Six Flags Great America
Encyclopedia
Six Flags Great America is a Six Flags
theme park in the Chicago metropolitan area, located in Gurnee, Illinois
. It first opened in 1976 as Marriott's Great America. Six Flags
purchased the park from the Marriott Corporation in 1984, making it the seventh park in the chain. As of 2011, the park has eight themed sections, a 16 acres (64,749.8 m²) water park
, two specially themed children's areas, and various other forms of entertainment.
in Santa Clara
around the same time). The park was an immediate success due in part to its Americana
themes and grand opening during the American Bicentennial. It originally consisted of six themed areas: Carousel Plaza, the first section beyond the main gates; small-town-themed Hometown Square; The Great Midwest Livestock Exposition At County Fair with its Turn of the Century rural-fair theme; Yankee Harbor, inspired by a 19th century New England
port; Yukon Territory, resembling a Canadian
/Alaska
n logging
camp; and the French Quarter
-modeled Orleans Place. A seventh area, The Great Southwest, was planned but was not built until 1996, when it opened as Southwest Territory.
Each themed area had its own staff costumes, and the design of buildings, shops, and restaurants were also all unique to each theme. For example, the Klondike Cafe in Yukon Territory served beef dishes in large pans like those used for panning for gold
.
From the beginning, the park made use of the Looney Tunes
characters as costumed figures to interact with the park attendees, a tradition that continues since Time Warner took over maximum ownership of the park in the 1990s.
Originally the park included three roller coasters: Willard's Whizzer, now known as Whizzer
, the Turn of the Century, now rethemed and renamed Demon
, and the Gulf Coaster
, with the Tidal Wave, (replaced in 1992 by Batman: The Ride
) being added two years later. The Gulf Coaster lasted only one season, due to a small fire and its unpopularity. (Willard's Whizzer, named for Marriott executive J. Willard Marriott, was later renamed "The Whizzer.") The park's other signature attractions were the elaborate double-decker Columbia Carousel
; the Sky Whirl
, a unique, 110 feet (33.5 m)-tall "triple Ferris wheel
" custom designed for Marriott and visible from the adjacent Tri-State Tollway
as well as from miles away; and the two one-way gondola
sky car rides, Delta Flyer and Eagle's Flight. Eagle's Flight was a very commercially successful ride and was considered a top 10 ride by Roller Coaster Weekly magazine.. Since the removal of the Sky Whirl in 2001, Six Flags Great America has continued to operate without a Ferris wheel.
An original 1976 Marriott's Great America ride, the Orleans Orbit, still spins today at the park. While resembling a Ferris wheel
, it delivers a far different ride experience. The entire wheel rests flat, just above ground level, to allow simultaneous loading and unloading of all passenger cabins. Once riders are locked in, the wheel begins to rotate. The spinning wheel picks up speed and is lifted on an arm to a nearly vertical position, sending riders upside-down as they go over the highest point. "Enterprise" is the common industry name for such a ride.
Originally installed in Orleans Place, the ride has since been relocated to Hometown Square, occupying the former home of the Bottoms Up ride. It made way for White Water Rampage, now known as Roaring Rapids. The Orleans Orbit is now known simply as The Orbit.
Another original 1976 Marriott's Great America ride, Rue Le Dodge is known as the world's largest operating bumper car
floor. An exact copy of the ride under the same name stands at California's Great America in Santa Clara, California
. In 2005, however, the bumper car floor became a one way traffic ride (as most bumper car floors have started doing). To determine the flow of traffic a concrete island was added to the center of the floor, removing floor space. This left Rue Le Dodge at present day Six Flags Great America as the largest operating bumper car floor in the world. The floor currently sits at 51’9” X 124’9” or 6455 sq ft (599.7 m²). Six Flags Great Adventure
's Autobahn is the largest bumper car floor, but it has been standing but not operating since 2008.
1977 saw the installation of several new rides. The 330 feet (100.6 m)-tall Sky Trek Tower—one of the few rides to survive today under its original name—opened in Carousel Plaza. Sky Trek Tower was built as, and still remains, the tallest freestanding structure in Lake County, Illinois
. Along with Sky Trek Tower, a few new spinning rides were added such as Big Top, Davy Jones' Dinghies, and Hay Baler. The Southern Cross, a third gondola skyride—much taller and round-trip—also made its debut in 1977, with its station located where the Gulf Coaster stood. The park's first kids section, dubbed Fort Fun, opened in Yukon Territory, which caused the Saskatchewan Scrambler to be relocated to Hometown Square and renamed Hometown Fun Machine.
The Tidal Wave, Great America's first new roller coaster, was added in 1978. It consisted of a single vertical loop and was located in Yankee Harbor, where Batman: The Ride
now stands.
The Pictorium, an IMAX
theatre, opened in 1979 and claimed to have the world's largest screen, at 64.5 x 88.25 feet (19.6 x 26.9 meters).
The Turn of the Century roller coaster closed and took on a new look in 1980. Two loops were added, along with three tunnels, and the "new" ride was re-themed and renamed Demon
.
In the summer of 1980, the park broke ground for a massive new wooden roller coaster that would eventually come to be known as American Eagle
. Today this twin-track racing roller coaster stands at 127 feet (38 m) tall and reaches speeds of 66 mph (105 km/h). The bottom of the first drop is built 20 feet (6.1 m) below ground level, bringing the height of the first drop to just over 147 feet (44.8 m). The Eagle debuted in 1981 as the tallest and fastest racing wooden roller coaster in the world, which it still retains today.
The Southern Cross Skyride was removed in 1980.
The Picnic Grove was added in 1982 allowing for more company outings and corporate events to take place at the growing theme park.
No new rides were added in 1982, however several were removed. In 1983, The Edge, an Intamin AG
first-generation freefall ride, was added to much fanfare. However, after an accident in 1984 which resulted in the hospitalization of four teenage riders, the ride was shut down while safety mechanisms were installed. The Edge never regained popularity, however, and it was removed in 1986, and eventually sent to Geauga Lake in Aurora, Ohio. Bottoms Up and Traffique Jam were removed at the end of the season in 1983.
Marriott's final ride added to the park was White Water Rampage, an Intamin-built rapids ride. This ride took over the spot occupied by several rides, including the Davy Jones'
Dinghies, Le Bump (a children's bumper car
ride), Traffique Jam, and the original Orleans Orbit (although it would re-open the next season in the Hometown Square area simply as The Orbit). Later renamed Roaring Rapids, it remains the park's most popular water ride.
, then owned by Bally Manufacturing
, in 1984. Thus the Bally's Six Flags Great America era began. It started darkly when a software failure caused the car for the Edge to be stalled at the top of the lift shaft before moving forward into its drop position. The car was stuck in this position for a short period of time before the car dropped back down the lift shaft, causing injuries to all three occupants. Despite many attempts to reopen the Edge with installation of anti-rollback devices by Intamin, the ride was never able to escape the stigma of its 1984 accident. The ride was removed in 1986 and sold to Rocky Point Amusement Park before reaching its last location at Geauga Lake as Mr. Hyde's Nasty Fall. The ride was dismantled and scrapped over the off season in 2005.
