Sept. 05--Since their inception, Six Flags Theme Parks have lived in the shadow of Disney, the world-famous and perhaps better-loved amusement park empire.
Six Flags was known for its death-defying roller coasters, while Disney worked its magic with atmospheric, character-based rides like It's a Small World or Pirates of the Caribbean.
But with the planned opening of a dynamic new "4-D" thrill ride at Great America in Gurnee next spring, ride fans say the park will leapfrog rivals Disney and Universal Studios in one crucial area, creating the most advanced and in-demand version of a so-called dark ride.
While Great America remains a regional summer theme park rather than a year-round vacation destination, the new ride will be the first of its kind in the Chicago region, and it vaults the park into competition with the top dogs for the latest attraction.
Dark rides are indoor rides that depend less on speed and more on story and special effects. Launched a century ago as tunnels of love and "ghost rides," the new generation of dark rides plunges riders into the middle of the action.
On Justice League: Battle for Metropolis, visitors will join Superman, Batman and other superheroes fighting the Joker and Lex Luthor. Riders will be thrust into the middle of the battle using high-definition 3-D animation, animatronic characters and wind, mist, fire and fog effects. The cars can move in many directions, and a "virtual loop" gives the sensation of tumbling over backward.
In all those respects, the ride will be much like The Amazing Spider-Man or Transformers: The Ride-3D at Universal Orlando, considered among the best examples of the art form.
But Justice League will add an interactive element, allowing riders to shoot laser guns at the bad guys and compete to get the best score, meant to appeal especially to gamers and repeat riders.
While roller coasters tend to attract teens and young adults, dark rides are meant to appeal to families with members of all ages, including children. Fans say even 6-year-olds love Justice League, though it can be a bit overwhelming, and riders must be at least 3 feet, 6 inches tall.
Some fans have already ridden Justice League, because the same ride opened this year at Six Flags St. Louis and Six Flags Over Texas, and one will open next year at Six Flags Mexico.
Andy Guinigundo, of Orlando Attractions Magazine, rode the attraction in Texas and loved it. He compared the addition of dark rides at Six Flags with the roller coaster wars that saw competing theme parks try to one-up each other to build record-setting coasters -- like Great America's Goliath, which opened last year as the tallest, steepest, fastest wooden roller coaster in the world.
Theme Park Review gave Justice League a glowing review, calling it "a world-class dark ride that sets a new standard for what an interactive attraction can be."
"For years, Six Flags has been lacking in the dark ride department," Theme Park Review owner Robb Alvey said. "This is a perfect fit for Six Flags, because it bridges the gap between a dark ride and a thrill ride. They really knocked it out of the park."
Alvey anticipated Six Flags putting similar rides at some of its 18 other parks worldwide. The rides, built by Florida-based Sally Corp., are expensive to construct. But they take up less space than roller coasters, can be updated periodically and have marketing tie-ins with DC Comics, such as the opening of the movie "Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice" expected next year.
"Chicago is a perfect fit for this," he said. "This caters to people looking for a thrill, and it's also a family ride."
Cameron Silver, a 41-year-old computer programmer and amusement park fan from Evanston, planned on taking two friends visiting from out of town to Great America. He met them through a theme park fan club, so he expected the park to be a highlight.
Having traveled on group outings to parks in United Kingdom and mainland Europe, he's eagerly awaiting the opening of the new ride at his home base next year.
"It definitely elevates the status of the park," he said. "The more variety, the more I like the park."
rmccoppin@tribpub.com
