Six Flags Great America Confirms Opening Date for Goliath!

Six Flags Great America has confirmed that their newest monster of a coaster, Goliath, will be finally opening to the public this coming Thursday, June 19th. Yep, that's right, in just a few days riders will at last be able to experience the newest creation from Rocky Mountain Coasters.

Breaking 3 world records, Goliath is the park's 13th coaster and features a ton of unique elements never before seen on a wooden coaster. The ride features three over-banked turns, dive loop, a zero-G stall, a negative G stall, and two tunnels. Top that off with the fact that it's the tallest, steepest and fastest wooden coaster in the world and you've got one helluva combination there!

Now, if you're curious as to what it's like to ride this world record breaking coaster, here's the official POV from Six Flags Great America!

Six Flags Great America- Goliath Opening Delayed.

Image from Screamscape

Six Flags Great America- Goliath Opening Delayed by Park.

 For those of us who've been watching the construction of Goliath closely, this isn't much of a surprise.

 The newest wooden coaster which will feature full inversions has been delayed. Six Flags Great America has stated they need more time to complete the complex ride going into their Chicago amusement park.  So far the park hasn't yet announced a new 'opening date' for the ride, although as far as I can tell the roller coaster is still set for a 2014 opening season (according to the Six Flags Great America website).

Image from Screamscape

 Construction on this coaster has been slow going at best and stalled at the worst. The bitter winter played a large factor is delaying the start of construction. In addition to the complex nature of the roller coaster and steal track, this seems to have slowed the park down even more.

 Right now, you can see the full inversion and parts of the lift hill but you'll notice plenty of the rides key elements are still not even off the ground level.

 While we don't have any information about how delayed the progress is nor when the ride is now slated to open- we'll report back when more information is available!

Fire at Six Flags Great America

Still from CBS Chicago

Fire does damage at Six Flags Great America.

A multi-purpose storage building at Six Flags Great America went up in flames for unknown reasons.

 The building in question is used for cold weather storage during the winter months and in the summer is also an employee break area. Six Flags won't comment on what was damaged or destroyed in the fire but simply stated to local news that they are looking forward to opening day on May 3rd. The structure was right in the center of the park behind their "Grand Music Hall" and did some minor damage to that building. Six Flags Great America estimates the damage is about $60,000 in total loss from the small fire which was quickly under control and extinguished.

Information from CBS Chicago

Six Flags Great America- Alterations to New Goliath Coaster

Image from Screamscape

Six Flags Great America Alters New"Goliath" Coaster.

 Well folks, this new came as a surprise to most big coaster fans who've been watching the construction of Goliath closely.

 Six Flags Great America and Rocky Mountain Construction may have had this plan all along but the facts and reasons behind this change are still unknown at this time. The main changes to the ride involve moving the Zero-G roll which has moved from the original renderings, it's not located under the lift hill and seems to be added support.

Original Fact Sheet- From Screamscape

When comparing the new rendered images to the original fact sheet on the coaster you can spot the differences.

 SFGAM NATION has some really great construction photos of the ride and it's current progress. Their stating that this new rendering has been the plan and are the finalized plans for the ride. The lift hill is expected to go vertical in the new month or two.

 We'll keep you posted with any news!

Six Flags Great America- Goliath Going Vertical

Image from ScreamScape

 Screamscape has reported that Goliath, the new Rocky Mountian Coaster going in at Six Flags Great America in Gurnee, Illinois has finally gone vertical.

 Reports show that footers are in all over the coasters proposed area and the lift hill has finally gotten off the ground. It seems a bit late in the year for this to finally be gaining height, making me wonder about the opening date of the new coaster.

Six Flags Great America Announces Goliath Fastest, Tallest and Steepest Wooden Coaster! (Update- POV)

While Carrie is a bit unavailable at the moment, I'm stepping in to fill you all in on some huge news out of Six Flags Great America. This morning, along with a ton of other announcements, Six Flags unveiled it's newest coaster, Goliath. While just one of a ton of other announcements, this one has to be one of the biggest for park chain and they definitely aren't disappointing anyone with this one!

It takes the crown away from El Toro at Six Flags Great Adventure in quite a few areas...

Goliath Stats:

Top Speed: 72mph
Drop: 180ft
Drop Angle: 85 degrees
Elements: 3 overbanked turns, inverted drop, zero-g roll, inverted zero-g stall.


