Raging Bull (roller coaster) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Raging Bull |
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| Six Flags Great America | |
| Location | Six Flags Great America |
| Park section | Southwest Territory |
| Coordinates | 42°21′56.89″N 87°56′13.39″W / 42.3658028°N 87.9370528°W |
| Status | Operating |
| Soft opening date | April 29, 1999 |
| Opening date | May 1, 1999 |
| Cost | $25,000,000 |
| Replaced | Rolling Thunder |
| General statistics | |
| Type | Steel |
| Manufacturer | Bolliger & Mabillard |
| Designer | Werner Stengel |
| Model | Hyper Coaster |
| Lift/launch system | Chain lift hill |
| Height | 202 ft (62 m) |
| Drop | 208 ft (63 m) |
| Length | 5,057 ft (1,541 m) |
| Speed | 73 mph (117 km/h) |
| Inversions | 0 |
| Duration | 2:30 |
| Max vertical angle | 65° |
| Capacity | 1560 riders per hour |
| Trains | 3 trains with 9 cars. Riders are arranged 4 across in a single row for a total of 36 riders per train. |
 Flash Pass available |
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 Must transfer from wheelchair |
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| Raging Bull at RCDB | |
Raging Bull is a thrilling steel roller coaster located at Six Flags Great America in Gurnee, Illinois. It was designed by Werner Stengel and built by a company called Bolliger & Mabillard (B&M). The ride first opened to the public on May 1, 1999.
This exciting coaster features a huge first drop of 208-foot (63 m), which is about as tall as a 20-story building! You can reach a top speed of 73 mph (117 km/h), which is faster than most cars on the highway. The track is also very long, stretching over 5,000 feet (1,524 m). Raging Bull was the second B&M Hyper Coaster of its kind to open in the United States.
Contents
History of Raging Bull
How the Ride Was Planned and Built
On October 21, 1998, Six Flags Great America announced they would be adding a new roller coaster called Raging Bull. It was planned to open for the 1999 season. The park decided to place it in the Southwest Territory area, right next to another popular ride called Viper.
The park hired Bolliger & Mabillard, a well-known company that builds roller coasters, to create this new "hyper coaster." Construction on Raging Bull started in November 1998. The building work was finished by the spring of the next year.
Opening Day and Early Years
Raging Bull officially opened to the public on May 1, 1999. Before that, a special event for the media was held two days earlier, on April 29.
Virtual Reality Experiment
On June 15, 2016, Six Flags announced an interesting new feature for Raging Bull. They said that Virtual Reality (VR) headsets would be added to the ride later that year. This meant riders could wear special goggles to see a virtual world while riding the coaster.
However, the VR experience didn't last very long on Raging Bull or other rides at Six Flags parks. It caused lines to move much slower because it took extra time to give out and clean each headset. Because of these issues, the VR feature was removed.
About the Ride's Location and Look
Where to Find Raging Bull
Raging Bull is located in the Southwest Territory section of Six Flags Great America. You can find it between the Viper roller coaster and the large helix (a spiral turn) of the American Eagle ride.
What Was There Before
This spot was once home to another ride called Rolling Thunder. Rolling Thunder was a bobsled roller coaster that had been moved to Six Flags Great America in 1990. It was later moved again in 1996 to another park called The Great Escape & Splashwater Kingdom.
The Ride's Unique Design
The station where you board Raging Bull is designed to look a bit old and worn down, giving it a unique style. The roller coaster's track is painted a bright orange color. The metal rails that the wheels run on are left unpainted, and the tall support beams are a deep wine color.
The Ride Experience
Starting Your Adventure
When your train leaves the station, it makes a left turn and a small dip. Then, you begin to climb the tall lift hill. This chain lift takes you up to a height of 202-foot peak (62 m).
The Big Drop and First Turns
At the very top, the train goes over a small "pre-drop" section before plunging down a massive 208-foot plunge (63 m) into a tunnel. This is where you hit your top speed of 73 mph (117 km/h)! After this thrilling drop, the track goes up into a special turn called a hammerhead turn to the right.
Hills and More Turns
Next, you'll experience a "parabolic hill," which gives you a feeling of weightlessness. After that, there's another hill that banks to the left, going over the station area. The train then dips under the lift hill and goes into another hammerhead turn, this time to the left.
Brakes and the Final Stretch
The train then makes an uphill turn to the right and enters a mid-course brake run. This slows the train down a bit. After leaving these brakes, you pass by the on-ride camera, so be ready to smile!
The ride continues with an "airtime hill," which lifts you out of your seat for a moment. Then, you go into a three-quarter turn to the right, wrapping around the first big drop. Finally, the train dives into a figure-eight turn. After exiting this turn, the train rises uphill and enters the final brake run before returning safely to the station.
Images for kids
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The logo for the Raging Bull roller coaster.