In 1985, Six Flags added Z Force
, a one-of-a-kind Intamin space diver roller coaster followed by Splash Water Falls in 1986 in the County Fair area.
The Power Dive
was added in 1987 to take over the spot where the Edge stood. Power Dive was an Intamin Looping Starship
ride; it swung back and forth before eventually rotating a complete 360 degrees a few times. Z Force was relocated to Six Flags Over Georgia
as part of Six Flags' (now discontinued) Ride Rotation Program. At the end of 1991, the ride went to Six Flags Magic Mountain
where it operated as Flashback before being demolished in 2007.
and a group of Six Flags managers. Several acquisitions were re-sold or closed while a focus was returned to attractions. This ushered in an era of new major attractions at the park and a transformation of focus from the park's themes to its roller coasters.
Most of the original themed staff costumes began to be retired at this point in favor of more modern unisex garments more akin to uniforms — basic short sleeve shirts with slacks or walking shorts during the warmer months. Some of the costumes survived longer than others with the Yankee Harbor striped crew shirts and clamdiggers pants being retired last. Also the restaurants became more aligned and offered basic fast food
cuisine and lost the dishes that were unique to individual themed areas. While a few specialty restaurants survived, almost all were abandoned in favor of cheaper mass-produced food items. Similarly, merchandise throughout the park became homogenized at this point as well.
1988 saw the first of the new coasters with the addition of the massive roller coaster Shock Wave
(sometimes Shockwave or ShockWave), an Arrow Dynamics
mega-looper, opening in the Orleans Place section of the park on June 3, 1988. Shockwave was the park's tallest roller coaster, and the world's tallest at the time it opened, and featured seven inversions. Shockwave stood on the site now occupied by Superman: Ultimate Flight
. White Water Rampage was renamed Roaring Rapids.
Rolling Thunder, an Intamin bobsled coaster, was added for 1989 after having been relocated from Six Flags Great Adventure
where it operated as Sarajevo Bobsled from 1984 to 1988. It was built between Demon
and Whizzer
. Rolling Thunder was taken down prior to construction of Southwest Territory. The ride was stored in the back parking lot (between American Eagle
and Washington Street) from 1996 to 1997 before being relocated to The Great Escape
in New York
, where it continues to operate as Alpine Bobsled
.
Iron Wolf, a stand-up coaster, opened April 28, 1990, and was Bolliger & Mabillard
's first-ever roller coaster. The company has since become one of those most prolific roller coaster manufacturers, later creating three other coasters for Great America (Batman: The Ride
, Raging Bull
, and Superman: Ultimate Flight
). Iron Wolf was a very compact steel stand-up roller coaster
that took over Z-Force's spot in County Fair.
The Condor took to the skies in 1991 in Orleans Place next to Shockwave, the IMAX screen in the Pictorium was upgraded to allow 650 people to view 3D movies, and fans said goodbye to the Tidal Wave at the end of the season. Tidal Wave last operated as Greezed Lightnin'
at Six Flags Kentucky Kingdom
in Louisville, Kentucky
, before Six Flags decided in February 2010 to close the park.
characters, and a minority owner in the company, purchased an additional share of the company for a controlling interest of 50 percent. The entrance of the entertainment and communications conglomerate not only gave the company a much needed influx of new capital but a chance for increased usage of the Warner cartoon characters as well. With the purchase came additional prominence of Time-Warner properties.
The first of these occurred in 1992 when the historic Batman: The Ride
was built, a first-of-its-kind B&M inverted roller coaster to replace Tidal Wave. Batman was unlike any other roller coaster at the time; its outside-looping trains rode below the track and took riders upside-down five times. It was a very tightly squeezed ride but was so popular that lines stretched past East River Crawler (formerly The Lobster, the new name in accordance with a re-theming of the area around Batman), through the bridge to Yankee Harbor and all the way back to the bridge near Power Dive (across from Shockwave). On June 20, 2005, Batman was awarded landmark status by the American Coaster Enthusiasts (ACE) at their annual convention, Coaster Con XXVIII.
The Batman Stunt Show opened in 1993 in a brand-new amphitheatre located past Demon; the amphitheatre currently houses the Starburst Summer Concert series. To add to the Batman theme, the park's swing ride Whirligig was renamed Gotham City Swinger. However, this lasted only for the 1992 season, with the original name returning in 1993.
Space Shuttle America
, a motion simulator
ride, was built in 1994 near Sky Trek Tower. "Shuttle" re-created the inter-planetary escapade provided via "Space Shuttle America". Since its introduction, Space Shuttle America has been home to four different films: "Space Shuttle America", "Escape from Dino Island 2 - 3:D", "Stargate - SG:3000", and "Superstition" during the yearly Fright Fest Event. The original Space Shuttle America film returned for the 2006 season. As of December 17, 2009, the Space Shuttle America building and Space Shuttle have been removed.
In 1995, Viper
, a wooden roller coaster with a layout based on a mirror image of the Coney Island Cyclone
, was built next to Rolling Thunder, which was removed later that year. Although significantly smaller in stature than American Eagle, this twister-style coaster features many more instances of negative gravity or "airtime" moments during the ride.
In September 1995, Rolling Thunder was removed to make way for the new theme area "Southwest Territory" which opened in 1996. The new western-themed area was originally proposed in 1976 but took nearly twenty years to resurface. Ironically the sky ride "Southern Cross", which was specifically designed to transport guests to this area, had long since been removed by the time this section of the park was developed. Three new rides (River Rocker, Chubasco, and TrailBlazer) were added, while Big Top was moved in from County Fair and renamed Ricochet, opening in 1996. Rolling Thunder was removed from its location next to Viper for the construction of this area, and now currently operates at The Great Escape & Splashwater Kingdom
in New York as Alpine Bobsled
. Viper's entrance was moved from Hometown Square to Southwest Territory. Also in this year, the Batman Stunt Show was replaced with a stunt show following the Southwest theme.
The Giant Drop, an Intamin second-generation drop tower, and Dare Devil Dive, a skycoaster, were added in 1997. The Giant Drop is located on the Southwest side of Southwest Territory and Dare Devil was added in Big Top's former location in County Fair. In August 1997, a hitch bar connecting the third and fourth cars on the blue side of the American Eagle roller coaster separated as the ride was braking, causing the rear two cars to bump into the front three cars. Several people were sent to local area hospitals. The ride re-opened in time for Fright Fest.
and became the parent company of Six Flags. Premier Parks opted to follow the trend set by Bally's and began acquiring more properties.
