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, the icon of the park and the centerpiece of Carousel Plaza.
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
General manager	John Krajnak
Slogan	The Thrill Capital of the Midwest
Operating season	April to November
Attendance	2.535 million in 2022
Area	304 acres (1.23 km2)
Attractions
Total	46
Roller coasters	15
Water rides	3
Website	Six Flags Great America

Six Flags Great America is a huge amusement park in Gurnee, Illinois. It covers about 304 acres (1.23 km²) and is located north of Chicago. The park first opened on May 29, 1976, and was called Marriott's Great America. It was one of two theme parks built by the Marriott Corporation. In 1984, Six Flags bought the park. This deal also gave Six Flags the rights to use the Looney Tunes characters, like Bugs Bunny!

The park was designed in a special "Duell loop" shape. This means the park is laid out in a circle. Employees can work out of sight in the middle of the park. When it first opened, the park had areas based on different parts of North America. These included Orleans Place, like 1850s French Quarter, and Hometown Square, like an old American town. Now, the park has twelve themed areas. These include the Wild West-themed Southwest Territory and two areas based on DC Comics characters.

Six Flags Great America has 15 roller coasters. This makes it one of the top parks in the world for roller coasters. It also has a 20-acre (8.1 ha) water park called Hurricane Harbor Chicago. This water park has 25 water slides and opened in 2005. Millions of people visit Six Flags Great America every year. It's one of the most popular amusement parks in North America. The park is open from April to November. It hosts fun events like Halloween's Fright Fest and Kids Boo Fest.

The park has set many records and won awards. The American Eagle wooden coaster was a record-breaker. It became the tallest, fastest, and longest racing wooden coaster in the world. It still holds this record! Batman: The Ride was the first inverted roller coaster of its kind. It won an award in 2005. Whizzer also won an award in 2012 for being well-maintained. The shows at the park have won awards too. They have been recognized for being "Best Overall Production."

Park History

Early Years: Marriott's Great America (1970–1984)

Building the Park

In the early 1970s, the Marriott Corporation wanted to get into the tourism business. They planned to build several "Marriott's Great America" theme parks. These parks would be about American history. They wanted them to open around the time of the United States Bicentennial in 1976. Three parks were planned. One was for the San Francisco Bay Area, and another for the Chicago–Milwaukee area.

Marriott bought 600 acres (2.4 km²) of land in Gurnee, Illinois, in 1972. This land was near a major highway. The Gurnee park was officially announced in 1973. Randall Duell led the design team. He created two similar parks: one in Gurnee and its sister park in Santa Clara, California. Duell wanted to create his best design yet. Marriott's designers traveled across the country. They looked at different styles and collected items to make the park feel real.

The park had six original themed areas. They were arranged in a "Duell loop" that went around the park.

• Carousel Plaza was at the front of the park. It had the huge, double-decker Columbia Carousel.
• Hometown Square looked like small towns from the early 1900s.
• The Great Midwest Livestock Exposition at County Fair (now just County Fair) looked like a rural county fair from the early 1900s.
• Yukon Territory looked like a logging camp in the Canadian Yukon.
• Yankee Harbor was like a 19th-century New England port.
• Orleans Place was modeled after the French Quarter of New Orleans.

Each area had its own special costumes for employees. The buildings, shops, and restaurants also matched the theme. For example, the Klondike Cafe in Yukon Territory served beef in large pans. A seventh area, The Great Southwest, was planned. It was finally built in 1996 as Southwest Territory.

Park Opening

The park opened on May 29, 1976. It was a big success right away. This was partly because it opened during the Bicentennial celebration. From the start, the park used Looney Tunes characters. Costumed characters like Bugs Bunny walked around and met guests. This tradition continues today.

When it opened in 1976, Great America had three roller coasters. These were Willard's Whizzer, Turn of the Century, and The Gulf Coaster. Other rides included the Columbia Carousel. It was one of the tallest carousels in the world. The Sky Whirl was a unique, 110-foot (34 m) tall "triple ferris wheel" designed just for Marriott. Transportation rides included Delta Flyer and Eagle's Flight. These were one-way gondola sky car rides. In Orleans Place, there was Orleans Orbit, an Enterprise-type ride, and Rue Le Dodge, a bumper car ride.

