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California Great America (CGA) Discussion Thread


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22 minutes ago, coasterbill said:

If they save the Grizzly trains for literally any reason other than to start a "National Worst Coaster Trains in History" museum in Washington DC I'm going to piss myself laughing.

I thought both grizzly's had same train . I can now see one is PTC and the is either Morgan or Gerstlauer?

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42 minutes ago, grsupercity said:

I thought both grizzly's had same train . I can now see one is PTC and the is either Morgan or Gerstlauer?

I think it's Morgan. The ride is fine, it just doesn't do anything. The loading process for the trains is ridiculous though.

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Well I might as well give my predictions, not that they will be right but everyone else is so here we go:

  • Demon-Scrapped, salvaged for parts for other Arrows in chain
  • Grizzly-Scrapped, maybe sell the trains to someone who needs them
  • Woodstock-Scrapped, parts salvaged for Cedar Point (can't see them selling such an old kiddie coaster)
  • Patriot- Ironically saved, it's unique enough in the chain that it could fit at the smaller parks like WoF or Valley, even a replacement at Carowinds for Vortex or Carolina Cyclone
  • Flight Deck- Most likely scrapped and salvaged, but possibly go to KD, can't see anyone else getting it
  • Lucy's- Scrapped, Salvaged for parts/or if they feel could go to WoF or Valley if they need/want a newer kids coaster
  • Pyscho Mouse-Scrapped, salvaged for parts especially since they no longer make them
  • Goldstriker- Unfortunately scrapped, can't see them moving this one unless Cedar Point gets it but doubt it, can have parts salvaged.
  • Railblazer- The real prize that could be moved, many parks could be in line, I would love a smaller park to get it as a "new" ride but wouldn't be surprised to see a Cedar Point or Wonderland snag this ride, every park is on the table

Lots of flats could be moved to parks that need one as a way to open "new" rides on the cheap for years to come really. 

  • Delirium- CW or WoF
  • Drop tower- Scrapped, older model, salvaged for parts for chains other models
  • Orbit- Biggest park that doesn't have one already
  • Tiki Twirl- MiA, most others have one and they could bill this as a "coaster"
  • Mass Effect- Most likely scrapped, maybe go to Carowinds or KD, someone that still has an Action Theater
  • Carousel- Scrapped, salvaged for parts, Its a nice one but most parks already have a classic carousel, maybe sold outside company
  • Star Tower- Scrapped
  • Sky Ride- Scrapped, parts sent to CP

Valleyfair also may get that water park expansion sooner than later

 

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If the Carousel is saved I could actually see it going somewhere other than a theme park. I almost wonder if this piece of land could turn into one of those "Live" centers that cities love to build near sports stadiums (La Live, Philly Live, Texas Live, etc) and in that case it might even stay exactly where it is.

It could go literally anywhere.

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Bummer to see the place close, but given the circumstances it makes sense. Glad I was able to visit it a few years back. Grizzly can die in a fire, easily the worst coaster trains I've ever experienced.

Discovery Kingdom be over there like 👀.

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Very disappointed to hear this news. Even though I have never visited CGA always struck me as a park with a ton of potential under the right leadership/ownership, now it looks like that potential will never be realized.

I dug through the 8-K on the SEC's website and it does say explicitly in there that Cedar Fair will continue to own the rides and buildings. I gather from this that CF has at least some plan to relocate or reuse most of the rides, which I guess is hopeful.

4 hours ago, Manic Monte said:

^That double decker is just too majestic to pass up. Silverwood maybe?

Now I like the way this guy thinks...:lol:

All joking aside, I'll take a shot too at making predictions because it's fun and in the end it doesn't matter:

- First the easy ones, I think it's over for Grizzly and Demon. There is just no way I can see somebody really wanting either of these rides, for sure not in the chain, but even outside the chain there just doesn't seem like there would be a big appetite for them. Demon I could see happening if someone really wanted it, especially since relocating smaller Arrow's isn't unheard of, but for sure I think its over for Grizzly.

- Next the B&M's, and this one is a little trickier. I think for sure Patriot is the most likely to get relocated, with it's small size and relatively recent refurb making it attractive inside or outside the chain. In the chain, I'll say Valleyfair or Worlds of Fun. Outside, I think it could go a lot of places. Flight Deck could go either way, it's an older/smaller invert, but it could also go a lot of places in parks, so who knows. My guess is it goes outside the chain though.

- I think all the kids coasters will be relocated. They are just such low hanging fruit, I can't imagine them being scrapped unless nobody really wanted them. Most of the flat rides will be relocated too, again because they are just low hanging fruit, easy to relocate, easy to market as "new rides" at other parks, and CF already owns them.

