Six Flags Great America facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Six Flags Great America

Previously known as Marriott's Great America (1976–1984)
The Columbia Carousel ride, located near the park's entrance (pictured in 2025)
Location	Gurnee, Illinois, United States
Coordinates	42°22′03″N 87°56′04″W / 42.36750°N 87.93444°W / 42.36750; -87.93444
Status	Operating
Opened	May 29, 1976; 49 years ago (1976-05-29)
Owner	Six Flags
Slogan	The Thrill Capital of the Midwest
Operating season	April to November
Attendance	3.045 million in 2024
Area	273 acres (1.10 km2)
Attractions
Total	47 (as of 2025)
Roller coasters	16
Water rides	3

Six Flags Great America is a huge 273-acre (110 ha) theme park in Gurnee, Illinois, United States. It is owned and run by Six Flags. The park is located between the cities of Chicago and Milwaukee, close to Interstate 94. It has over 45 exciting attractions, including 16 roller coasters. It also has a water park called Hurricane Harbor Chicago.

The park first opened on May 29, 1976, under the name Marriott's Great America. It was designed with an Americana theme. In 1984, the park was sold to Six Flags and renamed Six Flags Great America.

The park has 12 different themed areas, including sections based on American history and DC Comics superheroes. There are also special areas just for younger kids. Six Flags Great America is open from April to November each year. In the fall, it hosts a popular Halloween event called Fright Fest. The park is known as one of the top 20 most visited amusement parks in North America. In 2024, about 3.04 million people visited the park.

Park History

How it Started: Marriott's Great America (1976-1984)

In the early 1970s, the Marriott company wanted to build new theme parks across the country. They planned two parks, one in California and one in Illinois, both called Marriott's Great America. These parks would celebrate American history.

The design team, led by Randall Duell, created a special circular path for guests to explore. This path allowed visitors to easily move between the park's six original themed areas:

• Carousel Plaza: The main entrance area.
• Orleans Place: Inspired by the Southern United States in the mid-1800s.
• Yankee Harbor: A port town from 19th-century New England.
• Yukon Territory: Like a town in the Canadian Yukon.
• Midwest County Fair: A fun 20th-century rural county fair.
• Hometown Square: Based on small Midwest towns from the early 1900s.

Marriott bought 600 acres (240 ha) of land in Gurnee, Illinois, in 1972. This spot was perfect because it was easy to reach from Chicago and Milwaukee. Construction began in 1974 and took two years.

The park officially opened on May 29, 1976. It had three roller coasters: Willard's Whizzer, Turn of the Century, and The Gulf Coaster. Other popular rides included the Columbia Carousel, which is the second-tallest carousel in the world, and the unique Sky Whirl, a triple ferris wheel. The park also featured Looney Tunes characters, who greeted guests.

In 1977, the 285-foot-tall (87 m) Sky Trek Tower was added, offering amazing views. The park's first children's area, Fort Fun, opened in 1978. That same year, Tidal Wave, a thrilling shuttle loop coaster, was added. In 1979, the Pictorium, an IMAX theater with a giant screen, opened.

The Turn of the Century roller coaster was updated in 1980. It got two vertical loops and new tunnels, becoming the Demon. In 1981, the American Eagle, a huge racing wooden roller coaster, opened. It was the tallest, fastest, and longest dueling wooden coaster at the time. In 1983, two more rides arrived: The Edge, a freefall ride, and White Water Rampage, a water rapids adventure.

A view of Turn of the Century and Sky Whirl from the Delta Flyer attraction (pictured in August 1976).

Sky Trek Tower was added in 1977.

The American Eagle was added in 1981.

Becoming Six Flags Great America (1984-2000s)

In 1984, Marriott sold the park to the Six Flags company. The park was renamed Six Flags Great America. This sale also meant Six Flags could use the Looney Tunes characters at all its parks.

Soon after the sale, in May 1984, an incident on The Edge ride caused it to be stuck and then drop unexpectedly, injuring three riders. The ride was later removed in 1986.

