Satellite View of Gurnee Park

All about everything else at Marriott's GREAT AMERICA
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BrianPlencner
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Post by BrianPlencner »

steven wrote:Thanks for the pointers to these photos.

I don't like seeing buildings on the other side of the tollway. I'm used to it always being big open fields...fields that were originally included in big expansion plans for the park.

Steven
You are correct Steve. The park had plans to put in an "Entertainment Complex" complete with Waterpark, hotel, restraunts, etc. When the proposal went in front of the Village of Gurnee, they did not like what they saw, and gave the park something like 2 years to correct their plans.

That of course never happened, and the park sold the land. The waterpark then was built where it is today, and now a business park sits on that site.

While I agree its sad that the park could not expand, I always wondered how the guests would go between the waterpark and the main park with all that land and the tollway between. If I got newspaper articles about it somewhere, and when I find them, I'll see what I can do about posting them.
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redfishpaw
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Post by redfishpaw »

Here is a 2004 aerial
Image
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BrianPlencner
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Post by BrianPlencner »

Nice Picture RedfishPaw!

Looking at the construction in the parking lot for the waterpark, I would say that it was taken in late September or early October.


Again, thanks for sharing that.
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JW65
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Post by JW65 »

I've noticed that when I look at both parks' landscape in these aerial shots, Gurnee always seems more impressive. Is it because in Santa Clara, the park gets lost among the entanglement of office structures, etc that surround it? What do others think? The Gurnee park doesn't have mountains and many other structures to dwarf it.
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that_guy
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Post by that_guy »

I always liked the large hills, but yeah the office buildings make it seem different…
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RLAiello
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Post by RLAiello »

I think it's because the SC park was built right up alongside the highway, but the Gurnee park had more land between the park itself and the highway. Therefore the buildings that grew up around the park over the years seemed to be at arm's length in SC, while in Gurnee they're hidden by trees and (now) a waterpark.

Also, thankfully, it seems that the buildings now on the Gurnee land are low-lying... so if you're not up high, you really can't see them anyway. In SC, the buildings are a bit taller and are very much THERE.
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redfishpaw
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Post by redfishpaw »

Here is an aerial photo of the American Eagle and the southern portion of the park. I believe this is taken in 1988 during off season. Z Force is present. Skywhirl buckets are removed for winter storage (You can see them on the ground in two groups).

:arrow: http://www.pbase.com/redfishpaw/image/51734555
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BrianPlencner
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Post by BrianPlencner »

redfishpaw wrote:Here is an aerial photo of the American Eagle and the southern portion of the park. I believe this is taken in 1988 during off season. Z Force is present.
ZForce was removed at the end of the 1987 season. So, its not 1988. Splash Water Falls was added for the 1986 season, and is present in that picture. So, my guess would its either the end of the 86 or 87 season.
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aejanis
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Post by aejanis »

BrianPlencner wrote:Nice Picture RedfishPaw!

Looking at the construction in the parking lot for the waterpark, I would say that it was taken in late September or early October.


Again, thanks for sharing that.
Was taken during Fright Fest....so it was taken in October...you can see the orange flag and gorilla on the top of the Sky Trek Tower.
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BrianPlencner
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Post by BrianPlencner »

Oh yeah! Now that you say that, I see the orange flags at the front of the park, and the one on top of the tower as well.

Good EYE!
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twixmix0303
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Post by twixmix0303 »

Also, the parking lot wasn't completely un-paved :?: until that fall. Yes, good eye, though!
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redfishpaw
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Post by redfishpaw »

Here are 15 - 2005 Gurnee aerials from Weezil.com
Several of them are quite nice

:arrow: http://gallery.weezil.com/index.php?gal ... ember-2005
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JW65
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Post by JW65 »

Thanks for the pics, redfishpaw. And these are up-to-date, how cool. Wow, Eagle really "dominates" some of these shots. Especially like the ones with Eagle in full view and close up.
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RandyV
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Post by RandyV »

I'm coming in late to this conversation.

The blueprint poster Brian posted a picture of was available for sale in the park, although memory tells me it was slightly different than the one in his pictures. I had one that I framed and hung in my bedroom for years. It was probably my most prized Great America possession at the time. I'm not sure what happened to it -- I'll have to see if one of my parents still has it or not.

The Z-Force line-art drawing used in the article that was posted, as well as the Iron Wolf one, were included in MGA Press Kits for the years that the rides were introduced. Not sure about the Iron Wolf blueprint -- but it's definitely based off of the press kit artwork that was distributed. I can scan and post the press kit line art if anyone would like to see them firsthand.

I haven't been to the Gurnee park in 10 years now. It is amazing to see the recent aerials -- the place has really changed. Last time I was there, the Eagle dominated the skyline.
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Gurnee will always be my home park...
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RandyV
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Post by RandyV »

Found it. Here is a picture (sorry for the poor quality -- the image is from a Kodak 110 print) of the blueprint poster I purchased at the park. It's slightly different than Brian's, but definitely based on the one he posted. Actual size was something like 5' x 3'.

I acutally like this version better since it has the actual American Eagle logo.

Image
Randy V.
Gurnee will always be my home park...
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