What has happened to California's Great America now?

[DodgerGirl]

I used to go visit California's Great America all the time when I was a little girl and it was a great place but now ever since the name change I think California's Great America has gone downhill and changed it's image and I can't figure it out. Because when it was first known as Marriott's Great America then Paramount's Great America the park was really cool but now it has a new image. Is it because California's Great America has been updated to keep up with the new generation today and they want to become more popular? Before the image change California's Great America was known for having awesome rides meet and greets with Hanna-Barbera characters and fantastic ice shows. But if you visit the park today gone are the character meet and greets and ice shows and the few characters that California's Great America has now are the Peanuts gang and they are only brought out for shows and the ice shows are forever gone and replaced by sporting events and concerts. I think California's Great America needs to return to it's old image and become a awesome theme park again because it would gain them a huge audience of people

 

[DodgerGirl]

I think ever since Cedar Fair bought California's Great America the park slowly went downhill and if you go to California's Great America today they always have ride troubles and breakdowns and if you look at their Yelp page people complain about how they go there expecting to have a good time but they can't due to no working rides. I also can't figure out why California's Great America no longer has the iconic ice shows because my mom used to enjoy them every time my family would visit and as I mentioned in my opening post it has been replaced by concerts and sporting events. I think Paramount should've not sold Great America in the first place and they should do some improving to it to make people visit it more

 

[mileshuff]

Since Cedar Park bought Knotts Berry Farm I feel it too has gone down hill. They've gotten rid of most shows (Snoopy on Ice etc) and the general vibe is very different than years ago. I assume the same thing has happened to Great America.

 

[DTDkettleCORNfan]

We were there two days ago. It was a great day! The park was very clean, the landscaping and plants were so pretty, and there was plenty of seating. I saw a lot of Peanuts characters walking around or stationary for pictures/meets. I think it officially opens for the season in May, but they were open part of the week for spring break. The water park looks like it would be really fun, but it wasn't open yet. There were a few rides down, but my daughter and her friend had a great time riding (mostly) thrill rides and found enough to do to fill the day. There was only 1 show performing, but I didn't go watch and can't remember what it was. I didn't even know ice shows were a thing. I hadn't visited since high school (late 80s) and only recognized a few attractions. Everyone has different experiences though, and goes in with different expectations. We weren't expecting Disneyland, but also expected (and got!) a better experience than Six Flags in Vallejo. We'll probably go back this summer to do the water park.

 

[bcla]

Cedar Fair just sold the property and is planning on closing the park within 11 years.

 

[Jrb1979]

Cedar Fair just sold the property and is planning on closing the park within 11 years.

That's unfortunate cause pre-covid they had big plans for the park. One was adding a hyper coaster.

As far as the park itself goes I have always heard great things about and Knott's. The majority of Cedar Fair parks are amazing. What the issue seems to be is those that aren't into thrill rides.

 

[Jrb1979]

Don't expect this park to last the 11 years. They are already taking a coaster out next year. The wild Mouse is moving to Cedar Point next year.

 

[bcla]

There’s a group in the Fresno area with interest in recreating the park. Granted I don’t really think Fresno is much of a destination. Cedar Fair has responded by showing zero interest.

https://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/great-america-bay-area-plan-to-move-17544945.php

 

[Jrb1979]

There’s a group in the Fresno area with interest in recreating the park. Granted I don’t really think Fresno is much of a destination. Cedar Fair has responded by showing zero interest.

https://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/great-america-bay-area-plan-to-move-17544945.php

I'm not surprised by them selling it. Attendance is a major driver on if Cedar Fair will invest in the park. At one time Cedar Fair planned to heavily invest in the park but again the last few times they have added new attractions they have didn't have that big a boost in attendance like they had hoped.

 

[irlandaise]

I just came to this board to post the SFGate article and see that bcla has already informed everyone about it. Perhaps Cedar Fair isn't showing interest now, but you'd think they'd be happy to find a buyer for all the rides once they firm up a date to close CGA. And, of course, once the Fresno project is more than an idea.

Like bcla, I don't think Cedar Fair will exercise the entire 11 years on the lease agreement with the new owner. I bet they'd love to get that $310M and call it a day. And I imagine that the new owners are salivating about getting access to one of the hottest locations in the South Bay. Maybe they'll work out a deal with the Niners to include some game-day parking (like CGA does now), but otherwise I bet they'll do some sort of office/retail development, maybe including a hotel. (Seems too close to Levi's Stadium for residential, but I could be wrong. There are already plans for a big mixed-use office/residential/retail development just a few blocks away.)

