| News: | Superman - Ultimate Flight is the park's newest and first flying roller coaster. The seats -- like ski-lift chairs -- are suspended from an overhead track. Before the ride departs the station the seats rotate until horizontal, so the rider experience is face down. The relatively short ride starts with a "pretzel" inversion and ends with an in-line twist, with a series and twists and low to the ground fly-bys in-between. The groundwork around the ride is still in construction, but when it is completed the fly-bys will become even more thrilling. A special front-row line is available for the riders who are willing to wait for the best visual experience, but surprisingly intense g-forces are found in the back.
Superman - Ultimate Flight is the park's fourth roller coaster built by Bolliger & Mabillard of Monthey, Switzerland. Many consider Bolliger & Mabillard (B&M) roller coasters to be the Cadillac of roller coasters, and Six Flags Great America is one of two parks in the world that boasts four! Six Flags Great America purchased B&M's first roller coaster, the Iron Wolf, in 1990. Two years later they built Batman the Ride -- the world's first inverted roller coaster. Raging Bull arrived in 1999 and became the park's tallest, fastest and longest roller coaster.
You should expect long lines since Superman - Ultimate Flight is the park's newest roller coaster. One of the best times to ride is right before closing time, since as long as you are in line before closing you'll be able to ride the coaster. Be aware before getting into line that there are no loose items allowed on the ride -- or past the ride's entrance -- so be prepared to stash your loose items in the nearby lockers.
Superman - Ultimate Flight was originally planned to replace the Whizzer, which is Six Flags Great America's oldest roller coaster. However, the park spared the Whizzer after a deluge of phone calls, letters and emails from loyal Whizzer fans. The Shockwave roller coaster, built in 1988, was evicted instead to free the necessary real estate. While the Shockwave will be missed, its loud, clattering lift hill will not. Picnickers in the passenger drop off and eastern parking areas will definitely appreciate the more peaceful environment. Fans of the departed Shockwave should not despair, however. While the park does lack a large, multi-looping sit-down roller coaster, perhaps Six Flags Great America will again look to the masters at B&M to fill that void… |
