MGA RIDE HISTORY - THEN & NOW
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redfishpaw
- Tidal Wave
- Posts: 510
- Joined: Tue Aug 02, 2005 9:58 am
- Location: Milwaukee
- Contact:
MGA RIDE HISTORY - THEN & NOW
In the long run, I think that it would be nice if this site had a section or some kind of chart (or timeline), which lists the MGA rides in the beginning and then shows where they are today (or if (and when) they where scrapped). All coasters, generally are easy to trace thanks to RCDB, but other rides are not. Also, some rides have moved a few times such as titalwave and Z force, so it could be cool to have photos of that ride in each of it's three locations. No other web site has done that. Several websites have had timelines, but nothing which shows a current status / location.
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Demondude102110
- Gulf Coaster
- Posts: 41
- Joined: Mon Aug 08, 2005 1:39 pm
- Location: Demon at SFGAM
MGA RIDE HISTORY - THEN & NOW
great idea!!! 
so steven when do you think that this will happen?months,years,or days?thats a great idea i would like that really much to read.thank you
so steven when do you think that this will happen?months,years,or days?thats a great idea i would like that really much to read.thank youif anyone has info on obtaining park maps of this park from 1976-2006 please send me a message or email message thank you very much.
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BrianPlencner
- Tidal Wave
- Posts: 209
- Joined: Wed Jul 20, 2005 8:07 pm
- Location: Carpentersville, IL
Well, I have been trying to keep a few lists of dates for the Gurnee Park.
I actually have two lists. The first, lists the major attractions that were added for a given year, and for a few, the actual date the attraction opened.
Below is that list
1976-Opening Day (May 29)
1977-Southern Cross(removed end of 1981 season)
1977-Hay Bailer(removed end of 1999 season)
1977-Sky Trek Tower
1977-Fort Fun
1978-Tidal Wave(May 13)(removed end of 1991 season)
1979-Pictorium
1980-Demon (May 3)
1981-American Eagle (May 23)
1982-Picnic Grove
1983-The Edge (removed end of 1986 season)
1984-White Water Rampage (Renamed Roaring Rapids 1988)
1985-Z-force (July 10) removed end of 1987 season)
1986-Splash Water Falls
1987-Power Dive(removed at beginning of 2002 season)
1988-Shock Wave (June 3)(removed at the end of the 2002 season)
1989-Rolling Thunder (April 29)(removed end of 1994 season)
1990-Iron Wolf (April 28 )
1991-Condor
1992-Batman The Ride (May 2)
1993-Batman Stunt Show
1994-Space shuttle America (re-themed in 1999 as Escape From Dino Island. Returned as Space Shuttle America in 2002)
1995-Viper (April 28 )
1996-South West Terr 3 new flat rides (May 29)
1997-Giant Drop (May 3)
1998-Camp Cartoon Network & Looney Toon National Park (April 25 )
1999-Raging Bull(May 1)
2000-25th Season, new parade floats
2001-Vertical Velocity (May 1)
2001-Deja Vu(October 6)
2002-
2003- Superman, Ultimate Flight (May 3)
2004- Marde Gras Section(May 1)
2004- Ragin Cajuin(May 1)
2005- Hurricane Harbor Waterpark(May 28 )
The 2nd list I have list a bit more detail about the park. I have this information stored in a word document on my computer. I try to go back and add to it when things happen at the park, or when I find out something that happened in the past.
Timeline for Six Flags (Marriott’s) Great America
Gurnee, Illinois
Last Updated: October 22, 2005
Complied by Brian A. Plencner
January
January 22
1999: Fire partially destroys Pizza Orleans, in Orleans Place at 7:45 PM. Nearby Theater Royale escapes danger. No other rides or attractions were damaged by the blaze.
January 26
1999: Topping off of Raging Bull roller coaster.
February
March
March 17
1999: The final track segment of Raging Bull roller coaster was put into place today.
April
April 28
1990: Opening day of the Steel Stand-up coaster, Iron Wolf. Iron Wolf was designed by B&M.
