SkyScreamer opens at Six Flags St. Louis

There are a number of new tower rides debuting this year at amusement parks across the country. One of the tallest is Six Flags St. Louis’ SkyScreamer. At 234 feet tall, the ride lifts guests in chair swings some 23 stories above the park. Then at that lofty height, SkyScreamer spins riders at 43 mph. The ride should offer some great views if you’re brave enough to look down. Acrophobics should steer clear of this one.

A few days ago, SkyScreamer opened. Guests pointed to the ride’s similarity to the old school amusement park staple, known as the swing carousel or wave swinger. Of course SkyScreamer is about ten times taller than those rides.


Tony Hawk’s Big Spin: New Roller Coaster in Two Places

Dollywood isn’t the only amusement park to get a new roller coaster. Here’s another one. If the name Tony Hawk’s Big Spin makes you feel dizzy, it’s no wonder. This new roller coaster, made by Gerstlauer in Germany, is patterned after the moves of professional skateboarder Tony Hawk. Instead of zipping along on tracks where each time you ride you move in the same pattern of ups, downs and arounds, this roller coaster has cars that spin as if you’re free-styling on a skateboard. None of the spins match each other so each time you ride, the experience is different.

The cars are also what make this ride unique. Each seat only four people who sit across from each other. Both Six Flags Fiesta Texas in San Antonio and Six Flags St. Louis have one of these new rides.

The question I want answered before I climb aboard is how sick does the spinning make you feel? Because people sit across from each other, getting sick could be a bit of a problem. Here’s a link to the promotional video that gives a pretty good idea about what this ride is like. I’d get sick for sure. That’s a lot of spinning.