GREATAMERICAparks.com

I'll need to pull it off the tape and put it up somewhere. I shot the footage in '89 when the ride opened. There were definitely four trains that day, one red and one yellow running the circuit (so only two trains operating) and one red and one yellow on the storage tracks. No blue trains in sight. ...

Sorry to ask a non-Marriott era question, but there are people here who have knowledge. When Shockwave opened in 1989 there were four trains -- two yellow and two red. Sometime between 1989 and 1993, a blue train (maybe two?) was added to the mix. My question is did Shockwave ultimately have 6 train...

A huge, huge thanks to George! This footage is really incredible to watch (and the quality is outstanding given the age of the source material). I can't help but think about how the park has lost some of its original charm over the years. Funny how they mention the Southwest Territory is "comin...

If the park makes this available on DVD someone please let me know. I'll pay someone to grab a copy and mail it to me.

Randy

So awesome. I remember going to the park on a school trip back in '81 and then waiting in line 3.5 hours to ride the Eagle with a friend so we could have bragging rights. At the time I remember the ride just being so massive.

It is a shame they don't take better care of her these days.

Randy

For a long while I've been reading about the various problems Great America in Santa Clara has faced. The park is land locked, the business neighbors seem annoyed, Santa Clara county in general seems like a pain to deal with, the whole 49ers situation, etc. etc. Cedar Fair now says that the park is ...

It's been over 15 years since I've been to Gurnee and am planning to head back next year now that my daughter is tall enough to ride "the big rides." Is the park still a reasonably clean and "family friendly" place to go? Growing up, and even into the mid-90s when I was there las...

This would be horrible, but I know it's inevitable. Hometown Square without the Whizzer is just unimaginable to me. Even when I went to CGA this past summer it just didn't feel or look right. I'm betting they're thinking the Little Dipper can replace the Whizzer as an "intro" kiddie coaste...

Another great find. I was thinking the same thing regarding the Tidal Wave -- that's didn't come in until '77 or '78 -- some of the footage shows it and some doesn't. Definitely shot over a couple of year. Still very neat to see the park back when it was new. Different looking crowds back then too.

Neat find, but this has to be from 1980 -- the first two loops are there on the Demon but the American Eagle is not.

Also -- I had (and probably still have) the yellow Taz shirt the boy near the end is wearing.

Why are there no video around of either the Gurnee or SC The Edge? I can't find videos of either ride operating anywhere on the Internet. There are a few commercials floating around, but they don't use actual ride footage of shots. A quick search on You Tube found some videos from 1982 of the Texas ...

I have the same problem with the galleries. I emailed Steven about it.

I don't think I've seen any other 1st gen free falls with stairs on the left. I Googled and could not find much info about that ride (when it was installed, etc.).

Just noticed --- the stairs on the tower shown in the picture are on the wrong side. The stairs on The Edge were on the right side of the tower as you faced it from the front of the ride, not the left as in the picture above. Not sure if that matters, but it is a difference which makes me believe th...

I thought when The Edge / Hyde's was removed from Geauga at the end of 2005, it was scrapped, not sold. They had it for sale, but last I remember reading, there were no buyers. 1st Gen Intamin free falls are so rare any more. There are only three of four left, I think. I'm glad Cedar Fair has decide...

Awesome experience, isn't it? I loved taking my daughter to CGA this past spring. I had never been the the California park before (Gurnee is my home park) so going to CGA for the first time with my daughter was an experience I'll never forget. You'd better get to IL if you want to ride the Whizzer. ...