California Great America (CGA) Discussion Thread

[Jim1013]

If Great America closes, what rides will Knott's inherit? My guess: Psycho Mouse and a bunch of kiddie rides for Camp Snoopy. Psycho Mouse would be a good idea for Knott's, DCA will eventually remove Mulholland Badness and MM doesn't have one. Plus, its an additional 'family' coaster and they want to straddle the fence between Disney and Six Flags.

 

Even though they have Silver Bullet, I'd like to see Flight Deck moved to Knott's, there could be a choice of bad-ass inverted or gentle inverted. Why knott?

[sfmmrules!]

I can't ride spinning rides but I've been thinking about Firefall. Do you think I would be able to handle it w/out feeling sick after? I'd like to go on it if I ever go to CGA again but I'm not sure because Survivor,Spongebob,& the Beserker make me feel sick. My guess is I shouldn't bother with Firefall.

[CreditCrazy]

I can't ride spinning rides but I've been thinking about Firefall. Do you think I would be able to handle it w/out feeling sick after? I'd like to go on it if I ever go to CGA again but I'm not sure because Survivor,Spongebob,& the Beserker make me feel sick. My guess is I shouldn't bother with Firefall.

 

Yeah, I'd probably stay away from it just incase. I get bad motion sickness too, and won't go near FireFall...but I am thinking about THBS since I've done Sierra Sidewinder and Screamin' Demon and felt okay.

[Crazy_Behemoth_Lady_Jess]

I had to skip THBS too because of motion sickness. Hell, even batman gave me a headache afterwards. I'm wondering whether it's the G force or the "jerking" every time it goes through an inversion (5 times).

 

I'm wondering, will Flight Deck be like taht too?

 

Even with my motion sickness, I still go on the Top Spin at my local park and I never really get sick. I guess it's either because the program Playland has for it is too mild perhaps? I don't know about the program Firefall has though.

 

Is Firefall really THAT painful/bad? I've only been on 1 Huss Top Spin and that's at my local park. It's a first generation I think.

 

[CGA_88]

Here's a good video of a typical FireFall cycle when the gondola is full.

 

vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=40747087&searchid=5693dfa9-4253-41a4-b42b-327b628d58b5

[CreditCrazy]

I had to skip THBS too because of motion sickness. Hell, even batman gave me a headache afterwards. I'm wondering whether it's the G force or the "jerking" every time it goes through an inversion (5 times).

 

I'm wondering, will Flight Deck be like taht too?

 

Even with my motion sickness, I still go on the Top Spin at my local park and I never really get sick. I guess it's either because the program Playland has for it is too mild perhaps? I don't know about the program Firefall has though.

 

Is Firefall really THAT painful/bad? I've only been on 1 Huss Top Spin and that's at my local park. It's a first generation I think.

 

 

Flight Deck and Batman are pretty similiar but Batman is probably more dizzying. I surprisingly do pretty well on both though, so it's nothing to worry about. More like something to be excited about

[Mechanic]

I'd say just go for it. Take some dramamine if you get sick.

[Crazy_Behemoth_Lady_Jess]

I'd say just go for it. Take some dramamine if you get sick.

 

I don't like to take anything before going on rides because some medications can affect your tolerance to acceleration (G-force). I don't have such a good tolerance already and I don't want to have to make another trip to the first aid station!!! I don't want to risk passing out.

 

Usually if I get sick on rides its usually hte end of the day so I'd go home and hit the sack.

 

~ Jess "The wannabe aerospace medicine expert" Chan

[packfanlv]

I just got back from my first ever visit to this park. First of all, I have to say it is one of my least favorite parks. There is just something missing atmospherically and the coaster lineup is crap. As for Flight Deck being intense, I just don't feel it. In fact, I think Silver Bullet is much more intense than Flight Deck and it certainly doesn't compare to Batman: The Ride. I say this having been on Silver Bullet two days ago and B:TR at SFMM yesterday.

 

As for coasters, Grizzly is pointless, Demon was really rough, I hate boomerangs (Suspended is worse), the mouse was a mouse, two kiddie coasters were ok and Vortex was closed, so I have to go back tomorrow at opening to get the credit. (I am not happy about that.)

 

Having been to SFDK a few times now, I just don't see how Great America can ever stack up against it. SFDK has a very comparable coaster lineup (better in fact) plus you also have all of the animal exhibits and shows. I am an amusement park lover and have found myself enjoying parks without any major coasters, but something about CGA just rubbed me the wrong way.

 

Now that I have the credits, I wouldn't be sad to see it turned into a shiny new football stadium.

 

And one final thing. Is Cedar Fair the new Six Flags management wise? I swear both Knott's a couple of days ago and CGA today reminded me operationally of Six Flags in their worst days. The employees at both parks were unhelpful and down right rude at times. Has it always been this way at CGA? I know Knott's seemed different than my previous visits.

