California Great America (CGA) Discussion Thread

[Nibbler]

CGA REALLY needs tighter security at night during the haunt to catch all the basterds line jumping & throw them out of the park. Wow it's been packed at night. I like reading about how packed it's been. Glad I don't go to haunt. I am asking for a huge request. If anyone is going tonight can someone take pictures of as many ride lines as possible? I want to see how full every ride is. Those few pics were great but I'd like to see more.

 

To be honest, security only needs to be called if there is a serious issue with guests. They have a lot more on their plates with drunk guests, talent getting hit, etc.. If we were to call security every time someone cut in line, they would all be tied up and unavailable if they were needed for a safety issue.

[invisibleinthedark]

To be honest, security only needs to be called if there is a serious issue with guests. They have a lot more on their plates with drunk guests, talent getting hit, etc.. If we were to call security every time someone cut in line, they would all be tied up and unavailable if they were needed for a safety issue.

 

This is true. On really busy nights, it really is hard to keep people from line jumping. I know at Cornstalkers we had 2 Blackouts walk up and down the line to make sure no one is line jumping. We also had a talent scaring people and helping the blackouts out.

Edited November 1, 2011 by invisibleinthedark

[greatamerica1990sfan]

It is sad CGA has closed for the season. I will be there opening day which will be last Saturday of March I hope like it was this year. Isn't opening day pretty dead? & Is everything open? I so look forward to opening day. I'm sure I'll see some of you there.

[Angry_Gumball]

When I went opening day 2011, it was almost depressingly dead. Good for me since I could marathon rides like crazy but did not look good for attendance. However it is opening day and most of the 'jeeps' don't know the exact day the park opens other than in spring.

[KDCOASTERFAN]

Correct me if I'm wrong but doesn't Six Flags own the copyright or the trademark to "Great America", hence ours had to have "California's" in front of it to avoid the copyrights?

 

Why would they? all they have to do is slap a "Six flags" in front of the great america logo at the Chicago park to mark it as theirs...I'm sure that they were aware of the fact that it was part of a small chain of parks when they bought the place in 84.

[CoasterBeagle]

To be honest, security only needs to be called if there is a serious issue with guests. They have a lot more on their plates with drunk guests, talent getting hit, etc.. If we were to call security every time someone cut in line, they would all be tied up and unavailable if they were needed for a safety issue.

 

This is true. On really busy nights, it really is hard to keep people from line jumping. I know at Cornstalkers we had 2 Blackouts we had two blackouts walk up and down the line to make sure no one is line jumping.

 

I was doing that at black widows cavern.

[Angry_Gumball]

I'm just glad (and probably lucky) that I didn't have to deal with line jumpers other than that one instance for Slaughter House...but since I cut back in front of them as they were goofing around, I don't count them as they failed at being line jumpers. I'm also glad that I didn't actually have to experience the animal-like behavior of everyone trying to rush into the maze entrances at once. Sure I saw it but I was waiting in a much more civilized line next to the chaos. I was even more shocked that was even more shocked that this didn't require security to be called and the attendant was able to handle the situation really well on his own (or with another worker further up). Of course, we congratulated him in getting things back to an orderly fashion.

[jab88]

Even though it was a few posts back, on the subject of Demon, I found this postcard for 50 cents at the Inside CGA store (the one next to the main gate). Figured it would be a neat thing to have if the rumors about Demon's removal are true, which I hope they are not. Oddly they still had a few postcards for Invertigo a few weeks before I bought the Demon one, I did end up buying the Invertigo one as well.

[Nibbler]

 

This is true. On really busy nights, it really is hard to keep people from line jumping. I know at Cornstalkers we had 2 Blackouts walk up and down the line to make sure no one is line jumping. We also had a talent scaring people and helping the blackouts out.

 

 

I would do that with CarnEVIL as well, was funny when the guests would cheer for me when I pulled a group of 12 out of line, had them sing "I'm a little teapot" with me before releasing them back into line.

[JJnCFL]

Correct me if I'm wrong but doesn't Six Flags own the copyright or the trademark to "Great America", hence ours had to have "California's" in front of it to avoid the copyrights?

 

Why would they? all they have to do is slap a "Six flags" in front of the great america logo at the Chicago park to mark it as theirs...I'm sure that they were aware of the fact that it was part of a small chain of parks when they bought the place in 84.