In 1985, Six Flags added Z-Force, a unique roller coaster. In 1987, Power Dive, a looping ship ride, was added, and the Bugs Bunny Land kids area grew bigger. Z-Force was moved to another Six Flags park after 1987.

Z-Force operated from 1985 to 1987 in the County Fair area.

The park saw major new rides in the late 1980s and 1990s. In 1988, the massive Shockwave roller coaster opened. It was the world's tallest roller coaster at the time. In 1989, Rolling Thunder, a bobsled roller coaster, was added.

Iron Wolf was the first roller coaster made by Bolliger & Mabillard (B&M). It operated at the park from 1990 to 2011.

Batman: The Ride was the world's first inverted roller coaster and B&M's second roller coaster.

In 1990, Iron Wolf, a steel stand-up coaster, opened. It was the first roller coaster built by the famous company Bolliger & Mabillard (B&M). The park worked with B&M again to build the world's first inverted roller coaster, Batman: The Ride, which opened in 1992. This ride was a huge hit! The area around it was re-themed to match the Batman films.

A Batman Stunt Show debuted in 1993. In 1994, Space Shuttle America, a motion simulator ride, was built.

In 1995, Viper, a wooden roller coaster similar to the Coney Island Cyclone, opened. This was part of a new themed area called Southwest Territory, which officially opened in 1996. This area was designed like an Old West desert town and included new rides like River Rocker and Chubasco.

The mission building is the centerpiece of Southwest Territory. It features the Chubasco ride.

At 227 feet (69 m), Giant Drop is one of the tallest rides at the park.

In 1997, two new thrill rides were added: Giant Drop, a 227 feet (69 m) tall drop tower, and Dare Devil Dive, a Skycoaster. The park also expanded its kids' areas in 1998. Camp Cartoon Network opened with five new rides, and Bugs Bunny Land became Looney Tunes National Park.

The lift and drop of Raging Bull.

The park's most expensive roller coaster, Raging Bull, opened in 1999. This 202-foot (62 m) tall steel hyper-twister coaster was a major addition to Southwest Territory.

New Millennium, New Thrills (2000s-2010s)

In 2001, two new shuttle coasters arrived: Vertical Velocity (V²) and Déjà Vu. An accident on the Cajun Cliffhanger ride in July 2000 led to its removal the following year.

The twisted spike of Vertical Velocity.

In 2003, Superman: Ultimate Flight, a flying roller coaster, was built where Shockwave once stood. Riders lie face down, making them feel like they are flying.

A new themed area called Mardi Gras opened in 2004, with rides like Ragin' Cajun and King Chaos.

Hurricane Harbor opened in 2005 as a US$42 million expansion to Six Flags Great America.

On May 28, 2005, Six Flags Hurricane Harbor water park opened. This huge 42 million^{[convert: unknown unit]} expansion included 25 water slides and a large wave pool.

In 2007, Wiggles World, a children's area based on The Wiggles, opened with five new rides. The park also introduced a new stunt show, Operation SpyGirl.

The Dark Knight Coaster, an indoor wild mouse roller coaster themed after the Batman film, opened in 2008. In 2009, Buccaneer Battle, a pirate-themed boat ride, replaced Déjà Vu.

Little Dipper was relocated in 2010 from the defunct Kiddieland Amusement Park.

In 2010, the historic Little Dipper wooden roller coaster moved to Six Flags Great America from Kiddieland Amusement Park. The Glow in the Park Parade also debuted that year.

In 2011, the Riptide Bay area opened in Hurricane Harbor, adding new water slides. On September 1, 2011, the park announced X-Flight, a B&M Wing Coaster, which opened in 2012. This was North America's first announced Wing Coaster. The park's stand-up roller coaster, Iron Wolf, closed in September 2011 and was moved to another Six Flags park.

