Dude, you are awesome for having and sharing this video!! I didn't have a video camera back then!! I remember riding this several times at the end of the night, and this video brought back some great memories!! Thanks!!
Whoever said this ride was raw, intense, and no-holds-barred is spot-on. I recall riding the Shockwave back in 1988 and came away feeling like Jell-O afterwards. That ride was no joke.
Well I got to experience the ride through this guys pov. I didn't get to ride it and the year I was able to they shut it down then the following year it was gone. Thanks guys for this video
I miss Shockwave! It was a raw, intense, no holds barred type of ride experience, like being in the front seat of a Formula 1 race car which is what made it so memorable, whether you loved it or hated it. Superman is like grandmas Buick compared to this; a leather seated weak ride.
Every word you said there makes total sense the same way I felt about great adventure replacing The Great American as team Machine with a relocated stand up that people hated way more through out the 2010’s than the best coaster I ever got to ride before it closed down in the year 2010 but you know what that being said Green lantern was a far superior replacement for the Scream Machine because it has a very top notch unique layout that you can actually enjoy if you know how to position your seat up right at the correct height angle but yeah you guys over there got screwed over because the Superman Flight Flying coasters clones only had two good things about it the swooping first Drop and going and coming out of that Pretzel Knot or loop should have torn down the whizzer or the Demon
Wow - I can't ride roller coasters anymore (medical), but gawd, I remember the Shockwave. I was a young squid stationed at Great Lakes Naval Station back in 1989-1991 where a bunch of us got discounted season tickets to Great America... when we were broke on the weekends, we would pool our money for a cab, pile in and head to Great America. The Shockwave was incredible.. I cut my roller coaster teeth in that park, and remember that at night when the park started emptying out we would pull into the Shockwave station after riding and everyone would chant "Again! Again! and if no one was waiting, they would just roll us through onto another cycle of it. I can remember one time it got really foggy but didn't rain - so they let the ride run... that condensation on the rails were just enough that it made the Shockwave terrifying; after all of the hundreds of times I had ridden it, that was the one time I was truly scared of it and decided one ride that night was enough. RIP great friend - wish I had you in my back yard again!
Shame it's gone. What a mistake to remove it, was the best roller coaster i've been on. I remember the second loop of the 2 loops in a row set (upside down # 3) would always make me grunt because of the force. This thing was so intimidating when I was growing up. Just a presence about it, definitely miss it.
There are not many videos of this coaster out there. I'm glad i got this one. The thing about the loops, they are ovals! The G-Force was fantastic!! Best Coaster Ever!
But Whizzer is much more reliable than this was. Plus Shockwave had pretty much aged horribly in its last years of life. This coaster was cool I will admit.....but it suffered way too many operational problems. Fractured track due to the stress put on it by the trains fast movement, wheels constantly wore out, and ridership suffered severely.
This was the first coaster I rode to get over my fear of roller coasters. How awesome you have this video to bring back memories. I'll never forget that first drop. The first time I tried to get the nerve to ride this, I was in line for 45 mins, got past all the trees, saw the tall loops, then jumped the line and headed toward the exit. Yes, I was that scared. I laugh now!! I wish this would be resurrected back at Six Flags Great America.
I just came from Six Flags Magic Mountain earlier, and I rode Shockwave's lil' brother, Viper. Although yes it was rough, it's still hanging in there. May the spirit of Shockwave live on through Viper.
I’m a life time mega-looper and arrow fan, and all I can do is be thankful shockwave was created and prototyped for my home park’s mega looper, the Scream Machine. The presence of these coasters were so daunting, even an experienced coaster rider would be nervous. The way they were shaped, the sounds they made, the stories they all tell. There’s something so classy about these arrows. Glad we still have Viper going strong from what I know today. Maybe they realized their mistake with demolishing the first two, and are keeping it around for a reason.
This was the first roller coaster I ever went on as a kid. My dad talked me into going on it and since that day, I've loved roller coasters. This was a great one. So sad to see it's gone. Glad these videos are here to remember it.
Ooooh mah gawwwwd...... I loved this... THANK YOU THANK YOU for actually having this on here.... This was my all time favorite ride. Wish it was still in effect. They could have engineered a fix to the problems they had.
This is amazing!! I remember going to six flags and seeing this, of course I was too young to ride this. Its amazing to see a rare video such as this!! Thank you for posting!!
My cousin and I used to do the same thing. We had season passes and went just about every weekend for several years. Even through the headaches, we rode this beast over and over just for it's sheer awesomeness. Watching this allowed me to re-live a piece of my childhood in a way. Good times.