April 29
1995: Opening day of wooden roller coaster, Viper. Viper was designed in house, and is modeled after the Coney Island Cyclone
April 29
1989: The relocated Rolling Thunder, an Intamin bobsled ride opens.
1999: Press Day for Raging Bull, designed by B&M.
2003: Press Day for Superman, Ultimate Flight, designed by B&M.
May
May 1
1999: Opening Day, Raging Bull Roller Coaster, designed by B&M.
May 2
1992: Opening day of the steel roller coaster, Batman: The Ride. The ride was designed by Bolliger & Mabillard, of Switzerland
1997: 100 couples participated in a promotional stunt. In a 7-minute ceremony, the couples, dressed in formal attire, repeated their marriage vows. Then, 12 couples at a time, were hoisted 206 feet on the park’s new Giant Drop ride to “Take the plunge” together at 62 M.P.H. This event currently holds a spot in the 1999 and 2000 Guinness Book of World Records as “The Largest Theme Park Wedding event”
1999: The park held it’s first Alumni Day. All past employee’s, along with family and friends, are invited. These people enjoy an ERT on Raging Bull, and a picnic lunch in the picnic grove.
May 3
1980 Opening Day for Demon (re-themed Turn of The Century)
2003 Opening Day for Superman, Ultimate Flight.
May 13
1978 Opening Day for Tidal Wave
May 18
2001: Opening day for the steel roller coaster, Vertical Velocity (V2). The ride
is a clone of Superman, Ultimate Escape (S:UE), located at Six Flags World of Adventure in Ohio. V2 was designed by Intamin.
May 20
1981: Press Day for the wooden roller coaster, The American Eagle
May 22
1984: A car on The Edge, an Intamin Freefall, broke loose from the lifting mechanism and dropped about 60 feet. The three passengers, eighth-grade boys from LaSalle, IL. Were hospitalized for five days with relatively minor injuries.
May 23
1981: Opening day of the wooden roller coaster, The American Eagle. The Eagle was designed by Figley-Wright Contractors, Inc. for Intamin AG. The American Eagle holds a place in the 1981 Guinness Book of World Records, as the “Tallest, Fastest, Double Racing Wooden Roller Coaster in the world” with a first drop of 147’ 10”, and a top speed of 66.32 M.P.H.
May 29
1976: The official Grand Opening of the park. This was 715 days after the ground breaking took place on June 14, 1974.
1996: 20th Birthday of the park. This also was press day for the new Southwest Territory. The Southwest Territory opened to the public on this day as well.
2000: 25th Anniversary of the park. During this season, there are many specials on food, games, and merchandise. A fully re-designed nightly parade also helps out with the celebration. Silver Season merchandise sells out within 4 weeks of the start of the season (April 29th).
June
June 3
1988: Opening day for the steel roller coaster, Shockwave, designed by Arrow Dynamics. Shockwave has seven-loops, a first drop of 155 feet, and a top speed of 65 M.P.H.
June 14
1974: Ground breaking ceremonies for the park took place today.
June 17
1980: Ground breaking for American Eagle
July
July 10
1985: Opening day for Steel Roller Coaster, Z-Force, a Intamin Space Diver model.
July 12
2002: Last Operating Day of Shockwave (Arrow 7-looper steel coaster). Rumor has it that there was some kind of accident, and the rear axel broke causing the train to stall out in the block break. The ride opened on June 3, 1988. Shockwave would sit SBNO until the removal process would begin on October 4, 2002.
July 13
1993: Eight people suffered minor injuries when two sets of cars on the Demon roller coaster collided. The accident happened in the station just before 7:25 PM; the speed of the moving train was about 3 M.P.H.
August
August 24
1996: Jennifer Coleman is awarded $775,000 for an injury sustained on July 13, 1993 while she was riding the Demon roller coaster. The collision jolted here resulting in aqueductal stenosis, a brain condition which results in fluid accumulation due to a blocked duct.
