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 super fun theme park in Gurnee, Illinois, USA. It's located right between the big cities of Chicago and Milwaukee. This park is owned by Six Flags and has over 45 exciting rides, including 16 amazing roller coasters!

Right next to it, there's a cool water park called Hurricane Harbor Chicago. Six Flags Great America is very popular, often ranking among the top 20 most-visited theme parks in North America. About 3.04 million people visited in 2024.

The park first opened on May 29, 1976, and was originally called Marriott's Great America. It was built by the Marriott Corporation, a company known for hotels. They wanted to create parks themed around American history. In 1984, Six Flags bought the park and gave it its current name. Since then, the park has grown a lot, adding many new attractions.

Six Flags Great America has 12 different themed areas. Some areas celebrate American history, while others are based on DC Comics superheroes. There are also special sections just for younger kids. The park is open every year from April to November. In the fall, it hosts a spooky Halloween event called Fright Fest. The park has won awards and has even appeared in movies and TV shows like Richie Rich and Run BTS.

Park History

Building the Park: 1972–1976

In the early 1970s, the Marriott Corporation wanted to build new, modern theme parks. Each park would be called Marriott's Great America and would celebrate American history. They planned to open these parks around the time of America's 200th birthday.

Marriott planned two parks: one in California and one in Illinois. A talented park designer named Randall Duell led the team. He created almost identical plans for both parks. The designers traveled across the country to get ideas for an authentic American feel.

Instead of a central hub design, the park used a "Duell loop" layout. This circular path let guests visit every themed area easily. Employees could also work behind the scenes in the middle of the park. The first six themed areas were:

• 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 the Canadian Yukon.
• Midwest County Fair: A 20th-century rural county fair.
• Hometown Square: Based on small Midwest towns from the early 1900s.

Marriott bought 600 acres of land in Gurnee, Illinois, in 1972. This spot was perfect because it was easy to reach from Chicago and Milwaukee. Gurnee was a small village then, and some residents debated the park. However, the mayor, Richard Welton, supported the project.

The official 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 Great America Years: 1976–1984

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.

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

In 1977, the park added the Sky Trek Tower, which is 285 feet tall. It offers amazing views of the park, Lake Michigan, and the Chicago skyline. More spinning rides were also added. The Gulf Coaster was removed that year.

The park's first children's area, Fort Fun, opened in 1978. Also, the fourth roller coaster, Tidal Wave, a fast shuttle loop ride, opened in Yankee Harbor. In 1979, the Pictorium, an IMAX theater, opened with a huge screen.

In 1980, the Turn of the Century roller coaster was updated and renamed Demon. It got two new loops and tunnels. The American Eagle, a giant racing wooden roller coaster, opened in 1981. It was the tallest, fastest, and longest dueling wooden coaster when it opened.

In 1983, two more rides arrived: The Edge, a freefall ride, and White Water Rampage, a water rapids ride.

Six Flags Takes Over: 1984–1990

By the mid-1980s, Marriott decided to sell its theme parks to focus on hotels. In 1984, Six Flags bought the Gurnee park for $114.5 million. Six Flags also gained the rights to use the Looney Tunes characters at all its parks. The park was renamed Six Flags Great America for the 1984 season.

An unexpected event on The Edge ride in May 1984 caused some guests to get hurt, leading to the ride's removal later. In 1985, Six Flags added Z-Force, a unique roller coaster.

In 1987, Power Dive, a swinging ride that rotated 360 degrees, was added. The Bugs Bunny Land kids area also expanded. Z-Force was removed after the 1987 season and moved to another Six Flags park.

In 1988, a massive roller coaster called Shockwave opened. It was the world's tallest roller coaster at the time. In 1989, the park added Rolling Thunder, a Bobsled roller coaster.

Big Growth in the 1990s

Iron Wolf, a steel stand-up coaster, opened in 1990. It was the very first roller coaster built by the famous company Bolliger & Mabillard. In 1991, Condor was added, and the Tidal Wave coaster was moved to another park.

