Ride the Dark Knight

Er... I mean, The Dark Knight ride. Freudian slip?

Ahem.

So, my favorite theme park, the lovely Six Flags Great America in good old Gurnee, IL, is one of the lucky few Six Flags locations to gain a special new ride this season - The Dark Knight Coaster. Of course we get one. First of all, our Six Flags is the best. It's simply a proven fact. And second, Gurnee is just north of Gotham City herself, Chicago. I love living here.

I'm not sure how long this exploratory feature will be available on Great America's home page, but to check out the coolness of the ride, go here. Watch the quick intro, turn on the sound, click on the flying bat signal, and roam free.

The Dark Premise:

"The Dark Knight coaster catapults you onto the front lines of all-out war between good and evil in an indoor coaster experience that combines hairpin 180 degree turns and breakneck speed with hallucinatory nightmare imagery."

Additional Dark Description:

"The Dark Knight Coaster transforms guests into citizens of Gotham City — caught in the middle of a city under siege and torn apart by The Joker.

With The Dark Knight Coaster, guests experience the ride of their lives. Venturing through demented hallways of twists, turns and hallucinatory images, they are tormented by The Joker himself. Then as they set foot onto a distressed, vandalized train platform, they can only guess at what awaits them as they speed through six 180-degree hairpin turns, climb unseen hills, plunge into pitch darkness and dip into unforeseen danger. As they attempt to escape the terror, their only hope is that Gotham's Silent Guardian - Batman - can save them."

Dark Stats:

• Ride category = thrill (or, as the guys in Harold & Kumar would say, EXTREME)
• Length = 1,213 feet
• Duration = 120 seconds

So, I need to go to Great America right away. This ride beckons me. It also gives me an excuse to spend exorbitant amounts of money on Dark Knight merchandise. Ahh, I'm so excited!! I'll definitely go before the film opens. Actually, The Dark Knight Coaster is almost reason enough for me to buy a season pass. Hmm... Where's my wallet?