I was in 8th grade in 1977, but we didn't really hit GA until the early 80s, around the time when arcades were popular. They use to have a monster of an arcade back then. Every arcade and pinball machine you could imagine.
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 SO remember the early days of the Gurnee park, I was one of those who bailed on Old Chicago to come here. I was 16 when they opened and fondly remember how great it was for the first 5 years or so. My sister worked a soft drink kiosk in Yankee Harbor around ‘77/‘78 after graduating H. S. She said the workers had their own lyrics to the tune they would advertise with back then: It’s Marriotts Fake America, the rides are fake, the shows are late, the food we hate… 😏. Who knew then that those were the parks golden years!
I never got down to Old Chicago but I remember the TV ads for it: "I wanna go to Old Chicago, I really really wanna go!" You can read my memories of GA above...
The "circus freak" at 4:04 has functioning electrical outlets on his body. At first he is singing "Soap, soap, soap, soap, soap". The ringmaster asks him what he is doing. He says, "Just practicing for the bar." Then the ringmaster starts plugging higher and higher wattage appliances into his body and they work.
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.
Actually, the park opened in 1976. There was a lot of buzz about it in the press. BTW, the Turn of the Century was redone and became The Demon. The American Eagle was built in a separate spot not too far from it a few years later.
Phil Riordan, I hope you pursued a career in Cinematography! This is some of the best home movie footage - from that era, I've ever seen. I worked on the main stage 5 years after you shot this. Thanks for the great memories!! Rhae
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.
That was awesome! Lot of old rides I totally forgot about. I do remember being too afraid to go on the Turn of the Century but I went on it when it became the Demon. Good times!
Man! If any parent today questions how impressionable Kids can be, I still have incredibly vivid memories of this place back then. My Mom, Dad & Older brother went here that year, almost that exact time, back when I was 6. I still remember being upset that I couldn't ride the 'Turn of the Century' Roller Coaster, being too young and small. And how miffed my older brother (who was 8) was, because Mom & Dad insisted we go together on everything. I did later get to ride it when it was rebranded to 'The Demon', in the late 1980's, but oddly enough, my memories of the trip from a decade before are still stronger. It also strikes me how little things have actually changed in nearly 50 years! I mean, cars are a bit better, and of course, we have the shiny beads, I mean, Smartphones, but in terms of great architectural changes, not much. Heck, we're still flying in the same big, slow, tubby buses that we have since the early 1960's.
Ah the Turn of the Century soon to be renamed the "Demon". They set the bar for great rides, especially the 🎢🎢Rollercoasters🎢🎢 !! Thank you for sharing your experiences. I can't remember exactly what the year was I first got to go to Marriott's Great America. The 🦅American🦅Eagle🦅 was running so I think it was 1982, 83? Whatever the year, I was completely fascinated with this place. It really was magical! Once I got my driver's license we started going more and more. Those were some of the best all-time favorite times of my life!
@@EdsterIII I completely agree. Maybe it was my age, maybe it was the era, maybe it was something Marriott put in the food ( ^_~), I don't know, but it WAS Magical. After my first experience there in 1977, I had a pile of flyers and little booklets about the place that I would pour over for *hours* on getting home. Looking back as an Adult, it was a sign of our Parent's love for us that they endured our Mania to go back with good grace. Even the rides that didn't appeal to the Adrenalin Junkie in me, like that Gorgeous Centerpiece Carousel, gave me a comfortable enjoyment while allowing me to just drink up the atmosphere of the place. All the people going from place to place, most actually looking like they were enjoying themselves. They had a pace and walk that seemed to indicate the place really *was* what it claimed to be- An escape from the daily grind for a time. That, combined with the Music, mixing with all the ride noises, and the beautiful lighting as evening came... Yes, just magical.
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.
The ride was called the "Cajun Cliffhanger," and was similar to Riverview Park's "Rotor." Guests entered a cylindrical-shaped room and stood with their backs against the wall. The room would start spinning and the centrifugal force would keep everyone (including their internal organs) pressed against the wall while the floor slowly lowered. The Cajon Cliffhanger was closed in 2000 after some children suffered foot injuries (toes caught) when the floor rose back up.
@@RoyalBard Ah, yes, that's it. Rode that quite a bit back then. Even as a kid back in the 80s, I was amazed that such a ride existed given how uncoordinated and irresponsible some people are. You really had to keep still from the moment it started spinning. Occasionally, I would see people move their head or a limb forward off the wall when the floor dropped-perhaps to test the effectiveness of the forces. I never did; I was always rock still until the floor rose back to my feet. Ride was a lawsuit waiting to happen.
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!!@
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.
@@TnseWlms I always had a seasons pass since 1976 and still do today. The pass was $32 if I remember correctly. It was laminated with your photo on it. Also they charged a Village of Gurnee tax of 30 cents to get in the park. They do not charge that today. Probably is included with the price. Single admission maybe was $8.99 back then. I have ride vids from last season and a few older ones on my channel. I’ve seen every single change in that park since 1976. Marriotts had real good food back then, but you paid for it.