The most daring ride I been on and it was by accident. Was with friends gabbing too much and not paying attention. They got in line and I followed along like a talking fool. We got into the seats and once those bars came down and locked you in? I was like 'wait, what is this?' That's when I realized my life was going to end. Glad I did it! ;)
Best roller coaster ever! I was 11 when I first rode the Shockwave back in '99. After riding that thing, I knew I could ride any roller coaster in that park! The Superman looked lame! We tried to ride it back on our senior trip in '06 and the ride broke down with some of my classmates on it! RIP Shockwave!
Appreciate the information. This was a great ride, I took the video around 2000. BEFORE TH-cam!! I have not seen any POV videos from this coaster. I'm glad I captured an exclusive, so many people talk about it and how they miss this ride.
@DrunKENgatorFan Awesome man! thanks for sharing, this was the first ride i ever went on when i was a kid, now thanks to you, im here showing my daughter how fun her first coaster ride is going to be next week
awesome! This ride shook the shit out of you, but the G-force you would get from it was totally worth it! Riding Shockwave was like astronautic training. I liked it a lot more than the shit superman ultimate flight coaster that replaced it. Thanks a ton for this upload, a rare gem now that Shockwave is no more.
I remember back in the day no one else would ride this coaster and we would be able to stay on without having to get back into line. This has to be one of my all time favorite coasters. I think my neck hurts though.
This was the first roller coaster I ever went on! I was 9 and went with my friend--We had been wanting to go on a big coaster all day, but my mom hadn't let us go on one yet (she was afraid, and we thought she was being over protective). We'd been eyeing the Shockwave since the beginning because it was giant, loud, and the first thing you would see coming off the highway. On our way out the park, I pointed at it and asked my mom if we could go on "that one!", and surprisingly, she said yes! We were so freaking excited that she finally let us go on a real rollercoaster after waiting all day, and to top it off, it was the biggest one in the park!! My mom sat waiting for us on a bench in front, and in line, people were staring at us because we were alone and were just barely tall enough (The operators actually had to measure us with a stick, and we were right on the line). We made sure to get front row seats so that we had the best ride ever--And bang! It was super intense and had our heads banging against the sides of the seat harnesses, lol. On our way out of the park, my mom noticed this coaster and said "I don't know how people could go on that! They must be crazy" We looked at her and said "that's the one you just let us on!" She thought we were joking at first, but when we insisted, the color drained from her face and she looked at us horrified--Turns out she thought we were pointing to the dinky little gyro-tower that was in front of it and thought we were on it the whole time, lmao! I never got to go on it again--Not because of my mom (lol), but because the next time I went, superman was there instead. I'm glad I got to experience it at least once before it was gone. A memory I'll never forget!
Ephyne that’s a great story. The video was made before TH-cam existed. And there’s not many videos of it out there! I’ll never forget the g-force you can hear me grunting. At least you can ride it again virtually!
Ephyne, are you sure you recall correctly? This was a physically violent ride, and the park required minimum height riders....9 years old is like 4th Grade, and at least in my experience, I saw no kids younger than high school age, or at least unusually tall middle school kids, being admitted to this roller coaster.
This was the first roller coaster I ever went on. I was terrified standing in line with my friends & their big brothers, but I didn't want to puss out. To this day I still compare every roller coaster I go on to Shock Wave... nothing is as intense. I remember having to grunt my way through it from the G's that this thing put you through! Wish they never took it down. Great that you stole a video of it, and from the front car too. Thanks for posting.
They should of kept this ride. There was nothing old with the Arrow Mega Loopers. It was just a style of rollercoaster that gave some variety to the Bolliger&Mabillard monopoly.
This coaster was freaking awesome. That sharp left turn right after the second double loop would snap your neck in half if you weren't prepared for it. Lots of people who weren't prepared for that ended up sore after riding it.
PS I miss you Shockwave!!! And I hope your designer builds you again because you were a huge part of history....when you came to Great America, Gurnee, IL you were state of the art....TOP of the line....got everybody talking....people waited in line for over an hour..... Yeah..let's tear this pile of crap down, it sucks! Somebody HAD to have been smokin something man!!!!!!!!!!! Thank you for this video.... Please tell us when you exactly took this video.
I was 15 when I rode this for the first time back in 1991. Back then, I wasn't the die-hard coaster fanatic I am today - going up the first hill, my only thought then was "Oh God, I'm gonna die". And I saw the way I looked at one point in the ride (there was a camera somewhere that snapped pics of each rider as the train came by, IIRC) - I looked like I was hanging on for dear life while looking scared shitless while my uncle was grinning from ear to ear. When I rode it again in 1994, I was all "Bring it on". I must've rode it at least 10 times in one day. But man...it sucks it's gone.
