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Finally some good news for California and with my dad moving near Sacromento in the coming months, I think that two hour drive is going to be worth by 09.
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These both sound like good investments. I haven't read much reaction to the existing outdoor top-spin plus effects, but it must be better than the one at KI or they wouldn't have bought another one.
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Oh yes. These multi-million dollar investments over the next couple of years definitely sounds like Cedar Fair planned to unload the park since the acquisition. (rolls eyes at a select few unnamed persons)
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I doubt they bought the topspin, because geauga lake has one, they could just ship it there, and build the new effects for it, and do things that texas twister never had. The stats on the coaster are close to what the villain has but its a custom coaster design not a GCI*** This post was edited by MagnunBarrel 10/25/2007 4:48:07 PM ***
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^ No. The stats are actually exactly like that of the Renegade at Valleyfair! 104-feet tall and 54 mph. Also makes note of that twisting first drop.
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WooHoo. FireHaw....errr FireFall. I think FireBall would have been a better name since the ride spins, but oh well. It's nice to see CGA is getting a new GCI though. Hopefully CP sees one of these eventually. From the rumors I've heard, 2009 is going to be a big year for additions in the CF chain. Does anyone else find it odd they've already announced the coaster for '09? Don't they usually hold off on big announcements like this to not damage attendance in the year prior? Like, if people were on the fence about going to the park, they'd now just wait until 2009 since the "big ride" is going to be new then?
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Is this the Top Spin from GL? Also, I wonder when we'll see a rendering of the coaster. Apparently CF is on the GCII love train now, so that can only means good things for us. Who knows - Maybe we'll see a GCII'd Villian at CP in the next couple years 
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^ It's going to be a "Renegade - West." Stats are exactly like the Valleyfair! Renegade GCI. Press info also mentions a twisting first drop, just like the highlighting point on the Minnesota coaster. Won't be too surprised if they name the Great America one Renegade, too. 
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Huh, I thought Cedar Fair hated wood coasters. I mean, someone said they'd never build a "nice woodie" because only big expensive steel coasters that set records were on the agenda.
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Two new rides, yippie!!!! I'm excited to see CF put some money and investment in Great America. I'm not big on the name change, but it doesn't matter much since all of us locals will still refer to it as great america.
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"Does anyone else find it odd they've already announced the coaster for '09? Don't they usually hold off on big announcements like this to not damage attendance in the year prior? Like, if people were on the fence about going to the park, they'd now just wait until 2009 since the "big ride" is going to be new then?" They probably want to up the value now, so if the 49ers want to buy the place, they'll have to shell out even more.
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I wonder how much this coaster 'really' costs to build. In VF country, it was built beyond the dike wall and also involved some wetlands replacement, which increased the final construction expense... -'Playa
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What does this say about the stadium issues? I'm sort of bummed if the new GCI becomes a Renegade clone. It would be nice if the coasters are similar but not exact. And I'm not talking mirrored either. Looking at Google Earth, my bids for location is accross the pond from Top Gun, or by the Skycoaster.
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I too think it is odd how they announced 2009 plans already. I'm not sure on what advantages that could even be. It's unlike Cedar Fair, for the most part. As for the cost of the coaster. Don't forget that they have to earthquake proof this one. So you may never know the actual price. No one commented on the new name. When the Paramount was dropped from all of the parks, Great America was left as a name that can be highly confused with Six Flags Great America. Which sounds dumb, but say a family plans a trip to California and hears about Great America. They do a search on Google and Six Flags shows up. With California's Great America, the park once again differentiates itself from SFGA.
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I heard from reliable sources that the coaster will be placed behind Xtreme Skyflyer and where Whizzer once stood and also where the Imax (will be demolished) is. Again, that's just what I heard. The area behind Top Gun is not a very good location for rides considering there are tons of house bordering the lake.
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There's no way the top spin is Texas Twister from GL. Firefall at KD has a ride carriage which seats riders facing both forwards and backwards. ....plus Texas Twister just got a paint job this season, so that'd be a waste too.
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I liked "Knotts Great America" better.
