As the weather continues to warm up and days continue to get longer, thrill seekers craving an adrenaline fix are just over a week away from being able to head to one of the Midwest's premier amusement parks.
Six Flags Great America in Gurnee is slated to open for the season on Saturday, April 20, operating on a weekends-only schedule before ramping up to daily operations at the end of May.
Though the park boasts 15 thrilling roller coasters, many enthusiasts will likely be drawn to the park's sole new attraction, a swinging pendulum ride known as "Sky Striker."
Hyped throughout the offseason by the park, construction for the massive attraction is now underway with the park scheduled to open in just over a week.
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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 isn't scheduled to open until later this spring, but said construction is on schedule.
In addition to the all-new Sky Striker, thrill seekers have plenty to experience in one of the country's most well-rounded theme parks.
Hallmark coasters at the park include MaxxForce, which opened in 2019 and features a compressed air launch that propels riders from 0-78 miles per hour in just 1.8 seconds and Raging Bull, the park's flagship 25-year-old hypercoaster that remains the tallest ride of its kind in the park.
2024 also marks 10 years since the record-breaking wooden coaster, Goliath, opened at the park. Boasting a drop of 180 feet and a speed of 72 miles per hour, Goliath maintains the records for longest drop on a wooden roller coaster and fastest wooden roller coaster, respectively.
Guests can soak in their first thrills of the season on Saturday, April 20, beginning at 10:30 a.m.
