Memories at SFGAm... (long)

[StealthNet]

Recently I was given an opportunity to relocate to Sacramento for a job, while good in the short-term, it wasn't right for me long-term career wise. Oddly enough, one of the things I thought about was the memories I've had at Great America over the years and how much I would miss it if I had taken that job. What are some of your best memories at Six Flags? I've been going every year for over 10 years and have accumulated quite a few:

1.) Going with my family when I was younger. It was always a big event since we would only go once or twice a year and getting to ride the kiddie rides was fun. Going through the jungle gym type stuff they had was also a blast. Just the memory of having the whole family together in a car, driving an hour (we lived in Chicago), and pulling into the Six Flags lot and how excited I was... I would literally look forward to these days for months. Riding in the Sky Whirl was one of my favorite rides because you could see everything so clear from near the top with the open air cages, and it was closer to the midway it seemed (unlike Sky Trek).

Then, when I was growing, the feeling of riding the larger rides as I got older, such as Demon and American Eagle was amazing. I remember waiting in line for the Eagle while all the switchbacks in the tent were full, and the line was out of the tent! Same situation with Demon, those were THE rides about 10 years ago. Then, of course, my first ride on Batman was incredible... waited through the entire GCPW barriers for that, but well worth it. Then there was the time I went with a friend when I was about 11 and he wouldn't ride any coasters, but he was obsessed with riding the Condor.

2.) Going with my now ex girlfriend a couple years ago during Fright Fest before we started going out. We were in a big group and it was a big awkward at first, since she was talking to her friend for the first part of the day... but then we rode some rides together near the end of the night, and afterwards while sitting in the car in the front of her house was the start of our relationship.

3.) Fright fests. I love going to the park during these times. Just getting to see the park in a whole new way, the creepy music, the cold weather, and getting to laugh at the scary characters walking around. It isn't so much about riding rides for me during this time... I could just walk around, go in the haunted houses, and of course the freak show (great show) and still have a lot've fun. Speaking of that, the multi-colored lighting they had on the midways last year were great. I really hope they continue that next year, along with the improvement in theming they had (King Kong, etc.)

To me, having a dedicated area like Picnic Grove and turning it into Necropolis is awesome. I don't know how many other parks have an area like this, but I always love ours. I always see Love at First Fright every year, and also ride the train.... my friends and I love those. LOL... Pigman was still the most amusing train one because of how ridiculous it was.... but the "Fugitive" scene they had a number of years back was great!

4.) The past three seasons. For the past few seasons, I've been friends with a group of people that go out about once every two weeks to Great America... we all get passes, we love all the rides, we generally just have a great time. Lots of funny moments.... we're in our early 20s, and we get a kick out of when 16 year olds hit on us, for example. We were also pretty amused a couple years ago when the Raging Bull control op would always say "You all ready to ride?" everyone would say "yeah!", then he'd say again, "I said, are you all ready to ride?" and everyone would scream... Then he'd say, "All right, let's do this!" He did that for every train he dispatched... it was funny and never got old.

Or, just this season, some girl came up to me and thought I was her uncle. It sounds stupid explaining it, but there's a lot of fun we have at the park. Or... getting the River Rocker to shout "We Love.." then "Six Flags!" Or.... one of us asking for a life-preserver on Roaring Rapids and have everyone in the station and the line and the bridge stare at us, like "What the heck is that guy doing with a life vest?!" Or... one of acting like a Pirate and singing the Pirates of the Carribbean theme song on Logger's Run all throughout the ride as the other boats stare at us. Nothing harmful or that obnoxious, but still funny when you're in the moment.

5.) Great America at night. The park really transforms, and I love the night especially. Just the ambiance of all of the lighting, the darkness, how fun it is to ride rides, it's a little bit cooler and not so hot... awesome. We always try to make it to Batman to ride the front row at night.... no lights on the track, lots of trees.... always intense... the best! Then, after a long day, all of us piling in the car and heading to TGI Friday's... good times.

So come on.. let's hear some of your memories!

[DejaVuGurl1203]

My best memories are probably from the first 2 years I went to SFGAm. In June of 2000, I went there for the very first time with my family, thanks to a ticket I got from the Math-a-thon. I only rode Spacely's and some flat rides. Whenever I was on ERC, I stared at Batman a lot. It looked interesting but I was way too scared to go on it. My brother, on the other hand, was busy riding all the roller coasters.

August of 2000, we went back again. My parents and brother kept encouraging me to go on BTR. I wanted to ride ERC first though. After that, I wanted to ride BTR later, but they would not quit encouraging me. Well all I gotta say is I'm glad they did. The next coaster I rode that day was Whizzer, fun. I went on BTR four times that day, I was scared to go on it each time but I loved it.

