In 1973, the Marriott Corporation, a hospitality company, announced plans to build a regional theme park located in the Chicago metropolitan area. Named Marriott's Great America, the park would be one of two near-identical Americana-themed parks built by the Marriott Corporation. The park opened to the public on May 29, 1976. It was later sold to the amusement park operator Six Flags in 1984, which renamed it Six Flags Great America. Since then, the park significantly expanded under Six Flags ownership.
Veteran theme park designer Randall Duell was the leader of the design team for the park, who created two nearly identical plans for the Illinois park and its sister park in Santa Clara, California.[8][9] With an overarching Americana theme in mind, Marriott's designers traveled across the country, observing styles and collecting artifacts to help inform an authentic atmosphere.[4]
Instead of utilizing a spoke-hub design found at other theme parks, the park was designed on Duell's original park layout design named the "Duell loop," a circular path that allowed guests to visit each themed area while employees can work out of sight in the middle of the park. The original six themed areas of the park would be:[10][11]
100m 109yds
Hometown Square
Midwest County Fair
Yukon Territory
Yankee Harbor
Orleans Place
Carousel Plaza
The original themed areas of Six Flags Great America
Carousel Plaza: the main plaza entrance for the park
Yukon Territory: resembling a town in the CanadianYukon
The Great Midwest Livestock Exposition at County Fair (also referred to as Midwest County Fair[2]): themed on a 20th-century rural county fair
Hometown Square: based on early 20th century small towns of the Midwest
Marriott purchased 600 acres (240ha) of rural land in Gurnee, Illinois, straddling the Interstate 94 highway (Tri-State Tollway) on August 22, 1972, for the theme park. The land was chosen for its direct access to Interstate 94, its rough equal distance to Chicago, Illinois, and Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and its proximity to Rockford, Illinois and Madison, Wisconsin.[8] At the time, the purchasers of the land were unknown to the public, but the Chicago Tribune speculated a new theme park for the land.[12] Marriott officially announced the Gurnee theme park on January 29, 1973.[13] It would reside on the 200-acre (81ha) plot of land east of Interstate 94.[14][15] The park was planned to officially open in the spring of 1976 and operate seasonally,[13] providing 1,800 jobs.[16]
At the time, Gurnee was a rural village with a population of around 3,300 residents, and the park sparked debate among residents. However, Richard Welton, the then-mayor of Gurnee, supported the project.[8][16] Marriott received approval from Gurnee's village board in April 1973, but the Illinois State Toll Highway Authority rejected a proposal for an interchange to be built to lead directly into the parking lot in June 1973.[17] An advisory referendum in the fall of 1973 concluded that 7 out of 10 residents approved the theme park.[16]
The groundbreaking ceremony was held on Flag Day, June 14, 1974, with Marriott officials and Mayor Welton taking part in the ceremony.[14][11] In order to make way for the park's entrance and exit roads, 12 homes were demolished and the street they were located on, Pine Street (now Six Flags Drive), was converted into a six-lane road.[4][18] Construction took two years, involved around 700 workers,[8] and cost US$40,000,000(equivalent to $221,029,240 in 2024) in total to build the Illinois theme park.[18]
1976–1984: Operations under the Marriott Corporation
From the beginning, the park made use of the Looney Tunes characters as costumed figures to interact with the park attendees.[24] Each themed area had its own set of costumes for park employees, and the design of buildings, shops and restaurants were all unique to each theme.[25]
Sky Trek Tower was added in 1977.
The park's second season in 1977 saw the installation of several new rides. The 285-foot-tall (87m)Sky Trek Tower was built, offering views of the park, Lake Michigan, and the Chicago skyline.[26] A third gondola sky ride, Southern Cross, was added, which offered a round trip and a higher view than the other two gondola rides. A few new spinning rides were added, such as Big Top, Davy Jones' Dinghies, and Hay Baler.[27] The Gulf Coaster was removed for the 1977 season.[28]
Two new attractions were added in 1978. The park's first children's section, named Fort Fun, opened in the section designated the Yukon Territory.[29] Additionally, Great America's fourth roller coaster, Tidal Wave, a Schwarzkopf Shuttle Loop, opened in Yankee Harbor.[30] The Pictorium, an IMAX theatre, opened in 1979, and claimed to have the world's largest screen, at 64.5 by 88.25 feet (19.6 × 26.9 m).[31]
The Turn of the Century roller coaster closed and was rethemed in 1980. Two vertical loops were added, along with two tunnels and the "new" ride was re-themed and renamed Demon. The ride featured an original theme song and new demon-themed elements.[8][32]American Eagle, a racing wooden roller coaster, opened in 1981, exclusive to the Gurnee park. The tracks share a drop of 147 feet (45m) and they reach speeds of 66mph (106km/h), totaling 9,300 feet (2,800m) of combined track.[33] It opened as the tallest, fastest and longest dueling wooden coaster.[34] The Picnic Grove was added in 1982 as a dining and meeting place for group outings. Two entrances for the pavilion would be located between Yankee Harbor and Yukon Territory.[35]
In 1983, two rides were added: The Edge, an Intamin first-generation freefall ride, was added to the Orleans Place section of the park,[36] and White Water Rampage, an Intamin water rapids ride.[37] White Water Rampage was added to Orleans Place, which required the removal of small rides such as Traffique Jam.[38] The Orleans Orbit was moved from its original Orleans Place location to Hometown Square, and became simply The Orbit,[39] taking the spot of the Bottoms Up spinning ride.[40]
