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You'll need separate tickets for Six Flags Hurricane Harbor, Great America this summer

When Six Flags Hurricane Harbor water park opens May 29 in Gurnee, guests will get their first chance to ride the new Tsunami Surge, the world's tallest water coaster.

Delayed a year because of the pandemic, Tsunami Surge will stand 86 feet tall at its highest point. The ride will also be fast: Riders can expect top speeds of about 28 miles per hour as they hurdle around hairpin turns in three-person flotation devices.

Park officials said the ride will use water jets to blast riders uphill three different times during the 950-feet ride. In addition, the ride will feature a visual effects system called AquaLucent to create bursts of color and patterns to further thrill riders.

Tsunami Surge will be in the Riptide Bay area of Hurricane Harbor.

Park officials also announced that going forward the water park will no longer be accessible through the neighboring Great America theme park.

Until now, guests could access the water park by paying a fee on top of the Great America admission, but this year guests will have to buy separate tickets for each park. Six Flags Members and Great America Season Pass Holders will continue to have access to the theme park and the water park, however.

Currently, one-day tickets to the theme park start at $39.99 and one-day tickets to the water park start at $24.99. Season passes start at $59.99, which park officials say is the lowest season ticket price in more than 20 years.

Last year the theme park was dormant all summer because of COVID-19, and the water park opened for an abbreviated season in late July. When Hurricane Harbor did open, guests had to use a new online reservation system to help park officials ensure capacity limits were maintained.

Other safety features implemented were a new thermal scanning system that will check incoming guests' body temperatures and act as a touch-free metal detector, as well as social distancing requirements.

The online reservation system and the safety precautions will return this year, park officials said.

Six Flags Great America is set to open to the public April 24.

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