The park worked with Bolliger & Mabillard again to build the world's first inverted roller coaster, named Batman: The Ride. It opened on May 9, 1992, and was a huge hit! The area around it was re-themed to match the Batman films.

In 1993, The Batman Stunt Show debuted in a new amphitheater. A motion simulator ride called 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 similar to the Coney Island Cyclone. Rolling Thunder was removed to make space for this new area.

The new 11-acre Southwest Territory officially opened in 1996. It was themed like an Old West desert town. Three new rides were added: River Rocker, Chubasco, and Trail Blazer.

In 1997, two new thrill rides arrived. Giant Drop, a 227-foot tall drop tower, was added to Southwest Territory. Dare Devil Dive, a Skycoaster ride, also opened.

The park also expanded its kids' areas in 1998. A new area called Camp Cartoon Network opened with five new rides. The existing Bugs Bunny Land was renamed Looney Tunes National Park.

On October 21, 1998, the park announced Raging Bull for the 1999 season. This hyper-twister roller coaster cost $25 million, making it the park's most expensive coaster. Built by Bolliger & Mabillard, Raging Bull is 202 feet tall and reaches speeds of 73 mph. It opened on May 1, 1999.

New Areas and Water Park: 2000s

The park celebrated its 25th season in 2000 with new shows and parades. The Sky Whirl ride was removed that year. An unexpected event on the Cajun Cliffhanger ride led to its removal the following year.

In 2001, two new coasters were added: Vertical Velocity, a launched coaster, and Déjà Vu, an inverted boomerang ride. In 2002, plans to remove Whizzer were met with strong reactions from guests, so the park decided to remove Shockwave instead.

In 2003, Bolliger & Mabillard built Superman: Ultimate Flight in Orleans Place. It was the Midwest's second flying roller coaster.

Mardi Gras, a new themed area, opened in 2004. It was built where Power Dive and Cajun Cliffhanger used to be. New rides included Ragin' Cajun, King Chaos, Jester's Wild Ride, and Big Easy Balloons.

On September 17, 2004, the park announced a $42 million expansion: the Six Flags Hurricane Harbor water park. It opened on May 28, 2005, with 25 water slides and a huge wave pool.

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

Great America added The Dark Knight Coaster in 2008. This indoor wild mouse roller coaster is themed after the 2008 film The Dark Knight. In 2009, Six Flags replaced Déjà Vu with Buccaneer Battle, a pirate-themed boat ride.

Record-Breaking Coasters: 2010s

Six Flags Great America acquired the historic Little Dipper roller coaster in 2009. This kids' wooden coaster had operated at Kiddieland Amusement Park since 1950. Little Dipper opened at Six Flags Great America in 2010. The Glow in the Park Parade also debuted that year.

In 2011, the Riptide Bay area opened in Hurricane Harbor with new water slides. The Wiggles World area had its theme removed. On September 1, 2011, the park announced X-Flight, a B&M Wing Coaster, which was the first of its kind in North America. The Iron Wolf roller coaster closed and was moved to another Six Flags park. X-Flight opened on May 16, 2012. The nighttime show, IgNight – Grand Finale, opened in 2013.

Goliath, a Rocky Mountain Construction wooden roller coaster, was announced in 2013. It was built on the former site of Iron Wolf. Goliath debuted on June 19, 2014, as the steepest, longest, and fastest wooden roller coaster in the world.

In 2015, the park celebrated its 40th season. Three original kids' rides returned in a new section called Hometown Park. The Columbia Carousel and Hometown Square also received updates.

An interactive dark ride called Justice League: Battle for Metropolis opened in 2016. It replaced the Southwest Territory Amphitheatre. The Orbit, an original park ride, closed that year. The Joker, an S&S 4D Free Spin roller coaster, opened in 2017.

Virtual reality headsets were added to the Giant Drop ride in 2017, temporarily renaming it Drop of Doom. King Chaos closed in August 2017. A new Larson Fire Ball attraction, later named Mardi Gras Hangover, replaced King Chaos for the 2018 season.

