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Six Flags Great America Purchases Little Dipper from now closed Kiddieland Amusement Park

By Anthony Murphy
Published: November 25, 2009 at 10:28 AM
Today, Six Flags Great America announced that they have purchased the Little Dipper Wooden Roller Coaster from the now closed Kiddieland.

The Little Dipper, Kiddieland's signature family wooden roller coaster, was built into the park in 1950 and features a three story tall lift hill, a figure eight track and a track which runs 700 feet in length. It has won many awards from local groups over the years and one of the highlights for children visiting the amusement park.

“The Little Dipper has been a fond family tradition for over 50 years,” said Hank Salemi, Six Flags Great America’s park president. “We wanted to preserve this important piece of Chicago history for families to experience for many more years to come.”

The Roller Coaster will retain its own name and should be in the park for opening in 2010. This addition would be coaster number 14 for the park and would put it into being one of the oldest attractions in Six Flags Great America, which opened in 1976.

Readers' Opinions

From Anthony Murphy on November 25, 2009 at 10:44 AM
I wanted to write and then give my opinion:

I personally think this is really great! The Little Dipper is one of the few things I remember going on at Kiddieland when I was a kid. It will be perfect at SFGA, but I am wondering too.

This should also give a pretty good indication that SFGA is not concerned about closing down anytime soon. I doubt that they would, but this pretty much makes it for me that they are seriously staying open if they can spend the money to get a wooden roller coaster which they probably have to take down, transport, and rebuild at Great America due to the pretty large distance between the two parks.

I also like that Great America, over the past five years, has really started to become a bit of Roller Coaster Collectors and are trying to keep the Classics still around.

In regards to the Little Dipper, great addition! A family wooden roller coaster that is decient on the Thrill Factor.

From James Rao on November 26, 2009 at 6:09 AM
It looks like a fun little coaster for the wee ones, Anthony. I hope Six Flags spiffs it up a bit (and gives it a much needed paint job), but otherwise I think it is a good move to buy the ride. There are only a few coasters like it left in the world (3 or 4, I think), and provided the ride is a smooth one, it should be a nice starter for kids who are tired of all the copy cat Wacky Worms, Wild Mice, and Vekoma Junior coasters littered across the US.
From Bob Miller on November 26, 2009 at 7:09 AM
Thanks SFGA, for keeping part of Americas' coaster history alive for other generations to enjoy.

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