GREATAMERICAparks.com

While at SFGAm once, I asked a Viper ride op about the chain slow at the top of Viper. Apparently, it does not always do this. For some reason, I remember the op telling me that it doesn't do the chain slow for the first hour or so of the day. Can anyone elaborate? I've always experienced it do the ...

The only tunnel I've ever known in Gurnee is the one alongside Demon's lighted tunnel.

I am almost positive that those brakes are not there today, I havent really paid much attention to that, but I will follow up on that. The picture located here http://www.jvlnet.com/~drounds/AMEAGLE.JPG shows the original devices (I'm not yet convinced they technically were brakes). Notice the pres...

I think I've seen that one of Z-force. I have a feeling that I saw it in Todd Throgmorton's book:

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/de ... R&st=books

On the topic of height requirements... I've also noticed, as S C said above, that often it's the parents who do the pushing and not the kids. Another thing I've noticed is that when a ride operator tells a child/parent that the child is not tall enough to ride, guests waiting in front of the gates w...

While the American Eagle drawing is very detailed, I have qualms with its accuracy/scale... --The main helix seems a little too 'tall and thin' --On the return leg after the helix, the bunny hops are almost non-existent (they've been smoothed over) --The block brakes before the final helix aren't ve...

One thing I've often wondered is why there are counting turnstiles at the exit of a ride in addition to the ones at the beginning of the queue. I've always joked that it's a way for the park to monitor how many guests get on a ride but somehow never come back... :wink: I can understand when you're l...

Very cool pictures. Interesting to compare the pre- and post-construction shots. Redfish: Do you mean this picture of Iron Wolf? http://www.geocities.com/sfgamlover/images/wolfart.jpg Unfortunately, this picture and the American Eagle one referenced above are not all that accurate. It would be cool ...

Thanks for the link, Tanya! That sky ride appears to be very similar to Waldameer Park's (Erie, PA) ride (same manufacturer?). One of the main reasons that I like Adventureland's sky ride is that it makes its way through trees (which, unfortunately, are getting butchered to allow the ride to operate...

Wow. I can't believe they went from asking for so much $$ to just scrapping the ride and letting people take things for free. Wish I had been there at the time... with a Ryder truck, of course!

I've always wanted to have a small souvenir of sorts from an old ride. I'm not asking for much... just a couple of cars from a coaster train. :D Seriously, though, a bolt, a wheel -- even a paint chip! On the other hand... if we can raise a little over half a million dollars... Sky Whirl is ours!! :...

I'm not sure what was done in the Marriott days, but the last time that I was at SFGAm, there was a sign in the pond that stated that the $$ will be sent to a charity or something of the sort. Occasionally there's a 'mother lode' of change (and not just pennies!) in the two little 'scenes' in the Gi...

The first time that I went to Great America (I've only ever been to the Gurnee park) was after Six Flags took over... but many of the classics were still there -- Tidal Wave, Sky Whirl, etc.. I never got to visit the park while it was under Marriott, but I still feel like those first times that I di...

Nice collection!

Another typo ... Willards' Whizzer

Also, what is the deal with Demon's loops? Is that pic from some model/rendering?

Very nice.