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Not to be confused with Six Flags America or Six Flags Great Adventure.

Six Flags Great America or simply Great America is a Six Flags theme park in Gurnee, Illinois which originally opened on May 29, 1976 as one of the two Marriott's Great America parks built by the Marriott Corporation. The park was then acquired by the Six Flags Corporation under then Six Flags parent company Bally Manufacturing in 1984, and it reopened as Six Flags Great America.

The park features twelve uniquely themed areas, ten of which are traditional, with the other two being children's areas. Great America boasts fifteen different roller coasters, making it the second most behind Six Flags Magic Mountain.

History[]

Marriott's Great America (1976–1983)[]

On May 29, 1976, Marriott opened Marriott's Great America. It opened with it's original themed areas:

In 1977, the park saw the removal of Gulf Coaster, and the addition of Sky Trek Tower.

The following year, in 1978, Tidal Wave, was added to Yankee Harbor.

In 1979, The Pictorium was created. It was claimed as one of the world's biggest IMAX theater, before being demolished in 2018.

In 1980, Turn of the Century was re-themed to Demon, and had an additional two vertical loops that replaced the airtime hills.

1981 saw the addition of American Eagle, an Intamin wooden roller coaster that replaced Showarena.

In 1983, the last addition to the park, White Water Rapids, now named Roaring Rapids, was placed in Orleans Place. The park would then be sold off by Marriott due to disappointments with its theme park division. Its sister park in California would be later sold off to the city of Santa Clara.

In 1984, the park was acquired Six Flags and was rebranded as Six Flags Great America.

Six Flags Great America (1984–present)[]

1984–1987: Bally era[]

To be added

1987–1991: Wesray era[]

To be added

1991–1998: Time Warner era[]

To be added

1998–2005: Premier Parks/Six Flags Inc. era[]

To be added

2005–2010: Shapiro era[]

On January 15, 2006, Six Flags Great America announced that they would be adding Tornado to Six Flags Hurricane Harbor as the water park's first major addition since its opening the year prior.[1] Six Flags Great America opened for the 2006 season on May 27. Later that year, Hank Salemi was named Park President of Six Flags Great America, replacing Ronald Sevart.

On January 17, 2007, Six Flags Great America announced the addition of the new Wiggles World children's area, which would be added to County Fair. On September 27, the park announced that it would be added The Dark Knight Coaster in 2008, a new wild mouse roller coaster themed after the film The Dark Knight. The ride would be added to Orleans Place, replacing Theatre Royale.

2010–2019: Post-bankruptcy era[]

Xflight2

On September 1, 2011, Six Flags Great America announced the addition of X-Flight, a new steel wing roller coaster by Bolliger & Mabillard. It would be added to Orleans Place, replacing both Splashwater Falls and the Great America Raceway.

X-Flight opened to the public on May 16, 2012. At the end of the season IgNIGHT – Grand Finale was announced as the park's 2013 attraction. At the end of the season, the wooden-steel hybrid coaster Goliath was announced as the park's 2014 attraction.

Six Flags Great America opened for the 2014 season on April 25, 2014.[2] On May 16, Goliath was topped off.[3] Goliath opened to the public on June 19, 2014.[4]

Justice League: Battle for Metropolis opened in the new Metropolis Plaza area on May 28. On September 1, Six Flags Great America announced the addition of The Joker, a 4D "Free Fly" roller coaster manufactured by S&S - Sansei Technologies. It would be the park's 15th roller coaster, and would be added to Yankee Harbor to complement Batman: The Ride. Later that month Fright Fest 2016 began, with the event celebrating its 25th anniversary with two new haunted attractions, Big Top Terror and Infestation!. The event ran from September 22 through October 30, 2016.[5]

On March 22, 2017, Six Flags announced that a new virtual reality experience, "Drop of Doom VR", would be added to Giant Drop during the 2017 season.[6] On August 31, 2017, Six Flags Great America announced the then-unnamed "world's largest loop coaster" as the park's 2018 attraction. It would be added to the Mardi Gras section, replacing King Chaos.[7]

On February 13, 2018, the name for the "world's largest loop coaster" was finally revealed to be Mardi Gras Hangover. The new ride would also usher in the new Mardi Gras Festival.[8] On April 11, it was announced that Six Flags Great America would extend its operating calendar for the first time with the introduction of Holiday in the Park.[9] Mardi Gras Hangover opened on May 28.[10] On August 30, Six Flags Great America announced Maxx Force as the park's 2019 attraction.[11]

On July 4, 2019, Maxx Force opened to the public, after a "Member Appreciation Day" soft opening event on July 3.[12]

Six Flags Great America's New Entrance

Six Flags Great America's new entrance

2020–2021: Mike Spanos era[]

On August 29, 2019, Tsunami Surge was announced to open in 2020. It would be revealed that it would be a Master Blaster water coaster manufactured by WhiteWater West, a Canadian water slide company that would feature Aqualucent effects.