The Holiday in the Park event was announced in April 2018, extending the park's season into December. The park's Pictorium IMAX theater was removed for future expansion. In August 2018, an S&S air-launched roller coaster named Maxx Force was announced. It debuted on July 4, 2019, replacing the Pictorium.

Recent Years: 2020s

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

In 2021, the adjacent water park became a separately gated park and was renamed Hurricane Harbor Chicago. The amusement park reopened in late April 2021 with new safety guidelines.

In early 2022, John Krajnak became the new park president, following a change in leadership. A new DC Universe themed area opened in May 2022. It featured new paint, wider paths, and re-themed rides. Vertical Velocity became The Flash: Vertical Velocity with a new red color. Whirligig became DC Super-Villains Swing, and Yankee Clipper was re-themed to Aquaman Splashdown. The Holiday in the Park event was removed in 2022.

Throughout 2023, several changes happened. The areas where Dare Devil Dive and Buccaneer Battle once stood were set aside for future plans. Sky Striker, a new pendulum ride, was announced in August 2023 to open in 2024. Revolution and Mardi Gras Hangover rides were removed from the park in October 2023.

In April 2024, the park began building a new entrance. Sky Striker opened in mid-June 2024. In August 2024, a B&M Dive Coaster named Wrath of Rakshasa was announced. It was planned to be the steepest and have the most inversions on a Dive Coaster. Wrath of Rakshasa debuted on May 31, 2025, becoming the park's 16th roller coaster. Plans were announced in November 2024 for a new kids' area and 50th-anniversary celebrations for the 2026 season.

Park Areas and Attractions

Thrill level (out of 5)
1 (low)   2 (mild)   3 (moderate)   4 (high)   5 (aggressive)

Carousel Plaza

Carousel Plaza is the main entrance area of the park. It features the park's famous Columbia Carousel. You'll also find shops and food stands here.

Ride	Picture	Opened	Manufacturer	Description	Rating
Columbia Carousel	Columbia Carousel	1976	Chance Rides	A 100-foot tall double-decker carousel. It is the second-tallest carousel in the world.	1
Sky Trek Tower	Sky Trek Tower	1977	Intamin	A 330-foot tall observation tower. It offers views of the park and the Chicago skyline.	2
Maxx Force	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 mph in 1.8 seconds.	5

Orleans Place

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

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

Mardi Gras

Mardi Gras is one of the park's newer themed areas, opening in 2004. Its theme comes from the famous Mardi Gras celebration in New Orleans.

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

DC Universe

DC Universe is the park's DC Comics themed area, which opened in 2022. It replaced the original Yankee Harbor area.

Ride	Picture	Opened	Manufacturer	Description	Rating
Aquaman Splashdown	Aquaman Splashdown	1976	Arrow Dynamics	A water ride where you splash down. Its track connects with Logger's Run. It was called Yankee Clipper until 2022.	2
Batman: The Ride	Batman: The Ride	1992	Bolliger & Mabillard	A 100-foot tall inverted roller coaster. Riders hang below the track, experiencing five inversions. It was the world's first inverted coaster.	5
DC Super-Villains Swing	DC Super-Villains Swing	1976	Zierer	A classic swing ride. It was known as Whirligig until 2022.	2
The Flash: Vertical Velocity	The Flash: Vertical Velocity	2001	Intamin	A 185-foot tall steel inverted roller coaster. It launches riders from 0 to 70 mph in 4 seconds. It was originally Vertical Velocity.	5
The Joker	The Joker	2017	S&S – Sansei Technologies	A fourth-dimension free-spin steel roller coaster. The seats flip as the train goes over hills.	5

Yukon Territory

Yukon Territory is themed around the beautiful forests and mountains of northwest Canada. It features references to logging and gold panning.

Ride	Picture	Opened	Manufacturer	Description	Rating
Little Dipper	Little Dipper	2010	Philadelphia Toboggan Company	A historic kids' roller coaster. It operated at Kiddieland Amusement Park from 1950 to 2009.	2
Logger's Run	Logger's Run	1976	Arrow Dynamics	A classic log flume water ride. Its track connects with Aquaman Splashdown.	2

Camp Cartoon

Camp Cartoon is a kids' area inside Yukon Territory. It was first called Camp Cartoon Network in 1998. The rides here are themed to Hanna-Barbera characters.

