The Blog

Close to the end of December, the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk Giant Dipper had carried nearly 1,000,000 riders during 2010. In an attempt to reach this goal, the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk launched a “Giant” promotion. Starting on December 26th and ending on December 31st, the Boardwalk allowed patrons to pay only $5, the price for one ride on the Giant Dipper, to ride all day long, from noon to 5:00 PM. The riders aboard the train carrying the one-millionth rider all received a commemorative Giant Dipper coin, bag of Marini’s Salt Water Taffy, and a complimentary ride photo. The Boardwalk achieved their goal of one million riders at around 2:40 PM on December 31st. ACE member Matthew Pearce was lucky enough to be on the train carrying the millionth rider! Here is what he had to say about the experience:

I lined up for the Giant Dipper at half past two on Friday. The line was out the door, through the hand rail section, and into the walkway. I overheard various mutterings on how they were “close”, needing either two or three thousand more riders.

When we boarded the train, there were a few photographers who were getting the riders excited. They took a number of photos of all the riders. They then dispatched the train.

When we arrived back in the station, the staff cheered wildly. The riders responded in kind. . The photographers took additional photos. The staff distributed the special coins, postcards, and saltwater taffy. The Boardwalk also provided a free ride photo for everyone on the train.

Matthew, accompanied by Emi and twin daughters, holds up his commemorative prizes after riding on the train that carried the one-millionth rider on the Giant Dipper for 2010 on the afternoon of December 31st, 2010.

— Nicholas Laschkewitsch and Matthew Pearce
— photo: Steven Wilson

Pixar:25 Years of Animation is in its final week at the Oakland Museum of California. The exhibit closes on January 9th. We went on Family Day last month and were able to attend a lecture by Pixar Animator Matthew Luhn. Mr. Luhn’s family owns Jeffrey’s Toys, in San Francisco and other Bay Area locations, which gave him his early interest in animation. The exhibit showed how Pixar got its start in Emeryville and lots of early art and storyboards. About three-quarters of the way through the exhibit is a theater where you can watch continuous Pixar animation (e.g. Cars and Up) that is cut into short segments. The exhibit includes art from Ratatouille, Wall-E, Up, The Incredibles, and Toy Story. The Oakland Museum of California is located at 1000 Oak Street and has parking under the museum.

Advance tickets are recommended and are selling out. For more information, see: http://museumca.org/exhibit/pixar-25-years-animation

— Emi Pearce

I apologize for not being able to get the word out on this exhibit, as I only found out about it on its last weekend. It closed on Sunday, January 2nd. Matthew and I visited the exhibit at the Lawrence Hall of Science in Berkeley on Saturday, January 1st. This traveling exhibit on the science of roller coasters was designed and built by the Ontario Science Centre. It is the same exhibit that ACE visited at the San José Tech Museum a few years back.

Features of the exhibit included a dozen models that compared the forces on roller coasters that were set up with rubber track and balls. The models showed how a clothoid loop is more comfortable than a circular loop or how to design a roller coaster for better momentum and acceleration. A fenced off play area let attendees build their own roller coaster by putting together hills, curves, and loops. A vortex tunnel exhibit (Tunnel Vision), a strobe light exhibit, and a roller coaster simulator (similar to the one at Playland-Not-at-the-Beach’s Roller Coaster Rampage) were in the second exhibit hall. Matthew took the 32-question quiz to find out his thrill seeker rating. Over the quiz the sign read, “Psychologists say it’s more than just the urge to wear Day-Glo clothing and yell ‘whoo’ at the top of their lungs. It’s a fundamental part of their personality.” Yep. The best was the large model roller coaster named the Black Plague. It ran every three minutes with a whirlpool loop after the hill, two corkscrews, and two additional inversions. I hope that this traveling exhibit will return to the Bay Area soon.

— Emi Pearce

California’s Great America is closed for the season. It will reopen in the spring. If you’d like to work at the park, there’s a job fair this month for new hires on January 21st. For those who worked at California’s Great America last year, the job fair will be on January 15th. For more information, see: http://cagreatamerica.com/jobs/jobs_description.cfm?emp_id=2450

California’s Great America
web site: http://www.cagreatamerica.com/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/cagreatamerica

— photo: Steven Wilson

Gilroy Gardens has concluded its 2010 10th Anniversary Season. The 2011 Season opens on March 27th. If you’d like to work at Gilroy Gardens, the park is having a job fair next month on February 27th. For more information, see: http://gilroygardens.org/employment.html

Gilroy Gardens
web site: http://www.gilroygardens.org/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Gilroy-Gardens/122943674395623

— photo: Steven Wilson

January highlights at Playland-Not-at-the-Beach include tributes to the Muppets; Martin Luther King, Jr.; and Disneyland. For more information, see: http://www.playland-not-at-the-beach.org/calendar_01.html

Playland-Not-at-the-Beach nonprofit Museum of Fun, open to the public every Saturday, Sunday, and school holiday. Open evenings for private events 365 days a year. 10979 San Pablo Avenue, El Cerrito, CA 94530 (510) 592-3002. http://www.playland-not-at-the-beach.org . Admission $10 for kids (to 13), $10 for seniors (55 and up), and $15 for general admission. Admission includes 34 free pinball machines, penny arcades, carnival games, treasure hunts, miniature dioramas, and surprises around every corner. ACE members receive a $5.00 discount on admission upon presentation of their ACE membership cards.

