Spot on about raging bowl being a great ride and a long ride. American Eagle is also a long ride but it’s not too popular these days and it’s not running both sides. If they could fix that up I feel like wait times would shorten elsewhere in the park. And the park definitely needs an ultra elite coaster, one with three train operations and a track length of over 5000 feet because every ride in the park is about 25 seconds long
Believe it or not, but six flags designed the southwest territory and built it during a large expansion in the 90s. Given it was inspired by one of Marriotts original plans, but its not something that you would see them do these days
That's super interesting and good to know! People give Cedar Fair flak now by focusing on themed areas instead of major coasters right now, but I think it will pay off for them big time in the long run. I wish six flags had focused more on their infrastructure the last decade.
It sounds like you might've been unlucky with your visit in general. The coaster line-up is definitely underrated, but every time I've been to that park, the operations have been spot on. Maybe the park has lost its touch with its architecture and foliage over the past couple of years, but it was always one of the more nicer looking parks on my visits, especially in the Southwest Territory. I haven't been to every Six Flaggs amusement park yet, but I have been to seven of them so far, and this is currently my second favorite behind Six Flags Magic Mountain.
Landscaping is also a VERY BIG issue here @ Six Flags Magic Mountain as well...along with asthetics and old dilapidated abandoned infestructure(looking at YOOOOU......SKY TOWER!!!). COASTERS are there yeah, EVERYTHING ELSE, left to be desired.
That is good to know. I cannot believe they haven't done anything with Sky Tower, it seems like it's been sitting there so long. Now that I've been to a few six flags parks, it's good to know that infrastructure isn't a high priority so you can adjust my expectations accordingly.
I didn't find the park friendly at all, dirty and messy. I could only imagine the coaster maintenance or hopefully not the lack of maintenance. CP and KI blow it out of the water...
Agreed, I’m terms of how guests were acting there it was probably the worst I’ve seen at any park I’d been to. And as I talked about there was 0 landscaping.
@@coasterEV To be fair not too long ago CP and KI had fights in their parks. The only difference is CF doesn't put up with any BS. Does 6Flags have a police department or just security people?
What's up brother another good video so I purposely put off going to Great America this year I haven't been yet either but I chose to make the road trip to Busch gardens Williamsburg and Kings Dominion instead and from what I'm learning and hearing that was the good decision next year I will get to Great America though because you can't deny they have some great coasters. As far as Six Flags parks go and the best Magic Mountain is hands down the best Six Flags park there is you know regional bias with some of these guys and certain things that play into why people might say some parks are better than others but go to Magic Mountain out in California it's just outside of LA and you will quickly see it's the best Six Flags park without a doubt the closest is Great Adventure in New Jersey and there is a big difference between Magic Mountain and Great Adventure so I went to Magic Mountain actually just a few weeks ago for the first time since I was a kid and definitely the first time since I've been an Enthusiast and wow, just wow you can spend 3 days there easy, the coasters are amazing the layout of the park is very cool the setting is very cool and different especially for a East Coast person like myself the setting out in the desert is very different, and very cool! So if I was you I would start making plans to get out to Magic Mountain, That and Cedar Point are going to be your best 2 parks in the country. Then you can start to sprinkle in Dollywood and silver Dollar City, Great Adventure, Universal studios Orlando, SeaWorld Orlando.....but none of them as far as coasters compare to Magic Mountain and Cedar Point afterbthose two, then there's a big giant Gap and the rest of them start to fall in line 💯
Thanks man! Great decision with going to BGW and KD this year, I went to both those parks for the first time this summer too and they were both great! I can't wait to get to Magic Mountain someday in the future. I agree that Magic Mountain and Cedar Point are the best of the best at the moment in America in terms of coaster lineups. I would say Kings Island, both Busch Gardens parks, Hershey Park, SF Great America and SF Great Adventure are one standout or a couple more supporting coasters away from being in that top tier as well.
@@coasterEV I forgot about Kings Island, that's my 2nd home park I'm outside of Cleveland so i was there a lot this year and currently KI is probably my all around favorite Park. I haven't been to BGT but I did go to Hershey Park this year as well and WOW talk about a nice park, The food and the grounds were absolutely emaculate! With WildCat getting the RMC treatment now that put them in the conversation as well imo for best coaster lineup and all around best park
Excuse you, Great America is America's cleanest park (according to a sign they put up with no citations). Also Southwest Territory was added by Six Flags in the 90s, though it was on the original plan Marriott had for the park in the 70s.
Went to Fright Fest yesterday and it was incredible. Five haunted attractions and you know all the actors love to be there, so that definitely improves overall morale at the park. I had incredible interactions with some of the staff, but many others seem to really be on guard and borderline rude. You get the impression these people have been through a lot, what with recent events including a shooting just outside the park and racist kids at a Six Flags presumed to be Great America. Before one of the haunted attractions the guide said something like "Tonight's not the night for messing around and I won't hesitate to call security." I don't think that was part of her character and I looked around at the group I was in to see a handful of middle aged people who you wouldn't expect to cause trouble lol Geez. Security was super beefed up last night and I didn't see anybody misbehaving, but it appears this place is always busy and makes a shit ton of money. So come on, Great America, hire some more staff starting with Security and ride operations (I see so many empty seats that can be managed). If you can't attract more workers, then start paying them what they're worth and give raises to the good ones you want to retain. I know you've got the money.
Glad you had a great experience at Fright Fest! When I was there it was chaos in the stations because they had nobody filtering people into rows, it resulted in many seats being left empty and decreasing capacity a lot. That’s really good to hear that security was beefed up!
@@coasterEV Exactly. I just sort of rediscovered Great America after taking about a 25 year break, and fell in love with it. Right now every trip is a 10/10 in spite of the flaws I see. I guess I'm a budding enthusiast, so you veterans can envy me for that! I even enjoy waiting in the lines, especially the comically long queue for American Eagle lol
Only things I agreed with are the food and the inconsistent ride ops (but only on certain rides). Went there 30x this past season. This is my home park and I’ve seen it at its best and worst and it’s one of the best Six Flags parks and one of the most underrated coaster collections top to bottom. The park has never been dirty when I’ve been there. Also, if you’re smart about what days you go, the lines are never long. Except for MaxxForce lol
Yeah i pretty much agree with all your ratings. I went to this park once a week for all of my childhood up until i left for college and the rollercoasters are by far the parks biggest strength, the theming is above average for a six flags park but as you pointed out that's in spite of six flags not because of them. As far as atmosphere, ride ops, etc is concerned i think an overall average score is fair, some seasons you get lucky and it feels like all the staff are really on point for a six flags level payroll other years it feels the opposite. I wish they would try harder to actually make the best of the staff stick around a few seasons so they'd consistently be better but sadly it's sort of the nature of six flags's model unfortunately to just keep churning through new staff each year. Oh and one last thing, i'd give their food situation a 3 overall. I haven't gotten food at the park for years and that's not just because of the absurd price, the variety is lacking, the quality is pretty mid, and the very few indoor dining options to get away from the bugs outside are all their least appetizing places food wise in my opinion
I totally agree with your assessment. If this park was owned by another chain that didn’t use Six flags business model, it could easily be one of the best in the country.
That park, and that region of the country, have horrible landscaping. The climate is very harsh. I grew up 3 miles from the park and the soil is soft nothing grows nothing looks nice. But the park definitely exemplifies that. It’s taking 20 years for the trees around superman ultimate flight to grow in. And the rest of the park looks like a swap so weeds grow like crazy and trees barely budge because the growing season is so short
