Six Flags Over Georgia is located close to an airport, which means a height limitation of 200 feet because of all the aircraft in the vicinity.  The clever designers of B & M used the entire scope of that limitation to create a ride with too much power to remain inside the fence.  Riders actually travel outside of Six Flags Over Georgia and then reenter the park by "bunny-hopping" above the Georgia Scorcher.  The new roller coaster occupies 8 1/2 acres inside and outside the park.

Six Flags Over Georgia wanted to make the press event to be more than just about a new attraction.  They had an Ebay auction for seats on the Inaugural Ride.  Two local charities, Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, and Kid's Cancer Cure, joined Give Kids the World as the designated recipients for the proceeds.  Melinda Ashcraft, the Vice President and General Manager of Six Flags Over Georgia, said, "We wanted to support these fine organizations and this was a fun way to help them.  Not only were we able to raise over $5,000.00 as we matched others donations, many of the auction bidders made direct donations as their bids were exceeded."   The auction winners had reserved seating right up front for the festivities.

As people filled the queue, the Inaugural Riders returned, cheering, clapping, and hollering, pumped up from their ride.  That seemed to be the rule for the day, with trains leaving and returning with great fanfare.   As usual, the front and back rows had the longest lines.  But even these lines moved quickly due to every row having four seats.   Goliath is expected to thrill over 1,000 guests per hour.  Luckily, season pass holders will gain one-hour early admission to the park because one ride on Goliath will not be enough.

Roller coaster lovers search the entire world looking for airtime.  Goliath has airtime in abundance.  The first drop is 170 feet, and the next, 175.  The drops continue with 129, 118, 79, 56, and finally, 48 feet.   That adds up to seven drops, with great air on all of them.  Toss in a high-speed banked curve, a double helix up high in the trees outside the front gate, and an over-banked horseshoe and you have a tremendous roller coaster that goes 70 miles an hour.  It what feels like the most powerful hyper coaster produced by B & M to date.  When you return to the station you are still feeling the G-forces from the helix.  The trim brake just above the pond seems to make more noise than it reduces speed.  Wow - what a ride!  We wish it was closer to Indiana!

So, Six Flags Over Georgia adds to their great coaster collection with a solid hyper coaster.  We foresee a solid increase in attendance as word on this remarkable new ride spreads; so much, that you might want to get down to Atlanta soon before the lines get too long!

We hope everyone enjoys the ride, because we sure did!

Until next time, keep counting the days until your local park opens!

- Scott and Carol

Six Flags Over Georgia prepares to unleash a GIANT
GOLIATH will be the largest and tallest roller coaster in the Southeast!

Atlanta – September 1, 2005 – Six Flags Over Georgia is preparing to unleash a GIANT in 2006. Soaring over 200 ft. above the park and covering an area 8.5 acres in size, this much-anticipated steel monster will appropriately be called: GOLIATH.

Not since the Six Flags Over Georgia’s grand opening in 1967 has the park made such an announcement. Traveling over 4,400 feet on a journey that takes over 3 minutes and reaching speeds of 70 miles per hour, GOLIATH will stand as a GIANT among coasters. Beginning on a spot once occupied by the Great Gasp, GOLIATH will serve as Six Flags Over Georgia’s new skyline icon, visible for miles around.

“Without a doubt, when it comes to thrills, Six Flags Over Georgia has always been the leader in the Southeast,” noted Melinda Ashcraft, vice president and general manager, Six Flags Atlanta Parks. “Our guests continue to demand something bigger and better each year and we believe GOLIATH is the answer for both families and thrill seekers.”

The park’s 11th coaster, GOLIATH will be Six Flags Over Georgia’s first “hyper” coaster, or coaster reaching over 200 feet in height. Because of its massive height and size, GOLIATH will not fit inside the park grounds and will actually travel outside the park and back. It will be the new welcoming landmark for guests as it screams overhead, just outside the park’s front gate.

Riders on GOLIATH will sit four-abreast, strapped in bright orange and teal, open-sided trains carrying nine cars each. After the 200-foot ascent, GOLIATH will scream through the park’s USA section, and outside of the park into a series of zerogravity “floating” hills and drops, and a giant spiral. After a sweeping high-bank turn, the ride flies back into the park through several more hills and drops, in order to deliver the biggest thrill in Six Flags Over Georgia history.

GOLIATH is so enormous that it eclipses several other rides including the legendary Georgia Scorcher, which will now stand in its shadow more than 50 feet below. Giant oak trees, a unique feature to Six Flags Over Georgia, and natural treasures of the park will remain as more than just beautiful landscaping. GOLIATH will actually send riders up through the treetops and race back down within feet of two giant ponds.

GOLIATH was custom-designed and engineered by the industry-acclaimed Bolliger & Mabillard, of Monthey, Switzerland. Known for their quality and state of the art thrills, the same company designed the popular SUPERMAN – ULTIMATE FLIGHT, BATMAN THE RIDE, and Georgia Scorcher coasters in the park.

Compared side-by-side, GOLIATH eclipses SUPERMAN – ULTIMATE FLIGHT’s top height by nearly 50 feet and beats its top speed by over 15 miles per hour. It’s length is almost twice that of any other coaster in the park.

Construction on this giant coaster has already begun and will continue through the winter. GOLIATH is scheduled to open April 1, 2006, just in time for Spring Break. Season Passholders will be given some of the first opportunities to ride during exclusive ride times scheduled for April.

Season Passes for the 2006 season go on sale early at the park’s Guest Relations office beginning September 1, 2005.

Six Flags is open weekends until October 30, 2005 and will re-open March 4, 2006. For additional information, including hours of operation, pricing, and more, visit sixflags.com/georgia.