1984–1990: Acquisition and early changes by Six Flags
By the mid-1980s, the Marriott Corporation was disappointed with the financial performance of its theme park division, with lower profits than the company expected, in part because the third and largest of its Great America parks was never realized.[citation needed] As a result, Marriott decided to focus on its lodging and restaurant division and began searching for buyers for its two amusement parks.[41]
In 1984, Marriott sold the sister Great America park in Santa Clara, California to the city of Santa Clara.[42] Around the same time, Bally Manufacturing—the then-parent company of the Six Flags Corporation—offered to purchase the Gurnee park for $114.5 million on April 26, 1984.[43] The sale was finalized in May 1984,[44] and as part of the acquisition, Six Flags also acquired the rights to use the Looney Tunes characters at all of its other parks.[citation needed] The park was renamed Six Flags Great America for the 1984 season.[45][46]
Less than a month after the purchase, in May 1984, a software failure caused a car on the attraction The Edge to be stalled at the top of the lift shaft before moving forward into its drop position. The car was stuck in this position for a short period of time before it dropped in the lift shaft, causing injuries to all three occupants.[47] The remaining two gondola rides, Eagle's Flight and Delta's Flyer, were removed by the end of the 1984 season.[48]
Z-Force operated from 1985 to 1987 in the County Fair area.
In 1985, Six Flags added Z-Force to the County Fair area, a one-of-a-kind Intamin space diver roller coaster.[49] The Edge was removed in 1986.[50] In 1987, the park received one new ride and a themed area expansion. Power Dive, an Intamin Looping Starship ride was added.[51] It was a ride swung back and forth before eventually rotating a complete 360 degrees a few times.[52] Additionally, the Bugs Bunny Land kids area was expanded.[51] Z-Force was removed from Six Flags Great America after the 1987 season, two years after it first operated.[53] It was relocated to Six Flags Over Georgia.[54]
While operating the Six Flags chain, Bally found that the excess resources demanded and high seasonal fluctuations of the theme park business made it an unnecessary burden on its core interests. In 1987, Bally sold Six Flags to Wesray Capital Corporation and a group of Six Flags managers. Several acquisitions were re-sold or closed, while Wesray moved the company's focus from theming to major attractions. This ushered in an era of major new rides and roller coasters at Six Flags parks like Great America.[55]
1988 saw the first of the new coasters, with the addition of the massive roller coaster Shockwave, an Arrow Dynamics mega-looper, opening in Orleans Place section of the park on June 3, 1988. Shockwave was the world's tallest roller coaster at the time it opened.[56][57] In 1989, the park received an Intamin Bobsled roller coaster named Rolling Thunder. The ride was a relocation of Six Flags Great Adventure's Sarajevo Bobsled, which closed at that park the year prior. Rolling Thunder was added between Demon and Whizzer.[58]
1990s: Significant expansion plans and additions
Iron Wolf is the first roller coaster manufactured by Bolliger & Mabillard (B&M), where it operated at the park from 1990 to 2011.
Iron Wolf, a compact steel stand-up coaster, opened on April 28, 1990. It is best known for being the first roller coaster manufactured by Swiss manufacturer Bolliger & Mabillard. It opened on Z-Force's former spot in County Fair.[59][60][61][62] In the following year, Condor was added to Orleans Place in 1991, next to Shockwave.[63] Two rides closed for 1991: the spinning ride Yukon Yahoo, which was located in the Yukon Territory section.[64] The other was the shuttle loop coaster Tidal Wave in Yankee Harbor, where it was relocated to Six Flags Over Georgia.[65][66]
The park collaborated with Bolliger & Mabillard again to build the first inverted roller coaster in the world, named Batman: The Ride.[67][68][69] The ride, which opened on May 9, 1992,[70] was met with positive reception and lines that stretched out of the ride area and across large parts of the park.[71] At the time, it was the largest single investment on an attraction, at a cost of US$7 million.[72][73] The surrounding area of Yankee Harbor was re-themed after the Batman films, with The Lobster being renamed the East River Crawler.[74] During the following offseason a welding truck parked next to Batman caught fire, leading to minor damages to the ride.[75]
Following the opening of Batman: The Ride and release of the film Batman Returns, the Batman Stunt Show debuted in 1993 in a brand-new amphitheater located past Demon, later known as the Southwest Territory Amphitheater.[76] Six Flags and majority owner Time Warner had debuted The Batman Stunt Show at Six Flags Great Adventure the year prior, with great success.[77]Space Shuttle America, a motion simulator ride, was built in 1994 near Sky Trek Tower.[78]
In 1995, construction began on a new themed area for the park, which would be built in phases. The first phase for the area was the opening of Viper that year, a wooden roller coaster which is a mirror image of the Coney Island Cyclone and themed after a snake oil salesman.[79] It was built next to Rolling Thunder, which was removed later that same year to make room for the new area, where it was relocated to The Great Escape in New York.[80][81]
The mission building is the centerpiece of Southwest Territory. It features the Chubasco ride.
