I visited Winterfest last weekend and had a great time with my family. Many other families and kids visited as well, it was traffic entering the parking lot. As a Gold Pass member, I was really happy to get free parking + park entry for Winterfest. Winterfest ran from 4pm-10pm and we stayed nearly the entire time. We mostly visited just to take pictures with the decorations, tree, and the lights, and we were not disappointed. Seeing as there aren't many Christmas activities in the South Bay (outside of Christmas in the Park in DTSJ and Santana Row), I recommend visiting for the holidays! Since I didn't have to pay for park entry, I splurged a little on the holiday foods. The beignets were my favorites of the holiday foods, but pretty pricey at $6 each. The hot chocolate was hit or miss, depending on where you bought it. The funnel cake was good, but too sweet after a while. (Highly recommend splitting that with as many ppl as possible bc of how sweet it is haha) Dress warmly and have fun! read more

See all

To be honest, I wasn't expecting much as I've been to Great America back when it was THRIVING like Paramount's Great America. When we had Top Gun, Vortex, and a working IMAX theater. Well we had family coming and they were interested in coming and luckily they took advantage of the Black Friday sale. So for about $20 a ticket plus $20 parking it was a bargain. So make sure you buy tickets when it's Black Friday! Parking is organized. Just be wary that if you come right at opening, it's a long line to get in but there's plenty of parking. There are areas for folks who just want to be dropped off. After getting scanned for your tickets, you're basically on your way. There's a gigantic ice rink in the front, of course you have to pay extra, but all the rides are free. We just kind of went to the first ride right away and I guess everyone does this. I forgot how rickety wooden rollercoasters are. Yeah I was not doing so well after that one. But I rallied. It was a little long wait but it wasn't atrocious (there's another ride which was). Demon is as great as it was how I remembered. There's just so much variety in that ride. It has great ride to thrill payoff. Now we went to Flying Eagles which...took forever like...the niece really really wanted to ride it so we waited. Unluckily for us, someone had an accident as we approached the front of the line and that delayed us even more. I think we ended up waiting like 1.5 hours? Yeah. Not worth it. So go here first if you want to ride it without the wait. It did get a bit cold, so make sure you bring jackets. There are a lot of non-rides to enjoy like pretty lights and singers/dancers on different stages as well as themed food for Winterfest. It was quite expensive for food. The funnel cake I believe almost cost $20. But hey...gotta get delicious funnel cake and it fed 5 people so not too shabby. The lines are a little crazy, food prices are a little extravagant, but as long as you know what you're getting into, it's actually much more fun than I thought it would be especially for the Black Friday price which was well worth it. I would totally go again but I hear they're shutting down Great America soon. So I got lucky to at least experience this once. But if it is open still this year, I'd totally go again. read more

See all

Good holiday event to see lights and take pictures with your loved ones. Lots of photos op stations that are so cute! Some rides are open, but lines looked kind of long. There are holiday themed foods plus regular theme park food. The only holiday themed food we tried was the eggnog beignets. Beignets were very doughy and the eggnog sauce was too runny. Tickets start at $32.99 per person depending on the day, but we got in with the bring a friend deal for $30 with a pass holder. read more

See all

Californias great america winter fest is the hands down second best season: decorated with lots of lights and some exclusive merch and food, ice skating, snow machines, this event was such an amazing event. Until it was removed same for all the other events. It was so great read more

I've been to Great America on regular days in the summer before, but this year was my first time going to their Winterfest event. This event is a great time to ride your favorite rides (or even all of them) and enjoy plenty of holiday lights and decorations with family & friends of all ages. We entered the park around 4:30pm (the park opened at 4pm). The initial area right inside the entrance gates, where the ice skating rink and giant Christmas tree were set up, was the busiest area we encountered; it got a lot sparser as we walked more into the park. We got to ride on all of the roller coasters, with minimal wait for most of them. The longest that we had to wait was 30+ minutes for the newest wooden roller coaster, Gold Striker, but it was worth the wait. For several of the roller coasters, we even had no wait and were able to ride it back-to-back. No need to wait in the hot sun! I was impressed by how many decorations they had everywhere - plenty of colorful lights strung up on the trees and buildings, winter-themed characters, and even Santa's elves' workshop (on both sides of the gondola ride, which I highly recommend riding for an aerial view of all the lights). There were also small performances here and there. We didn't pay for any of the extras like the ice skating or cookie decorating, which seemed really overpriced. Most of the food is also overpriced, so fill up before you come in. The only food worth splurging on was the seasonal apple cider funnel cake, which was crispy and loaded with caramel sauce, apples, and a ton of whipped cream. Funnel cake for dinner? Say no more. read more

