Marriott's Great America Turn of the Century Footage | National Roller Coaster Museum & Archives

After being manufactured just a few miles north on Highway 101 by Arrow Development, Turn of the Century began thrilling riders at Marriott's Great America back in 1976. It sported an all-white structure and featured ejector airtime hills along with back-to-back corkscrews.
It was renovated and re-themed in 1980 to become The Demon and still runs at both Great America parks in Santa Clara, CA and Gurnee, IL.
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[@Kazcinelo95]

this is so cool to see. I've only seen maybe one picture of the demon without its double loops. And those airtime hills seem intense, especially the last one.

[@user-ok7nw3hd4k]

They were indeed very intense, this was actually a better ride than the Demon to be honest.

[@southpuddle]

Love the OTSR popping up before the train even comes to a full stop!

[@WhatAG23]

“Demon” is one of my all time faves. Glad this ride lives on in a new form.

[@bradfordwetmore]

Wish all the old special effects were still running. Fog/lights at start, audio, light tunnel before the corkscrew, etc.

[@bfwetzel]

Wow..memories! I grew up in San Jose and we got to go very soon after the park opened. (Which we simply called " Marriot's". This was such a great coaster. I rode it before The Tidal Wave and The Demon were even in.

[@daveyboygee]

Turn of the Century became the Demon.

[@Strangenstein]

This was the first big coaster I rode as a kid, but it was at the Marriott’s Great America in Gurnee, Illinois. I remember being nervous about the corkscrews, but it turned out they weren’t the scary part of the ride. We were sitting about 2/3rds back in the train, so we got a nice bit of airtime going down the first drop. Then THOSE BUNNY HILLS! They gave tremendous airtime. The corkscrews turned out pretty mild after that. Turn of the Century was a great ride. Those bunny hills are so much better than the the two loops it has now.

[@Grayback1973]

Yup,the best part of roller coasters is not the initial drop IMO.It is the weightlessness you feel at the very first part of the drop of a hill at full speed. The loops they added were not nearly as good!

[@Chillguy99]

I really wish Arrow had made another looper with airtime hills that crazy. I never got to ride Turn of the Century, but I assume the hills would be like a much larger, more intense version of the airtime hill on Corkscrew at Cedar Point (and that hill will give you airtime, despite everyone hating on that coaster).

[@MikeKitterman]

Brought back memories.

[@Grayback1973]

Awesome!!! I have been searching for footage of this coaster. I am the only one in my family that remembers it was originally called Turn of the Century.

[@jojovaldez2766]

Wonderful rollercoaster I missed the Turn Of The Century

[@christophereichorn7918]

Old fashioned Arrow Custom Looping Coaster!

[@randyhumphries1105]

My dad worked for both Arrow and then Marriott's until they sold Great America to the city

[@retrorobbyreviews]

I wasn't born yet when this coaster was Turn Of The Century. I only remember when it turned into the Demon. My parents did tell me what it was back in the 70s. Plus its cool to see old footage of the earlier years of the ride.

[@cayoooga]

I rode the Turn of the century in the very first week it was open in Santa Clara in March 1976. The two hills were the scariest part of the ride.

[@cayoooga]

@Richard Harding I remember Willard's Whizzer. That was a fun coaster and the first ride I rode the first time I visited Marriott's Great America. I loved the spiral lift. Speaking of Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk and being a Santa Cruz local, I was a ride operator there in the late 1970's. I loved that job. It was perfect for the summer. You are right. those were the days. Lots of fun times.

[@cayoooga]

@Richard Harding Yes, originally there were no safety belts on Willard's Whizzer until that poor kid was killed in the station. The Whizzer as it's known at Six Flags Great America in Illinois still exists and operates to this day.

[@christophereichorn7918]

That first one was oldest of three Arrow Custom Looping Coaster before two month Corkscrew was opened May 15th 1976?

[@NAFONE1973]

This made me feel old 😂 man this was my first actual rollercoaster 🎢 and yes back then it wasn't any safety belt/ harnesses or bars for protection. I crazy because not too many people remember the wizard, they said I was too small for the turn of the century. I remember being in line nervous because it was getting dark, the beginning of my coaster missions, R.I.P. to person that unfortunately transitioned on Willard's whizzerd not sure on spelling 🙏🏼

[@briansangster2761]

I rode a version of this roller coaster at the Great America right outside of Chicago in the 70's. I remember that it was a big deal because, to my knowledge, roller coasters with loops weren't common back then. This footage brings back a lot of memories. Thank you.

[@edgetaker]

Are you thinking of the Chicago Loop at Old Chicago in Bolingbrook? I rode that as well!

[@briansangster2761]

@@edgetaker OMG... Well, I'll always remember the "Turn Of The Century" because it was the first scary rollercoaster I went on, but WOW... I so remember that AD "Old Chicago Is The Good Time Place!" So many memories. I can recall going to Old Chicago on a field trip. I believe there were cobble stone streets inside, and then once you got into the amusement park inside... just amazing. I don't remember riding the Chicago Loop, but who knows. It was a long time ago... THANK YOU SO MUCH for sparking the memories:)

[@ZoniesCoasters]

Oh my god that airtime

[@xxxXXBiGDANXXxxx]

My mom made me ride this when I was 7. First coaster, I was beyond terrified. It was awesome! I still think it was a better ride with the airtime hills rather than the loops ;)

[@ninamartinez6771]

So did my mom!!!

[@jojovaldez2766]

I got to ride the Turn Of The Century a long time ago before the people changed it to The Demon When you re going down the 1st lift and down the next 2 hills you lift off your seat just a few inches

[@jojovaldez2766]

Gotta save this video since it s very difficult to find On Ride videos of Turn Of The Century to show my folks that before The Demon there was a Turn Of The Century rollercoaster My nephews and 2 nieces weren t even born yet when T O T C was around

[@tigerrocks503chase8]

Before the coaster become POSSESSED. 😈

[@fredleinweber2819]

GAHH look how bare the park was then. The Eagle hadn't even been built yet. And I didn't know the loops weren't orginally a part of the ride.

[@derisleybrittain]

Excellent 🍾🍾🍾🍾🍾

[@Desco9111]

Ride op walking RIGHT UP with his foot MERE INCHES from the moving train!

[@HumanStateOfEmergency]

People weren't stupid or played silly games back then.

[@wickedphant0m]

and no gates for the guests either... just the hand rails separating rows

[@billkeithchannel]

I remember at Geauga Lake the ride operator would have to use their foot to step on the restraint release as the coaster went by. Such precise timing. If they missed, they would have to walk down the line and step on the pedal to unlock the U-Bar restraint.

[@portugepunk]

I bet that was so much fun with those hills instead of the overly-tight loops on the Demon version. Though I do enjoy the tunnels on the latter.

[@edgetaker]

I preferred the hills rather than the loops. You had some great air time.

[@ThemeParkCrazy]

Greetings! May I use this footage in a video I'm making about the history of the inversion world record? I will give your channel full credit in the video.

[@blainewilliams394]

Those airtime hills look straight up painful