Six Flags Great America facts for kids
| Previously known as Marriott's Great America (1976–1984) |
|
Logo used since 2025
|
|
Columbia Carousel and the park's entrance plaza in 2025
|
|
| Location | Gurnee, Illinois, U.S. |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 42°22′03″N 87°56′04″W / 42.36750°N 87.93444°W |
| Status | Operating |
| Public transit | 565, 572 |
| Opened | May 29, 1976 |
| Owner | Six Flags |
| Park president |
|
| Slogan | The Thrill Capital of the Midwest |
| Operating season | April to November |
| Attendance |  3.045 million in 2024 |
| Area | 275 acres (1.11 km2) |
| Attractions | |
| Total | 44 (as of 2026) |
| Roller coasters | 16 |
| Water rides | 3 |
Six Flags Great America is a popular amusement park located in Gurnee, Illinois, United States. It sits between the big cities of Chicago and Milwaukee. The park is owned and run by Six Flags.
This exciting park has 44 different rides and attractions. Among them are 16 thrilling roller coasters. Six Flags Great America is often listed as one of the top 20 most-visited amusement parks in North America. About 3.05 million people visited in 2024. It is the sixth most popular park among all Six Flags locations.
Next to the amusement park is Hurricane Harbor Chicago, a separate water park. Six Flags Great America first opened on May 29, 1976. It was originally called Marriott's Great America. The park was sold to Six Flags in 1984 and has grown a lot since then.
The park covers 275 acres (111 ha) and has 11 themed areas. These areas celebrate American history and feature characters from DC Comics. There are also special areas just for younger kids. The park is open from April to November each year. In the fall, it hosts its yearly Halloween event called Fright Fest. Six Flags Great America has won awards from groups like the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions (IAAPA). It has even appeared in movies like Richie Rich and the web series Run BTS.
Contents
Park History
Building a Great American Park (1972–1976)
In the early 1970s, the Marriott company wanted to build new theme parks. They planned parks named Marriott's Great America. These parks would celebrate American history. Two parks were planned: one in California and one in Illinois. The Illinois park was designed to be almost identical to its sister park in California.
A famous theme park designer named Randall Duell led the design team. He created a special circular path for the park. This path, called the "Duell loop," lets guests easily visit all themed areas. It also keeps employee work areas out of sight. The park had six original themed areas:
- Carousel Plaza: The main entrance area.
- Orleans Place: Like New Orleans in the mid-1800s.
- Yankee Harbor: A 19th-century New England port.
- Yukon Territory: Like a town in the Canadian Yukon.
- Midwest County Fair: Based on a 20th-century rural fair.
- Hometown Square: Modeled after small Midwest towns from the early 1900s.
Marriott chose 600 acres (240 ha) of land in Gurnee, Illinois. This spot was perfect because it was between Chicago and Milwaukee. Construction began on June 14, 1974. It took two years to build the park.
Early Years with Marriott (1976–1984)
The park opened on May 29, 1976. It had three roller coasters: Willard's Whizzer, Turn of the Century, and The Gulf Coaster. Other rides included the Columbia Carousel, which is the second-tallest carousel in the world. The unique Sky Whirl was a triple ferris wheel. Guests could also ride the Delta Flyer and Eagle's Flight gondola rides.
From the start, Looney Tunes characters greeted guests. Each themed area had its own special look and feel. In 1977, the 285-foot-tall (87 m) Sky Trek Tower was added. It offered amazing views of the park and even Lake Michigan. The park's first kids' area, Fort Fun, opened in 1978. Also, the fourth roller coaster, Tidal Wave, was added that year. The Pictorium, a huge IMAX theater, opened in 1979.
In 1980, the Turn of the Century roller coaster was updated. It got two vertical loops and was renamed Demon. The American Eagle, a racing wooden roller coaster, opened in 1981. It was the tallest, fastest, and longest dueling wooden coaster at the time. In 1983, two new rides arrived: The Edge, a freefall ride, and White Water Rampage, a water rapids ride.
Six Flags Takes Over (1984–1990)
In 1984, Marriott sold the park to the Six Flags Corporation. The park was renamed Six Flags Great America. Six Flags also gained the rights to use the Looney Tunes characters at all its parks. After the 1984 season, the gondola rides, Eagle's Flight and Delta's Flyer, were removed.
