GREATAMERICAparks.com

I think it was $7.95 for an adult the first time I visited in April '76.

Wasn't the original plan to open 3 parks simultaneously; San Francisco, Chicago and DC (somewhere in Maryland)? I thought I read that around the time Santa Clara park opened in March '76.

I think there were two of these in the Santa Clara park. An "Amazing Alfredo" in the County Fair and an "Amazing Alfredeux" in Orleans Place.

I remember the Sky Whirl fondly. In the early days you could see it in the distance behind the Columbia. I always thought how cool it looked to see a DOUBLE decker carousel and TRIPLE ferris wheel in one view. It had a sense of wonder to it. Another thing I remember was that it was a slow loader. I ...

I worked at the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk from 78-81 as a ride operator on the Jet Star. I rode the Giant Dipper regularly when I was a kid and young adult. I think my favorite and scariest ride at the boardwalk was the Wild Mouse. It was an old wooden structure with a steel track and I thought the...