Six Flags Great Adventure (SFGAdv) Discussion Thread

[mpmbee]

Headed to the park this Sunday for my first ever visit. I've been wanting to go to this park ever since El Toro was built so obviously I can't wait. Do people think it will be really busy this Sunday? I don't mind buying flash passes if necessary.

[coasterbill]

Unless you visit the park frequently I would almost always suggest a Flash Pass.

[Jodon]

I was at the park last Sunday and was very happy I had a platinum flash pass. The double rides on El Toro and Kingda Ka made it worthwhile. I think I got 43 total rides throughout the day due to the flash pass.

[boldikus]

Headed to the park this Sunday for my first ever visit. I've been wanting to go to this park ever since El Toro was built so obviously I can't wait. Do people think it will be really busy this Sunday? I don't mind buying flash passes if necessary.

 

 

The forecast is clear and hot (high of 90) and there is a Slurpee ERT and also a job fair.

 

Weekend days typically tend to be more crowded (lately seems like Sundays have been worse than Saturdays for some reason), but if you are proactive, get to the park before opening and head right to El Toro, enjoy some morning re-rides since it tends to not get a line for the first hour or so, then if it starts to feel crowded, head over to FP HQs and have yourself a six flags day!

[coneyislandchris]

I was there this past Sunday as well (donated blood at the Central Jersey blood drive and got a complimentary ticket), and had the complete opposite experience. To me it felt like a ghost town for a good chunk of the day -- it didn't really seem to start picking up and getting crowded until much later in the day, closer to 4:00-5:00 PM. I was all mentally set to buy a Flash Pass, but it simply wasn't needed.

 

I'll post up a TR later when I have the free time to do so, but needless to say, it was a pretty good if not lightheaded day

[mpmbee]

Cheers for the advice everyone, it's the first day of the holiday and so we'll be there for opening. Can't wait!

[strz]

Cheers for the advice everyone, it's the first day of the holiday and so we'll be there for opening. Can't wait!

 

 

Enjoy! I've lived my (whole) life no more than 1/2 hour from the park, thus know it like the back of my hand! All and all, I guess I'm fortunate, however- like many others, wish for many improvements. That said- I'm hoping you will share your comments on this post (Good, Bad, and Ugly!), so I get some perspective of what someone "new" at the park sees.

[larrygator]

Headed to the park this Sunday for my first ever visit. I've been wanting to go to this park ever since El Toro was built so obviously I can't wait. Do people think it will be really busy this Sunday? I don't mind buying flash passes if necessary.

 

 

The forecast is clear and hot (high of 90) and there is a Slurpee ERT and also a job fair.

 

Weekend days typically tend to be more crowded (lately seems like Sundays have been worse than Saturdays for some reason), but if you are proactive, get to the park before opening and head right to El Toro, enjoy some morning re-rides since it tends to not get a line for the first hour or so, then if it starts to feel crowded, head over to FP HQs and have yourself a six flags day!

 

IMHO - perfect advice

[woolandmammoth]

With August sneaking up, Im getting excited to find out what is going to be replacing nearly half of the lakefront area. Its a huge chunk of space and its right on the lake. I would be happy with an S&S freespin, but I can help but hope for something with a little more substance.

 

Its been 10 long years since we got a headliner. Since then we lost Chiller, GASM, and RT. If you count both sides, thats 5 coasters replaced with a terrible used stand up from the 1990s and a wild mouse. Yeah, Great Adventure has a killer line up, but as a local, Ive had 10 years of the same coasters. Its time for a serious addition.

[Jcoaster]

With August sneaking up, Im getting excited to find out what is going to be replacing nearly half of the lakefront area. Its a huge chunk of space and its right on the lake. I would be happy with an S&S freespin, but I can help but hope for something with a little more substance.

 

Its been 10 long years since we got a headliner. Since then we lost Chiller, GASM, and RT. If you count both sides, thats 5 coasters replaced with a terrible used stand up from the 1990s and a wild mouse. Yeah, Great Adventure has a killer line up, but as a local, Ive had 10 years of the same coasters. Its time for a serious addition.