Southwest Territory officially opened as the new 11-acre (4.5ha) themed area in 1996, with a desert theme based on the Old West as part of the second phase, following Viper. Three new rides were added in the themed area: River Rocker, a pirate ship ride; Chubasco, a teacup ride; and Trail Blazer, a Zamperla Joker. The amphitheater that has previously been home to the Batman Stunt Show was renamed the Southwest Territory Amphitheater.[79][82][83]
In May 1996, Six Flags Great America made preliminary plans with the village of Gurnee to build a water park on a plot of land located outside of the park's existing plot: across Interstate 94 and west of the theme park.[84] However, these plans were described as "extremely premature" by a spokesperson for the park, stating that plans might not proceed.[85]
At 227 feet (69m), Giant Drop is one of the tallest rides at the park.
Two new thrill rides were added to the park for the 1997 season. Giant Drop, a 227 feet (69m) tall Intamin second-generation drop tower, was added as an expansion to the Southwest Territory area, and was themed to be an ore excavator in the fictional Loco Diablo Mine. The other ride, Dare Devil Dive, was a Skycoaster ride and would be located in the County Fair area. Both attractions opened on April 26, 1997.[86][87][88] By this time, construction on the back side of the Southwest Territory mission building was fully completed.[79]
Additionally, the park had also made plans to build a 225-foot (69m) tall "Wilderness-themed" roller coaster near the Iron Wolf roller coaster, requesting a zoning variation from the village of Gurnee, Illinois. On June 25, 1997, the park informed the zoning board of Gurnee that they would no longer pursue the construction of the Wilderness-themed roller coaster.[89]
The park's preliminary water park plans were expanded into a larger project. In November 1997, the park announced plans to build and open a resort complex called Six Flags Entertainment Village, which would feature a water park, hotel, shopping mall, and a theater. Similar to the preliminary water park plans, it would not be built on the park's existing plot, and instead would be built on the plot of land owned by Six Flags across Interstate 94 and west of the existing theme park.[90][91] While the complex received approval from the village of Gurnee in late-1998,[92] more than half of residents voted against it on an advisory referendum in 1999, derailing the project.[93][94][95]
Despite the park's struggles with the Entertainment Village project, the theme park continued to expand. In 1998, the park expanded its kids areas offerings. A new kids area named Camp Cartoon Network opened as an area within Yukon Territory featuring five new rides. Additionally, the park's existing Bugs Bunny Land was renamed Looney Tunes National Park.[96]
The lift and drop of Raging Bull.
On October 21, 1998, the park announced that they would open Raging Bull for the 1999 season, a hyper-twister roller coaster that was added to Southwest Territory.[97] A US$25 million project, Raging Bull was the park's most expensive roller coaster.[98] Built by Bolliger & Mabillard, the roller coaster was designed to be 202-foot-high (62m), 73mph (117km/h), and 5,057-foot-long (1,541m), and would be built on the former lot used by Rolling Thunder.[99][100] The roller coaster opened on May 1, 1999,[101] following 40,000 man-hours of work.[101]
2000s: New themed areas and water park expansion
The park celebrated its silver (25th) season in 2000, which led to the additions of new shows and parades to celebrate the anniversary.[102] 2000 was the last year for the Sky Whirl and the Hay Baler ride.[103] An accident involving 2 guests occurred on the Cajun Cliffhanger ride in July 2000, which led to its removal the following year.[104]
The twisted spike of Vertical Velocity.
In 2001, two inverted shuttle coasters were added: an Intamin impulse coaster named Vertical Velocity (stylized as V2), which opened in Yankee Harbor; and Déjà Vu, a Vekoma Giant Inverted Boomerang ride that replaced Sky Whirl and Hay Baler.[105][106][107] In the summer of 2002, plans were announced to remove Whizzer, set to close on August 11. The plan to remove the coaster was met with outrage from park guests, particularly because the intended replacement was a major thrill ride.[8][108] The backlash led to Six Flags deciding on August 3 to cancel their plans to replace Whizzer, and instead elected to replace Shockwave.[109][110] Power Dive was also removed, due to maintenance problems.[111]
In 2003, Bolliger & Mabillard constructed Superman: Ultimate Flight in Orleans Place, on the plot of land where Shockwave stood. It was the Midwest's second flying roller coaster, the first being X-Flight at Geauga Lake.[112] The layout of the ride is identical to versions of the ride at Six Flags Great Adventure and Six Flags Over Georgia. Shockwave had partially stood in the parking lot, and for Superman, the entire landscaping of the ride area was redone.[113] Additionally, the Ameri-Go-Round carousel in County Fair was removed at the end of the 2003 season.[114]
Mardi Gras, a new themed area, which annexed a portion of Orleans Place, was added in 2004. It was built in the area where Power Dive and Cajun Cliffhanger had stood. A spinning wild mouse coaster named Ragin' Cajun was added, along with a HUSS Top-Spin model named King Chaos, a Zamperla Rockin' Tug model named Jester's Wild Ride and a Zamperla Balloon Race model named Big Easy Balloons.[114] The same year, the removed Ameri-Go-Round from County Fair was replaced by Revolution, a HUSS Frisbee ride from Six Flags Great Adventure.[115] Batman: The Ride would also be repainted after the 2003 season, changing from an all-black color scheme to yellow track and dark purple supports.[70]
Hurricane Harbor opened in 2005 as a US$42 million expansion to Six Flags Great America.