September
September 7
1997: Four passengers on the American Eagle roller coaster are slightly injured in a low-speed collision on the break run. The train coupler failed between the second and third cars, allowing the train to separate and the cars to bump together.
September 9
1984: The minor collision in the station of two trains on the American Eagle roller coaster, sends three riders to a hospital.
September 12
2004: Ground is broken in the south parking lot near the American Eagle for the 2005 addition. At this time, no official announcement has happened, but rumors indicate that they are going to add a water park for the 2005 season.
September 16
2004: Plans are announced for the 2005 Season. The park will add a 13 acre water park. The water park will have a lavish Caribbean theme, with more then 25 major water slides, the world’s largest interactive water play structure, and a 500,000 gallon wave pool. Plan is to have the water park ready for Spring of 2005.
September 17
2000: Last operating day of the “Sky Whirl”. The ride opened with the park back in 1976, and was a triple armed ferris wheel. This was the last remaining ride like it in the country. In its place, the park would add a new roller coaster for the 2001 season called Déjà Vu. When the park re-opened for Fright Fest on Oct 7th, 2000 the process of removing the ride had already begun, and would be completed by the middle of November.
September 21
2000: Plans are “officially” announced for the 2001 season. It is at this time that Sky Whirl (triple arm ferris wheel installed in 1976) is officially going to be removed at the end of the season to make way for a Vekoma roller coaster. There is also mention in the announcement about a possible 2nd coaster for the 2001 season. A meeting with the village of Gurnee is set for September 27th.
October
October 4
2001: Press Day for the steel roller coaster, Déjà Vu
2002: The process to remove Shockave begins. Over the next 8 weeks, the ride would be removed to make way for a new coaster in 2003. The coaster is rumored to be a flying coaster made by B&M. Shockwave was the parks first 7 looper coaster, and operated from June 3, 1988 till July 12, 2002.
October 5
1991: The park opens it’s first Fright Fest. Runs throught Nov 3rd, 1991.
October 7
2001: Opening day for the steel roller coaster, Déjà Vu, designed by Vekoma. Déjà Vu was the second coaster to open in the 2001 season, but do to problems, did not open on time. The ride consists of two 180 foot towers, a 110 foot vertical loop, and a 100 foot boomrange element. Top speed is about 65 M.P.H.
November
November 21
2002: The last pieces of Shockwave are dismantled. Work now begins on getting the footers out, and to get the area ready for the new B&M Flying coaster, which will be the new coaster for the 2003 season.
December
December 23
1972: Birth of Brian A. Plencner, author of this list
===============================================================
Both lists contain a lot of the same kinds of information, but one is just a quick summary of the major rides, while the 2nd lists more things about the park.
I actually have two lists. The first, lists the major attractions that were added for a given year, and for a few, the actual date the attraction opened.
Below is that list
1976-Opening Day (May 29)
1977-Southern Cross(removed end of 1981 season)
1977-Hay Bailer(removed end of 1999 season)
1977-Sky Trek Tower
1977-Fort Fun
1978-Tidal Wave(May 13)(removed end of 1991 season)
1979-Pictorium
1980-Demon (May 3)
1981-American Eagle (May 23)
1982-Picnic Grove
1983-The Edge (removed end of 1986 season)
1984-White Water Rampage (Renamed Roaring Rapids 1988)
1985-Z-force (July 10) removed end of 1987 season)
1986-Splash Water Falls
1987-Power Dive(removed at beginning of 2002 season)
1988-Shock Wave (June 3)(removed at the end of the 2002 season)
1989-Rolling Thunder (April 29)(removed end of 1994 season)
1990-Iron Wolf (April 28 )
1991-Condor
1992-Batman The Ride (May 2)
1993-Batman Stunt Show
1994-Space shuttle America (re-themed in 1999 as Escape From Dino Island. Returned as Space Shuttle America in 2002)
1995-Viper (April 28 )
1996-South West Terr 3 new flat rides (May 29)
1997-Giant Drop (May 3)
1998-Camp Cartoon Network & Looney Toon National Park (April 25 )
1999-Raging Bull(May 1)
2000-25th Season, new parade floats
2001-Vertical Velocity (May 1)
2001-Deja Vu(October 6)
2002-
2003- Superman, Ultimate Flight (May 3)
2004- Marde Gras Section(May 1)
2004- Ragin Cajuin(May 1)
2005- Hurricane Harbor Waterpark(May 28 )
The 2nd list I have list a bit more detail about the park. I have this information stored in a word document on my computer. I try to go back and add to it when things happen at the park, or when I find out something that happened in the past.