@@TnseWlms it wasn't expensive. Coke or Pepsi cans used to be redeemable for discounts and there was no limit (at least at first) for how many you could use towards your admission.
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
The Columbia Carousel still graces the entrance plaza, officially Carousel Plaza. At time it was the second tallest carousel in the world, along with its sister in Santa Clara, this one is a few feet taller. The other carousel was the Ameri-go-round in Great Midwest Livestock Exposition and County Fair. This was an antique carousel rescued from somewhere and don’t recall its history or where it went. Santa Clara also had one too, as both parks were virtually twins until 1981. Revolution a Huss Swinger replaced that carousel.
I was 2 weeks old my first visit to this park 1979!! Went at least twice a summer until 1997 great memories
I was 10 when this was filmed. I lived 10 miles from the park. We were there every summer. Great times.
I first went there in there in 1978. Great memories
Great nostalgia! I was 3 in 1977. It’s great seeing people without cell phones.
I was in 8th grade in 1977, but we didn't really hit GA until the early 80s, around the time when arcades were popular. They use to have a monster of an arcade back then. Every arcade and pinball machine you could imagine.
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. : )
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.
Glad you liked the video, Scott.
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 was 9 that summer. The park was so beautiful back then…
Thanks for sharing, my uncle operated the log ride back then. About 1980 my grandfather worked the front gate. I then worked here from 1990-92.
Glad you liked the video. Our family also has many fond memories of visiting Great America. Thanks for your comment.
I SO remember the early days of the Gurnee park, I was one of those who bailed on Old Chicago to come here. I was 16 when they opened and fondly remember how great it was for the first 5 years or so. My sister worked a soft drink kiosk in Yankee Harbor around ‘77/‘78 after graduating H. S. She said the workers had their own lyrics to the tune they would advertise with back then: It’s Marriotts Fake America, the rides are fake, the shows are late, the food we hate… 😏. Who knew then that those were the parks golden years!
Glad the video brought you back some happy memories.
HAHAHAHA!!!!! YEEEAH
Old Chicago was pretty much a dump if I remember towards the end. I remember when Santa's Village was a cool place and West Virssippi (Indiana) Beach
I never got down to Old Chicago but I remember the TV ads for it: "I wanna go to Old Chicago, I really really wanna go!" You can read my memories of GA above...
@@jimoconnor6382STFU. 😑 I bought sea monkeys at Old Chicago...
Those were the days!!! Great memories.
The Lobster! 1982 i believe they removed the sky line ride going from one side of the park to the other.
I went there for the first time in 1980 and I believe it looked exactly the same😊
Few changes. 1 being the roller-coaster named Turn of the Century became the Demon, and the Eagle was built-'80.
Thanks a lot for sharing.......beautifully done!
Thank you.
The "circus freak" at 4:04 has functioning electrical outlets on his body. At first he is singing "Soap, soap, soap, soap, soap". The ringmaster asks him what he is doing. He says, "Just practicing for the bar." Then the ringmaster starts plugging higher and higher wattage appliances into his body and they work.
14 y/o...ahhhhh, what a time to be a kid...
Back when life was so simple, my childhood was dope
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.
Actually, the park opened in 1976. There was a lot of buzz about it in the press. BTW, the Turn of the Century was redone and became The Demon. The American Eagle was built in a separate spot not too far from it a few years later.
I believe it was called Marriot’s Great America, no??
Correct.
I was 6, and this is a lot of what I remember of that era. Priceless.
Glad you liked it, Chris.
my family used live in algonquin il we went to great america in july 03, 1976
Phil Riordan, I hope you pursued a career in Cinematography! This is some of the best home movie footage - from that era, I've ever seen. I worked on the main stage 5 years after you shot this. Thanks for the great memories!!
Rhae
Thank you for the kind words, Rhae. Very glad you liked the movie.
Are you Phil? Yes, I was impressed with the artistic way it was shot... whomever was behind the camera has talent for such things. ;)
Thank you for posting this gem
The Triple wheel!!
I wish there was a way we could get that ride back.
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.
I was twelve, this is how I remember the park. Good stuff.
Glad you liked it.
me too
That was awesome! Lot of old rides I totally forgot about. I do remember being too afraid to go on the Turn of the Century but I went on it when it became the Demon. Good times!
Thanks, Daniel. Glad you liked the video.
I was born in 1977--great vintage footage here. I live in Pennsylvania, but I've been here several times.
Glad you liked the video. 'Hope it brought back memories of your visits.
Man! If any parent today questions how impressionable Kids can be, I still have incredibly vivid memories of this place back then. My Mom, Dad & Older brother went here that year, almost that exact time, back when I was 6.
I still remember being upset that I couldn't ride the 'Turn of the Century' Roller Coaster, being too young and small. And how miffed my older brother (who was 8) was, because Mom & Dad insisted we go together on everything. I did later get to ride it when it was rebranded to 'The Demon', in the late 1980's, but oddly enough, my memories of the trip from a decade before are still stronger.
