California Great America (CGA) Discussion Thread

[Angry_Gumball]

Was like that at SFDK today too...everyone was there...45 minute waits for Superman, etc...it's that final "Yahoo!" before school starts this week for many districts. But this can only mean that crowds should be toning down really soon!

[rolercstrluvr]

Had another great day at the park, crowds were light. Only line that I really had to wait in was Gold Striker. Thought id announce that I have 198 rides as of today and I was on the last train of the night and had it all to myself.

[Tmcdllr]

Had another great day at the park, crowds were light. Only line that I really had to wait in was Gold Striker. Thought id announce that I have 198 rides as of today and I was on the last train of the night and had it all to myself.

 

 

Have you noticed a change in the way GS rides comparing your first few rides to your last few? 198 rides should be a good gauge to see if it has changed since it is broken in now.

[Angry_Gumball]

Out of the 115 rides (Still quite a bit of rides) it seems to be breaking in nicely, and the airtime feels like it's gotten more potent ever since the promo shoot back in late April. We can't forget the nice amount of positives and laterals this ride's been offering as well.

[Tmcdllr]

Good stuff.

[rolercstrluvr]

Had another great day at the park, crowds were light. Only line that I really had to wait in was Gold Striker. Thought id announce that I have 198 rides as of today and I was on the last train of the night and had it all to myself.

 

 

Have you noticed a change in the way GS rides comparing your first few rides to your last few? 198 rides should be a good gauge to see if it has changed since it is broken in now.

 

I'd say that GS has changed A LOT, I can definitely tell that it's running a hell of a lot faster than it was during the promo shoot.

[Tmcdllr]

Awesome!

[jray21]

Out of the 115 rides (Still quite a bit of rides) it seems to be breaking in nicely, and the airtime feels like it's gotten more potent ever since the promo shoot back in late April. We can't forget the nice amount of positives and laterals this ride's been offering as well.

 

It's been quite a while since the promo shoot. Shouldn't there be a few more coming up?

[kailisun98]

I visited Great America last sunday and made a small photo TR. IT is available herewww.themeparkreview.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=65993

[Vonni]

^ Great TR! I liked how you gave photos in a perspective that you dont usually get. I'm from the Midwest so its nice to see the park in a different way than usual.

[kailisun98]

^Thanks.

[robman]

I was at the park the other day and it was complete dead since school had started up. Gold Striker had a 10-15 minute wait and most of the other rides were just a walkon.

 

A couple new things I noticed on my visit:

Outside Gold Striker gifts there are these themed TNT planter boxes.

Close up of the barrel.

The building for Zombie High is up, the maze should start going up in a couple weeks:

During Labor Day weekend the park is having a guest appreciation event, $15 for all you can eat meal!

[asimowalk]

I hope someone realizes they mispelled the word "Saturday" by the time that weekend comes around.

[cmullin]

I hope someone realizes they mispelled the word "Saturday" by the time that weekend comes around.

Yeah, that's pretty embarrassing, I didn't catch it for a while, though.

[Angry_Gumball]

Well, this "Saturaday" is AAA day...I mean, Saturday! If it's anything like last year, the park will be VERY BUSY...a day I'll be avoiding for sure.

[Blue Fire Guy]

^ Holy crap, that day was insanely PACKED. Most of my visits to the park aren't even close to as packed as that day. Only other day it was that packed (though still not to the extent of AAA day in 2012) was the first Wednesday of April where rolercstrluvr and I waited for 45 minutes just for lunch and most queues were over a half hour long.

[Angry_Gumball]

^ Holy crap, that day was insanely PACKED. Most of my visits to the park aren't even close to as packed as that day. Only other day it was that packed (though still not to the extent of AAA day in 2012) was the first Wednesday of April where rolercstrluvr and I waited for 45 minutes just for lunch and most queues were over a half hour long.

 

That was actually probably the BUSIEST day I saw at the park excluding Haunt. When lines spill out onto the wooden walkway for Logger's...that says a lot!

 

Random photos from last year's AAA day...the day that you, Blue Fire Guy, joined the clan!

Rapids spilling out into midway

Full lot (Last year's configuration)

Crazy line for Logger's

And a #throwbackthursday photo, a nice getaway from the crowded paths

[Vonni]

When was the last addition to the water park? Could we see a new water slide for 2014? Of course simply speculation at this point.

[Angry_Gumball]

When was the last addition to the water park? Could we see a new water slide for 2014? Of course simply speculation at this point.