 

Amen

[boldikus]

^^ Announcement isn't until Sept 3rd this year but I hope we get some clues/hints before then, I'm sure they are coming. I really really hope its not a free spin.

 

Anyone from here going to the park today able to report on wait times? Looks like I'm going after work for a bit tonight so bro-in-law can finally ride Namtab (and I can ride El Toro ).

[ejot]

The lines yesterday were oddly inconsistent. It was also the hottest day I've ever spent at the park.

 

Got there a bit before 1:00 and headed over to Ka. The first main switchbacks to the left were full and queue was spilling into the entrance hall toward the greeter. No thanks. Figured Zumanjaro would also have a wait but it was literally walk-on. Folks don't enjoy this, or don't know about it, or what gives?

 

The animal exhibit between Ka/Jaro and Toro was open, granting us a shortcut to Toro. I'd never seen this before but it was the most awesome-est thing in the history of awesome-ism. The animals were cute too.

 

Toro line was right to the churro stand. We hit the exit path 33 minutes later, not bad at all. Bull was hauling in the heat, WOW! Good ops.

 

The looping diablo dragon coaster was only filling a switchback and a half so we did it for the newness appeal.

 

Bizarro was 10 or 15 minutes to the station.

 

Nitro line was exactly to the 60 minute sign right before the switchbacks. We entered the station 14 minutes later (!) and waited one train for second-to-back row. The crew was decent but did manage to stack three trains here and there. Had one of my best rides here ever again thanks to the heat. The airtime bobs right before the station were even delivering. B train - very smooth.

 

Headed over to Namtab expecting a sizable wait. Surprised to see the walkway queue empty. Then surprised to see the long narrow switchback empty. Then surprised to see the tunnel empty... staircase... empty.... turnstile ...empty.... station ... three train wait for back (good view) row. I guess the locals have all one-n-done'd it? Anyway this was my second Namtab after Magic Mountain's and it was just fine, interesting, etc., but I'm totally ready for it to revert back to forward facing after one ride.

 

My friend had his mind set on riding bumper cars and we had a pretty terrible experience. Line looked like 2-3 cycles, not even filling the first row of switchback area. One of the three ops peaced out stage right, just as we got on line. She was the slow op, leaving only the (a) slower and (b) slowest ops to continue. At none of the ~30 parks I've visited have I EVER witnessed two more disinterested employees. Like he'd take a step. Then... wait for it... wait for it... another step! I poop you not, the cycles were 15 minutes. As I said, my friend's mind was made up so we stuck with it and got on better than 40 minutes later. The line was actually booing and yelling everytime they'd spend five minutes without making any clear progress toward advancing anyone's next ride. It was almost surreal.

 

Hoofed it over to Superman which was a walk-on but we waited three trains for the front. It wasn't running my last two visits and I really enjoy the Pretzel so this was a great ride. Was surprised to see the low line, as I've seen very long queues here before.

 

Their Huss Top Spin, Twister, had been closed for awhile earlier this year but it was running a program with six or seven flips. One of better programs I've had one these.

 

Ka was still an hour+ at that point and Toro looked like 45m+. It was getting late given our drive home, so we had to get on the road.

[DILinator]

First off: Baseless speculation ahead! You've been warned!

 

So, I was killing time the other day, and thinking about what Great Adventure might be getting next year. From following along in here for a little while, and checking out other rumors, it seems most think this will be a smaller sized addition, a 4D Free Spin at most. However, with this being one of Six Flags' premier parks, and especially with it having seen so many removals rather than additions in recent years, I couldn't help but think they were due for a large addition.

