Dram Good Lamps

This is California’s Great America.

It’s really surreal to step into an alternative universe version of the Six Flags Great America park I grew up with. The entrance looks very similar, they still have their sky tower in operation, and the first theme lands in either direction from the main promenade look the same. But from there, it deviates substantially outside of a few familar faces.

Lost in time is a still functioning Splash Water Falls (here, Whitewater Falls) and a Demon clone with their rock work still in tact.

They also have two incredible rollercoasters in Gold Striker (a little rough and in need of some TLC/retracking but exhilarating) and Railblazer.

Beyond these two are some solid mid tier rides but nothing else to write home about. It’s a far cry from the deep and thrilling line up of its big brother park in Gurnee, but California’s Great America is a neat little park in the bay and it’s a shame everything is going to be torn down in a few years. Hopefully a few things, especially Gold Striker and Railblazer, can be relocated and find new life at a new park.

PS: the first drop from the back row of Railblazer is one of the most thrilling I’ve ever been on with that predrop turn! That front row first hill airtime pop is pretty insane too, though.