In 1977, the park added new rides. The 310-foot (94 m) tall Sky Trek Tower opened. It is still one of the tallest structures in Lake County, Illinois. Southern Cross was another gondola ride. It offered a round trip and a higher view. New spinning rides like Big Top were also added. In 1978, the park's first kids' area, Fort Fun, opened in Yukon Territory. Great America's fourth roller coaster, Tidal Wave, opened in 1978. It was a Shuttle Loop coaster. The Pictorium, an IMAX theater, opened in 1979. It claimed to have the world's largest screen.

The Turn of the Century roller coaster changed in 1980. Two vertical loops and two tunnels were added. The ride was renamed and re-themed as Demon. The American Eagle, a racing wooden roller coaster, opened in 1981. It had a 147-foot (45 m) drop and reached speeds of 66 mph (106 km/h). The bottom of the first drop was built 20 feet (6.1 m) below ground. When it opened, American Eagle had the longest drop and fastest speeds of any wooden roller coaster in the world. It is still the tallest, fastest, and longest twin racing wooden coaster.

In 1982, the Picnic Grove was added for group events. Some smaller rides were removed in the last years of Marriott's ownership. Southern Cross was removed in 1983. That same year, The Edge, a Intamin freefall ride, was added. White Water Rampage, an Intamin rapids ride, was added in 1983. It was later renamed Roaring Rapids and is still popular.

By the mid-1980s, Marriott was not happy with how much money its theme parks were making. They decided to sell them. Bally Manufacturing, which owned Six Flags, bought the Gurnee park for $114.5 million. The deal was final on April 26, 1984. Six Flags also got the right to use the Looney Tunes characters at all its parks.

Six Flags Takes Over (1984–1990)

After Bally Manufacturing bought the park, it became Six Flags Great America in 1984. The CEO of Bally said they would not change much at the park. Soon after the purchase, The Edge ride had an issue. A car got stuck at the top and then dropped, causing injuries. The ride was removed in 1986.

In 1985, Six Flags added Z-Force. It was a unique Intamin space diver roller coaster. It closed in 1987 and was later moved to other Six Flags parks. Power Dive was added in 1987. It was an Intamin Looping Starship ride that swung and spun 360 degrees.

In 1987, Bally sold Six Flags to another company, Wesray Capital Corporation. Six Flags then focused on adding big new rides and roller coasters.

In 1988, the huge roller coaster Shock Wave opened. It was an Arrow Dynamics mega-looper. Shock Wave was the world's tallest roller coaster when it opened. It also had a record seven inversions. In 1989, Rolling Thunder, a Bobsled roller coaster, was moved to Great America. It operated until 1996.

In 1990, Bolliger & Mabillard built their first roller coaster, Iron Wolf. It was a compact steel stand-up roller coaster. The Condor was added in 1991. The IMAX screen in the Pictorium was updated for 3D movies. Tidal Wave closed at the end of 1991 and was moved to another park.

Thrills and New Themes (1990s)

By 1990, Six Flags was having financial problems. Time Warner, which owned the Looney Tunes characters, bought a controlling share of Six Flags. This brought new money and allowed more Time Warner characters to be used in the parks.

In 1992, Bolliger & Mabillard built their first inverted roller coaster, Batman: The Ride. Batman was very different from other coasters. It took riders through five inversions. It was so popular that lines were very long. The area around it was re-themed to match the Batman films. Batman: The Ride was given "landmark status" in 2005.

A Batman Stunt Show opened in 1993 in a new theater. Space Shuttle America, a motion simulator ride, was built in 1994. It showed films about space and other adventures. It closed in 2007.

In 1995, construction began on a new themed area. The Southwest Territory was planned long ago. The first ride for this new area was Viper. It was a wooden roller coaster based on the Coney Island Cyclone. Southwest Territory opened in 1996. It had a desert theme like the Old West. Three new rides were added: River Rocker (a pirate ship), Chubasco (a teacup ride), and Trail Blazer. The Big Top ride was moved and renamed Ricochet. A new Warner Bros. Western Stunt Show also debuted.

Giant Drop, a 227-foot (69 m) tall drop tower, was added in 1997. Dare Devil Dive, a skycoaster, also opened.