1998 saw many family-friendly additions. Yukon Territory welcomed Camp Cartoon Network, with five new rides, including Spacely's Sprocket Rockets
(Vekoma Roller Skater), Scooby Doo's Mystery Machine, Yogi
's Yahoo River, Rocky Road's Rescue Service, and Bedrock Boulder Roller. Bugs Bunny
Land was re-named Looney Tunes
National Park and included the Looney Tooter Choo Choo Train, the Waddaview Charter, Porky's Buzzy Beez, Petunia's Lady Bugz, Looney Tunes Lodge Foam Ball Factory, Pepe Le Pew's Peak, and the Nature Trail. An accident occurred on Demon, stranding 23 passengers upside-down on the black train for nearly three hours.
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1999 saw the opening of Raging Bull
, a B&M hyper-twister roller coaster. This 202 feet (61.6 m) high, 73 mi/h, and 5057 feet (1,541.4 m) long monster immediately changed the Great America skyline forever, quickly becoming one of the most popular attractions at the park.
Great America celebrated its Silver Season (25th Anniversary) in 2000. This was the last year for the much-loved Sky Whirl
as well as the Hay Baler ride. An accident involving a guest occurred on the Cajun Cliffhanger
ride, which caused its eventual removal.
In 2001, Great America added two new roller coasters. First was an Intamin impulse coaster
named Vertical Velocity
. Riders are launched at speeds over 55 mph (88 km/h) up a twisted vertical tower, then fall backwards and climb up another straight tower. The ride repeats, but on the second time up the back tower, riders are held facing straight down for a moment before being released. The ride was added to Yankee Harbor, and the swing ride Whirligig was moved closer to the lift hill of Batman: The Ride
to make room for the coaster. Vertical Velocity, or simply V2, continues to be one of the park's most popular attractions. The park's second ride for 2001 was Déjà Vu
, a Vekoma
Giant Inverted Boomerang ride to replace Sky Whirl
and Hay Baler. On Déjà Vu, the riders were pulled backwards up a vertical tower and dropped through the station and into a cobra roll inversion, followed by a loop over the station and up another vertical tower. After being pulled up a bit more, the ride then repeated the course in reverse. The ride did not debut until October 7 that year due to unfortunate circumstances, causing a public relations nightmare for Six Flags, including being threatened with lawsuits regarding false advertisement of the opening date of the ride. Déjà Vu continued to be problematic maintenance-wise, with guests frequently finding it closed. Due to increasing operating costs, Six Flags announced in 2007 that the Déjà Vu coasters at this park and Six Flags Over Georgia
were going to be removed for the 2008 season.
2002 was a quiet year for the park. The highlight was the announcement that American Eagle would once again run the blue side backwards. (The configuration of Forwards Red and Backwards Blue would stay put until the end of the 2005 season.) The park's original Imax
film "To Fly" was once again shown in the Pictorium. In June and July, rumors that the park was planning to remove Whizzer surfaced. This proved to be true as the park put a banner on the ride's entrance sign informing guests that the final ride would be on Sunday, August 11. However, on August 3, the park announced that due to public outcry, they would keep Whizzer. It was soon decided that Shockwave would now be the coaster to be removed for a new attraction to open in 2003. Major additions to the entertainment department included brand-new parade floats. Power Dive
was removed due to maintenance problems.
Six Flags
Six Flags Entertainment Corp. is the world's largest amusement park corporation based on quantity of properties and the fifth most popular in terms of attendance. The company maintains 14 properties located throughout North America, including theme parks, thrill parks, water parks and family...
theme park in the Chicago metropolitan area, located in Gurnee, Illinois
Gurnee, Illinois
Gurnee is a village in Lake County, Illinois, United States. The population was 28,834 at the 2000 census, and estimated to be 30,772 in 2005. The village borders the city of Waukegan and is considered a part of the Chicago metropolitan area. Gurnee is perhaps best known for being the location of...
. It first opened in 1976 as Marriott's Great America. Six Flags
Six Flags
Six Flags Entertainment Corp. is the world's largest amusement park corporation based on quantity of properties and the fifth most popular in terms of attendance. The company maintains 14 properties located throughout North America, including theme parks, thrill parks, water parks and family...
purchased the park from the Marriott Corporation in 1984, making it the seventh park in the chain. As of 2011, the park has eight themed sections, a 16 acres (64,749.8 m²) water park
Water park
A waterpark is an amusement park that features waterplay areas, such as water slides, splash pads, spraygrounds , lazy rivers, or other recreational bathing, swimming, and barefooting environments...
, two specially themed children's areas, and various other forms of entertainment.
Marriott era (1974-83)
Marriott Corporation began construction on the park in 1974 and opened it on May 29, 1976, as "Marriott's Great America" (a sister park, with almost identical layout and attractions, opened in northern CaliforniaCalifornia
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
in Santa Clara
Santa Clara, California
Santa Clara , founded in 1777 and incorporated in 1852, is a city in Santa Clara County, in the U.S. state of California. The city is the site of the eighth of 21 California missions, Mission Santa Clara de Asís, and was named after the mission. The Mission and Mission Gardens are located on the...
around the same time). The park was an immediate success due in part to its Americana
Americana
Americana refers to artifacts, or a collection of artifacts, related to the history, geography, folklore and cultural heritage of the United States. Many kinds of material fall within the definition of Americana: paintings, prints and drawings; license plates or entire vehicles, household objects,...
themes and grand opening during the American Bicentennial. It originally consisted of six themed areas: Carousel Plaza, the first section beyond the main gates; small-town-themed Hometown Square; The Great Midwest Livestock Exposition At County Fair with its Turn of the Century rural-fair theme; Yankee Harbor, inspired by a 19th century New England
New England
New England is a region in the northeastern corner of the United States consisting of the six states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut...
port; Yukon Territory, resembling a Canadian
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
/Alaska
Alaska
Alaska is the largest state in the United States by area. It is situated in the northwest extremity of the North American continent, with Canada to the east, the Arctic Ocean to the north, and the Pacific Ocean to the west and south, with Russia further west across the Bering Strait...
n logging
Logging
Logging is the cutting, skidding, on-site processing, and loading of trees or logs onto trucks.In forestry, the term logging is sometimes used in a narrow sense concerning the logistics of moving wood from the stump to somewhere outside the forest, usually a sawmill or a lumber yard...
camp; and the French Quarter
French Quarter
The French Quarter, also known as Vieux Carré, is the oldest neighborhood in the city of New Orleans. When New Orleans was founded in 1718 by Jean-Baptiste Le Moyne de Bienville, the city was originally centered on the French Quarter, or the Vieux Carré as it was known then...
-modeled Orleans Place. A seventh area, The Great Southwest, was planned but was not built until 1996, when it opened as Southwest Territory.
Each themed area had its own staff costumes, and the design of buildings, shops, and restaurants were also all unique to each theme. For example, the Klondike Cafe in Yukon Territory served beef dishes in large pans like those used for panning for gold
Placer mining
Placer mining is the mining of alluvial deposits for minerals. This may be done by open-pit or by various surface excavating equipment or tunneling equipment....
