Though weekend visits for "Fright Fest" may be the only way left to experience the Chicago area's biggest roller coasters at Six Flags Great America this year, thrill seekers are already getting a sneak peek into what awaits next season.
Just a month after announcing a record-setting Bolliger & Mabillard dive coaster as the park's 16th and newest roller coaster, the first parts for the upcoming ride have arrived in Gurnee.
The upcoming roller coaster is expected to open in the early summer of 2025, occupying the land formerly used by Buccaneer Battle.
The Wrath of Rakshasa will be the park's first new roller coaster since 2019, when the compressed air launched Maxx Force, which brings riders from 0-78 miles per hour in 1.8 seconds, opened.
Standing at 180 feet fall, the ride will feature a "cliffhanger hold, which suspends riders as they face straight down a 96-degree, beyond-vertical drop, before they plummet an exhilarating 171 feet."
The ride, scheduled to debut in 2025, will be located across from the park's beloved Demon ride in the County Fair section of the park, a relief for many fans who feared the future of the popular staple amid intense speculation in recent weeks.
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“Wrath of Rakshasa joins our already impressive lineup of record-breaking roller coasters and attractions at the park, demonstrating our commitment to delivering cutting-edge experiences for our guests," Park President John Krajnak said in a statement.
According to Six Flags, Wrath of Rakshasa highlights include:
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- Three trains with three rows of passengers seated seven across;
- 3,239 feet of track;
- Ride vehicle pauses in a face-first cliffhanger hold before
plummeting 171 feet; - A beyond-vertical 96-degree drop,
- Five gravity-defying inversions;
- Speeds of nearly 67 miles per hour
The ride will be designed by Bolliger & Mabillard, the manufacturer behind Raging Bull, Batman: The Ride and X-Flight, among others.
While the park hasn't welcomed a new roller coaster in five years, a new flat ride, Sky Striker, debuted at the park last month.
The announcement follows a merger between amusement park giants Six Flags and Cedar Fair, which created the new Six Flags Entertainment Corporation.
The company teased towards new investments in both rides as well as food and beverage, with the post-merger entity operating 42 amusement and water parks across 17 states and three countries.
Similar announcements in other parks throughout the company have started to come through as well, with Kings Dominion in Virginia set to receive a launched wing coaster from Bolliger & Mabillard, while Canada's Wonderland is set to add Alpen Fury, a launched roller coaster with nine inversions, the most in North America for a coaster of its kind.
