Six Flags Great Adventure (SFGAdv) Discussion Thread

[xVicesAndVirtues]

We visited the park last week and I wasn't planning to do a TR but after reading these reports about the park's attendance this year, figured I would.

We had a great visit and I'd recommend a visit this year to anyone. Operations were crazy good everywhere except Superman Ultimate Flight, where they weren't exactly bad but had the typical Six Flags flying coaster struggles. Seriously, they were flying to dispatch trains at all the coasters in a way I've never seen at a Six Flags park before. Kingda Ka was running 2 trains/one station and they'd have the train out before the other returned. Ditto at El Toro and Medusa. The park was also clean and yes, completely empty. The only thing we were bummed about was Nitro being unavailable, which I hope is back in operation soon.

The only "Six Flags hot mess" thing we experienced was slow food service along with some of the food choices unavailable. We tried going to Yum Yum Cafe for lunch but after waiting about 5 minutes with the employees and customers both standing around looking confused with no food being served, we moved on to Garden State Grill. It was a little bit slow to order and receive food but we got our food in the end and the employees were nice about it.

Now, some pics.

 

You are legally required to take this photo if you visit this park.

 

As we parked, we saw Kingda Ka launch a train, soon followed by El Toro going up. Things are good. Oof, I will say that both Kingda Ka and El Toro were running kind of brutal on this visit, but I heard from a friend that El Toro got new wheels this week and is back to running great, which I'm super jealous about.

 

I honestly can't remember if this pre-entrance building was here last year, but being able to breeze through security without stopping (they have those wide-range metal detectors set up) was great. It also gives the park entrance a bit of a nicer touch.

 

Toro toro toro. My #1 coaster and there's no denying that first drop and orgasmic airtime. But boy did the turnaround and pullout from the RT hill hit hard that day.

 

The Intamin duo. Later in the day, the park was so empty that El Toro's trains were going out with 10 passengers or less. Riding in an empty train also seems to make for some rougher rides. In total we got about 8-10 rides before we had to tap out. I'm happy they replaced the wheels and maybe we'll make it back up later this year.

 

The Ferris wheel looking interesting with some gondolas missing.

 

Even though you may now purchase your marijuana legally in the state of New Jersey, Six Flags would still prefer if you partake elsewhere. Maybe setting up "designating toking areas" would help with attendance at this point?

 

A Green Lantern pic from the parking lot that I snapped on the way out.

In all, we rode El Toro about 8-10 times, Kingda Ka twice, Jersey Devil 4 or 5 times, Batman twice, plus one ride each on Medusa, Superman, Green Lantern, and Skull Mountain. Oh, and we even rode Dark Knight, a coaster I haven't been on since it's opening year.

We did all this in about 6 hours and we even left earlier than we'd planned to get some dinner. Check out Great Adventure this year, you might just have an awesome time.

[prozach626]

That building out front really added to the new premium experience. Time to add another themed area by painting Nitro black and calling it Cat Woman's shady alley, or something. Little would need to be done, aside from adding a few more 2D cutouts. It worked for Great America, right?

[coasterbill]

What's weird about Great Adventure is that it's probably the only park that really did improve the experience this year. They added that, painted 2 coasters (they never even paint one) and didn't get rid of Holiday in the Park. Most parks got a price increase, an operating season that's 2 months shorter and maybe a single rider line that's never used.

... it still couldn't be less of a premium experience if it tried.

[drevil0208]

Went yesterday for the first time. As others had said it was dead! Basically every ride we did was a walk on. Did Green Lantern, Superman, Kingda Ka, El Toro (4 times without getting off!), the Mine Train, Medusa, Log Flume, Swinging Ship, Jersey Devil (2 times), Nitro (2 times, not sure if this was its first time reopening), Batman, Skull Mountain, Dark Knight, the Houdini House and El Toro once more all in about 5 hours. 
 

Crazy amount of rides for one day. Loved our experience. 

[boldikus]

Thoosies should really be taking advantage of this park this season. Go forth and marathon.

Seriously, I'm considering a midweek hooky day visit as soon as this heat chills the f*ck out.

[CoasterAuditor]

Was at the park Saturday.  Saturday.  I rode El Toro 10 times in a row to start the day then at 2pm I rode Jersey Devil Coaster 10 times in a row (and other rides less than 10 times in a row)  It was absolutely mind boggling how dead the park was.

[KBrylczyk]

We're flying into Jersey to visit family in October so I looked into doing a Fright Fest night at the park.  I think I found the attendance issue.  Single day tickets are ONE HUNDRED DOLLARS. Now, I don't know about y'all, but there isn't a single Six Flags park in history or future that is worth that price.

Edit - Looks like they changed their pricing in the summer, but still, $75 on a Saturday is just dumb for this park.  I know Six Flags is pushing the memberships hard because every bean counter loves subscriptions but when inflation and gas is so out of control they're gonna be hard-pressed to get customers from NY and Philly to make the trek.