Ride	Picture	Opened	Manufacturer	Description	Rating
Crazy Bus	Crazy Bus	1998	Zamperla	A bus ride that moves up and down. It was Scooby-Doo's Mystery Machine until 2018.	2
Sprocket Rockets	Sprocket Rockets	1998	Vekoma	A steel roller coaster designed for kids. It was Spacely's Sprocket Rockets until 2018.	2
Yahoo River	Yahoo River	1976	Thiel	A rotating boat water ride. It was Yogi's Yahoo River until 2018.	1

County Fair

County Fair is an original themed area at the back of the park. It's the largest area and is themed like a rural county fair. You'll find many shops, food stalls, and carnival games here.

Ride	Picture	Opened	Manufacturer	Description	Rating
American Eagle	American Eagle	1981	Intamin	A 127-foot tall dual-tracked racing wooden roller coaster. It holds records as the tallest, fastest, and longest racing wooden coaster in the world.	4
Demon	Demon	1976	Arrow Dynamics	A 102-foot tall Arrow Dynamics looping steel roller coaster with four inversions. It was Turn of the Century from 1976 to 1979.	5
Fiddler's Fling	Fiddler's Fling	1976	Anton Schwarzkopf	A Calypso ride model with intense spins.	3
Goliath	Goliath	2014	Rocky Mountain Construction	A 165-foot tall wooden roller coaster. With a 180-foot tall drop, it has two inversions and is the longest and fastest wooden roller coaster in the world.	5
Great America Scenic Railway	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	Sky Striker	2024	Zamperla	A 172-foot tall pendulum ride, reaching speeds of 75 mph.	5
X-Flight	X-Flight	2012	Bolliger & Mabillard	A 120-foot tall Wing Coaster. Riders sit on either side of the track, experiencing five inversions.	5
Wrath of Rakshasa	Wrath of Rakshasa	2025	Bolliger & Mabillard	A 180-foot 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. It opened in 2007 as Wiggles World, but the Wiggles theme was removed after 2010.

Ride	Opened	Manufacturer	Description	Rating
Bouncer	2007	Zamperla	This ride shoots riders into the air and bounces them up and down. It was Bouncin' With Wags until 2010.	2
Krazy Kars	2007	Zamperla	A controlled car ride that follows a track, like a road trip. It was Krazy Kars until 2010.	2
Krazy Kups	2007	Zamperla	A small kids' teacups ride. It was Dorothy's Rosy Tea until 2010.	2
Up, Up & Away	2007	Zamperla	Riders go up in fruit-themed cars. It was Yummy Yummy Fruit Salad until 2010.	2
ZoomJets	2007	Zamperla	A controlled flying plane attraction. It was Big Red Planes until 2010.	2

Metropolis Plaza

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

Ride	Picture	Opened	Manufacturer	Description	Rating
Justice League: Battle for Metropolis	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 like an old Wild West town and opened in 1996. It connects to Hometown Square and County Fair.

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

Hometown Square

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

Ride	Picture	Opened	Manufacturer	Description	Rating
Great America Scenic Railway	Great America Scenic Railway Station	1976	Custom Fabricators, Inc.	A 3 ft (914 mm) narrow-gauge railway scenic train ride that loops around the park.	1
Hometown Fun Machine	Hometown Fun Machine	1976	Eli Bridge	A spinning scrambler ride. It was Saskatchewan Scrambler from 1976 to 1977.	3
Triple Play		1976	HUSS Rides	A Troika spinning ride with three arms.	3
Whizzer	Whizzer	1976	Anton Schwarzkopf	A 70-foot tall Speedracer steel family roller coaster.	3
The Lobster	The Lobster	1976	Anton Schwarzkopf	A Monster III model ride where cars spin and go up on an arm. It was East River Crawler from 1992 to 2017.	2

Hometown Park

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

Ride	Opened	Manufacturer	Description	Rating
Lady Bugs	2015	S.B Ramagosa	A ladybug car ride that goes around.	1
Red Baron	2015	Chance	A controlled flying plane ride.	1
Tot's Livery	2015	Hampton	A carriage ride that goes around.	1

Hurricane Harbor Chicago

Six Flags Hurricane Harbor Chicago is a 20-acre water park that opened in 2005. It features 25 water slides. This water park is part of the Six Flags Hurricane Harbor chain. Since 2021, it has been a separate park from the theme park.

