April 27, 2025
Archive

New free-fly coaster The Joker opens this weekend at Six Flags Great America in Gurnee

By NORTHWEST HERALD
Image 1 of 2
Described as its "most maniacal roller coaster to date," The Joker will open May 27 at Six Flags Great America in Gurnee.

Described as its "most maniacal roller coaster to date," The Joker will open May 27 at Six Flags Great America in Gurnee. (Photo provided)

Called its “most maniacal roller coaster to date,” the new free-fly coaster The Joker opens May 27 at Six Flags Great America in Gurnee.

Situated next to Batman the Ride in the Yankee Harbor section of the park, The Joker is one of several new attractions at the park. A new virtual reality attraction, Drop of Doom VR, made its debut April 29, headlining the park’s opening weekend.

The Joker is described as an insanely twisted chaos coaster. After being lifted up a 12-story, 90-degree hill, riders will flip head-over-heels at least six times along the weightless journey. They also will experience leaps and dives along a horizontal plane with unexpected drops.

“The Joker is undeniably one of the greatest supervillains of all time,” Hank Salemi, Six Flags Great America park president, said in a news release

“This free-fly coaster will perfectly capture the essence of the warped and unpredictable nature of The Joker. It will take our park to the next level of thrills.”

Among The Joker’s features, according to a news release:

• A massive, imposing, floating and twisting I-box track frame in a unique two-tone design.

• A one-of-a-kind onboard magnetic technology featuring smooth head-over-heels free-fly flips providing guests the feeling of weightlessness as they soar outside the confines of a traditional track.

• 4-D wing vehicles that seat up to eight a vehicle with a total of five vehicles.

• Face-off seats that allow riders to face each other as they tumble head over heels.

• A 120-foot-tall, 90-degree hill that is ascended by an elevator-style, chain link lift.

• Two beyond 90-degree “raven” drops giving the sensation of free-falling.

The other new attraction, Drop of Doom DR, brings riders into an immersive encounter with giant mutant spiders. Using Samsung Gear VR powered by Oculus, riders become the pilots of a futuristic gunship under attack by mutant spiders.

“Each season we push to be on the cutting edge of innovation and our latest virtual reality experience brings together two fears innate in most people – heights and spiders,” Salemi said in a press release.

“Guests will ascend the tower of Giant Drop immersed in an unfamiliar world as they are bombarded by spiders and then abruptly plunge down what feels to be a 100 story free fall. Our thrill-seeking guests will not want to miss this exciting new attraction.”