Cedar Fair and Six Flags are merging to create an expansive amusement park operator, but what could that mean for Gurnee’s Six Flags Great America?
Note: The video in the player above is from a previous report.
The "Thrill Capitol of the Midwest" will open for the 2024 season this weekend
Six Flags Great America, in suburban Gurnee, opens for the 2024 season at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, April 20, according to the park's website.
According to the park's website, hours of operation for the theme park are 10:30 a.m. - 8 p.m. on Saturdays, and 10:30 a.m. - 7 p.m. Sundays. It will open for some weekday hours beginning Friday May 10, with daily operations beginning the week of Memorial Day.
A full look at the early season calendar for Six Flags Great America can be found here.
This year, a new ride will debut at the park, with construction already underway.
The new attraction called "Sky Striker" will swing riders back and forth on a massive pendulum through the sky at speeds of 75 miles per hour -- while 172 feet off the ground.
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"As you swing through the clouds you will also spin, adding even another dimension to this maximum-thrills experience," according to the Six Flags Great America website. "This first-of-its-kind ride for the park creates a freefall sensation like no other."
The new attraction will be located in the park's "County Fair" section, located near the historic American Eagle roller coaster while replacing the land formerly occupied by "Dare Devil Dive," a skycoaster freefall attraction that required an additional fee to ride.
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A spokesperson for Six Flags Great America told NBC Chicago the ride is scheduled to open later this spring.
On top of Sky Striker, Six Flags Great America boasts a whopping 15 roller coasters, the second-most of any park in the Midwest, only trailing Cedar Point.
The park, at 1 Great America Parkway in Gurnee, is approximately 45 miles north of Chicago.
