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	3.000 million in 2023
Area	273 acres (1.10 km2)
Attractions
Total	47 (as of 2025)
Roller coasters	16
Water rides	3

Welcome to Six Flags Great America! This amazing 273-acre (110 ha) amusement park is in Gurnee, Illinois, USA. It's owned by Six Flags and sits between the big cities of Chicago and Milwaukee. The park has over 45 exciting rides, including 16 thrilling roller coasters. Many people love it, making it one of the top 20 most visited parks in North America.

The park first opened in 1976 as Marriott's Great America. It was one of two parks built by the Marriott company to celebrate American history. Six Flags bought the park in 1984. Since then, it has grown with many new rides and themed areas. Right next door is Hurricane Harbor Chicago, a 20-acre (8.1 ha) water park.

Six Flags Great America has 12 different sections. These areas celebrate American culture and feature popular DC Comics characters. There are also special areas just for kids. The park is open from April to November each year. During Halloween, it hosts a fun event called Fright Fest. Some of its roller coasters are so special that they are called 'Coaster Landmarks.' This means they are very important in roller coaster history. The park also has the second-highest number of roller coasters in the Midwest!

Discovering the Park's History

Building a Dream: 1972–1976

In the early 1970s, the Marriott company wanted to build new, modern theme parks. They planned to call them Marriott's Great America. These parks would celebrate American history and culture. They hoped to open them in time for the USA's 200th birthday in 1976.

Marriott planned three parks, but only two were built: one in California and one in Illinois. A famous park designer named Randall Duell led the team. He created similar plans for both parks. The designers traveled all over the country. They looked at different styles and collected items to make the parks feel real.

Instead of a central hub, the park used a "Duell loop" design. This circular path let guests visit every themed area easily. It also kept employee work areas out of sight. The park first had six themed areas:

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

Marriott bought 600 acres (240 ha) of land in Gurnee, Illinois, in 1972. This spot was perfect because it was close to a major highway. It was also about halfway between Chicago and Milwaukee. The company officially announced the Gurnee park in 1973. It was planned to open in spring 1976 and create 1,800 jobs.

The groundbreaking ceremony happened on June 14, 1974. Construction took two years and involved about 700 workers. Building both the Illinois and California parks cost $72.75 million.

Marriott's Era: 1976–1984

A view of Turn of the Century (now Demon) and Sky Whirl from the Delta Flyer ride in 1976.

The park officially opened on May 29, 1976. It featured three roller coasters: Willard's Whizzer, Turn of the Century, and The Gulf Coaster. Other rides included the huge double-decker Columbia Carousel. This carousel is the second-tallest in the world! The park also had the unique Sky Whirl, a triple ferris wheel.

From the start, Looney Tunes characters like Bugs Bunny greeted guests. Each themed area had special costumes for park employees. The buildings, shops, and restaurants also matched each theme.

In 1977, the 285-foot-tall (87 m) Sky Trek Tower was built. It offered amazing views of the park and even the Chicago skyline. The Gulf Coaster was removed that year. In 1978, the park added its first kids' area, Fort Fun. A new roller coaster, Tidal Wave, also opened. The Pictorium, an IMAX theater with a giant screen, opened in 1979.

The American Eagle was added in 1981.

In 1980, the Turn of the Century roller coaster was updated. It got two loops and new tunnels, becoming the "Demon." In 1981, the American Eagle opened. This racing wooden roller coaster was exclusive to the Gurnee park. It was the tallest, fastest, and longest dueling wooden coaster when it opened.

In 1983, two more rides were added. The Edge was a freefall ride. White Water Rampage was an exciting water rapids ride.

Six Flags Takes Over: 1984–1990

By the mid-1980s, Marriott decided to sell its theme parks. Six Flags bought the Gurnee park for $114.5 million in May 1984. The park was renamed Six Flags Great America. As part of the deal, Six Flags also got to use the Looney Tunes characters at all its parks.

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

In 1985, Six Flags added Z-Force, a unique roller coaster. The Edge ride was removed in 1986. In 1987, Power Dive, a swinging ride, was added. The Bugs Bunny Land kids' area also grew. Z-Force was moved to another Six Flags park after 1987.

In 1988, the park added a huge new roller coaster called Shockwave. It was the world's tallest roller coaster when it opened! In 1989, Rolling Thunder, a bobsled roller coaster, was added.

Exciting Expansions: The 1990s

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.