I loved Shock Wave, but you really had to keep your head pressed back against the head rest cause it would really bang your head around! It was a first of its kind!⚡⚡⚡🌊
I operated this Ride the second year it was opened. I had to walk all the way up that first hill. Arrow Dynamics designed this, and they also built a ton of rides when Disneyland opened. But these rides were famous for having a few rough turns. This was before there was better engineering software, and robotic machining tools. Arrow had a big legacy and shockwave met a lot of firsts when it came out. First coaster with 7 inversions, the first loop was the highest, and the boomerang loop at the back was a new design at the time. BUt it was plagued with issues. The wheels wore off fast, I remember on hot days you could peel the wheels like it was string cheese. these were some of the last coasters made the old fashion way, now its all computers and robots.
This was the best ride in the park. Almost as tall and as fast as Raging Bull, but Shockwave pulled some incredible G's. Also, as an added bonus, the wait was less than a minute long during it's last year (depending on how fast you walk through the line :P)
I was born in 2004. I remembered the space shuttle ride but not shockwave. I really wish I could have rode it. I also wish I rode Iron Wolf before it closed but I was too scared. I'm glad you had fun while it was there. Now I have to go all the way to California if I wanted to ride this! I know I'm really late I just found this.
Bryan Terry i had a chance to ride all of those shockwave was the best one my dad had forced me to get on the shuttle with him i was scared at first because the first few times we went it always down for repairs or we seen it stuck upsidedown lol i had my fill of iron wolf we got on when the park was about to close no lines operator let me and my buddy stay on for 4 rides in a row when it was still new
@DrunKENgatorFan Yeah, this like diggin in the crates, the vaults, ya know!! How technology has advanced, but there still isn't a ride as legendary to my youth as Shockwave!! Great to see older footage!!
Shockwave was my favorite ride in the park. To me it represented everything awesome about 80's roller coasters. It had a 65 MPH drop, followed by 7 inversions. Just the sight of the steel best got my heart pumping, and is the image that represented the park to me. Then they ripped it out and replaced it with a SLOW 51 MPH ride that is more boring than the drive to the park. My family used to get season passes every year, but we haven't gone to Great America since 2004.
What I wouldn't give to go back 20 years and experience this ride again... Someday, I'll do the next best thing and make the trip out to Magic Mountain and ride Viper-- the last of the three.
It beat the Raging Bull by far more than a mile. This was my most memorable coaster, and apparently many others feel the same. I'm just glad I was lucky enough to be around and old enough to ride while it was around. I nearly cried the following year pulling up to Six Flags only to realize it'd been replaced, and to boot by something as horrible as The Superman. It's sorely missed, that's for sure.
My first big coaster, Dad said it was the fastest and most loops in the world. It had a chicken exit too, which I never used. Ahh the memories made in 1987 that stick with you!
@JiggidyNDG You are so welcome. I shot this I think in 2000. I love watching and riding this over and over. This was my first camera with video. I had 2 340MB cards to last me a week in Chicago. As it turns out, I got the only real front seat video of Shockwave. The video obviously shot way before TH-cam!!
Tons of fun, I This is the second ride I ever went on with loops, the same day was the first time I was on Demon, because the line was super short my dad convinced me to go on a looping coaster. Best idea ever tbh :)
This was the best ride I can remember at Great America. Haven't been there since the 90's though. I don't remember a headache or getting bumped around enough to make it stand out in my mind.
that looks bloody amazing!!!!!!! hillarious UHHHHHHHHHHHRRRRRRRRRRAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!! lmao!! xx
I've seen the POV for Viper and this rollercoaster has the exact same layout so I'm guessing there was a problem with this ride since this was taken down and Viper is still standing.
@streborkb Yea man! I was lucky to ride it, not only that but to have the balls to video it. Then it was just as cameras came out with video, I think 2000 or 2001. You can hear me grunting from the G-force! I love to watch this vid. I haven't found anybody else that has this on the TH-cam...
This roller coaster was in my dreams, I grew up on it when we went there. amazing times I always think back too. Brought a tear to my eye 19 years later having not been there seeing and remembering. Thanks, man!
man, being a little kid I always wanted to ride this ride, and the year I got 54" superman replaced. I don't mind shaky coasters, was this ride really good cuz ill never know!? RIP Shockwave
I remember pulling into Gurnee Illinois and seeing this massive, twisted metal beast and thinking, holy smoke! I can't ride that! I did and it was so INTENSE with g-forces (the first turn after the loop in particular) that I thought I broke something. You get off of this thing and it felt like you body was full of electricity... I was shaking. I thought, "hey, that is why they call it the shock wave!"... in reality I was really messed up and walked very shaky for hours after riding this. This has been the biggest ride ever for me and the I stopped riding roller coasters. Amazingly cool. I had no idea they removed it. Bummer.