[Jason Maier]

3 hours ago, CoasterAuditor said:

Was at the park Saturday.  Saturday.  I rode El Toro 10 times in a row to start the day then at 2pm I rode Jersey Devil Coaster 10 times in a row (and other rides less than 10 times in a row)  It was absolutely mind boggling how dead the park was.

Holy Shucking Fit ..... I never thought I'd hear a story like this about GADv being that dead on a summer Saturday!

[coasterbill]

It’s seriously like this every single day now…

[AmyUD06]

On 7/13/2022 at 9:30 PM, xVicesAndVirtues said:

I honestly can't remember if this pre-entrance building was here last year, but being able to breeze through security without stopping (they have those wide-range metal detectors set up) was great. It also gives the park entrance a bit of a nicer touch.

 

The building is new but the scanners aren't; last year they were just housed in tents.

[itsme102]

Trying to plan my trip to the park next week,  quick question for anyone that’s gone somewhat regularly this season. Is there any pattern as to when Ka opens besides weather conditions? For example does it open later/close earlier than the park hours? Or is just kinda if it’s working, it’s running?

[boldikus]

I couldn't think of anyone better than @coasterbillto answer your question.

[coasterbill]

32 minutes ago, itsme102 said:

Or is just kinda if it’s working, it’s running?

It's basically this. It's scheduled to open with and close with the park but it's Kingda Ka. Also, the first bit of the day it might be "open" but it won't look open because they won't launch a train until it's full so 20 minute dispatch times are common considering the park has been empty all year.

[itsme102]

Thanks! It’s been at least 5 years since I’ve been and just reading through this thread it seems like this year is vastly different. Trying to maximize the opportunity for my younger siblings to get on Ka and Toro for the first time. 

[Jason Maier]

2 hours ago, coasterbill said:

It's basically this. It's scheduled to open with and close with the park but it's Kingda Ka. Also, the first bit of the day it might be "open" but it won't look open because they won't launch a train until it's full so 20 minute dispatch times are common considering the park has been empty all year.

Because if Kingda Ka doesn't have a full train before launch, the chances of it rolling back or stalling at the top are increased?

 

[coasterbill]

I don’t think it can stall at the top, but it’s more likely to roll back, yes.

[boldikus]

This is so insanely Six Flags. As seen in the GreatAdv Conn group on FB.

"We priced the trash out of the park, and then took a bunch of broken dirty old crap from the boneyard and threw it on this dead grass we have right in the middle of the park! Premium experience!"

 

[coasterbill]

Major update: the propeller fell off of the rusted plane thing. If you're going to the park specifically for this, consider postponing as this development may take your extremely-premium experience down to an only marginally-premium experience.

Oh, and sorry for the double post but I hope you're sitting down for the Fright Fest prices.

... just to compare, this is more expensive than some days at Disney World

This is for the same night. Great Adventure is only going to be open for 5 hours this night. HHN will likely either run for 6.5 or 7.5 hours this day based on previous years. Also, mazes are not included in the Six Flags price. Also their mazes are terrible.

Holiday in the Park is also all listed at $99, so... good luck with that.

[Chasehat]

$99 for Holiday in the Park?????? An event in which an entire side of the park is closed btw. Great Adventure does an incredible job during Holiday in the Park but that is absolutely outrageous.

[Satans Hockey]

These prices are wild, I have 3 memberships for like $13 a month that gives me access to all the six flags parks but I wonder how long they take to start forcing increases for memberships.  Especially considering the cost I pay for that for the entire year is almost the same price as that fright fest ticket. 

[tndank]

29 minutes ago, Satans Hockey said:

These prices are wild, I have 3 memberships for like $13 a month that gives me access to all the six flags parks but I wonder how long they take to start forcing increases for memberships.  Especially considering the cost I pay for that for the entire year is almost the same price as that fright fest ticket. 

A few parks have already started raising the monthly memberships costs.  Def coming soon.

[michaellynn4]

Let's not overlook that $14 "processing fee" that Six Flags is sneaking in there. More ways to squeeze out every drop of money, and something to not overlook when trying to make a baseline comparison of ticket prices across parks.

[Zand]

When I was at Disney in April, operations were so lackluster (by Disney standards) that I kept saying it really just felt like a day at a Six Flags park. Glad Six Flags heard me say their ops are on par with Disney so that they could match their ticket prices.

[Jason Maier]

Do you think crowds will pick up any bit for Fright Fest and/or Holiday in the Park?

I don't do Flash Pass for HITP; but I've done so for FF. With lower crowds this year, maybe FP isn't worth it (rides or mazes) for FF.

[coasterbill]

It will probably be busier for Fright Fest but not “Fright Fest busy”. If they keep the $99 Holiday in the Park prices that they have now then I expect it to be historically empty.