GREATAMERICAparks.com

The new summer season is here again!!! I wanted to start this forum to get updates from those who already went to both parks.

Please add your comments to what is new at Gurnee and Santa Clara.

And if anyone has gone to Gurnee yet, how much is parking this year?

Thanks!

Yeah, it is a great ride. I don't understand why they changed the name from the Lobster. That definitely help kill more of the theming in the Yankee Harbor section.

Yes, I enjoyed this new collection. Another question to those of us who haven't worked at Great America...where are/were the greenhouses had grew all the plants and flowers for the park? I was not surprised by the number of flowers that are planted every year in the early years of Marriots. I think ...

Yes, tillenterprises...I agree with you! The Tidal Wave idea would be cool. Yankee Harbor could be improved just with better names of the rides and attractions. I think it is outrageous that we have Batman, Superman, Iron Wolf, Deja Vu, etc. and it has nothing to do with the themed areas of Gurnee. ...

Oh yes, as soon as you crossed under the train bridge you heard the bad singing of MANY people! It was just as bad as American Idol contestants! I could never have gone in and sing by myself; my friends wanted to alll sing "Love Shack" together, but we never ended up getting there. This is...

Another great topic to chat about...what are some of the sounds that you remember at Marriott's Great America? * I still can hear the Wizzard slowly clicking up the track. It's definitely a favorite Hometown Square sound at Six Flags! * The electric sounds of the dodge cars on the Rue Le Dodge * The...

Does anyone remember having some fond memories of food and treats that you could get in the park? I remember when Gurnee had a franchise fast-food restaurant of "Roy Rogers" in the Yukon Territory in the early '70's. I would assume that the chain was some how owned or managed by Marriott. ...

I remember when Gurnee had a special annual night for seniors of high school graduation classes at the park. I remember that they were held on Friday nights in June. I graduated in 1987 and I remember that they cancelled that year and every year since. My friends and I were very disappointed about t...

Hey, this brings another question with regards to the two parks...

Where were the majority of the TV ads filmed? Santa Clara or Gurnee...or perhaps clips of both were used at the time.

Thanks!

Thanks, Steven!!!!! I get to also be the first replier!! It was so great to see these commercials. I remember them both as a kid, it is great to see the circus show parts on the ad. It really proves how carefully planned that Marriott's created and developed the parks. It would have been very intere...

Steven,

That sounds so cool! It would help bring summer memories back during this cold winter.

I just thought of something quite funny after looking at the pics. It is really strange to see the palm trees in Santa Clara's park since we don't have that in Gurnee. I guess us Midwesterners aren't used to that, but it is probably very normal to you Californians. Did Santa Clara always have palm t...

The original names definitely fit into their themed areas during the Marriott era. I think that is why Great America was a good park, it was carefully planned even to the names of the attractions. Suddenly, Turn of the Century was named The Demon and then most of the newer rides weren't properly nam...

I will never forget coaxing my brother to get on the American Eagle around 1985. I was 15 and he would have been 12. He never wanted to go on roller coasters because of the feeling you get when you ride the drops like on the Demon. I told him that because the Eagle is higher, you wont get that sensa...

Sky-Whirl and Tidal Wave like the majority of you folks!

That tribute of the Sky-Whirl on You Tube is great. The music played with the clip is perfect. If only Six Flags' management knew what they took away from our childhood!!