In 1998, many family-friendly rides were added. Yukon Territory welcomed Camp Cartoon Network with five new rides. Bugs Bunny Land was renamed Looney Tunes National Park. In 1999, Bolliger & Mabillard built Raging Bull. It was a 202-foot (62 m) tall hyper-twister coaster. It reached speeds of 73 mph (117 km/h) and was 5,057 feet (1,541 m) long.

Growth and New Rides (2000s)

The park celebrated its 25th season in 2000. This was the last year for the Sky Whirl and Hay Baler rides.

In 2001, two new coasters were added. One was an Intamin impulse coaster called Vertical Velocity (V²). The other was Déjà Vu, a Vekoma Giant Inverted Boomerang ride. Vertical Velocity was added to Yankee Harbor.

In 2002, there were plans to remove the Whizzer roller coaster. This caused a lot of upset because Whizzer was a classic, family-friendly ride. Six Flags decided not to remove Whizzer. Instead, they removed Shockwave.

In 2003, Bolliger & Mabillard built Superman: Ultimate Flight. It was a flying roller coaster built where Shock Wave used to be. The historic Ameri-Go-Round carousel was also removed.

Mardi Gras, a new themed area, was added in 2004. It was an extension of Orleans Place. It had a spinning wild mouse coaster called Ragin' Cajun. It also had King Chaos (a top spin ride), Jester's Wild Ride (a Rockin' Tug), and Big Easy Balloons. The same year, the removed Ameri-Go-Round was replaced by Revolution, a HUSS Frisbee ride. On September 17, 2004, the Six Flags Hurricane Harbor water park was announced. It opened on May 28, 2005.

In 2005, new management took over Six Flags. They wanted to make the parks more family-friendly. In 2006, Six Flags Great America celebrated its 30th anniversary. The classic Triple Play ride was temporarily removed for parts. It returned in 2007. The park also replaced its old sign along Interstate 94.

In 2007, Six Flags introduced the Flash Pass virtual queue system. Guests could pay extra to wait in line for rides without actually standing in line. A new stunt show, Operation SpyGirl, debuted. Wiggles World, a new children's area themed after the Wiggles, also opened. It had five new rides.

Great America added The Dark Knight Coaster in 2008. It was an indoor Mack wild mouse roller coaster. It was themed after the film and had a storyline about Batman and The Joker. Splashwater Falls closed and was removed. For 2009, Six Flags replaced Déjà Vu with Buccaneer Battle. It was a pirate-themed boat ride.

Breaking Records (2010–2020)

Six Flags came out of bankruptcy in 2010. In 2010, Great America got the Little Dipper. It was a "kiddie" wooden roller coaster from another park. It opened in 2010. The park also introduced the Glow in the Park Parade.

Space Shuttle America was removed in 2010. The park considered moving another roller coaster there. But they decided to use the space for Riptide Bay. This was a 3-acre (1.2 ha) addition to the Hurricane Harbor water park.

In 2010, Six Flags started removing some licensed characters. Wiggles World was renamed Kidzopolis in 2011. Great America Raceway, an original ride from 1976, was removed. At the end of 2011, Iron Wolf was removed. It was moved to another Six Flags park. For 2012, a new Wing Coaster from Bolliger & Mabillard was built. X-Flight had 5 inversions and a 12-story drop. It reached speeds of 55 mph (89 km/h).

The Glow in the Park parade was replaced in 2013 with IgNight – Grand Finale. Six Flags announced that 2013 would be the "Season of Backwards." Batman: The Ride, Viper, and American Eagle's blue train ran backward for part of the season. At the end of the season, Ragin' Cajun closed and was moved to another park.

In 2014, the park got Goliath. It was a 165-foot (50 m) tall wooden roller coaster built by Rocky Mountain Construction. Goliath broke world records for the steepest drop, fastest speed, and longest drop on a wooden coaster. In 2015, three old kiddie rides returned in the new Hometown Park area. The park also celebrated its "40 Seasons of Thrills."

In 2016, Great America introduced Justice League: Battle for Metropolis. It was a 4D interactive dark ride. A new themed area, Metropolis Plaza, was added. Six Flags also added virtual reality headsets to Demon, creating a new 'Rage of the Gargoyles' experience. The Orbit, an original 1976 ride, closed.

The Joker, an S&S 4D Free Spin roller coaster, was added in 2017. The Orbit was replaced by The Lobster, an original ride moved from Yankee Harbor. VR headsets were also added to Giant Drop for a short time.