In 1990, Iron Wolf opened. This stand-up roller coaster was the first of its kind from a company called Bolliger & Mabillard (B&M). In 1991, Condor was added. The Tidal Wave roller coaster was moved to another park.

The park worked with B&M again to build the world's first inverted roller coaster, Batman: The Ride. It opened in 1992 and was a huge hit! The area around it was re-themed to look like the Batman movies. In 1993, the Batman Stunt Show opened. A motion simulator ride, Space Shuttle America, was built in 1994.

In 1995, construction began on a new themed area. The first part was Viper, a wooden roller coaster. It looks just like the famous Coney Island Cyclone. Rolling Thunder was removed to make space for the new area.

The mission building is the main feature of Southwest Territory. It includes the Chubasco ride.

The new 11-acre (4.5 ha) themed area, Southwest Territory, officially opened in 1996. It had an Old West desert theme. Three new rides were added: River Rocker, Chubasco, and Trail Blazer.

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

Two new thrill rides opened in 1997. Giant Drop was a 227 feet (69 m) tall drop tower. Dare Devil Dive was a Skycoaster ride.

In 1998, the park added more kids' areas. Camp Cartoon Network opened with five new rides. Bugs Bunny Land was renamed Looney Tunes National Park.

The lift hill and first drop of Raging Bull.

On October 21, 1998, the park announced Raging Bull. This hyper-twister roller coaster opened in Southwest Territory in 1999. It was the park's most expensive roller coaster at $25 million. Raging Bull was 202-foot-high (62 m) and 5,057-foot-long (1,541 m). It reached speeds of 73 mph (117 km/h).

New Areas and Water Park: The 2000s

The park celebrated its 25th season in 2000 with new shows and parades. The Sky Whirl and Hay Baler rides closed. An incident on the Cajun Cliffhanger ride in July 2000 led to its removal the next year.

The twisted spike of Vertical Velocity.

In 2001, two new coasters arrived. Vertical Velocity was a launched coaster in Yankee Harbor. Déjà Vu was a giant inverted boomerang ride. In 2002, there were plans to remove Whizzer, but park guests loved it too much! So, the park decided to keep Whizzer and remove Shockwave instead.

In 2003, B&M built Superman: Ultimate Flight in Orleans Place. It was the Midwest's second flying roller coaster. The Ameri-Go-Round carousel was removed.

Mardi Gras, a new themed area, opened in 2004. It took over part of Orleans Place. New rides included Ragin' Cajun, King Chaos, Jester's Wild Ride, and Big Easy Balloons. Revolution, a spinning ride, replaced the Ameri-Go-Round.

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

On September 17, 2004, the park announced a huge $42 million expansion. This was the addition of Six Flags Hurricane Harbor water park. It opened on May 28, 2005, with 25 water slides and a large wave pool. At first, admission to the water park was included with a theme park ticket.

In 2007, Wiggles World opened. This was a third children's area with five new rides, themed after The Wiggles. The park also added a new stunt show, Operation SpyGirl.

The Dark Knight Coaster opened in 2008. This indoor wild mouse roller coaster was themed after the movie The Dark Knight. It featured a storyline with Batman and The Joker. Splashwater Falls closed and was removed. In 2009, Six Flags replaced Déjà Vu with Buccaneer Battle, a pirate-themed boat ride.

Record-Breaking Coasters: The 2010s

Little Dipper was moved to the park in 2010 from the old Kiddieland Amusement Park.

Six Flags Great America brought the historic Little Dipper roller coaster to the park in 2010. This kids' wooden coaster used to be at Kiddieland Amusement Park. The Glow in the Park Parade also started that year.

In 2011, the Riptide Bay area opened in Hurricane Harbor. This expansion added new water slides and an activity pool. On September 1, 2011, the park announced X-Flight, a B&M Wing Coaster. It was the first Wing Coaster announced for North America. Iron Wolf, the stand-up roller coaster, closed and was moved to another Six Flags park. X-Flight opened on May 16, 2012.

Main climb of Goliath.

Goliath, a wooden roller coaster by Rocky Mountain Construction, was announced in 2013. It opened on June 19, 2014. Goliath was the steepest, longest, and fastest wooden roller coaster in the world when it debuted. In 2015, the park celebrated its 40th season. It brought back three classic kids' rides in a new area called Hometown Park.

An interactive dark ride called Justice League: Battle for Metropolis opened on May 28, 2016. It replaced the Southwest Territory Amphitheater. The Orbit, an original park ride, closed. The Joker, a 4D Free Spin roller coaster, opened in 2017 in the Yankee Harbor area. The East River Crawler was moved and renamed The Lobster.

