Great America Becomes California's Great America

[darklingscribe]

I wonder why they chose to add a Wooden Coaster?

 

Admittedly California needs all the wooden coasters it can get but, Wooden coasters are not that economical here. They cost more than steel to maintain and cost about twice as much to build here than in other states to make them earthquake safe.

 

Oh and does anyone else find it funny that at a 2 min ride time this will be the longest coaster in the park? (the Grizzly doesn't count as it's ride time is long due to it's slowness, not it's track length.)

[Craneman]

You could be so right about Cedar Fair tryin to milk the land for all it's worth. I sure hope that's not the reason tho...

 

As I was one of the few that took stealth and tidal wave down, I'd really hate to go there and start pickin apart Invertigo, Top Gun, Drop Zone etc...

 

Only hope for the best!

[KGA29]

I am SOOOO excited for every single announcement on this PR (but I'm gonna have to change my username ). Can't wait for Firefall with the water/fire effects. Hopefully the fire will be like Survivor's, but the water will be a better effect than cheap misters that don't get anybody wet.

 

A new coaster? Wait, it's not 4/1? YES! Finally! 7 years of waiting and it better be good. I could care less if it replaced the POS Grizzly. I wouldn't miss Grizzly at all if it left (as long as its space was used well). Yay! I'm like this now

 

Later hours! While this may not be the major announcement, it is a big deal for us over here who have not been to an amusement park after dark in 3 or 4 years.

 

Ice show. I can see this being very popular and a good marketing tool to bring in families, even with thrill rides being added the next 2 years.

 

Halloween Haunt. Exciting as well, considering GA hasn't had a full event since 01. And Carnevil this year was great imo.

 

[Craneman]

I just hope CF is real about this...

 

I still believe the "powers to be" at the 49ers walked out of their comfy lil office and said...

 

Nimrod: "Hey look, there's enough room there for a stadium right?" *Points to CGA parking lot*

Nimrod 2: "Uh I think so? Wanna go back inside and say we found our spot? it's hot as hell out here!!!"

Nimrod: "Sure let's go"

 

And there ya have it!!! How the 49ers thought up the plans!!!

 

As for a woodie... Cool!! Like an Intamin instead!!

 

P.S. Maybe Cedar Fair will fix the sinking problem with Top Gun! LMAO j/k

[DerekRx]

See, I knew finally getting to Great America would finally get the park a new coaster. You can feel free to thank me with monetary gifts.

 

 

Looks like a return trip to NorCal will be necessary in a couple of years, not necessarily a bad thing either. Glad to see Great America getting a new full-sized coaster, that park definitely needs it, though I really don't like the new name of the park, sounds too much like it's trying to knock off DCA.

[asr]

Likely a Renegade clone

 

Probably just wishfull thinking, but does anyone think it might not be a Renegade clone, just similar to Renegade? Like how Patriot and Talon have similar stats and the exact same progression of elements, but layed out differently?

[kraxleRIDAH]

^ That's a possibility, but I certainly doubt it. The odds that both coasters are 104' tall and 52 mph and described with a "twister first drop" kind of tells us enough.

 

And FYI, Talon and Patriot aren't the same height and have different top speeds. One is 135-feet tall and goes 58 mph, the latter is 149-feet tall and goes 60 mph.

[Sticky Nicky]

Likely a Renegade clone

 

Probably just wishfull thinking, but does anyone think it might not be a Renegade clone, just similar to Renegade? Like how Patriot and Talon have similar stats and the exact same progression of elements, but layed out differently?

 

At the moment, with the debt load CF has, I dought they want to design an all new coaster for GA. Even so, Rennie was very good to me and a lot of other people, so a clone might not be such a bad idea. But if they want the longest wooden coaster in Northern California, they would need to add about four hundred feet onto it.

[asr]

They have a similar sized drop though, and a similar length.

[Loco]

I heard from reliable sources that the new coaster will be put in the land where the Whizzer once stood, and where the Imax (to be demolished) is now

 

I was hoping that spot would be saved for a good steel coaster, but whatever...

 

A new coaster at GA in 2009! It sounds so weird saying that!

Im excited.

[AT0527]

I think I can hear just about everybody in NorCal saying "About darn time."

 

Yes, you can lol. thats the very first thought that came into my mind when i first found out.

[Swoosh]

Patriot is 149-feet tall and goes 60 mph.

 

It has not been officially released how fast Patriot goes (it goes faster, off the record).

 

As far as CF:LP releasing the info so far ahead of time, I wonder if they don't have a backup plan as to where that woodie will go. All I am saying is that there have been A LOT of rumors about a GCII woodie coming to WOF in 2009 going around here and it sure does make me wonder.

[PKI Jizzman]

Wow, I'm hoping KI gets something good, now. Because so far....we still suck.

[kraxleRIDAH]

Patriot is 149-feet tall and goes 60 mph.

 

It has not been officially released how fast Patriot goes (it goes faster, off the record).

 

I quote from the Worlds of Fun website: "Hanging beneath the track, thrill-seekers climb a 149-foot lift hill, then plunge down a 123-foot curved drop reaching a speed of nearly 60-MPH."

 

Nearly 60 mph denotes almost reaching 60 mph, but just not quite. No need to try and convince me that Patriot's 123-foot drop gets the cars going faster than 60 mph. Physics just doesn't allow it.

