Six Flags brings Harley Quinn to Gotham CityDate: 6/7/2018 AGAWAM – On the morning of May 31 my editor, G. Michael Dobbs, and I set off to Six Flags, “The Thrill Capital of New England” to take the new Harley Quinn Spinsanity for a spin, pun intended.
Each year that Six Flags introduces a new ride to the public, they host a “media day” where local reporters, journalists and radio professionals are invited to give the ride a go. This was my second Six Flags media day, as last year Mike and I attended the opening of the Joker 4D free-fly coaster.
Harley Quinn Spinsanity travels at 70 miles per hour, and is one of the fastest attractions at Six Flags. The ride rotates counter clockwise while simultaneously swinging back and forth up to 147 feet in the air. Riders achieve weightlessness as they swing through the air.
“Innovation is part of the Six Flags DNA and we are proud to deliver new, groundbreaking attractions every season at Six Flags New England,” Park President Pete Carmichael said in a press release. “This unique, high-adrenaline attraction will amaze thrill-seekers of all ages and is the perfect addition to our new Gotham City section.”
The area of the park that houses Batman The Dark Knight, Superman: The Ride, The Joker 4D Free Fly coaster, The Riddler Revenge [formerly known as Mind Eraser,] along with various other attractions has been renamed as “Gotham City.”
As Mike and I approached the ride, I kept anxiously repeating in my head, “This is going to be great! Not scary at all. It will be fine.” While the crowd hype began to commence, with music blasting and actors-turned-characters making their entrances, the excitement of those in attendance increased.
The inaugural ride consisted of individuals from Dress for Success. Mike and I watched from the ground as Harley Quinn’s Spinsanity began to slowly rotate and swing back and forth through the air. From the ground, the ride looked fairly tame. Sure, it does reach a height of 147 feet. It does go 70 miles per hour while swinging. However, it didn’t look too intimidating from the safety of the park pavement.
I’ll preface this by saying I love rollercoasters, rides that spin, or any sort of thrill-ride. I love the heart beating, adrenaline rush that comes with the first climb up to the top of a coaster, along with the screams that ensue during the first drop. I was ready for whatever Harley Quinn’s Spinsanity threw at me.
Mike, on the other hand, was not as prepared.
The two of us filed through the gate onto the ride and chose our seats. Rock 102’s Bax & O’Brien show Producer Steve Nagle joined Mike and I, and we accepted our fates. We were about to fly through the air on a pendulum while spinning. We may walk off thrilled with our experience, or we may just end up feeling really sick.
The stairs below our feet separated leaving our legs dangling in the air, and the ride began to slowly rotate while simultaneously swinging. As we moved faster and faster, and higher and higher, a few screeches escaped my mouth, half out of fear, half out of excitement. The woman sitting to my left with her kids shouted, “Wake me up when it’s over!” I glanced to my right and took a peek at Mike, who was white knuckling the over-the-shoulder restraints as he screamed with his eyes clamped shut.
I couldn’t contain myself for the rest of the ride as I laughed through it. I’m not sure if I was laughing at Mike, at everyone’s overwhelming sense of fear as we hurled through the air, or that I was simply just having fun.
If you’re a thrill-seeker, Harley Quinn’s Spinsanity is for you. I thought it was two minutes of free falling excitement. Others, however, may not report the same. Nonetheless, the next time I venture out to Six Flags I’d jump at the chance to go on the ride again.
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