 

Cause we live in sue-happy nation .

 

Regarding the last day of haunt (and season), I was able to make the last 2 hours after getting off work. Parking lot was packed and I had to park almost near the back close to the overflow entrance. I was only able to do 3 of the mazes (Club Blood, Toy Factory & Cornstalkers) and 1 ride on Demon since it was hella crowded. This was the first time I saw all the rides queue lines full and overflowing, switchbacks and all, since the days when they were still open till Midnight on 4th of July yearly. If Drop Zone err Tower (leaves a bad taste in my mouth) still had the original 3 sections of queue, they'd all be filled. Though it was my shortest trip ever, I had a great time and it was nice to see how organized (with the employees holding the end of the line signs at the mazes) and great the atmosphere was. It's great to see how attendance shot up exponentially. Last year everything was practically a walk on, now it's Disneyland crowds. Hope JMA sees this and keeps it, they'd be foolish not to.

[Angry_Gumball]

 

This is true. On really busy nights, it really is hard to keep people from line jumping. I know at Cornstalkers we had 2 Blackouts walk up and down the line to make sure no one is line jumping. We also had a talent scaring people and helping the blackouts out.

 

 

I would do that with CarnEVIL as well, was funny when the guests would cheer for me when I pulled a group of 12 out of line, had them sing "I'm a little teapot" with me before releasing them back into line.

 

That's humiliatingly awesome, would have loved to see that happen!

[robman]

Hmm the park's website is down for me, is it down for anyone else?

[invisibleinthedark]

Same, it does appear that the park website isn't working.

[robman]

Same, it does appear that the park website isn't working.

 

 

I wonder if they are finally updating the site like, hopefully similar to the other Cedar Fair parks

 

 

 

EDIT: The site is back up, not noticing anything new must have just been maintenance.

[Angry_Gumball]

If anyone's interested, I came across this:

http://thomastissot.tumblr.com/music

Can stream the existing and new Haunt tracks (Dead Man's Cove, Underworld Alley). Awesome stuff going on here.

[Flagg O'Dim]

Awesome! Great find! Now if only Thomas Tissot posts the Slaughterhouse "background noise" and the music from inside Club Blood, I'll be happy.

 

Not sure if anyone's seen this yet, but check out this website that has great pictures from Haunt this year and last year. Also has a great above view of Club Blood, taken from a high point in the Pictorium.

 

http://www.morganrichardsonart.com/haunt.html

[Angry_Gumball]

^I was flipping through his photos the other day, some of my favorite sets were the general park atmosphere, loved the starry skies over Vortex's lift. I would love to shoot some photos like that and maybe next season, I'll take my gorilla pod along, can stuff it in a back pack.

[robman]

If anyone's interested, I came across this:

http://thomastissot.tumblr.com/music

Can stream the existing and new Haunt tracks (Dead Man's Cove, Underworld Alley). Awesome stuff going on here.

 

 

Thanks for finding this! I really like the Underworld Alley song, the park's lucky to have a guy this talented to create all the different music.

[CGA_88]

www.cedarfair.com/ir/press_releases/index.cfm?current_root=15&mode=story&story_id=327

 

California's Great America was in the top four of top increased revenue parks along with Canada's Wonderland, Kings Island, and Knott's Berry Farm. Really good to see the park doing so well.

[ABW]

Really great news indeed. And yet... They sold it.

[Angry_Gumball]

The 49ers (as it seams) was their excuse to let go of CGA. I am glad to see that they were able to still increase attendance even with the lack of coasters, good for the park anyway... However, you can even easier boost attendance with a new attraction.

 

JMA, let's see what you've got, if you can pick up where Cedar Fair left off (including plans for new attractions they may have once had on the table) Hopefully JMA will actually focus on the park itself and not on the entertainment plaza, restaurant, and hotel you have planned to coincide with the stadium.

[Tmcdllr]

I agree.

[Nibbler]

In case anyone was wondering what the official results of 2011 Maze and Scarezone of the year were:

 

Maze: Slaughterhouse

 

Scarezone: Underworld Alley.

 

Thoughts?

[Angry_Gumball]

I figured Slaughter House would have gotten it, surprised no love for Gauntlet. How close was your zone to being zone of the year?

[Nibbler]

No idea, they don't give us numbers. All that was said is all 3 zones were within 40 votes of each other and that all 3 zones had over 6,000 votes each.