Today we’re going to try a new ride, and take a look at the end of an era in San Francisco’s amusement park history. Keep your feet and hands inside the column, Harley Quinn Crazy Coaster is (finally) cleared for dispatch.
Six Flags Discovery Kingdom
It was mid-June when I received a media invite to the grand opening of the Harley Quinn Crazy Coaster at Six Flags Discovery Kingdom . . . an event that was canceled within days. The invite and cancel pattern was repeated throughout the summer . . . a total of four times! Finally, the park has quietly opened the ride without fanfare, not even a mention in the passholder email.
So here we are.
The Harley Quinn Crazy Coaster was already cycling empty at 10AM, 30 minutes before park opening. And it was cycling empty at 11AM, 30 minutes after park opening. Also, those guys in the dayglow vests don’t look like ride operators.
With Harley Quinn down, I decided to ride her beau’s attraction. It is good to be able to report that The Joker continues to be a great coaster . . . and I kept riding and waiting for HQCC to finally open. Around noon maintenance handed off the controls to the ride ops. Finally, the closed sign was removed from the entrance.
10 other riders were already seated when I reached the head of the queue. So I’d be on the 2nd ride of the day . . . if only . . .
It did seem an unusually long wait for the restraints to open, then… “To those riders waiting for the Harley Quinn Crazy Coaster, we will be down for an extended period of time. Please exit the queue”. Well, I did try. So I’ll take a final glance at the unhappy people behind me as we left.
Here’s what this dueling looping coaster would look like if it had been operating:
Playland At The Beach
Until 1972, the coastal side of San Francisco between Golden Gate Park and the Cliff House restaurant, currently sporting condos, was home to Playland at the Beach. The park included a collection of rides and attractions including a Funhouse, Diving Bell and the Big Dipper roller coaster. Arthur Looff built the coaster in 1922, two years before he upgraded the concept to the Giant Dipper, still rolling strong at the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk. Looff’s father built the carousel at the Boardwalk, as well as the carousel in Griffith Park – YES, the famous one where Walt first thought of building Disneyland. Laffing Sal, a mass-produced cackling figure lorded over it all.
The area also included the Sutro Baths, a massive indoor swimming complex and esoteric museum. The ruined foundations are still present, one of the reasons the place has always fascinated me. One day I’ll go into the whole story properly, but the reason it’s relevant at this specific moment is because Playland Not At The Beach, a combination tribute, gallery, and arcade – inspired by the defunct seaside park – has reached the end of its life and will be closing on Labor Day with the building being demolished in quick fashion. Then the boss says “everything must go!”
Everything includes some Playland artifacts, but the actual facts are that there weren’t many artifacts from the old park to begin with. The end was unceremonious, and many of the few things preserved were only saved by scavengers slipping the fence to grab something. When Playland Not At The Beach started over 10 years ago, they could only locate 1200 photos from the park (compare that to the near certainty that 1200 photos were taken in Disneyland in the time it is taking me to type this parenthetical). So the space is padded out with some pinball and historic arcade games and an impressive collection of miniature dioramas, often with lighting and animation; the Circus display alone was hand carved over a period of 50 Years! The subjects range from Christmas and Halloween, to Charles Dickens and San Francisco. Walt Disney had a well-known affection for miniature displays of course, and one of the galleries is called “The Genius of Walt Disney”, unfortunately already closed. It is actually quite an appropriate gesture since George Whitney, one-time owner of what was then called Whitney’s at the Beach, was the only original Disneylander that had actual amusement park experience, and was Director of Ride Operations for four years, the 7th person hired by Walt for his fledgling enterprise. It all goes on the block September 15 (my birthday, I’ve got suggestions), let’s take a look around. Under the circumstances some glare was unavoidable.
And that’s just a superficial glimpse. For an estimated $20,000-30,000 you can bid on your very own Laffing Sal. With many lots featuring signs, photos and other printed material, most of the other offerings are projected for a Franklin or two, adjusted up if one desires a pinball machine or the wonderful Playland model. Find out all about it here: www.michaans.com
For further information regarding Playland at the Beach and the Sutro Baths, I highly recommend these two DVDs:
Hello and Goodbye
Finally, for those keeping score, Raul Rehnborg, general manager at California’s Great America, is departing to do the same job at Cedar Fair’s Valley Fair park in Minnesota. He will be replaced by Manny Gonzalez, who will steer the park as the mysterious Master Plan is implemented over the next few years. Other than that, I’m just waiting to see what is announced as the new ride for 2019 . . . but that will be another Day By The Bay.