The most recent addition to Boomerang Bay was in 2007, being the Great Barrier Reef wave pool. I would love to see a few new slides in Boomerang Bay. I love what they have but I feel like they don't have enough. My Boomerang Bay visits often consist of a quick pop in and say hi to the original slides. I typically hit up Boomerang Bay as I make my loop around the park and have it 'done' within the hour.

[Vonni]

When was the last addition to the water park? Could we see a new water slide for 2014? Of course simply speculation at this point.

The most recent addition to Boomerang Bay was in 2007, being the Great Barrier Reef wave pool. I would love to see a few new slides in Boomerang Bay. I love what they have but I feel like they don't have enough. My Boomerang Bay visits often consist of a quick pop in and say hi to the original slides. I typically hit up Boomerang Bay as I make my loop around the park and have it 'done' within the hour.

 

 

I would say it is definitely time for some new additions then. I hope it is likely.

[cmullin]

My dream addition would be some water slides. Maybe two drop capsule slides and an aqua racer would be fantastic! I would like that more than a new coaster.

[Angry_Gumball]

Back from another awesome visit! I didn't quite get there at opening but still got a lot done regardless. When I had gotten there, the line for Gold Striker spilled out toward Star Tower...not good if I want to get my rides in on GS... Ended up riding Demon first (which was not that bad!), then over to Drop Tower (No lines!), and though I didn't ride, our lovely turd Grizzly had shorter lines for Gold Striker. The park was pretty much almost dead, and should be even quieter next weekend.

 

After lunch, we caught the last showing of Happiness is Snoopy...which is now officially retired, to be replaced. Finally, Gold Striker's lines shortened to not even using any switchbacks, which remained that way for the remainder of the day. Ended up playing "Spin the Wheel" again as much as I told myself that I'm not...ended up winning a BOGO on ride photo, BOGO Xtreme Skyflyer, and a couple front of line passes. After riding GS we used the FOTL pass for a re-ride. All day, we either got stuck with the very front/first 2 rows, or the last 2 rows. I will absolutely not argue that! Lastly, we caught the last show for the season of On Broadway, which was probably my favorite production show I've seen in the park. I've seen it 3 times and would watch it again. Today, it took on more of a humorous tone as the crew was just flat out having fun!

 

Now for some random photos.

Starting off with what's an awesome promotion for their new Haunt maze...

Old-school school desk could only mean childhood flashbacks of classroom games...Heads Up 7 Up anyone?

Gold Striker's queue has taken on a darker shade of paint...it's peeling like a shedding reptile but there is far less graffiti in the queue.

Tunnel is dark too! Now, one request...we need ventilation/fan to circulate the air in this thing...it's like a sauna in here!

Ok, so there is still some graffiti but it's not as much of an eyesore. Was funny, somebody wrote their Insta-garbage on the fence with ball point pen...I ended up splashing my leftover water on it and wiped it right off. Yup, g-bye stupid graffiti!

I like the dark tunnel! More mine shafty!

Somebody was hitting their 100th today so I let them borrow my sign

Happy 100!

Yup, it's dead back here!

One of the last showings of On Broadway. I'd say get out there and watch it but, show's done for the season.

And...you don't see these laying around in the park every day, do you? I turned it into the Xtreme Skyflyer crew (as I didn't want to see GP taking it and doing stupid things). They were puzzled as well as I was

Ready for flight (this is what..my 3rd time flying this season?

... Why do they still have this?

And I conclude the visit with yet another onride photo...seriously, I have enough onride photos now. If only Grizzly did onride photos... I should actually be doing this now.

[JJnCFL]

^ The only time you'll ever see us catching Z's on Goldy

[Angry_Gumball]

One thing I forgot to mention in last night's write up: it sounded like Gold Striker was running a little dry, was making these bat screeching noises starting at midway turn all up until the brake run. It was a different sounding screech from what I heard during promo shoot or even the screeching Tonerre De Zeus at Park Asterix does now. It still hauled but the sounds were cringe-worthy, like nails on a chalkboard.

Edited August 19, 2013 by Angry_Gumball

[TyRush]

One thing I forgot to mention in last night's write up: it sounded like Gold Striker was running a little dry, was making these bat screeching noises starting at midway turn all up until the brake run. It was a different sounding screech from what I heard during promo shoot or even the screeching Tonerre De Zeus at Park Asterix does now. It still hauled but the sounds were cringe-worthy, like nails on a chalkboard.

I notice this on Lightning Racer all the time when the trains are nearly empty. Was the train full?