This is a massive addition to the Great America park just outside of Chicago, IL and certainly is the most extreme wooden coaster on the planet. It looks like the rumors of Rocky Mountain Coasters being in the park were dead on and instead of a retracking, they've come up with this insane monster of a ride.

One of the more interesting elements (if I had to pick just one that is) to this insane new ride is the "zero-g stall" element of the ride. Whie it may look like a normal camel back, you'll be quick to realize that you're going over this one completely upside down! Can't imagine what that's going to feel like at all.

Judging by the picture to the right, it's going to be completely mental to experience.

Overall, this looks a little like the same layout of El Toro at Six Flags Great Adventure in New Jersey with a ton of new twists and elements. Almost as if this was the ride they wanted there all along...

Goliath will start construction in just about a month and is planned to be open in the Spring of 2014! Keep it here for more updates as we find out more information about this amazing and ground breaking wooden coaster from Six Flags Great America! 

Rumor Round-Up for Late August 2013

Rumor Round-Up

Late August 2013 Edition

 Holy Crap!

 Rumors have been thick on the ground lately in the theme park and amusement park world, everyone is making announcements and most of us are speculating wildly about what's really going on!  So I've tired to compile a decent collection so you can keep up-to-date with who may be doing what for 2014 and beyond!

Six Flags Great America- 2014 New Coaster? UPDATE

Well we've got more news coming from Six Flag Great America today. It isn't official but it does speak volumes about what the park has in mind for the 2014 season and their newest construction project.

Rumor has it American Eagle may be up for an Rocky Mountain Coasters refurbishment. They are the well known builders of Wood/Steal hybrid coasters such as Iron Rattler and New Texas Giant. However, what is odd is that American Eagle is a Racing Wooden Coaster. It has both a Blue and a Red side. Rumor states that RMC will be re-building and re-tracking the blue side of the ride but no word on the red side yet.  I'm not entirely sure how this will work considering this is a racing coaster, could one side be going steel while the other remains wood? That would be a new trick for Rocky Mountain Coasters to accomplish.

 InSanity lurks Inside will keep updating as more information becomes available as well as when the park decides to do their reveal of what the plan is for 2014 and American Eagle!


UPDATE 8/29/13: 
Six Flags Great America Announces Goliath- Worlds Tallest, Fastest and Steepest Wooden Coaster!


UPDATE 8/22/13

Image from Screamscape

Well is Screamscape is to be believed, the new coaster coming in 2014 will be wood and built by Rocky Mountain Coasters.  One person there reported from somekind of meeting saying the ride will be 165 feet tall with a 13 foot drop underground, making the first drop a total of 178 feet. While this won't break a record for height, it's still remotely possible they could go for speed.

They are also reporting a weird 'track element' of the ride, something that could possibly be an inversion with a boost launch involved. It's the blue circled portion of the blueprints.








UPDATE 8/19/13

It looks like the rumors around American Eagle being the "New Coaster" for the 2014 season isn't true. Apparently the pictures have been faked (Gee Folks, you might have said so rather then name-calling cause that's really mature). Sources aren't exactly sure if that project is for 2014 or some others season.  Which leaves the question of "What is the 2014 New Coaster"?
We've got some more rumor news about the 2014 project for Six Flags Great America. Rumor has it that the "New Coaster" for 2014 will be wooden and that the park may be after some kind of record breaker. It may or may not be 'speed" which they are after, which brings in a host of problems. According to a meeting docket we found posted at Screamscape, the coaster may be 165 feet tall and in the location of the former "Iron Wolf".
Stay Tuned for More Updates!

Six Flags Great America- Announcement Coming Soon?

Six Flags Great America

Building Something for 2014?

 Well it looks like Six Flags Great America in Chicago, Illinois isn't going to be dissuaded by all the hype coming out of Kings Island. They also have some kind of a new ride coming to their park in 2014 and have provided a teaser trailer that doesn't really give away any information. Some rumors are stating 'Coaster' while others are expecting a flat ride.


UPATE 8/16/13 and 8/19/13
We have new rumors and news coming from Six Flags Great America today, so much it deserved it's own post on the blog! So please visit the link below for updated information about what may be coming in 2014!

Six Flags Great America- New Coaster for 2014?  

 Never Fear, InSanity lurks Inside will be keeping up with the 2014 announcements as they come!