California Great America (CGA) Discussion Thread

[aCoasterStory]

Looking to be at the park on Saturday 8/16 for the first (and likely only) time. Any tips? I've seen on here that I can get in an hour early with my platinum pass. My thoughts were to go hit Gold Striker as many times as I can during that hour & then head over to hit Flight Deck right before opening so I can be on my way to Vortex when they start letting people in. I figure I can then work my way around to the back of the park and be on the front edge of the wave of guests. If I can stay ahead of the crowds, it shouldn't take too long to hit all the coasters (plus the drop ride), right? Anything that's definitely worth planning on re-riding (other than Gold Striker)?

Youll probably be done by an hour after the park opens at that rate.

 

Anything else I should make sure to hit/do/plan for multiple re-rides on? It's possible I might be able to swing by right before closing for a couple of night rides.

[XYZ]

I don't know if they still do this, but many rides in the back of the park have a delayed opening and open an hour or two after the park's opening.

 

Gold Striker is by far the most re-ridable ride at CGA and don't forget to go on Flying Eagles and the other flats at CGA.

[aCoasterStory]

I don't know if they still do this, but many rides in the back of the park have a delayed opening and open an hour or two after the park's opening.

 

This is one of those important details that is really good to know. Any idea which rides open when? Or where to find that info? Thanks!

[singemfrc]

I don't know if they still do this, but many rides in the back of the park have a delayed opening and open an hour or two after the park's opening.

 

Gold Striker is by far the most re-ridable ride at CGA and don't forget to go on Flying Eagles and the other flats at CGA.

Grizzly often doesn't open until an hour or two after the park does. It will usually have a sign in front of it saying what time it opens. The rest of the coasters will normally open with the park, but I don't know about the flat rides. I think I've seen Delerium open late before.

I always ride Flight Deck at least twice when I can. Once in the front for the view and once in the back for the whiplash.

[Mechanic]

Along with Gold Striker, you will almost certainly want to Flight Deck more than once. The rest of the coasters, not so much.

[moviemansig]

Here is a trip report for 7/26. The lines were pretty long, but not too bad, especially considering it was a season pass early entry day in July. There was one ride that was closed and that was Berserker. I had a banana split dippin’ dots for the first time and it was good. I also did the wave pool for the second time and thankfully this time I didn’t get any cramps. My friend and I stayed and saw the fireworks show.

[Swornenemy]

I don't know if they still do this, but many rides in the back of the park have a delayed opening and open an hour or two after the park's opening.

 

This is one of those important details that is really good to know. Any idea which rides open when? Or where to find that info? Thanks!

 

 

The last few times that I got to the park at opening , everything in the back of the park was opened at the same time as the front. I believe they stopped doing delayed openings last season.

[glucky11801]

Last weekend I was out in San Francisco for a gig, so I planned a side trip to CGA. I hadn't been there in several years, and I was very keen to ride Gold Striker. I pre-purchased my ticket and Fastlane- I didn't want to spend any time waiting on lines.

The park was not very crowded at all. Most folks were heading to the Water Park, since it was uncharacteristically warm for Northern California.

 

I made a complete circuit of the Park, riding every coaster (yes, even Grizzly). Flight Deck looks great in its new colors, and rides as well as ever. I've always enjoyed the custom layout, with that helix ending over the water. I rode it 3 times.

I did try for my Taxi Jam credit, but no parents wanted to lend me one of their kids! Oh well...

I got to ride my first Disk'O Coaster, Tiki Twirl. That was lots of fun.

 

And now for Gold Striker. WOW! This really blew me away! I knew what to expect, having seen the POV, but it's even better in person!

So relentless and so re-rideable! I got 15 rides in, 2/3 in the front seat, which is my favorite, although the back is great as well. Nice pops of air, and great changes of direction. Easily my favorite GCII coaster so far! The crew was especially good in rapidly dispatching the trains. It did go down for almost 30 minutes, due to a computer glitch. If not for that I would have had 20 rides.

 

My favorite thing about GCII's is the way the lap bar connects to floor of the car. There's room to slip your feet under, and you can hold myself in that way, let go and ride very comfortably with your butt off the seat and your arms up! Very easy to anticipate the direction changes that way. I turned several people on to that, and they loved it! Everyone should try it...

Edited July 29, 2014 by glucky11801

[singemfrc]

I don't know if they still do this, but many rides in the back of the park have a delayed opening and open an hour or two after the park's opening.