For the 2020 season, the park was expected to open in April, but the park was temporarily closed due to COVID-19. On July 20, 2020, Hurricane Harbor Chicago, the attached waterpark and Hurricane Harbor Rockford in which the park leased 2 years ago opened to the public. Tsunami Surge was delayed for 2021 because vertical construction did not start on the ride yet.

On October 15, the park announced that they would be opening for Holiday in the Park Lights, a lights only event with outdoor shows to open on November 27. Later on December 10, the Holiday in the Park Drive-Thru Experience was announced to open for the park until January 18, 2021.

On February 19, 2021, the park announced their reopening on April 24, 2021, without state approval. Later, on March 18, the park was approved to operate at 25% from new COVID-19 reopening plans in Illinois.

On March 24, 2022, the park announced their DC Universe themed section, a super-hero themed area from DC Comics. John Krajnak was also announced as the new park president, who was Director at Marketing at the park prior to becoming park president.

2023-present: Selim Bassoul era[]

On August 30, 2023, the park announced that they would be opening Sky Striker a brand new pendulum ride in the County Fair section of the park.

Location[]

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Areas and attractions[]

"Once you walk into the park, you're no longer in the real world. The themed areas give visitors the feeling they've stepped back into the 19th Century. We've got old New Orleans, the Yukon Territory, a New England whaling town. Our guests love it. This is just one more reason why we're one of the best theme parks in America."
―Jim Wintrode[src]

Six Flags Great America is divided into ten uniquely themed areas. When the park originally opened, these areas were intended to showcase the best of American culture and history, hence the park's name, "Great America". When Southwest Territory was added in 1996, it became the first new area added to the park since its inception. Since then, there have been the additions of Mardi Gras in 2004, as well as Camp Cartoon in Yukon Territory in 1998 and Wiggles World (now Kidzopolis since 2011) in County Fair in 2007.

Columbiacarousel

The Columbia Carousel, the centerpiece of Carousel Plaza.

Carousel Plaza[]

Main article: Carousel Plaza

The entrance area of the park which features the Columbia Carousel, the world's largest carousel. It also includes the 330-foot tall Sky Trek Tower, and the launch coaster Maxx Force.

Attractions[]

Dining[]

  • Cotton Candy Factory
  • Carousel Snacks

Shopping[]

Hometown Square[]

DSC04354

A photo of Hometown Square from the Hometown Square Train Station.

Main article: Hometown Square

The central area of Great America and the "hub" for the park which is themed after an American town at the turn of the century. This area features several flat rides, as well as restaurants, shops, and the Grand Music Hall.

Attractions[]

Dining[]

Shopping[]

Hometown Park[]

Main article: Hometown Park

A children's area that is a "sub-area" of Hometown Square which opened in 2015 for the "40 Seasons" celebration of Great America. The area features three children's rides that had previously been removed, but were refurbished and brought back.

Attractions[]

Orleans Place[]

Great America Emporium

The Great America Emporium, the main gift shop of Orleans Place.

Main article: Orleans Place

An area themed after the French Quarter in the city of New Orleans. It features the flying coaster Superman: Ultimate Flight, as well as The Dark Knight Coaster, a dark ride/coaster hybrid based on the 2008 film The Dark Knight. Other attractions include Rue Le Dodge, a bumper cars attraction, and Condor, a scrambler-style tower ride.

Attractions[]

Dining[]

Shopping[]

Mardi Gras[]

Main article: Mardi Gras (Six Flags Great America)

An area themed after the city of New Orleans, Louisiana, though specifically celebrating the Mardi Gras holiday.

Attractions[]

Dining[]

DC Universe[]

Main article: DC Universe (Six Flags Great America)

An area themed to DC Comics. It was originally one of the original Great America areas as Yankee Harbor, which was themed after a New England whaling town.

Attractions[]

Dining[]

Shopping[]

Yukon Territory[]

Main article: Yukon Territory

An area themed after the Yukon, a territory in Canada.