See all

My boyfriend and I really enjoyed Great America's Winterfest! This was our second year attending. We ordered 2 adult admission tickets and 1 parking ticket, which came out to $104. I would say that the price is reasonable because most of the park is open, including rides. The only area/rides that were not open were the water rides/park, which is understandable because it's winter. Their decorations throughout the park was really nice! Also, there are certain holiday drinks and treats scattered around the park as well. I would advise to go as early as the park opens so you have time to check out the rides, decorations and shows. We didn't watch all the shows, just one which was the Snoopy's Christmas at the Theater. The show was great! Lots of great actors and actresses. I would definitely recommend Great America's Winterfest! read more

Over the last few years, the experience has leveled up for Winterfest. I don't know if there is a new design expert but looking back on my last review to tonight's experience it's so much better. I WOULD recommend this for all ages at this point. Walking from one area to another each land is different in decorations but the music doesn't jangle anymore. And the characters?! The characters are so amazing. Extra special thanks to the sugar plum fairy, peppermint, snowflake, and Jack frost! Yall brought the magic ALIVE!! My now 7 year old was incredibly shy but blossomed to his super chatty self and had the best time talking to yall. You made the whole night honestly sharing your hot cocoa recipes and your lovely costumes! Frankie loved sharing his sugar plum prince dance steps! There are so many great decorations, things feel very updated (including more penguins!) With lots of photo opportunities. Be aware that the parking situation can get gnarly and it's pretty packed. Other things to note, the hot chocolate seems very watery. I hope that the people responsible for coming up with the new decorations take a chance at upping the food and beverages (imagine the exquisite artistry of the snowman hot chocolate with peppermint!) Definitely dont miss the singing reindeer, gingerbread village, ice skating show and other singing shows. There are a few rides to be taken but honestly winterfedt is mostly about the awesome decor. (Although the one auto ride seems to let you take a ride through some awesome decorations as well). There is sadly only one day left of winterfesr before Great America is closed until spring. I'm looking forward to new decorations and more of the awesome talents of the singing and dancing folks. Also, shout out to the lovely human that was on the exit gate. She was wearing some jingle bell lights, and she gave us a meaningful merry Christmas and happy new year. I can't imagine the crowds she faces every day and yet she gave us a wonderful goodbye. Thank you! read more

Great America's Winterfest - Christmas tree alight - Festivals Near Me - Santa Clara, California

The trip was awesome and I'm looking forward to a attend the Winterfest this year with my new grandson is so amazing thank you

First time at Winterfest with the family (including two 4 year olds) and it was fun! I'd say...set your expectations. It's an amusement park, so parking will be crazy, food will be expensive, lines will be long. But other than that, it's magical especially at this time of the year, and a lot of fun. We got the parking pass and our tickets online, so everything was pretty easy getting in. We arrived around 5:30pm, so we rode the carousel, got in line for dinner (paying bucks for pizza) and then headed over to the kiddie section for more rides. The lines can be pretty long and slow, but they move as fast as they can and thankfully my kids were pretty patient. They had fun on the Gr8 SK8 and swings. If I could do anything differently, it would be to pack more snacks--I underestimated how long food would take, and how expensive it would be. One downside is that the men's bathroom isn't equipped for kids like the women's bathroom is. I have twins, so my hsuband and I each took a kid when it took time to go to the bathroom. I had a much easier time because of the kid-leve sinks and such. Wish bathrooms were more inclusive this way, especially thinking about single dads out there who might be juggling their littles. read more

Winter fest is always cute but be prepared for the cold weather, especially this year! Dress for the weather! The first year I went, I only walked around and it was nice to see all the lights. This year, we tried to hit all the rides which I regret. I have a season pass so I have been on all of the rides recently. Since it was so cold, it was even more breezy on the rides. I would skip the rides and just enjoy the lights for Winterfest. Or go on less rides so that there is more time to see the lights and take pictures. I think the best area is the kids area because it is very cute and has a lot of Snoopy. Also the gingerbread cookie decorations near centrifuge were nice. read more

