PGA, your thoughts on future and present

What do you think of PGA? In the mid to late 90's Paramount really added to this park and was going to add a TA2K also, but didn't. Now that they have fixed their flat ride problem and let people know Grezed Lightnin' exists, what should the park do now? I think the popular opinion is to add a woodie, but who will design it? Paramount has never gone to the typical CCI and GCI route.

What do you think of the part in the present? I think it's very underrated! I love the atmoshpere that the park has by playing loud music and that typical Paramount Park entrance is a beauty! Drop Zone is the best thrill ride I have been on and Stelth is the best ride in Nocal to me! Invertigo and Top Gun are awesome to! Vortex is great becuase of no wait! ( ride up front before you give up on this coaster!) So am I the only one who likes this park? Or what?

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So what is better? SFMM or CP? I don't care! They both have 29 coasters between them that they build so we can have a good time!

You know Todd, I went to PGA for the first time this weekend and I thought it was really beautiful, not as classy as its paramount siblings but it was better landscaped than lets say...marine world. Top Gun is their best ride. Stealth felt like it was about to fall off the track....Lord the blasted thing was so rough. Vortex, headache central. Drop Zone...SWEET! Grizzly...don't even get me started. I think the park has potential. Its just that they invest in these rides that are mean't for people with masochistic tendencies.

*** This post was edited by Delano on 4/10/2002. ***

Bring back the train say I! Replace the Grzzley! ;)

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"I'll bet that thing hits 5 Gs going through that loop.....faaar ooouut!"

Great America is nowhere near done with fixing their flat ride problem. They removed the best ones they had. Delerium and the 2nd hand Swing set aren't going to make up for that. PGA seems like it's falling apart and most of their coasters have been tame or are tam from the start. Grizzly, Demon, Greezed Lightnin' have been tamed. They can never keep Stealth and Invertigo running. Psycho Mouse is tied with Dorney's mouse for record of most brakes. Top Gun and Vortex are enjoyable and intense but extremely short. The park has yet to add a ride that lasts. They need to improve their flat collection. IF you see the key factor when PGA is trashed out in the SFMW vs. PGA review in the paper, it's mainly the PGA's tame short coasters and terrible flat ride collection. They also need to put that chute-the-chute ride in rehab, it's all rusty and is the only dormant part of the park. My biggest complaint is that they need to stop adding upcharge attractions to the park.

What would really work is to give season pass holders a couple of free rides on upcharge attractions. I have to complain too, after all that hype about 13 new ride and attractions coming to PGA, half of them were cheap shows and goofy walk around characters. Out of the seven rides, 4 of them were up charge attractions.

Wife: Hey honey, I heard Great America is adding "13!" new rides and attractions this year. Why don't we take the kids?

Husband: Sure, it'll be a great time for the whole family.

(Later at Great America)

Husband: Dang, $38 bucks for each of us! They gonna' give me some new loafers too?

Wife: Roger, just give them the money!

Husband: Fine, here you are, ten (gives her a ten), twenty (gives her another ten), two hundred (closes his eyes and pulls out one more ten and a little chump change).

Ticket man: What is this?

Husband: Hey, don't act like you don't want it.

Ticket man: Whatever.

Wife: Roger, I don't understand why you have to be to cheap.

Husband: Because I'm still driven a tin can home to a cardboard box. Now lets quit talken' and ride somethin'. Kids, daddy is gonna' show ya his favorite ride when he was in college.............. Wait a minute! What's this rubber thingy? Where's the Skyhawk?

Ride Operator #1: Welcome Sir to the Arrow Bungee. Would you like to take a bounce on one of our trampolines?

Husband: There is no way I'm payin' $8 to jump on some trampoline? If I wanted to bounce around, I'd be home with my wife on my mattress.

Ride Operator #1: Suit yourself. Say, you should try the Xtreme Skyflyer. That would a test for your screams.

Wife: Come on Roger, lets go check that out.

Husband: Its gotta' be better than this piece of junk.

Ride Operator #2: Are you ready to face your fears on the ultimate flight, the Xtreme Skyflyer?!!

Husband: Don't look too "X"treme to me. How much to take a swing on this thing man?

Ride Operator #2: That will be $39.99 for the three of you.

Husband: Ha, ha, that was a good one! You're jokin' right?

