In line of American Eagle

xxlatinogueroxx · Post by **xxlatinogueroxx** » Fri Aug 05, 2005 9:21 am

I was just wondering for American Eagle what did they have inside the center of the line because now its just arcade games. Does anybody know what used to be there? Its somewhat a circular platform wiht wood around it.

Also was there always a food court there on the opposite end of the line.

BrianPlencner · Post by **BrianPlencner** » Fri Aug 05, 2005 10:49 am

When the park first opened, Eagle was not at the park (it opened May 23, 1981). But, the Tent was. The reason it is a tent is that there was a circus there, comeplete with clowns, elephants, tight-rope walkers, etc. Personally, I don't remember ever going to see the circus show, but looking back on old park maps, I know it was there.

The Circus was only at the park a few years, and I think in 1979 or 1980, the area was used for concerts. The wood thing in the center was actually a stage, and was about as high off the ground as the fence is around the games in that area.

Prior to 1981, I don't recall any food being sold in that area. I know that the back part of the tent is where the seats were at. In fact, if you look on the ground, you can see where they cut the wood supports for them to be even with the ground. Also, the light/sound booths are still there as well (but the window has been covered up by wood).

JW65 · Post by **JW65** » Mon Aug 08, 2005 3:38 pm

During the first several years the American Eagle was in operation, there used to be a kiosk where drinks, nachos, popcorn, etc was sold to people waiting in line. I doubt that is still there today. You could purchase food and beverage. Then you could eat and drink in line to "pass the time". This, of course, was when the line of people waiting used to extend into the main part of the tent.

BrianPlencner · Post by **BrianPlencner** » Mon Aug 08, 2005 6:36 pm

That food kiosk is still there. Its kind of in the middle of the tent. Today, it sells Churros, soda, and I think Pretzels. They also sell slushies.

xxlatinogueroxx · Post by **xxlatinogueroxx** » Tue Aug 09, 2005 11:50 pm

So basically once the American Eagle opened the center ring was always an arcade center?

redfishpaw · Post by **redfishpaw** » Wed Aug 10, 2005 8:29 am

No, During the 8 years I worked at the park. The was a small Eagles Arcade off the the left side of the tent (east side) in an alcove and beyond it was a kiosk area near the back. Eagles arcade was not always open (during the week) as it due to low usage. The were not ever arcade machines in the center ring, that must be a more recent thing.

twixmix0303 · Post by **twixmix0303** » Wed Aug 10, 2005 9:11 am

If you look down as you cross under the blue side track, it appears that there was a handrail running down the middle, so two queues actually passed under. However, that would leave only about 18 inches of space (not nearly enough for today's society!) which seems rather narrow. Is this correct, and if so, was the original path wider so that it could accomodate two queues or the same as it is now?

I did notice that after you cross under the track and make the 90 degree turn to the left and walk up a short ramp, there is a split in the queue, and it looks like the handrail would have run into the one down the middle of the split.

BrianPlencner · Post by **BrianPlencner** » Thu Aug 11, 2005 5:41 am

twixmix0303 wrote:If you look down as you cross under the blue side track, it appears that there was a handrail running down the middle, so two queues actually passed under. However, that would leave only about 18 inches of space (not nearly enough for today's society!) which seems rather narrow. Is this correct, and if so, was the original path wider so that it could accomodate two queues or the same as it is now?

Actually, what you see was queue that was added years later. Back in 1991, the park turned the blue side around, and ran the train backwards. Not knowing how that would catch on with the public, the park "modified" the queue so that the split between the Red and Blue side started right as you left the Tent. In fact, not only can you see the holes in the ground under the blue track as you mentioned, but if you look on the stairs and the bridge that crosses the train tracks you can see them as well. In 1991, the blue side only ran backwards for a limited time (4 or 5 weeks maybe), and when it was returned to "normal" operation, the park removed the poles used to split the line. In 1996, the park did it again for a "limited time" but the modifications to the queue did not happen.

twixmix0303 wrote:I did notice that after you cross under the track and make the 90 degree turn to the left and walk up a short ramp, there is a split in the queue, and it looks like the handrail would have run into the one down the middle of the split.

That goes back to the orginial design of the line. That area used to be used as extra queue, where you would walk each row. In fact, there used to be a set like that at the bottom of the stairs after crossing the train tracks. In later years, that set (bottom of the stairs) was removed, which is why the garbage can is always in the line at that point (right at the bottom of the stairs). The set you speek of just after going under the blue side has not been used in quite a few years. That is why there is a garbage can placed on the left side of the queue as you go up the ramp after the line goes under the blue side.

redfishpaw · Post by **redfishpaw** » Thu Aug 11, 2005 10:04 am

Nice summary Brian. I had forgotten about the efforts made to extend the queue lanes into the tent. I also recall the queue line alterations made by the ramp and the garbage can placement as well.

twixmix0303 · Post by **twixmix0303** » Thu Aug 11, 2005 11:45 pm

Also, I forgot to add that this year, the park completely took out the queues at the bottom of the stairs over the service corridor. The garbage can and large 8' fencing is still there and in the same place, though.

ImagineerFan · Post by **ImagineerFan** » Mon Aug 22, 2005 5:57 pm

Hello!

I am new to the group and a long time fan of Great America, especially during the Marriott's heyday.

When the American Eagle first opened in 1981 the wait times were incredible. The queue worked perfectly under the old circus tent. The raised platform located in the middle of the queue was a bandstand. There were indeed live bands that performed so that the wait did not seem as bad. Remember this was long before Six Flags installed the electronic babysitters (television).

The concession stands came after Six Flags took over operations of the park. Long about the time the concessions came along, there was also a reduction in the size of the queue area as well.