Mardi Gras Hangover, a fire ball attraction, was added in 2018. It was a 100-foot (30 m) tall looping ride. King Chaos closed to make way for it. On April 11, 2018, Six Flags Great America announced that Holiday in the Park, a Christmas event, would debut. The Pictorium was demolished to make way for new rides. On August 30, 2018, the park announced Maxx Force. It opened in 2019. It is an air launch roller coaster that breaks three world records. It has the fastest acceleration in North America. In December 2018, Six Flags took control of Magic Waters (now Six Flags Hurricane Harbor Rockford).

A New Focus (2020–present)

In March 2020, the park delayed its opening due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The water park, Hurricane Harbor Chicago, reopened in July 2020 with safety rules. The main park opened for Holiday in the Park Lights, a holiday lights event. It also had a drive-through event.

On March 22, 2021, Hurricane Harbor Chicago became a separate park. This meant you needed a different ticket to enter. On April 24, 2021, the main park reopened with limited capacity. Safety rules included a reservation system, mask mandates, and social distancing. On May 13, 2021, the governor of Illinois announced that 50,000 free tickets would be given to newly vaccinated residents. The park opened at full capacity on June 11, 2021.

On March 24, 2022, the park announced DC Universe. This was a DC Comics themed area. It was a re-theme of Yankee Harbor. It included three re-imagined rides: The Flash: Vertical Velocity, DC Super-Villains Swing, and Aquaman Splashdown. DC Universe opened on April 23, 2022.

In 2022, the stunt show Kinetic premiered. It featured BMX, kick scooter, and trampoline acts. It also had singing and dancing.

In 2023, the park confirmed that Dare Devil Dive and Buccaneer Battle were permanently closed. On August 30, 2023, the park announced Sky Striker would open in 2024.

Park Areas and Rides

The layout of Six Flags Great America is still very similar to its original design. The park's designer, Randall Duell, created a "Duell loop." This means the themed areas are arranged in a circle. This allows staff to work behind the scenes in the middle.

When the park opened in 1976, it had five main areas:

• Hometown Square: Looked like an American town from the 1920s.
• The Great Midwest Livestock Exposition and County Fair: Represented a 20th-century county fair.
• Yukon Territory: Represented the Klondike Gold Rush.
• Yankee Harbor: Represented a New England harbor.
• Orleans Place: Modeled after New Orleans in the 1850s.

Today, Six Flags Great America has twelve themed areas. Starting from the main entrance, going counterclockwise, they are:

• Carousel Plaza: The main entrance area.
• Hometown Square: Represents an American town.
• Hometown Park: A small kids' area inside Hometown Square.
• County Fair: Originally "The Great Midwest Livestock Exposition and County Fair."
• Kidzopolis: A kids' area (formerly Wiggles World).
• Southwest Territory: A Wild West-themed area.
• Metropolis Plaza: A small DC Comics themed area.
• Yukon Territory: Represents the Klondike Gold Rush.
• Camp Cartoon: A cartoon-themed area for kids.
• DC Universe: A DC Comics themed area (formerly Yankee Harbor).
• Mardi Gras: Themed after the Mardi Gras holiday.
• Orleans Place: A Southern-themed area like the French Quarter.

Carousel Plaza

This is the main entrance area of the park. It has shops, food, and rides that fit the theme.

Ride	Picture	Year opened	Manufacturer (Model)	Description	Rating	Ref.
Columbia Carousel	Columbia Carousel	1976	Chance Rides (Double-decker carousel)	This carousel is 100 feet (30 m) tall. It is the world's second-tallest carousel.	Mild
Maxx Force	Maxx Force	2019	S&S (Air-launch coaster)	This roller coaster launches from 0 to 78 mph (126 km/h) in under 2 seconds! It has the world's tallest double inversion and fastest inversion.	Max
Sky Trek Tower	Sky Trek Tower	1977	Intamin (Gyro 1200)	This 330-foot (100 m) tower takes riders up 285 feet (87 m). On a clear day, you can see Lake Michigan and the Chicago skyline.	Mild

Orleans Place

Orleans Place is themed like New Orleans in the late 1800s. It opened in 1976. Part of this area became Mardi Gras in 2004.