On September 17, 2004, the park announced a US$42 million[116] expansion to the theme park with the addition of the Six Flags Hurricane Harbor water park.[117] It would become the seventh Hurricane Harbor water park to open, and would be built on the park's preexisting land, on the far west parking lot behind Raging Bull and Viper.[118][119] Upon its opening, it would feature 25 water slides, a 500,000 gallon wave pool, and an interactive water structure, with water park admission included with a theme park ticket.[120][121][122] Groundbreaking began in November 2004. Six Flags Hurricane Harbor opened to the public on May 28, 2005.[123]
The tented area in front of the American Eagle was converted into Wiggles World in 2007, a third children's area themed after the Wiggles, featuring five new rides. American Eagle's entrance was relocated to the right of the tent, utilizing part of the entrance building for the adjacent Dare Devil Dive skycoaster to accommodate the Wiggles area.[124] Additionally, the park focused on entertainment, introducing a new stunt show, Operation SpyGirl, in the Southwest Territory Amphitheater. Operation SpyGirl was an original live-action production created by Joel Surnow, co-creator of the Fox television series 24.[125]Operation SpyGirl debuted in May, and closed for the season in August. Operation SpyGirl did not return in 2008.[126][127]
Great America added The Dark Knight Coaster in 2008, an indoor Mack wild mouse roller coaster themed after the film and located in Orleans Place. The ride is located indoors, mostly in the dark, and has a storyline based around Batman and The Joker. The Theater Royale was converted into a queue building for the ride.[128] Additionally, Splashwater Falls closed for the 2007 season early on, and was removed in March 2008.[129] For 2009, Six Flags replaced Déjà Vu with Buccaneer Battle, a pirate-themed boat ride in County Fair designed by Mack Rides. The ride consisted of 14 eight-passenger boats navigating a channel 450 feet (140m) long. During the ride, there are numerous interactive water elements that can be controlled by passersby.[130]
Six Flags Great America acquired the historic roller coaster Little Dipper in late 2009 for US$33,000. A kids wooden roller coaster, it previously operated at Kiddieland Amusement Park, which operated from 1950 until 2009.[131][132] Little Dipper opened at Six Flags Great America in mid-2010.[133] Additionally, the Glow in the Park Parade debuted at the park that same year.[134]
In May 2010, the park made plans to relocate the Chang roller coaster from Six Flags Kentucky Kingdom. It was planned to be built on the former Space Shuttle America site, near the park's front entrance. It received preliminary approval from the zoning board of Gurnee to exceed its 125-foot (38m) height restrictions and advanced to the village board for approval.[135] The park later withdrew these plans in July 2010.[136] The park announced on September 3 that the Riptide Bay area would open for the 2011 season in Hurricane Harbor. This would replace Space Shuttle America, and it would feature new water slides and an activity pool.[137][138] In late 2010, Six Flags began removing some licensed properties from concessions and attractions. The Wiggles World area had its branding and theming removed for 2011.[139]
The Riptide Bay expansion to Hurricane Harbor opened on June 3, 2011.[137] On September 1, 2011, the park announced X-Flight, a B&M Wing Coaster, to open for the 2012 season, and was the first announced Wing Coaster to be built in North America.[140] The ride would replace Splashwater Falls and Great America Raceway.[141] A few days later, the park's B&M stand-up roller coaster, Iron Wolf permanently closed on September 5, and was relocated to Six Flags America soon after.[142] X-Flight opened for the media on May 10, 2012,[143] and opened on May 16, 2012.[144] The nighttime show, IgNight – Grand Finale, was announced on August 12, 2012, to open for the following year in 2013. The show would be held in Hometown Square.[145]
Main climb of Goliath
Goliath, a Rocky Mountain Construction wooden roller coaster, was announced on August 29, 2013, built on the plot of Iron Wolf.[146][147] It was announced as the steepest, longest, and fastest wooden roller coaster in the world.[148] Goliath debuted on June 19, 2014.[149] Later that year, the park announced its plans to celebrate its 40th season of operations for the 2015 season, named the "40 Seasons of Thrills."[150] As part of the celebrations, the park re-introduced three kids rides in a new section called Hometown Park, which would be located within the Hometown Square area. Additionally, the Columbia Carousel and Hometown Square was refreshed.[151]
An interactive dark ride named Justice League: Battle for Metropolis was announced on September 1, 2015, to open the following season. It would be one of three Six Flags parks to debut the attraction for that season,[152] and would replace the Southwest Territory Amphitheatre.[153] Justice League: Battle for Metropolis soft opened on May 26, 2016, and opened on May 28.[153] The Orbit, an original park attraction, closed on August 6. The Joker, an S&S 4D Free Spin roller coaster, was announced on September 1, 2016, and would open for the 2017 season in the Yankee Harbor area.[154] To accommodate The Joker, two rides would be either relocated or removed. East River Crawler would be relocated to replace The Orbit, restoring its original name The Lobster,[74] and the Jester's Wild Ride would permanently close.[155]
Virtual reality headsets were added to the park's Giant Drop attraction, and would be renamed temporarily to Drop of Doom. The new experience opened on April 29, 2017.[156] The Joker opened to the public on May 27, 2017.[157] King Chaos closed on August 26, 2017. Shortly after, it was announced on August 31, 2017, an unnamed Larson Fire Ball attraction would open for the 2018 season, replacing King Chaos.[158][159]
An overview of Maxx Force
