OPENING TODAY: Rage of the Gargoyles Photo Recap, Live Ride Footage, Video Interviews, And More

Rage of the Gargoyles 
Virtual Reality (VR) Gaming Coaster 

Debuting Today (8/13) on the Demon!

**NOTE: Guests must be at least 42” tall to ride the Demon and at least 13 years of age to wear Samsung Gear VR. Younger riders may still ride without the VR headsets** 

Check out ChiIL Mama's live ride footage, review, video interviews & full photo recap from Thursday's press preview. We love ChiILin' at Six Flags Great America. I took along a couple designated riders, my son, Dugan & his friend, Joe. Check out their ride LIVE below. Who better to battle gargoyles through multiple loops and a corkscrew of tracks than 15yr old boys?! 

Check out Six Flags Great America's LIVE Ride Footage including the VR point of view, for Rage of the Gargoyles below. It was our great pleasure to be some of the first riders EVER at the press preview on Thursday August 11th, 2016. This ride rocks! This B-roll footage was given to us to share with our readers with permission from Six Flags Great America.

Disclosure: Thanks to Six Flags Great America and Samsung Electronics America, Inc. for comping our park entry and including us in this history making press preview. We were not compensated in any other way and as always, all opinions are our own

ChiIL Mama's Adventures at Six Flags Great America

Check out our full set of shots here and more favorites embedded below.

It was fun to geek out on the tech. The headsets each contain a Samsung Galaxy S7 and have triple security measures so they don't fly off riders' heads during the double loops. They attach via neck lanyard, cord and then the headgear itself is tightened via a wheel on the back. The first day a few of the sets were glitchy and having trouble calibrating. One of the two sets we had didn't work right the first time through, and I heard at least 3 other riders saying the same. They'll likely work the kinks out as the run continues. Still, it was SO much fun to be one of the first to check it out.

The Reviews Are In:

It was too much fun to interview a few of the first riders in the world ever to experience a VR battle on an actual roller coaster! Check out 3 Chicago high school guys' take on the ride, including my son, Dugan, and his friends, Joe from Lane Tech, and Charlie from Chi Arts. 

40 years ago, when Demon first opened, I was an elementary school kid, and my only phone was a large, Harvest Gold, wall mounted rectangle with a rotary dial. I vividly recall reading an article in the school Weekly Reader that claimed that by the time we grew up we'd be able to see people's faces on the phone when we called. I was so blown away by that idea I ran home and told my parents about it. 

Little did I know, my two kids would grow up in a world of cell phones and selfies. They're adept at Snapchat, Musical.ly, and social media, and even their grandparents, who are over 70, have figured out how to Skype and Facetime. When my son was invited to be one of the first riders in the world to check out a VR roller coaster I got that same feeling I had as a little girl in the 1970s, imagining a future world of video phones. With Rage of the Gargoyles on the Demon, science fiction has become science fact, and this opens worlds of exciting new possibilities!

Demon, now celebrating its 40th anniversary, debuted at Six Flags Great America in 1976 as the Turn of the Century roller coaster. It was one of the first roller coasters in the world that featured a corkscrew maneuver. The ride received a complete makeover in 1979 with the theming that guests enjoy today and was renamed, the Demon. Among those makeovers, the Demon featured two vertical loops and unique theming with its own soundtrack. The Demon continues to delight guests of all ages. 

We were thrilled to be included as some of the first riders EVER. What a trip. Don't miss THIS!! 

Revolutionary Virtual Reality Coaster NOW OPEN at Six Flags Great America!

Riders Engulfed in Demonic Battle on 

the DEMON Roller Coaster

Riders will board the Demon, strap on VR headsets and immediately become helicopter pilots actively fighting off evil creatures using cutting-edge gaming technology throughout the entire ride, as the high-definition imagery syncs with 1,250 feet of looping, twisting coaster track. Surrounded by 360-degrees of sheer chaos, it is up to our guests to save humanity. This highly-anticipated, completely interactive adventure will debut on the Demon roller coaster beginning August 13.

At Six Flags Great America, the Thrill Capital of the Midwest, riders will battle demonic creatures in Rage of the Gargoyles, a fully-integrated Virtual Reality (VR) coaster experience featuring Samsung Gear VR powered by Oculus. This highly- anticipated, completely interactive adventure will debut on the Demon roller coaster beginning August 13.

“Innovation is park of Six Flags’ DNA, and this revolutionary VR technology will transform this classic, fan favorite into a cutting-edge thrill,” said Hank Salami, park president. “Rage of the Gargoyles VR is the perfect addition to breathe new life into the Demon coaster that has been a part of our arsenal of rides for 40 years.” 

Riders will board the Demon and strap on Samsung Gear VR headsets. They will immediately become helicopter pilots to actively fight off evil creatures using cutting-edge gaming technology, as the high-definition imagery syncs with 1,250 feet of looping, twisting coaster track. Surrounded by 360-degrees of sheer chaos, it is up to the riders to save humanity. 

For more information, visit www.sixflags.com/vrcoasters

About Six Flags Entertainment Corporation 

Six Flags Entertainment Corporation is the world’s largest regional theme park company with $1.3 billion in revenue and 18 parks across the United States, Mexico and Canada. For 55 years, Six Flags has entertained millions of families with world-class coasters, themed rides, thrilling water parks and unique attractions. 

About Samsung Electronics America, Inc. 

Headquartered in Ridgefield Park, N.J., Samsung Electronics America, Inc. (SEA), is a recognized innovative leader in consumer electronics, mobile devices and enterprise solutions. A wholly owned subsidiary of Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., SEA is pushing beyond the limits of today’s technology and providing consumers and organizations with a portfolio of groundbreaking products in appliances, home entertainment, Internet of Things, mobile computing, smartphones, virtual reality, wireless infrastructure and wearables, in addition to offering leading content and services related to mobile payments, 360-degree VR video, customer support and more. Samsung is a pioneering leader in smartphones and HDTVs in the U.S. and one of America’s fastest growing home appliance brands. To discover more about Samsung, please visit www.samsung.com. For the latest Samsung news, please visit news.samsung.com/us and follow us @SamsungNewsUS. 

About Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. 

Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. inspires the world and shapes the future with transformative ideas and technologies. The company is redefining the worlds of TVs, smartphones, wearable devices, tablets, cameras, digital appliances, printers, medical equipment, network systems, and semiconductor and LED solutions. For the latest news, please visit the Samsung Newsroom at news.samsung.com. 

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Check Out More of ChiIL Mama's Photo Favs Here:

World's first VR game ON a roller coaster. Ready for take off?!

Huge success!

Back for more, in the last seat this time around.

The VR headsets are pretty ingenious and surprisingly comfortable.

Disclosure: Thanks to Six Flags Great America and Samsung Electronics America, Inc. for comping our park entry and including us in this history making press preview. We were not compensated in any other way and as always, all opinions are our own.