State of the Park

[sharpr1]

Going off that I think it's fair to say that Great Adventure has completely missed this standard ever since El Toro opened. When talking to locals who aren't enthusiasts the storyline isn't that the park's fall from grace came because Ka came down, it's moreso Ka's closure was the icing on the cake. It's going to take a lot to bring back trust with locals, hopefully this ride is the first step in doing that.

Exactly. From the outside, a lot of gains into the mid-2000s, then everything basically stopped and so much of the park just aged and weathered and cut back. No offense to SkyScreamer, Wonder Woman, and Jersey Devil; much offense to you, Green Lantern. Great American Scream Machine coming down was a big blow given its status among average parkgoers and thoosies. And as you point out, Kingda Ka was the last domino to fall in a series of declines in the park overall. On top of the lack of theming park-wide in contrast to the distant past, parking lot coasters, aging older rides, and a widening empty gulf between the big thrill rides and kiddy flats, it just dragged the whole park down until 2025. I totally appreciate why casual parkgoers would just save up and go to Hershey or Dorney, or down to the Virginia parks, between 2010 and 2025. Ryan & Co's task is to give people a reason to come back. And it comes down to money -- new thrill rides, fill the family ride gap, increase the flats, fix up unreliable or aged older rides that can be draws, and less damn pavement and more landscaping and theming for heaven's sake!

 

[Nitro230]

Exactly. From the outside, a lot of gains into the mid-2000s, then everything basically stopped and so much of the park just aged and weathered and cut back. No offense to SkyScreamer, Wonder Woman, and Jersey Devil; much offense to you, Green Lantern. Great American Scream Machine coming down was a big blow given its status among average parkgoers and thoosies. And as you point out, Kingda Ka was the last domino to fall in a series of declines in the park overall. On top of the lack of theming park-wide in contrast to the distant past, parking lot coasters, aging older rides, and a widening empty gulf between the big thrill rides and kiddy flats, it just dragged the whole park down until 2025. I totally appreciate why casual parkgoers would just save up and go to Hershey or Dorney, or down to the Virginia parks, between 2010 and 2025. Ryan & Co's task is to give people a reason to come back. And it comes down to money -- new thrill rides, fill the family ride gap, increase the flats, fix up unreliable or aged older rides that can be draws, and less damn pavement and more landscaping and theming for heaven's sake!

I think the most symbolic of the ride removals was Rolling Thunder. That was such a beloved ride (and unfortunately a ride that would fit in the parks lineup so well today), my dad still talks about it to this day. It was essentially left to rot by corporate, and even when corporate wanted to give the ride new life the structure was too far gone to support the RMC conversion. So instead of solving the problem they just got rid of the ride altogether:

 

[DWNitro]

I think the most symbolic of the ride removals was Rolling Thunder. That was such a beloved ride (and unfortunately a ride that would fit in the parks lineup so well today), my dad still talks about it to this day. It was essentially left to rot by corporate, and even when corporate wanted to give the ride new life the structure was too far gone to support the RMC conversion. So instead of solving the problem they just got rid of the ride altogether:

Am I delusional to think we may get a spiritual successor to either RT/GASM one day?

 

[sharpr1]

I agree

I think the most symbolic of the ride removals was Rolling Thunder. That was such a beloved ride (and unfortunately a ride that would fit in the parks lineup so well today), my dad still talks about it to this day. It was essentially left to rot by corporate, and even when corporate wanted to give the ride new life the structure was too far gone to support the RMC conversion. So instead of solving the problem they just got rid of the ride altogether:

100%. I loved RT. It holds a special place in my heart as the only coaster my dad and I rode together before he had health problems that made such things impossible. That and GASM leaving were a complete sea-change in the park. Those were OG's from the first growth spurts of the park that helped put it on the map. Those plus Shockwave, Ultra Twister, and Lightnin' Loops were revolutionary coasters for their time. Places like Hershey have preserved some of their relic coasters. For all practical purposes, it ended being a trade of RT for El Toro. And I'm fine with that. ET is an all-time great wooden coaster in the world. But it was a legacy ride that should've been saved. It with ET would've been a perfect family and thrill combo longer than they ended up operating together. I will say this -- if they try to remove Batman, I'm rounding up a posse and we're headed to CF corporate HQ. That's another landmark as far as I'm concerned.

Am I delusional to think we may get a spiritual successor to either RT/GASM one day?

Not at all. I think another wooden coaster should be in the future if things go right in the coming couple of seasons with all the improvements. An RMC or a well-themed family wooden coaster like RT would be a great addition to the lineup now that El Toro is being fixed up for "another 20 years," as Ryan described the long-term plan for it. I want another giga as much as the next thoosie. But if you told me by 2036 the major additions were the Mack strata, a family Vekoma, and a wooden coaster (family or extreme), I'd be totally happy with that.