Ride Operator #2: Look fellow, if you're gonna' face your fears then you gotta' open your wallet!

Husband: Well if you're gonna' yell in my face, at least get a breath mint, ya ole badger.

Wife: You know, how about we try the new go-karts instead? What's it called, Blue Thunder?

Ride Operator #2: Yeah, it down that walkway, thru the Arbor Tunnel and past are "superb climbing challenge, The Wall."

Husband: Yeah, like I'm gonna' pay $10 bucks to climbs some big hunk of doo doo comin' out of the ground. Lets just head for the go-karts?

Ride Operator #2: Suit yourself.

Husband: What? $8 bucks for a spin around on some go-karts? In my day...

Ride Operator #3: In your day the karts were still running on neutral. Now, would you like a ride?

Husband: No, I'm going to get my self a hot dog and see if I can find something that doesn't cost an arm and a leg to ride.

Hot Dog Man: Welcome to Frank's, home of the franks, can I take your order?

Husband: Yeah, can I have one hot dog please?

Hot Dog Man: Sure, that'll be $2.00 man.

Husband: Here you go, and can I have some mustard with that too?

Hot Dog Man: That'll be another 75 cents please?

Husband: Ok! That's it! I have had enough with the extra charging! I am taking the next way out of here, just hope I don't have to buy a ticket for that too.

~~~~~~~~~~The End~~~~~~~~~~~

Huh?

You write movies, huh? :)

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***R.I.P-Megadeth***
Zakk Wylde's Black Label Society-Chicago Chapter

I like PGA, once every two years. I need the breather year in order to justify to myself that the coasters are worth it -they aren't. They are far too short - the entire lot of them. Nothing like standing in line for an hour to ride a minute long coaster - and these are full circuit coasters!!!. Grizzly - whats up with that woody - it goes so slow over the hills that you could jump out and push. Demon - way old school layout - use the space for something relevant! Vortex - quite possibly the shortest full circuit non-kiddie roller coaster on the planet. Top Gun - fun, but, again, absurdly short. Invertigo - a blast, but really small, vs, really crazy wait times. Stealth - reason enough to never build another flyer.

Its such a shame the Paramount has some killer parks, and this one seems to have all the second tier rides. I love coasters, but the length and size of these makes you feel like you are on an exagerated portable carnival coaster. They could do better by ripping out some of these has been coasters and building less, but larger layouts.

I really do think their coasters are way to short, They dont have a coaster that lasts. Top Gun is terribly short, and so is Stealth. When I went last week, I thought that the park did look a lot better than it had in the past few years, the staff was also very friendly and helpful.

The rides are short, but why don't you guys like Stelth? At least you guys agree with me on Vortex! But PGA doesn't have very long waits, and if you have a great straigy to get around the park, you'll really be reaping in coaster rides! I wonder how Demon can be hostile agian, It's now secret GL can roar back in the station if it wanted to, and Pyscho Mouse is probibly braked badly mostly. ( I guess that's why the first couple hair pins are the only real cool ones) I don't know what's so bad about the flat ride problem? They got Flyers and Delirium this year, and the swings last year ( which are in a real cool area) They have an incountable ammount of kids spinners, and 3 fun water rides. They do have some good flats to!

It's a pretty park, but there isn't that much to do. All their rides are very, very short. Top Gun is fun and so is Tidal Wave (Greased Lightning), but there isn't that much else. Stealth, Invertigo, Vortex, and Psycho Mouse are pretty good, but I wouldn't wait over 45 minutes to ride them again. If they got a great woodie, then I would be alot more interested in the park. Now they have a few decent steel coasters, what they need is a good wooden coaster.

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Vertigo said:
"Great America is nowhere near done with fixing their flat ride problem. They removed the best ones they had. Delerium and the 2nd hand Swing set aren't going to make up for that."

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Thou must never speak of swings in that manner! Swings are great, relaxing rides, what's so bad about them?

And what's with all this analyzing? I certainly respect your opinion, but what exactly is the need? I think PGA knows what they are doing, and will continue to make improvements not for us silly enthusiasts, but for everyone else.
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You are bold, but are you also...daring?
And all the sea around Kraken darkened.
SFEG awaits The Flying Coaster-coming in 2002!

