SF Great America, Sunday Oct 9th, 2011

Got to the park around 4pm. The overflow lot was full to the brim. Luckily, with the season pass parking, we got over by the lot exit (my usual spot). Yowza! I don't remember seeing lines like this since I was a kid. And with all do respect, the lines used to move 2x faster. Whizzer was over an hour wait. Orbit, Triple Play... both over a 1/2 hour.

Bumper cars were over an hour. I looked through the exit to the dispatch clock - 3 minutes is the 'set' maximum time for a dispatch. The crew of 2 girls (who were chatting most of the time) took nearly 8 minutes. Yikes!

Walked over the Giant Drop - nearly a 2 hour wait. I watched one cycle; the 2 cars in front of me were sent up with 3 empty seats. (That's 3 empty seats out of 8...). Again, 3 people (including a supervisor) were chatting it up in the control booth.

I'm glad I've ridden all these rides hundreds of times and didn't wait in line! Yikes... But when all is said and done, there still is a small sprinkling of employees that seem to care. And for the most part, it's not their faults - it's all in the training, I figure.

Swarms of people everywhere, it was incredible. I don't know if I've ever seen the park like this. Massive lines out onto the midway for shows, food/pop (and many of the stalls, unfortunately, were understaffed with windows shut). Lines for Whizzer and most other short-wait rides were poured out onto the midway into the night. I guess the word got out: Great America is open! (Plus it was the day before a holiday).

Raging Bull (for the B&M fans) had an extended line out onto the midway almost to the Viper. I can only imagine how long a wait that was. (I did glance up for a look; sure enough, plenty of empty seats on trains... single rider line, Six Flags?)

The bright CANDY-LIKE (said in a Ren-like tone) X-Flight track can be seen through the trees during the train ride. Iron Wolf is coming down fast. The old girl is showing off her balls; there are ball and socket joints on many of the supports - so many of those are with out socket. Hence naked balls being displayed. Coaster geek porn, indeed.

Still managed to have a good time. Can't go wrong hanging with Mom! Lobster was still closed and still had flood lights with maintenance working into the night. Always nice to see that effort.

Update: I had a great time letting Mom slide into me on the spin rides; Fiddler's Fling can be especially violent!

So I woke up yesterday, and my back and side was sore. Like wincing pain sore. Worse today, so I thought - I have a broken rib! Can't be...

Well, it wasn't. It's pneumonia! Curses! 5 days of antibiotics. Must get well fast - more Fright Fest this weekend!

Sorry I didn't meet up with ya, Billy, but that 2 mile backup into the park was an immediate turn off. I figured the park was packed.You ARE a trooper! ;)

^There was no back up at 4pm when we got there. But there were still many peeps going in. It was truly a sight to behold. Maybe next time! I'll be going a few more times before the season is up.