Question/Suggestion About Post-Marriott Santa Clara Park

badfingerboogie · Post by **badfingerboogie** » Sun Jul 24, 2005 1:31 am

Hello, this is of course my first post. I found the website several days ago and have been having tremendous fun reading about the park. I'm only personally familiar with the Santa Clara park. It's interesting to see the dual history of both parks, and of course the information about the Santa Clara park is particularly of interest to me.

One question/suggestion I have about the site is regarding the post-Marriott era. I gather that the website is devoted to the history of the parks during the Marriott years. But I'd like to know if there are any plans to touch on the post-Marriott years, particularly the rest of the 80's and perhaps even into the 90's.

I'm interested in this for a number of reasons. First, I'd simply find it interesting to compare today's park to what it was like during all of the previous years. I'd be interested to see a history of the rides that came and went. Secondly, my visits at the park began probably during the final days (perhaps literally) of the park under Marriott. So my most vivid memories of the park come from the mid-late 80's period on up into the early-mid 90's. So, while I'm familiar with many rides that are on the website; the rides that lasted into the 80's and 90's and perhaps even today, I'm also interested to read about rides like the Grizzlie. (Is the Grizzlie still there today? I know it was a few years ago, but upon a very, very brief perusal of the current official site, I couldn't find mention of it).

I actually have some Marriott's memorabilia around, and I recall that the park was trying to sell off all of the old Marriott's stuff (either right at the end of the Marriott era or perhaps even after). I also have a ticket from a Beach Boys concert from August of 1984, but this appears to be after the Marriott era ended. The concert was in the parking lot, because they had yet to build the Redwood Amphitheater for concerts. The ticket has the "Great America" logo on it, but no "Marriott's." It has a roller coaster logo on it with the words "Rock and Roll '84." Anyway, I suppose I should keep my long stories to the other areas of the forum.

I'm sure I can go to the other areas of the forum and discuss the latter years of the park with those are familiar with it. I was just wondering if the website would ever touch on the post Marriott years at some point.

Despite the Marriott's era being long gone, everybody I know that was around back then still calls the park simply "Marriott's" to this day. That totally confuses younger kids I'm sure.

JW65 · Post by **JW65** » Sun Jul 24, 2005 7:12 am

Hi Badfingerboogie,

I enjoyed reading your post here. It is interesting to hear about things that happened in Santa Clara because I am only familiar with the Gurnee park. I've always wanted to visit the CA park, but never got around to it. It would be fascinating to compare the differences. With all the new "thrill" rides that have been put in over the last 15 years or so at both parks, I am sure I wouldn't be able to see all that many similarities anymore. The two different owners in post Marriott years also adds a strange mix to the pot too. About the closest I've come to seeing what the Santa Clara park looked liked in the 90s was when I watched Beverly Hills Cop III.

I can understand your interest in wanting to discuss/read about post Marriott years. I know this site is devoted to only Marriott years. My first visit to the Gurnee park was in 1977. I was 12 years old then and remember what a big deal it was to stand in line and go on the Turn of the Century roller coaster. I had been to Six Flags over Mid America in St. Louis when I was around 10 years old before going to MGA. It will be fun to read about experiences from the parks as time goes on. The response to the forum has been incredible these first few weeks. We all have much to share.

Jeff

Tanya · Post by **Tanya** » Sun Jul 24, 2005 2:26 pm

badfingerboogie, I saw several of those concerts out in the parking lot. I think I have all my tickets stubs.

Jeff, I have homemovies of the BHC III sets when they were at the park.

Post by **steven** » Sun Jul 24, 2005 9:29 pm

Hi, Badfingerboogie,

Welcome! While the primary focus of the site is on the Marriott years, I expect to eventually cover some post-Marriott developments, too. A look at post-Marriott developments would serve to highlight how the parks have changed over time.

Despite the change to separate ownership, links between the two parks have remained. For example, the Carousel Columbia in Santa Clara got a new color scheme a few years ago. Afterwards, the Carousel Columbia in Gurnee had the same new colors. Coincidence? Or how about the placement of DEJA VU on Sky Whirl's site in Gurnee. Could it be that people from Gurnee came out for a look at how Santa Clara positioned INVERTIGO on Sky Whirl / Triple Wheel's site? Perhaps.

Oh, and yes, the GRIZZLY is still there. It's on the family rides page of the park's site:
http://www.pgathrills.com/attractions/a ... fm?rt_id=2

Steven

badfingerboogie · Post by **badfingerboogie** » Mon Jul 25, 2005 1:19 am

Thanks for all of the comments!

Yep, I finally stopped being so lazy and downloaded the current Santa Clara map, and the Grizzly is still there.

Also, by the way, I took a look at my Beach Boys ticket from 1984 and, while the logo at the top doesn't have the Marriott's part of the logo, the words on the bottom of the ticket make reference to the park as "Marriott's Great America." So I guess it still was Marriott's in August of 1984.