Author: Steven

Happy Hollow Park and Zoo has improved! Now their rides include a roller coaster: the Pacific Fruit Express. The roller coaster is dedicated to a train that took fruit all over the Santa Clara Valley. Fruit labels decorate the side of the coaster and fruit trees are planted around the area. Roller coaster restrictions are…

Planet Snoopy and the Peanuts characters have arrived at California’s Great America. There is even a new Planet Snoopy web site: http://planetsnoopy.com/cagreatamerica/ There are plenty of changes. So come on out to California’s Great America to see for yourself. California’s Great America is open weekends this month. It’s also open for spring break now through…

Celebrate Gilroy Gardens’ Tenth Anniversary with special offers for children age ten and under from now though 31 May 2010. For more details, see: http://www.gilroygardens.org/events2.html The park is open for Spring Break from now through Sunday 11 April 2010 and Wednesday 14 April through Sunday 18 April 2010. After that, the park is open on…

The photo above shows crowds flocking to one of the sold-out showings of the documentary “Remembering Playland” at the Balboa Theater in San Francisco. The documentary will be released on DVD in the near future. It will be available for purchase at Playland-Not-at-the-Beach. Playland-Not-at-the-Beach recently was featured in an hour-long program on KQED Radio. You…

The Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk is hosting Comcast Spring Break at the park through Friday, 9 April 2010. There’s entertainment and special activities. For more information, see: http://comcastspringbreak.com/ On Saturday, 10 April 2010, present your Season Pass card at the Casino Arcade entrance from 9:00 AM — 11:00 AM to enjoy exclusive free play time…

Six Flags Discovery Kingdom remains open daily through April 11th for Spring Break. After that, the park is open Friday through Sunday for the rest of April. In this issue, also see: MEDUSA’s Tenth Anniversary Celebration Nicholas’ Excellent VIP Adventure at Six Flags Discovery Kingdom Keep up with latest inside scoop on Six Flags –…

Welcome to the March 2010 edition of ACE NorCal News! In this issue: Photo report: SCBB Haunted Castle Construction Highlights of the 2009 ACE Holiday Party Give a day at Playland-Not-at-the-Beach. Get a Disney Day. Playland-Not-at-the-Beach, March 2010 update California’s Great America, March 2010 update Gilroy Gardens, March 2010 update Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk, March…

Correspondent Nicholas Laschkewitsch sends in a photo report on the construction of the new Haunted Castle attraction at the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk: The previous Haunted Castle is seen here on its last day of operation: August 23rd, 2009. The previous Haunted Castle is seen here during its demolition on September 11th, 2009. The construction…

Two of the youngest party goers at the 2009 ACE NorCal Holiday party were Margaret and Katherine Pearce. photo: Emi and Matthew Pearce The 2009 ACE NorCal Holiday Party was the second one held at Playland-Not-at-the-Beach since it has become an operating museum that is open to the public. Many of the regulars were joined…

In February Matthew and I had a great time when we volunteered at Playland-Not-at-the-Beach (PNATB). We had intended to do this for years, especially when Richard was thinking about designing a roller coaster room, but we just never found the time. Matthew served the front desk greeter during the Wolf Man weekend so he had…