Virtual reality headsets were added to the Giant Drop ride in 2017, temporarily renaming it Drop of Doom. King Chaos closed. In 2018, the park announced Mardi Gras Hangover, a new Fire Ball ride. The Holiday in the Park event also started, extending the park's season into December. The Pictorium IMAX theater was taken down for future plans.

An overview of Maxx Force.

On August 30, 2018, the park announced Maxx Force. This air-launched roller coaster opened on July 4, 2019. It replaced the Pictorium.

Recent Years: 2020–Present

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the amusement park did not open in 2020. Hurricane Harbor reopened in July 2020. A special version of Holiday in the Park, called Holiday in the Park Lights, ran without rides.

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

The plaza of DC Universe in May 2022.

In 2022, a new DC Universe themed area was announced. It featured new paint, wider paths, and re-themed rides. Vertical Velocity became The Flash: Vertical Velocity. Whirligig became DC Super-Villains Swing. Yankee Clipper was re-themed to Aquaman Splashdown. The area opened in May 2022. The Holiday in the Park event was removed for 2022.

Clockwise from top: Dare Devil Dive, Buccaneer Battle, Revolution, and Mardi Gras Hangover all closed and were removed in the 2023 season.

In 2023, several rides were removed from the park. Dare Devil Dive and Buccaneer Battle plots were set aside for future plans. Sky Striker, a new pendulum ride, was announced to open in 2024. Revolution and Mardi Gras Hangover also closed permanently in October 2023.

Six Flags Great America's current entrance was built in 2024 (pictured in August 2025).

In April 2024, the park built a new entrance building. Sky Striker opened in mid-June. Two months later, Wrath of Rakshasa, a B&M Dive Coaster, was announced. It was planned to be the steepest and have the most inversions on a Dive Coaster. Wrath of Rakshasa debuted to the public on May 31, 2025. It became the park's 16th roller coaster. In November 2024, Six Flags Great America announced a new kids' area and 50th-anniversary celebrations for the 2026 season.

Exciting Attractions

Roller Coasters

As of August 2025, Six Flags Great America has 16 thrilling roller coasters.

Name	Photo	Opened	Manufacturer	Section	Description	Ref.
Whizzer	Whizzer roller coaster.	1976	Anton Schwarzkopf	Hometown Square	A 70-foot (21 m) tall steel family roller coaster.
Demon	Demon roller coaster.	1976	Arrow Dynamics	County Fair	A 102-foot (31 m) tall steel looping roller coaster with four loops. It was called Turn of the Century from 1976 to 1979.
American Eagle	American Eagle roller coaster.	1981	Intamin	County Fair	A 127-foot (39 m) tall dual-tracked racing wooden roller coaster. It holds records as the tallest, fastest, and longest racing wooden coaster.
Batman: The Ride	Batman: The Ride roller coaster.	1992	Bolliger & Mabillard	DC Universe	A 100-foot (30 m) tall inverted roller coaster. Riders hang below the track. It has five inversions and was the first inverted coaster in the world.
Viper	Viper roller coaster.	1995	Six Flags	Southwest Territory	A 100-foot (30 m) tall wooden roller coaster. Its layout is a mirror image of the Coney Island Cyclone.
Sprocket Rockets	Sprocket Rockets roller coaster.	1998	Vekoma	Camp Cartoon	A steel roller coaster designed for kids. It was called Spacely's Sprocket Rockets from 1998 to 2018.
Raging Bull	Raging Bull roller coaster.	1999	Bolliger & Mabillard	Southwest Territory	A 202-foot (62 m) tall steel hyper-twister roller coaster. It is the tallest roller coaster in the park.
The Flash: Vertical Velocity	The Flash: Vertical Velocity roller coaster.	2001	Intamin	DC Universe	A 185-foot (56 m) tall inverted launched steel roller coaster. It launches riders from 0 to 70 miles per hour (110 km/h) in 4 seconds. It was called Vertical Velocity from 2001 to 2021.
Superman: Ultimate Flight	Superman: Ultimate Flight roller coaster.	2003	Bolliger & Mabillard	Orleans Place	A 106-foot (32 m) tall flying roller coaster. Riders lie facing the ground. It has two inversions and many twists.
The Dark Knight Coaster	The Dark Knight Coaster entrance.	2008	Mack Rides	Orleans Place	An indoor wild mouse roller coaster. It is themed to the 2008 film The Dark Knight.
Little Dipper	Little Dipper roller coaster.	2010	Philadelphia Toboggan Coasters	Yukon Territory	A historic wooden roller coaster for kids. It operated at Kiddieland Amusement Park from 1950 to 2009.
X-Flight	Train going through the "Keyhole" on X-Flight.	2012	Bolliger & Mabillard	County Fair	A 120-foot (37 m) tall wing coaster. Riders sit on either side of the track. It has five inversions.
Goliath	Goliath roller coaster.	2014	Rocky Mountain Construction	County Fair	A 165-foot (50 m) tall wooden roller coaster. It has a 180-foot (55 m) tall drop and two inversions. It is the longest and fastest wooden roller coaster in the world.
The Joker	The Joker roller coaster.	2017	S&S – Sansei Technologies	DC Universe	A fourth-dimension free-spin steel roller coaster. The seats flip as the train goes over hills.
Maxx Force	Maxx Force roller coaster.	2019	S&S – Sansei Technologies	Carousel Plaza	An air-launched steel roller coaster with five inversions. It is the fastest accelerating roller coaster. It goes from 0 to 78 miles per hour (126 km/h) in 1.8 seconds.
Wrath of Rakshasa	Wrath of Rakshasa roller coaster.	2025	Bolliger & Mabillard	County Fair	A 180-foot (55 m) tall dive coaster. It has five inversions and a maximum vertical angle of 96°. It is the steepest dive coaster and has the most inversions on a dive coaster.

