Six Flags Great America is celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2026, marking five decades since it opened as Marriott’s Great America on May 29, 1976. Sitting on 275 acres in Gurnee, Illinois, roughly halfway between Chicago and Milwaukee, it’s the largest amusement park in Illinois and one of the busiest seasonal parks in North America.
Whether you’re mapping out your first visit or just need to know what a ticket actually costs, this guide covers the park’s 16 roller coasters, how admission and parking pricing works, the seasonal hours pattern, and what’s new for the anniversary season.
Quick Answer
Six Flags Great America is open seasonally (spring through fall, plus a Fright Fest run in September and October), with single-day general admission starting at $45 when bought online in advance versus a $90 gate price, daily parking starting at $39, and 16 roller coasters headlined by Batman: The Ride, Goliath, and the 2025 dive coaster Wrath of Rakshasa. Always confirm the exact date’s hours and pricing on the official Six Flags Great America website before you go, since both change by season and by day.
The Ride Experience
Six Flags Great America’s coaster collection covers nearly every major style built over the past half-century. Batman: The Ride, a Bolliger & Mabillard inverted coaster from 1992, still runs its original tight-inversion layout that inspired inverted coasters worldwide. Raging Bull, a B&M hypercoaster from 1999, and Goliath, a Rocky Mountain Construction wood-steel hybrid from 2014 with a 180-foot first drop, add high-speed variety alongside the vintage wooden racer American Eagle from 1981 and the opening-day classic Whizzer, which has run since 1976.
The park’s newest headliner, Wrath of Rakshasa, opened May 31, 2025, as a B&M dive coaster reaching 180 feet with a record-setting 96-degree drop and five inversions, the most ever on a dive coaster model. Beyond the 16 coasters, the park’s roughly 40-plus attraction lineup includes flat rides, splash pads, and more than a dozen family and children’s rides in themed areas geared toward younger guests.
Tickets & Prices: What It Actually Costs
Six Flags Great America sells admission in a few tiers rather than one flat price. Single-day general admission starts at $45 when purchased online in advance, well below the roughly $90 walk-up gate price, so buying ahead on the official site is almost always the cheaper route. Add-ons like Fast Lane (skip-the-line access), dining plans, and drink plans are sold separately, either online in advance or at the park.
For repeat visitors, Six Flags offers season passes and memberships instead of single-day tickets. The entry-level Gold Pass includes admission to Six Flags Great America plus the chain’s other Midwest parks, free general parking, a bring-a-friend discount, and a complimentary Fast Lane per visit. The higher Prestige Pass adds admission to every Six Flags park nationwide, free preferred parking, complimentary beverages, 2-hour early entry, and deeper food and merchandise discounts. Hurricane Harbor Chicago, the adjoining water park, is sold as a separate ticket or in combination with park admission. Because pricing tiers, sale prices, and blackout dates shift throughout the year, use the official Six Flags Great America ticket page for current numbers before you buy.
Park Hours & Best Time to Visit
Six Flags Great America operates on a seasonal schedule rather than a fixed daily one. The park is open on a limited weekend schedule in early spring, moves to daily operation through the summer, and then shifts back to weekend-only hours for Fright Fest, which runs on select nights from mid-September through the start of November. Hours themselves also vary by day, typically opening around 10 or 11 a.m. and closing anywhere from early evening to 10 p.m. depending on the season and whether it’s a peak weekend.
Because both the operating calendar and daily hours are updated throughout the year, treat any specific time you see elsewhere as a starting point and check the official Six Flags Great America hours and calendar page for the exact date you plan to visit. Weekday visits in June or after Labor Day generally see the shortest lines; weekends in July are the park’s busiest stretch.
Parking at Six Flags Great America
The park sits just off I-94 at Grand Avenue (Route 132) in Gurnee, about a 45-minute drive from downtown Chicago or Milwaukee. Standard daily general parking starts at $39 when purchased online, while preferred parking closer to the entrance starts at $59; both can be bought in advance at the same price as paying at the gate, which mainly saves time rather than money. Gold Pass and Prestige Pass holders get parking included in their pass benefits, which can offset the cost of the pass itself for anyone visiting more than once or twice a season.
50th Anniversary: What’s New in 2026
2026 marks Six Flags Great America’s 50th anniversary since opening as Marriott’s Great America in 1976, and the park is running a summer-long celebration to mark it. Highlights include a nighttime drone show with synchronized low-proximity pyrotechnics, the “Memories in Motion” stage show, a “50 Years of Thrills” parade, and a Legacy Museum inside the Emporium showcasing artifacts from the park’s history. The wooden racer American Eagle also brought back its dueling-train racing format for the first time in a decade as part of the anniversary programming, alongside limited-time anniversary food items and merchandise.
Beyond the Coasters
Away from the steel and wood, the Columbia Carousel stands out as the second-tallest carousel in the world at 100 feet, offering sweeping views of the park from its upper deck. The 330-foot Sky Trek Tower provides another vantage point over Gurnee, while the adjacent Hurricane Harbor Chicago, opened in 2005 as a separately gated water park, gives guests a way to cool off during Illinois summers on its slides and wave pool.
Six Flags Great America FAQs
Where is Six Flags Great America located?
It’s at 1 Great America Parkway in Gurnee, Illinois, just off I-94 at Grand Avenue (Route 132), roughly 45 minutes from both downtown Chicago and Milwaukee.
How much are Six Flags Great America tickets?
Single-day general admission starts at $45 when bought online in advance, compared to about $90 at the gate. Season passes and memberships cost more upfront but pay off for visitors planning multiple trips; check the official site for current pricing.
What time does Six Flags Great America open and close?
Hours vary by season and day, generally opening around 10 or 11 a.m. and closing between early evening and 10 p.m. The park runs a limited spring and fall schedule and daily hours in peak summer, so confirm the exact hours for your visit date on the official calendar.
How much is parking at Six Flags Great America?
Daily general parking starts at $39 and preferred parking starts at $59 when purchased online, the same price as paying at the gate. Parking is included with Gold Pass and Prestige Pass memberships.
How many roller coasters does Six Flags Great America have?
The park has 16 roller coasters as of 2026, ranging from the 1976 opening-day classic Whizzer and the 1981 wooden racer American Eagle to the 2025 dive coaster Wrath of Rakshasa.
What was Six Flags Great America originally called?
It opened on May 29, 1976, as Marriott’s Great America before Six Flags acquired and renamed it in 1984.
Is Six Flags Great America celebrating an anniversary in 2026?
Yes, 2026 is the park’s 50th anniversary, marked by a summer-long celebration featuring a nighttime drone show, a parade, a Legacy Museum, and the return of American Eagle’s dueling-train racing format.
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