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Giant Drop (Six Flags Great America)

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Coordinates: 42°21′56″N 87°56′11″W / 42.36564°N 87.93629°W / 42.36564; -87.93629
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Not to be confused with the drop tower at Dreamworld, The Giant Drop.
Giant Drop
Six Flags Great America
AreaSouthwest Territory
Coordinates42°21′56″N 87°56′11″W / 42.36564°N 87.93629°W / 42.36564; -87.93629
StatusOperating
Opening dateApril 26, 1997 (1997-04-26)
Flash Pass available
Single rider line available
Ride statistics
Attraction typeGiant Drop
ManufacturerIntamin
ModelDrop tower
ThemeMining
Height227 ft (69 m)
Drop205 ft (62 m)
Speed62 mph (100 km/h)
Duration0:30

Giant Drop is an Intamin drop tower ride located at Six Flags Great America in Gurnee, Illinois. The ride opened to the public on April 26, 1997 as part of a three-phase plan for the Southwest Territory area. The attraction opened alongside Dare Devil Dive, a skycoaster attraction, in the County Fair section of the park.

Set in the "Loco Diablo Mine," the ride is themed as an ore excavator. At a height of 227 feet (69 m), the ride is the second tallest attraction at Six Flags Great America, behind Sky Trek Tower at 330 feet (100 m).

History

Development and construction

Further information: Southwest Territory (Six Flags Great America)

As part of a three-phase plan for the Southwest Territory themed area, the ride was the second phase of the area, following the first, the opening of Southwest Territory, which opened in 1996.[1][2]

Plans to construct the ride were approved by the Gurnee Village Board on October 8, 1996, albeit resident opposition, citing concerns that the new attraction would create "intolerable" noise throughout the village, as homes were located close to Washington Street, near where the attraction would be constructed.[3] That same month, groundbreaking on the attraction had begun, and in December 1996, the ride was finalized, with cranes used in the construction process to hoist 35.5 ton motor houses to the top of the ride.[4][5]

Opening

On April 26, 1997, the ride officially opened to the public alongside Dare Devil Dive.[6] As part of the opening ceremony for the attraction, 144 couples from around the Midwest gathered at the park for a mass ceremony inside the Southwest Territory Amphitheater, before going on the attraction and being pronounced man and wife.[7][8] After the pronouncement, a voice over the public address system was heard saying "You may now take the ultimate plunge," as couples were dropped down the attraction.[8]

After opening

After an incident in 2007 at Six Flags Kentucky Kingdom where a teenager's foot was severed on Superman: Tower of Power, all Intamin drop towers at Six Flags theme parks were shut down temporarily as a safety precaution.[9]

The ride was temporarily given virtual reality headsets for the 2017 season to go along with the ride, with the name "Drop of Doom," where riders experience a ride with spiders.[10]

Characteristics

Theme

The attraction is themed on the abandoned "Loco Diablo Mine," which as stated on the entrance sign, is owned, built and designed by the "Southwest Mining Company," as the ride itself is an "ore excavator."[2][4]

Queue

Throughout the queue line, guests enter through elaborately themed rocky canyons and abandoned mining facilities before guests reach the Giant Drop, the "ore excavator."[6]

Ride experience

After riders go through the queue experience, riders enter one of the ride's six cars. Ascending towards a height of 227 feet (69 m), the ride then descends 205 feet (62 m), traveling at a speed of 62 miles per hour (100 km/h). Frictionless magnetic brakes stop the ride, giving it a "smooth landing."[6][11]

Reception

Monica Eng, a Chicago Tribune writer described the attraction in a chart style, describing it as "lasting a lifetime," and would recommend the ride to her "worst enemy." The magnetic brakes were described as feeling like "landing on a humongous pillow."[11]

See also

References

  1. ^ Davis, Marc (June 6, 1996). "In 20 years, Six Flags has made its mark". Chicago Tribune. p. 492. Retrieved November 5, 2022.
  2. ^ a b Gottwald, Dave (May 4, 2019). "Six Flags Great America - Part 3: The Great Southwest (in the Midwest)". Themerica. Retrieved November 5, 2022.
  3. ^ Saylor, Ted (October 8, 1996). "Great America receives OK to add a ride". Chicago Tribune.
  4. ^ a b "Guests invited to 'take the plunge' on new giant drop freefall tower". Daily Citizen. February 1, 1997.
  5. ^ "Great America invites riders to take the Giant Drop freefall". Daily Tribune. May 9, 1997.
  6. ^ a b c Beyers, Jennifer (1997-04-17). "Great America ride not for the faint of heart". The Times-Press. p. 9. Retrieved 2022-10-02.
  7. ^ Moch, Chrissy (May 8, 1998). "Midlothian couple takes 'plunge' at Great America (A-1)". Southtown Star.
  8. ^ a b Westhoff, Jeffery (May 9, 1997). "Couples take the plunge". Northwest Herald. p. 88. Retrieved November 5, 2022.
  9. ^ "Carowinds Thrill Ride Closed for Inspection". (Wire Report). The Herald Online. June 22, 2007. Archived from the original on 2016-02-08. Retrieved 8 February 2016.
  10. ^ "New virtual reality ride cooming to at Six Flags Great America". ABC7 Chicago. March 22, 2017. Retrieved November 6, 2022.
  11. ^ a b Eng, Monica (May 20, 1997). "The Plunge". Chicago Tribune.
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