Rue Le Dodge is the only original ride from 1976 still in this area. Other original rides, like Gulf Coaster, were removed. The Edge was removed in 1986. Traffique Jam and Orleans Orbit were removed for White Water Rampage. Orleans Orbit was later moved to Hometown Square.

Ride	Picture	Year opened	Manufacturer (Model)	Description	Rating	Ref.
Condor	Condor	1991	Huss Rides (Condor)	This ride rotates riders and changes speed. It was moved from Six Flags Great Adventure.	Moderate
Rue Le Dodge	Rue Le Dodge	1976	Soli (Bumper Cars)	A bumper car ride with one of the world's largest bumper car floors.	Moderate
Superman: Ultimate Flight	Superman: Ultimate Flight	2003	Bolliger & Mabillard (Flying Coaster)	Riders are suspended under the track, flying like Superman! It has banked turns, two inversions, and drops at 60 mph (97 km/h).	Max
The Dark Knight Coaster	The Dark Knight Coaster	2008	Mack Rides (Wild Mouse)	A Wild Mouse roller coaster inside a dark building. It has a story about Batman and The Joker.	Moderate

Mardi Gras

This is one of the park's newer themed areas. It opened in 2004. It is themed after the Mardi Gras holiday in New Orleans.

When Mardi Gras opened, it had four rides: Big Easy Balloons, King Chaos, Jester's Wild Ride, and Roaring Rapids. Roaring Rapids opened in 1983 in Orleans Place.

In 2016, The Joker coaster was added. Jester's Wild Ride was removed for it. In 2017, King Chaos closed to make way for Mardi Gras Hangover. Mardi Gras Hangover was removed after the 2023 season.

Ride	Picture	Year opened	Manufacturer (Model)	Description	Rating	Ref.
Big Easy Balloons	Big Easy Balloons	2004	Zamperla (Balloon Race)	A fun, twirling balloon ride.	Mild
Roaring Rapids	Roaring Rapids	1984	Intamin (River rapids ride)	This ride was originally called "White Water Rampage." It takes riders on a wild river adventure. It was closed for renovations in 2021 and reopened in 2022.	Moderate

DC Universe

DC Universe opened as Yankee Harbor in 1976. It was themed like a 19th-century New England town. Over the years, this area changed a lot. Many original rides were removed. The focus shifted to rides themed after DC Comics characters.

In 2022, it officially became DC Universe. Some of the original rides were re-themed with DC Comics names.

Ride	Picture	Year opened	Manufacturer (Model)	Description	Rating	Ref.
Aquaman Splashdown	Aquaman Splashdown	1976	Arrow Dynamics (Hydroflume)	This is an original water ride with two flumes. It's now themed after the superhero Aquaman. It was formerly called Yankee Clipper.	Moderate
Batman: The Ride	Batman: The Ride	1992	Bolliger & Mabillard (inverted looping coaster)	Themed after Batman, this was the world's first inverted roller coaster. It has a 109-foot (33 m) drop, reaches 50 mph (80 km/h), and has five inversions.	Max
DC Super-Villains Swing	DC Super-Villains Swing	1976	Zierer (Wave Swinger)	This ride is themed after DC Comics super-villains. Riders swing higher and faster as the chairs spin around. It was formerly called Whirligig.	Moderate
The Flash: Vertical Velocity	The Flash: Vertical Velocity	2001	Intamin (launched steel suspended coaster)	Themed after The Flash, this coaster launches riders from 0 to 70 mph (110 km/h) in less than 4 seconds! It was formerly called V2: Vertical Velocity.	Max
The Joker Free-Fly Coaster	The Joker Free-Fly Coaster	2017	S&S Worldwide	This 4D "Free Spin" Roller Coaster is themed after the super-villain The Joker.	Max

Yukon Territory

This area is themed like the forests and mountains of northwest Canada. It has references to logging and gold panning from the Klondike Gold Rush.

Yukon Territory used to have Bugs Bunny National Park. Many original buildings in this area are now closed.