The next year, I rode all the other coasters (besides Deja Vu) within 3 visits. Then we went to Fright Fest for the first time, and I brought my friend along. She hadn't been on a coaster before, and after that day she loved SFGAm. If my parents never encouraged me to go on BTR, I don't know where I'd be right now.

The seasons have been getting better each year.. This season will probably be a really memorable one... it already is

[tyster22]

I remember the first time I ever went to SFGAm. That was also the first time I ever went to a theme park. I was just three and barely tall enough to ride the American Eagle: my first roller coaster.


Now I sit on my computer typing and thinking,"What if I hadn't been tall enough for the ride?"

This season is already memorable for me because I've been there 10 times already.(You can imagine how many park maps I have )

[coasterfreak11]

I've never heard of a three year old that is 54" tall. Or 48", however tall you have to be to ride it!

[UnBullievable]

Man, Six Flags has been a summer tradition for me since I was 5 and my family first moved to Gurnee into the neighborhood right across from SFGAm's Grand Ave. entrance. Let's see, my best memories are...

1. Walking to SFGAm every time we went (it was only a mile away )

2. Being in Six Flags' 1996 commercial

3. First ride on B:TR (It's what made me an enthusiast)

3. Riding the parade trolley

4. Riding Eagle the first time it ever went backwards.

5. TCBY every night after we left.

[Mr. SFGAm]

1.) The one memory that sticks out first and foremost was the first time I ever rode the Demon. It was in 1999, my first trip ever to GAm for my 8th grade band class. I had only ridden Whizzer before this. We waited in line for over a half hour, and when it was our turn, I felt like I was going to throw up. I remember going up the lift, and not being able to take my eyes off of those two loops. As soon as we went through the first one, all I wanted was more. Too bad the ride was over so fast, as I loved it and to this day still have a certain love and nostalgia for the Demon.

2.) Another one was on the same trip as above, two of my friends(girls) decided they were going to scream through the entire ride of the Yankee Clipper. I remember going up the big lift, with those two screaming their heads off. Everyone in the other boats was staring at us. It was so embarassing at the time, but everytime we ride it now, we look back and laugh about it!

3.) My first time on Raging Bull. Summer of 2001, it is quite possibly the only ride that ever scared me more than the Demon did. But, we got into the station, and I saw all of these little kids that must have been 10 years old get off the ride laughing and saying how awesome it was. I told myself if they can do it, I could too. It is now my favorite steelie!

[Ilovthevu']

I used to love the beetles and the airplanes right across from the Orbit. I also liked them bees in the Looney Tunes area. It seems that a couple years after I was subject to that area that they fixed it up to what is now today.

A big favorite of mine used to be East River Crawler and Whirlgig because they were so close to BTR. I couldn't go on yet. I remember going a Tidal Wave once, but it wasn't too great. I especially remember that it had those waves as the scenery for the ride. The one time that I went with my class to GAm, I saw Maggie grafitti for the first, and everytime I went, the most wonderful women in the world invaded my brain. (No she wasn't my girlfriend, I wish)

I was scared to death going on Power Dive and this wasn't too long ago. This had to be five years maybe. After Giant Drop I felt having a heart-attack. Great memories.

After Sky Whirl, I would rush to the Haybailer because it was so close to it. It was especially good in the rain because it was like it was indoors. Not too many people knew about this ride because it was hidden in the corner.

Rolling Thunder was another great ride I used to like. It was a rougher ride, but I didn't mind it. Big Top (Ricochet) was so cool because it was on top of the cars, the light scheme, and it was a nicer view.

Just for memories sake, the three times I was stuck on a ride were this year. V2 was a little past the station, someone threw up on BTR, and the Am E (I was forced to go on it.) stopped right before going into the station.

Of course, many first rollercoasters are great memories.

[RedOne3781]

Wow...reading these posts made me sit back and think about my childhood. Probably because going to GAm played a big part in my upbringing..lol.

If I wrote all the memories that came to mind, this would turn into a book. So, here are a few of my favorites:

*Going on my first rollercoaster ride (the Whizzer). I was 5.
*Riding the Tidal Wave over and over again with my dad. I was 7.
*The first time I went on a coaster that went "upside down" (as I then called it). The Shockwave. I was 9.
*The first time I got to go off with my friends. I was 11.
*Going on the Eagle backwards. I was 11.
*Closing out the Eagle with my dad, step mom and step brother. We got to go on it 8 times without getting off. I was 12.
*Riding the Shockwave 11 times in a row with a group of my friends. I was 17.
*My first time on V2, and how terrified I was. Yeah, that was this year...lol
Besides those, the other thing that sticks out was how great I though it was that my dad in Grayslake as I was growing up. We got season passes every year. And I used to go to the park every weekend.

Yeah, I'll stop now.