It also strikes me how little things have actually changed in nearly 50 years! I mean, cars are a bit better, and of course, we have the shiny beads, I mean, Smartphones, but in terms of great architectural changes, not much. Heck, we're still flying in the same big, slow, tubby buses that we have since the early 1960's.
Ah the Turn of the Century soon to be renamed the "Demon". They set the bar for great rides, especially the 🎢🎢Rollercoasters🎢🎢 !! Thank you for sharing your experiences. I can't remember exactly what the year was I first got to go to Marriott's Great America. The 🦅American🦅Eagle🦅 was running so I think it was 1982, 83? Whatever the year, I was completely fascinated with this place. It really was magical! Once I got my driver's license we started going more and more. Those were some of the best all-time favorite times of my life!
@@EdsterIII I completely agree. Maybe it was my age, maybe it was the era, maybe it was something Marriott put in the food ( ^_~), I don't know, but it WAS Magical. After my first experience there in 1977, I had a pile of flyers and little booklets about the place that I would pour over for *hours* on getting home. Looking back as an Adult, it was a sign of our Parent's love for us that they endured our Mania to go back with good grace.
Even the rides that didn't appeal to the Adrenalin Junkie in me, like that Gorgeous Centerpiece Carousel, gave me a comfortable enjoyment while allowing me to just drink up the atmosphere of the place. All the people going from place to place, most actually looking like they were enjoying themselves. They had a pace and walk that seemed to indicate the place really *was* what it claimed to be- An escape from the daily grind for a time. That, combined with the Music, mixing with all the ride noises, and the beautiful lighting as evening came...
Yes, just magical.
@@EdsterIIIEagle 1980.
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.
The ride was called the "Cajun Cliffhanger," and was similar to Riverview Park's "Rotor." Guests entered a cylindrical-shaped room and stood with their backs against the wall. The room would start spinning and the centrifugal force would keep everyone (including their internal organs) pressed against the wall while the floor slowly lowered. The Cajon Cliffhanger was closed in 2000 after some children suffered foot injuries (toes caught) when the floor rose back up.
@@RoyalBard Ah, yes, that's it. Rode that quite a bit back then. Even as a kid back in the 80s, I was amazed that such a ride existed given how uncoordinated and irresponsible some people are. You really had to keep still from the moment it started spinning. Occasionally, I would see people move their head or a limb forward off the wall when the floor dropped-perhaps to test the effectiveness of the forces. I never did; I was always rock still until the floor rose back to my feet. Ride was a lawsuit waiting to happen.
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!!@
Look at all those classic flat rides. They need to bring that parade back.
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.
Glad you made it to the park. 'Hope you enjoyed it.
Ah yes, the Great America of past times. Showing the "Turn of the Century" before it became the Demon!!!
That was back when you can go there and feel safe and not get shot and stabbed by a group of thugs like today.
Great Video, the Demon was Originally called the Turn of the Century, before it was renamed in 1980, where 2 loops were added.
Glad you liked it, Thomas. I only rode it as the Turn of the Century, and never knew about the renaming. Thanks!
I miss the Marriott era. Miss the old rides that are gone and the food was definitely high quality.👍
Did they charge monopolistic prices for it?
@@TnseWlms I always had a seasons pass since 1976 and still do today. The pass was $32 if I remember correctly. It was laminated with your photo on it. Also they charged a Village of Gurnee tax of 30 cents to get in the park. They do not charge that today. Probably is included with the price. Single admission maybe was $8.99 back then. I have ride vids from last season and a few older ones on my channel. I’ve seen every single change in that park since 1976. Marriotts had real good food back then, but you paid for it.
@@TnseWlms it wasn't expensive. Coke or Pepsi cans used to be redeemable for discounts and there was no limit (at least at first) for how many you could use towards your admission.
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
When was the second level added to the Carousel?
It has always been two levels. I don't know if there still are, but there were two carousels. One double decker, and one single decker.
The Columbia Carousel still graces the entrance plaza, officially Carousel Plaza. At time it was the second tallest carousel in the world, along with its sister in Santa Clara, this one is a few feet taller. The other carousel was the Ameri-go-round in Great Midwest Livestock Exposition and County Fair. This was an antique carousel rescued from somewhere and don’t recall its history or where it went. Santa Clara also had one too, as both parks were virtually twins until 1981. Revolution a Huss Swinger replaced that carousel.
@@jbponzi1 The carousel is in storage at the park. I remember riding that one as a kid too.
@@gotchagee3315 nice to know.
I was 10 also, I Remember the parade going through the park.
Heard they wanted to build in Wisconsin but state wouldn't let them for safety reasons
I don't remember that, but they wanted to build somewhere between Milwaukee and Chicago to pull in people from both cities.
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.
Glad the video brought back some happy memories!
Bugs Bunny hasn't changed a bit in all these years. How does he do it?
"You can't kill a toon!"