 

Thinking "bigger", I checked out the park on Google Maps, and noticed something that I found interesting... The closed off area on the lakefront which is obviously where at least part of the attraction is going, is almost a straight shot to the cleared out area where Rolling Thunder when down towards Kingda Ka. This got me thinking... Would SFGAdv possibly be putting in a Giga Coaster, potentially to break the record Fury set this year? Possibly a B&M, but I suspect an Intamin might be more likely. Either way, using my rough estimates, I calculated that if an Intamin Giga, with a cable lift straight out of the station went about about 330 feet, it would descend right about where the fountain is in the water between El Toro and Runaway Mine Train. From there, another hill going up and to the left on a diagonal would take the coaster over the midway, past El Diablo, and into the area where Rolling Thunder used to be. The coaster could potentially go all the way back towards Kingda Ka,utilizing the cut-out in the structure of El Toro that Rolling Thunder did even. There's tons of room for twisty sections, and airtime hills. I envision it coming back over the midways towards the station on a number of bunny hops. That seems like the most problematic part of my potential layout, but it doesn't seem impossible.

 

Ok, so it's probably way too fanciful to be at all likely, but it's a thought at least (like I said, I was bored, and enjoy envisioning coasters for parks!) The bottom line is, what do you think the possibility is of a Giga coaster being the 2016 addition? Also, do you think SFGAdv will put something in that vacated Rolling Thunder area at some point, potentially even with attraction 2016?

 

Personally, with that lakefront spot there, I would love a launched B&M wing coaster that goes out over the water, interacts with the Saw Mill Log Flume, before returning completely over the water! But I'm a big fan of coasters over water, particularly of the Flying, Floorless, or Inverted variety. Actually, a Giga that goes out over the lake, shares land with the Log Flume, and even goes out to the wooded area near the Safari before returning is probably even more plausible than my previous location for it!

 

Who knows... Maybe I'm thinking WAY too big... But I've always felt like GAdv is the East coast (and NYC) crown jewel of the Six Flags chain, much like SFMM is the flag bearer for the West coast, and LA market (and SFGAm is for the central, Chi-Town market.) With both of those parks getting some banner additions in recent years, it just seems like GAdv is due for something BIG! Let me know your thoughts... I'm curious what you regulars have heard, and or would guess from a closer knowledge of the park, and its workings.

[michaellynn4]

^ I've got a feeling that the dualing launched coaster they featured in rotation on the "potential attractions" email is the next potential addition, over in Movie Town to revitalize that area. If not that, then they'll retrofit the Right Stuff theater for JL:BFM a la SFOT. I don't see a giga coming to SFGAdv anytime soon.

[DILinator]

^ I've got a feeling that the dualing launched coaster they featured in rotation on the "potential attractions" email is the next potential addition, over in Movie Town to revitalize that area. If not that, then they'll retrofit the Right Stuff theater for JL:BFM a la SFOT. I don't see a giga coming to SFGAdv anytime soon.

 

A Giga seems like a great idea for SFGAdv, but I agree that I doubt it's what's coming...

 

Funny you should mention the JL:BFM, because after I posted all of that, I got to thinking about that very thing! Both that Movie Town is somewhat barren currently, and how much one of those would really perk that area up! Here was my thought, though... What if they were able to re-purpose the old B&R building, which they never took out (for some reason), put a Hall of Justice facade on it, and then work in the tower off to the side somehow? Or maybe that would be for the dueling launched coaster you mentioned, and the JL:BFM would be where the right stuff theater is (or maybe where Stuntman's Freefall was?) I feel like they must have kept the B&R buildings around all these years with the thought of re-using them someday... At any rate, all of that seems more likely than my Giga idea, but it doesn't really answer what they're going to add on the lakefront...

[Jcoaster]

^ While the giga idea you proposed would be freakin awesome, I can't see that happening even in my wildest dreams. If Great Adventure were ever to consider adding a Giga it would most likely be in the old Safari area away from everything else and it is a while off before they start expanding out there.

 

As for the dueling coaster idea that was being thrown around in some of the surveys, I think that could work. Primeir and Six Flags could give it another try an make up for the tragedy that was the Chiller.

[boldikus]

My current pipe dream is that we get a dueling Premier launcher with giant vertical loops in front of the lake - maybe interlocking as a tribute to Lightning Loops? Again, just a pipe dream but it would be awesome. If it is in fact true that Full Throttle only cost $6 million (quoting that from Wiki) I could see Great Adv doing something like this.