.
From the beginning, the park made use of the Looney Tunes
Looney Tunes
Looney Tunes is a Warner Bros. animated cartoon series. It preceded the Merrie Melodies series and was Warner Bros.'s first animated theatrical series. Since its first official release, 1930's Sinkin' in the Bathtub, the series has become a worldwide media franchise, spawning several television...
characters as costumed figures to interact with the park attendees, a tradition that continues since Time Warner took over maximum ownership of the park in the 1990s.
Chronology of the rides and attractions
Whizzer (roller coaster)
Whizzer is the name of two identical roller coasters built for the Marriott Corporation for each of their “Great America” parks at their debut in 1976. One was built in Gurnee, Illinois, at Six Flags Great America and the other in Santa Clara, California, at what is now California's Great America....
, the Turn of the Century, now rethemed and renamed Demon
The Demon (Six Flags Great America)
The Demon is a multi-looping roller coaster at Six Flags Great America in Gurnee, IL, with an identical twin at California's Great America in Santa Clara, CA...
, and the Gulf Coaster
Gulf Coaster
The Gulf Coaster was a small children's roller coaster that was built for Six Flags Great America in Gurnee, IL . Gulf Coaster was built by Bradley and Kaye in 1976. It was a standard "Little Dipper" model.-Gurnee:The Gurnee version was plagued with problems in its only year...
, with the Tidal Wave, (replaced in 1992 by Batman: The Ride
Batman: The Ride
Batman: The Ride is a steel inverted roller coaster found in many Six Flags theme parks, as well as other parks around the world, including Six Flags Great America, Six Flags Great Adventure, Six Flags Magic Mountain, Six Flags Fiesta Texas , Six Flags Over Georgia, Six Flags St. Louis, Six Flags...
) being added two years later. The Gulf Coaster lasted only one season, due to a small fire and its unpopularity. (Willard's Whizzer, named for Marriott executive J. Willard Marriott, was later renamed "The Whizzer.") The park's other signature attractions were the elaborate double-decker Columbia Carousel
Carousel
A carousel , or merry-go-round, is an amusement ride consisting of a rotating circular platform with seats for riders...
; the Sky Whirl
Sky Whirl
Sky Whirl was an Intamin Triple Giant Ferris wheel that operated at both Marriott's Great America Parks.-History:It was basically 3 arms with 2 wheels always spinning while one was on the ground loading. It gave park guests a chance to relax and get a cool breeze. It was a ride for the whole...
, a unique, 110 feet (33.5 m)-tall "triple Ferris wheel
Ferris wheel
A Ferris wheel is a nonbuilding structure consisting of a rotating upright wheel with passenger cars attached to the rim in such a way that as the wheel turns, the cars are kept upright, usually by gravity.Some of the largest and most modern Ferris wheels have cars mounted on...
" custom designed for Marriott and visible from the adjacent Tri-State Tollway
Tri-State Tollway
The Tri-State Tollway is a U.S. toll road maintained by the Illinois State Toll Highway Authority in northeastern Illinois which is considered one of the most heavily traveled highways in the country...
as well as from miles away; and the two one-way gondola
Gondola
The gondola is a traditional, flat-bottomed Venetian rowing boat, well suited to the conditions of the Venetian Lagoon. For centuries gondolas were the chief means of transportation and most common watercraft within Venice. In modern times the iconic boats still have a role in public transport in...
sky car rides, Delta Flyer and Eagle's Flight. Eagle's Flight was a very commercially successful ride and was considered a top 10 ride by Roller Coaster Weekly magazine.. Since the removal of the Sky Whirl in 2001, Six Flags Great America has continued to operate without a Ferris wheel.
An original 1976 Marriott's Great America ride, the Orleans Orbit, still spins today at the park. While resembling a Ferris wheel
Ferris wheel
A Ferris wheel is a nonbuilding structure consisting of a rotating upright wheel with passenger cars attached to the rim in such a way that as the wheel turns, the cars are kept upright, usually by gravity.Some of the largest and most modern Ferris wheels have cars mounted on...
, it delivers a far different ride experience. The entire wheel rests flat, just above ground level, to allow simultaneous loading and unloading of all passenger cabins. Once riders are locked in, the wheel begins to rotate. The spinning wheel picks up speed and is lifted on an arm to a nearly vertical position, sending riders upside-down as they go over the highest point. "Enterprise" is the common industry name for such a ride.
Originally installed in Orleans Place, the ride has since been relocated to Hometown Square, occupying the former home of the Bottoms Up ride. It made way for White Water Rampage, now known as Roaring Rapids. The Orleans Orbit is now known simply as The Orbit.
Another original 1976 Marriott's Great America ride, Rue Le Dodge is known as the world's largest operating bumper car
Bumper car
Bumper car is the generic name for a type of flat ride consisting of several small electric cars which draw power from the floor and/or ceiling, and which are turned on and off remotely by an operator...
floor. An exact copy of the ride under the same name stands at California's Great America in Santa Clara, California
Santa Clara, California
Santa Clara , founded in 1777 and incorporated in 1852, is a city in Santa Clara County, in the U.S. state of California. The city is the site of the eighth of 21 California missions, Mission Santa Clara de Asís, and was named after the mission. The Mission and Mission Gardens are located on the...
. In 2005, however, the bumper car floor became a one way traffic ride (as most bumper car floors have started doing). To determine the flow of traffic a concrete island was added to the center of the floor, removing floor space. This left Rue Le Dodge at present day Six Flags Great America as the largest operating bumper car floor in the world. The floor currently sits at 51’9” X 124’9” or 6455 sq ft (599.7 m²). Six Flags Great Adventure
Six Flags Great Adventure
Six Flags Great Adventure is a theme park in Jackson Township, New Jersey, owned by Six Flags Entertainment Corp., the world's largest amusement park corporation...
's Autobahn is the largest bumper car floor, but it has been standing but not operating since 2008.
1977 saw the installation of several new rides. The 330 feet (100.6 m)-tall Sky Trek Tower—one of the few rides to survive today under its original name—opened in Carousel Plaza. Sky Trek Tower was built as, and still remains, the tallest freestanding structure in Lake County, Illinois
Lake County, Illinois
Lake County is a county in the northeastern corner of the state of Illinois, on the shore of Lake Michigan. According to the 2010 census, it has a population of 703,462, which is an increase of 9.2% from 644,356 in 2000. Its county seat is Waukegan. The county is part of the Chicago metropolitan area...
. Along with Sky Trek Tower, a few new spinning rides were added such as Big Top, Davy Jones' Dinghies, and Hay Baler. The Southern Cross, a third gondola skyride—much taller and round-trip—also made its debut in 1977, with its station located where the Gulf Coaster stood. The park's first kids section, dubbed Fort Fun, opened in Yukon Territory, which caused the Saskatchewan Scrambler to be relocated to Hometown Square and renamed Hometown Fun Machine.