 

[northdetective]

I think the most symbolic of the ride removals was Rolling Thunder. That was such a beloved ride (and unfortunately a ride that would fit in the parks lineup so well today), my dad still talks about it to this day. It was essentially left to rot by corporate, and even when corporate wanted to give the ride new life the structure was too far gone to support the RMC conversion. So instead of solving the problem they just got rid of the ride altogether:

I remember being crushed by the removal of Rolling Thunder, and downright insulted by its replacement being a queue line. It was truly beloved by my (non-thoosie) parents and every other adult I knew. The year it went down, I found some random Boy Scout troop's coupon code that got Hershey tickets cheap enough to where my family could afford going, and that was my first self-directed amusement park experience. The park has earned my disdain for so long that I actually never rode Zumanjaro out of spite. I regret that now lol

 

[michaellynn4]

The park has earned my disdain for so long that I actually never rode Zumanjaro out of spite.

Yea I can see that.

I’m very happy to be able to say I was on the very last train open to the public for Rolling Thunder (they had it open for employees afterwards to get their own last rides in). Miss that coaster.

It’s crazy to sometimes look at just how many defunct coasters this park has had over its lifespan. 3-4 times as many as other parks just as old as it. Too many due to short term decisions made by ever-changing management teams. Here’s hoping this can be the new beginning many are hoping for.

 

[GASM]

No offense to SkyScreamer, Wonder Woman, and Jersey Devil; much offense to you, Green Lantern. Great American Scream Machine coming down was a big blow given its status among average parkgoers and thoosies.

Obviously I’m a bit biased towards anything to do with GASM, but this really is where it started looking back now. Replacing such a monumental coaster in the park’s history with a used coaster only 8 years newer (and imo, one that rode exponentially worse) was a major blunder, but it felt like it would’ve been a one off occurrence at the time. I’m not blinded enough by my love for GASM to believe it would last forever (or even that it would’ve still been around by 2020), but its removal was certainly at least a bit premature.

Some of the other most recognizable fixtures in the park followed with Rolling Thunder, Aqua Spectacle, and Great Lake Grandstand, but it’s also certainly at least a bit noteworthy that Rolling Thunder was the last coaster removal for 11 years.

Metropolis felt like a step in the right direction even if I really couldn’t care less about DC. It was great to see them finally tear down Chiller’s station and replace it with, for Six Flags, a well themed ride, and to follow up with a fairly unique ride in Cyborg and a much needed statement piece with Wonder Woman.

Losing Ka, Zu, Lantern, Twister, Cyborg, and DDD in one year was brutal, but at the same time, it’s really not like any of them aside from Ka were any loss. Zumanjaro probably would’ve been if it wasn’t so detached from the rest of the park (which is saying something with how detached Ka was), but c’est la vie. I hesitate to include Parachuter’s Perch and Skyride in the 2024 removals, because PP was “announced” in the same manner after the 2022 season and Skyride was VERY sporadic in 2023 + SBNO for all of 2024; it unfortunately just felt like closure when it was announced that it wouldn’t reopen.

They’re very clearly dedicated to revitalizing the park though, and it really shows. Rides aren’t everything when it comes to what this park needs (and are arguably one of the lesser concerns, even after the removals), and they had started acknowledging that even as early as 2024. Finally giving us a new lion statue, to me, felt like the sign of a new era for the park, and even if the 50th anniversary was mostly a bust, I’ll still stand by that. Maybe these next steps for the park aren’t exactly what most would’ve imagined at the beginning of the 50th anniversary, but they have to start somewhere.

 

[sharpr1]

The Coaster101 Podcast: Six Flags Great Adventure's New Coaster...And More! with Ryan Eldredge - Coaster101

There it is. "Now looking forward to '26 and '27, we're gonna give you more reasons to come back [to Great Adventure]," according to Ryan Eldredge. That's gotta be the drumbeat and management's focus in the coming years -- everything they do has to be geared towards backing up that statement. GAdv lost casual park-goers and that's the market they should target to earn back. Based on things Ryan has said several times in recent months, that's who it seems they're focused on. The park earned the loss in attendance and revenue, they have to earn the gains. Put the work and investment in. Seems like that's the plan at long last, thank God.

 

[nyxmike]

Some of you may have missed it, but in the Coaster 101 podcast interview with Ryan, he mentioned they are not only focusing on fixing the broken effects on Dark Knight but on a number of attractions... if they are broken they are fixing them. Curious if we will see anything on Batman, Justice League and potentially Skull Mountain? What other rides have effects that I'm missing?

