The Tidal Wave's 25th Anniversary, 2002

I made this video presentation on the history of the Tidal Wave roller coaster in cooperation with then Paramount's Great America as part of a celebration of the ride's twenty-fifth anniversary in 2002. The video pays homage to Anton Schwarzkopf and Werner Stengel, the two key people responsible for creating this compact thriller. Historic footage and exclusive interviews tell the ride's story and offer a rare behind-the-scenes look at how the ride is maintained. This roller coaster documentary project directly led to the creation of the website GREATAMERICAparks.com, which is dedicated to the history of the Marriott's GREAT AMERICA parks.
www.greatamericaparks.com/

[@andysiau6576]

One of my first and favorite roller coasters! :)

[@gregoryquandt6237]

This ride was a real obsession for me. Marriott’s/Bally’s/Six Flags Great America in Gurnee IL was my park. I remember the inaugural year of the Great American Eagle and being just tall enough to ride it. I love coasters so much, but the Tidal Wave had so much in such a little package. The launch was powerful (for the era), the G forces on that loop were incredible and the sounds of the ride live in my mind still. When it was taken down and replaced by Batman the Ride I was crestfallen. I’d love to be able to ride it again.

[@Mallaien]

I grew up in Waukegan, had season passes when it was Marriot, and then Six Flags.. I worked there during the 86 to 89 seasons. My brother was a Lead operator on the Tidal Wave, while I worked on the Power Dive.

[@jamesgonzales6086]

Montezooma's Revenge opened around same time at Knott's, still running strong into 2019 with new trains...

[@aaronreichler2570]

It has the more reliable flywheel launch

[@tdcamp03]

Hopefully it returns

[@edgetaker]

It didn't open until 1978 in the sister park in Gurnee, IL. and only lasted until 1991 when removed for Batman - The Ride. As much unused land the park had I couldn't figure out why they didn't put Batman elsewhere. It was one of my favorite coasters.

[@ellexking681]

Anton Schwarzkopf was an Absolute Genus. So Thankful Knott's Berry Farm keeps Montezuma's Revenge maintained and up and operating like a Swiss Watch. It opened in 1978. The same year that was the final season for the Jumbo Jet at Cedar Point. It still ANGERS me to this day Cedar Point removed it. Riding a Rollercoaster that had Trains with inline seating, no Lap Bars or Seat Belts was Absolutely Awesome. It's my favorite Anton Schwarzkopf Rollercoaster. A Classic 🎢💕💕💕💕💕

[@josephlepkowski2383]

One of the very best along with Shockwave,Eagle,Wizzer , and the Demon

[@itbe]

This was really great. So sad they tore it down shortly after. The 25th was just the thing to get it back in people's minds as an historical piece. And then boom...gone. Thanks for the memories.

[@realsfgamfan]

RIP Tidal Wave

[@Greatamericaparks]

Thank you.

[@bladerunner752]

The Edge was a scary ride too. I remember the sign used to have wile coyote falling off the top of the sign

[@mikebrow74]

A friend of mine got a mechanic job at MGA prior to their opening in 1976. He told me this story in early 1978. During the first year of operation the Tidal Wave was plagued with problems. It is launched by a catapult cable attached to a large weight in the forward tower. The weight is controlled by electro-magnets that controls the launch speed very precisely. It is tied to sensors on the track and if the car is not at this precise speed at a particular point, the brakes come on and the launch is aborted. Aborted launches were common the first year. A few days prior to opening day 1978, Anton Schwarzkopf and Werner Stengel were there troubleshooting the ride. They had been in the tower checking mechanical components and had turned off all the power as a required safety precaution. After several hours inspection and work, they broke for lunch. When they returned they continued to check other components of the ride and decided to launch a test cycle. The power to the weight tower was still off. When they launched the unmanned train, the weight fell without restriction. Power to the speed sensors had also been turned off so the pneumatic brake system did not activate. The train went through the loop well above maximum speed and slammed into the track end stop, bending the end of the track and destroying the first two cars. Debris from the cars hit several buildings causing damage to them. The Tidal Wave was a huge draw and they worked day and night for several days repairing the damage. They completed the repairs and the ride ran opening day 1978.

[@nathanlopez5667]

Well the one in Santa Clara California opened in 1977 are you sure you're not talking about the one in Gurnee Illinois that opened in 1978?

[@WarhavenSC]

The last week the Tidal Wave was open, my brother and I went on it like 8 or 9 times in a row. It was pretty cold and rainy, so the line was empty, but after the 8th or 9th go, I blacked out at the apex of the loop. lol. Time to take a break! [edit] This was at the Santa Clara park.

[@MuvoTX]

Great video... I miss the old themes of the Mariott era. Rip tidal wave. They demolished the old light house this summer... The only remaining artifact from yankee harbor is the old boat anchor in boomerang bay.

