Although California’s Great America is closed until 2021, crews are still hard at work on their new, expanded water park: South Bay Shores. Yesterday I had a chance to take a tour of the construction with Great America’s Area Manager of Digital Marketing, Danny Messinger.
Messinger told me that the work is probably about 75% complete. All of the new structures are up, and old attractions are in the process of being painted. Most of the remaining work includes things like installing pumping equipment to move all the water, and work on the midways and landscaping. The pace of construction slowed down during the pandemic, mainly to keep the worksite from being crowded, but they anticipate that most of the work should be done in a few months.
Overview of South Bay Shores, as viewed from the top of the new Pacific Surge slide complex.
Our tour started with a climb up their largest new structure, which provides a great spot to get an overview all of the whole South Bay Shores project. In the panorama above, you can see the locations of different new structures and refurbished attractions. The biggest upgrades from a pure layout point-of-view are changes to the water park entrance and addition of a new midway.
Previously, the water park didn’t really have a clear entrance, you could access it from two different directions, and it wasn’t impossible to accidentally walk through part of it. That’s now changed, with a single entry portal (on the far left of the photo). This provides two benefits. First, it just looks better and will make a clearer differentiation between water park and dry park. Second, it allows the kids play area by the entrance to be fenced in on three sides, which makes it easier for parents to let their kids run loose on the playground without worrying about them wandering off.
The other big change in the layout is the addition of a new midway, seen in the foreground of the photo. Before the water park dead=ended in the wave pool on the far right, which always made it a little awkward. There was no reason ever to walk back there unless you wanted to sit by the wave pool. South Bay Shores will have a much clearer full loop path, which should make traffic through the water park much easier. This new midway also provides access to the biggest new attraction for South Bay Shores: Pacific Surge.
Pacific Surge Slide Complex
The Pacific Plunge slide complex, with two tubular slides and four drop slides, is the biggest addition to South Bay Shores.
For thrill seekers, the highlight of the new water park is the new Pacific Surge slide complex (it’s where the panorama photo at the top of the post is take from). The complex consists of six slides in total, including four state-of-the-art drop slides with vertical trap-door drops, as well as two long tubular water slides.
As you climb up the complex you reach a middle platform with the two tubular slides, Feeding Frenzy and Barracuda. Both feature long, complex layouts, one with a double helix and the other with a long s-bend into a helix. Towards the bottom, the slides feature more distinct elements. One enters a funnel/”toilet bowl” feature while the other has a “double-down” like drop that should give a little pop of air time to sliders. These two slides are about five stories tall. Ascending further up gets you to the attraction’s signature slides.
The top of the six story structure features four drop chutes, leading to four distinct slides, collectively known as Shark Reef Plunge. You’ve probably seen these before. Guests stand in them vertically, and then the bottom falls away and you drop into the slide. To me, it sounds terrifying.
The twisted layout of the drop slides of Shark Reef Plunge.
The four slides each take a different twisted route through the structure, crossing over with each other and with the two lower slides. The tubes are also slightly transparent, allowing you to both see out at the other slides and riders, and letting folks on the ground see you as you plummet towards the bottom.
The six slides all converge to the same ending area, meaning lots of racing potential. You can also see clearly the funnel element ending of the blue and white tubular slide.
All six slides come together at the bottom, with Feeding Frenzy and Barracuda exiting into a pool in the middle, while the drop slides come down on the left and two on the right. Operations aren’t completely set yet, but at least with the drop slides they might time them so riders can race each other to the bottom. The slides are all built by WhiteWater West, one of the biggest water park attraction manufacturers in the country.
It’s also important to note that both the top platform and middle platform will have shade structures covering them, so standing in lines for the rides hopefully won’t be too bad in the summer heat.
Tide Pool Kiddie Slides
The second big slide project involves an overhaul of the family lagoon behind the old slide structure. The new Tide Pool lagoon is going to feature eight new kid-friendly slides. They’ll range from the tamest of the tame — low straight slides — at one end, to steeper and longer slides at the other.
The eight slides all empty into a large wading pool, and feature a pretty wide variety between them. There’s even a small four lane racing slide in the middle.
From an aesthetic viewpoint, I think the tubular kiddie slide may have actually been my favorite new piece of equipment. Primarily a solid green tube, translucent bands of different colors give the interior of the slide a cool rainbow slinky effect as the sun shines down on it. It’s like adding a lighting package without any lights! It made me kind of sad the bigger slides don’t have this kind of effect.