They were going to originally tear the Whizzer down to build Superman but because a bive pubic outcry for the Whizzer, Shockwave became the victim. RIP Shockwave
@RogerMooreRulz Photography is my passion. My camera had a small strap. After getting strapped in and once the coaster starts going up, the camera comes out of my jacket pocket. Spin the strap around your wrist and fist the camera. Takes practice knowing how to point the lens. One hand on the car, one hand on the camera!!!! And if you fail then get right back in line and do it again until you get what you want!!
A part of the structure on either the first or second loop was prone to fractures which were costly to continue to repair. When Arrow Dynamics when bankrupt in 2002, Six Flags Great America finally decided to replace it. I miss it too. Arrow made 2 more nearly identical to it, but only one, the Viper survives in Magic Mountain. The other was the Great American Scream Machine from Great Adventure which was scrapped in 2010. I hope to get out to Cali and ride the Viper while it's still standing.
Shockwave was removed because it had an accident it and they figured Whizzer was more popular anyway, so may as well not fix Shockwave and take it out instead. It had nothing to do with Arrow going bankrupt, the park still has another Arrow looper.
^There is another roller coaster named Shockwave at SF Over Texas, but it isn't the same type of ride. However, there is an exact clone of the ride in the video at SF Great Adventure by the name of Great American Scream Machine.
@rickarkels great american scream machine and viper did not have every single issue shockwave did. GASM was taken down to make room for great adventures new green lantern coaster, and viper is pretty stable, and has no current problems other than being a bit rough. so it doesnt need to be taken down at all unlike its older sisters.
I can't f**king believe that there wasn't a park that wanted to buy the Shockwave... this was a GREAT GRRRREEEAAAAAT !!! coaster, and I miss it BIG TIME :(
incorrect. lol (13 years later ). Scream machine came out only 1 year later after shockwave. Only when shockwave was torn down, spare parts for trains and some sections of track were given to various parks with Arrow loopers of their own, including GASM, Viper, and even one of shockwave's corkscrews was used to replace a section on the demon, as the original part of the track near the waterfall was corroded.
I heard the ride had structure problems. Too many g's pulled in the first loop and created hairline fractured in the tracks that had to be continually repaired. And, the uneven transitions between the trim and the pretzel and corkscrew elements were hard on the trucks and wheels, the latter of which were constantly needing replacement. It was probably pretty expensive to maintain for a steel ride. It was fun. The viper at magic mountain and the great American scream machine in NJ were almost id
Dude, you are awesome for having and sharing this video!! I didn't have a video camera back then!! I remember riding this several times at the end of the night, and this video brought back some great memories!! Thanks!!
Whoever said this ride was raw, intense, and no-holds-barred is spot-on. I recall riding the Shockwave back in 1988 and came away feeling like Jell-O afterwards. That ride was no joke.
Sure was. You don’t hear me grunting from the g-force for nothing! Glad I got to ride it.
Well I got to experience the ride through this guys pov. I didn't get to ride it and the year I was able to they shut it down then the following year it was gone. Thanks guys for this video
I miss Shockwave! It was a raw, intense, no holds barred type of ride experience, like being in the front seat of a Formula 1 race car which is what made it so memorable, whether you loved it or hated it. Superman is like grandmas Buick compared to this; a leather seated weak ride.
lol! Grandma's buick, I love the comparison. Hah!
Every word you said there makes total sense the same way I felt about great adventure replacing The Great American as team Machine with a relocated stand up that people hated way more through out the 2010’s than the best coaster I ever got to ride before it closed down in the year 2010 but you know what that being said Green lantern was a far superior replacement for the Scream Machine because it has a very top notch unique layout that you can actually enjoy if you know how to position your seat up right at the correct height angle but yeah you guys over there got screwed over because the Superman Flight Flying coasters clones only had two good things about it the swooping first Drop and going and coming out of that Pretzel Knot or loop should have torn down the whizzer or the Demon
Wow - I can't ride roller coasters anymore (medical), but gawd, I remember the Shockwave. I was a young squid stationed at Great Lakes Naval Station back in 1989-1991 where a bunch of us got discounted season tickets to Great America... when we were broke on the weekends, we would pool our money for a cab, pile in and head to Great America.
The Shockwave was incredible.. I cut my roller coaster teeth in that park, and remember that at night when the park started emptying out we would pull into the Shockwave station after riding and everyone would chant "Again! Again! and if no one was waiting, they would just roll us through onto another cycle of it. I can remember one time it got really foggy but didn't rain - so they let the ride run... that condensation on the rails were just enough that it made the Shockwave terrifying; after all of the hundreds of times I had ridden it, that was the one time I was truly scared of it and decided one ride that night was enough.
RIP great friend - wish I had you in my back yard again!
Shame it's gone. What a mistake to remove it, was the best roller coaster i've been on. I remember the second loop of the 2 loops in a row set (upside down # 3) would always make me grunt because of the force.