The Tidal Wave, Great America's first new roller coaster, was added in 1978. It consisted of a single vertical loop and was located in Yankee Harbor, where Batman: The Ride
Batman: The Ride
Batman: The Ride is a steel inverted roller coaster found in many Six Flags theme parks, as well as other parks around the world, including Six Flags Great America, Six Flags Great Adventure, Six Flags Magic Mountain, Six Flags Fiesta Texas , Six Flags Over Georgia, Six Flags St. Louis, Six Flags...
now stands.
The Pictorium, an IMAX
IMAX
IMAX is a motion picture film format and a set of proprietary cinema projection standards created by the Canadian company IMAX Corporation. IMAX has the capacity to record and display images of far greater size and resolution than conventional film systems...
theatre, opened in 1979 and claimed to have the world's largest screen, at 64.5 x 88.25 feet (19.6 x 26.9 meters).
The Turn of the Century roller coaster closed and took on a new look in 1980. Two loops were added, along with three tunnels, and the "new" ride was re-themed and renamed Demon
The Demon (Six Flags Great America)
The Demon is a multi-looping roller coaster at Six Flags Great America in Gurnee, IL, with an identical twin at California's Great America in Santa Clara, CA...
.
In the summer of 1980, the park broke ground for a massive new wooden roller coaster that would eventually come to be known as American Eagle
American Eagle (roller coaster)
American Eagle is a two track racing wooden roller coaster located at Six Flags Great America in Gurnee, Illinois, United States. It was manufactured by Intamin of Switzerland and built in 1981 by the contracting firm Figley-Wright...
. Today this twin-track racing roller coaster stands at 127 feet (38 m) tall and reaches speeds of 66 mph (105 km/h). The bottom of the first drop is built 20 feet (6.1 m) below ground level, bringing the height of the first drop to just over 147 feet (44.8 m). The Eagle debuted in 1981 as the tallest and fastest racing wooden roller coaster in the world, which it still retains today.
The Southern Cross Skyride was removed in 1980.
The Picnic Grove was added in 1982 allowing for more company outings and corporate events to take place at the growing theme park.
No new rides were added in 1982, however several were removed. In 1983, The Edge, an Intamin AG
Intamin AG
Intamin Worldwide is a designing and manufacturing company in Wollerau, Switzerland. It is best known for creating thrill rides and roller coasters worldwide. The U.S. division of the company is located in Glen Burnie, Maryland, and is headed by Sandor Kernacs. The Intamin brand name is an...
first-generation freefall ride, was added to much fanfare. However, after an accident in 1984 which resulted in the hospitalization of four teenage riders, the ride was shut down while safety mechanisms were installed. The Edge never regained popularity, however, and it was removed in 1986, and eventually sent to Geauga Lake in Aurora, Ohio. Bottoms Up and Traffique Jam were removed at the end of the season in 1983.
Marriott's final ride added to the park was White Water Rampage, an Intamin-built rapids ride. This ride took over the spot occupied by several rides, including the Davy Jones'
Davy Jones' Locker
Davy Jones's Locker is an idiom for the bottom of the sea: the state of death among drowned sailors. It is used as an euphemism for death at sea ....
Dinghies, Le Bump (a children's bumper car
Bumper car
Bumper car is the generic name for a type of flat ride consisting of several small electric cars which draw power from the floor and/or ceiling, and which are turned on and off remotely by an operator...
ride), Traffique Jam, and the original Orleans Orbit (although it would re-open the next season in the Hometown Square area simply as The Orbit). Later renamed Roaring Rapids, it remains the park's most popular water ride.
Six Flags era
Marriott sold the park to Six FlagsSix Flags
Six Flags Entertainment Corp. is the world's largest amusement park corporation based on quantity of properties and the fifth most popular in terms of attendance. The company maintains 14 properties located throughout North America, including theme parks, thrill parks, water parks and family...
, then owned by Bally Manufacturing
Bally
Bally Technologies, Inc. is a manufacturer of slot machines and other gaming technology based in Las Vegas, Nevada. It is the descendant and continuation of the original Bally Manufacturing Corporation of Chicago....
, in 1984. Thus the Bally's Six Flags Great America era began. It started darkly when a software failure caused the car for the Edge to be stalled at the top of the lift shaft before moving forward into its drop position. The car was stuck in this position for a short period of time before the car dropped back down the lift shaft, causing injuries to all three occupants. Despite many attempts to reopen the Edge with installation of anti-rollback devices by Intamin, the ride was never able to escape the stigma of its 1984 accident. The ride was removed in 1986 and sold to Rocky Point Amusement Park before reaching its last location at Geauga Lake as Mr. Hyde's Nasty Fall. The ride was dismantled and scrapped over the off season in 2005.
In 1985, Six Flags added Z Force
Flashback (roller coaster)
Flashback was a steel roller coaster made by Intamin of Switzerland. The coaster was located in the Six Flags Plaza area of Six Flags Magic Mountain in Valencia, California....
, a one-of-a-kind Intamin space diver roller coaster followed by Splash Water Falls in 1986 in the County Fair area.
The Power Dive
Power Dive
Power Dive was an amusement ride at Six Flags Great America. It was an Intamin AG Looping Starship with the body slightly modified to look like a fighter jet. The ride was criticized by many for being "A Cheap Top Gun Imitation" since Paramount owned the licensing right to Top Gun and Six Flags did...
was added in 1987 to take over the spot where the Edge stood. Power Dive was an Intamin Looping Starship
Looping Starship
The Looping Starship is an amusement ride manufactured by Intamin AG of Switzerland. The ride is a swinging ship that can spin a complete 360-degree revolution, which can be very scary at times...
ride; it swung back and forth before eventually rotating a complete 360 degrees a few times. Z Force was relocated to Six Flags Over Georgia
Six Flags Over Georgia
Six Flags Over Georgia is a theme park located west of Atlanta, in unincorporated Cobb County. Opened in 1967, it is the second park in the Six Flags chain, after the original opening in 1961 in Texas....
as part of Six Flags' (now discontinued) Ride Rotation Program. At the end of 1991, the ride went to Six Flags Magic Mountain
Six Flags Magic Mountain
Six Flags Magic Mountain is a theme park located in Valencia, California north of Los Angeles. It opened on Memorial Day weekend on May 30, 1971 as Magic Mountain, by the Newhall Land and Farming Company. In 1979, Six Flags purchased the park and added the name Six Flags to the park's title. In...
where it operated as Flashback before being demolished in 2007.