- Gold Striker, RailBlazer, and Psycho Mouse are wild cards. Gold Striker because it's a woodie, but it's relatively compact and it's getting a lot of work done now. I would love to see it come to Silverwood (of course), but I think other independent parks might be in the cards as well. I don't think Railblazer is a safe as everyone thinks it is...all of the Raptors have had issues, and I think it's capacity is too low for it to go to a big park like Wonderland or CP. One of the smaller CP parks is always an option, and it could work for a smaller independent park so who knows there. And Psycho Mouse...I honestly have know idea. I've heard that Arrow mice are basically indestructible, but they also only sold three of them to who knows if someone will want it or not, or if it just goes for parts.

- Actually I think the Carousel and the Sky Tower are safe. The Carousel is an icon for the both the park and the area I think, so I could easily see the city or like the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk getting it, and same with the Sky Tower. They went through the trouble to design Gold Striker around it and I think they just renovated it (correct me if I'm wrong), so my guess is they can find a home for it in the area.

 

No matter what though I would give the park maybe 5 years. Now way, CF is going to put any investments of major or permanent size in here, and it just sounds like they really want out of the park. I wasn't gonna visit this year, but now I'm wondering if I should make a point to do so.

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5 hours ago, mikeykaise said:

I wouldn't be surprised if this turns into another Six Flag Lease dispute that shuttered Kentucky Kingdom sooner than 2033.

The article clearly states who they sold to.  It isn't Six Flags, it's a massive organization that is best known for Amazon warehouses.

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It is always sad news to here of a park closing. On the bright side for me personally, we are making our first California trip next year from the east coast. While it was only supposed to be LA and San Diego, obviously CGA is going to need to be worked in before it abruptly closes without notice after one of these next 11 years.

 

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Hopefully Railblazer will go to Knott’s. Rip out Coaster Rider and there you go!! If that’s not enough room then rip out the two flat rides as well. I was never a fan of those replacements for Perilous Plunge. This will right the wrong!!!

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SAVE TEH DEMON!

But really, I do love the Demon.  Ours in Chicagoland, anyway.  It's the better of the 2 - recording and eyes in lift tunnel, 1980 snap drop intact, disco tunnel, Demon caves, fog in mouth.  And no friggin seatbelt things.  I guess California will lose it's 3D logos on the train fronts, we lost ours decades ago.

Such a shame about Great America... makes me more grateful for ours and that we have many of our classics such as 2 flumes, a Whizzer.  I know CF runs the park so well, I wonder what the public will say. 

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Just as an FYI, while 11 years is the max for for the lease, it is said as "up to" in most reports because Prologis can cancel the lease at any time (which then makes it two more years).

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At this point the property owner is waiting for the right economy to close the park. Once it makes more economic sense for redevelopment the park will close. That could be never and the land could be resold if we hit (or the region hits) a major recession. This is America, whatever makes the owner the most money will be the decision taken...

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9 hours ago, swfan1988 said:

- Actually I think the Carousel and the Sky Tower are safe. The Carousel is an icon for the both the park and the area I think, so I could easily see the city or like the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk getting it, and same with the Sky Tower.

The carousel at SCBB?  You're kidding, right?  That thing is massive, in terms of both width and height.  Where in the world would it have space for it there?  Not to mention the fact they have their own historic carousel already.  That said, I do agree it should be saved.  But I think SCBB is not going to happen.

The Sky Tower would be interesting, but are their any height ordinances at SCBB?  I know many beach towns have them, so that nearby houses don't have obscured views of the beach (Santa Barbara does), though I don't know about Santa Cruz.

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I'm guessing CGA wasn't a big 💰maker for Cedar Fair.

They'll probably send Grizzly to Michigan's Adventure as a middle finger  Rail blazer may go to King's Dominion or Dorney Park, Patriot may go to .... Valleyfair, Flight Deck may go to Canada's Wonderland.

Now what rides go where, or do they pull an Elitch Gardens and move somewhere else?

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Visit the park ASAP.  I really don't think they will make it 11 years!  Chances are next year they could start selling some stuff.  With the hot real estate market right now I think the park will shut down relatively fast.  And I doubt Gold Striker will be relocated, parts from it will most likely be salvaged (chain lift mechanism, motor, trains etc...) and some wood.

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Makes me sad.   This was my childhood park back when it was still called Marriott's Great America (and before the Turn of the Century became The Demon, hence my name).

The truth is that it felt like the park has been on borrowed time for many, many years, off and on.  I always wondered why it didn't ever get greater attendance?  Part of it is the region (there are a lot of competing things to do in the Bay Area, particularly outdoors), and part of it is frankly the relatively lousy ride investments.  While it's "sister" park in Chicago got the American Eagle, we later got Grizzly (smh);    Batman vs. Top Gun (now flight deck), Iron Wolf vs. Patriot (formely something else).   Nearly always the smaller versions.   There was never a true signature ride: Demon was as close as we got.

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