Fast Lane

Fast Lane is a special system that helps visitors get on popular rides faster. Guests buy Fast Lane wristbands to use a separate, shorter line. This system will be introduced at the park in 2026.

Fast Lane will be available on 20 rides when it starts in 2026 at Six Flags Great America.

Annual Events

Fright Fest

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

Kids Boo Fest, a family-friendly Halloween event, also takes place during the day. It runs until dusk, when Fright Fest begins. Many rides get special themes for the event. For example, the Chubasco teacup ride becomes Terror Twister 2, with a special enclosed building 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 when classic Halloween characters appear. The Uprising is performed at dusk, showing monsters rising as the park transitions to Fright Fest.

Park Attendance

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

Year	Attendance (in millions)	North America Rank	Ref.
2006	2.62	19th
2007	2.63	20th
2008	2.67	20th
2009	2.50	20th
2010	2.70	20th
2016	2.95	20th
2017	3.04	20th
2018	3.11	20th
2019	3.17	20th
2020	0	20th
2021	2.68	20th
2022	2.54	20th
2023	2.90	19th
2024	3.04	19th

Records and Awards

Park Records

When the park opened in 1976, its Columbia Carousel became the second-tallest carousel in the world at 100 feet tall.

American Eagle was one of the park's first record-breaking roller coasters. It opened in 1981 as the tallest, fastest, and longest wooden racing roller coaster in the world. It is 127 feet tall, reaches speeds of 66 mph, and each side is 4,650 feet long. American Eagle still holds these records.

The roller coaster Shockwave, which operated from 1988 to 2002, broke several records when it opened. It was the tallest, fastest, and most inverted steel roller coaster in the world at that time.

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

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 in the world. As of 2025, it still holds the records for longest drop and fastest speed.

In 2019, Maxx Force opened with three world records. It has the fastest acceleration in North America (0 to 78 mph in 1.8 seconds). It also has the fastest inversion (heartline roll) in the world at 60 mph and the tallest double inversion in the world at 175 feet.

Wrath of Rakshasa, a B&M Dive Coaster, opened in 2025. 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 makes it the park with the second-highest number of roller coasters in the Midwestern United States.

From 2014 to 2017, Six Flags Great America held a Guinness World Record for having the greatest combined length of wooden roller coaster track in one park. This included American Eagle, Goliath, Little Dipper, and Viper.

Park Awards

Several of Six Flags Great America's roller coasters have won awards from 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)

Three roller coasters at Six Flags Great America have been named a Coaster Landmark by the American Coaster Enthusiasts (ACE). This special status is given to rides that are very important to amusement parks. Six Flags Great America is one of only two parks with three ACE Landmark roller coasters.

• Batman: The Ride received Landmark status on June 20, 2005. It was recognized for being the first inverted roller coaster.
• Whizzer received Landmark status on August 10, 2012. It was honored for the park's care in preserving this classic ride.
• American Eagle received Landmark status on June 16, 2025. It was recognized as Intamin's first wooden roller coaster and for holding its records as the tallest and fastest dual-tracked roller coaster.

ACE also gave Little Dipper the ACE Coaster Classic award. This award goes to historic roller coasters that offer a traditional ride experience.

The International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions (IAAPA) has given the park awards for its entertainment and food. The Fright Fest show Love at First Fright won awards in 2005, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2013, and 2014. The show Show Stoppin' also won an award in 2008. The park's tanghulu was a finalist for an IAAPA award in 2023–2024. Windy City Sports Bar and Grill, a restaurant in Southwest Territory, was a finalist for an award in 2024–2025.

On USA Today's Readers' Choice Awards, Goliath was 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.