It may be the busiest day on record for the park since the pandemic, but at least we got some pretty breathtaking fall foliage. So don't blame me for making Demon look like the best ride.
Amidst waves of midterms and schoolwork, this was in no doubt the best way to destress. And one could immediately feel the excitement among the folks, as a group of 50 strong left in the early morning glow headed up to Six Flags Great America. As members new and returning bonded over their shared love for thrill rides, the cloudless weather up in Illinois set the perfect scene.
The quick scramble after this group photo is yet another indicator as to just how much we were itching to get to the rides. As tradition, our first ride would be a "group ride" where we completely occupy a full train with our club members. This year, Maxx Force was the chosen ride, and it packed quite the punch with its 5 inversions and compact layout. The hour-long wait proved worthy as we inched closer and closer to the track, and got to witness a couple of air launches accompanied by the iconic "boom -hssss" sound of the air launch system. Needless to say, our time on Maxx Force was, no pun intended, a blast.
While it wasn't mandatory for everyone to stick around after this, a majority of us continued to hang together as we continued our loop around the park. Collectively, we took on their other notable coasters, such as Raging Bull (which for some reason I kept calling Diamondback), Viper, and Goliath. Crowds began to pour in as our day flew by which lengthened our wait times even further, but that did not hinder any of the enthusiasm at all. Some of us got creative; and by that I meant 30 of us all lining up for the single rider line for Goliath. And while that might mean we wouldn't be on the same train, we were content with sharing our screams of joy with other riders.
The spirits only elevated as night fell upon the park and the ghouls came out to play on the streets. While some might be enticed by the haunted houses, we knew this was our time to get some night rides in. The DC Universe seemed to be the most popular area amongst the group, with TPED members getting on Batman: The Ride, Superman: Ultimate Flight, and The Flash: Vertical Velocity. My group also wanted to get a ride on Whizzer, but was unfortunately stopped just short when the ride broke down as we got on. So instead we found ourselves on X-Flight, my first ever wing coaster, and soared through the night, hollering with every loop and turn to end the night on a high note.
Once we were sure that there were no last-minute openings for other rides, we sleepishly made our way towards the exit, leaving the remaining screams behind as we heard the air launch from Maxx Force one last time. Climbing into the car and still having phantom feelings of being strapped onto a roller coaster, we headed for the highway, reminiscing about the incredible day that we just had. While we may not have ridden everything we wanted, this trip would still go in the books for being one of the most memorable. And as the season wraps up and the theme parks begin to close for the winter months, I'm sure I speak for everyone when I say "I couldn't wait to go to a park again soon". After all, this is what this club runs on; and we'll preserve that passion in its entirety, until the next adventure.
For more highlights on our 2022 park trip, check out our video here!!