Main climb of Goliath

Goliath, a Rocky Mountain Construction wooden roller coaster, opened on June 19, 2014. It was announced as the steepest, longest, and fastest wooden roller coaster in the world. In 2015, the park celebrated its 40th season by bringing back three classic kids' rides to a new Hometown Park area.

In 2016, Justice League: Battle for Metropolis, an interactive dark ride, opened. The Joker, an S&S 4D Free Spin roller coaster, opened in 2017. Virtual reality headsets were added to the Giant Drop ride, temporarily renaming it Drop of Doom.

An overview of Maxx Force

In 2018, Mardi Gras Hangover, a Larson Fire Ball ride, opened. The park also started its Holiday in the Park event, extending the season into December. The Pictorium IMAX theater was removed for future expansion. In 2019, Maxx Force, an S&S air-launched roller coaster, opened, replacing the Pictorium. Maxx Force opened for guests on July 4, 2019.

Recent Changes and New Adventures (2020s)

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the amusement park did not open in 2020. However, a modified version of its holiday event, Holiday in the Park Lights, debuted in November 2020 without rides operating.

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.

In 2021, the water park became a separate park called Hurricane Harbor Chicago. The amusement park reopened in late April 2021.

In 2022, a new DC Comics themed area, DC Universe, opened. It featured new colors and re-themed rides like The Flash: Vertical Velocity and Aquaman Splashdown. The Holiday in the Park event was removed from the park's schedule in 2022.

Throughout 2023, several rides were removed, including Dare Devil Dive, Buccaneer Battle, Revolution, and Mardi Gras Hangover. These areas were cleared for new attractions.

In August 2023, Sky Striker, a Zamperla Discovery pendulum ride, was announced. It opened in mid-June 2024. In April 2024, the park began building a new entrance.

On August 15, 2024, Wrath of Rakshasa, a B&M Dive Coaster, was announced. It replaced the Buccaneer Battle water ride and opened on May 31, 2025. It is the steepest dive coaster and has the most inversions on a dive coaster. In November 2024, Six Flags Great America announced a new kids' area and 50th-anniversary celebrations for the 2026 season.

Areas and Attractions

Carousel Plaza

Carousel Plaza is the main entrance area of the park. It features the famous Columbia Carousel and has many shops and food spots.

Ride	Picture	Opened	Manufacturer	Description	Rating
Columbia Carousel		1976	Chance Rides	A 100-foot (30 m) tall double-decker carousel. It is the second-tallest carousel in the world.	1
Sky Trek Tower		1977	Intamin	A 330-foot (100 m) tall observation tower, offering views of the park and surrounding areas.	2
Maxx Force		2019	S&S – Sansei Technologies	An air-launched steel roller coaster with five inversions. It is the fastest accelerating roller coaster, going 0 to 78 miles per hour (126 km/h) in 1.8 seconds.	5

Orleans Place

Orleans Place is themed like New Orleans in the late 1800s, especially the French Quarter. It was one of the park's original areas from 1976.

Ride	Picture	Opened	Manufacturer	Description	Rating
Condor		1991	HUSS Rides	A spinning aerial Condor ride that rotates riders at different speeds.	3
Rue Le Dodge		1976	Soli	A bumper cars attraction with the largest bumper car floor in the world.	4
Superman: Ultimate Flight		2003	Bolliger & Mabillard	A 106-foot (32 m) tall flying roller coaster where riders lie facing the ground. It has two inversions.	5
The Dark Knight Coaster		2008	Mack Rides	An indoor wild mouse roller coaster themed to the 2008 film The Dark Knight.	4

Mardi Gras

Mardi Gras is one of the park's newer themed areas, opened in 2004. It celebrates the famous Mardi Gras holiday.

Ride	Picture	Opened	Manufacturer	Description	Rating
Big Easy Balloons		2004	Zamperla	A spinning balloon ride.	2
Roaring Rapids		1984	Intamin	A river rapids ride. It was formerly named White Water Rampage.	4

DC Universe

DC Universe is the park's DC Comics themed area that opened in 2022. It replaced the old Yankee Harbor area.

