Ride With Us!
Welcome to the November 2009 edition of ACE NorCal News!
In this issue:
ACE NorCal Holiday Party 2009
Congratulations to Michael L. Boodley!
Welcome, Katherine and Margaret!
California’s Great America, November 2009 update
Gilroy Gardens, November 2009 update
Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk, November 2009 update
Six Flags Discovery Kingdom, November 2009 update
— Steven Wilson
The 2009 ACE NorCal Holiday Party will take place on Saturday, 5 December, at Playland-Not-at-the-Beach, the Museum of Fun located in El Cerrito (just north of Berkeley). The annual party is set for the first Saturday of December each year.
The ACE party this year coincides with Playland’s Roller Coaster Weekend. ACE members will get to see rare and intriguing, historic roller coaster exhibits and presentations. You will not want to miss it!
Stay tuned to your email in-boxes for more details on the 2009 ACE Holiday Party!
Also, don’t forget that Playland’s special weekend celebrating San José’s Frontier Village amusement park will be on 14, 15 November. For more information on Playland-Not-at-the-Beach, see: http://www.playland-not-at-the-beach.org
NorCal ACEer Michael L. Boodley, co-founder of Great Coasters International, Inc., was awarded Honorary ACE Membership at the 2009 Phoenix Phall Phunphest at Knoebels Amusement Resort in October. The award is in recognition of Michael’s numerous significant contributions to wooden roller coasters and the amusement industry. He also rode the Coney Island Cyclone into the Guinness Book of World Records! See photo above.
Way to go, Michael! Congratulations!
— photo: Michael L. Boodley collection
Assistant Regional Representatives Emi and Matthew Pearce welcomed new daughters Katherine Lee Pearce and Margaret Lee Pearce into the world on 19 October 2009! May the two sisters have a lifetime of fun-filled visits to amusement parks with plenty of roller coaster rides.
Congratulations to the proud new parents!
California’s Great America has closed for the season. Next spring, the park will reopen with Planet Snoopy replacing Nickelodeon Central.
For more information about California’s Great America, visit
the California’s Great America web site.
— photo: Steven Wilson
Gilroy Gardens is open weekends in November! Gilroy summers too hot for you? Now is the perfect time to visit the park and avoid the heat. Operating hours in November are Saturdays and Sundays from 11:00 AM to 5:00 PM.
Then in December, Gilroy Gardens is open for its annual Holiday Lights special event. For more details, see: http://www.gilroygardens.org/hl.html
For more information on planning your visit, go to
the Gilroy Gardens web site.
— photo: Steven Wilson
Endless Summer continues at the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk. In November, rides are open for limited operation on weekends and on Friday, 27 November. Get to the Boardwalk and get your fill of rides for the month. After November, the rides do not reopen until 26 December!
For more information on the park, visit
The Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk’s web site.
— photo: Steven Wilson
The park is open on weekends this month. Holiday in the Park begins on Friday, 27 November 2009 and runs through 3 January 2010. For full details see: http://www.sixflags.com/discoveryKingdom/events/HolidayinthePark2009.aspx
For more information about Six Flags Discovery Kingdom, check out their web site.
photos: Steven Wilson