Six Flags theme parks re-theme rides for 2011

While theme parks around the world add more rides, more shows and more dining options for guests in 2011, there’s one thing you will find less of at Six Flags parks next year: character.

Six Flags plans to re-theme many of its rides in a cost-cutting measure.

Evel Knievel, Tony Hawk, Thomas the Tank Engine and The Wiggles are among the losers in the deal as Six Flags unravels some licensing agreements.

As the Los Angeles Times reports:

  • The Tony Hawk Big Spin ride at Six Flags St. Louis, Six Flags Fiesta Texas, Six Flags Discovery Kingdom and Six Flags Over Texas will be rethemed as the Big Spin, without the famous skateboarder’s name or likeness.
  • At Six Flags St. Louis, a wooden coaster named the Evil Knievel will renamed American Thunder.
  • Thomas the Tank Engine will disappear from Thomas Town kiddie lands at Six Flags America (which just opened its Thomas Town this June), Six Flags Magic Mountain, Six Flags Discovery Kingdom, Six Flags New England and Six Flags Over Georgia.
  • The Wiggles will no longer sing at the Wiggles World children’s areas at Six Flags Great Adventure, Six Flags Great America, Great Escape, Six Flags New England and Six Flags Fiesta Texas, where five rides have already been stripped of the kid’s band theming.

Despite the re-themed rides, characters from the Looney Tunes, DC Comics and Hanna-Barbera will remain at the parks.

[Image credit: Flickr user bravo!]

New roller coaster to debut at Six Flags New England in 2011

Six Flags New England, located in Agawam, Massachusetts, will be getting a new wild mouse roller coaster in 2011. Well, we’ll call it slightly used. Last year, the coaster was re-located from Six Flags Kentucky Kingdom where it was Road Runner Express. Wild mouse roller coasters are known for their flat, un-banked track, and tight hairpin turns. The tight turns give riders the feeling that the cars might just fly over the edge.
Theme park fans are a crafty bunch. Recently, plans for the 2011 ride were unearthed from a Six Flags investors report and a local town hall meeting. According to the document, the ride may be known as Gauntlet. Others clues point to the names: Gotham City Gauntlet, Gotham City Transit, and Escape from Arkham Asylum. Six Flags New England will likely end the guessing game soon with an official announcement.

Located in the DC Super Hero Adventures section near the Scream Tower, the 2011 roller coaster will feature 17 hairpin turns over its 1,213 feet of track. Six Flags New England has been whetting enthusiasts’ appetite by posting construction photos on their Facebook page. As you can see, the compact coaster is coming up quite fast. At this rate most of the new ride’s structure will be complete before the harsh winter weather moves in.
To Six Flags’ credit, they’re giving the pre-owned roller coaster a nice little makeover. You can see the Gotham City theming in the aforementioned plans. The theme will include cars themed as taxi cabs, police cars, and Batman villains. The plans show a less immersive theme than the one employed on the Batman Dark Knight roller coaster that the park was supposed to get back in 2008. This is probably a good thing as both of the Dark Knight coaster clones that sprung up at sister parks Great Adventure and Great America were hammered with horrible reviews.
The Dark Knight coasters were enclosed in a building and the theming was so intense, for Six Flags, that guests probably expected a thrill ride, not a fun little family coaster. With this new coaster, guests may be able to see what they’re in for and set their expectations accordingly. The new ride will open in the Spring of 2011 as Six Flags New England’s 10th roller coaster.

[Image credit: Six Flags New England’s Facebook Page]