Ride	Picture	Opened	Manufacturer	Description	Rating
Aquaman Splashdown		1976	Arrow Dynamics	A hydroflume model water ride. Its track connects with Logger's Run. It was formerly named Yankee Clipper.	2
Batman: The Ride		1992	Bolliger & Mabillard	A 100-foot (30 m) tall inverted roller coaster, where trains hang below the track. It has five inversions and was the first inverted roller coaster in the world.	5
DC Super-Villains Swing		1976	Zierer	A swing ride. It was formerly named Whirligig.	2
The Flash: Vertical Velocity		2001	Intamin	A 185-foot (56 m) tall steel inverted and launched roller coaster. It launches riders from 0 to 70 miles per hour (110 km/h) in 4 seconds.	5
The Joker		2017	S&S – Sansei Technologies	A fourth-dimension free-spin steel roller coaster where the seats flip as the train goes over hills.	5

Yukon Territory

Yukon Territory is themed around the forests and mountains of northwest Canada, with references to logging and gold panning.

Ride	Picture	Opened	Manufacturer	Description	Rating
Little Dipper		2010	Philadelphia Toboggan Company	A historic kids' roller coaster that operated at Kiddieland Amusement Park from 1950 to 2009.	2
Logger's Run		1976	Arrow Dynamics	A log flume water ride. Its track connects with Aquaman Splashdown.	2
Winner's Circle Go Karts		1999	N/A	A go kart attraction that requires an extra fee.	N/A

Camp Cartoon

Camp Cartoon is a kids' area inside Yukon Territory. It opened in 1998 and features rides themed to Hanna-Barbera characters.

Ride	Picture	Opened	Manufacturer	Description	Rating
Crazy Bus		1998	Zamperla	A bus ride that goes up and down. It was originally Scooby-Doo's Mystery Machine.	2
Sprocket Rockets		1998	Vekoma	A steel roller coaster for kids. It was originally Spacely's Sprocket Rockets.	2
Yahoo River		1976	Thiel	A rotating boat water ride. It was originally Yogi's Yahoo River.	1

County Fair

County Fair is one of the park's original and largest themed areas. It is designed like a rural county fair with many shops, games, and attractions.

Ride	Picture	Opened	Manufacturer	Description	Rating
American Eagle		1981	Intamin	A 127-foot (39 m) tall dual-tracked racing wooden roller coaster. It holds records as the tallest, fastest, and longest racing wooden roller coaster in the world.	4
Demon		1976	Arrow Dynamics	A 102-foot (31 m) tall looping steel roller coaster with four inversions. It was originally Turn of the Century.	5
Fiddler's Fling		1976	Anton Schwarzkopf	A Calypso ride model with intense spins.	3
Goliath		2014	Rocky Mountain Construction	A 165-foot (50 m) tall wooden roller coaster. With a 180-foot (55 m) tall drop, it has two inversions and is the longest and fastest wooden roller coaster in the world.	5
Great America Scenic Railway		1976	Custom Fabricators, Inc.	A 3 ft (914 mm) narrow-gauge railway scenic train ride that loops around the park.	1
Sky Striker		2024	Zamperla	A 172-foot (52 m) tall pendulum ride, reaching speeds of 75 miles per hour (121 km/h).	5
X-Flight		2012	Bolliger & Mabillard	A 120-foot (37 m) tall wing coaster, where riders sit on either side of the track. It features five inversions.	5
Wrath of Rakshasa		2025	Bolliger & Mabillard	A 180-foot (55 m) tall dive coaster. With a maximum vertical angle of 96° and five inversions, it is the steepest dive coaster and has the most inversions on a dive coaster.	5

Kidzopolis

Kidzopolis is a children's area within County Fair, near the American Eagle entrance. It opened in 2007.

Metropolis Plaza

Metropolis Plaza is the smallest themed area, based on the Metropolis city from DC Comics. It opened in 2016.

