A Dozen Things You Missed If You Weren’t at Coaster Con 46

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originally posted on 7/15/2024

Photo: Dan Brewer. View full-sized image.

While last year’s record-setting Coaster Con 45 was great fun, it was all besieged with more rain than attendees preferred. Coaster Con 46 was an about face with glorious blue-sky weather all week. First timers to California had to learn the “sweatshirt two-step” of dancing around the question of if you really need it or not — for the next hour.

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Photo: Cheri Armstrong. View full-sized image.

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An abundance of ERT. Each park’s marquee attractions were spotlighted in the plentiful ride sessions. Six Flags Discovery Kingdom was cohost only one day, and the park threw every operating coaster into the two-hour ERT. Railblazer, Gold Striker, Grizzly, Flight Deck and Giant Dipper were showcased in more than one ERT.

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Photo: Jessica Knouse. View full-sized image.

Photo: Doug Perry. View full-sized image.

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There were presentations galore! California’s Great America offered a park history presentation themed to Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour. Six Flags Discovery Kingdom put on a sea lion show just for Con attendees. Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk brought in key members of the Canfield family for some retrospect, followed by Chris Baynum of Baynum Solutions, who gave a fun look at painting coasters. And that doesn’t even count the photo contest, video contest, Midway Olympics and ACE activities.

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A new duck! For ACEers collecting the themed ducks in the annual Rubber Ducky Regatta, a “tech” duck (for Northern California) came in both white and blue apparel.

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Photo: Jennifer Herchek. View full-sized image.

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Photo: Tim Baldwin. View full-sized image.

Giant Dipper’s 100th birthday was in full swing, and attendees were there for it. ACE Northern California had a plaque made, dedicated to the maintenance crews over the past century. By the following day, it was mounted at the entrance to Giant Dipper.

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Pins! For those who attended the annual business meeting, everyone in the theater received a Schwarzkopf documentary collector’s pin. At dinner on Thursday evening, Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk had a Giant Dipper anniversary pin at each table setting (and taffy!).

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Photo: Tim Baldwin. View full-sized image.

For goodness snakes, there were animals at lunch. Six Flags Discovery Kingdom brought in some live animals for ACEers to get an up-close encounter as they spent time in the picnic grove.

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Photo: Hae Kyung Thompson. View full-sized image.

Photo: Dave Jackson. View full-sized image.

Behind-the-scenes tours were everywhere. Giant Dipper wheelhouse? Check. Joker infield tour? Check. Back area Tidal Wave supports and cool haunts? Check. Shark encounters, maintenance shops, and lift-hill walks (for the lucky) … and the list goes on. It’s all the fun perks of being at an ACE event.

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Photo: Dave Jackson. View full-sized image.

Rus Ozana was surprised to receive an honorary membership during the annual business meeting, and Derek and Doug Perry were honored to receive the Philadelphia Toboggan Coasters, Inc. Manufacturer’s Award (i.e. “Spirit of ACE”) at the annual banquet.

Photo: Bill Linkenheimer III. View full-sized image.

Photo: Dan Brewer. View full-sized image.

Mike Boodley couldn’t have represented ACE’s slogan, “Connected by Coasters” better. From his enthusiast beginnings to his early work at Philadelphia Toboggan Company (thanks to Tom Rebbie) to an exciting career cofounding Great Coasters International, Inc. Boodley’s keynote address was full of stories and engaging insight.

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Food, food, food! ACE ate well. There were all the lunches and dinners, and snacks galore. The pizza night during ERT at California’s Great America was a huge hit. Six Flags Discovery Kingdom rolled out a charcuterie board (different! awesome!). Indoors, outdoors and on a private terrace at Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk — it was fun. Just when you thought you couldn’t eat anything else … “Oooo, a late-night chili dog bar!” Six Flags even had fun with an April’s Fool Facebook joke created by ACEer Adam Napotnik. It stated ACE was changing to American Catering Enthusiasts. The park contacted Adam for the humorous logo and served Con attendees in shirts with the tongue-in-cheek gag.

Photo: Derek Perry. View full-sized image.

Music had ACEers cutting a rug. California’s Great America kicked it off with live singers at the opening reception, and Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk closed it out with Aileen Quinn (from the movie “Annie”) and her band, the Leapin’ Lizards. She ended the performance with “Tomorrow.”