[larrygator]

As for coasters, Grizzly is pointless.

 

Pointless? Did it just become your new #1 worst wooden coaster? I know it gained that title for me.

 

Silver linings are everywhere.

[Orient Wolf]

Is Cedar Fair the new Six Flags management wise? I swear both Knott's a couple of days ago and CGA today reminded me operationally of Six Flags in their worst days. The employees at both parks were unhelpful and down right rude at times.

 

I felt the same way at Carowinds earlier this month ...

[Angry_Gumball]

Ok, on the topic of employees and Great America, we went to CGA last Sunday, which went great. Unfortunately though, I guess you must have shoes on while riding the rapids. A friend of ours got denied to ride as she only had socks on. Yes, she should have had her shoes with her but they were hurting her feet at the time. Now, is it normal/now a requirement that you have to have shoes on while on a water ride? Is it for health reasons or something? Other than that peeve, employees seemed like normal to me, even ran into Sunfire once again claiming that the White water falls ride goes upside down (yes, it's an old running joke we have).

[CGA_88]

The shoes requirement policy has always been a policy on the three water rides outside of Boomerang Bay.

[packfanlv]

As an example of employee indifference today, when I went to enter the park, I showed the ticket lady my Knott's Berry Farm Platinum Pass and she didn't know anything about it. She then looked at me and told me that it wasn't valid. Finally after asking another co worker I was directed to the Guest Relations window to get a paper ticket. Since this required me going outside of the metal detector area, I was required to wait 15 more minutes to go back through security, even though I asked to be let through, given that I had already passed through once.

 

Perhaps the worst moment of the day for me was when I was walking into the Demon station and was about to pass through the entrance gates, the ride op closed the gates at the last possible moment and than began laughing at me. If he had to close the gates then fine, but it was clear that he was laughing that the gates literally slammed in my face.

 

There were other things, but those were the major ones. The ops on the log ride were friendly though and of course everyone who worked there wasn't bad. It just seemed that there were more rude or indifferent employees than nice ones.

[Mechanic]

The place where I work distributed a memo indicating we can get discounted admissions to CGA and Gilroy Gardens. After having not visited CGA last season at all, I was considering a visit tomorrow or Sunday. Reading packfanlv's comments reminds me why I haven't been there in a while, and why I'll go to GG instead.

[Sunfire]

Perhaps the worst moment of the day for me was when I was walking into the Demon station and was about to pass through the entrance gates, the ride op closed the gates at the last possible moment and than began laughing at me. If he had to close the gates then fine, but it was clear that he was laughing that the gates literally slammed in my face.

 

Man, that sounds really messed up. I work at Invertigo/Berserker/Whitewaters, and when I'm at WWF, occasionally I'll pretend to close the gates on someone trying to run in, but I always open them up and say "just kidding". I never just slam the gates in someones face and laugh at them. It's too bad that you had to deal with the bad employees. Sorry that your day went crappy.

[Crazy_Behemoth_Lady_Jess]

So the on ride cameras from most ride are gone for good then I suppose?

[Sunfire]

^Last time I went, Flight Deck's videocamera was taken out and Vortex's photos were not being taken. However, I think Psycho Mouse still has theirs, but I'm not sure.

[CreditCrazy]

^Last time I went, Flight Deck's videocamera was taken out and Vortex's photos were not being taken. However, I think Psycho Mouse still has theirs, but I'm not sure.

 

Wow. When I went in March and July Flight Deck had its videocamera, and both Psycho Mouse and Vortex (I think Vortex...) had their pictures. Kind of weird that they would uninstall a videocamera and not have a photo booth working

[Crazy_Behemoth_Lady_Jess]

Probably because lack of interest and staffing costs?

[CreditCrazy]

Probably because lack of interest and staffing costs?

 

That's what I'm thinking. I never bother to look at my On-Ride Photos after a ride. A lot of people do look at them, but I doubt hardly anyone buys theirs.

[Crazy_Behemoth_Lady_Jess]

Probably because lack of interest and staffing costs?

 

That's what I'm thinking. I never bother to look at my On-Ride Photos after a ride. A lot of people do look at them, but I doubt hardly anyone buys theirs.

 

I always buy mine if there's a funny expression or something. I just don't buy the ones from my local park anymore because I've been there too many times. But alot of the out of town people buy their's. I love buying ride photos!

[KGA29]

There's still an on-ride photo on Logger's Run too, assuming they didn't stop it there too.

[packfanlv]

Sunfire - Do you know why Vortex was closed all weekend? I never was able to get the credit and no one was able to tell me why it was closed.

[Sunfire]

Well, I don't work at Vortex, but I think it was closed last weekend as well. It's computer is probably acting crappy like it sometimes does (think RCT3 ride going up in smoke), but I really don't know what caused it to close. Trust me, you weren't missing much IMO, the last couple of times I rode it, it was rough as heck.