Great America's Winterfest - Festivals Near Me - Santa Clara, California

So festive and a great family and friend meet up place for the holidays. The lines were pretty long though so if going exclusively for rides invest in fast lane (as every other amusement park). Although not all rides are open. They had a 21+ over drink spot. I got the Hot apple Tody (fireball + angry orchard apple cinnamon beer) that was delish. Hot chocolate was the usual - nothing spectacular. Funnel cake was yummy and hit the I'm at an amusement park feeling. It was fried perfectly with the right amount of crisp. I should have skipped on the extra sauces as unfortunately became too sweet. I'd highly recommend investing in a season pass (depending on ages of kids) because with the cold weather we ended up leaving earlier (chance of rain) that we didn't get to explore the whole park (zip through). They do offer special discounts to bring friends but the guest services line is super slow and long so prepare to go early if you need to purchase. read more

See all

Uniqueness: Very Festive and perfect for the kids! Wait Time: [x][x][x][x][x] Food Quality: [x][x][x][ ][ ] Service: [x][x][x][x][ ] Setting: [x][x][x][x][x] Cost: [x][x][x][x][ ] Recommendation? Definitely worth visiting here during the night time and much better (for kids at least) than Enchanted. I've been to Great America many times when I was younger and it's obvious to see how much has changed in not the best way over the years but this was my first time visiting here during the Winterfest and I've got to say, it's actually not that bad! It was a lot more festive than I was anticipating with decor all over the park and musicals at certain times. Ice rink was popular and there were hundreds of families all here to enjoy the night. A majority of the rides except the water rides weren't open and were running just like any other day except at night, so if you're an adrenaline junkie, riding those roller coasters in the middle of the night is definitely worth it. Nothing too special on the food and drinks other than they have a turkey dish and hot cocoa served (the hot cocoa was actually quite good!). Between this place and Enchanted at PayPal park, I'd actually really lean into going to Winterfest from now on because it was just a lot more fun and even nearly as festive as Enchanted at way lower the cost. Well worth the visit! read more

See all

We received 4 free tickets from our son to Great America and had originally gifted them to one of my cousins. Unfortunately, she wasn't able to make it so we took the tickets back and went on the last day of December, which was during WinterFest. The park was packed when we arrived. Since my mother-in-law and daughter didnt want to play any rides, we just bought snacks and walked around the park. The lines for food were quite long but it wasn't as long as the lines for rides. read more

Great America's Winterfest - WinterFest - Festivals Near Me - Santa Clara, California

My boyfriend and I visited Great America's Winterfest on Sunday, 12/31/23, for New Year's Eve. We secured a great deal on Groupon, which allowed us to get two tickets for $66! What stood out to us was how beautifully the park was decorated. All of the colorful, vibrant lights and holiday decorations felt so inviting and magical. Personally, I was amazed through and through. All of the rides were, of course, crowded and required a wait. We were fortunate to get on the gondola, participate in bumper cars, and observe more lights/decorations in Barney Oldfield's Redwood Rally attraction. In terms of refreshments, my boyfriend and I got a cup of hot chocolate and Dippin' Dots. The Dippin' Dots ice cream did not disappoint. The hot chocolate was a bit dissatisfying because the taste was bland. On a positive note, the drink kept us warm in the cold weather. The most memorable thing that happened was the fireworks. The fireworks were so entertaining and eye-catching. It was a great way to end the 2023 year and start on a wonderful note in 2024! Overall, we had a fantastic time together at the Winterfest. read more

A magical Christmas experience! The kids loved all the bright lights, holiday music, fun decorations, and sweet treats! We came after Christmas and to extend the holiday season festivities, and we were the only ones thinking the same thing because it was very crowded! It was the first time that we had to line up at the back of the parking lot to get into the front gate even though we arrived before Winterfest opened! Even though it was very crowded, we were able to ride a couple of the rides in Planet Snoopy. Unfortunately, it started the rain and they started closing some rides down and cancelling some shows like the Peanuts Christmas show. But thankfully, there were some indoor Christmas and holiday themed activities for the kids to enjoy beyond the regular rides. We found an area for kids crafting with coloring markers and craft kits. Kids could choose one make-and-take craft kit and some coloring pages. My four year old choose to make a foam Snoopy doghouse with Christmas decorations which was fun, cute, and easy to build. It was still raining so we decided to head home, but then we passed Mrs. Claus' Kitchen on the way out, and my son really wanted to decorate the giant cookies that were bigger than his head. Thinking that it was complimentary, we walk in and sit down at one of the cookie decorating tables, but actually, we need to pay $26 up front for four giant cookies before we can decorate which is a bit steep, but we were already committed and my kids were really psyched about it. The cookies were massive, and the royal icing in six different colors was easy to decorate the cookies with, and we also got a pastry box to take the cookies home in and keep them from getting wet in the rain. Was a little bit of a splurge but the kids had a blast and we had a sweet dessert to enjoy when we got home, a perfect end to a fun night at Winterfest at Great America! read more