This thing was so intimidating when I was growing up. Just a presence about it, definitely miss it.
There are not many videos of this coaster out there. I'm glad i got this one. The thing about the loops, they are ovals! The G-Force was fantastic!! Best Coaster Ever!
shockwave was giving too many ppl whiplash ,great memories though
Snakejunn I know it's sad. But people wanted whizzer to stay
@@bryanterry1111 Which sucks in comparison imo
But Whizzer is much more reliable than this was. Plus Shockwave had pretty much aged horribly in its last years of life. This coaster was cool I will admit.....but it suffered way too many operational problems. Fractured track due to the stress put on it by the trains fast movement, wheels constantly wore out, and ridership suffered severely.
I rode this ride three times in a row on my 8th grade field trip because there was no line. Thanks for the video.
This was the first coaster I rode to get over my fear of roller coasters. How awesome you have this video to bring back memories. I'll never forget that first drop. The first time I tried to get the nerve to ride this, I was in line for 45 mins, got past all the trees, saw the tall loops, then jumped the line and headed toward the exit. Yes, I was that scared. I laugh now!! I wish this would be resurrected back at Six Flags Great America.
I just came from Six Flags Magic Mountain earlier, and I rode Shockwave's lil' brother, Viper.
Although yes it was rough, it's still hanging in there. May the spirit of Shockwave live on through Viper.
Viper sucks!
I’m a life time mega-looper and arrow fan, and all I can do is be thankful shockwave was created and prototyped for my home park’s mega looper, the Scream Machine. The presence of these coasters were so daunting, even an experienced coaster rider would be nervous. The way they were shaped, the sounds they made, the stories they all tell. There’s something so classy about these arrows. Glad we still have Viper going strong from what I know today. Maybe they realized their mistake with demolishing the first two, and are keeping it around for a reason.
This was the first roller coaster I ever went on as a kid. My dad talked me into going on it and since that day, I've loved roller coasters. This was a great one. So sad to see it's gone. Glad these videos are here to remember it.
Dad of the time and space
Ooooh mah gawwwwd...... I loved this... THANK YOU THANK YOU for actually having this on here.... This was my all time favorite ride. Wish it was still in effect. They could have engineered a fix to the problems they had.
This is amazing!! I remember going to six flags and seeing this, of course I was too young to ride this. Its amazing to see a rare video such as this!! Thank you for posting!!
My cousin and I used to do the same thing. We had season passes and went just about every weekend for several years. Even through the headaches, we rode this beast over and over just for it's sheer awesomeness. Watching this allowed me to re-live a piece of my childhood in a way. Good times.
The most daring ride I been on and it was by accident. Was with friends gabbing too much and not paying attention. They got in line and I followed along like a talking fool. We got into the seats and once those bars came down and locked you in? I was like 'wait, what is this?' That's when I realized my life was going to end.
Glad I did it! ;)
good video. brings back memories. used to be one of my favorite rides. GOOD JOB!!!!
Best roller coaster ever! I was 11 when I first rode the Shockwave back in '99. After riding that thing, I knew I could ride any roller coaster in that park! The Superman looked lame! We tried to ride it back on our senior trip in '06 and the ride broke down with some of my classmates on it! RIP Shockwave!
Appreciate the information. This was a great ride, I took the video around 2000. BEFORE TH-cam!! I have not seen any POV videos from this coaster. I'm glad I captured an exclusive, so many people talk about it and how they miss this ride.
@DrunKENgatorFan Awesome man! thanks for sharing, this was the first ride i ever went on when i was a kid, now thanks to you, im here showing my daughter how fun her first coaster ride is going to be next week
nice ride, and you did a perfect job holding the camera in such havocal conditions. NICE JOB!
Thanks for the tip. For years, i had the only vid of this coaster!! It was awesome to see another video!
I still miss this ride! Great video!
I remember Shockwave, LOVED IT! I used to ride it a lot as a kid.
Finally a video of the beast.. I loved the Shockwave soo much! So pissed when they put in Superman.
awesome! This ride shook the shit out of you, but the G-force you would get from it was totally worth it! Riding Shockwave was like astronautic training. I liked it a lot more than the shit superman ultimate flight coaster that replaced it.
Thanks a ton for this upload, a rare gem now that Shockwave is no more.
I remember back in the day no one else would ride this coaster and we would be able to stay on without having to get back into line. This has to be one of my all time favorite coasters. I think my neck hurts though.
This was the first roller coaster I ever went on!