On February 14, 2018, the park announced that Mardi Gras Hangover would be the name for the upcoming Larson Fire Ball attraction.[160] The Holiday in the Park event was announced two months later, on April 11, 2018, extending the park's operating season to December. It would feature holiday lights, shows, and some attractions would operate.[161] The park's Pictorium IMAX theater was demolished in late-April for future expansion.[162][163] Mardi Gras Hangover opened to the public on May 22, 2018.[164][165] The park announced an S&S air-compressed launch roller coaster named Maxx Force on August 30, 2018, and would debut for the 2019 season, replacing the Pictorium.[166] Maxx Force opened for the media on July 2, 2019,[167] and officially opened on July 4.[166]
2020s: COVID-19 and major park investments
Holiday in the Park Lights debuted in 2020 as a modified version of the original event before it was removed altogether after the 2021 season.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the park did not open in 2020.[168][169] While Hurricane Harbor reopened in July 2020,[170] the Lake County Health Department deemed a reopening of the amusement park as "unlikely" because of the ongoing pandemic.[171] In November, a modified version of its holiday event debuted, named Holiday in the Park Lights. It would run similar to the regular event, but without any rides operating.[172][173]
In the following year, it was announced the adjacent water park would become a separately gated water park and would be renamed Hurricane Harbor Chicago on March 22, 2021. It was also announced that the amusement park would reopen in late-April 2021, and the water park by the end of May, with restrictions to follow the state's guidelines relating to the COVID-19 pandemic.[174]
In early 2022, John Krajnak was named the new park president of Six Flags Great America, following the death of president Hank Salemi in January.[175][176] Two months later, DC Universe, a DC Comics themed area, was announced on March 24, 2022, featuring new building paint, wider paths, and re-themed rides. Three rides would be re-themed: Vertical Velocity became The Flash: Vertical Velocity, with a new red color scheme; Whirligig became DC Super-Villains Swing, featuring DC villain visuals; and Yankee Clipper was re-themed to Aquaman Splashdown, featuring new ride boats.[177][178] While the area was supposed to open on April 15, 2022, the area opened in May 2022 due to supply chain issues.[179][180][181] The park also removed Holiday in the Park from its event slate in 2022, shortening its operating season to November.[182]
Clockwise from top: Dare Devil Dive, Buccaneer Battle, Revolution, and Mardi Gras Hangover all closed and were removed in the 2023 season.
Throughout the 2023 season, several developments occurred. In April 2023, the park confirmed that the plots of Dare Devil Dive and Buccaneer Battle would be used for future expansion following removal from the park map.[183] Sky Striker, a Zamperla Discovery pendulum ride, was announced on August 30, 2023, planned to open for the 2024 season.[184][185] It would be built on the plot of land that Dare Devil Dive occupied.[186] Soon after the announcement of Sky Striker, two more rides—Revolution and Mardi Gras Hangover—would be removed from the park. They both closed permanently on October 29, 2023,[187] where they were relocated to Niagara Amusement Park & Splash World in New York.[188]
In April 2024, the park demolished its old entrance plaza to build a new entrance building.[189] Sky Striker opened to the public in mid-June 2024.[190] Two months later, a B&M Dive Coaster named Wrath of Rakshasa was announced on August 15, 2024. It would be the steepest and feature the most inversions on a Dive Coaster, and would replace the Buccaneer Battle water ride.[191] In early November 2024, it was announced in a press release that Six Flags Great America would receive a new kids area, alongside 50th anniversary celebrations, and park enhancements, as part of the newly merged Six Flags' $525 million investments for the 2026 season.[192][193][194] Wrath of Rakshasa debuted to the public on May 31, 2025, becoming the park's 16th roller coaster.[195]
Carousel Plaza is the front entrance area to the park, which centers on the park's Columbia Carousel. In addition to the rides, there are shops and food kiosks themed to the area.[9]
An air-launched steel roller coaster, featuring five inversions. It is the fastest accelerating roller coaster, going 0 to 78 miles per hour (126km/h) in 1.8 seconds.[198][199]
Orleans Place is themed around New Orleans in the late 1800s, specifically the historic French Quarter. The area opened as an original area in 1976, and part of the area was later annexed into Mardi Gras in 2004.[201]
Mardi Gras is one of the park's newest themed areas. It opened in 2004 after being converted from part of Orleans Place. The area's theme comes from the Mardi Gras holiday and specifically the famous celebration of the holiday in New Orleans.[201]
A 185-foot (56m) tall steel inverted and launched roller coaster, which launches riders from 0 to 70 miles per hour (110km/h) in 4 seconds. Originally operated as Vertical Velocity from 2001 to 2021.[213][214]
Yukon Territory is a themed area based around the famous forests and mountains in northwest Canada, with references to logging, prospecting and gold panning, specifically the Klondike Gold Rush.[207]
A log flume water ride. The ride's track interlink with Aquaman Splashdown.[218]
2
Camp Cartoon
Camp Cartoon is a kids area that is located within Yukon Territory. It was known as Camp Cartoon Network when first added in 1998. Despite the former name, the rides were themed to Hanna-Barbera properties and not Cartoon Network ones.[219]
A steel roller coaster for kids. It originally operated as Spacely's Sprocket Rockets from 1998 to 2018.[221]
2
Yahoo River
1976
Thiel
A rotating boat water ride.[222] It originally operated as Yogi's Yahoo River from 1998 to 2018.
