Video

I first went there in there in 1978. Great memories

14:14 what revenge would the Packers be seeking?

I was 2 weeks old my first visit to this park 1979!! Went at least twice a summer until 1997 great memories

Talk about timing. As this video was being published, I was digitizing my own VHS copy of this same episode. Unfortunately my copy is full of interference and other video noise from poor reception (WBBM-TV always had poor signal in my neighborhood).

17:18 is what you’re looking for, ladies

The cast of the 50's Superman made so many of us happy and still brings a smile to our faces. Thanks for the memories.

I recall seeing Great America on an episode of "Captain Kangaroo," where the Mardi Gras parade was led by a drum corps with flags flanking the horns.

I remember going there in June 1976, we drove down from our High School in Beloit, Wisconsin. Correct me if I'm wrong, but the double-decker Merry Go 'Round....didn't it have beige carpeting on the floor? Because I remember I thought that was like turning a ride into your living room, by carpeting it. : )

I was born in 1977--great vintage footage here. I live in Pennsylvania, but I've been here several times.

What was the name of the ride where everyone files into an enclosed circle with back up against the wall, it starts spinning and the floor drops out? Went to GA quite a bit in the 80s. Doubt that ride is still there.

my family used live in algonquin il we went to great america in july 03, 1976

We were staying in nearby Chicago, having traveled from Cincinnati. While in Chicago on vacation our parents took us 5 kids to Great America Amusement Park. Mom and I rode the train which broke down and had to back up all the way to its starting point. Later on, a park employee came up to me and asked my opinions about the park. I told her that my family was visiting Chicago having traveled from Ohio and that the train had broken down while Mom and I were riding it. That's all I really remember about the park. We were there in August, 1976. From the video, the park looked like a really nice, fun place.

Thanks for the up! Got my first kiss on this in 8th grade: czcams.com/video/Rc5I1F-tpjo/video.html She was so cute..what a perfect day.

I was 9 that summer. The park was so beautiful back then…

I was 6, and this is a lot of what I remember of that era. Priceless.

That was back when you can go there and feel safe and not get shot and stabbed by a group of thugs like today.

When was the second level added to the Carousel?

14 y/o...ahhhhh, what a time to be a kid...

I was 9 when this was filmed. I remember before we moved to the North Shore Deerfield, I was in Mt. Prospect and saw in the newspaper in 1975-76 they were building this huge world class amusement park to rival Disneyland. So when it opened my family and I were going in the late 70s- to the mid 80s. Loved the tri Ferris wheel. Was worried that the two chains holding all us in that car would hold up though. That coaster doing the loops was called "The Turn of the Century" and was the predecessor to the American Eagle which is currently still there. When this place opened in 1977 America was doing a 'turn of the century' nostalgia kick of the 1890s (as well as the 1950s ie 'Happy Days'), thus the coaster name, the straw hats on employees, etc. I remember 'Orleans Orbit' 1:44 in the video....some kid puked on it and everyone caught it in the face as the thing was going. I also remember those old racer cars with the number on it. The wheel was big with a cushion on it, and the car was forced to stay on the track by the middle concreate guider. The park enjoyed a good crowd with a lot of people coming from Europe to enjoy. I loved the boat/logger ride where you would get splashed coming down the hill. Great for warm days, but I remember standing in line for it for almost two hours!! When the American Eagle opened in the early 80s there seriously was a 2 hour wait. The line would come all the way out of the tent down the "street" in front of the coaster. Once you got in the tent, the lines went back and forth back and forth inside of the tent for quite a while. Then up the stairs eventually to the loading area. Now? The long winding lines are closed off. You can just run through the tent and basically get to the stairs almost immediately. Maybe a 15 minute wait. I do remember when Great America started to get a bit rough with some rougher crowds. They in 1985 had decided to drop prices to get more people in the park. That started to cause problems. There were fights, groups of teens walking around with no shirts on, people jumping lines while waiting for rides, and because of this attendance from families started to drop off. Teens would start walking in the middle of the street side by side and not move for people. So Great America stopped offering free admission or 10 off with a coke can (remember that?) and raised their prices. They also put in "line jumper' lifeguard style chairs in the lines of heavy lined rides. In order for enforcement to occur, they hired a lot of guards that were enabled to take you out and kick you out of the park. They then started enforcing a dress code. You have to wear a shirt. Couldnt be causing fights or you were ejected from the park. Once all this was enacted and the prices were raised up again, Great America had to look at their property line along Interstate 294. People were stopping on the shoulder of 294, people were running out of their cars, and jumping the fence and entering the back side of the park illegally. They fixed the fence and put up cameras all over the place to stop that as well. I need to go there again this Summer and check it out, however I am 56 now. Love the feeling of that first drop on the Eagle, BUT after the first few drops there is that big corkscrew few turns of circles where you are looking at your right at 294: I can swear that it is getting rougher and rougher going around in those two loops almost like the car wants to leave the track with your head bumping back and forth against the side headrests. I wish I can go back and do it all over again. With my back being good so I can ride those coasters.