Timeline for Six Flags (Marriott’s) Great America
Gurnee, Illinois
Last Updated: October 22, 2005
Complied by Brian A. Plencner
January
January 22
1999: Fire partially destroys Pizza Orleans, in Orleans Place at 7:45 PM. Nearby Theater Royale escapes danger. No other rides or attractions were damaged by the blaze.
January 26
1999: Topping off of Raging Bull roller coaster.
February
March
March 17
1999: The final track segment of Raging Bull roller coaster was put into place today.
April
April 28
1990: Opening day of the Steel Stand-up coaster, Iron Wolf. Iron Wolf was designed by B&M.
April 29
1995: Opening day of wooden roller coaster, Viper. Viper was designed in house, and is modeled after the Coney Island Cyclone
April 29
1989: The relocated Rolling Thunder, an Intamin bobsled ride opens.
1999: Press Day for Raging Bull, designed by B&M.
2003: Press Day for Superman, Ultimate Flight, designed by B&M.
May
May 1
1999: Opening Day, Raging Bull Roller Coaster, designed by B&M.
May 2
1992: Opening day of the steel roller coaster, Batman: The Ride. The ride was designed by Bolliger & Mabillard, of Switzerland
1997: 100 couples participated in a promotional stunt. In a 7-minute ceremony, the couples, dressed in formal attire, repeated their marriage vows. Then, 12 couples at a time, were hoisted 206 feet on the park’s new Giant Drop ride to “Take the plunge” together at 62 M.P.H. This event currently holds a spot in the 1999 and 2000 Guinness Book of World Records as “The Largest Theme Park Wedding event”
1999: The park held it’s first Alumni Day. All past employee’s, along with family and friends, are invited. These people enjoy an ERT on Raging Bull, and a picnic lunch in the picnic grove.
May 3
1980 Opening Day for Demon (re-themed Turn of The Century)
2003 Opening Day for Superman, Ultimate Flight.
May 13
1978 Opening Day for Tidal Wave
May 18
2001: Opening day for the steel roller coaster, Vertical Velocity (V2). The ride
is a clone of Superman, Ultimate Escape (S:UE), located at Six Flags World of Adventure in Ohio. V2 was designed by Intamin.
May 20
1981: Press Day for the wooden roller coaster, The American Eagle
May 22
1984: A car on The Edge, an Intamin Freefall, broke loose from the lifting mechanism and dropped about 60 feet. The three passengers, eighth-grade boys from LaSalle, IL. Were hospitalized for five days with relatively minor injuries.
May 23
1981: Opening day of the wooden roller coaster, The American Eagle. The Eagle was designed by Figley-Wright Contractors, Inc. for Intamin AG. The American Eagle holds a place in the 1981 Guinness Book of World Records, as the “Tallest, Fastest, Double Racing Wooden Roller Coaster in the world” with a first drop of 147’ 10”, and a top speed of 66.32 M.P.H.
May 29
1976: The official Grand Opening of the park. This was 715 days after the ground breaking took place on June 14, 1974.
1996: 20th Birthday of the park. This also was press day for the new Southwest Territory. The Southwest Territory opened to the public on this day as well.
2000: 25th Anniversary of the park. During this season, there are many specials on food, games, and merchandise. A fully re-designed nightly parade also helps out with the celebration. Silver Season merchandise sells out within 4 weeks of the start of the season (April 29th).
June
June 3
1988: Opening day for the steel roller coaster, Shockwave, designed by Arrow Dynamics. Shockwave has seven-loops, a first drop of 155 feet, and a top speed of 65 M.P.H.
