Food at Marriott's Great America

General discussion about Marriott's GREAT AMERICA
User avatar
GreatAmerica4ever
Yankee Clipper
Posts: 66
Joined: Fri Aug 04, 2006 1:14 pm
Location: Cudahy, WI

Food at Marriott's Great America

Post by GreatAmerica4ever »

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 also remember getting red, white, and blue ice cream in cones at the fire house station in Hometown Square. It seemed so cool to get the combination flavored strawberry, vanilla, and blueberry treat!
User avatar
Glorfindel7
Tidal Wave
Posts: 241
Joined: Wed Mar 01, 2006 9:18 pm
Location: Chicago Suburbs

Post by Glorfindel7 »

My best food memory was the "foot long" hot dogs (chili dogs) that you could get at the "Yukon Do It" Sandwich Shop. I especially remember one particular hot summer day where the line for the Logger's Run would extend OUT into the area by the bay and just outside the sandwich shop beyond.
User avatar
dpxtreme
Tidal Wave
Posts: 323
Joined: Wed Mar 15, 2006 7:03 pm
Location: Bay Area

Post by dpxtreme »

I wasn't alive during the Marriot era, but I love the food at Santa Clara's Great America. Even though it's riciculously expensive, I still love it. My friends and I have a tradition that we won't leave until we all get an ice cream cone.
User avatar
jonrev
Tidal Wave
Posts: 429
Joined: Sat Sep 03, 2005 12:42 pm
Location: Grayslake, Illinois
Contact:

Post by jonrev »

I never had any of the Marriott food either, but I love the pizza at the Gurnee park.
Gurnee Ride Op - 2007
dwolo
Gulf Coaster
Posts: 34
Joined: Thu Sep 22, 2005 9:31 am
Location: Los Angeles
Contact:

Post by dwolo »

I remember those foot long hot dogs came on toasted buns! Yummy! And the roast beef sandwiches from Roy Rogers were great as well. But I absolutely loved the fried ice cream ball you could get at Farmers Market. They would cover it with hot apples and cinnamon! I can't remember which shop it was from.....but I think it was the Chinese food shop.
User avatar
tillenterprises
Gulf Coaster
Posts: 45
Joined: Tue Aug 08, 2006 2:32 pm
Location: Milwaukee, WI
Contact:

Post by tillenterprises »

It's a shame that so many of the restaurants that had a theme or delicacy suited to the area of the park they were in were turned into generic burgers and fries or pizza joints. The only surviving theme restaurant is the Hometown Boarding House with their delicious fried chicken and apple dumplings (thank God!), unless you count that Yukon territory lodge restaurant with the terrible burgers. I remember that the restaurant closest to the Yankee Clipper used to be a seafood place, and had a nice boardwalk with tables you could sit at and watch the Clipper. Now I think it's a pizza joint.
User avatar
Glorfindel7
Tidal Wave
Posts: 241
Joined: Wed Mar 01, 2006 9:18 pm
Location: Chicago Suburbs

Post by Glorfindel7 »

tillenterprises wrote: I remember that the restaurant closest to the Yankee Clipper used to be a seafood place, and had a nice boardwalk with tables you could sit at and watch the Clipper. Now I think it's a pizza joint.
I think it used to be called Captain Morgan's, now it's something like Angelo's (if the name hasn't changed once again...)
User avatar
jonrev
Tidal Wave
Posts: 429
Joined: Sat Sep 03, 2005 12:42 pm
Location: Grayslake, Illinois
Contact:

Post by jonrev »

I think what is now the Photo Place near Whirligig was Captain Morgans.
Gurnee Ride Op - 2007
User avatar
that_guy
Tidal Wave
Posts: 482
Joined: Tue Aug 09, 2005 9:10 pm
Location: Pacific Grove, California