[@mixboy79]

Agreed. Nothing compares to the Marriots era. I was a kid during that time, they had the best rides then. I miss those days.

[@nathanlopez5667]

Yes I knew it was going to get torn down so I took pictures of the lighthouse in 2018 season I don't know why they removed it it was still in really good shape the lighthouse

[@NorCalCoasterMedia]

@@nathanlopez5667 Waterpark expansion

[@moon993]

@@NorCalCoasterMedia Ironic since there is a lighthouse in the "South Bay Shores" (Boomerang Bay renamed) logo

[@bladerunner752]

Fun fact, the carousel was in the book of world records for being the tallest in the world. I think that record still stands. Thanks for the great memories.

[@bladerunner752]

Orleans orbit used to make people puke alot. Great memories, thank you for sharing these videos.

[@zacharyyamashita8554]

That ride is still there today.

[@Absolutezerobs]

Was a great ride in 1983 we elebrated the CHS class of 83 graduation trip there. I rode this ride for the first time and the motion and G-force going backward was incredible. Very nice clean park

[@andysmith6824]

Thanks Kurt--I was wondering! I was SHS Class of ‘84 (Saratoga High School) and ‘Tino football was a rival for us Falcons. 😁 I worked Tidal Wave when your class was there. Who knows, I could have been your ride operator on that or the Lobster. I’ll always have the best memories there! At the time I was there, I wore the ridiculous looking Yankee Harbor costume. Any dudes who wore those blue, cheap, bell-bottom pants know how difficult it could be. The material I think was nylon, but they fit skin tight. And since boys are boys around that age, sometimes uncontrollable things happen to the body and with those pants, there was no hiding it! All we did, and it was super embarrassing back then, is make a very rapid work position change so that we couldn’t really be seen below the waste (control board position). It happened to the best of us. 🤣🤣🤣🤣 I don’t think I’d ever want to go back and live this life over again in these modern times. Just think, anything that you did but didn’t want the whole school to know, these days someone will catch a video of it and the whole student body will know in minutes, whatever the topic. That must make things really difficult for, say, 7th grade through Senior? Anyway, I still love this video. Thanks again!

[@YurBoiCarson]

If you miss this ride just go to Knott’s Berry Farm because they have a shuttle loop that’s still in operation called Montezooma’s Revenge

[@MrDrkNoir]

Sweet memories. My family and i first visited the park when i was maybe seven years old, and my grandmother went on tidal wave with me. She laughed her ass off, and said that this was her first and last coaster ride.

[@behindthespotlight7983]

Sometimes the briefest glimpse of a single frame says so much about the depth of history that could easily fill a 400 page book The History of Great America. I refer to the boathouse gates, swinging open like they did in 1977 or 1987...with the anchor reliefs still on each gate. But the garish green and blue “greased lightening “ behind them. RIP Tidal Wave 😢

[@MrBklein31]

Had the same one in Gurnee, IL (my home park)! Amazing how it brings back memories.

[@bruceaskew2107]

this is the from Gurnee

[@MrBklein31]

This video showed some footage from Great America in Gurnee, but the rest was in California, I think. It was removed from Gurnee long before it was 25 years old. But the parks are very similar, so it’s hard to tell.

[@bruceaskew2107]

@@MrBklein31 i never knew cali looked so similar to ours, thanks bro

[@uutooyu]

Fun fact most people don't know marriotts great america in california was where the first imax theater ever was i believe the features were a steam train coming at the screen and the blue angels in flight i forget the rest but it felt like you were literally in the film or things were coming at you lol great memories !

[@maryroberts2099]

I rode that at GA Gurnee, IL==I loved it

[@mattglumactheautisticgolfe1608]

It should have never been removed.

[@zacharylunsford2]

Matt Glumac :The Autistic Golfer: yeah they should never torn this coaster down because it was piece of Great America’s history.

[@sespringstead24]

I completely agree the season they did I stopped going.

[@tigerrocks503chase8]

As it sucks to see it demolished....it became hard to maintain over the final years in its life and the technology it used was pretty outdated. Tidal Wave will always live on in our hearts.