June 14
1974: Ground breaking ceremonies for the park took place today.
June 17
1980: Ground breaking for American Eagle
July
July 10
1985: Opening day for Steel Roller Coaster, Z-Force, a Intamin Space Diver model.
July 12
2002: Last Operating Day of Shockwave (Arrow 7-looper steel coaster). Rumor has it that there was some kind of accident, and the rear axel broke causing the train to stall out in the block break. The ride opened on June 3, 1988. Shockwave would sit SBNO until the removal process would begin on October 4, 2002.
July 13
1993: Eight people suffered minor injuries when two sets of cars on the Demon roller coaster collided. The accident happened in the station just before 7:25 PM; the speed of the moving train was about 3 M.P.H.
August
August 24
1996: Jennifer Coleman is awarded $775,000 for an injury sustained on July 13, 1993 while she was riding the Demon roller coaster. The collision jolted here resulting in aqueductal stenosis, a brain condition which results in fluid accumulation due to a blocked duct.
September
September 7
1997: Four passengers on the American Eagle roller coaster are slightly injured in a low-speed collision on the break run. The train coupler failed between the second and third cars, allowing the train to separate and the cars to bump together.
September 9
1984: The minor collision in the station of two trains on the American Eagle roller coaster, sends three riders to a hospital.
September 12
2004: Ground is broken in the south parking lot near the American Eagle for the 2005 addition. At this time, no official announcement has happened, but rumors indicate that they are going to add a water park for the 2005 season.
September 16
2004: Plans are announced for the 2005 Season. The park will add a 13 acre water park. The water park will have a lavish Caribbean theme, with more then 25 major water slides, the world’s largest interactive water play structure, and a 500,000 gallon wave pool. Plan is to have the water park ready for Spring of 2005.
September 17
2000: Last operating day of the “Sky Whirl”. The ride opened with the park back in 1976, and was a triple armed ferris wheel. This was the last remaining ride like it in the country. In its place, the park would add a new roller coaster for the 2001 season called Déjà Vu. When the park re-opened for Fright Fest on Oct 7th, 2000 the process of removing the ride had already begun, and would be completed by the middle of November.
September 21
2000: Plans are “officially” announced for the 2001 season. It is at this time that Sky Whirl (triple arm ferris wheel installed in 1976) is officially going to be removed at the end of the season to make way for a Vekoma roller coaster. There is also mention in the announcement about a possible 2nd coaster for the 2001 season. A meeting with the village of Gurnee is set for September 27th.
October
October 4
2001: Press Day for the steel roller coaster, Déjà Vu
2002: The process to remove Shockave begins. Over the next 8 weeks, the ride would be removed to make way for a new coaster in 2003. The coaster is rumored to be a flying coaster made by B&M. Shockwave was the parks first 7 looper coaster, and operated from June 3, 1988 till July 12, 2002.
October 5
1991: The park opens it’s first Fright Fest. Runs throught Nov 3rd, 1991.
October 7
2001: Opening day for the steel roller coaster, Déjà Vu, designed by Vekoma. Déjà Vu was the second coaster to open in the 2001 season, but do to problems, did not open on time. The ride consists of two 180 foot towers, a 110 foot vertical loop, and a 100 foot boomrange element. Top speed is about 65 M.P.H.
November
November 21
2002: The last pieces of Shockwave are dismantled. Work now begins on getting the footers out, and to get the area ready for the new B&M Flying coaster, which will be the new coaster for the 2003 season.
December
December 23
1972: Birth of Brian A. Plencner, author of this list
===============================================================
Both lists contain a lot of the same kinds of information, but one is just a quick summary of the major rides, while the 2nd lists more things about the park.
===========================================
Mr. Brian Plencner
SFGAm Employee: 1988-1992
Mr. Brian Plencner
SFGAm Employee: 1988-1992
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twixmix0303
- Yankee Clipper
- Posts: 72
- Joined: Sun Aug 07, 2005 10:47 pm
- Contact: