SF Great America - Saturday Oct. 1, 2011 - 90 minutes

Pulled into the lot around 9:15pm. The main lot looked like it had been all the way full, but at this time of night, about 1/2 the cars were gone and leaving. I took my usual spot by the parking lot exit and headed in. It was a chilly 48 degrees.

I'm goo-goo for Halloween. The whole park was very dark, fog everywhere and screams coming from the unlit rides in every direction. Headed right over to Whizzer. It is usually "Swamp Thing" for Fright Fest - maybe they haven't got all the signage up yet. The Swamp Thing 'lab' was set up between the station stairs and lift as in past years.

The old boy was flyin' tonight! Those cool temps, after a long day (with 3 trains!). You know Whizzer is in full-throttle mode when you get the 2 little pops of air after the midcourse block break (which was totally off, as well). Had 3 rides without leaving the station.

Over to the Demon. 4 rides in the red train, then got up to change to the yellow train for one ride. Great as always, that first drop never ever fails to freak and *delight* me. There was a new Halloween prop - a demon guy-thing on the inside of the rocks, as you go up the lift. Red lights and tiki torches all over the queue.

I spent a good amount of time trying to get some cool night pictures. I'm not exactly a great photographer, usually get frustrated and hope I get a great 'fluke' photo. I'm also kinda down on this Nikon digital camera I've had since I misplaced my old Canon - which seemed to take great pictures.

It seemed to my ear that both side of American Eagle were running. I figured I had better take the hike over there before one side was shut down. It was later than I thought - the park was closing at 11pm. Both sides ran (with mostly empty trains) until the park closed. I had 2 rides in back and 2 consecutive in the very front of a red train.

Eagle has been running smooth and fast as a bat outta Hades for the past 3 or 4 years. And it was on overdrive tonight; the out-run seemed loosened up and faster than ever. The top of helix brakes were on as hard as they could be.

But the big dissapointment was the breaks coming out of the helix - before the run back home. I have not remember those being on for at least 4 or 5 years. Whatever the reason, it took the bite out of the run home. It's usually aggressive ejector air time on those hills - but most (not all!) of the air was now gone.

Either way, it's ok. The ride has been in top form, consistently, for the past few years, so there's some tinkering now...

I got off the Eagle about 11:05 and headed out of the empty dark park. Here are some pictures I took:

http://coasterbuzz.com/Forums/Thread/59389.aspx

I think I'm gonna go back for a while tonight :) Hard to resist, the coaster year is ending soon.

I was actually at the park last night as well. I'm pretty surprised that you think there was fog everywhere.. The whole night I was wondering if they were going to have any at all.

They had an abundance of lights and such, and I liked the general theming around the park. But there weren't any scare zones, and the upcharge haunts are a major turn-off. But maybe I'm just a stingy park-goer. :)

^From the parking lot, going it, it looked as if fog was everywhere. Not so much, but ... well, could be more :) I know they buy a lot of fog juice every year.

So is the disclaimer they put on the website that this is not an event that is recomended for ages 13 and under accurate? Or is it just hype?

I didn't go through any of the haunted houses, but the rest of the park was incredibly tame, from what I saw. There's no scare zones, and no fog whatsoever.

So as long as your kids aren't terrified of a few scare actors, they should be fine. Can't vouch for the houses though.

I wonder is someone is going to get me a Whizzer shot glass for Christmas....as I don't have one and I collect them.....hint hint....

Kev

^Darn, Kev... I donated a bunch of shot glasses a few years ago when I got sober. I just kept the nicest ones, my favorites. Like the gold plated Knoebel's.. and Shockwave...

I don't really have any park related narcotic-delivery devices, except a Geauga Lake one I bought for a buck a couple of years ago.

:) Geauga Lake... I was having a good day.

Hey Josh how many shots was I supposed to take for this one?

As many as you can fit in a turkey baster...

Don't you mean squirtable narcotics delivery device?

I was at the park Saturday too all day. I didn't see any fog til we hit Necropolis. As we were leaving I saw a little fog under the bridge coming out of Hometown Square. Fright Fest might be a little better tonight as they have had a week to try to get decorating wrapped up. There used to be carved pumpkins on top of the stores in Yukon but didn't see any these year. I had fun at FF last weekend, but left feeling kind of letf down too. But on a good note, my wife got me a Coaster Team Hoodie. I have been looking for the Coaster Team Jacket forever but can never find any. Also, there is some things on clearance that aren't showing a markdown on the pairtag. I got a nice reversable jacket for 22 bucks that on the parice tag it said 34 bucks. Still, it's fright Fest, and Halloween is my favorate time of the year, so I have to go. I still have a ton of fun watching the clowns scare the hell out of the girls. I was there wearing my Arrow coaster hat too.

I've been 2 more times since I wrote this trip report. Whizzer is no longer "Swamp Thing" for Fright Fest, but rather "Biohazard." Not crazy about the name, but it's a nice fit for the theme of the area.

There is a serious lack of 'ghouls' all over. Necropolis was kinda dead (no pun intended) and I have yet to see the trolls on the Illinois Troll way. It is what it is - maybe stuff is busier on a busy day...

Triple Play and Lobster/East River Crawler were both down tonight. Never have seen that before. There was a forklift in Lobster and the maintenance guys were there with night lights working on it. That is great to see!

CoasterDemon said:
Necropolis was kinda dead (no pun intended)

Bull. ;)

^No Bull. Not a big B&M guy ;)

Triple Play does not operate on Friday nights due to the shows (Dead Man's Party and Full Moon Rocksplosion) on the stage. On weekends it closes at 8 on Saturday and probably a little earlier on Sunday. The Illinois Trollway is dead. The trolls were JPM characters, they were not here last year either and will not be returning.