X Flight swooped into Six Flags Great America in Gurnee this past summer, using new technology that allows riders to have no track over or under them.
“I liked it because there is nothing above or below you, and your arms can go anywhere they want. When you go upside down, you feel like you are going straight to the ground,” Sydne Williams, senior, said.
After riders are strapped in, they go up 12 stories, plunge down at 55mph, and zoom through a keyhole opening to avoid slamming into a tall building. It is 3,000 feet long and turns the riders upside down five times throughout the ride.
“When we were looking for a roller coaster name, we were looking for a name that describes a new type of roller coaster and is centered around flight,” Brandon Bruce, public relations specialist at Six Flags Great America, said. “We consider X Flight a pre-teen to adult ride it is designed to be a cutting edge experience.”
The creators of X Flight also designed the roller coasters Raging Bull, Superman Ultimate Flight, and Batman The Ride.
“It wasn’t quite as intense as Raging Bull because it doesn’t go straight down, but it is on the same level as Raging Bull because of all the loops it does,” Williams said.
X Flight has a drop similar to Raging Bull, but also has flips and sharp turns that resemble Superman Ultimate Flight and Batman The Ride.
“It is similar to Superman because you are freer with your hands and your arms. But it also resembles Batman because of the loops and turns,” Williams said.
Along with being structured similarly to Batman The Ride and Superman Ultimate Flight, X Flight also has a similar attendance.
“X flight is one of the most popular rides in the park; I would put it next to Superman, Batman, and Raging Bull,” Bruce said.
The seating on X-Flight differs from any other ride at Great America. Similar to American Eagle, the line divides into two separate lines that lead to different seating options. The cart only allows two people to sit next to each other.
“It may be harder for bigger groups, but if you are with one other person, you’ll be fine,” Williams said. “[The seats were] something different, it made the ride different and unique from all the other rides.”
Since there are two separate lines for the ride, the wait is much shorter, averaging around twenty five minutes.
“I went in the front row the first time, it was definitely worth it. It has the view and it was really cool to see everything first hand,” Williams said.
Bruce suggests riders try out the ride and sit on different sides and rows in order to get different experiences. Bruce also mentioned making new attractions at the park every year.
“We have a long range plan at the park, which involves an addition to the park every year.” Bruce said, “Whether that is a new roller coaster or family site.”