See all

I came here before the pandemic & I came back after. I find this time around a lot more enjoyable! There are so many things to see & the ride lines aren't too crazy. I waited about 10 minutes to ride Railblazer & that normally is about 1 hour long of a wait! There are sections of the park that have shows and snow, there's coloring activities in the area for kids along with everyone dressed up as elves. The true 5 stars goes to the cookie decorating with Mrs. Clause. My daughter loved it so much. When the elves came by she was shy but still spoke with them. It's about $22 for 4 cookies & you get to decorate them yourselves while the elves and Mrs. Clause walk around and assist. There's a sprinkle station that has about 10 sprinkles & the icing has staple colors. The shapes of the cookies are Tree, snowman, bear and stocking. read more

Bathrooms by the pavilion are huge, empty and clean. The food was delicious and staff was friendly. I recommend everyone to come to winterfest! read more

Great America's Winterfest - Winter fest - Festivals Near Me - Santa Clara, California

Very nicely decorated for the holidays! Beautiful lights, holiday themed shows, and fire pits to keep you warm. Not a 5/5 as some rides were closed and some of the holiday themed restaurants were closed. Some fun holiday themed merchandise in the stores. Staff were pleasant. read more

See all

We went last night and had a really fun time. The holiday extras are pretty and my kids enjoyed themselves very much. Like many attractions these days, my kids loved it more than I did because I kept thinking about the robbery taking place. They don't allow outside food or drinks, and the food is overpriced garbage. Thirty Dollars to park, 8.00 for a skinny, crispy, hard, stale and flavorless churro. I'm not holding this churro to Disney standards, I'm saying save your money and get them at Costco. There are many photo opps, but also many annoying people standing around taking photos of themselves, unaware that they're practically knocking over toddlers and standing in the way blocking pedestrian traffic. The majority of the staff are friendly and engaging, with the exception of the cranky nasty look giving parking attendant. She leaned all four chins out and yelled, "pull forward, pull forward" with the nastiest look on her face. Then as she waved a flabby arm, we yelled back, "there's no room!" She wasn't assessing the situation very well, and if someone wasn't paying attention, they would "PULL FORWARD" right into the 8 cars parked in front of them. Anyway, I would definitely recommend that you go at least once. Eat before you go, and maybe hit the cocoa stand and Auntie Anne's Pretzels while you're there. Have Fun, dress in layers and bundle up because it gets pretty cold on the roller coasters. read more

See all

A fun hour or two at the park to stroll and enjoy the holiday lights. Some rides close earlier than the opening hours so you may not want to show up at the very end. The kid friendly rides have long lines but the drop zone and roller coasters have short to no lines. Parking is $30 so take a deep breath there. But fun and worth going. read more

Winterfest is a holiday experience for people of all ages.. not only does the nostalgic vibes make you forget about adulting but even if you have to adult with kids you can feel a sense of ease. Being able to bond over Snoopy and Charlie Brown and gang really sets the tone for easy peasy good time. The park has a balance of coasters for adults and then kiddie rides mixed with family fun rides and games. NORCALS very own Knottsberry Farm with affordable season passes... gift shop toys and plenty of moments to cherish and just live in the moment. Laugh and pass the time away celebrating the holidays and watching Snoopy on Ice or the outdoor shows. You will totally forget about the crazy ridiculous parking maze you have to endure once you pass the gates... oh and great way to get your cardio in ;-) Purchase discounted tickets on Groupon read more

See all

Great value for the season ticket holders - attended on a weeknight before Christmas and had the park almost all to ourselves. Post Christmas the crowds are significantly bigger. Don't forget to go to the California theater - the variety show is surprisingly fun and talented! read more

Great America's Winterfest - Actors, snoopy, ice skating - Festivals Near Me - Santa Clara, California

Winterfest was a lovely cute experience! I would say this is a one time type of experience. Maybe, if you have a family/kids, I can see this being an annual event to attend. But as a couple? or with a group of friends?? It's okay. I personally liked Halloween Haunt better. However, again, it was still a really cute event. Lights everywhere. Staff walking around in character. The store signs changed in theme of the holidays. The tall lit Christmas tree was everything. A good handful of rides were open...not as much as Halloween haunt or normal Park hours/season. There were a few shows open. Hot chocolate stands were a hit. Parking is $25...Winterfest occurs during NFL season...so if you go on a day that the 49ers are going, the event will be cancelled because Levi's Stadium will need the extra parking within Great America. I suggest you check the website on updates whether the park will be open still. **PSA: Check Groupon!!!! They have Winterfest deals for Admission Tickets (not parking). read more