 

[SweetBabyJames]

Some of you may have missed it, but in the Coaster 101 podcast interview with Ryan, he mentioned they are not only focusing on fixing the broken effects on Dark Knight but on a number of attractions... if they are broken they are fixing them. Curious if we will see anything on Batman, Justice League and potentially Skull Mountain? What other rides have effects that I'm missing?

Anything malfunctioning on Houdini?

 

[sharpr1]

Some of you may have missed it, but in the Coaster 101 podcast interview with Ryan, he mentioned they are not only focusing on fixing the broken effects on Dark Knight but on a number of attractions... if they are broken they are fixing them. Curious if we will see anything on Batman, Justice League and potentially Skull Mountain? What other rides have effects that I'm missing?

Nitro's paint effect is broken.

 

[AmyUD06]

Anything malfunctioning on Houdini?

Not that I noticed when I rode it last year, other than that stupid LCD TV they replaced the actual projector/screen with in the pre-show. For the love of dog do I hate that thing....it just takes so much out of the theme and environment.

The sides of the drum that are positioned under the seats when the ride is at rest could certainly use a repaint though, if not actual designs.

 

[jscll]

Anything malfunctioning on Houdini?

The crystal ball on the table. One of the keys does not light up. The floor needs to be replaced in the preshow room. The prop projector no longer light up or spin its prop film reels. The Chinese water torture chamber cannot be properly filled with water. Many of the candle light bulbs are out. The strobe light in the fireplace. Some of the ride audio speakers are not working; when Houdini's audio is supposed to circle you, instead it just fades out.
This ride also needs to be staffed with a third attendant, except perhaps on the slowest of days. Precounting the guests would speed up loading greatly.
If this ride could get investment, free ride lockers for bags would speed up loading greatly, these could be put along the path currently used by fast lane. Decorate the backside with brickwork.
I know fire standards need to be strict, but it would be nice if the exit signs could be turned off while the ride is running, it is not like you could use the door when the room is inverted.
They have been intentionally under counting guests onto the ride lately, I suspect an issue with the gondula rocking mechanism needs to be addressed.

 

[desardes]

Nitro's paint effect is broken.

He did call out in the podcast that the new park president/manager (I don't recall his exact title) likes to focus on paint/landscaping from their previous experience at Dorney. Hopefully we see a repaint soon.

 

[nyxmike]

He did call out in the podcast that the new park president/manager (I don't recall his exact title) likes to focus on paint/landscaping from their previous experience at Dorney. Hopefully we see a repaint soon.

I could see a Nitro repaint happening next year at the earliest. If they are truly retheming the area by Superman and the new coaster using an original theme, then they'll need to prioritize repainting/retheming Superman this year no? Superman would seem very out of place if it's not a DC themed area.

Side note - as someone with OCD, that random unpainted track on Superman's first drop drives me crazy so I hope they repaint/retheme it lol.

 

[desardes]

I could see a Nitro repaint happening next year at the earliest. If they are truly retheming the area by Superman and the new coaster using an original theme, then they'll need to prioritize repainting/retheming Superman this year no? Superman would seem very out of place if it's not a DC themed area.

Side note - as someone with OCD, that random unpainted track on Superman's first drop drives me crazy so I hope they repaint/retheme it lol.

Superman used to be the only DC ride in that area when GASM was around, I could see them leaving it for now since it's relatively well themed (internal to itself).

Edit: screenshot taken from Coliwood's track reveal video. They specifically didn't dig up the ground around the Superman logo, so I'd assume the theming there will stay for this year at least.

 

[sharpr1]

He did call out in the podcast that the new park president/manager (I don't recall his exact title) likes to focus on paint/landscaping from their previous experience at Dorney. Hopefully we see a repaint soon.

I do recall last year he was asked, maybe at the ACE event, about Nitro and said they plan to but it's not in their near-term plans. Take that as one will. Perhaps Superman gets priority if it is part of the area re-theme and Nitro comes down the line as funds allow.

 

[telamark]

They have been intentionally under counting guests onto the ride lately, I suspect an issue with the gondula rocking mechanism needs to be addressed.

This had made waiting for the ride totally unbearable.

 

[Great Adventurer]

The John Reilly tour continues. "High Priority" is a nice phrase to hear about your home park.

To view this content we will need your consent to set third party cookies.
For more detailed information, see our cookies page.

Accept third party cookies

Direct Link to Embedded Media Source

 

[GASM]

There’s been no doubt in my mind that one of the biggest positives of this merger will be Great Adventure finally getting the attention it needs, deserves, and used to get. I can’t think of any other park in the country that has the near unlimited potential it does between the metros it serves, the staggering amount of land it takes up, and vacant/should be vacant (Great Arena lol) plots in the park.