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, located near the park's entrance, pictured in 2025
Location	Gurnee, Illinois, U.S.
Coordinates	42°22′03″N 87°56′04″W / 42.36750°N 87.93444°W / 42.36750; -87.93444
Status	Operating
Public transit	Pace 284, 565, 572
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 amusement park located in Gurnee, Illinois, USA. It's 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! There's also a cool water park next door called Hurricane Harbor Chicago. Many people love visiting Six Flags Great America. It's often one of the top 20 most-visited amusement parks in North America, with about 3.04 million visitors in 2024.

The park first opened on May 29, 1976, and was called Marriott's Great America. It was one of two parks built by the Marriott company, celebrating American history and culture. In 1984, Six Flags bought the park and changed its name to Six Flags Great America. Since then, the park has grown a lot, adding many new rides and themed areas.

Six Flags Great America covers about 273 acres and has 12 different themed sections. These areas celebrate American history and even feature characters from DC Comics. The park is open every year from April to November. In the fall, it hosts a special Halloween event called Fright Fest. The park has won awards from groups like the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions (IAAPA). You might have even seen it in movies like Richie Rich or the web series Run BTS!

History of Six Flags Great America

Early Days: Building a Dream Park

In the early 1970s, the Marriott company wanted to build amazing theme parks across the country. They planned to call them Marriott's Great America, celebrating American history. Two parks were built: one in California and one in Illinois. A famous park designer named Randall Duell helped create both parks. He made sure they had a special "Duell loop" layout. This circular path helped guests explore all the themed areas easily.

The park in Illinois was built on 600 acres of land in Gurnee, Illinois. This spot was perfect because it was close to major highways and equally distant from Chicago and Milwaukee. Construction began on June 14, 1974, and took two years to complete.

Marriott's Great America: The First Years (1976-1984)

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

Marriott's Great America officially opened its doors on May 29, 1976. It had three exciting roller coasters: Willard's Whizzer, Turn of the Century, and The Gulf Coaster. The park also featured the huge, double-decker Columbia Carousel, which is the second-tallest carousel in the world! Another unique ride was the Sky Whirl, a giant triple ferris wheel.

The park used popular Looney Tunes characters, like Bugs Bunny, to entertain guests. In 1977, the tall Sky Trek Tower was added, giving amazing views of the park and even Lake Michigan. More rides were added over the years, including the park's first kids' area, Fort Fun, in 1978. The Turn of the Century roller coaster was updated in 1980, adding two loops and becoming the thrilling Demon. In 1981, the American Eagle, a massive racing wooden roller coaster, opened. It was the tallest, fastest, and longest dueling wooden coaster at the time.

Six Flags Takes Over (1984-1990)

In 1984, Six Flags bought the Gurnee park from Marriott. The park was then renamed Six Flags Great America. This purchase also meant Six Flags could use the beloved Looney Tunes characters at all their parks!

After Six Flags took over, new rides continued to arrive. In 1985, Z-Force, a unique roller coaster, was added. The park also welcomed Shockwave in 1988, which was a huge roller coaster with many loops. At the time, Shockwave was the world's tallest roller coaster! In 1989, a Bobsled roller coaster called Rolling Thunder joined the fun.

Exciting New Rides in the 1990s

Iron Wolf was the first roller coaster made by Bolliger & Mabillard (B&M). It was 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.

The 1990s brought many new and exciting rides to Six Flags Great America. In 1990, Iron Wolf, a steel stand-up roller coaster, opened. It was special because it was the very first roller coaster built by the famous company Bolliger & Mabillard.

A huge milestone happened in 1992 with the opening of Batman: The Ride. This was the world's first inverted roller coaster, where your feet dangle below the track! It was a massive hit. The area around it was even re-themed to match the Batman films. In 1994, the Space Shuttle America, a motion simulator ride, was built.

