Gold Striker update 1-26

CGA posted an amazing new photo of Gold Striker on their Facebook page.

Via Facebook.

The lift hill should be finished in the next couple weeks and the station will be constructed next month, a worker told members from Theme Park Review recently.

American Coaster Enthusiasts also posted a nice behind-the-scenes construction update of the coaster.

Gold Striker logo changed

In likely response to the school shootings in Connecticut, CGA altered Gold Striker's miner logo. The miner now holds a lantern instead of a pistol:

New logo

Old logo

Subway restaurant moving in

According to the city of Santa Clara's permit website, Subway is moving in to the park. The permit calls for a building to be renovated, but which one is unclear.

Lost Attractions: Triple Play

For those who first visited Great America post-2004, ever wonder what the "queue line to nowhere" next to the season pass processing center used to be?

The ride was Triple Play, manufactured by Huss, which opened with the park in 1976 and removed during the Paramount era at the end of the 2004 season.

Massacre Manor theme song now available

Thomas Tissot has posted the song for Madame Marie's Massacre Manor on his Soundcloud account.

The full name of the song? "La Mort n'a Peut-être Pas Plus de Secrets à Nous Révéler Que la Vie."

New Gold Striker pictures

New Gold Striker pictures have been posted to CGA's Facebook, and the ride is really moving along quickly and nicely.

Via Facebook.

End of season recap and 2013 predictions

CGA's season ended on Oct. 28, and now is a good time to look back on the 2012 season, easily the best I've had since I started going in 2008. My highlights and predictions for next season are as follows: 

The reason why 2012 was so great. This picture was taken in early September, and a lot has changed since then.

Highlights

- Gold Striker construction! I'm sure this is everybody's highlight. The first time I saw that picture of land clearing back in May was probably the best moment I've had yet as a CGA fan.

- Five-person raft on Didgeridoo Falls (with fellow Theme Park Review members). Never before have I felt a near-death experience on a ride. If I hadn't held on, I would have certainly fell out. Easily got a foot or so out of my seat!

-Trying out the body slides for the first time. Can't wait to go on these again!

- Five-person Logger's Run.

- Kiddy ride takeovers: Pumpkin Patch, Woodstock's.

- Haunt!

- Mini-ERT session on Drop Tower to end the season.

- Firefall open for the first day and whole season. Also, getting a backwards flip and flying over the water, Stealth-style.

- Getting addicted to Flying Eagles.

Predictions for next season

- Gold Striker opens in late April/early May, and the ride consists of 50 percent tunnels. My goal is to be there on media day (please be on a Sunday!).

- That ugly blue on the Pictorium gets repainted to at least match Gold Striker.

- An older flat ride is removed. Amid all this excitement for Gold Striker, it wouldn't surprise me if a ride is ripped out for no apparent reason (remember, this is still CGA, after all).

- Demon's red train returns, orange gets sent back to rehab.

- Cabin #1 on Drop Tower returns, another (I'm going to say #4) goes down for the rest of season.

- No new mazes for Haunt, but Werewolf Canyon gets the next "Revamp'd" treatment.

- New shows.

- An announcement for a 2014 water slide, but nothing more.