See all

Haven't been back to GA in AGES and it was nice to see a refresh of some of the rides like: Patriot & Railblazer. I was happy that there was a fair amount of roller coasters still opened: flight desk, patriot, railblazer, and psycho mouse.The lights are SO PRETTY! Definitely insta worthy. Video I made that highlights some of Winterfest's attractions: https://youtu.be/OeNtwnuiMHY Barney's ride turned into 12 days of Christmas, and would recommend! SHOWS: there's shows happening all over the park! Caught part of the Jolly Trolley, Jingle Jazz and would HIGHLY recommend the Peanut's Guide to Christmas show (psst the Ice skating tricks though). ~~Parking: $20 if you get it online, $22 on-site ~~Best Part: Peanut's guide to Christmas & Railblazer (really get's your heart going) ~~Attractions: A fair number of rides are opened, they have a list of them here: (https://www.cagreatamerica.com/play/winterfest/attractions-shows). There's also cookie decorating and Ice skating ($15 which includes the skate rentals, you'll have to fill out a liability form) ~~Return: YAS read more

See all

Took my boyfriend here for his birthday weekend, and we were both so thrilled to be at Winterfest! I hadn't been back to Great America in 7 years, and this was his first time here. We enjoyed our time here immensely. Just a few things I would have liked to have changed: 1) Disappointed that the Demon roller coaster wasn't open! That's my favorite roller coaster here, so I'm sad it was closed for Winterfest. 2) I wish Winterfest was open at least an hour earlier, perhaps 4:00 instead of 5:00. Other than that, we had an amazing time here. The lights were all really gorgeous, and with all the costumed performers and holiday music, we really did get into the spirit of holiday cheer. There was a fair amount of rides and roller coasters open for the season, so we went on all of them and got our roller coaster fix. The ones that were open that we went on were mostly the "big kid" rides, such as Goldstriker, Celebration Swings, Patriot, Railblazer, PsychoMouse, and Flight Deck. We even went on Goldstriker, Patriot, Railblazer, and Flight Deck twice each! We also went during the first weekend of December, and there were no waits for the roller coasters (funnily enough, Psycho Mouse had the longest wait of about 10-15 minutes). It could have been because it was early in the holiday season, and also it was predicted to rain when we went (thankfully it didn't). I purchased a Winterfest refillable mug since, this being the only day we were able to come to Winterfest, on your first day there, you get free refills, as many as you want! Boyfriend and I were thrilled with this, especially since it was so cold, and hot chocolate hits the spot. The Peanuts Christmas show was super cute and surprisingly mature (mentions of weight loss, getting psychiatric sessions for the 12 Days of Christmas, lol). Snoopy also has photo-op sessions! By his dog house are listed times when he would show up and be available for photos. Boyfriend and I were super lucky to show up to the last session, and be among the last people to get photos with him and hug him. We ended up staying the entire time, from 5:00 to 10:00. What a beautiful evening it was, I do want to come back next year! read more

See all

Came here for Winterfest. The decorations are great and there's lots of crafts for kids. My kids enjoyed the tree lighting. We decided to eat food at the winterfest food faire which was a major mistake. There were 24 people in front of me waiting for chicken, which is fine if the wait wasn't so long. After that, I waited in the burger line. I think waiting in line for over an hour for chicken tenders and a cheeseburger is unacceptable. The kitchens are severely understaffed and mismanaged. As a dad trying to feed some hungry kids, I felt like a failure. Cedar Fair: you can do better than this read more

Get your tickets on Groupon, don't pay full price and pre purchase parking. The lights were nice, my 1 year old loved the lights and carousel align with the dance music performance. The rides are available too for older kids. I have never been to great America, but guess we had to go since this place will be gone in a few years. I went on a Tuesday so less people and came right when they opened. Didn't see lines or anything at the food booth, so was enjoyable. It was cold so wear a lot of clothes and bring gloves and hats for the kids. read more