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Maybe they'll get replace Grizzly with the new woodie.
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^^^Did I miss something. Where does it say rides will sit facing forward and backward? Also, if they were going to buy a new Top Spin, I think they'd get an 80 seater instead of a 40. I think this Texas Twister.
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They've been talking about demolishing that IMax theater for years, so it wouldn't be surprising to see the new coaster go there. If Grizzly wasn't already considered crappy, now it's going to really be bad by comparison. Can't wait to see where the top spin goes.
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The Top Spin IS from Geauga Lake. It's sitting in the employee parking lot. I saw it myself.
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Texas Twisters found a new home. The Woodie sounds like a GCII. Chuck, who thinks Villain should at least be put for sale if they aren't gonna move it but I think it would be great for Dorney or even CP
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Darn, I was really hoping CP would get that Top Spin.
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Chuck, the woodie IS a GCII coaster: "Designed by Great Coasters International, this ride promises to take coaster enthusiasts to new heights."
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Scott, who thinks Villain would be great for a really, Really, big bonfire and would even bring the smores. Sorry, I couldn't resist...I'll crawl back in my hole now....
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That potential bonfire probably wouldn't sustain itself too well with all the steel supports. Anyway, Villain did seem like it could be a good coaster if it was retracked or something to remove the constant shimmy-ing of the train.
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It's good to see the GCI coaster company getting business from both Cedar Fair and Six Flags recently. Renegade: 2007 Evil Kenieval: 2008 California's Great America: 2009
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^^^If anyone were to buy Villian, they'll have to find trains from some where else or have new ones made. The Villian and RWB trains are going to be used for something at KI. And I doubt it will be because they want to move one of the 2 coasters there. Though I'd be happy if they did move one or both.
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(sad puppy dog face) I was hoping it would have been villain transported to Great America. Not that I don't mind the GCI twister, but...villain was such a memorable ride for me.
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^Was that in the early years, or was that recently? Because there weren't a whole lot of fans of it in the latter years. And Chuck, why would you even suggest the placement of The Villain at DP? We already got rid of one wood torture machine, and save for the masochists, I don't think anyone wants another one in its place.
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>> They probably want to up the value now... I agree, pkidelirium. I'm thinking with a wood coaster, they could go ahead and pay for some designs without having to buy any materials and never build the thing. With steal coasters don't you have to start ordering the steal much earlier so it can be shipped, cast, and shaped? As much as I'd love to see some new additions at CGA, I'm reluctant to believe it.
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Believe it or not Intamin Fan, There are tons of us who loved Villain I thought Big Dipper when it was rough was the torture device. Chuck, who hopes both coasters are saved and hopes Swhite1987 re reads my post. I did say GCII.
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^ No Chuck, I think you need to reread. You said it sounds like a GCII. The article announced that it IS a GCII.
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I think they're announcing the coaster now so they have plenty of time to come up with a cool name for it.
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It isn't bizzare that they are announcing this coaster now. Sure its not usually something you do as to not hurt the previous year among many other reasons, but with all the bad publicity and worries of the park being removed with the whole 49er thing, they are trying to show that they are committed to this park. It is kinda like when SFMM was on the list of possible parks being for sale last year. The park had a lot of difficulty in sales, especially in season passes for 2007 as the future of the park was uncertain. To solve the issue Mark Shapiro stood on top of the recently re-opened sky tower, made millions of little paper airplanes stuffed with season passes, and started shooting them off in all directions littering southern California with SF season passes (well at least it was something to that effect, my memory is hazy from last year). More difficult this season with the fires, but not a problem as the park is no longer on the selling list. The best thing to do when the parks future is in question is show how the company is still committed. As for the location of the ride, to further show that the park isn't going anywhere, I heard that they are planning to build the coaster on the existing parking lot
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Another question is what else is involved in this $14 million investment? I mean I have tried calculating the formula, but this coaster + ice show + relocated top spin, Does not = $14 Million. Just a curious thought...
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ha ha ha!! So they renamed Texas Twister to something that exists at one of their other parks. woohoo!! Go Cedar Fair!!