I was 9 and went with my friend--We had been wanting to go on a big coaster all day, but my mom hadn't let us go on one yet (she was afraid, and we thought she was being over protective). We'd been eyeing the Shockwave since the beginning because it was giant, loud, and the first thing you would see coming off the highway. On our way out the park, I pointed at it and asked my mom if we could go on "that one!", and surprisingly, she said yes! We were so freaking excited that she finally let us go on a real rollercoaster after waiting all day, and to top it off, it was the biggest one in the park!! My mom sat waiting for us on a bench in front, and in line, people were staring at us because we were alone and were just barely tall enough (The operators actually had to measure us with a stick, and we were right on the line). We made sure to get front row seats so that we had the best ride ever--And bang! It was super intense and had our heads banging against the sides of the seat harnesses, lol. On our way out of the park, my mom noticed this coaster and said "I don't know how people could go on that! They must be crazy" We looked at her and said "that's the one you just let us on!" She thought we were joking at first, but when we insisted, the color drained from her face and she looked at us horrified--Turns out she thought we were pointing to the dinky little gyro-tower that was in front of it and thought we were on it the whole time, lmao! I never got to go on it again--Not because of my mom (lol), but because the next time I went, superman was there instead. I'm glad I got to experience it at least once before it was gone. A memory I'll never forget!
Ephyne that’s a great story. The video was made before TH-cam existed. And there’s not many videos of it out there! I’ll never forget the g-force you can hear me grunting. At least you can ride it again virtually!
Ephyne, are you sure you recall correctly? This was a physically violent ride, and the park required minimum height riders....9 years old is like 4th Grade, and at least in my experience, I saw no kids younger than high school age, or at least unusually tall middle school kids, being admitted to this roller coaster.
The way the recording said " Shockwave" still gives me the creeps. Awesome ride. Awesome Video!!
This was the first roller coaster I ever went on. I was terrified standing in line with my friends & their big brothers, but I didn't want to puss out. To this day I still compare every roller coaster I go on to Shock Wave... nothing is as intense. I remember having to grunt my way through it from the G's that this thing put you through! Wish they never took it down. Great that you stole a video of it, and from the front car too. Thanks for posting.
my neck hurts watching this
That is probably the best rollercoaster Gurnee ever had!
They should of kept this ride. There was nothing old with the Arrow Mega Loopers. It was just a style of rollercoaster that gave some variety to the Bolliger&Mabillard monopoly.
This coaster was freaking awesome. That sharp left turn right after the second double loop would snap your neck in half if you weren't prepared for it. Lots of people who weren't prepared for that ended up sore after riding it.
That was an awesome view going over that first climb.
It`s so fun listening to people going like Auhhhraghh 24/7. I know it`s a roller coaster but it`s funny listening to peoples reactions
PS I miss you Shockwave!!! And I hope your designer builds you again because you were a huge part of history....when you came to Great America, Gurnee, IL you were state of the art....TOP of the line....got everybody talking....people waited in line for over an hour..... Yeah..let's tear this pile of crap down, it sucks! Somebody HAD to have been smokin something man!!!!!!!!!!! Thank you for this video.... Please tell us when you exactly took this video.
@DrunKENgatorFan Thats soo sweet man! Thanks for sharing anyways, without this vid i would of NEVER experienced this ride!
RIP Shockwave. My all-time favorite rollercoaster.
I was 15 when I rode this for the first time back in 1991. Back then, I wasn't the die-hard coaster fanatic I am today - going up the first hill, my only thought then was "Oh God, I'm gonna die". And I saw the way I looked at one point in the ride (there was a camera somewhere that snapped pics of each rider as the train came by, IIRC) - I looked like I was hanging on for dear life while looking scared shitless while my uncle was grinning from ear to ear. When I rode it again in 1994, I was all "Bring it on". I must've rode it at least 10 times in one day. But man...it sucks it's gone.
Outstanding! Thanks for sharing the vid.
I loved Shock Wave, but you really had to keep your head pressed back against the head rest cause it would really bang your head around! It was a first of its kind!⚡⚡⚡🌊
I rode this beast in 2002. First time I ever got nauseated and scared on a roller coast. I've NEVER seen or rode one as intense before or since.
R.I.P shockwave. Loved that coaster. Wicked
@1:34 I always enjoyed that part where my neck would snap violently.
Thanks for uploading!
I operated this Ride the second year it was opened. I had to walk all the way up that first hill.
Arrow Dynamics designed this, and they also built a ton of rides when Disneyland opened. But these rides were famous for having a few rough turns. This was before there was better engineering software, and robotic machining tools. Arrow had a big legacy and shockwave met a lot of firsts when it came out. First coaster with 7 inversions, the first loop was the highest, and the boomerang loop at the back was a new design at the time. BUt it was plagued with issues. The wheels wore off fast, I remember on hot days you could peel the wheels like it was string cheese. these were some of the last coasters made the old fashion way, now its all computers and robots.
Shockwave will always be the scariest ride to me. That ride alone has kept me away from GA every since 1998....
