What To Expect At Hurricane Harbor Chicago + SFGAM Updates

By: Alana DeRose

visitlakecounty.org

On Monday June 7, I've had the luxury of visiting Hurricane Harbor Chicago and Six Flags Great America after being at the park a little bit over a month ago for opening weekend of SFGAM and things have certainly changed since April and I'm here to give them to you.

Hurricane Harbor Chicago

At Hurricane Harbor Chicago which used to just be Hurricane Harbor is still located right next to SFGAM and has the same front entrance it's always have; yes the water park always had a front entrance, but this time there's actually a real entrance gate to the water park.

Sadly you can't enter through Southwest Territory anymore you actually have to walk outside of Great America and towards the front entrance of the water park in order to gain access.

However, gaining access to the water park is a little bit different than the amusement park.

Before entering the parking lot you'll show both your reservation ticket and your parking pass as you would if you were going to the amusement park.

*There's not a different parking lot for water park guests, you still park in the same parking lot as the amusement park guests*

Then before heading to the entrance gate you'll have someone standing in this tent that'll ask you for your water park reservation and you have to show that first before heading to the entrance gate.

Then when you finally reach the gate you'll do everything as you would normally do.

Mask Policy

The mask policy at the water park is honestly....... non existent.

It just doesn't feel like "Oh crap I forgot my mask" more *throws mask away*.

No one was wearing a mask besides the employees and there were signs up saying mask are mandatory when standing in food lines and in bathrooms, but even then guests didn't wear a mask. Also you don't have to wear it on rides, which makes sense, but social distancing while waiting in line was utterly non existent. I mean people weren't on top of each other because that's just nasty how close we used to stand near each other, but people were closer than what the stickers said.

Rides

There's nothing different with the rides at Hurricane Harbor, everything functions the same, there's not really a sanitation process happening that would delay the rides, so it feels normal.

The only real difference is the new water coaster Tsunami Surge but that's it.

Food

The food lines took absolutely FOREVER, mainly because it was like only one restaurant open and Mobile Food Ordering wasn't even working at that restaurant, so if you need some food I suggest you head to the amusement park or the McDonald's less than a minute away.

SFGAM Updates

Great America has had some changes since opening weekend back in April, mainly with their mask policy.

When we left the water park the first thing I did was head to Viper and the entire cart was filled. No every other row and someone directing you to which row you have to sit in, just normal seating as it was before Covid. Also the mask wasn't enforced on Viper, but that may just be the ride ops and not the rule itself. Another ride was MaxxForce, I didn't get on it because the line was dang near outside the entrance gate but I saw the cart packed with people in every single row and back in April they would sometimes release the train with only three people on it.

However, on rides like Revolution and Goliath they required a mask in order to ride and wouldn't dispatch the train until everyone had a mask on.

Then when you weren't on rides they didn't really care if you had your mask on or not.

Mobile Food Ordering

I did finally figure out how to work the mobile food ordering, but like a goofy I didn't record it and it's hard to explain, but this video really does do a good job of showing you how it works.

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PPT Tip: If you want to go to the amusement park but it says it's "Sold Out" then make a reservation for the water park so you're still able to get inside the parking lot and then just head to the amusement park because there they don't ask to see your amusement park reservation.