1
County Fair
County Fair is an original themed area located in back of the park, and is the largest themed area, themed on a rural county fair.[223] There are many shops, stalls and attractions set in the theme. The area also features a food court,[224] and a gallery of carnival games.[225] Formerly, it was named "The Great Midwest Livestock Exposition at County Fair" and alternatively known as just "Midwest County Fair."[226]
A 127-foot (39m) tall dual-tracked racing wooden roller coaster.[227] It holds records as the tallest, fastest, and longest racing wooden roller coaster in the world.[228]
A 102-foot (31m) tall Arrow Dynamics looping steel roller coaster, featuring four inversions. It originally operated as Turn of the Century from 1976 to 1979.[229]
5
Fiddler's Fling
1976
Anton Schwarzkopf
A Calypso ride model, featuring intense spins.[230]
A 165-foot (50m) tall wooden roller coaster. With a 180-foot (55m) tall drop, the ride has two inversions and is the longest and fastest wooden roller coaster in the world.[231][232][233]
A 180-foot (55m) tall dive coaster. With a maximum vertical angle of 96° and five inversions, it is the steepest dive coaster and features the most inversions on a dive coaster.[237][238]
Kidzopolis is a children's area located within County Fair, located near the American Eagle entrance.[240] Originally known as Wiggles World, the area was added for 2007.[127]The Wiggles theming was removed after the 2010 season.[241]
A controlled flying plane attraction.[246] It originally operated as Big Red Planes from 2007 to 2010.
2
Metropolis Plaza
Metropolis Plaza is the smallest themed area of the park, based on the Metropolis city in DC Comics. It replaced the Southwest Amphitheater in 2016, and has one ride.[247]
Southwest Territory is themed around an old Wild West town and opened in 1996.[82] The area is situated outside of the park's "Duell loop", connecting it to both Hometown Square and County Fair.[79]
Hometown Square is one of the park's original areas. It is themed after a small midwestern town around the turn of the century. Guests walk through many shops and stalls and can ride many classic carnival-style rides.[71]
A Monster III model, where cars spin and go up, attached to an arm. It was named East River Crawler from 1992 to 2017.[262]
2
Hometown Park
Hometown Park is a kids area located within Hometown Square.[240] This section previously existed from the park's opening in 1976 until the rides were removed after the 2001 season. In 2015, three of the original rides returned as part of the park's 40th season celebration.[263]
Six Flags Hurricane Harbor Chicago is a 20-acre (8.1ha) water park that opened in 2005, featuring 25 water slides.[267][268] The water park, which is part of the Six Flags Hurricane Harbor water park chain, was originally included with Six Flags Great America admission. It has been separately gated from the theme park since 2021.[174]
Fast Lane is a secondary queuing system that offers shorter waiting times on the park's most popular rides. Visitors purchase Fast Lane wristbands as an additional add-on to access a separate and shorter queue, bypassing the standard queue.[269] It will be introduced at the park in 2026, replacing The Flash Pass virtual reservation system.[270]As of December2025[update], Fast Lane is expected to offer access to 20 rides upon its 2026 introduction at Six Flags Great America.[271]
Carousel Plaza during Fright Fest, decorated with Halloween decor and Columbia Carousel's pond dyed red.
Fright Fest is an annual Halloween-themed event that debuted in 1991.[272] It is held on weekends in September and October, with select dates extending into November.[273] The park is decorated into several different themed "Scare Zones," featuring haunted houses (for an additional fee), scare actors, live shows, and rethemed rides.[272][274] Kids Boo Fest, a family-friendly Halloween event that debuted in 2022, is held on the same days as Fright Fest. It runs from the park's opening until dusk, after which Fright Fest begins.[275]
Many of the park's rides receive special theming and operate differently than usual. A notable ride re-theme that occurs during the event is the teacup ride Chubasco, which is transformed into Terror Twister 2: A Turn for the Worse, in which the ride building is enclosed and a custom lighting design matched with a custom club style music mix is played.[276]
Fright Fest also features live shows throughout the park. One of the park's longest-running productions is Love at First Fright, which follows the story of a couple who spends a night in a cemetery when classic Halloween characters show up.[277] Running since 1991, the show changes each year to include various pop culture references.[278][279]The Uprising is performed at dusk, where guests witness the rise of undead monsters, signifying the transition from Kids Boo Fest to Fright Fest.[273]
Attendance
Analysts position Six Flags Great America as a well-performing property within the Six Flags company.[280][281] In 2013, the park reached 100 million overall guests.[282] Under park policy, Six Flags Great America does not release attendance figures. However, the Themed Entertainment Association (TEA) estimates attendance numbers for the amusement park.[283]
The Columbia Carousel is the second-tallest carousel in the world at 100 feet (30m).