_1.jpg)
In 1985, Six Flags added Z-Force, a unique roller coaster. The Edge ride was removed in 1986. In 1987, Power Dive, a Looping Starship 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 huge Shockwave roller coaster opened. It was the world's tallest roller coaster at that time. In 1989, a Bobsled roller coaster called Rolling Thunder was added.
Big Expansions in the 1990s
_01.JPG)
Iron Wolf, a steel stand-up roller coaster, opened in 1990. It was the first roller coaster built by the famous company Bolliger & Mabillard. In 1991, Condor was added. The Tidal Wave coaster was moved to another Six Flags park.
The park worked with Bolliger & Mabillard again to build Batman: The Ride. This was the world's first inverted roller coaster. It opened on May 9, 1992, and was very popular. The area around it was re-themed to match the Batman films. In 1993, The Batman Stunt Show debuted. A motion simulator ride, Space Shuttle America, was built in 1994.
In 1995, construction began on a new themed area. Viper, a wooden roller coaster, opened that year. It looks like the famous Coney Island Cyclone. Rolling Thunder was removed to make space for the new area.
The Southwest Territory officially opened in 1996. This new area had an Old West desert theme. Three new rides were added: River Rocker, Chubasco, and Trail Blazer. The amphitheater was renamed the Southwest Territory Amphitheater.
_1.jpg)
Two new thrill rides arrived in 1997. Giant Drop, a 227 feet (69 m) tall drop tower, was added to Southwest Territory. Dare Devil Dive, a Skycoaster ride, opened in the County Fair area.
In 1998, the park expanded its kids' areas. Camp Cartoon Network opened in Yukon Territory with five new rides. The existing Bugs Bunny Land was renamed Looney Tunes National Park.
On October 21, 1998, the park announced Raging Bull. This huge hyper-twister roller coaster opened in Southwest Territory in 1999. It was the park's most expensive roller coaster at US$25 million. Built by Bolliger & Mabillard, it was 202-foot-high (62 m) and reached speeds of 73 mph (117 km/h).
New Areas and Water Park (2000s)
The park celebrated its 25th season in 2000 with new shows and parades. The Sky Whirl and Hay Baler rides closed that year. In 2000, two guests were injured on the Cajun Cliffhanger ride, which led to its removal.
In 2001, two new roller coasters opened. Vertical Velocity (V2), an impulse coaster, opened in Yankee Harbor. Déjà Vu, a Giant Inverted Boomerang ride, replaced Sky Whirl and Hay Baler. In 2002, plans to remove Whizzer were canceled after many guests expressed their disappointment. Instead, Shockwave was removed.
In 2003, Superman: Ultimate Flight opened in Orleans Place. This was the Midwest's second flying roller coaster. The ride's layout is similar to other Superman coasters at Six Flags parks.
Mardi Gras, a new themed area, opened in 2004. It was built where Power Dive and Cajun Cliffhanger once stood. This area brought a spinning wild mouse coaster called Ragin' Cajun. It also added King Chaos, Jester's Wild Ride, and Big Easy Balloons. The Ameri-Go-Round carousel was replaced by Revolution, a thrill ride. Batman: The Ride was repainted with a new yellow and purple color scheme.
On September 17, 2004, the park announced a big expansion. The Six Flags Hurricane Harbor water park opened on May 28, 2005. It featured 25 water slides, a large wave pool, and interactive water play areas. At first, admission to the water park was included with a theme park ticket.
In 2007, Wiggles World, a new children's area themed after The Wiggles, opened. It had five new rides. The park also introduced a new stunt show, Operation SpyGirl.
Great America added The Dark Knight Coaster in 2008. This indoor wild mouse roller coaster is themed after the movie and features Batman and The Joker. Splashwater Falls was removed in 2008. In 2009, Six Flags replaced Déjà Vu with Buccaneer Battle, a pirate-themed boat ride.
Record-Breaking Coasters (2010s)
_1.jpg)
Six Flags Great America brought in a historic kids' wooden roller coaster called Little Dipper in 2010. It used to be at Kiddieland Amusement Park. The Wiggles World area had its theme removed in 2011.
On September 1, 2011, the park announced X-Flight, a B&M Wing Coaster. It was the first Wing Coaster announced for North America. The park's stand-up roller coaster, Iron Wolf, closed on September 5 and was moved to another Six Flags park. X-Flight opened on May 16, 2012. A new nighttime show, IgNight – Grand Finale, debuted in 2013.
