Gulf Coaster

Gulf Coaster was a Bradley and Kaye Little Dipper rollercoaster which was one of three opening day rollercoasters along with Willard's Whizzer in Hometown Square and Turn of the Cenutry in County Fair. Gulf Coaster was situated next to the Orleans Orbit. Being one of the shortest-lived rides ever with Gurnee's Gulf Coaster closing a few months after opening, Gulf Coaster is one of the most forgotten and least documented roller coasters in Great America.

History
Gulf Coaster debuted with both Great America parks as an opening day rollercoaster in the Orleans Place area, situated next to the Orleans Orbit. Gulf Coaster was given that name due to the fact that to it's left, there was a small body of water which resembled a gulf, a nod to New Orleans (the inspiration for Orleans Place) which is situated on the Gulf of Mexico.

Gurnee's Gulf Coaster was closed mid-way through the park's first season due to repeated fires on the ride (it is reported by one employee to have been as many as 4). It is unknown what caused the fire but the ride was closed and replaced with the Southern Cross the following season. Whitewater Rampage (now known as Roaring Rapids) eventually replaced that entire section of Orleans Place.

Santa Clara's Gulf Coaster did not experience fires like Gurnee's, though it did reportedly derail on a constant basis, and it remained open until 1980 after which it was closed, presumably due to overall issues with it. The ride was removed and presumably scrapped but the concrete foundation, queue, and surrounding fence was left intact for several years until 1987 when the Rip Roaring Rapids was constructed in that area of the park which required the removal of the foundation and queue area. Gulf Coaster's queue entrances was not removed however. In fact, Gulf Coaster's 'pencil'-like queue entrance remained there for several years and served as a souvenir booth until it was removed in 2002 to make way for improvements to the Flying Eagles.