A Brief Reunion in Gurnee

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After visiting the Manitowoc County Fair, I headed straight to Chicago O’Hare Airport to pick up my friend Carl, whom I had met rather randomly at Disneyland in Anaheim the year before. The plan was to spend the next two days together at Six Flags Great America.

We stayed at the Country Inn & Suites by Radisson in Gurnee, directly across from the park. After that, we had planned to head into Chicago together. That idea did not last very long, though. On our second day, Carl unexpectedly got a call from Disney telling him he needed to be back at work in Anaheim the following day.

So in the end, we only had one full park day together. We finished it off with dinner at Hayashi Japanese Restaurant, which offered much more than the usual American-style sushi rolls. The Japanese dishes were genuinely good, and the eel in particular was excellent. After that, we headed back to the hotel, bringing our much shorter-than-planned trip together to an end.

Click here to get to the next report of The Great Mid-Western Road Trip.

TKathke August 23, 2024 September 15, 2026 The great Mid-Western Road Trip Day 8 - 10

Six Flags Magic Mountain

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Theme Park:	Six Flags Magic Mountain (since 1979)
	Magic Mountain (1971 - 1978)

Address:	1001 Fairgrounds Dr:
	94589 Vallejo
	https://www.sixflags.com/magicmountain

Operated by:	Six Flags

Six Flags Magic Mountain in Valencia, California, has been one of America’s leading amusement parks for roller coaster enthusiasts since opening in 1971. Originally known simply as Magic Mountain, the park became part of Six Flags in 1979 and has steadily expanded its ride collection ever since. Built across the hills north of Los Angeles, the park’s terrain has also shaped many of its attractions and gives Magic Mountain a layout unlike most traditional amusement parks.

Roller coasters are unquestionably the main attraction. Twisted Colossus, Tatsu, X2 and Full Throttle are just a few highlights in a collection that spans several generations of coaster design. Historic rides such as Revolution sit alongside much newer additions, while numerous thrill rides and family attractions fill the areas between them.

More than five decades after opening, Six Flags Magic Mountain remains a park built around roller coasters. The sheer variety of its collection, combined with the hilly setting and rides scattered across the property, makes exploring the park almost as much a part of the experience as riding the coasters themselves.

Reviews

The Thrill Capital of the World

Highlights of the Theme Park

Full Throttle

A blast of a ride

Goliath

The intense hyper coaster

Lex Luthor Drop of Doom

One of the largest drop towers

Riddler’s Revenge

The great Stand-Up Coaster

Scream!

The awesome parking lot coaster

Tatsu

An intense flying sensation

Twisted Colossus

The RMC racing coaster

Viper

An insane looping coaster

West Coast Racers

A wild ride

Wonder Woman Flight of Courage

A fast-paced coaster

X2

The insane 4th dimension coaster

TKathke March 9, 2024 August 15, 2026 Six Flags Magic Mountain

Disneyland

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Theme Park:	Disneyland Park (since 1955)
	Part of the Resort Disneyland Resort

Address:	Disneyland Resort
	92802 Anaheim
	https://disneyland.disney.go.com

Operated by:	Walt Disney Parks and Resorts

Disneyland in Anaheim, California, is the original Disney theme park and the only one designed and built under the direct supervision of Walt Disney. Since opening in 1955, Disneyland has become one of the most influential theme parks in the world, inspiring every Disney resort that followed while continuing to set the standard for themed entertainment.

The park is divided into a series of themed lands, each offering its own atmosphere, attractions and experiences. From the nostalgic charm of Main Street, U.S.A. to the adventures of Adventureland, Frontierland and Tomorrowland, Disneyland combines classic attractions with modern additions such as Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge. Signature attractions including Pirates of the Caribbean, Haunted Mansion, Space Mountain and Indiana Jones Adventure have become icons of the theme park industry.

More than seven decades after opening, Disneyland continues to evolve while preserving the ideas that made it famous. The combination of historic attractions, immersive themed environments and Walt Disney’s original vision makes Disneyland one of the world’s most celebrated theme parks.

Reviews

Exploring Disneyland