Playland-Not-at-the-Beach
web site: http://www.playland-not-at-the-beach.org
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Playland-Not-At-The-Beach/99162687027

The Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk’s rides are open for limited operation — weather permitting (call 831 423 5590 on the day of your visit to confirm) — on weekends and Martin Luther King, Jr. Day in January. For hours and dates, see the operating calendar for January here: http://www.beachboardwalk.com/calendar/2011/january.html

You can buy the brand-new poster commemorating the Boardwalk’s Looff carousel’s hundredth anniversary online here: http://www.beachboardwalk.com/store/product125.html

Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk
web site: http://www.beachboardwalk.com/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/SantaCruzBeachBoardwalk

— photo: Steven Wilson

Six Flags Discovery Kingdom’s 2010 season has come to a close. Opening day for 2011 is March 19th.

Want to join the SFDK team? The park is having a job fair on January 29th. For more information, see: http://www.sixflags.com/discoveryKingdom/events/JobFair2011.aspx

Six Flags Discovery Kingdom
web site: http://www.sixflags.com/discoveryKingdom/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/discoverykingdom

photo: Steven Wilson

Welcome to the December 2010 edition of ACE NorCal News!

In this issue:
2010 ACE NorCal Holiday Party!
California’s Great America, December 2010 update
Gilroy Gardens, December 2010 update
Playland-Not-at-the-Beach, December 2010 update
Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk, December 2010 update
Six Flags Discovery Kingdom, December 2010 update

— Steven Wilson

Saturday, December 4th, 2010 marked the day for the annual ACE Holiday Party. As usual, it took place at Playland-Not-at-the-Beach. Approximately thirty people showed up for the event and much fun was had by all. In the morning, a new exhibit room, Roller Coaster Rampage, was opened in the building.

ACE members gather outside prior to the ribbon-cutting that would open the new Roller Coaster Rampage exhibit.

The all-new room features an authentic Arrow Development roller coaster car from the Giant Dipper in Santa Cruz. The car operated on the ride from 1955 to 1976. ACE members Nancy Redden and Mike Chew donated the coaster car. Nancy was on hand to do the ribbon-cutting to open Roller Coaster Rampage. In the new Roller Coaster Rampage room, the coaster car is positioned in front of a projection screen where POVs of roller coasters were shown, simulating actually riding a roller coaster!

After a few hours in Roller Coaster Rampage, lunch was served in the Penny Arcade. Lots of delicious food was on hand: corn dogs, nachos, and all kinds of snacks and desserts. When lunch was over, we all headed over to the front of Playland where we watched Professor B’s Flea Circus. Thankfully, none of the visitors or ACE members at Playland had their dogs with them! Many fleas performed such as Fifi LaFlea, the amazing Fleo, Evil the Fleavil, and Elvis Presflea.

In the afternoon, Jim Smith, author of the new book Playland at the Beach: The Early Years gave a presentation on the beginnings of Playland-at-the-Beach. After the presentation, Jim was on hand to sign copies of his book (you can buy it online at the Playland-Not-at-the-Beach store).

Of course, the party included the fun and exciting Gift Exchange game. A lot of stealing back and forth went on this year, particularly from ACE member Matthew Pearce! There were many great gifts including the incredible, and amazing … Shmuzzle Puzzle. On the puzzle was a photo of the American Eagle at Six Flags Great America.

Following the gift exchange, the ACE NorCal Spirit award was given out. The recipient this year was ACE member Ray Harris of Modesto. In recognition of Ray’s efforts in roller coaster preservation in 2010, Ray was presented the award, which consists of a plaque and a one-year renewal of his ACE membership. Congratulations, Ray!

ACE members were let free through the museum until 3:30 PM when the ACE fund-raising auction began. Tons of fantastic items were up for grabs such as:

• Block of redwood from the original boardwalk of the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk with certificate of authenticity
• Giant Dipper 85th anniversary sign
• Medusa 10th Anniversary Banner
• 100th Anniversary Looff Carousel poster -– framed by the Boardwalk and signed by Charles Canfield
• Invitation for four to the 2011 Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk VIP party
• Many coaster parts (Zonga bumpers, Roar wood, etc)

ACE member Derek Willhite served as the auctioneer.

Before we even knew it, the auction had come to a close after many laughs and high bids by Matthew Pearce. (Emi sure enjoyed it!) The auction raised $830.00 to benefit ACE Preservation and Archive funds. I won some Roar wood which will look very nice on my wall, or for my cat to sit on. Boardwalk 100th Anniversary DVDs were presented to Cliff Aldecoa and Derek Willhite as prizes. Many thanks go to the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk and Six Flags Discovery Kingdom for donating all of the cool auction items and prizes!

I can’t wait to see all of you ACE members again next year! Merry Christmas!

— Nicholas Laschkewitsch
— photos: above by Nicholas Laschkewitsch, below by Steven Wilson

Derek Willhite auctions off a Giant Dipper sign.

Derek Willhite auctions off a Boardwalk banner.

Paul Asente shares a ride on Roller Coaster Rampage with Emi Pearce and one of her daughters.