 

[skellinton]

I remember Great America having Bugs Bunny, am I remembering wrong?

 

[Jrb1979]

I remember Great America having Bugs Bunny, am I remembering wrong?

They had Bugs Bunny when it was under Marriott ownership. That way probably in the 80s

 

[skellinton]

They had Bugs Bunny when it was under Marriott ownership. That way probably in the 80s

Thank you, I am old, so that is when I would have gone! My grandparents took us a few times, I often wondered what happened to it. Interesting how many changes it has gone through.

 

[bcla]

They had Bugs Bunny when it was under Marriott ownership. That way probably in the 80s

That was back when Marriott’s plan was for three theme parks - two in Illinois and California, and a third near DC. The one near DC was derailed due to local opposition, first in Maryland and later in Virginia.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marriott's_Great_America_(Maryland–Virginia)

There’s still the Marriott hotel in Santa Clara. I’ve been there a few times for business meetings. I also had business at one of the local offices there, and there was lots of noise coming from the rides.

 

[NorCalFanatic]

Had lots of fun there in the 80s. I remember Bugs well. The debuts of the demon, the edge, the revolution, the grizzly and my favorite the tidal wave! Lots of concerts there too as a teen. Had one of my first summer jobs there working rides in Yankee Harbor! Great place for teens looking for summer work. Never liked the direction after Paramount bought them from Kings.

I haven’t been in there in probably 30 years, need to make one more trek before they close.

Sad to see them close, that’s prime real estate though. Am I showing my age by asking if anyone remembers “Frontier Village”? A few rides from that park lived on at great America until the early 90s.

 

[bcla]

Had lots of fun there in the 80s. I remember Bugs well. The debuts of the demon, the edge, the revolution, the grizzly and my favorite the tidal wave! Lots of concerts there too as a teen. Had one of my first summer jobs there working rides in Yankee Harbor! Great place for teens looking for summer work. Never liked the direction after Paramount bought them from Kings.

I haven’t been in there in probably 30 years, need to make one more trek before they close.

Sad to see them close, that’s prime real estate though. Am I showing my age by asking if anyone remembers “Frontier Village”? A few rides from that park lived on at great America until the early 90s.

I remember that place. They had a fishing pond with stocked trout. They charged by weight, with it being free above or below a max or min weight. I also recall riding on a mule.

There weren’t that many options. By the time I was old enough to be interested, most of the Bay Area amusement parks had closed like Playland at the Beach. Neptune Beach in Alameda closed before my parents were born. I guess there was also Marine World at the original location in Redwood City, before the move to Vallejo.

 

[skellinton]

What I remember most was the triple decker carousel. My grandpa was disappointed because the horses didn't go up and down on the third level. We had to ride it again on the second level!

 

[Jrb1979]

Had lots of fun there in the 80s. I remember Bugs well. The debuts of the demon, the edge, the revolution, the grizzly and my favorite the tidal wave! Lots of concerts there too as a teen. Had one of my first summer jobs there working rides in Yankee Harbor! Great place for teens looking for summer work. Never liked the direction after Paramount bought them from Kings.

I haven’t been in there in probably 30 years, need to make one more trek before they close.

Sad to see them close, that’s prime real estate though. Am I showing my age by asking if anyone remembers “Frontier Village”? A few rides from that park lived on at great America until the early 90s.

I agree. Paramount didn't do much for the parks. Cedar Fair has done wonders for those Paramount parks. Prior to COVID there were plans of major additions to CGA. One being a hyper coaster. When attendance didn't get a boost from the addition of Rail blazer they opted to not invest in the park.

It's a shame to see it close. It's unfortunate so many people don't visit these parks.

 

[bcla]

What I remember most was the triple decker carousel. My grandpa was disappointed because the horses didn't go up and down on the third level. We had to ride it again on the second level!

It's only two decks. But it's really tall where the roof and spire extend well beyond the top of the upper deck. I've seen double decker carousels that weren't anywhere near as tall.

 

[bcla]

I agree. Paramount didn't do much for the parks. Cedar Fair has done wonders for those Paramount parks. Prior to COVID there were plans of major additions to CGA. One being a hyper coaster. When attendance didn't get a boost from the addition of Rail blazer they opted to not invest in the park.

It's a shame to see it close. It's unfortunate so many people don't visit these parks.

I thought Paramount did OK with some of the rides, like the suspended coaster and that suspended boomerang coaster. They worked it into Beverly Hills Cop 3, and even turned the dismantling of Sky Whirl into an opportunity for the film.

The thing I did find disappointing was how The Pictorium has been empty for so long where it was just used for storage. I had fond memories of the theater.