Upon the park's opening in 1976, its Columbia Carousel ride became the second-tallest carousel in the world standing at 100 feet (30m) tall. Its counterpart at California's Great America in Santa Clara, California, conversely named Carousel Columbia, is the tallest carousel in the world, in which the California carousel stands 101 feet (31m) tall.[298]
One of the first record breaking roller coasters for the park was American Eagle, opening in 1981 as the tallest, fastest and longest wooden racing roller coaster in the world. The ride is 127 feet (39m) tall, reaches speeds of 66 miles per hour (106km/h), and 4,650 feet (1,420m) each side. American Eagle still retains all of these records as of 2025[update].[299][300][301]
Shockwave (1988–2002) was the tallest roller coaster overall, fastest steel roller coaster, and had the most inversions on a single roller coaster (7).
The now-defunct roller coaster Shockwave, which opened in 1988, broke multiple records upon its opening. At that time, it was the tallest, fastest and most inverted steel roller coaster in the world.[302] It was 170 feet (52m) tall and 65 miles per hour (105km/h) and had seven inversions.[303][304] The records for tallest and fastest roller coaster were later surpassed by Great American Scream Machine at Six Flags Great Adventure less than one year later.[305]
Goliath holds the world record for the fastest and the tallest drop on a wooden roller coaster.
Goliath claimed three Guinness World Records at its opening in 2014 as the steepest wooden roller coaster, longest drop on a wooden roller coaster, and fastest[note 5] wooden roller coaster in the world; as of 2025, the ride currently retains the latter two.[308][309][310] The now-defunct Mardi Gras Hangover opened to the public on May 25, 2018, as the tallest fire ball attraction in the world.[311]
Maxx Force holds three world records, including fastest acceleration in North America, fastest inversion, and tallest double inversion
In 2019, Maxx Force opened with three record breakers with having the fastest acceleration in North America from 0 to 78 miles per hour (126km/h) in 1.8 seconds, fastest inversion (heartline roll) in the world at 60 miles per hour (97km/h) and tallest double inversion in the world at 175 feet (53m).[312]
Wrath of Rakshasa, a B&M Dive Coaster, opened in 2025 as the steepest dive coaster model at 96 degrees, and also has the most inversions on a dive coaster model with five inversions.[313] Upon the opening of Wrath of Rakshasa on May 31, 2025,[195] the park has 16 total roller coasters, making it the second-highest number of roller coasters in a singular park located in the Midwestern United States, behind its sister park Cedar Point.[314]
From 2014 to 2017, Six Flags Great America also had the greatest combined wooden roller coaster track in a singular park at 16,558 feet (5,047m), receiving a Guinness World Record on January 14, 2015. The record counts the track length of the roller coasters American Eagle (both sides), Goliath, Little Dipper, and Viper.[315][316] They were surpassed upon the opening of Mystic Timbers at Kings Island, with Kings Island having approximately 18,000 feet of combined wooden roller coaster track in a singular park.[317]
Awards
Several of Six Flags Great America's roller coasters have appeared on Amusement Today's annual Golden Ticket Awards multiple times. The following lists the peak ranking for each roller coaster at Six Flags Great America on the Golden Ticket Awards and the year they achieved their peak ranking:
Top to bottom: Batman: The Ride, which received Landmark status in 2005; Whizzer, which received Landmark status in 2012; American Eagle, which received Landmark status in 2025.
ACE has also awarded Little Dipper the ACE Coaster Classic award, an award given to historic roller coasters that utilize traditional operating practices and ride experiences characteristic of the early 20th century.[328]
The International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions (IAAPA) has awarded the park's entertainment and dining options multiple times. In 2005, 2007 and 2008, the Fright Fest show Love at First Fright won the IAAPA Big E! Award in the category "Best Overall Production: $25,000 or less." In 2010, 2013 and 2014, Love at First Fright won the IAAPA Brass Ring Awards in the category "Best Overall Production: $50,001–100,000."[329][330][331]Show Stoppin' won the IAAPA Big E! Award in 2008 in the category "Best Overall Production: $25,001–50,000."[332][333] The park's tanghulu was a finalist for the IAAPA Honors Award for "Best New Menu Item" in 2023–2024.[334] Windy City Sports Bar and Grill, a restaurant in Southwest Territory,[335] was a finalist for "Best New Food and Beverage Renovation or New Facility Build" in the IAAPA Brass Ring Awards in 2024–2025.[336]
On USA Today's Readers' Choice Awards, Goliath ranked number 4 in the category "Best Roller Coasters in the Country" in 2018. Maxx Force ranked number 8 in the category "Best New Amusement Park Attraction" in 2019.[337][338]
The following only lists major incidents that have occurred at the park, and does not include minor incidents or incidents that were caused by an underlying health issue.
