The Tidal Wave roller coaster Marriott's Six Flags Great America 1979 home video

Here is some home video of the Tidal Wave in Gurnee, IL filmed on July 18, 1979. Scenes from the ground and brief shots from the Southern Cross cable car.

[@TheBandit949]

Miss this ride. I was there on a chilly early May day. Was able to stay on the ride and ride it 3 times in a row. They should have never dismantled it.

[@redrobin603]

Thanks for sharing. I've been feeling nostalgic lately for the old days at Great America. I worked the Tidal Wave it's first year and have been looking for videos and pics.

[@luisdominik128]

instablaster...

[@hammy6275]

Thanks for sharing! Great video of the beloved Tidal Wave!

[@stevemeinecke]

I was still young tidal wave was at Great America wow what an amazing sound

[@thevisorsusa]

We waited in line for an hour the summer it opened. Fun ride.

[@knightriderKITT1985]

RIP my dear tidal wave...was viper now greezed lightnin...now you rest as scrap metal.

[@MsKimsanchez]

Wow, very rare. Super-cool!

[@dixienormous6969]

My mum went on this ride back in the early 80s & said it traumatized the hell out of her! 🤣

[@jakeeskridge1926]

That ride looks lit

[@MsDellis1]

great memories..still my favorite place to go

[@GoblinGirl]

I can tell this is old footage because the cable car rides were still working. They shut them down sometime in the 1980's. One was called the Delta Flyer, and the other one was the Southern Cross. The Delta Flyer was one way. The Southern Cross was round trip. They kept the Delta Flyer name and put another ride in its place, but I can't remember what ride it was. Something that spun around a lot, like a bob sled ride.

[@edgetaker]

The one-way cable car ride, depending on which area you were in, was either called Delta Flyer (Orleans Place ) or Eagle's Flight (County Fair), and taken down in 1984. I was told it was due to an increasing number of times the ride would shut down due to winds, leaving riders stranded. I think the ride in Orleans Place that took the spot might have been the Condor?

[@animalyze7120]

Was always a great ride! Sometimes the lines were empty and they'd ask you "Wanna go again?" too which we all screamed loud as ever YES!!!!!

[@jasonkrause6778]

Been to Great America 3 times in My first was the summer of 85' was not old enough to experience this ride it was intimidating to me at the time when I returned in 93' it was replaced with Batman wish I could of experienced it !

[@almo2001]

This thing scared the hell out of me when I was 10. I finally got on it though, late in the day. Had great fun. On the way down from Sheboygan, my friend and I said how we'd ride the Demon first. He chickened out. I wanted to, but I said I would, so I did. Loved it, couldn't convince him to get on it when I went the second time. :)

[@chrisbetancourt4279]

How extraordinary!!

[@ericbasta7430]

Larry Lujack did some narration during the queue.

[@CK2012]

Their other park in San Jose had this rode on it a few times it was great, If I remember this was one of the first Rocket coasters

[@jonathana.d.williams2902]

I rode the Tidal Wave the first year it was open.

[@AirtimeThrills]

This is some very rare footage, do you mind if I use some of it in a video I'm making about Great America? I'll link back to the video in the description, please let me know, thanks!

[@RaiderDan510]

that's exactly how it was when I was a kid

[@SleestaksRule]

I remember one day there was zero people in line for it and my friend and I rode it over and over. We'd just hop out and run back to the entrance. The park has gone downhill and I will not go back.

[@VideofromGeorge]

***** Yes! I had the same experience in the late '80s Great memories!

[@ThemeParkCrazy]

May I use this footage in a video on Six Flags Great America's history? I will give you full credit.

[@VideofromGeorge]

Yes you may.

[@ThemeParkCrazy]

Thank you. This footage is very helpful.

[@KennyRyman]

Do Six Flags INC. Sill own this Park?

[@jisooxgrande876]

Yes, since 1984

[@jonrynearson31]

I remember when I worked there I always kept saying Marriotts Great America. It's a Gurnee thing if you grew up there and watched the park get built

[@rosieplays4593]

My mom told me this ride was so horrible.

[@edgetaker]

Really? Horrible in what way? It was one of my favorites!

[@dixienormous6969]

Oh my god my mum did too!!! That's funny as hell 😂 To this day, she said that was the scariest ride she'd ever been on! She still remembers the feeling & everything & it's been over 40 years since she went on it & only one time ahahaha🗿

[@fahooga]

Looks like (then) Marriott's Great America in Santa Clara, CA, not Six Flags Great America.

[@VideofromGeorge]

Really? Interesting, I've never been to Santa Clara, CA. This is Gurnee, IL.

[@edgetaker]

Marriott owned both parks in Gurnee, Il and Santa Clara, CA, for a time when they were both built and opened in 1976

[@MogamiK32]

You can tell them apart by the weight drop. The One in Gurnee has blue and white striped pattern and the Santa Clara one just had blue.

[@edgetaker]

One summer I worked at the park, and employees had to use service roads behind the rides, etc., to get between the cafeteria, different themed areas, etc. One of these was right behind the Tidal Wave, and boy, were those breaks loud walking past it on the way to /from lunch!