California Great America (CGA) Discussion Thread

[ShawnkI Guess Donkeys Are Okay]

I went to the park today! There were not many guests there so hardly any waits for the rides. I was the first guest on Flight Deck and had the train to myself twice . It was probably the best ride I've ever had on Flight Deck, probably because I hadn't gone on a coaster in 7 months. After that I twice had the train to myself on Vortex.

Demon had rough loops but smooth corkscrews. I think Demon has one of the best headchoppers I've seen; It usually makes me cringe and duck a bit when I get to that part of the ride. There's nothing like a little fear to enhance a coaster! It was so slow at the park I was able to get this picture from the car ride with time to spare

Demon tunnel+headchopper

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I'm not sure the retracking of Grizzly made it much better. It makes me look forward to a new GCI even more!

Unless I've miss-counted, this is CGA's 3rd week of Spring Break? Last year, I could swear that they only had 2 weeks of it.

And Demon, try sitting in what I call the "Magical Arrow Seat." That is, yellow train, last car, front row (for leg room). Even that nasty transition into the corkscrew I found to be smoother as well as the loops. Demon's corkscrews themselves have always been pretty smooth, just entering them can be a real....if you know what I mean.

Lastly, I've always found that long tunnel after the loops disorienting as you're going from a loop to total darkness. Sometimes I still feel like I'm traveling upward, especially when I can't see ahead of me due to being in the back rows.

[JeffyJosephNorCalI teach at the school of donkey!]

Unless I've miss-counted, this is CGA's 3rd week of Spring Break? Last year, I could swear that they only had 2 weeks of it.

CGA's spring break schedule for 2012 started after Easter, April 11-15 & April 18-22.

[The49erWhat would donkeys be like on the moon?]

I'm going on Saturday and hope that there won't be a massive line for Vortex like last year...Any suggestions for avoiding crowds?

BTW trip report going up on Sunday.

Since it's spring break still (I'm surprised Spring Break was done for the 2 weeks following Easter, especially since there's schools around here that have break before Easter), I can imagine Saturday being moderately busy, especially since kids are probably wanting to get their last bit of excitement out by visiting CGA. Sunday last week was a little busy and a bit surprising. Flight Deck's line started just outside the rollup door/shaded area and Logger's Run's line was about halfway full. Demon had a bit of its line also out on the cement pad just outside the station. And as previously noted, Grizzly was on 1 train so you had about 5 minutes of waiting in the courtyard before having a 3-6 train wait depending on what row you were after.

Oh yea, 49ers have their groundbreaking ceremony tonight, saw a clip of it on the news last night. You know it's pretty bad when you're totally ignoring what's being said and you try looking for GA in the background...in which the park was featured, mainly the Star Tower.

[JeffyJosephNorCalI teach at the school of donkey!]

Was at the park yesterday, 4/19, and it was completely dead. Everything was a complete walk-on. I literally rode everything 10-15 times, though they are still enforcing the "ride twice, go back in line" rule on the major rides. While on Flight Deck towards around 5sh I saw a steady stream of cars coming in and parking by the area where a tent and several portables are and a helicopter flying above that stayed in one spot by the parking lot till literally after the park closed. I had a feeling it had to do with the Stadium, guess Gumball just confirmed it was indeed for the stadium groundbreaking ceremony. Also while on Star Tower looking down by the Pictorium and surrounding area, I couldn't help but smile knowing (minus anymore hiccups) how the skyline will be totally different come this time next year.

[jzooleI know more about donkeys than women!]

Sorry if this has already been posted here, but it's the first I've seen it.

So the permit to build the woodie has been officially approved.

smartpermit.santaclaraca.gov/tm_bin/tmw_cmd.pl?tmw_cmd=StatusViewCase&shl_caseno=PLN2012-09049

Sorry if this has already been posted here, but it's the first I've seen it.

So the permit to build the woodie has been officially approved.

smartpermit.santaclaraca.gov/tm_bin/tmw_cmd.pl?tmw_cmd=StatusViewCase&shl_caseno=PLN2012-09049

Yes, someone posted this on April 17th. All it means is that no one currently has an active appeal filed. Another appeal can always be filed before the work begins, but let's stay positive.

According to LA Times the latest rumor seems to say that CGA could see the Luminosity show, after the waters are tested at Cedar Point, found their post on CGAs wall. Luminosity seems to be a pyrotechnic and light show set to music, sounds cool!
Full article: http://www.latimes.com/travel/deals/themeparks/la-trb-luminosity-cedar-point-04201219,0,4896829.story?l

[Double0KevinJar-Jar Binks smells like Donkey]

Not sure that really says it's going to CGA. It just says Ouimet said it could end up at other CF parks and then listed all of them. It would be cool to see it, but CGA's schedule doesn't really allow for many "nights" to feature the show with the usual 8pm close time on weekdays.