In 1995, the park started building a new themed area. The first ride for this area was Viper, a wooden roller coaster that looks just like the famous Coney Island Cyclone. The new area, called Southwest Territory, officially opened in 1996. It had a cool desert theme, like the Old West, and added rides like River Rocker and Chubasco.

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

More thrills arrived in 1997 with Giant Drop, a towering 227 feet (69 m) tall drop ride. It was themed like an ore excavator in a fictional mine. The park also expanded its kids' areas in 1998. A new section called Camp Cartoon Network opened, and the existing Bugs Bunny Land became Looney Tunes National Park.

The lift and drop of Raging Bull.

The biggest roller coaster investment for the park, Raging Bull, opened in 1999. This massive hyper-twister roller coaster was 202 feet (62 m) tall and reached speeds of 73 miles per hour (117 km/h)!

New Millennium: Water Park and More (2000s)

The twisted spike of Vertical Velocity.

The park celebrated its 25th anniversary in 2000 with new shows and parades. In 2001, two exciting new coasters arrived: Vertical Velocity (V²), a super-fast impulse coaster, and Déjà Vu, a unique boomerang coaster.

In 2003, Superman: Ultimate Flight, a thrilling flying roller coaster, opened in Orleans Place. Riders lie face down, making them feel like they are flying! The park also added a new themed area called Mardi Gras 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.

A huge addition came in 2005 with the opening of Six Flags Hurricane Harbor. This was a brand-new water park right next to the theme park, featuring 25 water slides and a giant wave pool!

In 2007, a third children's area called Wiggles World opened, themed after The Wiggles. In 2008, The Dark Knight Coaster, an indoor wild mouse roller coaster themed to the Batman film, opened in Orleans Place. In 2009, Buccaneer Battle, a pirate-themed boat ride, replaced Déjà Vu.

Record-Breaking Rides and New Experiences (2010s)

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 a different park. The water park expanded in 2011 with the new Riptide Bay area.

On September 1, 2011, the park announced X-Flight, a Wing Coaster where riders sit on either side of the track, making it feel like flying! It was the first Wing Coaster in North America and opened in 2012.

Main climb of Goliath

Goliath, a record-breaking wooden roller coaster, was announced in 2013 and opened in 2014. It was 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 in a new area called Hometown Park.

In 2016, Justice League: Battle for Metropolis, an interactive 2D dark ride based on the Justice League, opened. The Joker, an S&S 4D Free Spin roller coaster, opened in 2017, where seats flip as the train goes over hills.

An overview of Maxx Force

In 2018, the park also started its first Holiday in the Park event, extending the season into December with festive lights and shows. The Pictorium IMAX theater was removed for future plans. In 2019, Maxx Force, an incredibly fast air-launched roller coaster, opened. It holds records for the fastest acceleration in North America and the fastest inversion in the world!

Recent Years: Changes and New Thrills (2020s)

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 2020, the theme park remained closed due to the global pandemic, but a special Holiday in the Park Lights event took place without rides. In 2021, the water park became a separate park called Hurricane Harbor Chicago. The main amusement park reopened in April 2021 with new safety guidelines.

In 2022, a new DC Universe area opened, featuring new paint, wider paths, and re-themed rides. For example, Vertical Velocity became The Flash: Vertical Velocity with a cool red color. The Holiday in the Park event was removed in 2022, shortening the park's operating season.

In 2023, several rides including Dare Devil Dive, Buccaneer Battle, and Revolution were removed from the park. Sky Striker, a thrilling pendulum ride, was announced and opened in mid-June 2024.

In April 2024, the park built a new entrance building. A new B&M Dive Coaster called Wrath of Rakshasa was announced in August 2024. It opened on May 31, 2025, becoming the park's 16th roller coaster! It is the steepest dive coaster and has the most inversions on a dive coaster. The park also announced plans for a new kids' area and 50th-anniversary celebrations for the 2026 season.

Geographic Location of the Park

An aerial view of the park in 2024 from the Sky Trek Tower.

