After visiting California’s Great America (CGA) for two partial visits earlier during this Northern California trip there really wasn’t any rides we missed out on. Maybe some flat rides if we wanted to get them, but we rode all the coaster and some of them numerous times. So when we went back for our full day at the park, anything we did was a bonus.
With all that in mind, we took things easy. Our hotel was only 10 minutes away, so we didn’t have to get up early, or worry about a long drive afterward. We could just chill and enjoy ourselves. I brought my camera along for this visit and we entered the park like we had two times before.
I Took SO Many Photos While We Re-Rode Favorites
I walked into the park on our third visit with my camera in hand. We knew the layout of the park quite well by this point, so we started walking. My plan was to shoot a bunch of photos from the ground as we circled the park. Then we could take the Sky Ride from the front to the back and capture the rides from the air before riding it back to the front again. At that point I’d be done taking photos and I could stick my camera in the car.
This plan worked like a champ, although we did notice while taking photos of Lucy’s Crabbie Cabbies that teenagers and adults were riding without kids. We looked at the sign and it didn’t say they couldn’t. Their website did say they can’t, but maybe the rule changed it they hadn’t updated the site yet? We decided to hop in line and see. No one stopped us, so we got a surprised credit that we didn’t think we’d be allowed to get. And in all honesty, it was a fun kids coaster with an amazing setting. I captured it with my camera for a bit beforehand, so check out those photos if you want to see just how nice this kids coaster looks.
Gold Striker
Gold Striker was not up and running when we arrived at the park, but it did open up later. We decided that we’d get in our rides elsewhere and end the day with this amazing woodie. We hoped to ride it a few times before calling it a night, but some issues came up while in line. Let me explain.
The line for the coaster was about a 30 minute wait. Shortly after getting in line we had a few people cutting through the line. We didn’t say anything. A little while later, a few more did and they joined in with the group immediately in front of us. It was annoying, but we kept quiet. Then another two came up and went much further up in the line. Now I was starting to get pissed. I told Sam that if anyone else tried to cut I’m not letting them by. She agreed.
Only a few minutes after saying that two girls wanted to cut the entire line all the way to the staircase to be with a large group of friends. I said no. They acted surprised and upset. I said too bad. The friends at the station were yelling down at us and I said oh well, it’s not happening. This went on for about five minutes when I finally told the group of girls on the steps to ask the ride operator if you’re allowed to cut the line. I figured he’d tell them no and it would be over. Then it happened. The ride op told me to let them through. I was not happy. I let him have it walking into the station because at that point, I didn’t care. I also went to guest services about this and the incident from Day 1 on Grizzly where a couple in front of us was filming and got mouthy with us over it. That ride op didn’t seem to care when I told them I wasn’t sure if they were going to confront us walking out of the station.
I don’t like having to go to guest services to complain, but I felt they needed to hear about these issues. They seemed to care and wanted to know times and details so hopefully it improves the way they operate. I wouldn’t hold my breath though.
Sadly this altercation of line jumping soured us on wanting to get back in line and ride it again. We were offered some fast passes at guest services so we could have cut the line, but that wasn’t why we complained. We told them to keep them and just pass along the complaints.
Railblazer
After taking a boat load of photos of Railblazer both Sam and I got in two more rides on this feisty little coaster. It’s crazy how close you can get to the track. It gave me some great angles for photos, which you can see in the gallery below. There are 45 of this coaster alone.
My two rides afterward did let me appreciate this coaster even more. The first day we visited I had mixed feelings on the coaster. Day 2 let me feel it out a little more. I realized that I do like it better than Jersey Devil, which is the only other Raptor I’ve experienced to date. Here on the third day I focused more on the elements and thinking about whether or not I actually enjoyed it more than another RMC I rode during this trip – Joker at Six Flags Discovery Kingdom (SFDK). I’m still debating that in my head. You’ll have to check my Complete Rankings to find out once I go through and add in these coasters.
Flight Deck
We made sure to get in a couple more rides on Flight Deck since we had only one between the two previous days. The line was short too, so we got in two back-to-back rides.
Once again we enjoyed this invert and everything it threw our way. It does pack a punch, it just doesn’t punch you a lot. It truly is like a Batman clone in that regard. I’ve always enjoyed the Batman clones, so naturally I couldn’t wait to hop back on this one.
Final Ride Counts
Delta Flyer (1)
Demon (1)
Eagle Flyer (1)
Flight Deck (2)
Gold Striker (1)
Grizzly (1)
Lucy’s Crabbie Cabbies (1)
Patriot (1)
Railblazer (2)
Tiki Twirl (1)
Will These Rides Be Lost?
Operation issues aside, I really liked this park. I’m glad I got to visit it if it is indeed closing in the next couple of years. I’m not liking this trend of parks closing and I’m sure there will be a lot of people in this region feeling like many of us did when Six Flags America (SFA) closed, or further back when Geauga Lake and Six Flags Astroworld ended operations. It sucks and knowing it could happen is almost like a death penalty. You’re just waiting for it to happen.
Aside from this park closing, who knows what rides, if any, could be saved. Railblazer makes the most sense, but something like Gold Striker is doubtful. With that being our favorite ride at the park, that one will hurt the most. Then you have classics like Demon which would probably be used as a parts donor for its sister coaster at Six Flags Great America (SFGAm). I hate thinking about it all, honestly.
Here’s to the park somehow staying open for years to come. I feel like you might want to get out here like we did, however, and not leave that up to chance. It is worth a visit, or two, or three.
California's Great America Photo Gallery - June 3, 2026
If you would like to use any of the images in the gallery above for your commercial and/or non-commercial projects, feel free to do so. I ask that you credit We Were Inverted whenever they’re used. I also ask that you do not alter the image or remove the watermarks. If you need any images/video resized or without the watermarks, please contact me directly.
CREW MANIFEST
The following flight crew members attended this park, & earned the respective credits below:
Patrick
CAG
New Credit(s): Lucy's Crabbie Cabbies
Sam
Admiral
New Credit(s): Lucy's Crabbie Cabbies