coaster-crazy Posted June 2, 2013 Share Posted June 2, 2013 How many rides did those get in when they were there at 10am yesterday for the special event? The park invited 24 members of the American Coaster Enthusiasts and 24 members of Theme Park Review to be a part of the first two inaugural trains on Gold Striker. A little over 12 people for each group showed up so we had one full train and a 1/2-filled second train (the rest of the second train was filled with Santa Clara dignitaries and their families). Once the first train had gone around with fireworks shooting off, there was 15-minute delay before the next ride as the pyrotechnics crew needed time to dismantle the equipment. Once the second train had made its lap, the general public was already in line waiting to ride next. In the meantime, the first row on one train was blocked off (for the first hour) for local media to get POV's of themselves. Media was told to wait at the exit and were brought in when the train was ready. All in all, it was an amazing opening day and I was fortunate enough to be in the front row on the inaugural run. Despite delays in the opening, California's Great America really pulled together a wonderful opening day celebration. --Nicholas Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TyRush Posted June 2, 2013 Share Posted June 2, 2013 Sweet man^ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goldstriker247 Posted June 3, 2013 Share Posted June 3, 2013 ^^Cool thanks for the nice report. I am also curious to know how Gold Striker's line was all weekend -how long the line got. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robman Posted June 3, 2013 Share Posted June 3, 2013 ^^Cool thanks for the nice report. I am also curious to know how Gold Striker's line was all weekend -how long the line got. It's been around one hour to one hour and thirty minutes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angry_Gumball Posted June 3, 2013 Share Posted June 3, 2013 Update on the line: we just had a 40 minute wait. A lot of GP are entering and leaving the line. Reverse line jumping anyone? I snagged a few photos but mainly focused on filming offride footage. I'll post a quick report tonight from my point if view Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goldstriker247 Posted June 3, 2013 Share Posted June 3, 2013 I went last Wednesday it was so nice. No waits but several school buses. The parking lot was less than half full! I went on Flight Deck 4 times in a row all front row. The front on Flight Deck is the best seat ever!!! Demon I found the magic seat tried out the very last seat & WOW what a difference from the front. I knew some say the last seat is best on the Demon. Very last seat so smooth! & Doesn't jerk your head down. Grizzly just sat anywhere & WOW that first drop is nice now doesn't jerk my head down anymore. I was bracing for that. & The famous 10 min turn around seems much faster. & Boy is the Grizzly line slow even when your waiting in the station. It takes forever! Any best seat on Vortex? Saw Happy Feet for the first time which I thought sucked. I miss the Spongebob movie. & I LOVE Physco Mouse! Fun little mouse coaster. & I went on the sky buckets once each way. Oh log ride twice in a row. I love going over that hump on the hill. I got there at 10 & was finished at 2:45. I was kind of disappointed all of Boomerang Bay was closed including all 3 big slides. What is it only operating now on Fri, Sat, Sun or was it closed because of the weather & low crowds? I wanted to do Downhill Thunder & Tasmanian Typhoon. Bummer. Gold Striker & Boomerang Bay here I come on Tuesday. & Anybody have an extra Gold Striker goodie bag? I want one! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jray21 Posted June 3, 2013 Share Posted June 3, 2013 Sorry, shameful plug. I'll be at the park this Sunday for the Coasting for Kids event! I'm only $107 from reaching my goal, and can really use some help! There are a few other team members who could use the help as well! Also, if you donate $15, 25, 40, or 50, you could get a TPR special grab bag, but quantities are limited! www.firstgiving.com/fundraiser/joseph-ray/CaliforniasGreatAmerica2013 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IndoorSurvivalist Posted June 3, 2013 Share Posted June 3, 2013 Sounds like this ride is living up to the hype. An hour and 30 mins is a decent line for GA, I wonder how much of that was due to filming and whatever though. Does the line go though the gift shop? It sure looks like it in one of the photos. What was in the goodie bags they gave out? I saw something about a towel (yay a towel! lol). I wish I had gone, but I owed someone $2,000 and didn't feel like spending any more money that weekend. I'll wait for my next PLP (state worker) and go on a weekday. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leqant Posted June 3, 2013 Share Posted June 3, 2013 The line does not exactly go through the gift shop, though it does go through the structure as a themed path of a mine tunnel. The exit does send you through the gift shop even though I saw a few people use the emergency exit on the exit path as the actual exit. Speaking of the tunnel, I see that it's starting to get tagged by the GP though I have yet to see any gum stuck on the tunnel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
singemfrc Posted June 3, 2013 Share Posted June 3, 2013 Sounds like this ride is living up to the hype. An hour and 30 mins is a decent line for GA, I wonder how much of that was due to filming and whatever though. Does the line go though the gift shop? It sure looks like it in one of the photos. What was in the goodie bags they gave out? I saw something about a towel (yay a towel! lol). I wish I had gone, but I owed someone $2,000 and didn't feel like spending any more money that weekend. I'll wait for my next PLP (state worker) and go on a weekday. The line does not exactly go through the gift shop, though it does go through the structure as a themed path of a mine tunnel. The exit does send you through the gift shop even though I saw a few people use the emergency exit on the exit path as the actual exit. Speaking of the tunnel, I see that it's starting to get tagged by the GP though I have yet to see any gum stuck on the tunnel.This is the que tunnel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angry_Gumball Posted June 3, 2013 Share Posted June 3, 2013 The line does not exactly go through the gift shop, though it does go through the structure as a themed path of a mine tunnel. The exit does send you through the gift shop even though I saw a few people use the emergency exit on the exit path as the actual exit. Speaking of the tunnel, I see that it's starting to get tagged by the GP though I have yet to see any gum stuck on the tunnel. Sadly this stuff is inevitable...GP will be GP... Broken wire anyone? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flagg O'Dim Posted June 3, 2013 Share Posted June 3, 2013 ^Things like that is why I fear for humanity's future. I just uploaded some off-ride footage I took on media day: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goldstriker247 Posted June 3, 2013 Share Posted June 3, 2013 So now Gold Striker has been open officially now for a couple days what time does it open -does it open right at 10 I hope? Ohhh I can't wait for tomorrow! That is so annoying the Grizzly doesn't open until Noon. Hope that's not the case with Gold Striker. & Can anyone report if Boomerang Bay was open today? I hope to do 2 of the big slides tomorrow Downhill Thunder & Tasmanian Typhoon. All of Boomerang Bay was closed last Wednesday. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CGA_88 Posted June 3, 2013 Share Posted June 3, 2013 First of all, Grizzly opens at 11. Second of all, Gold Striker opens with the park. And the water park is on limited operation this week, and goes into full summer mode next week. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angry_Gumball Posted June 3, 2013 Share Posted June 3, 2013 Further adding to GS's opening, we actually waited maybe 10 minutes or so after the park opened as the ride was still cycling trains. Everyone was let into the Carousel Plaza brfore opening (which I like, less waiting at the bag check/security). I'll do my full weekend write up in a little bit. Why does Grizzly not open with the park's other coasters anyway? Not that I really have a desire to ride Grizzly now that we have Gold Striker Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goldstriker247 Posted June 3, 2013 Share Posted June 3, 2013 (edited) ^That's just strange about Grizzly's opening an hour after the park opens. I can't remember when Paramount owned it did the Grizzly open at park opening time? Sorry I'm talking about the Grizzly it's just that it has gotten better to become even enjoyable now both the first drop & 10 min turn around. That's ok Boomerang Bay will be closed tom. CGA was never meant to be a waterpark anyway. Plus I have the other water rides to go on anyway: Logger's Run, Whitewater Falls, Rip Roaring Rapids. Does anybody like the new Happy Feet movie? I really don't care for it. Spongebob was better. & What is the best seat for Gold Striker? I went to the promo shoot & sat in the middle of the train. & Any best seat for Vortex? Oh good Gold Striker opens with the park. I'll dash over there first thing. Edited June 3, 2013 by goldstriker247 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mechanic Posted June 3, 2013 Share Posted June 3, 2013 Any best seat for Vortex? Any random bench in the vicinity of Vortex would be the best seat. BTW, are you actually #1rollercoasterfan with a new username? Your posting style (half a dozen inane questions in nearly every post) is eerily similar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angry_Gumball Posted June 3, 2013 Share Posted June 3, 2013 (edited) Any best seat for Vortex? Any random bench in the vicinity of Vortex would be the best seat. Edited June 3, 2013 by Angry_Gumball Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robman Posted June 3, 2013 Share Posted June 3, 2013 Just like yesterday Gold Striker did not open with the park, it opened around twenty minutes after I think. They were cycling trains still as mentioned above, seems like this might be a regular occurrence. When I was there today the line was still about an hour long around 11am,so anyone visiting the park I would just get in line and wait for Gold Striker to open. Boomerang Bay is only open on the weekends for now (I'm not sure when it opens during the week or if it ever does?) but if it's a warm day be prepared to wait, as the lines on the main slide complex stretched all the way down the staircase. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mater Posted June 3, 2013 Share Posted June 3, 2013 Happy Feet sucks. It's like what am I..? Am I a camera? Am I a penguin? Too many changes in POV, pick a side Great America we're at war. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Swornenemy Posted June 4, 2013 Share Posted June 4, 2013 Why does Grizzly not open with the park's other coasters anyway? Not that I really have a desire to ride Grizzly now that we have Gold Striker Its slow moving, so it's also slow to open? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rjvader Posted June 4, 2013 Share Posted June 4, 2013 Happy Feet sucks. It's like what am I..? Am I a camera? Am I a penguin? Too many changes in POV, pick a side Great America we're at war. I happen to like Happy Feet, especially the initial descent down the mountain. Spongebob had gotten stale during its extended lifespan at CGA, it was a great run and an enjoyable film, but we needed something fresh and new. Boomerang Bay is only open on the weekends for now (I'm not sure when it opens during the week or if it ever does?) I'm bummed that it's not going to be open full time this week, we are planning on heading to CGA sometime before the weekend. It certainly opens for weekdays at some point, because my brother and I used to hit the slides on Tuesdays during the summer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CGA_88 Posted June 4, 2013 Share Posted June 4, 2013 Any best seat for Vortex? Any random bench in the vicinity of Vortex would be the best seat. BTW, are you actually #1rollercoasterfan with a new username? Your posting style (half a dozen inane questions in nearly every post) is eerily similar. So I wasn't the only one that thought that. Haha. Very annoying "style" of posting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ernierocker Posted June 4, 2013 Share Posted June 4, 2013 Any best seat for Vortex? Any random bench in the vicinity of Vortex would be the best seat. BTW, are you actually #1rollercoasterfan with a new username? Your posting style (half a dozen inane questions in nearly every post) is eerily similar. So I wasn't the only one that thought that. Haha. Very annoying "style" of posting. Yup. Same person. Looks like they were just banned and were trying to be sneaky. Thanks for pointing this out, guys. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angry_Gumball Posted June 4, 2013 Share Posted June 4, 2013 Happy Feet sucks. It's like what am I..? Am I a camera? Am I a penguin? Too many changes in POV, pick a side Great America we're at war. I happen to like Happy Feet, especially the initial descent down the mountain. Spongebob had gotten stale during its extended lifespan at CGA, it was a great run and an enjoyable film, but we needed something fresh and new. Happy Feet was a fresh experience but to me it feels like it ends abruptly, and also thought the same as far as 'who we are' in the video. Are we watching a regular film or are we one of the penguins? Just a little confusing Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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