Six Flags Great America is located in Gurnee, Illinois, a village in Lake County, Illinois. The park is perfectly placed between two big cities: about 45 miles north of Chicago, Illinois, and 50 miles south of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The theme park and water park together cover 303 acres of land.

The park is right next to the Interstate 94 highway, making it easy to reach. It's also about 3 miles south of the Gurnee Mills shopping center. You can even get to the park using the Pace bus system on routes 284, 565, and 572.

Park Areas and Attractions

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		1976	Chance Rides	A 100-foot (30 m) tall double-decker carousel. It is the second-tallest carousel in the world.	1
Maxx Force		2019	S&S – Sansei Technologies	An air-launched steel roller coaster, featuring five inversions. It is the fastest accelerating roller coaster, going 0 to 78 miles per hour (126 km/h) in 1.8 seconds.	5
Sky Trek Tower		1977	Intamin	A 330-foot (100 m) tall observation tower, providing views of both the park and surrounding areas, including the Chicago skyline. Sky Trek Tower is the tallest free-standing structure in Lake County, Illinois.	2

Orleans Place

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

Ride	Picture	Opened	Manufacturer	Description	Rating
Condor		1991	HUSS Rides	A spinning aerial Condor model ride, rotating riders and alternating rotation speeds.	3
Rue Le Dodge		1976	Soli	A bumper cars attraction. The ride has 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 lay facing the ground, featuring two inversions and multiple twists and turns.	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. It opened in 2004 and is inspired by the famous Mardi Gras celebration in New Orleans.

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 original Yankee Harbor area.

Ride	Picture	Opened	Manufacturer	Description	Rating
Aquaman Splashdown		1976	Arrow Dynamics	A hydroflume model water ride. The ride's track interlink with Logger's Run. It was formerly named Yankee Clipper from 1976 to 2022.	2
Batman: The Ride		1992	Bolliger & Mabillard	A 100-foot (30 m) tall inverted roller coaster, in which trains are beneath the track, with five inversions. It is the first inverted roller coaster in the world.	5
DC Super-Villains Swing		1976	Zierer	A swing ride. The ride was formerly named Whirligig from 1976 to 2022.	2
The Flash: Vertical Velocity		2001	Intamin	A 185-foot (56 m) tall steel inverted and launched roller coaster, which launches riders from 0 to 70 miles per hour (110 km/h) in 4 seconds. Originally operated as Vertical Velocity from 2001 to 2021.	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 a themed area based on the forests and mountains of northwest Canada. It features references to logging, prospecting, and the Klondike Gold Rush.

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

Camp Cartoon

Camp Cartoon is a kids' area located within Yukon Territory. It was known as Camp Cartoon Network when it first opened in 1998.

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

County Fair

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

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 Arrow Dynamics looping steel roller coaster, featuring four inversions. It originally operated as Turn of the Century from 1976 to 1979.	5
Fiddler's Fling		1976	Anton Schwarzkopf	A Calypso ride model, featuring 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, the ride 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 transportation ride which 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
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 features the most inversions on a dive coaster.	5
X-Flight		2012	Bolliger & Mabillard	A 120-foot (37 m) tall wing coaster, where riders sit on either side of the ride's track, featuring five inversions.	5

Kidzopolis

Kidzopolis is a children's area located within County Fair, near the American Eagle entrance. It was originally known as Wiggles World and opened in 2007.

Metropolis Plaza

Metropolis Plaza is the smallest themed area of the park, 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		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. This area connects to Hometown Square and County Fair.

Ride	Picture	Opened	Manufacturer	Description	Rating
Chubasco		1996	Zamperla	An indoor teacups attraction, located within 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, behind Sky Trek Tower.	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 originally operated as Big Top from 1977 to 1995.	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 in-house 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. It's themed like a small Midwestern town from the early 1900s. Guests can explore many shops and classic carnival-style rides here.