Ride	Picture	Year opened	Manufacturer (Model)	Description	Rating	Ref.
Little Dipper	Little Dipper	2010	Philadelphia Toboggan Company (wooden roller coaster)	This junior wooden roller coaster was built in 1950. It was moved to Six Flags Great America in 2010 from another park.	Mild
Logger's Run	Logger's Run	1976	Arrow Dynamics (log flume)	This is an original water attraction with two flumes.	Moderate
Winner's Circle Go Karts	Winner's Circle Go Karts	1999		These go-karts were originally in Carousel Plaza. They moved to Yukon Territory in 2012. There is an extra fee to ride them.	Moderate

Camp Cartoon

This is a small section within Yukon Territory. It was called Camp Cartoon Network when it opened in 1998. The rides are themed to Hanna-Barbera characters.

Ride	Picture	Year opened	Manufacturer (model)	Description	Rating	Ref.
Crazy Bus		1998	Zamperla (Crazy Bus)	Formerly Scooby-Doo's Mystery Machine.	Mild
Sprocket Rockets	Sprocket Rockets	1998	Vekoma (Junior roller coaster)	A 27-foot (8.2 m) tall kids' roller coaster. Formerly Spacely's Sprocket Rockets.	Mild
Yahoo River		1998	Thiel	A water kiddie ride. Formerly Yogi's Yahoo River.	Mild

Metropolis Plaza

This is the smallest themed area in the park. It is based on DC Comics characters. It replaced the Southwest Amphitheater in 2016.

Ride	Picture	Year opened	Manufacturer (Model)	Description	Rating	Ref.
Justice League: Battle for Metropolis	Justice League: Battle for Metropolis	2016	Sally Corporation	An interactive 2D dark ride where you help the Justice League.	Moderate

County Fair

The Great Midwest Livestock Exposition at County Fair (usually just County Fair) is an original themed area. It is the largest themed area in the back of the park. It has shops, food, and rides that look like a rural county fair. There's also a food court and carnival games.

Some old rides in County Fair included Ameri-Go-Round and Sky Whirl. Both Bucaneer Battle and Dare Devil Dive were permanently closed in 2023.

Ride	Picture	Year opened	Manufacturer (Model)	Description	Rating	Ref.
American Eagle	American Eagle	1981	Intamin (wooden racing coaster)	This wooden coaster has a 147-foot (45 m) drop and reaches 66 mph (106 km/h). It is still the tallest, fastest, and longest racing roller coaster in the world.	Max
Demon	Demon	1976	Arrow Dynamics (looping coaster)	Originally "Turn of the Century," this ride added two vertical loops in 1980 and was renamed Demon.	Max
Fiddler's Fling	Fiddler's Fling	1976	Anton Schwarzkopf (Calypso 3)	An original ride with 25 cars that spin riders quickly.	Moderate
Goliath	Goliath	2014	Rocky Mountain Construction (wooden roller coaster)	This wooden roller coaster holds records for the tallest drop, steepest drop, and fastest speed on a wooden coaster. It was the first coaster with a "Zero G" Stall.	Max
Great America Scenic Railway	Great America Scenic Railway	1976	Custom Fabricators, Inc. (train)	A narrow gauge train ride around the park. It has stations in County Fair and Hometown Square.	Mild
Sky Striker		2024	Zamperla (Giga Discovery)	A large swinging pendulum ride that reaches 172 feet (52 m) high and speeds of 75 mph (121 km/h).	Max
X-Flight	X-Flight	2012	Bolliger & Mabillard (wing coaster)	This was the second Wing Coaster in the United States. It has a 3,000-foot (910 m) long track with drops and five inversions.	Max

Kidzopolis

This is a children's area within County Fair. It is located near the American Eagle entrance. It opened in 2007 as Wiggles World. The Wiggles theme was removed after 2010.

Ride	Picture	Year opened	Manufacturer (Model)	Description	Rating	Ref.
Bouncer		2007	Zamperla (Jumpin' Star)	Originally "Bouncin' With Wags," this ride shoots riders up and down.	Mild
Krazy Kars		2007	Zamperla (Convoy)	Originally "Big Red Cars," this is a car ride that goes along a track.	Mild
Krazy Kups		2007	Zamperla (Mini Tea Cup)	Originally "Dorothy's Rosy Tea Cups," this is a classic teacup ride.	Mild
Pirate's Playship		2007	(Interactive Play Ship)	An interactive play area with nets and slides. Originally "SS Feathersword."	Mild
Splish Splash Zone		2007	(Pop Jet Fountain)	Originally "Henry's Splish Splash," this play area shoots water from the ground.	Mild
Up, Up & Away		2007	Zamperla (Samba Tower)	Originally "Yummy Yummy Fruit Salad," riders go up in fruit-themed cars.	Mild
ZoomJets		2007	Zamperla (Aero Top Jet)	Originally "Big Red Planes," this ride lets you control a flying plane.	Mild

Hometown Square

This is one of the park's original areas. It is themed like a small Midwestern town from the early 1900s. Guests can visit shops, stalls, and ride classic carnival-style rides.