 

Wow, I'm hoping KI gets something good, now. Because so far....we still suck.

 

You know, for a moment, I was going to interject and comment that Kings Island has a huge collection of 13 roller coasters and you shouldn't be complaining. Then I went over their roster of coasters in my head and will have to sort of agree with you.

[sfmmrules!]

Maybe the next coaster after this woodie will be Batman & Robin The Chiller. I could see CF fixing the problems. We could sure use it! Once we get 2 more coasters after the woodie for 09, then I'll for sure go again.

[Craneman]

Maybe the next coaster after this woodie will be Batman & Robin The Chiller. I could see CF fixing the problems. We could sure use it! Once we get 2 more coasters after the woodie for 09, then I'll for sure go again.

 

Ummm, I'd rather keep grizzly then get Batman & Robin!

[Swoosh]

Nearly 60 mph denotes almost reaching 60 mph, but just not quite. No need to try and convince me that Patriot's 123-foot drop gets the cars going faster than 60 mph. Physics just doesn't allow it.

 

You do realize that Patriot is not up to full speed until it hits the bottom of the Immelman. The 123' drop goes into a progressively sloping linear delineation due to the topography upon which Patriot is built. The 60 mph comes from the press release. Patriot goes faster, the park for some reason won't release just HOW fast it does go. That is direct from the mouth of several members of mgmt.

[jjeerr]

Thoughts:

I think the 09 coaster will be a "element clone" of Renagade, as, I really don't think they have the space for a straight clone unless they take Grizzly. And even then they would need to work space for the cars underneath, unless they "cedarfair" them.

 

As much as I like GCIs (or at least Roar), 2 within about 60 miles is kinda werid.

 

Still hoping for intamin anything...(one of the huge spalsh rides, a rocket, an aquatrax, hyper, pre-fab...)

 

However, all of that said: WOO NEW COASTER 09!

[KGA29]

As much as I like GCIs (or at least Roar), 2 within about 60 miles is kinda werid.

 

And so at Hershey 2 within 100 ft isn't weird?

 

You know, for a moment, I was going to interject and comment that Kings Island has a huge collection of 13 roller coasters and you shouldn't be complaining. Then I went over their roster of coasters in my head and will have to sort of agree with you.

 

You know what, I'm going to have to disagree with you. KI has plenty of coasters. 4 woodies including the tallest and longest ones in the world. Also a decent sized suspended. A Vekoma Invertigo (which is the second best coaster at GA) and a Vekoma flyer (which used to be the second best coaster at GA). There's also a large looper and an indoor launched. Now tell me that GA's coaster collection (which hasn't been updated in 7 years) is better. It's not.

 

Plus KI has a huge kiddy section, a huge water park, and a good Halloween event, none of which GA currently has. Now it's GA's time to get some improvements.

[kraxleRIDAH]

Nearly 60 mph denotes almost reaching 60 mph, but just not quite. No need to try and convince me that Patriot's 123-foot drop gets the cars going faster than 60 mph. Physics just doesn't allow it.

 

You do realize that Patriot is not up to full speed until it hits the bottom of the Immelman. The 123' drop goes into a progressively sloping linear delineation due to the topography upon which Patriot is built. The 60 mph comes from the press release. Patriot goes faster, the park for some reason won't release just HOW fast it does go. That is direct from the mouth of several members of mgmt.

 

Okay you're right. On a similar topic, Knott's Silver Bullet actually hits a top speed of 80 mph, but the management won't admit it. They just noted 55 mph on the press release just so they could keep the real top speed a secret.

[Axman]

KICK ASS!!!!!!!!!!

 

I just want to hug 5 dozen puppies right now!!!!!!

[Swoosh]

Okay you're right. On a similar topic, Knott's Silver Bullet actually hits a top speed of 80 mph, but the management won't admit it. They just noted 55 mph on the press release just so they could keep the real top speed a secret.

 

Ok, thanks for taking the asshole approach on this, whatever.

You do realize that we are talking about the same park that never did release what the final costs of building MAMBA was as well. Regardless of what is printed on the website, Stanley, Ozimeck, Bender, Decker, among others have all said that Patriot's speed is more than what they originally thought it would be (what was released in the press kit). This was stated at Mayhem I and again at Mayhem II.

 

Frankily I don't see why you give a darn about it anyway, you live in SoCal and probably will never ride the coaster anyway unless you already have or are coming to gACE's Coaster Con in 2009.

[kraxleRIDAH]

Come on Swoosh. Don't be mad at me. I'm just anxious waiting to see your construction photos for the Evel Knievel coaster.

[Loco]

Waits for the Norcal enthusiasts that were b*tching about another year without a new coaster at Great America to piss their pants in excitement.

 

I nearly did!

 

Thoughts:

I think the 09 coaster will be a "element clone" of Renagade, as, I really don't think they have the space for a straight clone unless they take Grizzly. And even then they would need to work space for the cars underneath, unless they "cedarfair" them.

 

Actually, I think if it was a Renegade clone, it MIGHT fit over by the Imax (except for those little shops on the final turn before the brakes)...

[kraxleRIDAH]

^ Did you do that edit? If you did, I must give you props for doing a pretty good job. I never had a doubt that the Renegade layout would fit in Grizzly's spot. Grizzly has tons of "dead space" inside the ride's structure and doesn't really make good use of that land.