# I am going to Great America **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [June 15, 2000, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-going-to-great-america/22418 "2000-06-15T00:17:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Kvallulf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/898d66/32.png) [@Kvallulf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kvallulf)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2000, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-going-to-great-america/22418/1 "2000-06-15T00:17:11Z")
I am leaving for Great America (just outside Chicago) on Friday, and I have not been there for about 20 odd years. Can anyone clue me in as to what rides are worth the wait and what I should pass on? Also, are there any decent resturants nearby? Any other helpful hints? ---
**Author:** ![Omniscient](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omniscient/32/3290_2.png) [@Omniscient](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omniscient)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2000, 12:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-going-to-great-america/22418/2 "2000-06-15T00:30:18Z")
The _Eagle_ is well worth the wait, especially if you love classic wooden rollercoasters. And even if you don’t, its top notch. The _Shockwave_ is also a fan favorite, lots of fun and you’ll walk out sore and bruised…a good thing in my book. The _Viper_ is also a great wooden coaster, but it pretty new. Its smooth compared to the _Eagle_, but very very fast, has the sharpest and fastest turns for any wooden coaster as of last year or so. The _Drop_ is my favorite recent addition, at least I think thats its name. You basically go a few hundred feet straight up, and are dangled for a few seconds and then dropped in free fall. Love it, the only one that scares me. The _Whizzer_ is a old classic steel one. Usually has a short line, and kids love it cause its not very high, fast, or go upside down. To give you an idea, you sit in a single row 4-5 to a car (like a big motorcycle) and arte only held in by a loose seatbelt w/ no restriction on the latch. Fun if you grew up on it, but probably not worth waiting in line for…but generally there isn’t much of a line anyways. The _Demon_ is a fan favorite. Its been there forever and always has a long line. I don’t like much about it except for nostalgia, everyone else feels pretty much the same way and will stand in line for it. The _Iron Wolf_ is a stand up coaster and it sucks, but if you need to try it once wait however long it takes to get into the front row. _Batman_ is a great suspended coaster. Very fast, and very smooth. Get the front or back if you wanna enjoy it alot. Definately worth the wait. And there is always a long one. Thats all I can think of off the top of my head, the water rides are standard fare, but always alot of fun. ---
**Author:** ![Floompy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e56c9b/32.png) [@Floompy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Floompy)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2000, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-going-to-great-america/22418/3 "2000-06-15T01:28:55Z")
Hey, Great America added a new roller coaster last year called THE RAGING BULL. Holy shit. I LOVE roller coasters, but that one scared the hell out of me…particularly being in the first car. This was awesome. Otherwise, the DEMON and the SHOCKWAVE are really cool roller coasters. And then there are many different water rides as well, if the weather isn’t too cold. But warning: Bring A LOT of money. It is very expensive. ---
**Author:** ![Kvallulf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/898d66/32.png) [@Kvallulf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kvallulf)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2000, 1:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-going-to-great-america/22418/4 "2000-06-15T01:51:41Z")
Hey, thanks for the Info!! Does anyone know what the restrictions for height are? I have on kid that I think is really close to being too tall for the kiddie rides, yet too small for the more adult rides. Also, does Scooby-Doo appear in this park? ---
**Author:** ![Omniscient](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omniscient/32/3290_2.png) [@Omniscient](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omniscient)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2000, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-going-to-great-america/22418/5 "2000-06-15T02:44:36Z")
Kvallulf, you might wanna try the website… And no, its a Warner Brothers owned park, I don’t think Scooby will be there. But who knows who owns the rights to those toons anymore, regardless I’ve never seen him there. ---
**Author:** ![Kvallulf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/898d66/32.png) [@Kvallulf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kvallulf)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2000, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-going-to-great-america/22418/6 "2000-06-15T02:48:46Z")
I did try the site. It didn’t give me the information I wanted. ---
**Author:** ![Buddy\_Holly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/b9bd4f/32.png) [@Buddy\_Holly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Buddy_Holly)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2000, 4:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-going-to-great-america/22418/7 "2000-06-15T04:37:09Z")
I’m not sure if they have an actual Scooby actor, but there are a couple of Scooby themed games (not rides). The one I remember involved trying to shoot water at a target, competing with other visiters, to win a stuffed Scooby Doo thing. You’ll know when you’re in the vicinity of it because of the at-first-cute-then-after-hearing-it-50-times-in-a-row-unbelievibly-irritating theme music. As far as rides go, Raging Bull is amazing, but you’ll probably have to wait in some long lines (although I haven’t been there this summer, so it might not be so bad). I’m also a big fan of Shockwave; it can be a lot of fun, and the lines are usually pretty short. If your son has never been on a roller coaster before, the Demon and Whizzer are both good ones for a first trip. And of course, no good trip is complete without a ride on the teacups! Have fun! ---
**Author:** ![Omniscient](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omniscient/32/3290_2.png) [@Omniscient](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omniscient)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2000, 5:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-going-to-great-america/22418/8 "2000-06-15T05:18:09Z")
Kvallulf…are you just trying to get us to do your research for you? Well, you suckered me into it. [http://www.sixflags.com/greatamerica/rides/](http://www.sixflags.com/greatamerica/rides/) Click that link and then click on each rollercoaster it will open up a new page with a button that says “specs”. In the applet that pops up it lists the height requirement. Generally 54" for the looping coasters and 48" for the wooden ones. [http://www.sixflags.com/greatamerica/kids/](http://www.sixflags.com/greatamerica/kids/) This link lists the kids areas and clearly states that the kids must be under 54" to enter. [http://www.sixflags.com/greatamerica/rides/more.cfm](http://www.sixflags.com/greatamerica/rides/more.cfm) These additional ride have no height requirement AFAIK. BTW, it does list some Scooby Do attraction in the kiddie areas, that would explain my ignorance on the subject. ---
**Author:** ![Floompy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e56c9b/32.png) [@Floompy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Floompy)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2000, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-going-to-great-america/22418/9 "2000-06-15T16:46:30Z")
kvallulf - Have a good time! Wish I was going! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Floompy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e56c9b/32.png) [@Floompy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Floompy)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2000, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-going-to-great-america/22418/10 "2000-06-15T16:47:33Z")
kvallulf - Have a good time! Wish I was going! 😃