This was the best ride in the park. Almost as tall and as fast as Raging Bull, but Shockwave pulled some incredible G's. Also, as an added bonus, the wait was less than a minute long during it's last year (depending on how fast you walk through the line :P)
I was born in 2004. I remembered the space shuttle ride but not shockwave. I really wish I could have rode it. I also wish I rode Iron Wolf before it closed but I was too scared. I'm glad you had fun while it was there. Now I have to go all the way to California if I wanted to ride this! I know I'm really late I just found this.
Bryan Terry Viper is possibly being removed in 2017
+Bryan Terry I BARELY remember the space shuttle ride. I rode it once when I was maybe 8.
Iron Wolf was relocated to Six Flags America near DC. You can still ride it there.
Bryan Terry i had a chance to ride all of those shockwave was the best one my dad had forced me to get on the shuttle with him i was scared at first because the first few times we went it always down for repairs or we seen it stuck upsidedown lol i had my fill of iron wolf we got on when the park was about to close no lines operator let me and my buddy stay on for 4 rides in a row when it was still new
National Coaster News yea expect it’s called apocalypse
wow this looks incredibly fun!
@DrunKENgatorFan Yeah, this like diggin in the crates, the vaults, ya know!! How technology has advanced, but there still isn't a ride as legendary to my youth as Shockwave!! Great to see older footage!!
Sweet nostalgia. Shockwave, you are sorely missed. :(
oohh ok thanks. I really liked this ride. I like superman but they should have kept this one. U got a good old memory here :D
I miss this coaster. Shockwave and Hades (Wisconsin Dells) are my two favorites.
The Demon, The Whizzer, Revolution and Fiddlers Fling, all very great classics
Shockwave was my favorite ride in the park. To me it represented everything awesome about 80's roller coasters. It had a 65 MPH drop, followed by 7 inversions. Just the sight of the steel best got my heart pumping, and is the image that represented the park to me. Then they ripped it out and replaced it with a SLOW 51 MPH ride that is more boring than the drive to the park. My family used to get season passes every year, but we haven't gone to Great America since 2004.
What I wouldn't give to go back 20 years and experience this ride again...
Someday, I'll do the next best thing and make the trip out to Magic Mountain and ride Viper-- the last of the three.
This is one coaster I DO NOT miss. Pure pain!! R.I.P
It beat the Raging Bull by far more than a mile. This was my most memorable coaster, and apparently many others feel the same. I'm just glad I was lucky enough to be around and old enough to ride while it was around. I nearly cried the following year pulling up to Six Flags only to realize it'd been replaced, and to boot by something as horrible as The Superman. It's sorely missed, that's for sure.
I never got to ride the shock wave, man it looked awesome!
i get why it's called shockwave now! the shock of your head being killed!!!!! nice video, r.i.p. Shockwave. :(
My first big coaster, Dad said it was the fastest and most loops in the world. It had a chicken exit too, which I never used. Ahh the memories made in 1987 that stick with you!
Just look at the loop. It’s not round like today. The thin loop was mean and not made much today. Hear the G force in my grunts. lol.
My favorite of all time! Miss it so much!!!
@JiggidyNDG
You are so welcome. I shot this I think in 2000. I love watching and riding this over and over. This was my first camera with video. I had 2 340MB cards to last me a week in Chicago. As it turns out, I got the only real front seat video of Shockwave. The video obviously shot way before TH-cam!!
This thing hurt like hell
Tons of fun, I This is the second ride I ever went on with loops, the same day was the first time I was on Demon, because the line was super short my dad convinced me to go on a looping coaster. Best idea ever tbh :)
Dude you have a rare video here. Shockwaves in coaster heaven never to be riden again let alone recorded in POV!
This was the best ride I can remember at Great America. Haven't been there since the 90's though. I don't remember a headache or getting bumped around enough to make it stand out in my mind.
I remembered this ride back at home in chicago when I was 8-15. 1995-2002. and I'm 22 now. 2009.
Notorious for the headache it gave you from banging your head, but damn, this thing could pull some serious G-force.
i always wanted to go on this one... sadly i never got to. didnt it also hold the world record as fastest way back in like 98 when it was biuilt?
this explains why I never saw this coaster there...
What roller Coaster did they take it out for?
man, kudos for holding the camera that steady lol
The beginning scared the SHIT out of me! XD
that looks bloody amazing!!!!!!! hillarious UHHHHHHHHHHHRRRRRRRRRRAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!! lmao!! xx
They said save the whizzer so shockwave became chopped liver
Nathaniel Okrepkie LOL 😂🤣🤣🤣
Wyatt PoopyAwesome It was a real saying
That’s it’s gravestone at Fright Fest! 😂
the best looping coaster at that park
I've seen the POV for Viper and this rollercoaster has the exact same layout so I'm guessing there was a problem with this ride since this was taken down and Viper is still standing.