Post by that_guy »

lol, I think it is a buffet type restuarant over here... but on the entrance roof is painted PIZZA written in huge letters.
The rides are GREAT, the shows are GREAT, the fun is GREAT, at Marriott's Great America! REMEMBER Marriott's GREAT AMERICA, REMEMBER Marriott's GREAT AMERICA!
User avatar
tillenterprises
Gulf Coaster
Posts: 45
Joined: Tue Aug 08, 2006 2:32 pm
Location: Milwaukee, WI
Contact:

Post by tillenterprises »

You're right, it was Captain Morgans, and it was a sit down seafood place, with cafeteria style serving, like the Hometown Boarding House (now called Aunt Martha's?) I think you're right about it now being a pizza place called Angelo's
User avatar
SFGAmfreak4life
Willard's Whizzer
Posts: 148
Joined: Sun Jul 10, 2005 1:38 pm
Location: Chicago, IL

Post by SFGAmfreak4life »

Angelo's also has a all you can pile on your plate pasta. I think its around $8.50 but its the best deal in the park for the amount of food you get.
Go Bears!
User avatar
Tech Services 1
Willard's Whizzer
Posts: 114
Joined: Sat Feb 04, 2006 4:19 pm
Location: Wisconsin

Post by Tech Services 1 »

Oh, man, where does one start?

Captain Morgan's was probably my favorite, with the clam chowder, scallops and fried shrimp.
Buffet Le Grande was awesome, if you had a few extra bucks to spend.
Chicken dinners at the Boarding House, ribs and corn at the restaurant connected to Snowshoe Saloon (geez, what was the name of that place?).
Cheap eats at Farmer's Market- I packed away a lot of spaghetti, tacos and french fries there.
BIG ice cream sundaes at Hometown Firehouse.
And of course you had to hit the Hotte Shoppe for a nickle root beer.

Oh, I really shouldn't be responding to this before I've had dinner . . . I'm starting to drool . . .
Gotta go eat!!
:D


PPG
Technical Services technician
Gurnee park '81 - '86

Eegads, has it been that long?
User avatar
Glorfindel7
Tidal Wave
Posts: 241
Joined: Wed Mar 01, 2006 9:18 pm
Location: Chicago Suburbs

Post by Glorfindel7 »

tillenterprises wrote:You're right, it was Captain Morgans, and it was a sit down seafood place, with cafeteria style serving, like the Hometown Boarding House (now called Aunt Martha's?) I think you're right about it now being a pizza place called Angelo's
You know I don't know if they were forced to change the name because of the similarity to the Rum of the same name :)

Seriously though I miss the themed restaurants the most... Now, pretty much every place has a standard menu so the only difference is the location you sit down to eat in. Granted this is probably cheaper and easier to manage, but it takes all the fun out of it :(..
User avatar
BillK
Gulf Coaster
Posts: 14
Joined: Sun Dec 31, 2006 6:36 am
Location: Louisville, Colorado

Post by BillK »

I remember the Hot Shoppe in Hometown Square where you could get a mug of root beer for a dime!

I remember they always had a long, long line, especially on hot days. :D

(Then the price went up, the mugs got smaller, and eventually they disappeared altogether.)

I recall the fried chicken in Hometown Boarding House as well, but there never seemed to be a whole lot of chicken on those bones. :lol:
It was notable as an easy spot to grab a bite to eat and take shelter if it rained.

I also recall the former "Burgers on the Run" near the American Eagle, and of course the cherry slush and cotton candy a bit further down at Sticky Fingers.
User avatar
Tech Services 1
Willard's Whizzer
Posts: 114
Joined: Sat Feb 04, 2006 4:19 pm
Location: Wisconsin

Post by Tech Services 1 »

Glorfindel7 wrote:
Seriously though I miss the themed restaurants the most... the only difference is the location you sit down to eat in . . . it takes all the fun out of it :(..

Ain't that the truth . . . :?

PPG
Technical Services technician
Gurnee park '81 - '86

Eegads, has it been that long?
Post Reply