Thrill Rides

As of August 2025, the park has two thrill rides that are not roller coasters.

Name	Photo	Opened	Manufacturer	Section	Description	Ref.
Giant Drop	Giant Drop ride.	1997	Intamin	Southwest Territory	A 227-foot (69 m) tall drop tower ride. It is the second tallest attraction in the park.
Sky Striker	Sky Striker ride.	2024	Zamperla	County Fair	A 172-foot (52 m) tall pendulum ride. It reaches speeds of 75 miles per hour (121 km/h).

Family Rides

As of August 2025, the park has 16 family rides. This includes transportation rides, dark rides, and extra-fee attractions.

Name	Photo	Opened	Manufacturer	Section	Description	Ref.
Columbia Carousel	Columbia Carousel.	1976	Chance Rides	Carousel Plaza	A 100-foot (30 m) tall double-decker carousel. It is the second-tallest carousel in the world.
Rue Le Dodge	Rue Le Dodge bumper cars.	1976	Soli	Orleans Place	A bumper cars attraction. It has the largest bumper car floor in the world.
DC Super-Villains Swing	DC Super-Villains Swing ride.	1976	Zierer	DC Universe	A swing ride. It was called Whirligig from 1976 to 2022.
Fiddler's Fling	Fiddler's Fling ride.	1976	Anton Schwarzkopf	County Fair	A Calypso ride model with intense spins.
Great America Scenic Railway	Great America Scenic Railway.	1976	Custom Fabricators, Inc.	Hometown Square, County Fair	A narrow-gauge railway that loops around the park. It has two stations.
Hometown Fun Machine	Hometown Fun Machine.	1976	Eli Bridge	Hometown Square	A spinning scrambler ride. It was called Saskatchewan Scrambler from 1976 to 1977.
The Lobster	The Lobster ride.	1976	Anton Schwarzkopf	Hometown Square	A Monster III model ride. Cars spin and go up on an arm. It was named East River Crawler from 1992 to 2017.
Triple Play		1976	HUSS	Hometown Square	A Troika spinning ride with three arms.
Sky Trek Tower	Sky Trek Tower.	1977	Intamin	Carousel Plaza	A 330-foot (100 m) tall observation tower. It offers views of the park and the Chicago skyline. It is the tallest free-standing structure in Lake County, Illinois.
Ricochet	Ricochet ride.	1977	HUSS	Southwest Territory	A swinging ride painted with cow spots. It was called Big Top from 1977 to 1995.
Condor	Condor ride.	1991	HUSS	Orleans Place	A spinning aerial Condor model ride. It rotates riders and changes speeds.
Chubasco	Chubasco ride.	1996	Zamperla	Southwest Territory	An indoor teacups attraction. It is inside the Southwest Territory mission building.
River Rocker	River Rocker ride.	1996	Zamperla	Southwest Territory	A swinging pirate ship ride.
Winner's Circle Go Karts	Winner's Circle Go Karts.	1999	N/A	Yukon Territory	A go-kart attraction that costs extra to ride. It was in Carousel Plaza from 1999 to 2010.
Big Easy Balloons	Big Easy Balloons ride.	2004	Zamperla	Mardi Gras	A spinning balloon ride.
Justice League: Battle for Metropolis	Justice League: Battle for Metropolis ride.	2016	Sally Corporation	Metropolis Plaza	An interactive 2D dark ride based on the Justice League.

