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.

Halloween Haunt 2012 opening night review

Talk about a busy opening night. Attendance was easily doubled compared to opening night last year, which can only be a good thing for the park. This time, CGA prepared for the lines by setting up a maze of queue ropes for each maze on opening day, and yes, you have to walk through all of them (Beware of the line Nazis!)

Toy Factory's queue was nearly half full by 9 p.m. and Massacre Manor was nearly full. Although, for some reason, Club Blood was nearly empty all night (possibly because it's gotten even harder to find).

Being the first night, there were a lot of glitches. The songs for Cornstalkers, Toy Factory and Dead Man's Cove were off for a while, and I even saw a mechanic fixing some electrical box about halfway through Club Blood.

Also because it was the first night, scare zones were pretty much non-existent, especially Dead Man's Cove. Underworld Alley is still my favorite.

Here are my rankings of the mazes, from best to worst, based on opening night experience. A few shake-ups in my rankings from last year:

Halloween Haunt 2012 full details

The official website for Halloween Haunt 2012 is now live.

New this year is Madame Marie's Massacre Manor, a voodoo-themed maze located in a new building behind the former Invertigo site.

Club Blood will be getting a makeover with Club Blood Revamp'd.

New shows and Fright Lane (front of the line passes) will round out the year.

Gold Striker officially announced

CGA officially announced Gold Striker today, the fastest and tallest wooden roller coaster in Northern California. For images, video and stats, visit www.cagreatamerica.com.

Project Au13 construction update

Au13, to be announced Aug. 29, is really coming along. I visited CGA on Saturday (Aug. 25), and this is what it looked like. One of the turns is nearly complete:

The park's skyline is really starting to change.

For a more in-depth look at Au13's progress, check out Au13 Construction Watch, a new blog devoted to all things Au13.

More Au13 pictures

CGA has posted a bunch of new pictures of "Au13" on their Facebook page. One of the turnarounds looks nearly complete.

"Gold Striker," likely the coaster's name, will be officially announced Aug. 29.

Via Facebook

New coaster codenamed Au13, to be revealed Aug. 29

CGA has posted teasers on their Facebook about a full reveal of "Au13" on Aug. 29. The image, showing a gold miner, teases that the coaster will "strike new records."

Via Facebook

Cedar Fair has recently trademarked the name "Gold Striker," which seems will be the name of the new coaster, based on the teasers.

Meanwhile, the coaster has achieved vertical construction:

Via Facebook

Halloween Haunt 2012 details and wooden coaster announcement date

CGA has confirmed that Carnevil, Toy Factory, Cornstalkers, Slaughterhouse, Werewolf's Canyon and Black Widow's Cavern will make a return for Halloween Haunt 2012.

A new, yet-to-be-revealed maze will be set up behind the former Invertigo location. Rumor has it that the maze will be called "Massacre Manor," according to Screamscape.

No word yet on Club Blood's fate, although it seems likely it won't make a return due to the clearing of it's former area for the 2013 wooden coaster.

Speaking of the coaster, Screamscape mentioned that an official announcement will be made around Aug. 29.

Land clearing for new maze behind the former Invertigo site. Via Facebook.

Wood coaster construction continues

Although not officially announced (yet), CGA's wooden coaster project is starting to make some significant strides. Wood has arrived in the parking lot, and the cement foundation is being poured. From the park's Facebook:

Land clearing for new coaster has begun

CGA posted this picture on their Facebook, showing off the land clearing as they prepare for the new wooden coaster.

Via Facebook

City approves plans for 2013 coaster

Santa Clara's architectural committee recently approved the revised plans for the 2013 GCI wooden coaster. But once again, Prudential, because they have nothing better to do, is complaining, appealing the city's decision.

2012 off-season addition/improvement list

The following is a list of new additions/improvements to CGA over the 2012 off-season. Keep an eye out for these on opening day:

Improvements

Via Facebook.

• New paint jobs for Demon, Flight Deck and Columbia.
• Redone boardwalk area in front of Logger's Run.
• Retracked areas of Grizzly. 

Additions

• Fast Lane queue system for 11 rides and two shows.
• Wheelchair elevators for Vortex and Logger's Run.
• New staircase for Grizzly.
• Four new shows.

Almost official: GCI woodie in 2013

CGA is reportedly dusting off the old plans for the GCI woodie. The park has applied for architectural reviews for a "wood coaster ride" on the city's permit website.

Screamscape is also confirming that the coaster will indeed open in 2013.

More good news: The new paint jobs for Demon, Flight Deck, and now Columbia are going well. Check out the pictures on CGA's Facebook.

Flight Deck and Demon off-season paint jobs

CGA is currently giving Flight Deck and Demon a (much needed) new coat of paint. Check out the images on CGA's Facebook.

Primer is being applied to Demon. Via CGA's Facebook.

Stadium parking issues resolved

An agreement has finally been reached between the city and Cedar Fair regarding parking. For the full details, you can read it here:

http://sireweb.santaclaraca.gov/cache/2/q0a3xe55n3jtdo45wkvsju45/59508201082012123204636.PDF

This article sums it up nicely:

http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/localnews/ci_19692990