Attractions[]

Dining[]

Camp Cartoon[]

Main article: Camp Cartoon

A children's area themed after cartoons which originally opened as Camp Cartoon Network and featured Hanna-Barbera cartoons, though the name was later changed to simply Camp Cartoon. After the 2017 season, the Hanna-Barbera characters and licensing were fully removed.

Attractions[]

Metropolis Plaza[]

Main article: Metropolis Plaza

A small DC Comics themed area near Southwest Territory which currently only features one attraction.

Attractions[]

County Fair[]

Main article: County Fair

An area near the front of the park.

Attractions[]

Dining[]

Kidzopolis[]

Main article: Kidzopolis (Six Flags Great America)

A children's area located near County Fair which was formerly known as Wiggles World.

Attractions[]

  • Zoomjets
  • Up Up & Away
  • Krazy Kups
  • Krazy Kars
  • Bouncer

Southwest Territory[]

Southwest Territory 2019

The north entrance to Southwest Territory from Metropolis Plaza

Main article: Southwest Territory (Six Flags Great America)

A Wild West themed area near the back of the park which opened in 1996, after having been planned since the park's opening twenty years earlier. Viper was built before the land opened as a solo ride.

Attractions[]

Dining[]

Shopping[]

Former attractions[]

Roller coasters[]

Rides[]

Other[]

Management[]

Main article: Six Flags Great America/Management

Gallery[]

Main article: Six Flags Great America/Gallery

References[]

  1. Six Flags Great America. SIX FLAGS GREAT AMERICA'S HURRICANE HARBOR WATER PARK TO ADD GIANT "TORNADO" ATTRACTION IN 2006 (Press release). PR Newswire. Archived from the original on October 25, 2013.
  2. Six Flags Great America (April 25, 2014). Six Flags Great America Opens for the 2014 Season (Press release).
  3. Six Flags Great America (May 16, 2014). World’s Most Extreme New Roller Coaster Topped Off (Press release). Archived from the original on February 25, 2020.
  4. Six Flags Great America (June 18, 2014). Record Breaking Roller Coaster Now Open (Press release).
  5. Six Flags Great America (September 22, 2016). Six Flags Shows No Mercy on the 25th Anniversary of Fright Fest. Six Flags Great America.
  6. Six Flags Great America (March 22, 2017). Six Flags Great America Announces All- New Drop Tower Virtual Reality Ride in Partnership with Samsung (Press release).
  7. New Record Breaking Coaster to Debut at Six Flags Great America (Press release) (August 31, 2017). Archived from the original on February 25, 2020.
  8. Six Flags Great America (February 13, 2018). The Best Hangover Ever is coming to Six Flags (Press release). Archived from the original on February 13, 2018.
  9. Six Flags Great America (April 11, 2018). Six Flags Great America Launches New Holiday in the Park® (Press release).
  10. Six Flags Great America (May 22, 2018). World’s Largest Loop Coaster Opens at Six Flags Great America (Press release).
  11. Six Flags Great America (August 30, 2018). Six Flags Great America to Debut Triple Record-Breaking Launch Coaster (Press release).
  12. Six Flags Great America (July 2, 2019). Triple, Record-Breaking Maxx Force Coaster Ready for Launch at Six Flags Great America (Press release).

External links[]

v - e - d
SFGAM park logo 2019
Carousel Plaza
Columbia CarouselSky Trek TowerMaxx ForceFlagsVictory Lane
Orleans Place
Superman: Ultimate FlightThe Dark Knight CoasterCondorRue Le Dodge
Mardi Gras
Roaring RapidsBig Easy Balloons
DC Universe
Batman: The RideThe Flash: Vertical VelocityThe JokerAQUAMAN SplashdownDC Super-Villains SwingSteelworks PubCentral City SnacksGotham City SnacksCaptain Cold Ice CreamDC Universe Store
Yukon Territory
Logger's RunWinner's CircleLittle DipperCartoon CabinWizards WorkshopMaw & Paw's Trail GrubMooseburger LodgeClaim Jumpers Chicken
Metropolis Plaza
Justice League: Battle for Metropolis
County Fair
American EagleGoliathDemonFiddler's FlingX-FlightSky StrikerCounty Fair Food Court
Hometown Square
Hometown Fun MachineTriple PlayWhizzerThe LobsterLady BugsRed BaronTot's LiveryFirehouse SnacksGrand Music Hall
Southwest Territory
Raging BullViperChubascoRicochetRiver RockerGiant DropMijo's Authentic Mexican FoodFiesta Fries CantinaThe OasisEl Mercado
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