boweryboy

I'm primarily a lurker but I visit the site at least once a day. Here are my responses: 1. Do you think it even needs updating at all? Updating the graphics as others suggested would be my only suggestion. 2. What elements of the front page do you really LIKE, and would hate to see go away and/or change. Random Stuff. Announcements. Park News, Trip Reports, Etc. 3. What elements do you feel are MISSING from the front page? Unless I'm just not seeing it, a visible log-in section on the front page. I see the log-in section when I click on a trip report but not on the front page. 4. What other changes would you suggest? Remove the Theme Park Review Update section. In my opinion it seems kind of redundant since there's already the Park News, Trip Reports, Etc. section. Unless there's something about the purpose of this section I'm not aware of --- like if a trip report gets updated after it's initial posting then it's placed here. That is all. Thanks.

Primarily a lurker here, but I'm surprised the park has lasted as long as it has. I used to live a light rail ride away from Great America when it was owned by Marriott's and Paramount (although the light rail wasn't around yet when Marriott's owned it). Given it's location in a business park area and near the airport it wasn't surprising that it never expanded much. It is surprising that it's still around given the proximity and superiority of Discovery Kingdom. I haven't been there in over 12 years so maybe it's changed but based on my memories I could do the park in half a day and after awhile it just wasn't worth going to anymore, season pass or not. Especially after they removed the Whizzer back in the late 80s (it was my first roller coaster so I have a lot of fond memories of it). Instead, we would make the trek over the hill to Santa Cruz and do the boardwalk. If it does stick around could they please tear down Grizzly and put a GCI woodie in it's place? Grizzly is such a waste of wood. I do agree Flight Deck (or Top Gun when I last visited) is the best ride in the park but it's way too short. It will be interesting to see how this pans out.

Primarily a lurker here but wanted to comment. We have Boom Noodle restuarants up here in the Pac Northwest which are totally based on Wagamama. If you ever visit Seattle for any reason I highly suggest you try them out (sadly our coaster selection is paltry at best). I also hear Republic in NYC is another such restaurant based off of Wagamama.

Bummer. It was the closest coaster to my apartment, literally a 15 minute bus ride. Even though it wasn't worth the $7 to ride I would still ride it just to sate my coaster cravings. I use to live in San Jose. We would go over to Santa Cruz almost every weekend in the summer. I remember how bummed out I was when they removed the Jet Star and replaced it with the Hurricane coaster. There was no comparison between the two. And you're right. It's interesting how the same coaster could provide totally different rides. The Fun Forest one kicked butt.

Primarily a lurker here but I had to sympathize with you. Washington State is just as lame. Wild Waves has 4 credits: a just OK woodie that could benefit from being taller, longer, and faster; a rib crushing spine rattling wild mouse; a kiddie coaster; and a decrepit Arrow coaster that is so painful it's not worth the ride (and they cycle you through twice unless you protest). The Puyallup Fair (which is only open 3 weeks out of the year) has 3, 4 if you count the rickety water ride/rollercoaster. My friends and I call it the "dirty water ride" which is self explanatory. At least the Schwarzkopf Wildcat is good for repeat rides and the Coaster Thrill Ride is fun moreso because of its history than actual "thrills". Then we have the 2 at the Space Needle Fun Forest: a kiddie and one of those compact Hurricane coasters that aren't worth the $7 to ride. I haven't been there in a while but the last I heard Fun Forest closed because the lease was up. If that's the case there goes 2 credits. It's a sorry state of affairs we have up here in the Northwest corner of the country.

I'm primarily a lurker here but this news makes me really, really sad. Why not give BBW a complete overhaul/renovation? Surely technology has advanced in the last 25 years that this could be done. BBW is a classic and truly should be preserved. It's one of those coasters that I thought would always be around. Now, I will never have the opportunity to ride it.

Is the layout going to be similar to Kentucky Rumbler? Hopefully I will make it down to SoCal this summer to ride it and Tatsu.

Primarily a lurker but I must say that was possibly one of the best trip reports ever. It makes me want to go to IB.

That's awesome. I actually like the Flight Trainer. I would ride it all the time at Great America in California.

It was possibly the worst, roughest, most unenjoyable woodie I ever rode and I'm a woodie fanatic. I always ride it evey time I go to SFMM just to make sure it's the coaster, not me. Right at the bottom of the first two drops the force hits my tailbone and actually hurts! I hope they build a bigger, better and faster woodie in its place like El Toro or something.