Coaster Celebration 2006 at SFGA

I can't believe SFGA is charging $60 and NO ERT on KK. What's up with that??

Gnomes. Blame the gnomes.

I can't believe they're not giving more ERT on El Toro! Gosh! ;)

It's the same price as gate admission, and look at all the extras you DO get. And if you have a season pass, it's even better.

Where's the info at? I couldn't find any details on their website or Ace's. That fact that this is advertised to the public on their webpage and the season pass comment leads me to believe this is not just for card-carrying members of clubs, is that correct? I thought it was in the past. I appreciate whatever the parks offer us because who the heck are we? They don't owe us anything. It's just a hobby. I love the Eagles but the Eagles don't give me discounted 50-yard line seats. These parks are incredible and how many of them offer us activities. I always thought since we get ERT and usually meals, we should get charged at least regular admission. I'm still shocked at the prices we get sometimes, in a good way.

I copied this off of Great Adventures events page;

Coaster Celebration 2006 June 17
Calling all thrill-seekers! Enjoy exclusive ride time (ERT) on El Toro and other great coasters! Discounted tickets include parking, park admission, continental breakfast and a buffet lunch in the Old Country Picnic Grove. Plus...2 hours of ERT. Discount tickets are available for season pass holders. For reservations and information call 732-928-2000 ext. 2850.

Thanks Coasterphan, that's all I saw too. That's why I was wondering where the complaints were coming from because I haven't seen the itinerary yet and that doesn't tell us much. You could interpret 2 hours in many different ways in how it would be divided up among rides, morning, night, etc.

Great idea having Coaster Celebration on the weekend that ACE's convention is starting. I'll have to try and get to Coasters After Dark, since I'll be in Florida.

Then again, with the general public crowd that will no doubt be at Coaster Celebration, and El Toro being new, it's probably best that I will be in Florida.

So this really won't be much of a true "ERT" event for us coaster people because they have tens of thousands of season pass holders and of course many of them will jump at this opportunity. This is good information to know whether it would be worth planning for or not.

Seriously, we should have to pay more than gate admission if we're getting all of these extra benefits.

If it turns out the GP will be crashing our party (how dare they! ;)), I'll probably opt to visit later in the summer when I can take some vacation time off from work and soend more time in the Jersey area--I need to hit up Clementon and the Jersey shore. J2 beckons me! :) *** Edited 3/9/2006 3:22:44 AM UTC by Acoustic Viscosity***

J2 is the real deal. Very intense and out of control.

I was always stunned when I first got into the events. I'm thinking why is CP giving us 3 or 4 hours total of free time on the coasters and then charging us dirt cheap for that in addition to the full regular day THEN in addition to food or whatever else. It still doesn't make sense. They really are doing us a favor and catering to our hobby and being REALLY nice. Then you have Holiday World. We should have to pay twice as much for what they give us. It's always very appreciated and I cannot believe how many parks have jumped along for the ride to do this for enthusiasts. Like I said, what other hobby or strong interest of yours do you get the red carpet treatment from that thing or activity that you love? If you're a sports fan, you get taken to the cleaners to go to games and eat there even though us being there allows all involved to live their lucrative lives, and they could still live pretty lucrative lives off much cheaper prices on our end.

I have been to every CC since they started and theres never been over 400 people there. For the night ERT only about half are there. I get the best ERT on Nitro I stay on the whole hour without getting off. Last year I only paid $30 for seaon pass holders. In the morning I got 4 rides on KK and one on SUF for the 1hour ERT. CC has always been for everyone and its even in there brochures thats how I found out about it in 1997. When it first started it was a 2day event with 8hrs of ERTand now its 2hrs of ERT.

Ok, this is good information Ajrides. Now, we'll just have to wait and see the ERT schedule. I am hoping for Nitro and El Toro at night.

Posted on RRC:
Details:
June 17

8:30 - 9:30 a.m. ERT on El Toro, Rolling Thunder, Medusa and Mine Train

10 a.m. First riders of the day on Superman-Ultimate Flight

5-7 p.m. All you can eat buffet at the Old Country Picnic Grove,
including prizes

11:30 p.m. - 12:30 a.m. ERT on Nitro, Skull Mountain, Batman-The Ride
and Batman & Robin: The Chiller

$60 for non-season pass holders

$35 for Six Flags season pass holders

$10 parking per vehicle

PLUS - a processing fee of $6.00!

(pdf files of fth flyer are to be posted online soon)

Well, here come the delays;

The opening of El Toro has been revised and they are now hoping to open the ride by the end of May, around Memorial Day Weekend.

Let's start keeping our fingers crossed that it will be running for CC.

Earlier in the year CC was posted on the website to be in May and then it was moved back to the date it is now. I would bet that they are almost positive El Toro will be ready for June 17th. I will be at the event wether it's open or not. 1 hour on Nitro will make me a happy camper. No ERT on KK, oh well, this is probably since they can't be sure it will be operational for that day. Maybe if it's operational they will add it that day.

I will be glad for them having the event and enjoy myself no matter what is open that day but with the words from the new leader of Six Flags, I would be this event could be a big one. I wouldn't be surprised he shows up during the dinner times and speaks.

OH Great Adventure! Had me confused and was thinking SFGAm. For future reference JonnieP, we use SFGAdv for Great Adventure on this board. :)

^^ Just a random thought, why SFGAdv as opposed to just SFGAd? We dont call SFGAm SFGAme. Just a weird enthusiast quirk that may be interesting to only me.

Anyway, CC has been a fine event the times I have gone. My only question is, is there a decent hotel anywhere nearby? I am shooting a goose egg for "good" places to stay around there. I think the next time I'm going to stay near Princeton's campus...

2Hostyl, I would say that would probably be one of your best bets. Or maybe stay off exit 5 of the NJ turnpike (Mount Holly) and take the back roads to GAdv. I know there is a Hampton Inn Right at exit 5. The back roads to Gadv from there are about 20-30 minutes drive.

I wouldn't know about hotel quality for any of the hotels though since I am a local. *** Edited 3/9/2006 1:57:04 PM UTC by dragonoffrost***

If anyone wants these directions feel free to PM me and I can send them to you. These hotels also would be about midway between Clementon Lake Park and Great Adventure. *** Edited 3/9/2006 2:06:46 PM UTC by dragonoffrost***

Why does GAdv. insist on opening their coasters halfway through the season and setting event dates which keep getting pushed back or around or not having the premier coasters running for them?

Why open a coaster on april 1 when you can open it memorial day weekend and pack people in? NJ climate is not conducive to early season riding. Last year I wanted to wear skiwear on opening day.

Just open it when you know the crowds will come. It's not like they need the new coaster open for the first month of operation with the lineup they have.