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I really didn't want to do this on a holiday weekend, but being that Hurricane is closing tomorrow I couldn't exactly wait until next week I'm sure glad I decided to get to CGA at opening, because by the time I left at 1:00, the crowds were really starting to get out of control and were still streaming in the gates as I was leaving. Traffic was the other reason..the 1 hour drive from CGA to SCBB turned into a 3 hour drive bumper to bumper all the way down 17, no fun at all. Was originally hoping to get home to Sacramento by 4 or so, ended up getting home at almost 10! The whole reason for this trip was getting in one last ride (or two) on Hurricane at SCBB since tomorrow is the last day. I was there on the opening day in 1992 (June or July, I forget. I was 11.) and it was the first roller coaster I ever rode, so it's always been a special one for me. Hurricane, Giant Dipper, and X/X2 are the three coasters that are like that for me, so it was a big deal to me that it was moving to NM...even if I did get to ride it some time in NM, it wouldn't be the same. So when you see how many Hurricane photos I took, that's why...but first up was CGA: First ride of the day! Welcome to The Demon! Last time I was at CGA, Flight Deck was still called Top Gun. Looks like everything but the name is the same. Jealous..how much longer do I have to wait? Not long now, B&M bliss coming right up!! At this moment, these are the happiest people in Santa Clara. And now for the obligatory GS Construction photos. Sorry I couldn't get closer..but even still I can tell it's going to make the skyline of this park nicer. Even the upcharges had big lines today. Also not a bad spot to catch a glimpse of GS construction. This is what CGA calls que shading That's not a seat sir, I wouldn't recommend attempting to sit down. He's happy because he hasn't ridden yet. (But seriously, Vortex was actually pretty nice today) I walked up to Grizzly and saw was appeared to be a 60-70 minute line. I wondered how on Earth that could be even on a busy day, until I saw someone coming back out of the flash pass entrance who said the ride was down..unfortunately CGA hadn't sent anyone down to tell people, so the line just kept getting longer and obviously wasn't moving. Re-ride on Vortex? Not with a line that long. Another day. This is funny. I like the "CGA Definies line jumping as" signs all over that make it clear, but Vortex was the only one that said "Line jumping is a violation of the law"...seriously? I saw quite a few criminals at the park today. All the lines are getting out of hand now so that's it for CGA, time for the 1hr drive to SCBB..

Yep. I didn't want to go on a holiday weekend, but this was the first stop on my way to SCBB to ride Hurricane one more time before they close it tomorrow. I got there at opening and got my rides in before it got too crazy. Got some Gold Striker construction photos, it looked like there was a little more vertical than the last I saw a few days ago..it really does visually look amazing and a lot of people were talking about it and saying they couldnt wait. I'm gonna post a TPR now.

Yeah that's true. If its a slow day at the park and the rides are walkons, standups are fine..but it does kind of suck to stand in line for an hour and then stand on the coaster. I don't think standups are something every park needs to have, but for a park the size of SFMM or CP they're not bad.

Holy $% today was the wrong day for a "quick trip" to the boardwalk! That was about the busiest I've ever seen it. Fortunately most of the crowd was riding the kiddie/flat rides which had the longest lines. Dipper and Hurricane were about an hour each when I left at 6. Got my last two rides in on Hurricane, one in the front and one in the back. Posting a TPR in a few. Busy day at the beach!

Rode Vortex at CGA today. It's not a particularly exciting coaster, but I didn't find it the least bit uncomfortable. Looking forward to riding Riddlers in a few weeks.

Really really busy day at the park today. I was lucky to get there as early as I did, about 10:15. Waited about 30 for Demon, then about 45 for Flight Deck, about 30 for Vortex (about 25 too long), tried to ride Grizzly but it was down, tried to reride Demon but the line had doubled in size, and walked by Flight Deck again and it was out the entrance too, so I just left. I got my front row rides on Demon and Flight Deck, so I'm happy. Demon was riding very nice, that is still such a great coaster for it's age. Even Vortex was pretty enjoyable. It's all about knowing how to use the restraints. Flight Deck was awesome as usual..I wanted to get a back row ride but I'll have to wait until the next visit.

In line for Demon at CGA: "This ride is gonna be GOOD! It goes upside down!" Stacked at the brakes on Flight Deck at CGA: "That hurt, that was the roughest roller coaster I've ever ridden."

In line for the Demon today a kid behind me said: "This ride is gonna be GOOD! It goes upside down!" I thought..yeah, thats why these unimaginative loopers keep getting built. (Not directly ripping on FT though, it looks interesting, I'll reserve judgement for after I ride it)

You would make your X2 reservations at the FlashPass booth, so just do that when you're picking up your flash pass. I don't think there's a discount on FlashPass for SPH's, someone correct me if I'm wrong.

Oops I forgot it went up to $15. As others said above for X2 the gold flash pass doesn't work as per normal. You have to reserve a spot ahead of time seperately and it's $15 per person per ride. Only way it's worth it is if you're travelling in from out of town on one specific day and cant get there in the morning and it's one of those 3-hour-line-days and you havent ridden a 4D before..then I say go for it.

Everyone I've heard get the gold says they get rides just as fast as the platinum, the only difference with the platinum is the reride. (And I believe you need the platinum to buy the $10 X2 line skips)

Wow just noticed that Google Streetview has coverage of all the pedestrian walkways inside the park..very cool! (Also kind of interesting to see the overhead include invertigo but when you go in to street view it disappears)

^ Yeah I was wondering whether they have some special scanner that will read the wristbands, otherwise what, are they going to stop the train at the lift, wait for everyone to check in on facebook, and then send the train?

Interesting..wonder how that works.

Valleyfair, Worlds of Fun, Six Flags America, & Hersheypark all had "classic" mid-sized woodies before their GCI coaster was built. None of those parks built the GCI coaster to replace their other woodie. And closer to home, SFMM had Apocalypse built without replacing Colossus

Great report, perfect timing as I'm doing the exact same thing tomorrow. Was initially wanting to time it so that Id be at SCBB at night like you, but since it's a holiday weekend (and I cant wait til next week to ride Hurricane) I'm going to just get to CGA at opening and then go straight to SCBB to avoid as much of the inevitable crowds as possible.

I am too. I kind of know what to expect from FT, this seems more like an unknown, and it's been sooo long since CGA has had a major addition. Of the three California coasters, I'm definitely looking forward to this one the most. I'll be heading to CGA tomorrow, can't wait to check out the construction in person.

Would definitely like to see more details about this particular perk, ie how early and how often it will be available.

I believe that's what they meant to convey - that you will be travelling through this particular loop at a higher altitude and faster speed than any singular loop in another coaster, not that this looping coaster is faster and taller than any other looping coaster.

I'll say one thing for Premier after riding SUF at SFDK their lap bars are great. Easily the most comfortable I've ever used on any type of coaster. I hope these type of restraints are the wave of the future.

Not a peep. If their intention is to increase anticipation, it's working.

My thought's exactly, and probably the 3rd best woodie in California, at least for me (Behind Giant Dipper and Apocalypse) so all in all it sounds great and I can't wait to ride it.

Demolished, New Mexico, what's the difference?

That's my kind of day at the park.

I'm going to miss it a lot. It's going to be tough to leave Sunday night. I have a lot of memories in that coaster, more than any other. It's nowhere near anyone's list of world class coasters, but it's #2 on my list of favorites.