 

World's tallest vertical interlocking loops for a record breaker?

[DILinator]

I've been to SFGAdv more times than any other amusement park other than Cedar Point and Michigan's Adventure, as I have family that lives over in Lavallette. So, I really enjoy the park, and always look forward to returning!

 

Primeir and Six Flags could give it another try an make up for the tragedy that was the Chiller.

 

So, I have a question about The Chiller... I see you refer to it as a "tragedy" here. Does that mean you didn't like it? If so, was this the general attitude that many locals had about it? It's not often that coasters simply get removed after 10 years, so something (besides maintenance) was clearly amiss... I really liked the coaster, and it was my favorite ride there after my first visit to the park in the 90's! I still enjoyed it in 2003 when I returned as well (though I preferred Nitro more, at that point!) I'm just curious what your impression as locals is regarding this unique, and ultimately doomed coaster...

 

My current pipe dream is that we get a dueling Premier launcher with giant vertical loops in front of the lake - maybe interlocking as a tribute to Lightning Loops? Again, just a pipe dream but it would be awesome. If it is in fact true that YOLOcoaster only cost $6 million (quoting that from Wiki) I could see Great Adv doing something like this.

 

World's tallest vertical interlocking loops for a record breaker?

 

That idea sounds pretty cool to me as well, and given that price tag, certainly doable! One question: Is there a reason you'd want Premier, rather than Intamin, to manufacture the coasters?

[Password121]

I think by "tragedy" most would mean in terms of its operational lifespan and the modifications that had to be made, not the actual ride experience.

[DILinator]

I think by "tragedy" most would mean in terms of its operational lifespan and the modifications that had to be made, not the actual ride experience.

 

This makes sense to me, as that's pretty much how I feel about it! It was so much better the first visit I rode it (them) than the second visit! And then of course, by my third visit, it was all over but the crying...

[Jcoaster]

I think by "tragedy" most would mean in terms of its operational lifespan and the modifications that had to be made, not the actual ride experience.

 

Bingo. It was SBNO more than up an running.

[Jcoaster]

I think by "tragedy" most would mean in terms of its operational lifespan and the modifications that had to be made, not the actual ride experience.

 

Bingo. It was SBNO more than up an running.

[coasterkid124]

My current pipe dream is that we get a dueling Premier launcher with giant vertical loops in front of the lake - maybe interlocking as a tribute to Lightning Loops? Again, just a pipe dream but it would be awesome. If it is in fact true that YOLOcoaster only cost $6 million (quoting that from Wiki) I could see Great Adv doing something like this.

 

World's tallest vertical interlocking loops for a record breaker?

 

That idea sounds pretty cool to me as well, and given that price tag, certainly doable! One question: Is there a reason you'd want Premier, rather than Intamin, to manufacture the coasters?

 

A) US park chains are taking a break from Intamin due to controversy with the rides mechanical issues.

 

B) Just because it's an Intamin it will cost more.

 

C) I would prefer Intamin, but I don't know what budget Six Flags is looking at.

[boldikus]

I would prefer Intamin personally because I love them but I say Premier because their Sky Loops/Rocket/whatevertheyarecalled (Tempesto, etc) coasters look awesome and have gotten solid reviews, same with Full Throttle. I also loved Sky Rocket @ Kennywood.

 

Six Flags hasn't been using Intamin recently save for the drop towers, but used Premier for Full Throttle. Something similar to that coaster would be perfect for GreatAdv, imo, right in front of the lake - but it would have to be bigger/crazier than FT just for record breaking purposes. This is Great Adv after all.

[michaellynn4]

A) US park chains are taking a break from Intamin due to controversy with the rides mechanical issues.

 

That's such a misconception. The issue comes with many parks maintenance teams just not being experienced enough to work with Intamin's hardware. They really are more the Ferrari of the roller coaster world where a lot of the maintenance requires some specialized skill.

 

I have always found it interesting how European Intamin installations don't have anywhere NEAR the trouble that US installations do. Hmmm.....