.jpg)
Goliath, a Rocky Mountain Construction wooden roller coaster, was announced on August 29, 2013. It was built on the former site of Iron Wolf. Goliath opened on June 19, 2014. It was announced as the steepest, longest, and fastest wooden roller coaster in the world. In 2015, the park celebrated its 40th season. Three classic kids' rides returned in a new section called Hometown Park.
An interactive dark ride called Justice League: Battle for Metropolis opened on May 28, 2016. It replaced the Southwest Territory Amphitheatre. The Orbit, an original park ride, closed on August 6. The Joker, an S&S 4D Free Spin roller coaster, opened in the Yankee Harbor area in 2017. To make room, East River Crawler was moved and renamed The Lobster. Jester's Wild Ride closed permanently.
Virtual reality headsets were added to the Giant Drop ride in 2017 for a special experience called Drop of Doom. King Chaos closed on August 26, 2017. A new Larson Fire Ball attraction replaced King Chaos in 2018.
On April 11, 2018, the park announced the Holiday in the Park event. This extended the park's season into December with holiday lights and shows. The park's Pictorium IMAX theater was removed for future plans. An S&S air-launched roller coaster named Maxx Force debuted in 2019. It replaced the Pictorium. Maxx Force opened on July 4, 2019.
Recent Changes (2020s)
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the amusement park did not open in 2020. However, a modified version of its holiday event, Holiday in the Park Lights, debuted in November 2020 without rides operating.
In 2021, the adjacent water park became a separately ticketed park and was renamed Hurricane Harbor Chicago. The amusement park reopened in late April 2021.
In early 2022, John Krajnak became the new park president. On March 24, 2022, DC Universe, a DC Comics themed area, was announced. 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. Yankee Clipper was re-themed to Aquaman Splashdown. The area opened in May 2022. The Holiday in the Park event was removed from the park's schedule in 2022.
Throughout 2023, several rides were removed. Dare Devil Dive and Buccaneer Battle were removed for future expansion. Sky Striker, a Zamperla Discovery pendulum ride, was announced on August 30, 2023. It opened in 2024 on the former Dare Devil Dive spot. Revolution closed permanently on October 29, 2023.
In April 2024, the park built a new entrance plaza. Sky Striker opened to the public in mid-June 2024. A B&M Dive Coaster named Wrath of Rakshasa was announced on August 15, 2024. It replaced the Buccaneer Battle water ride. Wrath of Rakshasa debuted on May 31, 2025. It became the park's 16th roller coaster.
In early November 2024, Six Flags announced new investments for the 2026 season. These included a new kids' area, 50th-anniversary celebrations, and park improvements. In February 2026, the Camp Cartoon kids' area was removed. Two of its rides, Crazy Bus and Yahoo River, were taken apart. However, the Sprocket Rockets roller coaster remained.
Park Location
.jpg)
Six Flags Great America is in Gurnee, Illinois, U.S. This village is in Lake County, Illinois. The park is about 45 miles (72 km) north of Chicago and 50 miles (80 km) south of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. It is also close to the Gurnee Mills shopping center.
The park is right next to the Interstate 94 highway. You can also reach it by Pace bus routes 565 and 572. The entire property, including Hurricane Harbor Chicago, covers 305 acres (123 ha).
Park Layout and Rides
Six Flags Great America uses a circular design called a "Duell loop." This layout helps guests easily explore all the themed areas. It also keeps staff and maintenance areas hidden. The Southwest Territory and Metropolis Plaza areas are outside this main loop. As of 2026, the park has 11 themed areas and 16 roller coasters.
- Great America Scenic Railway — A narrow-gauge railway with stations in Hometown Square and County Fair.
Carousel Plaza
.jpg)
Carousel Plaza is the main entrance area of the park. It features the famous Columbia Carousel. You can also find shops and food here.
- Columbia Carousel — A 100-foot (30 m) double-decker carousel, opened in 1976.
- Sky Trek Tower — A 330-foot (100 m) observation tower with great views, opened in 1977.
- Maxx Force — An air-launched roller coaster with five inversions. It opened in 2019.
Orleans Place
Orleans Place is themed like New Orleans in the late 1800s. It opened as an original area in 1976. Part of it became the Mardi Gras area in 2004.
Rue Le Dodge is the only original ride from 1976 still in this area.
- Condor — A Condor spinning aerial ride, opened in 1991.
- Rue Le Dodge — A bumper cars attraction, opened in 1976. It has the world's largest bumper car floor.
- Superman: Ultimate Flight — A flying roller coaster themed to Superman, opened in 2004.
