Six Flags and Paramount -- A Great America Comparison

General discussion about Marriott's GREAT AMERICA
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steven
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Six Flags and Paramount -- A Great America Comparison

Post by steven »

Mark Rosenzweig put together a very nice photo essay comparing the Gurnee and Santa Clara parks as they appear in 2005:

http://whispers.smugmug.com/gallery/799228

The photos were taken this season at both parks within a two-week period. Take a look!

You can post comments here, but please don't start bashing either Paramount or Six Flags here on here. Thanks!

We're lucky to even still have both parks today -- especially Santa Clara. It narrowly avoided being turned into an office park -- a fate that was recently imposed on Wonderland Sydney in Australia -- and a fate that Six Flags announced just today for Astroworld in Houston.

Steven
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redfishpaw
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Post by redfishpaw »

I only had time for a quick glance tonight. It looks like a fantastic gallery. That for sharing this Steven. I look forward in studying it further. Wonderful photos!
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Tanya
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Post by Tanya »

Thanks Steven, I really enjoyed those pictures! It was nice to see the comparisons.
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Post by JW65 »

I took a look at Mark's comparison photos. I especially enjoyed the one-to-one comparisons of buildings, rides, and features that are still common in both parks. Very interesting, indeed! I wish SFGAm still had Eagle's Flight, and glad PGA still has theirs. Anyone know whether or not PGAs old Theatre Royale (Showtime Theater) is being used now?
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SFGAmLover
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Post by SFGAmLover »

Wow! Very cool, indeed. There is so much to compare... there could easily be hundreds of photos and descriptions.

Interesting... I never knew that there was a difference between the first drops on the two Demons. Were the drops the same on TotC and then changed with the conversion to Demon?
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Theater Royale

Post by coasterboy »

Theater Royale was empty this year. :(
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coasterfan71555
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Post by coasterfan71555 »

:) The photos are wonderful, and do a great job of illustrating how the two parks have grown apart from each other. I was lucky enough to visit the Santa Clara park in 1996, while it still had many of the charms originally put in place by Marriott. Overall, I feel that the Gurnee park has done better in keeping some of the old traditions, while adding new traditions over time. I wish to make one correction. Mark stated that Gurnee's Viper was the second phase of the Southwest Territory. Actually, it was the FIRST phase in 1995. The rest of the new section opened in 1996 as the second phase. Overall, though, the photos are fantastic and I greatly enjoyed perusing them. Thank you, Mark!!! :D
What a day, what a place! What a smile on my face! My first visit was June 21, 1976, when I was less than a month from turning 21!
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redfishpaw
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Post by redfishpaw »

So, as I understand it. The Theater Royale and the Pictorium are standing empty at PGA. Are there any other theaters that are empty as well?
Also, what is the building for in old Yankee Harbor where the the Lobster once stood? I thought is was for a 3d movie theater, but I am not sure.
It looks like it takes up quite a bit of space.
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Shockwavegirl
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Post by Shockwavegirl »

Great Pics....just a quick correction for you though

Condor didn't replace Eagle's Flight/Delta Flyer.......That spinning train thing, Berserker or something, they moved and renamed Delta Flyer in tribute to the ride station that once stood there came first, then Condor replaced it.
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Post by that_guy »

The Anton Schwarkopf "Bayern-Kurve" or Yukon Yahoo, anyways Berserker is the PGA SC park name. (sorry I like the original name :D )
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steven
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Post by steven »

Shockwavegirl wrote:Condor didn't replace Eagle's Flight/Delta Flyer.......That spinning train thing, Berserker or something, they moved and renamed Delta Flyer in tribute to the ride station that once stood there came first, then Condor replaced it.
As a former Gurnee Eagle's Flight and Southern Cross employee, I always took the placement of the Yukon Yahoo on the Delta Flyer station's site and its renaming to "Delta Flyer" as an insult! It never occurred to me that it could have been a tribute.

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that_guy
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Post by that_guy »

Yeah, anyways what kind of a tribute is that, the yukon yahoo didn't "fly" or do anything of the sort.
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Shockwavegirl
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Post by Shockwavegirl »

Well, it flew as in went VERY fast in a big circle and made you feel(from an 8 yr olds POV)that you would fly out of it. Grasping, I know.
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Post by that_guy »

:wink:
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