Wesray Six Flags era (1987-1991)
Many programs and quick acquisitions attempted in the mid-80s were a failure and Bally looked to sell the company. In 1987 the company was purchased by Wesray Capital CorporationWesray Capital Corporation
Wesray Capital Corporation was an early private equity firm focussing on leveraged buyout investments. The firm was founded by former US Secretary of the Treasury William E...
and a group of Six Flags managers. Several acquisitions were re-sold or closed while a focus was returned to attractions. This ushered in an era of new major attractions at the park and a transformation of focus from the park's themes to its roller coasters.
Most of the original themed staff costumes began to be retired at this point in favor of more modern unisex garments more akin to uniforms — basic short sleeve shirts with slacks or walking shorts during the warmer months. Some of the costumes survived longer than others with the Yankee Harbor striped crew shirts and clamdiggers pants being retired last. Also the restaurants became more aligned and offered basic fast food
Fast food
Fast food is the term given to food that can be prepared and served very quickly. While any meal with low preparation time can be considered to be fast food, typically the term refers to food sold in a restaurant or store with preheated or precooked ingredients, and served to the customer in a...
cuisine and lost the dishes that were unique to individual themed areas. While a few specialty restaurants survived, almost all were abandoned in favor of cheaper mass-produced food items. Similarly, merchandise throughout the park became homogenized at this point as well.
1988 saw the first of the new coasters with the addition of the massive roller coaster Shock Wave
Shockwave (Six Flags Great America)
Shockwave was a large roller coaster manufactured by Arrow Dynamics at Six Flags Great America in Gurnee, Illinois...
(sometimes Shockwave or ShockWave), an Arrow Dynamics
Arrow Dynamics
Arrow Dynamics was a roller coaster and amusement ride design company based in Clearfield, Utah, United States. In 2002, the company went bankrupt but was quickly bought by fellow amusement ride manufacturer S&S Power to form S&S Arrow. During its peak, Arrow Dynamics was responsible for some of...
mega-looper, opening in the Orleans Place section of the park on June 3, 1988. Shockwave was the park's tallest roller coaster, and the world's tallest at the time it opened, and featured seven inversions. Shockwave stood on the site now occupied by Superman: Ultimate Flight
Superman: Ultimate Flight
Superman: Ultimate Flight is a steel flying roller coaster manufactured by Bolliger & Mabillard. Themed to the popular comic book character, Superman: Ultimate Flight has been installed at three Six Flags theme parks around the United States. Superman: Ultimate Flight simulates flying like the...
. White Water Rampage was renamed Roaring Rapids.
Rolling Thunder, an Intamin bobsled coaster, was added for 1989 after having been relocated from Six Flags Great Adventure
Six Flags Great Adventure
Six Flags Great Adventure is a theme park in Jackson Township, New Jersey, owned by Six Flags Entertainment Corp., the world's largest amusement park corporation...
where it operated as Sarajevo Bobsled from 1984 to 1988. It was built between Demon
The Demon (Six Flags Great America)
The Demon is a multi-looping roller coaster at Six Flags Great America in Gurnee, IL, with an identical twin at California's Great America in Santa Clara, CA...
and Whizzer
Whizzer (roller coaster)
Whizzer is the name of two identical roller coasters built for the Marriott Corporation for each of their “Great America” parks at their debut in 1976. One was built in Gurnee, Illinois, at Six Flags Great America and the other in Santa Clara, California, at what is now California's Great America....
. Rolling Thunder was taken down prior to construction of Southwest Territory. The ride was stored in the back parking lot (between American Eagle
American Eagle (roller coaster)
American Eagle is a two track racing wooden roller coaster located at Six Flags Great America in Gurnee, Illinois, United States. It was manufactured by Intamin of Switzerland and built in 1981 by the contracting firm Figley-Wright...
and Washington Street) from 1996 to 1997 before being relocated to The Great Escape
The Great Escape & Splashwater Kingdom
The Great Escape & Splashwater Kingdom is an amusement and waterpark located in Queensbury, New York. It is advertised as being located in Lake George, New York...
in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, where it continues to operate as Alpine Bobsled
Alpine Bobsled
Alpine Bobsled is a steel roller coaster of bobsled design. It has been at three places:* From 1984 to 1988, named Sarajevo Bobsled, at Six Flags Great Adventure* From 1989 to 1996, named Rolling Thunder, at Six Flags Great America...
.
Iron Wolf, a stand-up coaster, opened April 28, 1990, and was Bolliger & Mabillard
Bolliger & Mabillard
Bolliger & Mabillard Consulting Engineers is a roller coaster design consultancy based in Monthey, Switzerland. The company was founded in 1988 by Walter Bolliger and Claude Mabillard, with Bolliger acting as president and Mabillard as vice-president...
's first-ever roller coaster. The company has since become one of those most prolific roller coaster manufacturers, later creating three other coasters for Great America (Batman: The Ride
Batman: The Ride
Batman: The Ride is a steel inverted roller coaster found in many Six Flags theme parks, as well as other parks around the world, including Six Flags Great America, Six Flags Great Adventure, Six Flags Magic Mountain, Six Flags Fiesta Texas , Six Flags Over Georgia, Six Flags St. Louis, Six Flags...
, Raging Bull
Raging Bull (roller coaster)
The Raging Bull is a Bolliger & Mabillard hyper-twister steel roller coaster located at Six Flags Great America in Gurnee, Illinois. It was built in 1999, and features a first drop and top speed of , and is currently one of the most popular rides at Six Flags Great America. At in length, it is...
, and Superman: Ultimate Flight
Superman: Ultimate Flight
Superman: Ultimate Flight is a steel flying roller coaster manufactured by Bolliger & Mabillard. Themed to the popular comic book character, Superman: Ultimate Flight has been installed at three Six Flags theme parks around the United States. Superman: Ultimate Flight simulates flying like the...
). Iron Wolf was a very compact steel stand-up roller coaster
Stand-up roller coaster
A stand-up roller coaster is a roller coaster designed to have the passengers stand through the course of the ride. These roller coasters are very intense, and generally carry taller height restrictions than other rides.-History:...
that took over Z-Force's spot in County Fair.
The Condor took to the skies in 1991 in Orleans Place next to Shockwave, the IMAX screen in the Pictorium was upgraded to allow 650 people to view 3D movies, and fans said goodbye to the Tidal Wave at the end of the season. Tidal Wave last operated as Greezed Lightnin'
Greezed Lightnin'
Greezed Lightnin is a shuttle roller coaster at Kentucky Kingdom in Louisville, Kentucky. It is a standard sit-down Schwarzkopf "Shuttle Loop" with a weight drop launch system. The ride accelerates from 0 to in less than six seconds, takes the riders though a single loop and up a 70 degree...
at Six Flags Kentucky Kingdom
Six Flags Kentucky Kingdom
Kentucky Kingdom is an amusement park located in Louisville, Kentucky, USA. The park is located on of land which includes a collection of 27 amusement rides and a water park named Splashwater Kingdom...
in Louisville, Kentucky
Louisville, Kentucky
Louisville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Kentucky, and the county seat of Jefferson County. Since 2003, the city's borders have been coterminous with those of the county because of a city-county merger. The city's population at the 2010 census was 741,096...