- The Dark Knight Coaster — An indoor wild mouse roller coaster. It is themed to the 2008 film The Dark Knight and opened in 2008.
Mardi Gras
Mardi Gras is one of the park's newer themed areas. It opened in 2004. The area celebrates the carnival celebration in New Orleans.
- Big Easy Balloons — A twirling balloon attraction, opened in 2004.
- Roaring Rapids — A river rapids ride, opened in 1983.
DC Universe
DC Universe is the park's area themed to DC Comics superheroes and villains. It was originally Yankee Harbor, which opened in 1976. It was re-themed to DC Universe in 2022.
This area has three roller coasters: Batman: The Ride, The Flash: Vertical Velocity, and The Joker.
- Aquaman Splashdown — A log flume themed to Aquaman. It connects with Logger's Run and opened in 1976. It was formerly named Yankee Clipper.
- Batman: The Ride — An inverted roller coaster themed to Batman. It was the first of its kind when it opened in 1992.
- DC Super-Villains Swing — A swing ride themed to DC Comics villains. It was formerly named Whirligig and opened in 1976.
- The Flash: Vertical Velocity — An Impulse roller coaster themed to The Flash. It was formerly named Vertical Velocity and opened in 2001.
- The Joker — A 4D Free Spin roller coaster themed to the Joker, opened in 2017.
Yukon Territory
.jpg)
Yukon Territory is themed like the forests and mountains of northwest Canada. It includes references to logging and gold panning. Many original buildings are now closed.
- Little Dipper — A historic kids' wooden roller coaster. It was moved from Kiddieland and opened at Six Flags Great America in 2009.
- Logger's Run — A log flume ride that connects with Aquaman Splashdown, opened in 1976.
Camp Cartoon
Camp Cartoon is a children's area inside Yukon Territory. It originally opened as Camp Cartoon Network in 1998. Now, it mainly features the Sprocket Rockets roller coaster.
- Sprocket Rockets — A kids' roller coaster. It was formerly named Spacely's Sprocket Rockets and opened in 1996.
County Fair
County Fair is an original themed area at the back of the park. It is the largest area and is themed like a rural county fair. It has many shops, food stalls, and carnival games.
- American Eagle — A dual-tracked, racing wooden roller coaster. It is the tallest, fastest, and longest of its kind. It opened in 1981.
- Demon — A 100-foot (30 m) tall looping roller coaster themed to a demon. It was formerly named Turn of the Century and opened in 1976.
- Fiddler's Fling — A fast spinning ride.
- Goliath — A wooden roller coaster with two inversions. It is currently the tallest and fastest wooden coaster. It opened in 2014.
- Sky Striker — A 172-foot (52 m) tall pendulum ride, opened in 2024.
- X-Flight — A wing coaster with five inversions, opened in 2012.
- Wrath of Rakshasa — A 180-foot (55 m) tall Dive Coaster. It is the steepest of its kind and opened in 2025.
Kidzopolis
Kidzopolis is a children's area within County Fair. It is near the American Eagle entrance. This area opened in 2007 as Wiggles World. The Wiggles theme was removed after 2010.
- Bouncer — A small drop tower. It was formerly named Bouncin' With Wags and opened in 2007.
- Krazy Kars — A controlled car ride, opened in 2007.
- Krazy Kups — A small teacups ride. It was formerly named Dorothy's Rosy Tea Cups and opened in 2007.
- Up, Up, & Away — An aerial ride. It was formerly named Yummy Yummy Fruit Salad and opened in 2007.
- ZoomJets — A plane ride. It was formerly named Big Red Planes and opened in 2007.
Metropolis Plaza
Metropolis Plaza is the smallest themed area. It is based on the Metropolis city from DC Comics. It replaced the Southwest Amphitheater in 2016 and has one ride.
- Justice League: Battle for Metropolis — An indoor DC Comics-themed dark ride, opened in 2016.
Southwest Territory
Southwest Territory is themed like an old Wild West town. It opened in 1996. This area connects to Hometown Square and County Fair. It was also the entrance to the Hurricane Harbor water park before it became a separate park.
- Chubasco — An indoor teacups ride, opened in 1996.
- Giant Drop — A 227-foot (69 m) tall drop tower, opened in 1997.
- Raging Bull — A hypercoaster with many airtime hills, opened in 1999.
- Ricochet — A swinging ride. It was formerly named Big Top and opened in 1977.
- River Rocker — A pirate ship ride, opened in 1996.
- Viper — A wooden coaster that mirrors the Coney Island Cyclone, opened in 1995.
