Great America Compared To Other Cedar Parks?

[sfmmrules!]

Does anyone here think Great America is booring? I certinally think so. The roller coasters are so small its pathetic. Compare them to Magic Mountain. I'm that tired of going to Great America that I didn't go at all this season. In fact I haven't even been on a roller coaster yet this year. Maybe I'll call it the worst park in the chain.

[RIP Psyclone]

I think Derek said it best, Great America in CA is a park with a lot of potential, just go to SFGAm to see. I personally liked (P)GA when I was 15. I thought Top Gun was great (it still is), Vortex was still smooth, and I wasn't a good enough judge to know that Grizzly sucks. I think I remember Demon valleying, though.

 

I'd like to go back there, even if to just get my Invertigo credit and ride the flyers.

[kraxleRIDAH]

When I visited Great America, I was certainly underwhelmed. I had thought Knott's was a small park until I visited Great America. Most of its roller coasters were rather small and not thrilling -- and there really wasn't much to do.

[Sunfire]

If only Marriott still owned the parks.

[man]

im sorry to say I love great america as a park thats near me. It may not have the big rides, but really no one tries to go there as much as other parks and all the rides are pretty fun for being small rides. Last year I ended up going there 5-6 times and every timed I loved it (except when it took me 4 hours to get back on caltrain ugh)

[ebl]

It's been eight years since I was last at PGA. And there's no desire to ever return, honestly.

 

This particular park will never be a great park because they don't have the room to do anything spectacular. Marriott did well with the park when they owned it, Paramount didn't do badly considering the space they had to work with, but now under Cedar Fail, I don't see anything improving, except more concrete.

 

Eric

[KGA29]

Does anyone here think Great America is booring? I certinally think so. The roller coasters are so small its pathetic. Compare them to Magic Mountain. I'm that tired of going to Great America that I didn't go at all this season. In fact I haven't even been on a roller coaster yet this year. Maybe I'll call it the worst park in the chain.

 

Umm, the title of the thread is GA compared to other CF parks not compared to SFMM. Having been a season pass holder for 7 years, I have been to the park plenty of times. Compared to GG? GG is prettier, but GA definitely wins in the rides category. Compared to KBF? Got to go with KBF. At least they have a couple coasters over 2 minutes long. GA only has 1 and that's cause Grizzly's so slow. Compared to CP? Ummm, yeah. CP wins considering that they have more than twice as many coasters.

 

GA has potential, but Paramount never did anything with it. They haven't gotten a coaster since 01 (Psycho Mouse), a major coaster since Stealth in 00 (which was removed 3 years ago) or Invertigo in 98, a new motion simulator film since 03, or any major flat, other than Survivor, since 02. 3 of the past 4 years have been dedicated to water park additions and it still isn't that big. Look at what SFGam did in 1 year! CF, please recognize this park as not just a cash cow (most expensive park of the chain)!

[dpxtreme]

Ok, Survivor was new to the park in 2006, not 2002. And the last big coaster they have that's still standing is Invertigo, which opened in 1998. I think Cedar Fair is just watching how the park operates for the 2007 season, and what the needs are so they can imrpove the park starting with the 2008 season.

 

And a side note, I think Boomerang Bay was a huge mistake for GA. They're great ideas for parks that have a lot of land, but when GA has hardly anymore land left, they should've utilized the old Stealth land with something open year round. I mean, when you have a small park that has no more room for expansion, why would you add a water park that's open from the end of May to early Sept.??

[Sunfire]

BTW, he knew Survivor was new in 2006. He meant that other than Survivor, the park hadn't had a new ride since 2002. He was referring to Delirium, which was added in 02.

[Top Thrill Dragster]

CF, please recognize this park as not just a cash cow (most expensive park of the chain)!

 

I thought that title belonged to CP and KBF.

[dpxtreme]

My bad, I need to pay a little more attention.

[Sunfire]

Cedar Point costs around $42 to get in. Great America costs $52 to get in.

[Angry_Gumball]

I still think that it's a bit early to judge how Cedar Fair's handling GA as this is their first season running it. Yes, I agree that regular admission is far too steep (This is why I just bought the WOW cards, but so is Discovery Kingdom. Over at NorCalCoasters, we've been discussing GA for 2008 and was brought up about a flat possibly going in for 2008 (I know, rumor super thread!) and the removal of a coaster (Yes again, rumor super thread.) Cedar Fair commented on their site about their 'Behemoth' coaster (Or Six Flag's equivalent, Goliath) and how they would like to do something like this for the rest of their parks.

 

“Behemoth will be a great addition to our Canadian park and will bring a whole new type of thrill riding to the area, something we hope to introduce at the newly acquired parks over the next several years,” said Kinzel.