The far side of the lagoon will feature lots of lounge chairs and shade structures, making this the perfect place for parents to relax while children can experience some kid-sized thrills that the previous version of the water park didn’t really offer.
Updated Older Attractions
Alongside the new slides, the existing ones are all getting some TLC. The main central slide complex as well as the double racing slides are all getting new names to fit with the California theme. They’re also all getting fresh paint jobs from Baynum Painting — a company we know best for their work on roller coaster paint jobs. Check out our interview with Baynum from a few years ago.
The central slide complex now features the Mission Falls half-pipe slide, the NorCal Wipeout tubular slide, and the Coastal Cruz raft slide.
The Coastal Cruz raft slide is almost done getting its fresh paint.
Fresh paint on the re-named “Reef Racer” pair of slides.
Long time California’s Great America coaster fans might recognize this building. It’s the old Stealth Station, now repainted and serving as the exit of the old slide complex.
Towards the front of the park the kids play area is also getting redone. Like I mentioned at the top, one of the biggest aspects is that it’s no longer is accessible from all sides, and there will be a dedicated entrance to this area. That means it’ll be easier for parents to keep their eyes on their kids, and let the kids run freely within the space.
The kids play areas towards the front of the area are getting updates and new themes. Plus the new layout of the paths will make them their own separate section, to both make it easier for parents to keep their eyes on kiddos, and allow the park to keep these open outside of water park season. The new entry portal to South Bay Shores can be seen in the middle of the photo.
Because of the updated layout of the water park, when the bulk of the South Bay Shores is closed, Great America can actually keep this area open. That means that during the shoulder seasons, when weather might be hot but the water park isn’t open, they can open this area to let kids play in the water. It offers a little bit of operational flexibility for the park.
The other big update to this area, and one you’ll around lots of South Bay Shores, is an increase in shaded areas. Those big holes with cones in them in the photos above show where supports for a huge shade structure will be going.
Adding more shade to the water park seems to be a running theme throughout the project. Messinger told me that by far the most common feedback they received from guests of the old park is needing more shade more shade, and more places to sit. The park plans to add at least a few new areas just for lounging in the shade. For example, expect a grassy area underneath the old slide complex and to the new Pacific Surge structure.
The wave pool area is getting upgraded with new “premium cabanas” in addition to the regular cabanas.
The last area getting an update is the wave pool toward the back of the park. The main change is the addition of new “Premium Cabanas”, which Messinger told me will feature TVs, and potentially waiter service for food and beverages. Speaking of food and beverage…
New Food and Beverage Offerings
South Bay Shores has two new restaurants coming. First, back by the wave pool you’ll find the Sand Bar. It’s an outdoor bar serving a wide range of drinks, as well as typical bar snack food (think things like sliders). They’ll also be the ones providing drink service to the cabanas, and will have shaded tables out front.
The new Sand Bar near the wave pool will offer drinks as well as small bar snacks (think things like sliders).
The signature new eatery of the water park is up towards the front entrance of South Bay Shores. Pier 76 Cafe is a cafeteria style restaurant with two mirrored ordering lanes. It’ll have California beach foods like fish tacos, as well as theme park classics like chicken tenders. A coke refresh station is on the side of the cafe entrance, and on both sides of the building you’ll find lots of shaded tables and seating.
Pier 76 Cafe is the new flagship restaurant of South Bay Shores. Two cafeteria lines for a large capacity, and space ample sahded outdoor seating on both sides of the building.
Pier 76 is also located close enough to the front of the water park that it can also remain open when the water park is closed. The gates for South Bay shores are further down the midway, which means that even during the off-season when the park is closed, or in the evenings after the water park closes, you’ll still be able to visit the restaurant. That makes it a nice addition for all guests to Great America, even those sticking to the dry park.
Along with all of the water park work, expect to see lots of small improvements throughout Great America. The park is taking advantage of their extended down time to touch up a lot of things that normally wouldn’t fit in the short off-season. You’ll especially see lots of fresh coats of paint on things, like flat rides that can be disassembled and painted at their in-house paint shop. I’d expect other small touches throughout the park as well.
Cars from California’s Great America’s Enterprise ride, orbit, await fresh coats of paint.
That’s all for now, but I hope to get back to CGA at least one more time during the off-season as progress wraps up on South Bay Shores, hopefully in a few months. Big thanks to Danny and Great America for the tour! You can learn more about the project from their website.
As always, make sure to follow us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram to stay on top of any other park construction and opening news. If you’ve got any specific questions feel free to ping us on one of those, or leave a comment below. I’ll do my best to answer it, or try to get an answer from the park. And
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