, before Six Flags decided in February 2010 to close the park.
Warner Brothers Six Flags era (1992-1997)
The major attractions did not come without their cost, and by 1991 Six Flags was close to bankruptcy. Warner Brothers, a major influence at Great America since the beginning with the featuring of Looney TunesLooney Tunes
Looney Tunes is a Warner Bros. animated cartoon series. It preceded the Merrie Melodies series and was Warner Bros.'s first animated theatrical series. Since its first official release, 1930's Sinkin' in the Bathtub, the series has become a worldwide media franchise, spawning several television...
characters, and a minority owner in the company, purchased an additional share of the company for a controlling interest of 50 percent. The entrance of the entertainment and communications conglomerate not only gave the company a much needed influx of new capital but a chance for increased usage of the Warner cartoon characters as well. With the purchase came additional prominence of Time-Warner properties.
The first of these occurred in 1992 when the historic Batman: The Ride
Batman: The Ride
Batman: The Ride is a steel inverted roller coaster found in many Six Flags theme parks, as well as other parks around the world, including Six Flags Great America, Six Flags Great Adventure, Six Flags Magic Mountain, Six Flags Fiesta Texas , Six Flags Over Georgia, Six Flags St. Louis, Six Flags...
was built, a first-of-its-kind B&M inverted roller coaster to replace Tidal Wave. Batman was unlike any other roller coaster at the time; its outside-looping trains rode below the track and took riders upside-down five times. It was a very tightly squeezed ride but was so popular that lines stretched past East River Crawler (formerly The Lobster, the new name in accordance with a re-theming of the area around Batman), through the bridge to Yankee Harbor and all the way back to the bridge near Power Dive (across from Shockwave). On June 20, 2005, Batman was awarded landmark status by the American Coaster Enthusiasts (ACE) at their annual convention, Coaster Con XXVIII.
The Batman Stunt Show opened in 1993 in a brand-new amphitheatre located past Demon; the amphitheatre currently houses the Starburst Summer Concert series. To add to the Batman theme, the park's swing ride Whirligig was renamed Gotham City Swinger. However, this lasted only for the 1992 season, with the original name returning in 1993.
Space Shuttle America
Space Shuttle America was a motion simulator ride at the Six Flags Great America theme park in Gurnee, Illinois, that opened in 1994. The ride's main feature was a full-scale replica of an American Space Shuttle orbiter...
, a motion simulator
Motion simulator
A motion simulator or motion platform is a mechanism that encapsulates occupants and creates the effect/feelings of being in a moving vehicle...
ride, was built in 1994 near Sky Trek Tower. "Shuttle" re-created the inter-planetary escapade provided via "Space Shuttle America". Since its introduction, Space Shuttle America has been home to four different films: "Space Shuttle America", "Escape from Dino Island 2 - 3:D", "Stargate - SG:3000", and "Superstition" during the yearly Fright Fest Event. The original Space Shuttle America film returned for the 2006 season. As of December 17, 2009, the Space Shuttle America building and Space Shuttle have been removed.
In 1995, Viper
Viper (Six Flags Great America)
Viper is a wooden roller coaster located at Six Flags Great America in Gurnee, Illinois, which opened in 1995. Viper features a layout that is a mirror image of the Coney Island Cyclone and is the only roller coaster ever to be built directly by Six Flags...
, a wooden roller coaster with a layout based on a mirror image of the Coney Island Cyclone
Coney Island Cyclone
The Coney Island Cyclone is a historic hybrid roller coaster in the Coney Island section of Brooklyn, New York City. On June 18, 1975, Dewey and Jerome Albert, owners of Astroland Park, contracted to operate the Cyclone under an agreement with New York City...
, was built next to Rolling Thunder, which was removed later that year. Although significantly smaller in stature than American Eagle, this twister-style coaster features many more instances of negative gravity or "airtime" moments during the ride.
In September 1995, Rolling Thunder was removed to make way for the new theme area "Southwest Territory" which opened in 1996. The new western-themed area was originally proposed in 1976 but took nearly twenty years to resurface. Ironically the sky ride "Southern Cross", which was specifically designed to transport guests to this area, had long since been removed by the time this section of the park was developed. Three new rides (River Rocker, Chubasco, and TrailBlazer) were added, while Big Top was moved in from County Fair and renamed Ricochet, opening in 1996. Rolling Thunder was removed from its location next to Viper for the construction of this area, and now currently operates at The Great Escape & Splashwater Kingdom
The Great Escape & Splashwater Kingdom
The Great Escape & Splashwater Kingdom is an amusement and waterpark located in Queensbury, New York. It is advertised as being located in Lake George, New York...
in New York as Alpine Bobsled
Alpine Bobsled
Alpine Bobsled is a steel roller coaster of bobsled design. It has been at three places:* From 1984 to 1988, named Sarajevo Bobsled, at Six Flags Great Adventure* From 1989 to 1996, named Rolling Thunder, at Six Flags Great America...
. Viper's entrance was moved from Hometown Square to Southwest Territory. Also in this year, the Batman Stunt Show was replaced with a stunt show following the Southwest theme.
The Giant Drop, an Intamin second-generation drop tower, and Dare Devil Dive, a skycoaster, were added in 1997. The Giant Drop is located on the Southwest side of Southwest Territory and Dare Devil was added in Big Top's former location in County Fair. In August 1997, a hitch bar connecting the third and fourth cars on the blue side of the American Eagle roller coaster separated as the ride was braking, causing the rear two cars to bump into the front three cars. Several people were sent to local area hospitals. The ride re-opened in time for Fright Fest.
Premier Parks Six Flags era (1998-2005)
Time-Warner sold its stake in Six Flags in 1995, and in 1998 Premier Parks had its IPOInitial public offering
An initial public offering or stock market launch, is the first sale of stock by a private company to the public. It can be used by either small or large companies to raise expansion capital and become publicly traded enterprises...
and became the parent company of Six Flags. Premier Parks opted to follow the trend set by Bally's and began acquiring more properties.
1998 saw many family-friendly additions. Yukon Territory welcomed Camp Cartoon Network, with five new rides, including Spacely's Sprocket Rockets
Spacely's Sprocket Rockets
Spacely's Sprocket Rockets is a steel roller coaster located at Six Flags Great America in Gurnee, Illinois. This is a junior coaster with a height restriction of only . It is a Vekoma "roller-skater" model roller coaster...
(Vekoma Roller Skater), Scooby Doo's Mystery Machine, Yogi
Yogi Bear
Yogi Bear is a fictional bear who appears in animated cartoons created by Hanna-Barbera Productions. He made his debut in 1958 as a supporting character in The Huckleberry Hound Show. Yogi Bear was the first breakout character created by Hanna-Barbera, and was eventually more popular than...
