The countdown clock to extinction has been ticking ever since California’s Great America announced plans to shut its doors forever without revealing an exact closing date for the Northern California amusement park.
Will 2025 be the final season for the Bay Area’s Disneyland? Will Great America get to celebrate its 50th anniversary in 2026? Or will the park surprise everyone and stick around until 2033?
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Parent company Six Flags isn’t saying exactly when the park will close — but there are an increasing number of signs that the end is growing near for California’s Great America.
Let’s take a closer look at 7 reasons why California’s Great America could close sooner rather than later.
The RailBlazer single-rail roller coaster at California’s Great America. (California’s Great America)
1) Lease termination
The 112 acres beneath California’s Great America was sold in 2022 for approximately $310 million to Prologis, a warehouse and supply chain logistics company.
Cedar Fair, then the parent company of Great America, agreed to lease back the amusement park land from Prologis for 6 to 11 years.
The lease agreement gave Prologis the right to terminate the lease early with two years notice.
A Prologis spokesperson told the Los Angeles Times that the company is searching for a partner to help develop a master plan for the property.
Prologis has not asked Six Flags to end the lease early for the property under California’s Great America, according to the spokesperson.
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2) Lease options
Cedar Fair announced in 2022 that California’s Great America would close at the end of the lease term with Prologis.
The six-year lease agreement was initially set to end on June 30, 2028 with an option to extend the terms an additional five years to 2033.
The lease payments started at $12.2 million a year and increased 2.5% annually, according to the Los Angeles Times.
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3) Six Flags-Cedar Fair merger
Great America’s parent company Cedar Fair merged with Six Flags in July in an $8 billion deal that combined the two companies into a North American amusement park juggernaut.
It’s possible the merger has sped up the new company’s plans to close California’s Great America.
Six Flags has no new updates regarding the future plans for California’s Great America or the park’s closing timeline, according to a Six Flags spokesperson.
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4) Seasonal events dropped
California’s Great America closed for the season on Sunday, Jan. 5 after celebrating what could be the park’s final Winterfest.
Great America notified season passholders that no seasonal events were planned for 2025.
That means 2024 could have been the final year for seasonal events like Peanuts Celebration (spring), Mardi Gras-style Carnivale (summer), Oktoberfest (fall), Tricks and Treats (Halloween) and Winterfest (Christmas).
Six Flags has not announced whether seasonal events will return to Great America in 2026 or beyond.
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5) Shortened calendar
Great America also announced that the 2025 calendar would run from April 5 through late October.
That would shorten the season by more than two months — with no operating dates in November, December or early January.
A shorter season without special events to attract visitors will likely mean reduced revenue.
Which raises the question: At what point will rising costs outweigh the diminishing returns for Six Flags?
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6) No new attractions
Great America didn’t get any new attractions in 2024 and won’t get any new rides in 2025 or 2026 despite Six Flags plans to spend $1 billion on new rides over the next two years.
The park added the Pacific Gliders kiddie ride in 2023.
“I’ve got to wonder just how long it will be before we see any rides retired or ‘moved’ out of the park as they start to wind things down,” according to Screamscape.
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7) Party plans on hold
Sister parks Six Flags Great America near Chicago and California’s Great America in Santa Clara were both born in 1976 during the American bicentennial.
Six Flags plans to throw a big 50th anniversary celebration for Great America in Illinois — but not for the Northern California park.
Is that because California’s Great America will be closed by 2026? Or is Six Flags planning a secret farewell party for the park on its 50th anniversary?