Six Flags' Medusa to Get a Snakeover
When is a new park attraction not really a new park attraction? When it's an existing attraction that gets tweaked in some way--like the "new" Medusa coaster that Six Flags Great Adventure in New Jersey will unveil in 2009. According to the park, the floorless coaster will get an overlay of new visual, audio, and sensory effects. In its release, Six Flags says it won't reveal details until next year, but it does confirm that Medusa will lose its Greek mythology theme (and presumably its name).
The park says that the X coaster at Six Flags Magic Mountain in California received a similar overhaul for 2008. That ride, now known as X2, got new trains, onboard audio, and fire effects. Six Flags apparently liked the results of its Magic Mountain coaster makeover. In addition to the Medusa redo, the park chain is planning to add onboard audio, rehabbed trains, and fire bursts to the incredible Superman: Ride of Steel at Six Flags New England as well. Is this a new Six Flags trend?
There's nothing wrong with taking a great ride and showing it some love. And Great Adventure's Medusa, the world's first floorless coaster, is a pretty wonderful ride. The makeover will offer a way for the park to spruce up the coaster and possibly improve the ride experience as well. It will also be able to score some marketing mileage out of the "new" ride without investing a ton of capital. I'm all for new and improved rides; of course, brand new attractions would be even better.
What do you think about Six Flags presenting its overhauled rides as "new" attractions. Click on "Comments" below to weigh in.
- Medusa and Other Six Flags Great Adventure Rides Photo Gallery
- Six Flags Great Adventure Overview
- El Toro at Six Flags Great Adventure Coaster Review.
Comments
This makes me pretty upset…I’ve been working at Six Flags for a little over 2 years now, spending my work days as an operator at Medusa. I like it the way that it is–the mean lean GREEN Heinz ketchup machine! (we had a sponsor) The new paint is nice, sure, but I’m wondering how this is going to work…when Medusa first opened, it had fog machines as well, but those kept setting off the light-curtain safety feature, so they were removed. I’m wondering how they plan to implement them this time.
As for the name change…well, if it changes from Medusa, I’m not coming back. In my heart, I’ll always know the ride as Medusa, “…the BEST and only ride in this park brought to you EXCLUSIVELY…by Heinz!”
Maybe you’re on to something here Andrew. Perhaps the new name will be…Anticipation. (Heinz had an ad campaign a few years ago touting how thick its product was–and therefore how customers had to wait, and anticipate it, as they tapped or squeezed it out of the bottle. Maybe the “sensory effects” will include a spritz of ketchup at passengers.
-Arthur
Hey, one of the spiels we used was, “Attention guests waiting in line–I know the wait may be long, but it’s ALWAYS worth it for the rich, thick taste of Heinz ketchup!”
i love the old medusa
i hope they dont screw it up!
I think it’s a great idea to remake Medusa. I love all the coasters at GA (well, I hated Viper, but thankfully that’s gone now) - from the bone-clattering Scream Machine to the monster that is Kingda Ka to Rolling Thunder, if only for sentimental reasons. I have been on Medusa a number of times and found it to be a considerable LESS exhilarating ride than any of the other big coasters and have skipped it. I’m looking forward to the new overhaul!