Ride	Picture	Opened	Manufacturer	Description	Rating
Great America Scenic Railway		1976	Custom Fabricators, Inc.	A 3 ft (914 mm) narrow-gauge railway scenic transportation ride which loops around the park.	1
Hometown Fun Machine		1976	Eli Bridge	A spinning scrambler ride. It was formerly named Saskatchewan Scrambler from 1976 to 1977.	3
Triple Play		1976	HUSS Rides	A Troika spinning ride, where the ride has 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, where cars spin and go up, attached to an arm. It was named East River Crawler from 1992 to 2017.	2

Hometown Park

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

Hurricane Harbor Chicago

Six Flags Hurricane Harbor Chicago is a 20-acre (8.1 ha) water park that opened in 2005, featuring 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 Pass

Fast Lane is a special system that lets you wait less in line for the park's most popular rides. You can buy a Fast Lane wristband to use a separate, shorter line, skipping the regular wait. This system was introduced at the park in 2026, replacing the old Flash Pass system. Fast Lane is expected to work on 20 rides at Six Flags Great America.

Annual Events at the Park

Fright Fest

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

Fright Fest is a yearly Halloween-themed event that started in 1991. It happens on weekends in September and October, sometimes extending into November. The park gets decorated with different "Scare Zones," haunted houses (which cost extra), scary characters, live shows, and re-themed rides. Kids Boo Fest, a family-friendly Halloween event, also started in 2022. It runs from when the park opens until dusk, and then Fright Fest begins.

Many rides get special Halloween themes during this event. For example, the Chubasco teacup ride turns into Terror Twister 2: A Turn for the Worse. Its building is enclosed, and special lights and music are added for a spooky experience.

Fright Fest also has live shows. One of the longest-running shows is Love at First Fright, which tells the story of a couple in a cemetery when classic Halloween characters appear. This show has been running since 1991 and changes a bit each year to include new pop culture references. The Uprising is another show performed at dusk, where guests see undead monsters rise, marking the start of Fright Fest.

Park Attendance

Six Flags Great America is a very popular park within the Six Flags company. In 2013, the park welcomed its 100 millionth guest! While Six Flags Great America doesn't usually share its exact visitor numbers, the Themed Entertainment Association (TEA) estimates how many people visit each year.

Records and Awards

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, standing 100 feet (30 m) tall. Its sister carousel in California is the tallest, at 101 feet (31 m).

One of the park's first record-breaking roller coasters was American Eagle, which opened in 1981. It was the tallest, fastest, and longest wooden racing roller coaster in the world. American Eagle still holds these records today!

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 and is no longer at the park, broke several records. It was the tallest, fastest, and had the most inversions of any 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 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. 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 the 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. It is the steepest dive coaster model at 96 degrees and has the most inversions on a dive coaster model with five inversions. With Wrath of Rakshasa, the park now has 16 roller coasters, making it the second-highest number of roller coasters in a single park in the Midwestern United States.

Park Awards

Many of Six Flags Great America's roller coasters have won awards from Amusement Today at their annual Golden Ticket Awards. Here are some of the highest rankings for the park's coasters:

• 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.

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 in amusement park history. Six Flags Great America is one of only two parks with three ACE Landmark roller coasters!

• Batman: The Ride became a Landmark on June 20, 2005, because it was the first inverted roller coaster ever built.
• Whizzer received Landmark status on August 10, 2012, for how well the park has kept this classic ride.
• American Eagle became a Landmark on June 16, 2025. It was recognized for being Intamin's first wooden roller coaster and for still holding its records as the tallest and fastest dual-tracked roller coaster.

ACE also gave the Little Dipper the ACE Coaster Classic award. This award goes to historic roller coasters that offer a ride experience similar to those from the early 1900s.

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 the IAAPA Big E! Award multiple times. The park's tanghulu (a sweet treat) was a finalist for an IAAPA Honors Award in 2023–2024.

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.

Images for kids

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  Sky Trek Tower was added in 1977.

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  The American Eagle was added in 1981.

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

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