Gurnee Park in Winter

redfishpaw · Post by **redfishpaw** » Wed Aug 03, 2005 12:28 pm

I have been in the Gurnee park during winter, but I never took any pictures. I did take several pictures on a fall weekday, while the park was closed. It was during october and the park was decorated for fright fest. Fall color everywhere and not a person was in sight. The park was a peaceful place that day. I can scan some of those photos, and get them online.

JW65 · Post by **JW65** » Wed Aug 03, 2005 2:00 pm

That would be great if you could get some of those pictures of the "tranquil" GA online. I have never attended a Fright Fest, but have been told they are a lot of fun. I've also heard how SFGAm really goes all out with the decorations and costumes, effects, etc. for the Fright Fest.

I still think it would be amazing to witness what the park looks like in the dead of winter, right after a huge blizzard. I can imagine what the Sky Whirl would have looked like out in a vast "sea" of snowy drifts. It is one thing to be driving by GA on I94 during the winter. It is another to be inside the park when it is empty and covered in snow. I suppose the ride maintenance crew could describe what it might look like. They may have a picture or two.

Jeff

rich12_16 · Post by **rich12_16** » Sun Aug 07, 2005 3:31 pm

It would be amazing to walk through the empty park, covered with snow, a light cold breeze with a lonely feeling in the air, I love that feeling.

redfishpaw · Post by **redfishpaw** » Thu Aug 11, 2005 8:42 am

Here are some off season shots from fall - 18 total, sorry it took so long for me to get them posted. Also note, One of the photos is taken while standing in the service corridor shortly after the Tidal Wave was removed.

http://www.pbase.com/redfishpaw/fright_fest_91

JW65 · Post by **JW65** » Thu Aug 11, 2005 11:50 am

Thanks, Redfishpaw, for posting the Fright Fest '91 pictures!

Tanya · Post by **Tanya** » Thu Aug 11, 2005 12:25 pm

Wow, I never went in the park for Fright Night in SC, but from what I saw working I don't remember anything like this. I remember each area doing their own theming and decorating and some walk through things the park did.

Demondude102110 · Post by **Demondude102110** » Thu Aug 11, 2005 12:27 pm

Nice 1991 frightfest pictures!

redfishpaw · Post by **redfishpaw** » Thu Aug 11, 2005 11:24 pm

JW65 wrote:I still think it would be amazing to witness what the park looks like in the dead of winter, right after a huge blizzard. I can imagine what the Sky Whirl would have looked like out in a vast "sea" of snowy drifts. It is one thing to be driving by GA on I94 during the winter. It is another to be inside the park when it is empty and covered in snow. I suppose the ride maintenance crew could describe what it might look like. They may have a picture or two.

Jeff

Yes, there are many people who work at the park all year. I was always a seasonal employee, but I did stay on later than most and I even worked in the winter for a few years. This was possible because I reported directly to full time management, whom I got along well with. One year my off season only lasted 4 days. One cannot stay on payroll year round and maintain seasonal status. So I was termed just after christmas and went back to work Jan 2. It was weird because they didn't even have the new seasonal employee ID tags ready yet in Jan. (I was the 1st seasonal one year) So I had to get through security every morning without SFGA ID. Yeh, It's me, do you really have to call in AGAIN to see if I'm authorized to be here. Jez.., morning routines.... Anyway, most work in winter is backstage. Sometimes I even worked in different departments, wherever help was needed. ( I will get into that later sometime). I really like the idea of the winter photos and I wish I would have thought that. When we were at work in the winter, employees were either in admin, warehouse, or generally stuck with the central service corridor to reach the offices out in the park area. So someone like me who was there in winter, didn't really spend much time in the ''park'' area. Also, I did bring a camera to work several times, but it still something which you need explain to security, which is why there may not be many off season or backstage photos around. Can be done, but still a small process. Now years later, especially as a hobbiest photographer, I wish that I did a winter photoset in the park. Had the means, wish I could help more on this topic.

Consulate · Post by **Consulate** » Sat Aug 27, 2005 8:03 pm

Heres some pictures of the park after a blizzard in feburary of '78
http://c-24-15-195-209.client.comcast.n ... o1978.jpeg

JW65 · Post by **JW65** » Mon Aug 29, 2005 6:49 am

At first I was unable to access this link, but finally was able to. Thanks for posting this newspaper article that describes and shows what I was writing about. Wish I could see more pictures.

JW65 · Post by **JW65** » Fri Dec 09, 2005 1:46 pm

Anyone have a helicopter? I want a few aerial views of SFGAm after the recent 5+ inches of snow that fell yesterday. Bet it would look "COOL".

Mr. D.T. · Post by **Mr. D.T.** » Mon Dec 12, 2005 9:03 am

It's very rare you'll find a Six Flags employee rich enough to own a helicopter in his or her backyard just so he or she can fly over the park.

The time I went to the park in the offseason was mostly during the re-hire events. When I was in park services in early '99, I did get to see Yukon and Hometown covered in snow. All the Rock-oustic speakers were removed from the ground. Only select areas of the midway were plowed. The rollercoaster trains were sitting in the warehouses to be repaired. The Raging Bull trains were brand new and waiting to be installed on the coaster. At one point I had to clean up Restroom 4 (if any of you Park Services employees remember it, it's the one in Yukon Territory). All the benches were sitting by the Ameri-Go-Round for the winter. They were put back in the right places in mid-April.

Unfortunately in Foods I didn't get to see as much as I did in my earlier years. All I did was the re-hire, orientation, and washed a handful of pans late in March.

Most of maintenance stays in the park year round. I would ask them.

redfishpaw · Post by **redfishpaw** » Wed Dec 14, 2005 9:04 am

Hey, its snowing out right now (and all day). Does anybody here in this forum have contact with a full time gurnee employee. A lot of people do work at the park year round. There must be someone who can / or is willing to get some winter photos. It would be a cool photo set.

JW65 · Post by **JW65** » Wed Dec 14, 2005 11:12 am

I agree with Redfishpaw. It would make for some very interesting photos. Employees who work year round could take these photos with no problem. Ground shots are one thing, but Aerial shots of the park would be neat too. Most aerials you see are from quite a distance. It would be neat if some of them got a bit closer to the coasters or rides with snow covering them. I've always found it fascinatting to see places that are at times busy with activity, but then are quiet and serene. It is an interesting contrast.

BrianPlencner · Post by **BrianPlencner** » Mon Dec 19, 2005 8:25 pm

I have been using Weatherbug for quite a few years now, and I started looking into some of the new features it has. One of them is a Camera section. What they do is the different weather stations have a camera mounted at them, showing the area. This helps to show you what the weather actually looks like at the location. Cool part about this is that 99% of the time, this is a real time feed of the location. They also have time-lasp for today, 30 days, and 365 days.

Well, turns out that Great America in Gurnee is one such site. So, I looked at the today's video, and was able to capture the following picture.

As you can see, the camera is mounted somewhere on Sky Treck Tower, and its facing towards the water park (west). I've been checking on it since the park has closed, and it has always pointed that way. The cool thing is with all the snow, I was able to see what the water park looks like in winter!

So, I figured I would share this with everyone.