As area manager of digital marketing, I get to tell the incredible stories of our park to the world—and take our biggest fans Between the Lines. I’ve been an incurable amusement park fanatic since I was a kid and have worked at two other parks (shout-out to Cedar Point and Valleyfair!). Now, I can’t wait to share my passion with our readers! Find me @DannyMessinger on Twitter .

Opening Day is next weekend! This is one of the most exciting times of year at the park—everything is a flurry of activity. Our amazing mechanics are readying the rides for your visit, landscapers are busy planting flowers in our countless garden beds, teams are restocking stores and stands ‘round the clock…all to make sure we’re ready to go when the gates swing open next Saturday.

Let’s take a look at the final preparations for Opening Day and get a sneak peek at some of the upgrades and changes waiting for guests this season.

As we speed toward Opening Day, ride vehicles are being put back on the tracks after a thorough off-season safety inspection.

Construction for our brand-new, full-service Starbucks® is well underway. The space, formerly Candy Café, is located right in the heart of the park: Hometown Square. Later this season, our new Starbucks location will be abuzz with coffee fanatics.

With the addition of a brand-new patio area attached to the shop, guests will have a relaxing place to sit and sip while watching Gold Striker and Patriot zoom by.

Moving on to Planet Snoopy, a much smaller project is underway at what was our Starbucks location in previous seasons. This little blue building, which is located across from Lucy’s Crabby Cabbies, will reopen as a new Coca-Cola Refresh Station, where you will conveniently be able to refill your All Season Souvenir Bottle.

A few paces down the midway, PEANUTS™ Playhouse theater has had its final curtain and will be retired beginning this season to make way for exciting things planned in the near future.

Speaking of midways, our extreme midway makeover project has resulted in some pretty amazing new walkways. New concrete, pavers and brickwork surely make a big statement when guests enter the reworked areas of the park.

As impressive as all these changes are, it’s no doubt that RailBlazer will be grabbing most of the attention this season. And as the ride continues to trek toward its opening day (which is soon to be announced—so stay tuned!), it becomes increasingly obvious how incredible this innovative coaster will be.

Make sure you’re following Great America on social media so you’re in the know when we announce RailBlazer’s opening date.

See you on the midways!