Whizzer, a Schwarzkopf spiral-lift coaster, is one of the last of its kind. Hometown Square has two show venues: the Grand Music Hall and the Hometown Square Stage.

Old rides that used to be here include Bottoms Up and The Orbit. The Orbit was moved here from Orleans Place. It was removed in 2016 to make way for The Lobster.

Ride	Picture	Year opened	Manufacturer (Model)	Description	Rating	Ref.
Great America Scenic Railway	Great America Scenic Railway	1976	Custom Fabricators, Inc. (Train)	A 3ft narrow gauge train ride around the park. It also has a station in the County Fair section.	Mild
Hometown Fun Machine	Hometown Fun Machine	1976	Eli Bridge (Scrambler)	Opened in 1976 as Saskatchewan Scrambler. It moved to Hometown Square in 1977. It's a spinning ride that follows a star path.	Moderate
The Lobster	The Lobster	1976	Anton Schwarzkopf (Monster III)	Opened in 1976 in Yankee Harbor. It was renamed "East River Crawler" in 1992. It moved to Hometown Square in 2017 and got its original name back.	Max
Triple Play		1976	HUSS Rides (Troika)	An original ride. All 21 cars turn in different directions as speed increases. The arms rise and fall dramatically.	Moderate
Whizzer	Whizzer	1976	Anton Schwarzkopf (Speedracer)	This classic coaster is one of the last "Speedracer" models. It climbs a 70-foot (21 m) spiral lift hill. Then, gravity takes over, sending the car through twists and turns at 45 mph (72 km/h).	Moderate

Hometown Park

This is a small section within Hometown Square. It existed from 1976 until 2001. In 2015, three of the original rides returned for the park's 40th season celebration.

Ride	Picture	Year opened	Manufacturer (Model)	Description	Rating	Ref.
Lady Bugs		1976 (opened); 2015 (Re-opened)	S.B Ramagosa (Kiddie Lady Bugs)	Lady bug cars that go around multiple times.	Mild
Red Baron		1976 (opened); 2015 (Re-opened)	Chance (Kiddie Planes)	A flying plane attraction for kids.	Mild
Tot's Livery		1976 (opened); 2015 (Re-opened)	Hampton (Kiddie Surrey Carriages)	A carriage ride that goes around multiple times.	Mild

Southwest Territory

This area was planned in 1979 as The Great Southwest. It was finally built in 1996. It is themed like an old Wild West town. It connects to Hometown Square and County Fair. It used to be the main entrance to Hurricane Harbor Chicago.

Ride	Picture	Year opened	Manufacturer (Model)	Description	Rating	Ref.
Chubasco	Chubasco	1996	Zamperla	A spinning teacup ride inside a building that looks like a Spanish mission.	Moderate
Giant Drop	Giant Drop	1997	Intamin (Giant Drop/Multi Drop)	A 227-foot (69 m) tall drop tower. It's themed like an ore excavator at the "Loco Diablo mine."	Max
Raging Bull	Raging Bull	1999	Bolliger & Mabillard (Hypercoaster)	The tallest roller coaster at Great America. It has a 208-foot (63 m) drop and speeds of 73 mph (117 km/h).	Max
Ricochet	Ricochet	1977	Huss Rides	A swinging ride painted with cow spots. It was originally "Big Top" in County Fair. It moved to Southwest Territory in 1996.	Moderate
River Rocker		1996	Zamperla	A swinging pirate ship ride. It swings through a 180-degree arc.	Moderate
Viper	Viper	1995	Six Flags (wooden coaster)	Viper is the only roller coaster ever built by Six Flags themselves. It's a mirror image of the Coney Island Cyclone.	Max

Hurricane Harbor Chicago

Six Flags Hurricane Harbor Chicago is a 20-acre (8.1 ha) water park next to Six Flags Great America. It opened in 2005. The water park has 25 water slides and attractions. Since March 22, 2021, it has been a separate park. This means you need a different ticket to enter.