We stopped by yesterday Saturday December 4th and we had a blast. We got there when the gates just opened and it wasn't that packed. We all had fast passes which was nice! We felt kinda cheated though because 2 of their big rides that took fast pass were not in use. Pros: fun for the entire family, not too crowded like their Halloween event, lots of life performances and holiday treats and goodies. Cons: not all the advertised rides were open, not many children's rides accept fast pass, a lot of places that sell food were closed, hour long wait for a coffee. All in all my daughters had fun and we will definitely come back again next year. Hopefully they accept fast pass on more rides because it is not cheap. read more

Great America's Winterfest - Festivals Near Me - Santa Clara, California

See all

Very disappointing accommodations for someone having to walk with crutches: - No where to seat while you wait for your driver trying to park the car after dropping you in front of the entrance - Not enough wheelchairs available so all were taken already and we had to rent an electric one that was defective but still cost us $60! - You get to go to the front of the line for the rides however you still have to wait 15-20 for your turn and again there is no where to seat while you wait. So I was so exhausting that we left after 2 rides only. And when I brought this up with customer service by email after we got home, they refused to make a small effort giving us a partial refund. So it cost us $200 total for 4 people and we stayed less than 2 hours! Great America is definitely not appropriate for someone on crutches. It was a big mistake to assume they have what it takes to accommodate such special needs. read more

I think GA Winterfest is definitely a fun outing for those who are into the exhilarating rides, but as for me... I'm kinda of a scaredy cat so most of the rides are too much for me. Lol.. I took my man here on Wednesday night, and we had a pretty wonderful time. We did the ice skating first for the 7:00pm time slot. It was pretty open so that was good. I had saw some ad on Instagram the previous night about how it can get filled up easily, but it was not really at all that busy when we were there. Ice Skating was $15 per person which was not too bad. I had bought the tickets to Winterfest from Costco for $20 each a few days ago. We ended up riding about 4 rides which included The Gold Striker and Flightdeck which was both horrifying to me, but I did it! Haha.. might as well do it before I get too old. Ha. Anywho.. also, parking was $20 which is their typical rate. I remember I used to go find parking in the streets across in near the office buildings, but I think they've become more strict these days about that. It's definitely a fun outing to check out, and the staff are friendly and attentive. Decorations were pretty good! read more

I love coming to winterfest at great america! We went the day after Thanksgiving this year and enjoyed ourselves. The decorating didn't seem as well done as last year (2018) but i think it might have something to do with how early i went into the event. They had alot of employees around still decorating, so i think I'm going to wait till a couple weeks into the event next year. Definately grab thier souvenir hot chocolate mug! Free refills all night and $1 refills if you come back during the season! Great deal, especially of you dont mind sharing it with other members of your family. This is becoming a family tradition for us, and we are so grateful for all the work great america's employees and decorators do to make it so great! read more

See all

Went on a cloudy night after Christmas and it wasn't packed at all. No lines for parking, getting in, or rides. We were also able to park pretty close to the entrance. Parking was $25, which is absurd. It almost cost as much as my ticket from Groupon (30.25/person). Decorations were underwhelming. When I went a few years ago, there were far more decorations, lights, and characters roaming around the park. The park was also dimly lit for something that calls itself a winter festival. A lot of rides, attractions, and dining were closed. The performances and shows made the price worth it. There was an ice skating performance that was incredible in the main theatre area. I was surprised at how incredible it was since I thought it would be a kid's show! They definitely did more than just figure 8's lol. They actually did flips and other cool ice skating tricks I only see in movies! Must see if you go to great America. read more

Cedar fair and great America does a great job for winterfest... plenty of things to do and see. Really enjoyable kids had a great time watching the shows etc... but to many rides not operating... The bad think was alot of people I think more than the park expected and lack of staff and ride made this place extremely crowded last night and super long lines... It was more crowded in my opinion last night than a weekend in July.... and have one one train running in gold Stricker was ridiculous... Other than that still had good time except for the rain when weather said 10% change.... weather lied.... read more

See all

BUYER BEWARE - PAY AT YOUR OWN RISK!! the winterfest 2023 is a total waste of money, the ice rink was packed with people who brought their own skates and didnt pay entry so the ice rink was more crowded than it needed to be for about 3 minutes before they shut down the rink for repairs the rest of the evening! NO REFUNDS SORRY!! Even though you didn't get to skate, and no they won't issue new tickets to be redeemed at a later date. BUYER BEWARE!! read more

My wife and I went went to winterfest 2 years in a row. The staff here are really friendly even in the spirit of the holiday. They have some rides open. Love their decorations throughout the park. I don't eat here because its kinda pricey. When I first came to Winterfest last year I thought ice skating was included but you have to pay $15. read more