[@triple7marc]

RMC Master Race

[@andysmith6824]

I love this video----thank you so much for putting it together! I was a ride operator on the Tidal Wave for the 1982 summer season, then I came back as Lead for the 83 summer season and it had merged with the Lobster unit, so we operated both rides and switched back and forth for lunch brakes, etc. I was also Security there, down-season Security, and First-Aid with Carol Catlett and then in 1985, I got picked up by a local police department. And now I'm retired. That's my life in a few sentences! I have so many great memories of working this ride and of Great America in general. I can't believe the memories that just came flooding back when I heard the station brakes apply after the rearward service inspection. And then the "bob" coming up on the cable to make contact with the "bob pad" that drops down via a solenoid switch. I still remember the terminology all of these decades later. I wish it was still there---I would give almost ANYTHING to be able to run the Tidal Wave or Lobster again, but they're both gone now. The Lobster was fun because it was the only fully-manual ride in the park. Everything else worked on computers and the ride operators just pushed buttons. But on the Lobster, you couldn't fake it. You could either do it or you couldn't. Is there any chance of posting the audiotapes that used to play constantly there? I heard the wind noise and every few minutes the "ding ding" from a ship---I remember it well. But in the queue line, there was a recording done by Mark M. in Tech Services: "The Tidal Wave is a high-speed, fast accelerating, roller-coaster type ride. To experience this ride, you should be in good health, free from heart conditions, and other physical limitations". It goes on---I know the whole thing by memory. It would be neat to hear the actual tape again, along with the music that played in Yankee Harbor. We would hear it all the time when working The Lobster. Such fun memories!!! THANK YOU, THANK YOU!!!

[@genarofranco966]

They were both great rides. I worked on the lobster ride in '78-'79 seasons. The lobster was combined with the Buzzy Bee kiddy ride at the time. It was great being able to interact with the guests. I remember issues with the Tidal Wave when it was being built. I worked at Great America in Santa Clara '76 -'81 seasons. I was sent to work at the Gurnee park the last week of the '76 season. It was interesting to see the slight differences in the two parks. Great times, great memories.

[@montezoomasrevengefanboy6477]

Don’t get why parks remove these rides, there amazing and classics

[@jasonbaylor9865]

Because things get old and classics really dont hold up at parks like this

[@mazurradio217]

@Morse Dregs never. Bring back the demon song.

[@Cueya]

Even the parks that "keep" their old rides, eventually have to completely replace the tracks (Disneyland with Matterhorn and space mountain for example)

[@reformedflame]

@@mazurradio217what’s that?

[@timothyduffy9068]

The tracks of the tidal wave knew me when I was a kid and yet I'm older than all the rides at great America. Goodbye old friend. RIP.

[@alexandermatthews145]

Back in the 80s this was my very 1st rollercoaster I got to ride on.

[@ericw4101]

Good ol' days.

[@kawythowy867]

I remember. Like it was yesterday. Six Flags Great America Gurnee IL….best times of my life. Wow. Time goes so fast. So lucky to be born in the generation I was born In.

[@Strangenstein]

This is a great video! I liked The Tidal Wave, but my favorite was The Turn of the Century (before it was changed and became The Demon). It was so great to see an on-board video at 3:35 of this great coaster! For those that don't remember, the ride used to have two bunny hills where the loops are now. They gave tremendous airtime.

[@jhaymanmyles2226]

Yessir I remember it well😊

[@Sagplaya]

I remember riding this 9 times in a row until we threw up. I miss this ride

[@xxxXXBiGDANXXxxx]

Best coaster ever! I rode this so many times that I don't even know the count. It always gave a thrill! I experienced a top of ride bump in light rain once and it scared the crap out of me! That right the cars hit the bumper on the top of the hill! Even saw a young lady line jump and fall and break her back climbing over rails 😢.

[@joshuasilvius7854]

The Tidal Waves were the only 2 shuttle loops that used a dropped counter weight to launch the train - the launch was amazing.

[@kevinikola8003]

I remember when it was built as I was working there at the time. I must have ridden it more than 50 times.

[@deathandbananas2152]

I just realized that the footage that was used on the commercial was actual White Lighting from Carowinds

[@tesskennedy2001]

30 years ago this was the first roller coaster I ever went on and I’d get off and run around and get on again. Probably went on it 20x that day.

[@URAWESOME94]

Encountered it as greased lightning at six flags Kentucky kingdom while on vacation in 2004. The launch was such a thrill. I could see the mechanics behind it as we waited in the loading area. Some sort of device dropped propelling it into a launch, resetting before the coaster came roaring backwards. Neat to notice at ten years old.

[@willywonka00]

This ride never had a huge line which was great

[@Audioandlyrics]

what is the song in the begging

[@mixboy79]

I miss this ride, so stupid they removed it.

[@frankiemae1302]

I believe the best seats on it were the front or the back. Both reached max heights either first ramp or the ramp behind.

[@christinalittleitaly2809]

This was my favorite! not to scary,😊

[@anthonycullever7578]

Six Flags Astroworld we had the same one open in 78 with the Fly Wheel design way better than the drop weight and ours was already called Greezed Lightin when it opened.

[@frequentswaflyer6562]

I rode this in 1977 when I was 9 years old.

