Whizzer, originally named Willard's Whizzer, is a steel roller coaster located at Six Flags Great America in Gurnee, Illinois, United States. Designed by Werner Stengel and built by Anton Schwarzkopf, the Speedracer model was one of two identical roller coasters built for the Marriott Corporation in time for the debut of their Great America parks in 1976.
The first installation of the ride opened with California's Great America on March 20, 1976, and it operated until 1988. The second opened with Six Flags Great America on May 29, 1976, and remains in operation. Both were the last Speedracer models ever built by Schwarzkopf, and the remaining Whizzer installation is the only Speedracer left in existence after the removal of Montaña Rusa at Parque del Café in Montenegro, Quindío, Colombia in 2025.
History
In the early 1970s, Marriott Corporation was looking to extend its hotel and restaurant operations into the amusement park industry. Their goal was to have them open in time to celebrate the nation's Bicentennial.
Both parks were named Marriott's Great America, and the first opened in Santa Clara, California, on March 20, 1976.
Six Flags Great America
Six Flags Great America's Whizzer was nearly closed in August 2002, fueled by increasing maintenance costs, to make way for Superman: Ultimate Flight. However, due to public backlash and outcry, the park reversed their decision at the last minute and instead demolished the highly unpopular Shockwave, putting Superman: Ultimate Flight on its plot of land in Orleans Place.
California's Great America
After Marriott sold California's Great America to the city of Santa Clara under management of the Kings Entertainment Company, the Whizzer continued to operate until it was subsequently demolished in 1988. A few cement footers still remain where the Whizzer once stood.
Ride experience
Queue and station
The ride's queue is made up of several switchbacks beneath the station, then a staircase up to the loading area. Riders are seated two per seat, with the taller person sitting in the rear and the shorter person sitting in front. where an electric contact rail powers a motor which moves the train up the lift hill. At the top of the spiral, the train slowly picks up speed as it travels down the first drop at a shallow angle. Then on March 29, 1980, a 13-year-old boy was killed and eight others injured after two trains collided at the station on the Santa Clara Whizzer. Following the accident, both rides underwent several changes. Seatbelts were added, the braking system was modified and the number of trains that could be run at once was reduced from five to three. Willard’s name was also dropped, leaving the ride’s name as simply "Whizzer". Marriott never reported the potential safety hazard to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, which led to a 1981 civil penalty amounting to $70,000.
Awards
The Whizzer has been recognized as an ACE Coaster Landmark and received a plaque on August 10, 2012.