Hometown Square
Hometown Square is one of the park's original areas. It looks like a small Midwestern town from the early 1900s. Guests can find shops, stalls, and classic carnival-style rides here.
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.
- Hometown Fun Machine — A spinning scrambler ride. It was formerly named Saskatchewan Scrambler and opened in 1976.
- The Lobster — A spinning ride. It was formerly named East River Crawler and opened in 1976.
- Triple Play — A Troika ride, opened in 1976.
- Whizzer — A Speedracer family coaster, the last of its kind, opened in 1976.
Hometown Park
Hometown Park is a kids' area within Hometown Square. This section existed from 1976 until 2001. In 2015, three original rides returned as part of the park's 40th-season celebration.
- Lady Bugs — A carousel-type lady bug ride, opened in 2015.
- Red Baron — A plane ride, opened in 2015.
- Tot's Livery — A carousel-type carriage ride, opened in 2015.
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. Since 2021, it has been a separate park from the theme park.
Fast Lane
Fast Lane is a special system that helps guests wait less for popular rides. It has two levels: Reserve and Ultimate. This system either holds your spot in line virtually or greatly reduces your wait time. Fast Lane was introduced at the park in 2026. It is expected to offer access to 20 rides.
Yearly Events
Fright Fest
Fright Fest is a yearly Halloween-themed event. It started in 1991. It takes place on weekends in September and October, and sometimes in November. The park is decorated with "Scare Zones." These areas have haunted houses (which cost extra) and scare actors. There are also live shows and re-themed rides. Kids Boo Fest, a family-friendly Halloween event, also happens during the day.
Many rides get special themes for Fright Fest. 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. The Uprising show happens at dusk. It marks the change from Kids Boo Fest to Fright Fest.
Park Visitors
Six Flags Great America is a successful park within the Six Flags company. In 2013, the park welcomed its 100 millionth guest. Six Flags Great America does not share its exact visitor 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 | |
| 2011–2015 | No data | <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. It stands 100 feet (30 m) tall. Its sister carousel in California is the tallest at 101 feet (31 m).
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.
_2002_1_(cropped).jpg)
The former roller coaster Shockwave opened in 1988. It broke records as the tallest, fastest, and most inverted steel roller coaster in the world. It was 170 feet (52 m) tall and reached 65 miles per hour (105 km/h) with seven inversions.
Batman: The Ride opened in 1992. It was the world's first inverted roller coaster. This means the trains hang below the track. It was built by Bolliger & Mabillard.
.jpg)
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. It still holds the records for longest drop and fastest wooden roller coaster.
In 2019, Maxx Force opened with three world records. It has the fastest acceleration in North America, going from 0 to 78 miles per hour (126 km/h) in 1.8 seconds. It also has the fastest inversion in the world and the tallest double inversion.
Wrath of Rakshasa, a B&M Dive Coaster, opened in 2025. It is the steepest dive coaster at 96 degrees. It also has the most inversions on a dive coaster with five. With Wrath of Rakshasa, the park now has 16 roller coasters. This is the second-highest number in a single park in the Midwestern United States.
From 2014 to 2017, Six Flags Great America held a Guinness World Record. It had the greatest combined length of wooden roller coaster track in one park. This included American Eagle, Goliath, Little Dipper, and Viper.
Park Awards
Several roller coasters at Six Flags Great America have won awards. They have appeared on Amusement Today's yearly Golden Ticket Awards. Here are some top rankings:
- Steel Coasters
- Raging Bull: 9th (2005)
- Batman: The Ride: 23rd (1998)
- Superman: Ultimate Flight: 35th (2004)
- Whizzer: 40th (2013)
- X-Flight: 45th (2013)
- Wooden Coasters
- Goliath: 13th (2016)
- Viper: 19th (1999)
_1976.jpg)
Three roller coasters at Six Flags Great America have been named Coaster Landmarks by the American Coaster Enthusiasts (ACE). This award is for important amusement park rides.
- Batman: The Ride received Landmark status in 2005. It was recognized as the first inverted roller coaster.
- Whizzer received Landmark status in 2012. This was for the park's efforts to keep the ride in great condition.
- American Eagle received Landmark status in 2025. It was honored for being Intamin's first wooden roller coaster and for holding its records.
ACE also gave Little Dipper the ACE Coaster Classic award. This award is for 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 shows and food. The Fright Fest show Love at First Fright won several IAAPA Big E! Awards. 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 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.