 

Kinzel concluded by explaining that additional capital expenditure and marketing plans at the Company’s other parks for next season are in the process of being finalized and will be announced at a later date.

 

Full claim here

 

I have faith in Great America, it has so much potential as it already has some of the most intense B&Ms in CA.

 

By the way, (Which could again be discussed in the rumor super thread) what flat ride would need the removal of a coaster? $100 says they're getting a Screamin' Swing. Seems like a Cedar Fair staple ride to have, similar to a carnival always having the Zipper.

 

After seeing a Great America coupon display at Taco Bell and having an Intamin car on it, I sprung up with an idea...Below is my hopes that we get as a replacement of Greased Lightning.

Throw this into the Rumor Super Thread!

[KGA29]

CF, please recognize this park as not just a cash cow (most expensive park of the chain)!

 

I thought that title belonged to CP and KBF.

 

Nope, GA has the highest 1 day ticket out of all CF parks at 52 smackaroos.

[Tmcdllr]

^Totally agree and since this is my home park I would be so happy for it to get another coaster. Eventhough there is no space it does not matter. A great coaster could easily be designed to fit this park.

[Top Thrill Dragster]

^^I thought you meant the amount of money that the park brings to the Chain.

[Tmcdllr]

I didnt post in time. I was agreeing with the post before that, talking about it being their home park, etc.

[Sunfire]

I think Angry Gumball is right. Great America has so much potential to become a great park. Referring to his drawing, I would be REALLY happy if the park got an Intamin Rocket Coaster. That would be the perfect spot to put it, as it would involve the removal of the Vortex roller coaster, which I hate. TAKE VORTEX OUT!

[KGA29]

I think Angry Gumball is right. Great America has so much potential to become a great park. Referring to his drawing, I would be REALLY happy if the park got an Intamin Rocket Coaster. That would be the perfect spot to put it, as it would involve the removal of the Vortex roller coaster, which I hate. TAKE VORTEX OUT!

 

I say keep Vortex.

 

a) It's one of the few stand-ups made. There are more Intamin rockets than B&M stand-ups in the world.

b) It's a coaster and GA can't afford to get rid of any more.

c) It still gets long lines during weekends

 

That rocket coaster drawing wouldnt' need the removal of Vortex, though I don't see anything going there soon because of the service road that goes down the center of the park.

[Sunfire]

Hmm, well, I guess they don't have to take out Vortex. But God, they need to put in new OTSR's. The ones on there right now are rock hard and hurt like heck because your head constantly bangs on them.

[sfmmrules!]

GA could put something where Greased Lightnin used to be or in the Imax building. I REALLY hope Cedar Fair sees the kind of coasters GA has & will do something about it since GA lost the two best rides in the park Stealth & Greased Lightnin. I'm not going back until GA adds at least a couple good coasters.

[Angry_Gumball]

Hmm, well, I guess they don't have to take out Vortex. But God, they need to put in new OTSR's. The ones on there right now are rock hard and hurt like heck because your head constantly bangs on them.

 

Ow...my head hurts. I just got off 2 rides on Vortex an hour ago. The very front seat wasn't so bad but the row behind it seemed 'ouchy.' Also, do get rid of the puke smell and old gum on the ground. And to the visitors there: please spit your gum into the 1 of 1,000,000,000,000 trash cans they have there...you can't miss them!

[Goliath513]

GA could put something where Greased Lightnin used to be or in the Imax building. I REALLY hope Cedar Fair sees the kind of coasters GA has & will do something about it since GA lost the two best rides in the park Stealth & Greased Lightnin. I'm not going back until GA adds at least a couple good coasters.

 

I'm not too fond of GA either. Their currently standing coasters are all rough and headache inducing, besides Top Gun. I loved Greased Lightnin' because it never had any lines the two times I went to the park. Stealth was also a great ride which they should have kept instead of taking it out for Boomerang (f***ing) Bay.

 

I wish they still had Whizzer. My dad says that was a great ride.

[Loco]

Hmm, well, I guess they don't have to take out Vortex. But God, they need to put in new OTSR's. The ones on there right now are rock hard and hurt like heck because your head constantly bangs on them.

 

Ow...my head hurts. I just got off 2 rides on Vortex an hour ago. The very front seat wasn't so bad but the row behind it seemed 'ouchy.' Also, do get rid of the puke smell and old gum on the ground. And to the visitors there: please spit your gum into the 1 of 1,000,000,000,000 trash cans they have there...you can't miss them!

 

OMG! Tell me about it! That thing is a total neck breaking/ball crusher, and the horrid vibration doesn't help either. Last time I went I only rode it once, while the rest of my group rode it like 3 times.

[Sunfire]

^How can anyone ride that death machine more than once?