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GURNEE – Buccaneer Battle, the newest ride at Six Flags Great America, won't shiver your timbers, unless you're deathly afraid of a good soaking.
Great America, which has always emphasized its thrill rides and roller coasters , continues to lean toward the Disney model of theming, storytelling and interactivity with its latest attractions.
Last year's Dark Knight coaster was a step in the Disney direction, featuring detailed Gotham City decor, subway-like train cars, a tamer experience and Batman characters next to the tracks of the indoor ride.
The Buccaneer Battle water ride – opening today – goes even further, taking a crew of eight on a waterbound adventure, encountering swarthy pirates, persistent sharks and a giant squid. The cartoony, pirate scenery might be the most ornate of any attraction at Great America.
But Buccaneer Battle isn't just the Six Flags version of Pirates of the Caribbean. The ride is almost completely outdoors and its scallawags don't sing. Plus, riders get to fight back.
Each vessel contains a water cannon for each crewmate, so you can take aim at the attraction's water-activated targets, blast a hungry alligator or drench the stowaways on a neighboring boat. Each cannon is operated by a crank. The harder you turn the crank, the farther your stream of water will go.
Buccaneer Battle is like a squirt-gun fight taken to a whole other level. Super-Soaker-toting children will have a blast.
"It's a very family-friendly ride," said Great America spokeswoman Brooke Gabbert. "The ride height requirement is 42 inches, which is pretty low."
Yet, if a junior pirate comes up a little short height-wise, it doesn't mean they're shut out of the battle.
"If you can't ride the ride, you can still have fun by taking aim from outside the ride," Gabbert said, pointing out a bunch of stationary water cannons positioned around the periphery of the ride's canals. "It's one of the really cool things about Buccaneer Battle."
But potential soaking snipers should be warned: If you are close enough to spray a rider, they're close enough to spray you. It's possible that landlubbing cannon operators might get drenched without setting foot on the ride's loading zone, which is made up to look like a battle-beaten fort.
Although Buccaneer Battle sits in the former location of the Deja Vu roller coaster (which has been sold to an Idaho theme park), it's meant as a replacement for another ride. That's to say there's a reason Great America chose to build a new water ride instead of a new coaster.
"We have 13 coasters, but we did lose Splashwater Falls last year," Gabbert said, refering to the up-and-down water ride that debuted in 1987. In terms of water attractions, Great America is still home to Roaring Rapids, Logger's Run and Yankee Clipper.
Although Buccaneer Battle doesn't feature Splashwater Falls' thrill element, it will likely be considered an improvement due to Battle's playful nature, pirate theme and barrelfuls of interactivity.
As such, Buccaneer Battle will be a must-do ride this year, especially in the dog days of summer. Park employees said they will do their best to help the long lines move fast.
"We'll have the most boats of any ride like this in the world," Gabbert said about Buccaneer Battle, which has a continuous-loading entrance area. "Not only is it family-friendly, it's very guest-friendly."
However, Buccaneer Battle isn't going to be popular with one type of guest – someone who wants to keep his hair and clothes dry. That visitor might be just as likely to walk the plank.
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Six Flags Great America
When: open daily through Labor Day
Where: 542 Route 21, Gurnee
Tickets: $34.99 (online special for all guests and children under 48 inches at the park), $54.99 (for adults at the park) and free for children 2 and younger
Parking: $15-$25
Information: www.sixflags.com/greatamerica
Buccaneer Battle stats
Opens: today
Height requirement: 42 inches
Ride length: 450 feet
Number of ships: 10 (soon to be 14)
Riders per ship: 8
Ride location: County Fair (Deja Vu's former location)
Ride Manufacturer: MACK Rides
Also New for 2009
• For the first time, Great America has 240 bottle-shaped recycling bins for plastic and aluminum.
• A Johnny Rockets shakes and fries stand replaces the Demon Nachos stand across from Buccaneer Battle.
• Mr. Six (the bald, dancing guy) returns to the park's marketing campaign and can be found in the park.
• The Cyber Café in Orleans Place will sell bakery items and offer free Internet use.