[@XParks]

That one different headrest on the back row at 20:48

[@cayoooga]

Isn't that Carowind's White Lightnin' shuttle loop coaster they used in the Tidal Wave commercial? I loved Marriott's Great America in Santa Clara. I was there opening week in March 1976. Love seeing this footage. Thanks!

[@greyroom6730]

Yes to that first question.....

[@bruceaskew2107]

rip shockwave an tidal wave

[@johnfoltz8183]

Are you sure you want to completely demolish Looping Coaster 1?

[@ryantheridemechanic]

Would I be possible if I could use some of this video for a “how it works” type video?

[@93tiln.hernandez84]

Thank you for sharing this 🤗🎢 Does anyone know or have footage of The Wizzard 🎢?

[@jhaymanmyles2226]

The Wizzard yes!

[@MuvoTX]

Wasnt this also the worlds first backwards coaster?

[@grantweilandt9077]

MuvoTX I think that belonged to Disney at the time

[@OakViewFilms]

Some old wooden coasters from the golden age had backwards trains (such as the Crystal Beach Comet).

[@guerrerowarrior1]

You should do a video on stealth!!!!

[@chase2095]

the fact that my mom rode this when she was my age.. and i’m 13

[@iFedericoFellini]

25th Anniversary, video is 25 minutes and 25 seconds long ;)

[@user-rs4bx4xt1e]

I almost lost my life on this ride. This ride had one lap bar to share foe two people. My friend was very heavy so the lap bar crossed his body but it barely covered mine. I'm shocked I didn't fall out. That was the scariest experience of my young life. Thanks Tidal Wave

[@rockingtr1]

Two completely separate, independently operating lap bars across each row are clearly shown multiple times in the film to confirm your fears are as vivid as your imagination.

[@armandobaez-duran5691]

great america had some great flat rides in the pass now not to many

[@Toast0808]

GREAT AMERICA, in Santa Clara, California, was best back when it was “Marriott’s” GREAT AMERICA. Once Marriott sold it, and the City of Santa Clara took over, the park went to shit. It’s just a crap mess today, with all the best and classic things gone.

[@marcocampos2332]

15:48 Dora

[@TnseWlms]

I used to think it was a "title wave".

[@djavatar68]

So what replaced it?

[@zacharyyamashita8554]

Nothing :(

[@charid4816]

Batman

[@charid4816]

... in Chicago that is...

[@OakViewFilms]

Nothing. In fact, parts of the station and some footers still exist.

[@nathanlopez5667]

As of 2019 nothing has replaced it there has been talk though of a launch coaster something like Vertical Velocity but bigger and for whatever ride it is to be called tidal wave to pay tribute but that's just rumors it's supposed to be a hand-me-down from another Cedar Fair Park it's actually a good idea and it would save the company money in getting an all new roller coaster I think it's called Wicked Twister the rumored coaster to go in that area the Footers and the station can still be seen

[@steliokontos1180]

The worst was when you messed up and forgot to keep your head against the head rest and the g force from the loop pushed your whole torso forward 🤣

[@nathanlopez5667]

Idiots how are you going to celebrate the 25th anniversary and then remove it at the end of the season and then remove stealth a year later good one Paramount

[@zacharyyamashita8554]

Hyper Coaster in 2021 will be the Parks most expensive project and best one yet :) . Paramount pretty much drove the park into the ground, thankfully Cedar Fair has big plans for the park beyond the B&M Hyper Coaster. :D

[@nathanlopez5667]

@@zacharyyamashita8554 yeah when Paramount purchased the park in 92 or 93 they were off to a good start after let's say 2003 the park pretty much went downhill until Cedar Fair bought it I believe in 2006 and slowly they've been improving the park since but the future looks very bright for this park I can't wait for the hypercoaster I'm Juiced

[@nathanlopez5667]

Here we are in 2021 with no hyper I think everything got pushed back

[@zacharyyamashita8554]

@@nathanlopez5667 And now the park is closing for good. 😢

[@gabrieltrejo2533]

Ugh! The Paramount Era. They gave it a stupid name (Greased Lightning) when it already had a great name with a great theme (Tidal Wave). After it's removal Paramount followed up by removing Stealth, another first of it's kind (at the time) only 3 years after it was installed. Then they got rid of Invertigo among other stupid decisions. Paramount decided that Great America was the red-headed step child of the chain because I remember all of sister parks getting new coasters while CGA lost coasters as well as a lack of up keep in the park. I don't get people who miss the Paramount era when they were clearly the worst owners! Thank God Cedar Fair is the owner now🙏

[@supercobraz2788]

Yeah even when cedar Fair owns great America they still removed some of the other rides including firefall and HMB endeavor rest in peace to two of those flat rides that I never got to ride on 🥲..... They should have removed delirium instead...

[@jonnda]

The interesting part starts at 16:40