Children's Rides

The park has three children's sections: Camp Cartoon, Kidzopolis, and Hometown Park. These areas feature 10 children's rides (not including roller coasters). All Hometown Park rides were originally from 1976, removed in 2000, and brought back in 2015.

Water Rides

As of August 2025, the park has three water rides. This does not include water slides at Six Flags Hurricane Harbor Chicago.

Name	Photo	Opened	Manufacturer	Section	Description	Ref.
Logger's Run	Logger's Run log flume.	1976	Arrow Dynamics	Yukon Territory	A log flume water ride. Its track connects with Aquaman Splashdown.
Aquaman Splashdown	Aquaman Splashdown ride.	1976	Arrow Dynamics	DC Universe	A hydroflume model water ride. Its track connects with Logger's Run. It was called Yankee Clipper from 1976 to 2022.
Roaring Rapids	Roaring Rapids sign.	1984	Intamin	Mardi Gras	A river rapids ride. It was called White Water Rampage.

Themed Areas

Six Flags Great America has 12 different themed sections. Here they are, starting from the park's entrance and going clockwise:

Name	Photo	Opened	Description	Ref.
Carousel Plaza	Reflecting Pool in Carousel Plaza.	1976	This is the park's entrance area. It features the beautiful Columbia Carousel.
Orleans Place	Bourbon Street Cafe in Orleans Place.	1976	This area is designed like New Orleans in the 1800s, especially the French Quarter.
Mardi Gras	Mardi Gras entrance.	2004	This section is part of Orleans Place. It is themed around the lively Mardi Gras celebration.
DC Universe	DC Universe themed area.	2022	This area has rides based on the superheroes and villains of DC Comics. It replaced the Yankee Harbor area.
Yukon Territory	Yukon Territory.	1976	This area is themed like a town in Canada's Yukon during the Klondike Gold Rush.
Camp Cartoon	Camp Cartoon entrance.	1998	A children's cartoon-themed area inside Yukon Territory. It used to feature Hanna-Barbera characters.
County Fair	County Fair area.	1976	This area is like a midwestern county fair from the early 1900s. It has shops and games. It is the largest themed area in the park.
Kidzopolis	Kidzopolis (formerly Wiggles World).	2007	A children's themed area inside County Fair. It was once themed to The Wiggles music group.
Metropolis Plaza	Justice League: Battle for Metropolis ride in Metropolis Plaza.	2016	This is the smallest themed area. It is based on the fictional city of Metropolis from DC Comics. It only features the Justice League: Battle for Metropolis ride.
Southwest Territory	Southwest Territory.	1996	An 1800s Wild West themed area. It was one of the park's biggest expansions.
Hometown Square	Hometown Square.	1976	This area is like a small midwestern American town from the 1920s. It has shows in the Grand Music Hall theater.
Hometown Park		2015	A children's area with three original kids' rides from the park's opening.

Hurricane Harbor Chicago

Six Flags Hurricane Harbor Chicago is a 20-acre (8.1 ha) water park. It opened in 2005 and has 25 water slides. This water park is part of the Six Flags Hurricane Harbor chain. It used to be included with Six Flags Great America admission. Since 2021, it has been a separate park.

Fun Annual Events

Fright Fest

Carousel Plaza during Fright Fest. It is decorated for Halloween, and Columbia Carousel's pond is dyed red.

Fright Fest is a yearly Halloween-themed event. It first started in 1991. It happens on weekends in September, October, and some days in November. The park is decorated with "Scare Zones." These areas have haunted houses (for an extra fee) and scare actors. There are also live shows and specially themed rides.

Kids Boo Fest is a family-friendly Halloween event. It started in 2022 and happens on the same days as Fright Fest. It runs from when the park opens until dusk. After dusk, Fright Fest begins.

Many rides get special Halloween themes. For example, the Chubasco teacup ride becomes Terror Twister 2. Its building is enclosed with special lights and music.