 

This is one of those important details that is really good to know. Any idea which rides open when? Or where to find that info? Thanks!

 

 

The last few times that I got to the park at opening , everything in the back of the park was opened at the same time as the front. I believe they stopped doing delayed openings last season.

Except Grizzly. 100% of the time I go to CGA it's at park opening, and every time I've gone in the last year when I walk by Grizzly in the morning there's a sign outside saying that it's opening later, usually like 11:30 or 12. I seriously doubt however that anyone is rushing to Grizzly in the morning when the park opens, which is probably why they open it later.

 

And now for Gold Striker. WOW! This really blew me away! I knew what to expect, having seen the POV, but it's even better in person!

So relentless and so re-rideable! I got 15 rides in, 2/3 in the front seat, which is my favorite, although the back is great as well. Nice pops of air, and great changes of direction. Easily my favorite GCII coaster so far! The crew was especially good in rapidly dispatching the trains. It did go down for almost 30 minutes, due to a computer glitch. If not for that I would have had 20 rides.

 

My favorite thing about GCII's is the way the lap bar connects to floor of the car. There's room to slip your feet under, and you can hold myself in that way, let go and ride very comfortably with your butt off the seat and your arms up! Very easy to anticipate the direction changes that way. I turned several people on to that, and they loved it! Everyone should try it...

Yeah thats the thing about Gold Striker its hard to explain even with a POV how awesome it is, it just makes you smile from ear to ear. Easily my favorite GCI, and in contention for my favorite overall coaster, it's just pure fun. You should try row 6 (dead center), its my favorite. Usually with woodies either the front or back is best but I thought row 6 was better on Gold Striker.

[XYZ]

Gold Striker is so much dang fun in the front and back seats. Hopefully, it stays like this for the coming years.

[Rgmitsos]

I made my first visit to the park today. Gold striker went down around 2-3pm and hasn't been back up at all. Has it been having any issues that anyone knows about / is this normal for the ride? I'm planning on trying to get it in tomorrow morning but figured I'd ask here to see if anyone knew anything?

[gr8LAboy]

At the park right now. Gold Striker is still down. A wee but disappointed after driving up from LA but at least there is an hour wait for Grizzly . What's wrong with GS?

[singemfrc]

^ ^^ It does go down once in a while but its usually back up within an hour or two. Just look up at the station and see if there's anyone working on it. If theyre cycling trains, expect < 30 mins unless/until trains stop cycling. If you see employees riding, except < 15 mins unless/until trains stop cycling. Sometimes this is actually a good way to get a short wait on a busy day.

[gr8LAboy]

It's been down all day with nobody in the station or queue out front. It appears to be down for the day.

 

Things seem to be really jenky here. Having grown up with SFGAm it is clear this park went awry.

 

Sad.

[Tmcdllr]

It's been down all day with nobody in the station or queue out front. It appears to be down for the day.

 

Things seem to be really jenky here. Having grown up with SFGAm it is clear this park went awry.

 

Sad.

 

Why, because a major and popular attraction is down? So what, happens at every park. As with any ride, sometimes things happen that the park cannot control. Whatever the issue I'm sure they are working on getting it back open.

[gr8LAboy]

No I was speaking of the park as a whole. Granted I understand the park was on the brink of extinction but to see this theme less hodgepodge teal green and blue mess that this once obviously beautiful park has become IS sad.

 

Top Flight Deck Gun is a great ride. The rest..not so much.

 

It deserves better.

[singemfrc]

You're nuts. The park has come a long way from those days. It's been far better since Cedar Fair took over. I think you might be just a little angry that Gold Striker is down, and I can't blame you there. I can't remember the last time that I heard it was down for an entire day since the opening. They know it's their premier attraction and it wouldn't still be down if there was any way to avoid it.

[Canobie Coaster]

I've really enjoyed my two visits to the park this year. Gold Striker was down twice in my visit two weeks ago, but the park got it back open in a half hour. One of the times, I saw a train stuck on the lift.

[XYZ]

No I was speaking of the park as a whole. Granted I understand the park was on the brink of extinction but to see this theme less hodgepodge teal green and blue mess that this once obviously beautiful park has become IS sad.

 

Top Flight Deck Gun is a great ride. The rest..not so much.

 

It deserves better.