In 1976, two separate instances—one in July 1976, one in August 1976—occurred on Whizzer where a total of 31 guests were injured. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) filed a formal complaint against the Marriott Corporation in 1980 for failing to report the incidents.[339]
On May 22, 1984, an incident on The Edge ride occurred when three riders were injured after the car fell backwards while it was going up. The incident directly caused the park to remove the ride in 1986.[8][340]
On April 19, 1998, a train on the Demon roller coaster stopped in the middle of a vertical loop, resulting in 23 riders being stuck upside down for two hours. An aerial fire apparatus was required to release stranded riders.[341] It was later revealed that the incident was a result of a safety feature preventing the train from derailing.[342]
On July 19, 2000, two riders were injured on the Cajun Cliffhanger ride when the ride's floor raised incorrectly, sustaining injuries to their feet. The incident resulted in its removal the following year.[104]
On May 29, 2004, an employee died after being hit by a train on the Ragin' Cajun roller coaster while attempting to cross the track.[343]
On March 11, 2008, a crew member that was part of an external company demolishing the Splashwater Falls attraction died after falling 40 feet (12m) to the ground.[344]
In 2016, Six Flags was sued in the class action lawsuit Rosenbach v. Six Flags over allegations that the park violated Illinois' Biometric Information Privacy Act. Plaintiff Stacy Rosenbach alleged that her son was asked to provide a thumbprint scan without proper consent. It went to the Supreme Court of Illinois in 2019, which allowed the lawsuit to continue. Without admission of fault or liability, Six Flags settled the lawsuit in 2021 by agreeing to pay US$36,000,000(equivalent to $41,773,793 in 2024) to affected parkgoers.[345][346]
On August 14, 2022, a drive-by shooting occurred in the park's parking lot, injuring three people. It prompted an immediate evacuation of the entire park, and was later determined to be a targeted incident.[347]
In popular culture
In the late 1970s, two television specials were produced to feature the Marriott theme park in Gurnee, Illinois, both produced by TV station WLS-TV. To celebrate the opening of Marriott's Great America, a special named Celebration At Great America first aired on July 2, 1976,[348] and again on August 21.[349] The special starred Steve Edwards and Sandi Freeman of WLS-TV. Celebrity guests included Mel Blanc as Bugs Bunny, other Looney Tunes characters, Jo Anne Worley, Forrest Tucker, Jerry Stiller and Roger Perry. The second television special from WLS-TV, titled You're Never Too Old, first aired on September 8, 1979,[350][351] and again on April 26, 1980;[352] hosted by actress Lisa Hartman.
In 1977, the park's circus show, Circus Fantastic, had one of its performances broadcast on the television series Captain Kangaroo with Captain Kangaroo (Bob Keeshan) himself as the ringmaster and special guest star Bob Denver of Gilligan's Island.[353]
In 1994, the park's now-defunct Iron Wolf roller coaster was featured in the movie Richie Rich and was showcased as a backyard coaster.[354] On August 26, 2009, the park was featured on Dinner: Impossible where host Robert Irvine creates a meal for coaster enthusiasts to celebrate the 10th anniversary of Raging Bull.[355] In a 2013 episode of Insane Coaster Wars, the park's B&M wing coaster X-Flight was featured as a contestant against other roller coasters around the world.[356] In July 2015, the K-pop boy band BTS filmed an episode of their variety show Run BTS where the members rode various rides during their time at the park.[357]
References
Notes
12According to the Form 10-K filed by Six Flags for the 2024 fiscal year, 273 acres (110ha) is the combined developed area of both Six Flags Great America and Hurricane Harbor Chicago. Including undeveloped land, the total combined area of the two parks are 303 acres (123ha).[1]
↑Indicates that Six Flags Great America did not rank in the top 20 of the Themed Entertainment Association annual attendance report for North American parks.
↑The park was not open in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This number does not include Hurricane Harbor Chicago's attendance.[293]
↑In the 2023 edition of the TEA/AECOM Theme Index Report, the original reported attendance for Six Flags Great America in 2023 was 3.00 million.[296] This number changed to 2.90 million in the 2024 edition of the TEA Global Experience Index.[297]
↑Lightning Rod had held the record of fastest wooden roller coaster from June 2016 until September 2020, before it was converted into a hybrid roller coaster.[307]
↑Zenzen, Joan. "Great America in Manassas", Battling for Manassas: The Fifty-Year Preservation Struggle at Manassas National Battlefield Park, Penn State Press, 2010.
↑"Season Pass Frequently Asked Questions". Six Flags. Archived from the original on December 22, 2025. Retrieved December 21, 2025. At Legacy Six Flags parks, THE FLASH Pass program, and associated all season products, will be retired at the end of 2025 and transitioned to Fast Lane.
↑"Fast Lane". Six Flags Great America. Archived from the original on November 4, 2025. Retrieved November 4, 2025.
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Pace 284, 565, 572
3.045 million in 2024