Why did they take it down? It was a great ride
@streborkb
Yea man! I was lucky to ride it, not only that but to have the balls to video it. Then it was just as cameras came out with video, I think 2000 or 2001. You can hear me grunting from the G-force! I love to watch this vid. I haven't found anybody else that has this on the TH-cam...
This roller coaster was in my dreams, I grew up on it when we went there. amazing times I always think back too. Brought a tear to my eye 19 years later having not been there seeing and remembering. Thanks, man!
man, being a little kid I always wanted to ride this ride, and the year I got 54" superman replaced. I don't mind shaky coasters, was this ride really good cuz ill never know!? RIP Shockwave
I remember pulling into Gurnee Illinois and seeing this massive, twisted metal beast and thinking, holy smoke! I can't ride that! I did and it was so INTENSE with g-forces (the first turn after the loop in particular) that I thought I broke something. You get off of this thing and it felt like you body was full of electricity... I was shaking. I thought, "hey, that is why they call it the shock wave!"... in reality I was really messed up and walked very shaky for hours after riding this. This has been the biggest ride ever for me and the I stopped riding roller coasters. Amazingly cool. I had no idea they removed it. Bummer.
They were going to originally tear the Whizzer down to build Superman but because a bive pubic outcry for the Whizzer, Shockwave became the victim.
RIP Shockwave
It was a monster you felt electrified when you exited the ride a feeling I will never forget .
@RogerMooreRulz
Photography is my passion. My camera had a small strap. After getting strapped in and once the coaster starts going up, the camera comes out of my jacket pocket. Spin the strap around your wrist and fist the camera. Takes practice knowing how to point the lens. One hand on the car, one hand on the camera!!!! And if you fail then get right back in line and do it again until you get what you want!!
A part of the structure on either the first or second loop was prone to fractures which were costly to continue to repair. When Arrow Dynamics when bankrupt in 2002, Six Flags Great America finally decided to replace it. I miss it too. Arrow made 2 more nearly identical to it, but only one, the Viper survives in Magic Mountain. The other was the Great American Scream Machine from Great Adventure which was scrapped in 2010. I hope to get out to Cali and ride the Viper while it's still standing.
Shockwave was removed because it had an accident it and they figured Whizzer was more popular anyway, so may as well not fix Shockwave and take it out instead. It had nothing to do with Arrow going bankrupt, the park still has another Arrow looper.
@CSM0fficial There was actually a slight difference in the layout due to the parking lot at Gurnee. This made the Gurnee version a few feet longer.
^There is another roller coaster named Shockwave at SF Over Texas, but it isn't the same type of ride. However, there is an exact clone of the ride in the video at SF Great Adventure by the name of Great American Scream Machine.
@rickarkels great american scream machine and viper did not have every single issue shockwave did. GASM was taken down to make room for great adventures new green lantern coaster, and viper is pretty stable, and has no current problems other than being a bit rough. so it doesnt need to be taken down at all unlike its older sisters.
That Looks Really Fun
I miss that ride it was my first coster. Its like ur first love thay r gone but not forgotten
I remember this ride. I was too short to get on at the time. lol
I can't f**king believe that there wasn't a park that wanted to buy the Shockwave... this was a GREAT GRRRREEEAAAAAT !!! coaster, and I miss it BIG TIME :(
@MrPOVMan no shockwave wasnt torn down, it was repainted and fitted with a new train, and was renamed Great American Scream Machine
incorrect. lol (13 years later ). Scream machine came out only 1 year later after shockwave. Only when shockwave was torn down, spare parts for trains and some sections of track were given to various parks with Arrow loopers of their own, including GASM, Viper, and even one of shockwave's corkscrews was used to replace a section on the demon, as the original part of the track near the waterfall was corroded.
that ride looks fun why did they take it down? :(
Awesome video! Loved Shockwave! Rode it a bunch in the 90s. What year was this shot?
and u know u rode this when the first thing that came to your mind was..."HEADACHE" but a great ride nonetheless
I heard the ride had structure problems. Too many g's pulled in the first loop and created hairline fractured in the tracks that had to be continually repaired. And, the uneven transitions between the trim and the pretzel and corkscrew elements were hard on the trucks and wheels, the latter of which were constantly needing replacement. It was probably pretty expensive to maintain for a steel ride. It was fun. The viper at magic mountain and the great American scream machine in NJ were almost id
i really really miss this roller coaster. when they took it down what came up? superman? anyone knows?
Seeing this Shockwave video reminds a little bit a Six Magic Mountain's Viper, except it (Shockwave) had a blue track)!
only onride video left :( thanks for sharing :)
wow I love this thrilling Ken. pls reply me.
It was one of the first coasters when you walked in. Probably the closest one to the parking lot