Long Lost Gt. America ride found

[ralfrick]

Before Cedar Fair, before Paramount, even before the city of Santa Clara owned it, there was Mariott's Great America. There was a little trolley that ran in the middle of the walkway from one side to the other in the early years, but it's been a long time. I worked there in 1986, and it may have been history by then.

Well, Friday I'm just minding my own business, going to my last stop of the day to finish work, and guess what I see back in a small hidden industrial area near the train tracks? Here it is, the least important information you will receive today.

A bientot.

[tiggerfan]

Re: Long Lost Gt. America ride found

I do remember Marriotts Greaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaat America

[AtomicBear]

Re: Long Lost Gt. America ride found

Cool. I don't remember seeing the trolley when I visited as a kid. Good find.

[Alchimedes]

Re: Long Lost Gt. America ride found

Wow, thats rare find for sure.
I have tons of photos I need to scan from the older (and much better) days of Marriott's before they ripped out the train and this ride. They even had a circus at one point.

[PinBrian]

Re: Long Lost Gt. America ride found

Wow!

I totally remember those trolleys. Great America used to be such a good amusement park. I was there a year or so ago for the first time in years. It sure has changed.

I also have a shoebox filled with various park guides. I need to scan them in sometime. I know I have a Great America Guide from when Rip Roaring Rapids opened. I was in 5th grade at that point.

[Disneyfan4]

Re: Long Lost Gt. America ride found

i went to Great America last year with some friends and we had fun. They have some good rides still the Flight Deck(formely TOP GUN), Demon, Invertigo, Rip Roaring Rapids. According to different websites, they are getting a new wooden rollar coaster in 2009.

[ralfrick]

Re: Long Lost Gt. America ride found

They even had a circus at one point.

Missed the circus, but remember the dolphin show. They used to have great bumper cars, but added one of those stupid islands in the middle. The cars seem slower, too, but people often mistakenly think speeds have changed after other changes, so that might just be my perception. It's amazing how satisfying bumper cars can become after one has driven a few hundred thousand miles on streets and highways.

A bientot.

[drb]

Re: Long Lost Gt. America ride found

That looks like it might have been an actual antique cable car, like Knott's had years ago (which is now at the Orange Empire RR Museum). If so, I bet, like that one, that there's lots of museums that would be interested in preserving and possibly restoring that poor thing.

[PanTheMan]

Re: Long Lost Gt. America ride found

Our Last Visit to Great America was few years back.

The Crystal Blue pool as you enter had turned green and orange with Algea. The smell of a broken sewer line was in the air, and half the rides were down. We were entertained by 2 fights during the day, including one between two women where one woman lost her shirt.

And that is why it was our last visit.

[ralfrick]

Re: Long Lost Gt. America ride found

It's definitely smaller than the cable cars in SF.

A bientot.

[MollyTrolly]

Re: Long Lost Gt. America ride found

Thats a great find, although sad to see it just sitting therre rotting away.

[sjdimon]

Re: Long Lost Gt. America ride found

Several things that I miss at GA:

o The Train (I know they were having problems with it - but EVERY Theme Park needs a
Train (right?)

o Nickel Root Beer - Remember that??? When they first opened, they had a Root Beer
"Bar", they would fill it up (it had 12 (or so) seats) - then they'd fill 12 mugs of Root
Beer and slide them to each person. Over the years, it went up to a quarter, and
then was phased out entirely.

I am still amazed that Great America *still* has their Sky Ride, and DL does not. Hard to believe that they can keep one up and running while DL was not able to.

[cthulhu]

Re: Long Lost Gt. America ride found

I've lived in Santa Clara for 11 years now, and in that time I've been to Disneyland about 8 times, Knott's once, WDW once, even to Bonfante Gardens three or four times.......and not gone to Great America a single time.

To the best of my recollection, I've been there just twice since I moved to the area in 1986. I've never been a big coaster fan, and I just haven't been that motivated to go.

When I see a thread like this, I get a nagging worry -- am I missing anything?

[ralfrick]

Re: Long Lost Gt. America ride found

I've lived in Santa Clara for 11 years now, and in that time I've been to Disneyland about 8 times, Knott's once, WDW once, even to Bonfante Gardens three or four times.......and not gone to Great America a single time.

To the best of my recollection, I've been there just twice since I moved to the area in 1986. I've never been a big coaster fan, and I just haven't been that motivated to go.

When I see a thread like this, I get a nagging worry -- am I missing anything?

Well, for the last few years we've skipped getting GA passes, and gotten SFDK instead, even though the drive is 3 times as long. GA has a few good individual rides, but I'm not too fond of the atmosphere, and usually am ready to leave in a couple of hours.

A bientot.

[flyboyhi]

Re: Long Lost Gt. America ride found

What a great find. I worked at Great America from 1980 to 1989. Started in the Magic Shop (206) and ended as a training guy for the Resale Division. I then up and moved to Hawaii

They used to park them backstage behind the Triple Play ride and Charge them up (I "think" there was two initially). When they weren't running I remember sitting on them during a break.