So the kids and I were sitting around one day, with just a month until my new job which would prevent me from doing fun things during the week, and we decided to make a trip to Great America, otherwise and always known to me as “Marriott’s” Great America. The kids had never been there, and I used to go there many many times during summers when I was a teenager. It was time to pass the experience onto my kids, plus we had two free tickets getting ready to expire. Wasn’t going to let those go to waste!
Now, amusement parks seem to be bigger and funner and more exciting I think when you are a teenager, and when you haven’t gone there several times a week (Six Flags for us).
Let’s just say that we were all impressed! Now that Cedar Fair bought Great America, it’s been upgraded and it’s going strong! Marriott’s Great America was GREAT.. and the Marriott corporation did a great job with their first amusement park when it opened for the bicentennial in 1976. After a while, they sold it and the city tried running it, unsuccessfully, then another buyer came along and tried to run it, unsuccessfully, then Paramount came along and tried to run it…unsuccessfully – rides always breaking down, dirty park, etc…then finally a few years ago Cedar Fair who also owns Cedar Point and now Knott’s Berry Farm came along and turned it around…finally!
It brought back GREAT memories, and some of the rides are still there that I went on as a teenager. We had a great time! And would definitely like to go back! Those of you who back back in the day, do you remember the little shop by the Whizzer (now gone) where you could get a cold mug of A&W Rootbeer for 5 cents? That was awesome! (Trivia: Alice and Willard Marriott invented A&W Rootbeer)
The icon of Great America is the two story merry-go-round right when you enter, along with the reflection pond.
This little ditty didn’t look like much and we only went on it because it was a short line, but wow, it surprised us! It was very FUN spinning around as it glides back and forth on a small track, and you sit facing out.
These old time cars are still there! I think I rode in number 37 when I was little!
Several owners ago, they took out the Sky Whirl and put in this instead: A small grassy area that nobody uses because there is no shade.
NOW:
And what it used to look like:
And here is a great shot of Willard’s Whizzer (one of the simplest but best coasters – long gone now) with the Sky Whirl in the background:
RIP Williard’s Whizzer:
Orlean’s Orbit – yep…rode that one over and over and over and over when I was a teenager. Another deceptively looking ride. You think would be boring, as it spins around, but then it goes vertical. No seat belts, no harnesses, no restraints…just good ole centrifugal force that keeps you in your seats.
Fiddler’s Fling (now renamed) that we went on over and over and over as kids, while my parents watched. Yep, I sat out too, as I watched Jacob and Hannah go on it.
The newest ride which was completed this year is GoldStriker, the tallest and fastest wooden coaster around. Wow, does it run SMOOTH and FFFAASSSTTTT! We couldn’t even catch our breath the entire run! Clocking in at 55 mph, that’s pretty fast for a wooden coaster. Lines were short and we went on it several times. It was definitely our favorite!
We had a GREAT time at "(Marriott’s) Great America and it was fun introducing my kids to one of my favorite amusement parks when I was a teenager.
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