's Yahoo River, Rocky Road's Rescue Service, and Bedrock Boulder Roller. Bugs Bunny
Bugs Bunny
Bugs Bunny is a animated character created in 1938 at Leon Schlesinger Productions, later Warner Bros. Cartoons. Bugs is an anthropomorphic gray rabbit and is famous for his flippant, insouciant personality and his portrayal as a trickster. He has primarily appeared in animated cartoons, most...
Land was re-named Looney Tunes
Looney Tunes
Looney Tunes is a Warner Bros. animated cartoon series. It preceded the Merrie Melodies series and was Warner Bros.'s first animated theatrical series. Since its first official release, 1930's Sinkin' in the Bathtub, the series has become a worldwide media franchise, spawning several television...
National Park and included the Looney Tooter Choo Choo Train, the Waddaview Charter, Porky's Buzzy Beez, Petunia's Lady Bugz, Looney Tunes Lodge Foam Ball Factory, Pepe Le Pew's Peak, and the Nature Trail. An accident occurred on Demon, stranding 23 passengers upside-down on the black train for nearly three hours.
Raging Bull (roller coaster)
The Raging Bull is a Bolliger & Mabillard hyper-twister steel roller coaster located at Six Flags Great America in Gurnee, Illinois. It was built in 1999, and features a first drop and top speed of , and is currently one of the most popular rides at Six Flags Great America. At in length, it is...
, a B&M hyper-twister roller coaster. This 202 feet (61.6 m) high, 73 mi/h, and 5057 feet (1,541.4 m) long monster immediately changed the Great America skyline forever, quickly becoming one of the most popular attractions at the park.
Great America celebrated its Silver Season (25th Anniversary) in 2000. This was the last year for the much-loved Sky Whirl
Sky Whirl
Sky Whirl was an Intamin Triple Giant Ferris wheel that operated at both Marriott's Great America Parks.-History:It was basically 3 arms with 2 wheels always spinning while one was on the ground loading. It gave park guests a chance to relax and get a cool breeze. It was a ride for the whole...
as well as the Hay Baler ride. An accident involving a guest occurred on the Cajun Cliffhanger
Cajun Cliffhanger
The Cajun Cliffhanger was a rotor-type amusement ride at Six Flags Great America. It began as "The Rotor" at Chicago's famous Riverview Park and was one of the earliest Chance Industries Rotors produced. Following Riverview's sudden closure, the ride was purchased by Six Flags, but mysteriously...
ride, which caused its eventual removal.
In 2001, Great America added two new roller coasters. First was an Intamin impulse coaster
Launched roller coaster
The launched roller coaster is a modern form of roller coaster which has increased in use in the last decade. In place of a traditional chain lift, the launched coaster initiates a ride with high amounts of acceleration via one or series of Linear Induction Motors , Linear Synchronous Motors ,...
named Vertical Velocity
Vertical Velocity (roller coaster)
Vertical Velocity is an inverted steel roller coaster located at Six Flags Great America in Gurnee, Illinois.Manufactured by Intamin under the trade name Twisted Impulse Coaster, this launched shuttle-style coaster, located in the Yankee Harbor section of the park, has been operating since May 18,...
. Riders are launched at speeds over 55 mph (88 km/h) up a twisted vertical tower, then fall backwards and climb up another straight tower. The ride repeats, but on the second time up the back tower, riders are held facing straight down for a moment before being released. The ride was added to Yankee Harbor, and the swing ride Whirligig was moved closer to the lift hill of Batman: The Ride
Batman: The Ride
Batman: The Ride is a steel inverted roller coaster found in many Six Flags theme parks, as well as other parks around the world, including Six Flags Great America, Six Flags Great Adventure, Six Flags Magic Mountain, Six Flags Fiesta Texas , Six Flags Over Georgia, Six Flags St. Louis, Six Flags...
to make room for the coaster. Vertical Velocity, or simply V2, continues to be one of the park's most popular attractions. The park's second ride for 2001 was Déjà Vu
Giant Inverted Boomerang
A Giant Inverted Boomerang is a type of steel shuttle roller coaster manufactured by Vekoma. The ride is a larger, inverted version of Vekoma's popular Boomerang sit down roller coasters...
, a Vekoma
Vekoma
Vekoma Rides Manufacturing B.V. is a roller coaster and thrill ride designer with its facilities based in the Netherlands. The company was founded in 1926 by Hendrik op het Veld under the name "Veld Koning Machinefabriek" and had first manufactured agricultural machinery and mining equipment...
Giant Inverted Boomerang ride to replace Sky Whirl
Sky Whirl
Sky Whirl was an Intamin Triple Giant Ferris wheel that operated at both Marriott's Great America Parks.-History:It was basically 3 arms with 2 wheels always spinning while one was on the ground loading. It gave park guests a chance to relax and get a cool breeze. It was a ride for the whole...
and Hay Baler. On Déjà Vu, the riders were pulled backwards up a vertical tower and dropped through the station and into a cobra roll inversion, followed by a loop over the station and up another vertical tower. After being pulled up a bit more, the ride then repeated the course in reverse. The ride did not debut until October 7 that year due to unfortunate circumstances, causing a public relations nightmare for Six Flags, including being threatened with lawsuits regarding false advertisement of the opening date of the ride. Déjà Vu continued to be problematic maintenance-wise, with guests frequently finding it closed. Due to increasing operating costs, Six Flags announced in 2007 that the Déjà Vu coasters at this park and Six Flags Over Georgia
Six Flags Over Georgia
Six Flags Over Georgia is a theme park located west of Atlanta, in unincorporated Cobb County. Opened in 1967, it is the second park in the Six Flags chain, after the original opening in 1961 in Texas....
were going to be removed for the 2008 season.
2002 was a quiet year for the park. The highlight was the announcement that American Eagle would once again run the blue side backwards. (The configuration of Forwards Red and Backwards Blue would stay put until the end of the 2005 season.) The park's original Imax
IMAX
IMAX is a motion picture film format and a set of proprietary cinema projection standards created by the Canadian company IMAX Corporation. IMAX has the capacity to record and display images of far greater size and resolution than conventional film systems...
film "To Fly" was once again shown in the Pictorium. In June and July, rumors that the park was planning to remove Whizzer surfaced. This proved to be true as the park put a banner on the ride's entrance sign informing guests that the final ride would be on Sunday, August 11. However, on August 3, the park announced that due to public outcry, they would keep Whizzer. It was soon decided that Shockwave would now be the coaster to be removed for a new attraction to open in 2003. Major additions to the entertainment department included brand-new parade floats. Power Dive
Power Dive
Power Dive was an amusement ride at Six Flags Great America. It was an Intamin AG Looping Starship with the body slightly modified to look like a fighter jet. The ride was criticized by many for being "A Cheap Top Gun Imitation" since Paramount owned the licensing right to Top Gun and Six Flags did...
was removed due to maintenance problems.