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PGS, the one at KI is also a different animal,which will probably never be duplicated. But, as a former ride operator of a Chaos and a few other spinning rides, I can tell you that the first rule of any of those type of rides is to balance them.
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^Existing at a park on the other side of the country. Like any of the GP in CA are going to notice. I'm jealous of all the CGII goodness other CF parks are getting. I hope to someday see one at CP...maybe in place of the aquatic stadium. Having never been to any of the CA parks, is the "newly named Great America Theatre" a different venue than the IMAX? Just curious as Cedar Point's IMAX became the venue for their ice show.
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Does another Huss giant top spin exist somewhere? I thought KI's was the only one.
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I'm not optimistic that there will ever be another Giant Top Spin.
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I *thought* there was a park in Asia that had one or two of the Huss Giants, including a Top Spin... Maybe that was one of those times where we saw a bunch of "drawing board ideas", but that it didn't come to fruition? Thinking it was back 2-3 years ago....hmmmm.
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I'm glad I didn't announce the new "Firefall" ride on a day that, well, a good portion of California was actually on fire. But, yeah for a new woodie.
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IntaminHater, the fires will have almost ZERO effect on Six Flags Magic Mountain. The fires are one week out of the entire year and actually only a VERY SMALL portion of California is on fire. I live here. On topic, the announcement of the roller coaster is clearly out of character, but in response to the stadium plans. Cedar Fair is showing how committed they are to this property for the long run and that will hopefully persuade some that the stadium should be built elsewhere.
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When was the last time they had a wild fire in Santa Clara County?
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The Paramount theater will become the Great America theater. I see several reasons for the 2009 anouncement: 1) The uncertainty with the 49'ers Staduim issue.
2) The dropping stock price.
3) To build excitement for the ride during the construction ( if it is going wherer the whizzer and Imax building were, that is at the entrance of the park, it abit noticable)
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I'm not optimistic that there will ever be another Giant Top Spin.
I second that. There are some design flaws inherent to the Giant Top Spin rides. Unless they're completely re-engineered from the ground up, I don't see them keeping it in their product line. Seeing the small demand for them in the first place, they'd be better off working on something else.
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After all the possible sale rumors I'm glad Great America name will ring stongly for years to come. While my home park is Six Flags Great America I have visited the Calfornia Park and at the time was very charmed by it. The last few years have been a mess but never would i want to be home to the only Great America. Besideds in Illinois 50% of the guests call the park Six Flags. The other older guests have never let go of Great America. We are lucky to still have Whizzer and a functioning I-Max Venue. Cedar Fair is very aware that Great America Gurnee was and can again be a force compete against. Owning Santa Clara only paves the way for Gurnee's possible future, under Cedar Fair Ownership. Until that day comes may California's Great America and Six Flags Great America keeps the greatness of Marriott's 1976 Naming.
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The way Six Flags Great America usually is run, you would think it was already a Cedar Fair park. Maybe not quite Cedar Point caliber but definitely in the upper echelon. Here is to hopig that the new rides going to California's Great America will be only the tip of the iceberg. The announcement I think was more or less a statement to those that want to see the stadium built there. As the sister park to my home park, I want to see CGA succeed. And I think Cedar Fair is actually playing ball the right way with this park. If I must say that I think the wooden coaster from GCII is quite a good replacement for the long since gone Whizzer. I still cant see the stadium being a good thing for Cedar Fair unless the stadium builders also build a parking garage and IMO it would have to be built before the stadium construction starts just to ease on the parking woes that would be incurred from the construction. I am sure the construction would problem eat up more parking spaces than the actual building will once completed. I could see the park and stadium co-existing if the parking issues were somehow mitigated.
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Does anyone really think that the 49ers are going to change their minds about building their stadium in Santa Clara because Cedar Fair is planning to put a coaster in the park in 2009? It's possible the "statement" CF is making is "If you want to buy this place, the price just went up."
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^My thoughts exactly...almost surprised they didn't "announce" right up through the 2012 season....
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Yeah, it is a little strange that the 2008 and 2009 additions were advertised. But I won't go any further since I don't want to spread any conspiracy theories
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