Fright Fest also has live shows. Love at First Fright is one of the longest-running shows. It tells the story of a couple in a cemetery with classic Halloween characters. This show has been running since 1991 and changes each year. The Uprising is performed at dusk. It shows monsters rising, marking the start of Fright Fest.

Park Visitors and Achievements

How Many People Visit?

Six Flags Great America is a very popular park. In 2013, it welcomed its 100 millionth guest! The park does not share its exact visitor numbers. However, the Themed Entertainment Association (TEA) estimates how many people visit each year.

Records and Awards

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

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

The Columbia Carousel opened in 1976. It is the second-tallest carousel in the world, standing 100 feet (30 m) tall.

American Eagle opened in 1981. It was the tallest, fastest, and longest wooden racing roller coaster in the world. It is 127 feet (39 m) tall and reaches speeds of 66 miles per hour (106 km/h). American Eagle still holds these records today.

Shockwave (1988-2002) was the tallest roller coaster and had the most inversions (7) when it opened.

The old Shockwave roller coaster opened in 1988. It was the tallest roller coaster and fastest steel roller coaster in the world at that time. It also had the most inversions (seven) on a single roller coaster.

Batman: The Ride opened in 1992. It was the world's first inverted roller coaster. On this ride, the trains hang below the track.

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

Goliath set three Guinness World Records when it opened in 2014. It was the steepest wooden roller coaster, had the longest drop on a wooden roller coaster, and was the 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. It has the fastest acceleration in North America. It goes from 0 to 78 miles per hour (126 km/h) in 1.8 seconds. It also has the fastest inversion (heartline roll) in the world at 60 miles per hour (97 km/h). Plus, it has the tallest double inversion in the world at 175 feet (53 m).

In 2025, Wrath of Rakshasa opened. It is the steepest dive coaster model at 96 degrees. It also has the most inversions on a dive coaster model, with five inversions. With Wrath of Rakshasa, the park now has 16 roller coasters. This is the second-highest number of roller coasters in a single park in the Midwest.

Awards for Rides and Shows

Several roller coasters at Six Flags Great America have won awards. They have appeared on Amusement Today's annual Golden Ticket Awards. Here are some of their highest rankings:

• Raging Bull: 9th (2005)
• Goliath: 13th (2016)
• Viper: 19th (1999)
• Batman: The Ride: 23rd (1998)
• Superman: Ultimate Flight: 35th (2004)
• Whizzer: 40th (2013)
• X-Flight: 45th (2013)

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) have given three roller coasters at Six Flags Great America "Coaster Landmark" status. This award is for rides that are very important in amusement park history. Only two parks have three ACE Landmark coasters, Six Flags Great America and Kennywood.

• Batman: The Ride received Landmark status in 2005. It was recognized as the first inverted roller coaster.
• Whizzer received Landmark status in 2012. It was honored for the park keeping it well-preserved.
• American Eagle received Landmark status in 2025. It was recognized as Intamin's first wooden roller coaster. It was also the tallest and fastest racing coaster in the world.

Little Dipper received the "ACE Coaster Classic" award. This award is for historic roller coasters that are kept in great condition, much like their original form.

The Fright Fest show Love at First Fright has won many awards from the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions (IAAPA).

On USA Today's Readers' Choice Awards, Goliath was ranked number 4 for "Best Roller Coasters in the Country" in 2018. Maxx Force was ranked number 8 for "Best New Amusement Park Attraction" in 2019.

In 2023, Six Flags Great America was a finalist for an IAAPA award for a new menu item, tanghulu. The park's restaurant, Windy City Sports Bar and Grill, was also a finalist for an IAAPA award in 2024–2025.

Park Safety and Incidents

The park works hard to keep everyone safe. Here are some notable incidents that have happened at the park:

• In 1976, there were two separate incidents on the Whizzer ride. A total of 31 guests had minor injuries.
• On May 22, 1984, an incident happened on The Edge ride. Three riders were injured when the car moved unexpectedly. The ride was removed in 1986.
• On April 19, 1998, a train on the Demon roller coaster stopped upside down in a loop. Riders were stuck for two hours. This happened because a safety feature worked to prevent a bigger problem.
• On July 19, 2000, two guests had minor foot injuries on the Cajun Cliffhanger ride. The ride's floor moved incorrectly. The ride was removed the next year.
• On August 14, 2022, an incident occurred in the park's parking lot. Three people were injured. The park was evacuated to ensure everyone's safety.

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