Alpine Bobsled
Encyclopedia
Alpine Bobsled is a steel roller coaster
of bobsled design. It has been at three places:
New York
where the 1980
and 1932
Winter Olympics, both of which included bobsled races, were held. The ride has four cars, all themed from different countries: the United States
, Canada
, Italy
, and Jamaica
. A large archway is the entrance to the long queue area leading up to the loading station. The arch itself is decorated with an old Olympic-style bobsled and the path up to the loading area is scattered with old broken sleds as well. The loading station is built to resemble an 19th century alpine ski lodge. The outside of the bobsled's trough is purple and white, with the inside also being white.
as the Sarajevo Bobsled. The ride was quite popular. Its purpose was to commemorate the 1984 Olympics. The area of the park was becoming dull and needed an overhaul.
In the spring of 1988, it was determined that this area would have an Airplane/Space/Boardwalk theme, and that the park needed a larger roller coaster, and that the coaster would occupy the land that Sarajevo Bobsleds was occupying. The Bobsled was then closed mid season and dismantled. The coaster was replaced with a multiple steel looping roller coaster that was then state of the art and would for a month be the tallest coaster in the world. The Great American Scream Machine was built in its place, and it stood there until it was dismantled in July of the 2010 season. The area has now been confirmed to be the new home of Chang
, a coaster that was at Six Flags Kentucky Kingdom
until 2009.
After the ride was dismantled and removed, it was relocated to Six Flags Great America
in 1989 and in 1990 opened as Rolling Thunder.
It was replaced by Raging Bull
, a state of the art steel hyper twister non-looping coaster. Rolling Thunder was then sold to Premier Parks and then moved to Great Escape in 1997.
It reopened in 1998 as the Alpine Bobsled. Premiere Parks bought Six Flags in 1998 bringing Great Escape into and this coaster back to the Six Flags family.
Steel roller coaster
A steel roller coaster is a roller coaster that is defined by having a track made of steel. Steel coasters have earned immense popularity in the past 50 years throughout the world...
of bobsled design. It has been at three places:
- From 1984 to 1988, named Sarajevo Bobsled, at Six Flags Great AdventureSix Flags Great AdventureSix Flags Great Adventure is a theme park in Jackson Township, New Jersey, owned by Six Flags Entertainment Corp., the world's largest amusement park corporation...
- From 1989 to 1996, named Rolling Thunder, at Six Flags Great AmericaSix Flags Great AmericaSix Flags Great America is a Six Flags theme park in the Chicago metropolitan area, located in Gurnee, Illinois. It first opened in 1976 as Marriott's Great America. Six Flags purchased the park from the Marriott Corporation in 1984, making it the seventh park in the chain...
- Since 1998, named Alpine Bobsled, at The Great Escape & Splashwater KingdomThe Great Escape & Splashwater KingdomThe Great Escape & Splashwater Kingdom is an amusement and waterpark located in Queensbury, New York. It is advertised as being located in Lake George, New York...
in Queensbury, New YorkQueensbury, New YorkQueensbury is a town in and the county seat of Warren County, New York, United States. The town is located in the southeastern part of the county. The population was 25,441 at the 2000 census. The town is named in honor of Queen Charlotte, the consort of George III of Great Britain and Ireland. It...
.
Theming
The alpine theme of the coaster was partly inspired by the park's proximity to Lake PlacidLake Placid, New York
Lake Placid is a village in the Adirondack Mountains in Essex County, New York, United States. As of the 2000 census, the village had a population of 2,638....
New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
where the 1980
1980 Winter Olympics
The 1980 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XIII Olympic Winter Games, was a multi-sport event which was celebrated from 13 February through 24 February 1980 in Lake Placid, New York, United States of America. This was the second time the Upstate New York village hosted the Games, after 1932...
and 1932
1932 Winter Olympics
The 1932 Winter Olympics, officially known as the III Olympic Winter Games, were a winter multi-sport event which was celebrated in 1932 in Lake Placid, New York, United States. The games opened on February 4 and closed on February 15. It would be the first winter olympics held in the United...
Winter Olympics, both of which included bobsled races, were held. The ride has four cars, all themed from different countries: the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, and Jamaica
Jamaica
Jamaica is an island nation of the Greater Antilles, in length, up to in width and 10,990 square kilometres in area. It is situated in the Caribbean Sea, about south of Cuba, and west of Hispaniola, the island harbouring the nation-states Haiti and the Dominican Republic...
. A large archway is the entrance to the long queue area leading up to the loading station. The arch itself is decorated with an old Olympic-style bobsled and the path up to the loading area is scattered with old broken sleds as well. The loading station is built to resemble an 19th century alpine ski lodge. The outside of the bobsled's trough is purple and white, with the inside also being white.
History
The coaster was built in 1984 and was located at Six Flags Great AdventureSix Flags Great Adventure
Six Flags Great Adventure is a theme park in Jackson Township, New Jersey, owned by Six Flags Entertainment Corp., the world's largest amusement park corporation...
as the Sarajevo Bobsled. The ride was quite popular. Its purpose was to commemorate the 1984 Olympics. The area of the park was becoming dull and needed an overhaul.
In the spring of 1988, it was determined that this area would have an Airplane/Space/Boardwalk theme, and that the park needed a larger roller coaster, and that the coaster would occupy the land that Sarajevo Bobsleds was occupying. The Bobsled was then closed mid season and dismantled. The coaster was replaced with a multiple steel looping roller coaster that was then state of the art and would for a month be the tallest coaster in the world. The Great American Scream Machine was built in its place, and it stood there until it was dismantled in July of the 2010 season. The area has now been confirmed to be the new home of Chang
Chang (roller coaster)
Green Lantern is a steel Bolliger & Mabillard stand-up roller coaster at Six Flags Great Adventure. It was originally constructed at Six Flags Kentucky Kingdom in Louisville, Kentucky in 1997, where it was known as Chang. Upon opening in 1997, it set the world records for this type of coaster in...
, a coaster that was at Six Flags Kentucky Kingdom
Six Flags Kentucky Kingdom
Kentucky Kingdom is an amusement park located in Louisville, Kentucky, USA. The park is located on of land which includes a collection of 27 amusement rides and a water park named Splashwater Kingdom...
until 2009.
After the ride was dismantled and removed, it was relocated to Six Flags Great America
Six Flags Great America
Six Flags Great America is a Six Flags theme park in the Chicago metropolitan area, located in Gurnee, Illinois. It first opened in 1976 as Marriott's Great America. Six Flags purchased the park from the Marriott Corporation in 1984, making it the seventh park in the chain...
in 1989 and in 1990 opened as Rolling Thunder.
It was replaced by Raging Bull
Raging Bull (roller coaster)
The Raging Bull is a Bolliger & Mabillard hyper-twister steel roller coaster located at Six Flags Great America in Gurnee, Illinois. It was built in 1999, and features a first drop and top speed of , and is currently one of the most popular rides at Six Flags Great America. At in length, it is...
, a state of the art steel hyper twister non-looping coaster. Rolling Thunder was then sold to Premier Parks and then moved to Great Escape in 1997.
It reopened in 1998 as the Alpine Bobsled. Premiere Parks bought Six Flags in 1998 bringing Great Escape into and this coaster back to the Six Flags family.