California's Great America

Amusement park in the United States


California's Great America
Location
Santa Clara, California, USA
Status Operating
Opened May 20, 1976
Owner Cedar Fair
General manager Raul Rehnborg
Previous names Marriott's Great America (1976–1985)
Great America (1985–1992; 2007–2008)
Paramount's Great America (1993–2006)
Website http://cagreatamerica.com

California's Great America is a Cedar Fair amusement park in Santa Clara, California, USA. It first opened on May 20, 1976 as Marriott's Great America, with a near-identical sister park of the same name (now known as Six Flags Great America) opening nine days later.

History

The park first opened on May 20, 1976 as Marriott's Great America.

The land on which the park sits on was acquired by Cedar Fair for $150 million in June 2019.[1]

Aerial view of the park

On August 4, 2020, the park announced that it would not operate at all in 2020 due to challenges associated with the coronavirus pandemic.[2]

On June 27, 2022, it was announced that California's Great America would be closing within the next decade.[3]

Roller coasters

Present (9)

Name Manufacturer Type Opened Status
Demon Arrow Dynamics Sit-Down May 20, 1976 Operating
Flight Deck Bolliger & Mabillard Inverted March 19, 1993 Operating
Gold Striker Great Coasters International Wooden May 31, 2013 Operating
Grizzly Curtis D. Summers Wooden 1986 Operating
Lucy's Crabbie Cabbies E&F Miler Industries Kiddie 1999 Operating
Patriot Bolliger & Mabillard Floorless March 9, 1991 Operating
Psycho Mouse Arrow Dynamics Wild Mouse March 24, 2001 Operating
RailBlazer Rocky Mountain Construction Single rail June 14, 2018 Operating
Woodstock Express Intamin Kiddie March 21, 1987 Operating

Past

Name Manufacturer Type Opened Closed Fate
Greased Lightnin' Schwarzkopf Launched
Shuttle
1977 2002 Stored at Six Flags Discovery Kingdom
Gulf Coaster Allan Herschell Company Kiddie 1976 1980 Unknown
Invertigo Vekoma Inverted
Shuttle
1998 2010 Relocated to Dorney Park
Stealth Vekoma Flying 2000 2003 Relocated to Carowinds
Whizzer Schwarzkopf Sit-Down 1976 1988 Scrapped

Attractions

Operating

Name Manufacturer Type Opened
Barney Oldfield Speedway Arrow Dynamics Track Ride 1976
Berserker Schwarzkopf Bayern Kurve 1976
Celebration Swings Zierer Waveswinger 2001
Centrifuge Schwarzkopf Calypso 1976
Carousel Columbia Chance Rides Carousel 1976
Character Carousel Unknown Junior Carousel Unknown
Delirium Chance Rides Frisbee 2002
Drop Tower: Scream Zone Intamin Drop Tower 1996
Eagle's Flight Von Roll Cableway 1976
Flying Ace Zamperla Junior Flying Carpet 1999
Flying Eagles Larson International Flying Scooters 2002
Kite Eating Tree S&S Worldwide Junior Drop Tower 1999
GR8 SK8 Interactive Rides Sky Skater 2015
Joe Cool's Dodgem School Unknown Junior Dodgems 1999
Liberty Twirler Eli Bridge Company Scrambler 2022
Orbit Schwarzkopf Enterprise 1976
Pacific Gliders Zamperla WindstarZ 2023
Peanuts 500 Zamperla Junior Whip 2015
Peanuts Pirates HUSS Breakdance 2003
Pumpkin Patch SBF Visa Group Balloon Tower 2003
Rip Roaring Rapids Intamin River Rapids 1988
Rue Le Dodge Soli Dodgems 1976
Sally's Love Buggies Preston & Barbieri Junior Jets 2003
Sally's Swing Set Zamperla Junior Waveswinger Unknown
Snoopy's Space Buggies Zamperla Jump Around 2015
Snoopy's Space Race Barbieri Junior Jets 1976
Star Tower Intamin Observation Tower 1979
Thunder Raceway J&J Amusements Go-Karts 2001
Tiki Twirl Zamperla Disk'O 2006
Whitewater Falls Intamin Shoot The Chute 1990
Xtreme Skyflyer Sky Fun 1 Inc. Skycoaster 1997

Closed

Name Manufacturer Type Opened Closed Fate
Cajun Carpet Unknown Unknown Unknown Unknown Unknown
Ameri-Go-Round Philadelphia Toboggan Company Carousel 1976 1995 Stored - relocated to Woodland Park Zoo
Edge Intamin Freefall 1983 1995 Relocated to Beto Carrero World
Firefall HUSS Top Spin 2008 2016 Scrapped
H.M.B. Endeavor Intamin Ranger 1987 2017 Scrapped
Lobster Eyerly Aircraft Company Polyp 1976 1976 or later Unknown
Loggers Run Arrow Dynamics Log Flume 1976 2017 Scrapped
Skyhawk Intamin Flight Trainer 1989 2000 Unknown
Triple Play HUSS Troika 1976 2004 Unknown
Triple Wheel Waagner-Biro Triple-Wheel 1976 1997 Scrapped
Yankee Clipper Arrow Development Log Flume 1976 1998 Scrapped

References

  1. "Cedar Fair's Purchase of California's Great America is Official + 2020 Construction Is Underway". NewsPlusNotes.
  2. "A Message from Manny Gonzalez, Vice President & General Manager of California's Great America". California's Great America. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |archive= ignored (help)
  3. "Great America might close in six years after developer buys land under Santa Clara park".
Amusement parks operated by Cedar Fair