The true Lois lane

I was twelve, this is how I remember the park. Good stuff.

Great Video, the Demon was Originally called the Turn of the Century, before it was renamed in 1980, where 2 loops were added.

I had no idea that they had a statue of her there. That’s great! She deserves it. Rest in peace Noel Neill and thank you.

AND GROSS PERPETRATOR WENDY SHULTZ BILLY BILLARD DORFIN DARILIC MAKES THAT PORN CHOMP NOISE AS OUR ONLY MEDIA AROUND TILTNMOVE APRAYIO CHICAGO BULLS MOIRJ DINKS

MEN BLEEDING FROM THE MAGGOT PUKE ON HIS KOTEX SNATCH DAY

The Triple wheel!!

I was the pest control operator of the Alamo village and their home for several years The owners are a good friend of mine and her son still Liz he is now in Judge Kinney County.

Bugs Bunny hasn't changed a bit in all these years. How does he do it?

I was 10 also, I Remember the parade going through the park.

My father in law was head of maintenance there from when it opened until it was sold to Six flags. They layed off the original employees. He said it was the best job he had ever had

Now it’s hardly any families. Just obnoxious teens and trash from across the Wisconsin border.

I believe it was called Marriot’s Great America, no??

The log and boat rides terrified me as a kid but my Dad and sisters insisted on dragging me on it. Water and heights, no seatbelts, and if you were a kid you'd either get squashed in the middle on the drop or feel like you were about to fly out. It was never the same place when it became six flags.

Heard they wanted to build in Wisconsin but state wouldn't let them for safety reasons

Look at all those classic flat rides. They need to bring that parade back.

Great nostalgia! I was 3 in 1977. It’s great seeing people without cell phones.

Thank you for posting this gem

Holy crap, I remember when it was like this. Bugs and Daffy. Fort Fun was the bomb as a kid..... THERE RIDES ARE GREAT, THE SHOWS ARE GREAT, THE FUUUUN IS GREAT.....AT MARRIOTTS GREEEEAT AMERICA....THAT JINGLE IS STILL STUCK IN MY HEAD!!@

I was 10 when this was filmed. I lived 10 miles from the park. We were there every summer. Great times.

Thank you Lord for our fancies❤

I'm in tears😂

There were so many stars that made America the Beautiful larger than life But Jesus Christ is the World's Real to Life SuperStar I believe the Good Lord is proud of us all❤😊

What would Superman ever dun without Lois Lane❤

Ah yes, the Great America of past times. Showing the "Turn of the Century" before it became the Demon!!!

This is GREAT. Before my time, but awesome to see the park in its infancy and how gorgeous and charming it was. I hope it can get back there someday.

The Lobster! 1982 i believe they removed the sky line ride going from one side of the park to the other.

Back when life was so simple, my childhood was dope

Great Video,thank you for the sharing !

Great Video,thank you for the sharing !

I like the guy who is dressed as Superman in this video he looks just like Christopher Reeve