Jim Reid-Anderson, CEO of Six Flags, announced in a webcast today the new rides and shows for the amusement park chain's parks in 2012. Here are some highlights:
X-Flight, Six Flags Great America, Chicago
Designed by Bolliger & Mabillard, X-Flight will take riders on a flight with no track above or below them. Riders sit in pairs, suspended on either side of the track with their feet dangling. The coaster will go speeds of up to 55mph through 3,000 feet of intense drops and five inversions, including a barrel roll and zero-g roll. One of the biggest features will be the near "key hole" fly through buildings.
X-Flight will replace Iron Wolf, which will be sent to Six Flags America and renamed Apocalypse.
The Lex Luthor: Drop of Doom, Six Flags Magic Mountain, Los Angeles
This 400-foot drop ride will be attached to the Superman: Escape from Krypton tower, and will be the world's tallest and fastest (85 mph) drop ride.
As previously announced, the inverted boomerang coaster Deja Vu will close this year, to be sent to Six Flags New England, where it will be renamed Goliath.
In addition, Six Flags Discovery Kingdom in Northern California will get a 62-mph, 150-foot-tall Premier Rides launch coaster called Superman: Ultimate Flight. And Six Flags Great Adventure in New Jersey and Six Flags Fiesta Texas in San Antonio will get Sky Screamer swing rides (similar to the Windseeker rides going into so many Cedar Fair parks, including Carowinds and Kings Dominion for 2012).
Thanks to TPI reader Anthony Murphy for contributing to this report.
Update: Reader comment, FTW: "With all these Goliaths all over the place, I really want one one of those parks to build a junior coaster next to Goliath and call it David."
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I can live with Sky Screamer coming here to Jersey, but the height disappoints me. It's half the height of the Windseekers. I'm more intrigued that they're bringing back bumper cars and a Scrambler.
With all these Goliaths all over the place, I really want one one of those parks to build a junior coaster next to Goliath and call it David.
+1, Mike. Awesome.
Someone beat me to the great comedic comment. What I can't wait to see now is the queue for this Lex Luthor Drop of Doom. Will it come with ear plugs to protect you from the roar of Superman?
And hooray for Six Flags Magic Mountain for creating/installing another low capacity ride.
This is exciting! X-flight looks really cool, a first for Six Flags coasters.. Lex Luthor looks kinda interesting, REALLY TALL and Fast! But I agree ^ it will be loud, and really low capacity!
I honestly like every addition announced, since I love any addition to any theme park (:D) But I feel the biggest surprise is the new coaster going into SFDK. All of the other announcements were expected, but I am glad to see Big Spin is leaving SFDK for a good reason.
Also, I am a bit curious to see what Mexico and La Ronde will be getting, they both sound big!
The drop ride is more than twice as high as Cinderella's Castle at WDW MK.
THAT'S CRAZY TALK!!!!
^Thinking in WDW terms? A place with a 200 ft. tall height limit?
But then again, you are TH... ;D
The Lex Luthor drop ride at Magic Mountain looks insane! Creative use of the Superman tower at last. I've been dreaming of SFMM putting a drop ride on the sides of the Superman tower for over ten years and they are finally doing this! Still no announcement for what will take over DejaVu's spot but I'm sure it will be something great for 2013, maybe a B&M Dive Machine (hope).
The B&M Wingrider for Six Flags Great America looks great also, especially the part were it goes through that lighthouse structure. Props to SF Discovery Kingdom also for getting a custom launched looping coaster themed to Superman in their Sky Land.
2012 is going to be a great year for So Cal theme parks with SFMM getting Lex Luthor Drop of Doom, USH getting Transformers the Ride, DCA getting Radiator Springs Racers, and Seaworld SD getting Manta. The only place we haven't heard from yet is Knott's. Hopefully their gigacoaster rumor is true.
Looks like Dollywood won't even get the chance to claim the title of having the only flying wing coaster in America. I bet Dolly is dissapointed. I'm not though, thats just an extra wing coaster for me to ride :)
They all sound great! The wingrider or the Lex Luther ride sounds the best. To me, this solidified the rumor of Dollywood's wingrider. Six Flags did NOT take advantage of saying that their's would be the only one in the US nor the first. Dollywood has already begun building their ride(foundations were in place when i went in late July) so they will likely open theirs first and claim the title. I'm still exited for SFGA's, but Dollywood is a bit closer to my town.
I enjoyed Jim's webcast! Haven't been to a Six Flags park in years, because I tend to go a bit further than my local Six Flags Discovery Kingdom when I'm headed for a day at an amusement park, to the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk (about an hour's further drive for me) for its combination of sun/sea/boardwalk/pier restaurants and rides--a day at the SC Boardwalk is such a nice combination of experiences (ocean/rides/pier restaurants) that it feels like a mini-vacation compared to most landlocked amusement parks. But I really did enjoy Jim's enthusiasm and the descriptions of new and relocated rides, plus his playfulness about the Fright Fest, too. I'll definitely be planning a trip to Discovery Kingdom next season to experience the new "Superman: Ultimate Flight" coaster and possibly next month to see if they really have spent more money on better Fright Fests, too. I wish Six Flags a successful 2012 season!
The rides mostly look great, but didn't Six Flags resolve to improve their parks via the addition of family attractions, not more thrill rides? Can't teach an old dog, I suppose.
^I'm not upset.
In the end, Six Flags would not be Six Flags if it was dominated by family rides, and these last few years, the addition of family rides has been dreadful! So I am glad this CEO has decided to keep the thrill approach, but to also include quality in that effort.
overall sixfags is bringing out alot of attractions and shows for the 2012 season ... I guess they thing to bring out everything before the world is SUPPOSED to end ... LMAO
X-Flight is not going to be located within the old Iron Wolf footprint. Instead it will be in the County Fair area where the Barney Oldfield Raceway and Splashwater Falls was located.
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Clearly the winners are SF Great America and SF Discovery Kingdom with two nice looking coaster additions. Sadly, the addition of a "looping" slide to SF Saint Louis (my local Six Flags park) is a bit of a downer, but there is always 2013!
Wonder why they didn't announce that Magic Mountain was a "one year wonder" when it comes to being the coaster capital of the world?