See all

This would have been 3 stars, but minus one star for the food poisoning we received. All 4 of us got sick from the chicken, and literally ended up spending that night and the next day on the toilet. The decorations are nice and festive. Be prepared for a lot of screaming children running ariund with seemingly no parents in site. Parking without the package is ridiculous at $20. All in all there's not much to do or see except for the lights and a few rides. The ice skating was so crowded we never did get to go to it but the ice looked very thin and it didn't look like you can really ice skate that well on it. The carousel was super packed as well so I didn't get to go on that either. The park is very small and you could see everything and walk around and enjoy the sights in about an hour. There are very few adult rides open I believe there was only two roller coasters other than that everything else is for kids such as a small Snoopy playground area and an Autobahn Raceway that shows the 12 Days of Christmas. There weren't a lot of shows itself for caroling and a Snoopy Show, and the Snoopy appearances although they were supposed to happen every hour at specififed timeSnoopy seem to be late and we never did get to see him because he was late and we didn't want to wait for him anymore I don't know if he ever did show up for his 6:15 appearance. Back to the food that made us all sick we waited a good 45 minutes the line out of Mama Browns was so long and it was automated so I'm not sure why the staff couldn't get the orders ready but they seemed well behind and the food was Superdry. It seemed as though they couldn't keep up with the demand and everything was sitting under heating lamps and they couldn't get the orders right and we're calling out the numbers out of sequence and people were getting upset at having to wait so long. Since a two piece chicken meal with two sides cost about 16 bucks it's not cheap and for two pieces of dry chicken and a side of corn that was really runny and a side salad that had no dressing because they ran out of ranch was an awful bargain. The drink station was overflowing because they weren't able to clean the great so water and soda was spilling from the Overflow onto the floor. Great America really needs to step up its game on both the food and wait staff because both need a lot of help. read more

Great America's Winterfest - Festivals Near Me - Santa Clara, California

See all

Two of my friends & took an Uber there. I'm glad that we did as it costs $22 for parking. Plus there was a lot of traffic in the area. Finding a parking spot would've been hard to find. Tickets cost over $30. My friend got tickets on gold star I think for $27. I was expecting to see the same amazing displays that I did years ago when they had Winter Wonderland there. It's now located in Sacramento & Las Vegas. The displays are different now. This time the focus was more on the rides & the shows. The while park is nicely decorated. We all enjoyed the ice skating show with Snoopy & the Peanuts characters. The ice skaters are very talented. We saw another show with Santa & some dancing elves later that evening. Try to eat somewhere else instead of buying the overpriced & not so great food there. I paid $15 for a hot dog, curly fries, and a drink. The food court has the following food available: Chicken, pizza, sushi, churros, popcorn, and some Mexican food. The burger place was closed. The park closes at 10 on Saturday. There are no park employees in the parking lot, so if you need help finding out where to get picked up by a taxi, Lyft, or Uber, you'll be on your own then. There was no sign for any waiting spots, so we walked back to our cars in Santa Clara Square. Don't park at the movie theatre there as one of my friends told me that cars get stolen there all the time. Stroller rentals are available there near one of the roller coasters by the entrance. read more

See all

Went to Winterfest for the first time last night and didn't really go in with high expectations. But as we pulled off the freeway and noticed the unusual amount of traffic I automatically knew it was for Winterfest. Upon walking into the park my expectations were already far exceeded. A beat wasn't missed when it came to the decorations and as we moved throughout the park the detail that went into every minute thing, Great America outdone themselves. The festive food offerings were not in short order as they had much to choose from. One of my favorite places to eat at GA is Maggie Browns and this place was packed to capacity the whole night. So I kinda missed out there. One of many highlights of the evening was the carriage ride. It was $8 and 5 minutes long but extremely memorable as you get taken through the very decorative Boomerang Bay. In hindsight Winterfest was an extreme success. I regret not coming here before. If Christmas is your thing you have to visit Winterfest more than once to experience everything in its entirety. I'm a Halloween guy but now I'm even more excited to come to Winterfest next year. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED FROM SOMEONE WHOSE NOT A BIG CHRISTMAS PERSON. read more

