Friday's fireworks

[Clonebiscuit]

It's pretty much a given that GA's going to have fireworks on Friday,but does anyone know what time? We're thinking about a three hour visit,and having a general timeframe would help. We'll be the drunken couple roaming around Southwest Territory,looking for the ghostly remains of Rolling Thunder...

[coasterzak]

Wow, I'd think that SFGAm would have fireworks every night. That is how the other six flags parks have been that I've been to. Do they have a regular fireworks display each night?

[Aero737]

Last year on July 23rd there were fireworks. It was a wimpy show (1 min tops), and I cant say whether it was for a show or not.

[chiatrain]

There was a fireworks display Sunday, June 22nd. It may have been for Kids Fest, or it may have been part of the Nightly Parade. The fireworks display was nothing spectacular, though.

[greatamerica2003]

SFGAm no longer has a full blown 4th of July fireworks show. Just the wimpy fireworks before the start of the parade.

[CoasterDave316]

Wow, I'd think that SFGAm would have fireworks every night. That is how the other six flags parks have been that I've been to. Do they have a regular fireworks display each night?

Yeah when I went to Six Flags Worlds of Adventure last August I was surprised there was a fireworks display. I wonder if Six Flags Magic Mountain will have one, ill find out in less than a month.

[SFGA 11]

greatamerica2003 why don't they have them any more?

[greatamerica2003]

Budget. Plain and simple. It costs too much, and thats money that the park just doesn't have anymore. During the Time Warner days, there was plenty of money for that stuff, but Premier screwed all that up, because they grew WAY too fast.

[coasterzak]

Then how on earth can SFWoA afford it? They are worse off than SFGAm.

[InsaneNewman]

I think, it's because they're trying to establish SFWoA as a viable compeditor to CP... whereas SFGAm has no direct competition, so nothing really needs to be done to put them over the top.

[SFGA 11]

Yeah, when Premier bought SF they really screwed it up. Now all we can hope for is that SF will go bankrupt then hopefull a good company will by the chain! One can hope.

[InsaneNewman]

There's no one really to buy the chain... if Premier went under, I doubt we'd se SFGAm open for quite awhile.

[greatamerica2003]

Hey InsaneNewman, sure there are buyers. A valuable peice of real estate with so much potential, I would think that if no private company came in local government may step in and run the place. It's the lifeblood of the Gurnee area. For the city fathers to let something like SFGAm NOT OPEN for one year would be devastating to the area economy.There are buyers out there. Would the whole chain be sold? No I don't really think so. Whomever came in would pick and chose the best parks of the bunch and maybe grab that Six Flags name as well. I'd like to see TW own them again, but that won't happen.

[InsaneNewman]

Yeah, I guess.... I meant purchasing the whole chain, though; it won't happen. They've just expanded too fast. It won't happen, but I for one would love to see Universal pick up SFGAm. You know, they have California & Flordia, GAm is perfectly positioned between the two: Universal Studios Chicago. Of course, Paramount would always be nice too...

[coasterzak]

Maybe Cedar Fair would grab it.

[Chitown]

If Premier were to sell their parks, you can bet that SFGAm would have a line of potential buyers.CF, Paramount, Busch, etc. would put their bids in the hat.When Marriott put their GA's up for sale, we had other potential buyers besides SF. Busch and Paramount were very interested in the park.If I ran a competing company with SF and I found out that SFGAm was up for sale, I would do my damnest to aquire it. Its a goldmine.

[T_Biggs]

Someone said the local goverment would possibly run the park for a year, if there was no corporate entity behind it. Isn't this what happend in California? Or something along those lines? I think that Great America was owned by the city for a few years, and operated by whatever Paramount called itself then, I think Kings Enertainment.However, of corporations who would buy the park, I doubt Universal would. Isn't Universal itself selling it's parks? Or something like that? It would be awesome if Great America was a Busch park, though. We probably wouldn't get new coasters nearly as often (when was the last new Busch coasters? Kraken? That was 2001 I think,) but I'm sure the park would get tons more themeing, better food (not that it's bad, most is good, but I bet we would get real ice cream,) and maybe even some animals. Maybe the dolphin show would return.But you know, Six Flags will probably be around for a long time, even if there is poor management. I miss the Time Warner days, none of the flat ride ops seemed nearly as bored, and they never worked alone. Now flat ride ops seem to socialize with guests as much as carnies do (minus when a young girl is around.) except that they don't look scary (usually. )

[greatamerica2003]

Yes thats exactly what happened out in Santa Clara. After 2 (?) years of the city running the place, Kings Entertainment (which owned several radio and tv stations as well as a few theme parks) bought Great America. Viacom then bought out Kings, and they re-branded it using the Paramount name and affiliated properties, which has worked very well for them.

[SFGA 11]

What company ran Six Flags before Time Warner? Wasn't it Bally?

[SFGA 11]

in my opinion Great America itself is a great park and if it was run well it could be a top park right up their with CP etc... Six Flags doesn't show that gReat America is a good park.

[greatamerica2003]

Yes Ballys owned Six Flags before TW bought it.

[planea380]

I wouldn't want Cedar Gair to own it becuase they wouldn't let us come close to have as many rides as Cedar Point. Cedar Fair's Great America, hahahah