 

Go to SFMM. Then, you'll see the quality of CGA.

 

Honestly, I have seen some very noticeable improvements to the park as a whole in the last few years. The park does deserve a great coaster and it got one: Gold Striker.

[Tmcdllr]

No I was speaking of the park as a whole. Granted I understand the park was on the brink of extinction but to see this theme less hodgepodge teal green and blue mess that this once obviously beautiful park has become IS sad.

 

Top Flight Deck Gun is a great ride. The rest..not so much.

 

It deserves better.

 

Go to SFMM. Then, you'll see the quality of CGA.

 

Honestly, I have seen some very noticeable improvements to the park as a whole in the last few years. The park does deserve a great coaster and it got one: Gold Striker.

 

[gr8LAboy]

Since I have a CF platinum pass and it's directly on the way home to LA I decided to see if GS was up and was greeted once again with attraction not operating. Something has to be up. Was it down all weekend?

 

Nice touch tho...I walked in and they were playing the Mariotts Carrousel Song. Cool hearing that in the park.

[singemfrc]

Since I have a CF platinum pass and it's directly on the way home to LA I decided to see if GS was up and was greeted once again with attraction not operating. Something has to be up. Was it down all weekend?

 

Nice touch tho...I walked in and they were playing the Mariotts Carrousel Song. Cool hearing that in the park.

I am really concerned and curious at what is causing this now, especially as CGA had it's busiest day in at least a decade yesterday and they knew it would be..if they couldnt get it up for that, something is seriously wrong. Every single ride was using all switchbacks yesterday and all were spilling out the entrance. I'm guessing the wait for Grizzly topped 3 hours. Mind blowing to think waiting that long for that ride.

[GigaG]

^Grizzly simply has low capacity because it has a ludicrously complex restraint system that feels like it has rusted into place (taking excessive force to pull down and lock) and is hard to push down if you have large thighs. Not to mention it is a rather bland ride, although I think it is actually quite smooth. Maybe RMC could Iron Horse Grizzly. Let me explain - and when I say "stretch", I mean the long, slow, boring hills between turnarounds, and "airtime buffet" refers to a series of bunny hops as seen on Knoebels' Phoenix.

 

-Station to lift - Same layout, why change this?

-First drop - Steeper, that's all.

-First turn - Rather than the slow elevated turnaround they have now, I'm thinking a bunny hill followed by a turn that swoops to the ground. Think Steel Medusa's turns.

-First stretch - After the first turn, the ride would rise into a taller ejector hill (think Maverick or El Toro's former Rolling Thunder hill.) Following this, just make the slow, long hill an airtime buffet. You could fit 2 or 3, maybe even 4 good airtime hills into there.

-Second turnaround - Since this will be one of the first things riders see entering, how about you rise up, rapidly turn, and then barrel roll down. It would be like Steel Medusa's first drop - a dropping roll - that would go over the entry path.

-Second stretch - Combine an airtime buffet with a low, 90-degree turn near ground level. AT the end, make a tall airtime hill (just like the first stretch, think Maverick or El Toro's former Rolling Thunder hill)

-Third turnaround - Dropping off the last hill of the second stretch, I'd want the track to swoop to the ground.

-Third stretch - The turn would rise back up into a final bunny hop or 2. Then there would be a somewhat banked turn near the ground. As the ride approaches its brakes on this turn, it would pop up, turn to a 90 degree bank to the left, and then flatten out. We have more than enough length to put in a long brake run or even a little hill right before the brake run after the final turn. Looking at it, the 90 degree turn might not have enough clearance due to the track on the left, so the alternative would be to stay low, pop up at no bank when you are aligned with the brakes, maybe make the extra bunny hop, and then brakes.

 

If you think about it, a complete rethinking of Grizzly would produce one of the most airtime-filled coasters in the world.

[Tmcdllr]

I'm curious to know how traffic was with the game at the stadium the other night, tried to drive by it at 3 am and the road was still closed. They still had the lights on and it was overcast so tons of light pollution... but it looked cool.

[singemfrc]

I'm curious to know how traffic was with the game at the stadium the other night, tried to drive by it at 3 am and the road was still closed. They still had the lights on and it was overcast so tons of light pollution... but it looked cool.

It was 100% full, they had to close the entrance. People were waking upwards of 2hrs from when they drove in until they even got into the park, just driving in circles forever looking for a spot.. it was insanity.