Great America Opens This Weekend

GURNEE, IL – Six Flags Great America in Gurnee will open this weekend for the summer season.

Rides will be up and running again starting at 10:30 a.m. Saturday at the local theme park, located at 1 Great America Parkway in Gurnee. The park will be open from 10:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Saturdays and 10:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Sundays in April and the first weekend in May.

Six Flags will be open more days and hours starting on May 12. More information on the theme park and ticket prices can be found on the Six Flags website.

This year, the theme park is focused on providing elevated festivals, experiences and events, Rachel Kendziora, communications specialist at Six Flags, told the Chicago Tribune. This includes four days of Fourth of July fireworks; a Flavors of the World Festival in June and July, which will include food items from around the world; a Viva La Fiesta Festival happening in August; and a Neon Nights Festival, which will include a night parade on select dates in June, July and August.

New food items will be available at the park, including chicken and waffles; a bubble tea station; 16 seasonal beers on tap at a new beer garden; and loaded nachos with steak, chicken, brisket or vegetarian options, according to WGN TV.

For the fourth year now, no new roller coasters are being added at Great America, officials said. The last new roller coaster, Maxx Force, was added in 2019, and officials have made no announcements regarding a new ride coming in 2024 to the park, the Daily Herald is reporting.

"We are always considering how to provide an elevated guest experience year over year," Kendziora told the Daily Herald. "We are always looking at potential new additions to the park and how/when they may best fit."

The park has added a large shade structure in Southwest Territory near two dining locations as well as 90 new park benches throughout the park, according to Fox 32. Updates to landscaping and park furniture and renovated restaurants and retail locations are among the other additions guests will notice this year.