Fun Annual Events

Fright Fest

On weekends in September and October, Six Flags Great America hosts "Fright Fest." The park is decorated with Halloween themes. It has "Scare Zones," haunted houses, scary street characters, and Halloween shows. Haunted houses usually cost extra. Some haunted houses include "Condemned" and "Bloodshed." Many rides also get special Halloween themes. For example, Chubasco becomes Terror Twister 2.

Fright Fest also has shows. Love at First Fright has been performed every year since the event started. It's about a couple who get into crazy situations in a cemetery. This show often fills up and is known for adding new pop culture references each year. It has won many awards for "Best Overall Production." Another show is The Ringmaster's Cabaret, which mixes illusions with singing and dancing.

Holiday in the Park

In 2018, Six Flags Great America announced it would stay open through the end of the year for "Holiday in the Park." This new event started on November 23, 2018. It ran on weekends and then daily through December 31.

For the 2020 season, Holiday in the Park Lights replaced the regular event. Rides could not operate due to COVID-19 rules. In 2021, some indoor venues and attractions reopened. Six Flags also ran a Holiday in the Park Drive-Thru. The park removed Holiday in the Park from its events for the 2022 season.

Holiday in the Park had many shows. A Wonderland at the Grand was a holiday musical. The Holidays Bake Me Crazy was a show about holiday baking. Carolers called The MistleTones sang holiday songs. A main feature was the holiday lights. The light show Kalightoscope was shown on buildings in Southwest Territory. Elegance was another light show on the Columbia Carousel. Over 2.5 million lights were used to decorate the park.

Park Attendance

Six Flags Great America does not share its exact attendance numbers. However, the Themed Entertainment Association (TEA) estimates how many people visit the park.

Year	Attendance (millions)	Ref.
2006	2.62
2007	2.63
2008	2.67
2009	2.50
2010	2.70
2011–2015	No data
2016	2.95
2017	3.04
2018	3.11
2019	3.17
2020	0
2021	2.68
2022	2.54

Park Records and Awards

Amazing Records

Many rides at Six Flags Great America have set records or were the first of their kind.

• American Eagle (1981): Tallest, fastest, and longest wooden racing roller coaster in the world.
• Shockwave (1988): Tallest and fastest roller coaster in the world at the time. It also had the record for most inversions.
• Batman: The Ride (1992): The world's first inverted roller coaster, built by Bolliger & Mabillard.
• Goliath (2014): Set three Guinness World Records. It was the steepest wooden roller coaster, had the longest drop on a wooden roller coaster, and was the fastest wooden roller coaster in the world. It still holds the latter two records.
• Mardi Gras Hangover (2018): Tallest fire ball attraction in the world.
• Maxx Force (2019): Set three records. It has the fastest acceleration in North America (0 to 78 mph (126 km/h) in 1.8 seconds). It also has the fastest inversion (60 mph (97 km/h)) and the tallest double inversion (175 feet (53 m)) in the world.

Park Awards

Some of Six Flags Great America's roller coasters have been listed in Amusement Today's annual Golden Ticket Awards. Raging Bull ranked 9th in 2005.

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

• Batman: The Ride (2005): Awarded for being the first inverted roller coaster.
• Whizzer (2012): Awarded for the park keeping the ride in great condition.
• Little Dipper also received the "ACE Coaster Classic" award. This is for historic roller coasters that are well-maintained.

The Fright Fest show Love at First Fright has won many International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions (IAAPA) awards. It won "Best Overall Production" awards in 2005, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2013, and 2014. The show Show Stoppin' also won an award in 2008.

On USA Today's Readers' Choice Awards:

• Goliath ranked number 4 for "Best Roller Coasters in the Country" in 2018.
• Maxx Force ranked number 8 for "Best New Amusement Park Attraction" in 2019.

Images for kids

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  A view of Turn of the Century and Sky Whirl from the Delta Flyer / Eagle's Flight in August 1976.

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  Great America's original sign stood next to Interstate 94 for 30 years until it was replaced in 2006

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  Great America's new I-94 sign erected in December 2006