

Eh, it's not as popular as it once was. Most days I go, the line's pretty short. It goes up, it comes down. Ranging into Devil's Advocate territory, one can also point to the cable issues on other sorts of rides of this type and the fact that other parks are going taller, bigger, etc. I can see Drop as a candidate, particularly if you include River Rocker as another ride that could be done away with for more space.

Skyscreamer would look ridiculous in SWT.

Without Drop, it would look a lot less ridiculous. So you replace one tower with another -- the logistics are basically already there and you're used to seeing a tower there to begin with.

I'm not saying it will happen. We're all just theorizing at this stage, anyhow. I'm saying it might make sense.

[GoBears]

Every time I've gone this year, Giant Drop has had at least a 25-30 minute wait. Most of my visits are on weekdays too. It's been busier this year than the last couple seasons when I've gone.

I could see a flat ride coming next season and then a roller coaster coming in 2015. Of course, I would love to see a coaster next season though. Since the first teaser was last Thursday, we may see the 2nd teaser sometime this afternoon.

[Radical-Illusion]

Since the first teaser was last Thursday, we may see the 2nd teaser sometime this afternoon.

Hopefully it will be longer than a 14 second video of crumbling rock... and give us a better clue. Because that just wasn't working for us. Also question for someone who would know. If we were to get a coaster next year, wouldn't Six Flags have to trademark the name? Or if it was a name that was already a coaster (Example: Goliath) They wouldn't have to trademark it right?

[PfightingPolish]

It's been busier this year than the last couple seasons when I've gone.

OK, maybe it's bouncing back some. Only been to the park twice this year, in May and June, when everything was busy. Meh, I could be wrong (or simply projecting my own personal dislike of Drop onto my projections, which I know I shouldn't do. Shame on me.)

Also question for someone who would know. If we were to get a coaster next year, wouldn't Six Flags have to trademark the name? Or if it was a name that was already a coaster (Example: Goliath) They wouldn't have to trademark it right?

If it's a name and branding they're already using, they shouldn't have to trademark it.

Interesting you bring up the Goliath thing because, well, that video's theming sure would match nicely with the Goliath theming at a couple other places. Hmm ... can I wish for a GCI "Goliath" themed ride?

Or how about this: GCI has a concept video for a launched wooden coaster with a Boomerang-style lift hill (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xg4YsOxZiAM). Can you picture something like this?

"You've ridden American Eagle backwards, Viper backwards and even Batman backwards. Now, are you ready to follow the journey on ... Back Track?"

[RobSFGAm]

"Follow the journey of the ground breaking attraction... Sky Screamer- breaking height at 315ft"

Not Sky Screamer....but better and not a rehab to the Eagle, Pictorium either.
Just saying...come back to this post on 8/22 (8/21 evening).
Don't rule out anything!

[DejaVu2001]

The date of the Gurnee Zoning Board meeting for SFGAm has been corrected. The meeting is Wednesday, August 21st at 7:30pm.



I say corrected because Gurnee's Zoning Board always meets on the 1st and 3rd Wednesday of each month.

[DeathbyDinn]

The second teaser has been posted. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4yFhwxd ... ata_player

[DejaVu2001]

Pre-emptive Damage control:

Pay absolutely NO attention to the "blue prints". There is nothing on them, they are outdated and still show the old Go Kart track on them

[Radical-Illusion]

Okay, I thought the first one was bad, but yeah.... The second one left me more confused than the first...

[anewman35]

Hmm. My basic thought on this is that it makes no sense at all for the park to even mention something that isn't happening (why trick people and possibly upset them)? Therefore, I have to assume that the line "a ride? a show? maybe even a coaster?" means we're getting all of them. A coaster could possibly be considered the "ride" as well, or maybe it'll be a skyscreamer AND a coaster? If we're getting a ride, I'd have to assume they wouldn't spend anything on a show, maybe just a new version of igNight using all the same stuff they built this year?

[CstrFan512]

So far, no REAL hints other than dirt and bad acting.

[GoBears]

Last year they teased us by showing a blue print of what appeared to be a side view of Eagle when they were standing on the Scenic Railway bridge in Hometown Square and now more fake blue print teasers.

[Ilovthevu']

The only thing that points to anything is that the guy stops at 37 seconds taking pictures of trophies. It's a really, really bad interpretation, but trophies are tall, and the top of the left trophy sort of looks more circular (like a globe) - back to Skyscreamer again. It's out there, but other than that I don't see a value to this.

^Why would Drop go away? It is a popular, thrilling ride with few problems. Why get rid of it just to build another drop ride later?

Eh, it's not as popular as it once was. Most days I go, the line's pretty short. It goes up, it comes down. Ranging into Devil's Advocate territory, one can also point to the cable issues on other sorts of rides of this type and the fact that other parks are going taller, bigger, etc. I can see Drop as a candidate, particularly if you include River Rocker as another ride that could be done away with for more space.

Skyscreamer would look ridiculous in SWT.

Without Drop, it would look a lot less ridiculous. So you replace one tower with another -- the logistics are basically already there and you're used to seeing a tower there to begin with.

I'm not saying it will happen. We're all just theorizing at this stage, anyhow. I'm saying it might make sense.

I think part of the reason he/she would say it would look ridiculous is because a Skyscreamer is in very bright colors, and Southwest is kind of darker colors except for Raging Bull.

[PfightingPolish]

From what I've seen here, I believe we're going to get a new maintenance area, complete with a new time clock for maintenance people to punch in on. Notice how the fourth guy punching the time clock was smiling and how the box was open as the staffer walked past it after the maintenance guys were shown. It's gotta be that.

[UWW-10]

Here's a total stretch....but......

The 2 biggest rumors circulating deal with Cajun and Eagle.....not sure if it was coincidence that both would be shown in the maintenance bay in the video. Again, I'm well aware that the park rotates which trains on AE and Cajun are out for major rehabs on rotations every year.

Also, when I watched the video and took note of the numbers that showed up on the "Maint_Cam" part in the beginning (45 72 85 24)....and added them I got 226....again, total stretch and I'm probably reading into this more than I should

EDIT Does anyone know if other Six Flags parks are doing any kind of videos/hints for next season? It seems kind of odd if GAm is the only one.