From a kids' water park to extreme thrill rides, this park provides the ultimate day of amusement in Silicon Valley.

by Contributor

In Short
Northern California's premier amusement park offers both pulsing rides and kid-friendly attractions. The whole family can experience the classic, wooden coaster The Grizzly, or The Demon, an original, steel, multiple-loop ride. The truly brave can try The Drop Zone Stunt Tower's 22-story drop, or the double 138-feet lifts of Invertigo. For the kids, visit the Nickelodeon Center or the Boomerang Bay Waterpark Resort. Take a break at the park's many food courts or enjoy a live show at one of the theaters.

10/13/05

Not that great anymore

by zizz

Great America, known to locals as Mariotts, since that's who originally owned the park, used to be a theme park. It used to have "themed" areas that celebrated parts of American culture, such as the Yukon, and the French Quarter New Orelans style. But since Paramount took over in the mid-90's, the park has transformed into a movie theme, but it doesn't work. The rides seem to be open only when they want to be, everything is over-priced, and the best old rides they used to have are now gone. And for a park that is themed around movies, the Imax theater(the original Imax I might add) is closed down?! Makes no sense. It used to be great, but not anymore.

• Pros: Demon
• Cons: Tidal wave gone, The Edge gone, Paramount

07/13/04

Worst of all Paramount Parks?

by kevlowe

They say they're a family park, but the majority of people you see there are teenagers trying to escape their parents during the summer. They have done a poor job marketing themselves because they are too stubborn to realize who the majority of their customers are. This is the only park I know of to add a new ride and take it down about 3 years later to add a very lame "water park" that has about 3 rides. Security is way lax, prices are too high, and most of the people working their hate the job. Magic Mountain is a way better deal, being about 6 times the size for close to the same price. Also, too many places are closed or minimally operated during slow days, which is pretty much any weekday. CLOSES WAY TOO EARLY!

• Pros: Close for Bay Area
• Cons: , Security, Hours

07/26/02

The best thing around

by winna8

It is the best park in the Bay Area, lots of scary rides and good show for those who don't want to ride the rides. Something to do for everyone.

• Pros: close to home, easy to get to, lots of parking
• Cons: crowded, expensive food, hot