Six Flags Great America

Gurnee, Illinois

Hollywood director Randall Duell designed Great America. Located north of Chicago, Illinois, the park was originally built and owned by the Marriott Corporation. It opened as Marriott's Great America on May 29, 1976. In May of 1984, the Park was purchased by the Six Flags Corporation and became the seventh park in the Six Flags family. The name quickly changed from Marriott's Great America to Six Flags Great America. The park is nearly 300 acres in size. Carousel Plaza is the entrance of the park and is home to an impressive double-deck carousel.

Three coasters have opened since my last visit: Joker debuted in 2017 and is a 4D Free Spin from S&S Worldwide. Maxx Force opened in 2019 and is an air-launched S&S Worldwide coaster with four inversions. Wrath of Rakshasa opened in 2025 and is a Dive Coaster from Bolliger & Mabillard with five inversions.

Eight coasters have left the park.

Déjà Vu (2001-2007) was a Vekoma Giant Inverted Boomerang. After several seasons of operational problems, it was moved to Silverwood Theme Park where it operates as Aftershock. (See pictures below for details.)
Gulf Coaster (1976) was a small kiddie coaster, most likely built by Allan Herschell that only ran here for one year.
Iron Wolf (1990-2011) was the first coaster built by Bolliger & Mabillard. It was a Stand-Up Coaster with two inversions. It moved to Six Flags America where it opened as Apocalypse, but was converted into the Floorless Firebird coaster in 2019. The coaster closed when the park closed at the end of 2025. (See pictures below for details.)
Ragin' Cajun (2004-2013) was a spinning coaster from Reverchon. It was relocated to Six Flags America and opened as Ragin' Cajun in 2014. The coaster closed when the park closed at the end of 2025. (See pictures below for details.)
Rolling Thunder (1989-1995) was an Intamin Swiss Bob bobsled coaster. From 1984 to 1988, it was Sarajevo Bobsled at Six Flags Great Adventure. From 1998 until it was demolished in 2023, it was Alpine Bobsled at Six Flags Great Escape.
Shockwave (1988-2002) was an Arrow Dynamics steel coaster with seven inversions. (See pictures below for details.)
Tidal Wave (1978-1991) was a Schwarzkopf Shuttle Loop. It was the first generation that used a Weight Drop for the launch. From 1995 to 2001, it was Viper at Six Flags Over Georgia. From 2003 until it was demolished in 2009, it was Greezed Lightnin' at Six Flags Kentucky Kingdom.
Z-Force (1985-1987) was the only Intamin Space Diver. It was Z-Force at Six Flags Over Georgia from 1988 to 1991. It then operated as Flashback at Six Flags Magic Mountain from 1992 to 2003. It was Standing But Not Operating from 2003 until it was demolished in 2007.

Six Flags Great America

Gurnee, Illinois

Videos

American Eagle

Batman The Ride

Dark Knight

Déjà Vu

Demon

(formerly Turn Of The Century)

Flash: Vertical Velocity

(formerly Vertical Velocity, V2)

Goliath

Iron Wolf

Little Dipper

Ragin' Cajun

Raging Bull

Shockwave

Sprocket Rockets

(formerly Spacely's Sprocket Rockets)

Superman - Ultimate Flight

Viper

Whizzer

(formerly Willard's Whizzer)

X-Flight