Erin

[highroller13]

Man, Six Flags has been a summer tradition for me since I was 5 and my family first moved to Gurnee into the neighborhood right across from SFGAm's Grand Ave. entrance. Let's see, my best memories are...

1. Walking to SFGAm every time we went (it was only a mile away )

2. Being in Six Flags' 1996 commercial

3. First ride on B:TR (It's what made me an enthusiast)

3. Riding the parade trolley

4. Riding Eagle the first time it ever went backwards.

5. TCBY every night after we left.

How did you manage to be in the commercial. And where were you.

[SFGA 11]

My favorite memory is my first ride on Eagle with my dad when I was 5. It was a blast and made me want to go on more rides. On the on-ride photo I was sucking my thumb, lol.
What made me an enthusiast was going on Shockwave 5 times straight in '01.

[coasterzak]

Best SFGAm memories
1. Going the first time in '01 and getting on Bull backseat and being amazed
2. Getting to ride AE as my first backwards coaster ever in the rain and getting 6 rerides
3. My first Deja Vu ride last week - WOW

[King_Chaos]

I'm in agreement with the height/age issue. At 3 years old, there is no way you were 48" tall. At 5 years old, that would even be above average.

[coasterdude12]

Dude, I'm 6'6" and wasn't 48" until I was 6! C'mon dude are we all idiots!

[tyster22]

I've never heard of a three year old that is 54" tall. Or 48", however tall you have to be to ride it!

I was with my mom and I was like 48.1" tall

[King_Chaos]

There is no way that a 3 year old can be 48" tall. Not even a 3.999 year old! End of story.

[Ilovthevu']

I don't want to be a baby-sitter, but can people get back to memories, please. It's a good topic, and I would like to see what some of your memories are. It's always good to dwell in the past. Can we please move on from the three year old ride on Eagle?

[tyster22]

I remember what it was. I was an old three year old. I was able to ride a two wheeler when I was three too. (This whole thing was around the same time period)Believe it or not, it's true. I'm not B.S.

[djvv2]

Mine 1988 first trip ShockWave was new

1992 first big coaster was batman i nearly passed out.

1996 rode viper really cool

1997 rode giant drop knocked me silly for having a drop that high.

1999 rode raging bull and always was my favorite ride.

2001 fright fest was one of only few people that rode deja vu when it had problems and blew me away.

2003 i rode superman and can't believe what a rush on the pretzel loop. monster G's

[djvv2]

My best year at six flags with more memories has to be this year. This year is more memorable

[djvv2]

in 1998 in one day rode giant drop 15 times

[UnBullievable]

Man, Six Flags has been a summer tradition for me since I was 5 and my family first moved to Gurnee into the neighborhood right across from SFGAm's Grand Ave. entrance. Let's see, my best memories are...

1. Walking to SFGAm every time we went (it was only a mile away )

2. Being in Six Flags' 1996 commercial

3. First ride on B:TR (It's what made me an enthusiast)

3. Riding the parade trolley

4. Riding Eagle the first time it ever went backwards.

5. TCBY every night after we left.

How did you manage to be in the commercial. And where were you.

I auditioned

[highroller13]

really, lol.

[Mr. D.T.]

While every memory I have achieved isn't always fond, I can't invest in enough time to bring you each and every fond memory this park left me. I don't think this site would even handle it.

When I first came to the park as a kid, I couldn't even ride the coasters. I didn't even want to ride some of the flats because they looked so scary. Haybaler was one of them. East River Crawler was another one but my group dragged me on it! Same thing to Yankee Clipper because I didn't like drops. Still, I covered myself with wonder on the sensation of the AE, TOTC (Demon) and Shock Wave.

Fast forward to Fright Fest '95 when I rode my first coaster, Whizzer. Once I sat on the ride vehicle with my mother and the vehicle left the sation, I recall I was paralyzed with fear and anxiety. I wanted off so bad and kept fretting to my mother about it. When I first experienced the sensation I was not used to it. I did get used to it over time. When I got off I proudly admitted I was lucky I survived! I can look back at that moment and see how stupid I was!

April 27, 1996: I came to the park with my sister and her then-boyfriend. I learned to expand my enjoyment on some of the parks flats such as Haybaler and Condor. This date also marks my first rides on Demon and Viper. I screamed murder on those rides! Today, I try not to.

The summer when I really started becoming a coaster fan is 1998. That's when I rode the rest of the coasters in the whole park, and when I really got used to the rides.

And that's only a fraction of my testimony. I'd post more, but the administratior won't let me. Why? You'll see.

[monopotassium]

Since you're probably none of you old enough to know, anyone OVER the age of nine need only have been 42 inches tall to ride American Eagle at age three.

[coasterdude12]

My best memory was getting on 46 rides on a 49degree day in early june. I rode Haybayler 8 times! Boy I miss that ride.