Park Review
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More Changes at California’s Great America
At California’s Great America, one of the most notable changes for 2017 comes at the iconic Maggie Brown’s restaurant. Renamed Maggie’s Smokehouse & Fried Chicken, in addition to fried chicken, the restaurant now also offers smoked tri tip, pulled pork and rotisserie chicken. Seasonally, Maggie’s will also serve beef and pork ribs in the completely refurbished interior. Food Festival now features
new dining options, including crab sandwiches and lobster rolls for seafood lovers, burritos and tacos, clam chowder bread bowls and highly popular Boba tea drinks. New live entertainment in
2017 features Vertical Impact in Great America Theater, a high- fl ying acrobatic display with trampoline artists and amazing choreography, along with The Great American Game Show in Theatre Royale.
coaster, built by B&M, was reimagined and rechristened Patriot following the conversion. The repainted track remains unchanged. Similarly in 2015, Ohio’s Cedar Point converted the 1996 Mantis stand-up coaster into a fl oorless coaster now known as Rougarou. Adding Patriot was an easy decision. “We knew we
had the opportunity to enhance the guest experience by introducing a fl oorless coaster at Great America,” Rehnborg recalls. “The new trains, color scheme, and point of view all help to distinguish this ride from its predecessor. Anyone who rides Patriot will appreciate that this attraction offers a new and enhanced experience, complete with greater thrills and amazing new points of view. I think that speaks for itself.” “I rode Patriot on its fi rst day of operation,” confesses
Rehnborg. “It is a great ride. I think my favorite part is the section of the track that threads the 360º loop.” Having ridden both Patriot and its predecessor, he can
readily compare the two rides. “Vortex was a conventional coaster, in that it had a fl oor where guests could stand and rest their feet on. On Patriot, riders are seated with their feet dangling just inches above the track. The result is a better, more thrilling guest experience. Although the center of gravity is lower, given that the riders are in a seated position, the dynamics of the ride have not substantially changed.” The introduction of Patriot has had an immediate effect on
the park. “Patriot demonstrates our commitment to look for new ways to refresh and enhance a visit to Great America,” notes Rehnborg. “It fi ts nicely with our collection of roller
coasters and provides a unique perspective for riders that no other attraction does.”
“Our construction team did a great job of getting the work done on Patriot this off season,” he adds, “particularly during a time when we experienced unprecedented rainfall here in Northern California. B&M has been a great partner to work with. We have two B&M roller coasters at Great America, the other being Flight Deck which debuted in 1993.” Rehnborg encourages other operators to repurpose an
existing coaster if they have the opportunity to do so. “The opportunity to refresh and enhance a ride experience by using new capabilities and technology is always an attractive option. It was for us, and I am sure it would be others as well.”
24
OCTOBER 2017
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