Here's a cool idea I think! For the woodie they need, use the Carolina Boardwalk theme that is at Carrowinds! Of course not calling at Carolina Boardwalk, but maybe just "Boardwalk. All they have to do is build the woodie into the area they have the the right of White Water landing ( chute the chutes ride , this is veiwing from the park map) Just put up a wall to fence it off from the midway Make WWL's entrance, the new boardwalk extrance, and paint WWL, and make the laggon look a little more beach like, into the expanded area by the woodie, add a cool sit down resutraunt, a couple games, and a small flat and maybe a family coaster. ( suspended Vekoma rollerskater like Reptar at PKI and SilverStreak at PCW!) Pump so beach music and bang you got a new ride, with a new area that didn't cost much to theme and an area all enjoy!
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So what is better? SFMM or CP? I don't care! They both have 29 coasters between them that they build so we can have a good time!

*** This post was edited by Todd on 4/9/2002. ***

Question: Did PGA keep the themed areas that SFGAm kept from the original Marriot parks (i.e. Orleans Place, Yankee Harbor, County Fair, etc.)?

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I get the feeling there's a conspiracy over at King's Island to remove anything that has "K" or "C" in its initials.

Todd:
I like that idea better than adding a TA2K! :)
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You are bold, but are you also...daring?
And all the sea around Kraken darkened.
SFEG awaits The Flying Coaster-coming in 2002!

I agree with you PT300. PGA is a nice park with average to above average rides, nice atmosphere and plenty to do if you ask me. They have a MUCH better collection of flatrides than SFMM, and lots of limits imposed upon them by the near by businesses, not to mention the airport.

Unfortunately, you not going to see large, long steel coasters at this park so get over it. If you really think about it, take away Ghostrider from Knott's and PGA has the stronger collection of rollercoasters. What the park does need is some wood from CCI. Look what that did for Knott's. I'd also like to see a Setpoint Swing Thing added to the Nick section.

Give the park a break, it's a nice park and worth a visit. Man enthusiasts can be spoiled and mean-spirited. Thank God for the GP!

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"Is it possible that we are feeling more brave than usual sitting at home behind our computer screens and eating Doritos"? -Ophthodoc

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MooreOn said:
"Question: Did PGA keep the themed areas that SFGAm kept from the original Marriot parks (i.e. Orleans Place, Yankee Harbor, County Fair, etc.)?

"

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Yes they do to an extent, Orelans Place's big sign is still there and it goes to Top Gun, then at the turn it turns into a 50's area. Yankee Harbr I think still exhists but I think it has now became Stelth Plaza. County fair is there, and I had no idea it exhisted until the Grizzly op said "exit into county fair" Hometown Square/Carrosel Plaza, is now Celebration plaza. Not much remains form Marriot, and the stuff that does looks old, rundown, and in need of paint. The Stelth area has the harbor theming even though water if lacking and the color's have been painted not to that of the YH theme. The Tunnels into sections of the park remain preety unchaged as well as the Log Ride, White Water Landing, and Grezzd' Lightnin' ( still has same station and big ancor's on the airgate and has aqautic themed exit signs.) Nothing is really themed into lands, the park just looks like a place for great atmoshpere and looks like a pure amusmnet park ( which is what their trying to get at)

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So what is better? SFMM or CP? I don't care! They both have 29 coasters between them that they build so we can have a good time!

I used to work at "Lousy" America, and that place is a dump. There is no wonder why Marine World has outdrawn them the past few years. Marine World may have a bunch of clones, but at least they are top flight coasters, with a plethora of awesome flat rides to boot. Other than Stealth (which is quickly losing its allure), Great America doesn't have much going for it. Their food is also worse, but I have to say that the employees are nicer. haha

Hey, Vertigo. What article are you referring to? Which paper was it in?

For a comparison in stark contrasts, compare what Six Flags has done with its Great America in Gurnee, IL, with what Paramount has done with its Great America in Santa Clara.

While I can appreciate each park's uniqueness, Six Flags is head and shoulders above Paramount's Great America, in terms of the number of rides it added, the quality therein, the theming, upkeep, etc.

Just my opinion. I actually hope to visit PGA this summer.

You do know that the swings you got last year are from Carowinds and I loved the swings! They were placed in such a good position that when it would start you would swing "over" the stretch of Top Gun between the loop and the immelman and when the train went through you could feel the wind and gave great views of the ride too. Oh well:(