Ride	Picture	Opened	Manufacturer	Description	Rating
Justice League: Battle for Metropolis		2016	Sally Corporation	An interactive 2D dark ride, based on the Justice League.	2

Southwest Territory

Southwest Territory is themed around an old Wild West town and opened in 1996.

Ride	Picture	Opened	Manufacturer	Description	Rating
Chubasco		1996	Zamperla	An indoor teacups attraction, located inside the Southwest Territory mission building.	3
Giant Drop		1997	Intamin	A 227-foot (69 m) tall drop tower ride. It is the second tallest attraction in the park.	4
Raging Bull		1999	Bolliger & Mabillard	A 202-foot (62 m) tall steel hyper and twister roller coaster. It is the tallest roller coaster in the park.	5
Ricochet		1977	HUSS Rides	A swinging ride painted with cow spots. It was originally Big Top.	3
River Rocker		1996	Zamperla	A swinging pirate ship ride.	2
Viper		1995	Six Flags	A 100-foot (30 m) tall wooden roller coaster, built by Six Flags. The ride's layout is a mirror image of Coney Island Cyclone.	4

Hometown Square

Hometown Square is one of the park's original areas, themed after a small midwestern town from the early 1900s.

Ride	Picture	Opened	Manufacturer	Description	Rating
Great America Scenic Railway		1976	Custom Fabricators, Inc.	A 3 ft (914 mm) narrow-gauge railway scenic train ride that loops around the park.	1
Hometown Fun Machine		1976	Eli Bridge	A spinning scrambler ride. It was formerly named Saskatchewan Scrambler.	3
Triple Play		1976	HUSS Rides	A Troika spinning ride with three arms.	3
Whizzer		1976	Anton Schwarzkopf	A 70-foot (21 m) tall Speedracer steel family roller coaster.	3
The Lobster		1976	Anton Schwarzkopf	A Monster III model ride where cars spin and go up. It was named East River Crawler from 1992 to 2017.	2

Hometown Park

Hometown Park is a kids' area within Hometown Square. It originally existed from 1976 and was brought back in 2015 with three classic rides.

Hurricane Harbor Chicago

Six Flags Hurricane Harbor Chicago is a 20-acre (8.1 ha) water park that opened in 2005. It has 25 water slides and has been a separate park from the theme park since 2021.

The Flash Pass

The Flash Pass is a system you can buy to skip lines at the park. It holds your spot in line virtually using a mobile phone. There are three levels: Regular, Platinum, and Ultimate. The Regular Flash Pass waits the same time as the regular line, Platinum cuts the wait time in half, and Ultimate lets you bypass the line completely.

As of 2025, 20 rides at the park offer a Flash Pass line. Sky Striker and Wrath of Rakshasa are only available with Platinum and Ultimate tiers. Maxx Force requires the Ultimate tier.

The Flash Pass will be replaced by the Fast Lane system starting in the 2026 season.

Annual Events

Fright Fest

Carousel Plaza during Fright Fest, decorated with Halloween decor and Columbia Carousel's pond dyed red.

Fright Fest is a popular Halloween-themed event that started in 1991. It happens on weekends in September and October, sometimes extending into November. The park is decorated with "Scare Zones," haunted houses (for an extra fee), scare actors, live shows, and re-themed rides.

Kids Boo Fest, a family-friendly Halloween event, also takes place on the same days. It runs from opening until dusk, when Fright Fest begins.

Many rides get special Halloween themes. For example, the Chubasco teacup ride becomes Terror Twister 2: A Turn for the Worse, with special lighting and music.

Fright Fest also has live shows. Love at First Fright is a long-running show about a couple in a cemetery meeting classic Halloween characters. The Uprising is performed at dusk, showing undead monsters rising, marking the start of Fright Fest.

Park Attendance

Six Flags Great America is a top-performing park in the Six Flags family. In 2013, the park welcomed its 100 millionth guest! The park doesn't share its exact visitor numbers, but the Themed Entertainment Association (TEA) estimates them.

