Six Flags Great America in Gurnee in Lake County, Illinois — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)
Batman The Ride
ACE Roller Coaster Landmark
American Coaster Enthusiasts recognizes Batman The Ride at Six Flags Great America as an ACE Roller Coaster Landmark, a designation reserved for rides of historic significance.
As the world's first inverted looping roller coaster, the revolutionary design was developed by Swiss engineers Walter Bolliger and Claude Mabillard, together with engineer Robert Mampe and former park manager Jim Wintrode, who first envisioned the concept of a train running on the outside of a loop. From a maximum track height of 105-feet, riders are suspended and turned upside down five times utilizing vertical loops, flat-spin corkscrews, and the first element of its type, the zero-gravity "heartline" spin. With an 84-foot, 6-inch tall curved first drop, the stylish floorless trains, designed to simulate a flying ski lift seat, offer unprecedented intensity, while maintaining remarkable smoothness, comfort, and pacing along its tight 2,693-foot long course.
This unique attraction, with theming based on the popular Batman films, quietly opened to the public on May 2, 1992 with a gala premiere a week later. Considered one of the most important events in modern coaster history, its debut inspired both a series of successful reproductions, as well as larger installations worldwide. Today Batman The Ride remains an integral part of Six Flags Great America's world-class collection of roller coasters.
of the American Coaster Enthusiasts
June 2005
Erected 2005 by American Coaster Enthusiasts.
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Entertainment • Parks & Recreational Areas • Railroads & Streetcars. In addition, it is included in the ACE Roller Coaster Landmarks series list. A significant historical date for this entry is May 2, 1992.
Location. 42° 22.1′ N, 87° 56.004′ W. Marker is in Gurnee, Illinois, in Lake County. It is in Six Flags Great America. It can be reached from Six Flags Drive north of West Washington Street (Road 22), on the right when traveling north. Located near the entrance of Batman The Ride, inside Six Flags Great America. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 1 Great America Pkwy, Gurnee IL 60031, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in Greater Chicago. It is also in the American Midwest and on the Great Lakes. Globally, it is in North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture and also the Northwest Territory.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: DC Super-Villains Swing (within shouting distance of this marker); Aquaman Splashdown (within shouting distance of this marker); The Little Dipper (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); a different marker also named The Little Dipper (about 300 feet away); Six Flags History of Resurrected Rides (about 300 feet away); a different marker also named The Little Dipper (about 300 feet away); a different marker also named The Little Dipper (about 300 feet away); The Wooden Coasters of Six Flags (about 300 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Gurnee.
Also see . . .
1. Coasterpedia: Batman: The Ride. From Coasterpedia, the roller coaster wiki, a look at Batman the Ride and its history. (Submitted on June 22, 2023, by Sean P. Flynn of Oak Park, Illinois.)
2. List of ACE Roller Coaster Landmarks. The American Coaster Enthusiasts (ACE) have honored 54 roller coasters as ACE landmarks. Three are at Six Flags Great America: The Whizzer, Batman the Ride and American Eagle. (Submitted on July 16, 2024, by Sean P. Flynn of Oak Park, Illinois.)
Credits. This page was last revised on June 23, 2026. It was originally submitted on June 19, 2023, by Sean P. Flynn of Oak Park, Illinois. This page has been viewed 618 times since then and 40 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on June 19, 2023, by Sean P. Flynn of Oak Park, Illinois. • Devry Becker Jones was the editor who published this page.



