Frommer's Review
One of the state's major family attractions, Six Flags offers a great day's entertainment. Arrive early (at least 30 min. before opening), note where you've parked in the vast lot, and take 10 minutes or so to plan out your show and ride schedule.
The park's various areas have themes centered around different regions, from Southern (Cotton States, Confederate, Georgia, Lickskillet, and Promenade) to European (France, Britain, Spain) to American (U.S.A.) to Gotham City (featuring Batman The Ride). Costumed Looney Tune characters (Sylvester, Daffy Duck, and others) roam the park greeting kids (check out the gazebo in the Promenade section to meet that wascally wabbit Bugs Bunny). In 2005, the park unveiled its new water-themed venue, Skull Island, a Caribbean pirate adventure, featuring six slides and a spewing volcano among other watery playground offerings.
Thrill rides include several watery options, such as Splashwater Falls (a plummet down a soaring 50-ft. waterfall), a log flume, and Thunder River (a simulated white-water rafting adventure). White-knuckle coasters include the Georgia Scorcher (one of the Southeast's tallest and fastest stand-up roller coasters), the Viper (which goes from 0-60 mph in less than 6 sec. and has a 360-degree loop), Ninja (the "black belt" of roller coasters, turning riders upside down five times and offering thrilling loops, dives, and corkscrew turns), the Georgia Cyclone (a classic wooden coaster with 11 dramatic drops, patterned after Coney Island's famous thrill ride), the Great American Scream Machine (another classic wooden coaster), and Mind Bender (a triple-looper). Other highlights are Batman The Ride (a twisting roller coaster with ski-lift-like seats), Great Gasp (a 20-story parachute jump), Riverview Carousel (a merry-go-round from the early 1900s), and Free Fall (ever wonder what it would be like to fall off a 10-story building?). A less dizzying adventure is Monster Plantation, a Disneyesque boat ride through an antebellum mansion haunted by over 100 animated monsters. And there's much, much more.
Shows vary from year to year, but they usually include a major musical revue, a country-music show, a golden-oldies show, thrill cinema adventures on a 180-degree screen, and an animated character show. In addition, headliners such as SheDaisy and John Michael Montgomery play the 8,072-seat (with lawn seating for 4,000) Southern Star Amphitheatre.
There are restaurants and snack bars throughout the park, though you might consider bringing a picnic.
Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without
notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before
planning your trip.
