Comments on: Demon @ Six Flags Great America | Coaster Reviews

By: The Coaster Critic

The Coaster Critic — Wed, 29 Jun 2011 11:39:00 +0000

I’d love to hear what you think of my old home park’s Arrow looper Anaconda at Kings Dominion. Having ridden it a hundred times I’ve had plenty of time to note all of its flaws. I’d imagine that I’m much harder on it than you’d be and I bet it’s the same case with Demon to some extent. It was definitely unpopular but for me it was a refreshingly fun ride for its age and stats.

By: Jacohn

Jacohn — Wed, 29 Jun 2011 06:43:35 +0000

Six Flags Great America being my home park, I’ve ridden Demon numerous times. I respect the ride for being a vintage Arrow Looper but other than the nostalgia of being a classic 1980s coaster, it has little to offer. The theming isn’t bad but the ride itself is average at best. Upon entering the queue you realize that this ride is quite unpopular (even on busy days the wait is no longer than 10-15 minutes) and after riding, you understand why. In my opinion the first drop is the highlight of the ride, it does give some airtime. But after the first drop everything else is sub par. The first two loops are quick and fairly boring. After the first two inversions the lighted tunnel just seems dull and out of place. To cap off the ride, you are forced to endure two consecutive corkscrew. By then, you’ve been rattled around so much that you literally dread the thought of the final two inversions. Although the inversions themselves are shockingly painless, going into the first corkscrew is a painful ordeal. Overall, the ride is an outdated looper that attracts little ridership. I think the ride is very forgetable and that Six Flags should consider removing it and replacing it with a more modern coaster. The ride has had its moment in the sun and may have been thrilling and fun when it first debuted, but today, it is skippable and boring. Personally, I think it probably would have been better as the old Turn Of The Century. The fact that the coaster no longer matters is cemented by the fact that one of its trains is literally wrapped in a bubble gum ad. To any potential Great America visitors, this coaster is worth one ride considering the short wait and because of the chance it gives to experience a classic looper, but worth skipping on every subsequent visit to the park.

By: XYZ

XYZ — Fri, 17 Jun 2011 21:28:37 +0000

I’ve ridden the Demon at California’s Great America, though I don’t think it is as smooth as the one in Six Flags that is described as smooth. The one at Great America is good but is pretty rough, much rougher than the Grizzly.

By: airtime

airtime — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 20:50:42 +0000

I have been riding Demon at SFGAm since its inaugural season, and I have loved every single one of the dozens of rides I have taken on it in the last 30 years. Sure, now a trip to SFGAm centers on Raging Bull and S:UF, but we still take time to ride the legend (not to mention our Schwarzkopf treasure, the Whizzer!) I also still love the Demon song! (“You’re delicious, nutritious to the Demon…”)

By: Rob F

Rob F — Sun, 11 Apr 2010 16:43:06 +0000

The demon has always been a personal favorite, as it is usually smoother than other 2 accross loopers, was by far a sleeker looking coaster car than previous models, had the added dimensions of the startup fog cave, the rock through the second loop (which you definately see when you are on the ride), the cave of lights and sound after the second vertical loop (which surprised you the first time you ride the ride), and the waterfall that misted you (at least in the front seat) after you entered the cave entrance that led to the 2 corkscrews. Why don’t more coasters add more visual features? (except the old Busch parks, which seemed to undertand that — I will really miss Big Bad Wolf in Virginia) I do miss the demon’s original more spongy overhead bar padding though, since it didn’t hurt much if you did get more side to side motion and banged into the bar. But it probably wasn’t as durable (they always had chunks of foam missing then) and the new ones seem like they might hold you in safer. What made the old spongy soft padded bar more interesting is that there were no handholds, so it felt like you had no-where to hold onto (making it seem less secure and a little more scary).

By: Thomas

Thomas — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 09:08:22 +0000

Great to hear the good ol’ Demon is still going strong. I remember the Turn of the Century to Demon transition. And that song was cheesy back then! It’s heartening that tradition stands. “It’s the Demon, he’s gonna find you…” Back then the ride ops actually wore short capes! Marriott’s did awesome theming: the tunnel out of the station was full of smoke, of course the post loop tunnel lights, and the blood ran freely through the mouth of the Demon/rock feature before the corkscrew with glowing red eyes after dark. I wish I could find the radio commercial with the flowers in the attic girl whispering: the Demon awaits you….

By: Prof. BAM

Prof. BAM — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 03:03:56 +0000

Sorry Coaster Critic I got everyone off Topic. Back to Demon at Six Flags Great America.

By: CFC

CFC — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 01:33:58 +0000

Case in point.

By: Tom

Tom — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 00:59:01 +0000

By the way, does Schwarzkopf still make coasters? They haven’t made one in a while.

By: Quil

Quil — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 00:21:57 +0000

Schwarzkopfs never got old. well, they got old as in age, but not as in popularity.