Six Flags Discovery Kingdom to get "biggest tree in the world"

[Brain Toad]

For the first time, Six Flags Discovery Kingdom is doing Christmas, and they plan to do it with a tree that's about 12 stories high.

The former Marine World park is bringing in what's being billed as the "biggest Christmas tree in the world," a park spokeswoman said Monday.


"The White House Christmas tree is 65 feet tall, and ours is 125 feet tall," said park spokeswoman Nancy Chan. "It's the biggest cut Christmas tree in the world this year."


The Douglas fir is expected to leave Egan Acres Tree Farm/ Willamette Evergreen Tree Farm in Salem, Ore., on Oct. 30, Chan said. It will travel by truck along Route I-5 and on Nov. 2, will be ceremoniously delivered to the park at about 11 a.m., via a BV234 Chinook helicopter.


Park employees will then go into "full decoration mode," as the tree, which will be set in the existing Dolphin Fountain location, is dressed for the holidays, Chan said. It will be ready for viewing when Holiday in the Park kicks off on Friday, Nov. 23, she added.


Discovery Kingdom is transforming the entire park for the holidays, Chan said.
"It will be the biggest holiday celebration in California," she said. "All the areas of the park will be holiday-themed, with a Candy Cane Lane, a Christmas tree


forest and a Salute our Troops area," where people will be able to write to those in the United States military. The correspondence will be sent to local service members, Chan said.

The park will also acknowledge Kwanzaa and Chanukah, though exactly how is still in discussion, Chan said.

Source: Vallejo Times Herald


That's a pretty big tree. I'm going to try and see it arrive on the 2nd if I can. I'm sure it'll be a sight to behold.

Will probably check out the festivities too, haven't been there since they changed names and seeing it for the Christmas season should be nice. Though I question their claim of the biggest in California, they've got some competition down in Anaheim for that title. Maybe they should've added the Northern part to California.

[sir clinksalot]

Tree is getting there Nov. 2nd, and the park is closed until Nov. 23rd???

Yeah, that makes sense.

[PirateMickey]

They must want it to "settle" before folks can enjoy it...

[Brain Toad]

Originally Posted by sir clinksalot

Tree is getting there Nov. 2nd, and the park is closed until Nov. 23rd???

Yeah, that makes sense.

They are going to go on a "decorating spree" for those few weeks apparently. The park is usually closed now anyway, so it's not a big lose.

[Skywaygrl]

Maybe we can set up a Nor Cal holiday meet.

[mouseinphilly]

*Bill O'Reilly impression* And it is another attack on Christmas!

[Brain Toad]

So on Friday I went out to try and see the tree. My plan was just to sit in the Target parking lot on the other side of the freeway and see what I could see, but the trees around the area have gotten taller and it's hard to see anything. Since I had time, I went up to the upper shopping area to see if it was any better, a little bit, but not much. I finally decided on staking out by Best Buy.

11:00 came and nothing. I was in Best Buy for a bit so I may have missed it, but I doubt it. I saw nothing but a crane on one side of V2 and that's it.

Then in today's Times Herald:

Originally Posted by Vallejo Times Herald

Piece by piece: A helicopter delivered 22,000 pounds of Douglas fir to Discovery Kingdom, to join the lower section of the 125-foot tree - along with several branches - that arrived separately.

What Six Flags officials call the biggest Christmas tree in the world was delivered to the Discovery Kingdom park by helicopter Friday. But not in one piece.

About 22,000 pounds of Douglas fir dangled some 220 feet from a red and white Boeing 234 Chinook helicopter as the tree was lifted from the main Discovery Kingdom parking lot, where it had been brought by truck. It was carried over the park and laid near the central dolphin-shaped fountain, which had been emptied earlier.


The 30-foot lower section of the 125-foot-tall tree arrived separately, and hundreds of branches that had been removed to make transport possible lay near the park's entrance. Those branches will be reattached "like LEGOs," said park assistant manager Tim Titus.

Not sure when they actually brought in going by this article though, maybe it was before 11:00. I don't know how tall the coasters are, so I don't know if you could see a 125 foot tree when you could see most of the coasters.



Here's some more information about the actual celebration

It will take about two weeks to fully decorate the reconstructed tree, Titus said.
"It will have 35,000 lights and garlands," he said.


What park officials say is the state's biggest holiday celebration deserved the world's biggest Christmas tree, Chan said. The tree will serve as the centerpiece of Discovery Kingdom's inaugural Holiday in the Park event, which kicks off Nov. 23, and will run through Jan. 6, she added.

I love that they are doing this, I'm hoping with Six Flags owning the park now rather than just managing it they can push it towards year round operation rather than seasonal. Though their claim of biggest celebration in the state may be a bit much.



Original article with picture of tree being hoisted:
http://www.timesheraldonline.com/ci_7361972

[SnowflakeSparks]

12 stories??? They could put a B&M Dive Machine coaster in it!

[Brain Toad]

Originally Posted by SnowflakeSparks

12 stories??? They could put a B&M Dive Machine coaster in it!

Looking at Wikipedia to see heights of the coasters, only V2 and Medusa are taller than the tree (both at 190 feet). Kong is only 10 feet shorter though. That's one huge tree!

[PinBrian]

Originally Posted by Brain Toad

Looking at Wikipedia to see heights of the coasters, only V2 and Medusa are taller than the tree (both at 190 feet). Kong is only 10 feet shorter though. That's one huge tree!

Wiki has the heights wrong. Both Medusa and V2 stand at 150 ft. V2 was originally about 186 ft, but due to height limits imposed by the city (150ft for coasters) it was closed for a bit and changed.

[Brain Toad]

Originally Posted by PinBrian

Wiki has the heights wrong. Both Medusa and V2 stand at 150 ft. V2 was originally about 186 ft, but due to height limits imposed by the city (150ft for coasters) it was closed for a bit and changed.

Wiki was right, I put the wrong numbers. Whoops. I remember when V2 was at 186, it looked a lot cooler.

[PinBrian]

Originally Posted by Brain Toad

Wiki was right, I put the wrong numbers. Whoops. I remember when V2 was at 186, it looked a lot cooler.

It was A LOT better ride too! Height did make the difference in that one.

[nemofinder22]

Hmm 125 feet is pretty damn huge for a tree. Hopefully I'll be visiting sometime this season to it for myself and to see how it looks. Plus to visit during the holidays is only $24.99 pretty good deal or if you purchase early its only $19.99 and the ticket is valid all the way through Jan. 6 2008.

Do keep in mind though the park is on limited hours and days
http://www.sixflags.com/discoverykin.../parkInfo.aspx

Nov-
23-25

Dec-
1-2
8-9
15-23
26-Jan 6, 08


Video of the tree being lifted into the park. haha love the news peoples comments . should be great to see once its done
http://cbs13.com/local/local_story_306185336.html

Pics of the trees journey-
http://www.sixflags.com/discoveryKin...stmasTree.aspx

[PanTheMan]

Very Cool