This morning California’s Great America announced today some new dining updates happening this offseason, to go along with the planned opening of RailBlazer this Spring (FYI, you can watch construction here).
First off, the park is adding a large full service Starbucks to Hometown Square near the Celebration Swings. This will be moving into the Candy Cafe location. While likely many Bay Area residents would have loved one of our fancy local coffee makers, a large full service coffee shop I’m sure will be appreciated by guests, and the location is convenient for their latest attractions.
The new Starbucks replacing the Candy Cafe. Now you’ll need to head to Orleans Place for caramel apples and fudge.
Over in Orleans Place two new sweet locations are opening. First, the “Trending Now” souvenir shop is being replaced by the much more theme appropriate Orleans Candy Kitchen. The candy kitchen will include caramel apples that can be topped with things like house made pralines or crushed candies. The shop will also a variety of fudges, salt water taffy, and other treats. On the other side of Orleans Place a new building is being built for the French Quarter Funnel Cake & Churro Factory. Here guests will be able to make custom funnel cakes topped with a variety of sauces or fruits. There will also be a large selection of new churro flavor options, like cookies and cream or apple pie. It sounds like the Funnel Cake Factory will be located near the current Sweet Tooth, but in a new structure (while Sweet Tooth becomes the outdoor patio).
In Planet Snoopy the Joe Cool Cafe is being renovated into the Sierra Creek Lodge with a wood and mountain decor. From the sketches of it, it sounds like it should fit well with the RailBlazer California wilderness theme, although they won’t actually be next to each other. As part of the renovation the serving lines will be doubled and an extended patio is being added. There should also be some new food and drink options, including a Coca-Cola Barrilitos Agua Fresca station. Our own Andrew Stilwell samples some of these while at IAAPA in November, and speaks highly of them, so this should be an exciting addition.
Joe Cool Cafe is being converted into the Sierra Creek Lodge in Planet Snoopy.
Finally, Maggie Browns, which got an update last year to include bbq options in addition to fried chicken is getting a bit of an upgrade. It is also getting an expanded outdoor patio area, and the interior design is being renovated. The park also said they’re planning to increase the number of ordering kiosks to hopefully speed up service (and hopefully the kiosks are getting an upgrade, I wasn’t a big fan of them last year).
These updates are all part of the overall Master Plan that went into effect for the park last year. Park GM Raul Rehnborg explained, “Guests today are more discriminating and savvy, and the park is responding by elevating food experiences and festivals, including Taste of Orleans and Red, White & Brews. We realize the importance of food to the overall guest experience, and these additions are only a part of what is planned in the coming years.”
Make sure to follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for more offseason updates from parks across the country about what we’ll be seeing in 2018. And if you need to get excited, check out our video of our most anticipated rides opening this year.
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