Records and Awards

Amazing Park Records

The Columbia Carousel is the second-tallest carousel in the world at 100 feet (30 m).

When the park opened in 1976, its Columbia Carousel became the second-tallest carousel in the world at 100 feet (30 m) tall. Its sister park in California has the tallest carousel.

American Eagle opened in 1981 as the tallest, fastest, and longest wooden racing roller coaster in the world. It is 127 feet (39 m) tall, reaches 66 miles per hour (106 km/h), and has 4,650 feet (1,420 m) of track on each side. American Eagle still holds these records as of 2025.

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 roller coaster Shockwave, which opened in 1988, broke several records. It was the tallest, fastest, and most inverted steel roller coaster in the world at the time.

Batman: The Ride opened in 1992 as the world's first inverted roller coaster, where riders hang below the track. It was built by Bolliger & Mabillard (B&M).

Goliath holds the world record for the fastest and the tallest drop on a wooden roller coaster.

Goliath set three Guinness World Records when it opened in 2014: steepest wooden roller coaster, longest drop on a wooden roller coaster, and fastest wooden roller coaster. As of 2025, it still holds the records for longest drop and fastest wooden roller coaster.

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 world records: fastest acceleration in North America (0 to 78 miles per hour (126 km/h) in 1.8 seconds), fastest inversion (heartline roll) in the world (at 60 miles per hour (97 km/h)), and tallest double inversion in the world (at 175 feet (53 m)).

Wrath of Rakshasa, a B&M Dive Coaster, opened in 2025 as the steepest dive coaster model (96 degrees) and has the most inversions on a dive coaster (five inversions). With Wrath of Rakshasa, the park now has 16 roller coasters, the second-highest number in the Midwestern United States.

Park Awards

Several of Six Flags Great America's roller coasters have won awards from Amusement Today's annual Golden Ticket Awards. Some top rankings include:

• Raging Bull: 9th (2005)
• Goliath: 13th (2016)
• Viper: 19th (1999)
• Batman: The Ride: 23rd (1998)

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.

The American Coaster Enthusiasts (ACE) has given three roller coasters at Six Flags Great America "Coaster Landmark" status. This award is for rides that are very important to amusement park history.

• Batman: The Ride received Landmark status in 2005 for being the first inverted roller coaster.
• Whizzer received Landmark status in 2012 for the park keeping this classic ride.
• American Eagle received Landmark status in 2025 for being Intamin's first wooden roller coaster and the tallest and fastest racing coaster in the world.

Little Dipper also has the "ACE Coaster Classic" award, given to historic roller coasters that offer a traditional ride experience.

The International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions (IAAPA) has recognized the park's shows and food. The Fright Fest show Love at First Fright has won multiple awards for "Best Overall Production." The park's tanghulu was a finalist for "Best New Menu Item" in 2023–2024.

Important Park Information

This section shares information about significant events that have happened at the park.

• In 1976, two separate incidents on Whizzer resulted in injuries to guests. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) later noted that these incidents should have been reported.
• On May 22, 1984, an incident on The Edge ride caused it to malfunction, leading to injuries for three riders. The ride was removed from the park in 1986.
• On April 19, 1998, a train on Demon stopped in the middle of a vertical loop, leaving riders stuck upside down for two hours. This was due to a safety feature working to prevent the train from derailing.
• On July 19, 2000, two guests were injured on the Cajun Cliffhanger ride when its floor moved incorrectly. The ride was removed the following year.
• On May 29, 2004, an employee was involved in a fatal accident near the Ragin' Cajun roller coaster.
• On March 11, 2008, a worker from an outside company died after falling during the demolition of the Splashwater Falls attraction.
• On August 14, 2022, an incident occurred in the park's parking lot, causing injuries to three people. The park was immediately evacuated, and authorities determined it was a targeted event.

Images for kids

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  Dare Devil Dive, removed in 2023.

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  Buccaneer Battle, removed in 2023.

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  Mardi Gras Hangover, removed in 2023.

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  Revolution, removed in 2023.