See all

I'd say the Winterfest itself is worth getting the season pass. This is our first time as season pass holder of anything and I'm glad to make the right choice, thanks to the free pre-k pass for my 2 kiddos. There are many shows and everyone of them are very elaborate. If you want to finish everything in 1 visit, you need to come early and plan accordingly. Definitely check out the ice skating show: it's Christmas, Snoopy. It's about half an hour long. Another must-see is the Broadway-type show, Tinker's Toy Factory. Also about half an hour long. You also can't miss Cool Yule Christmas at the Celebration Plaza. The much smaller scale A Peanuts Guide to Christmas & Jingle Jazz are quite cool too. The Holly Jolly Trolley was supposed to make rounds from Hometown Square but I was told that the trolley was no longer running so they were just parked by the Berserker. The app somehow points to All American corners and will navigate you to wrong place. So make note of this. There are Christmas tree lots, candy cane lane and gingerbread village which are perfect for photo-ops. They also have igloo that you can rent to chill (actually to stay warm since it's heated) with friends, not sure about the cost. I think you can also rent a fireplace outdoor for your group to make some s'mores etc. You can also get into an inflatable snow glove and take pictures inside. I definitely like winterfest better than the Halloween Haunt or Pumpkinfest. With Gold pass, you can also go to Gilroy Garden Holiday Lights. But if Winterfest is a 10, Gilroy Garden will be a 3 for me. Definitely not worth $40 they're charging when Winterfest is only $20 at Costco. Ice skating is an additional $15 and includes rental. If you have your own skates, you still have to pay $15, unlike Gilroy garden where you can skate for free if you BYOS. The ride wait times are very short (if there's any). I recommend bundling up since it could get very cold especially when you're riding roller coasters. I'll bring hand warmers heat pack too. Surprisingly icee station is still open and we're one of the crazy ones who brought our refillable cup and purchased it. This is a huge upgrade from our annual Christmas in the Park at downtown San Jose. Save the money on the carnival rides there and just come here. read more

Great America's Winterfest - Festivals Near Me - Santa Clara, California

See all

We went here for winter fest for 2 nights. We went on the 30th which they open the park from 5pm to 10pm and New Years Eve which they open the park from 5pm to 12:30am. But for most days they open from 5pm to 10pm. I would have to say both days the park is really crowded and probably the most crowded I have been too even more crowded than fright fest. We did not ride much rides due to the crowds as we the waits for Railblazer can reach up to 2 hours and a half and Gold Striker maybe an hour which is not too bad. We rode also Flight Deck which was not too bad. Those are the only 3 rides we rode as most of the rides where closed. Even the unpopular rides where you can just walk in on some of them had an hour and above wait like Patriot, Delrium (I think that is what it is called), the rides that spin you, were out of the line. Also, I wanted to ride the sky tower, but unfortunately, it was out of the door to see the lights and the car ride for the 12 days of Christmas. Oh yes the Mouse Ride was out the door. Most of the lines were out of the door. Here are the main rides that were closed and some I do not know why unless they can not find enough workers. 1. The Grizzly 2. The Demon 3. Drop Zone 4. Both of the water rides (Tidal Wave and River Rapids), makes sense on this one since it is like 50 and and below. 5. Space ride adventure (indoor one with the glasses) 6. Tiki Twirl We enjoyed the It's Christmas Snoopy Show definitely go watch and see and it is 30 minutes long. But here is a warning, it does get crowded as well, but the best place to get a seat is in the middle and we love kids, but we had bad luck in some of them were sick and coughing on us and some did kick the chairs while we were watching the show. We did not watch the other Christmas shows due to time. The park with lights is beautiful as they went pretty much all out with the Ginger bread homes in the back and camp snoopy is pretty good as well. They did decorate everything with lights. If you are a big peanuts fan like me, you can take a picture of snoopy near the show. Unfortunately, the working there do not take your picture. Snoopy is also at the dog house. There are other characters that show up especially in Charlie Brown's Christmas lot, but we did not see them there. We enjoyed the even quite a bit, but the crowds did us in and we felt due to the crowds they probably could have hired more staff and opened more rides and they could have opened from 10am to 10pm if they really wanted too. Here is my tips: 1. Show up an hour early to the park as you can at least go to Gold Striker and Railblazer. They usually let you go inside the park at least 30 minutes early. One of my wife's friend showed up at 8pm, but it took them an hour to get into the parking lot and into the line as it can get that crowded. 2. Food lines do go out the door, but after we rode 2 rides, we got food since we got our meal passes. 3. If you are thinking they are going to discount the Christmas merchandise, do not count on it. 4. The stores do close at 10pm so make sure you buy your souvenirs. Unfortunately, I did not :( 5. The weather is cold and windy so bundle up. read more