Great Adventure, 6/1/12

Since I haven't been to Great Adventure with the chance to get a lot of rides in, in almost 3 weeks (I did go 11 days ago but only rode 5 coasters so didn't post a report), I decided to run over for 4 hours after work.

I was hoping that since the park was open until 8:00, the school groups would be leaving around 4:00 or 5:00 and it turned out most left by 5:00.

I went to Nitro first with the line at the hot dog stand. It was around 15 minutes including a small delay of one row of a train having to be hosed down because someone threw up. The line was past the 60 minute sign by the time I rode the coaster so I planned to go back later for more rides.

Batman was listed on the closed rides board but was open with a 10 minute wait. I skipped TDK and figured I would ride it later when I went back to Nitro, but I ended up not going back to that area of the park.

Skull Mountain was next, 2 train wait for the last row. Coastin' Steve was at the microphone again with the evil laugh when every train dispatched which a lot of people seemed to like. I stopped at Blackbeard's since I just had to wait for the next train and then went to the Boardwalk.

The Parachutes were closed likely because of the wind so I went to Green Lantern. The line was in the switchbacks before the station and looked to be around 15 - 20 minutes but the single rider line was open so I just waited 1 train and got row 6. I walked around for another ride and there was an idiot in front of me in line. First he tried climbing over the rails at the beginning of the queue but had trouble (I walked through the queue and caught up to him so he saved no time) and then stopped and raised his arms up like he had a victory pose towards his group at the entrance who was riding for going over the rails. Then he stops at the single rider entrance and stares at the sign not knowing what to do. He decides on the single rider line and we get to the top of the stairs in the station, he said he didn't want to ride in a certain row. Then there was another idiot who jumped out of the single rider line into the main loading area. The ride op on the microphone saw him and and to tell him 5 or 6 times to get back into the single rider line. I really feel bad for the ride ops who have to deal with this on a daily basis.

It was starting to get cloudy and I thought it might start raining so skipped Superman since it looked like it was at least 20 minutes.

I went to Kingda Ka next but it had just broken down. The line was in the first switchback so I didn't feel like wasting time in line not knowing how long the breakdown would be.

Saw Mill Log Flume had a 5 minute wait and then I went to Runaway Mine Train getting 2 rides having to walk around once. Both times people trying to re-ride went to the row I was waiting for and the ride ops had to tell them they couldn't sit there because someone was waiting for that row.

Walking past the Northern Star Arena I saw that Third Story will be there tomorrow and Colbie Caillat and Gavin DeGraw will both be there Sunday so I'm sure this weekend will be very crowded.

Bizarro was running 3 trains with slow dispatches, double stacking every time. It was a 2 train wait and I walked around for another ride again waiting 2 trains.

Rolling Thunder had the right side running with 2 trains running. It was a 1 train wait and the ride crew was awesome with some of the fastest dispatches I have ever seen at the ride. They were barely stacking trains. I got a non wheel seat which makes the ride a lot better.

Kingda Ka was running again so I went there, waiting 3 trains and then 2 trains. The front row line now has a rope to connect the 2 switchbacks in the station for that line. It looked like it was at least a 30 minute wait for the front row. The first ride in the 2nd row was good but I then tried the 2nd row in the 3rd car and the coaster was rougher in that row.

It was 7:30 and since I only had 30 minutes until closing, I decided to ride Superman and then go back to Green Lantern. Superman's queue railings were recently painted since the grass around the railings was blue from the paint used on the railings. I waited 1 train for row 7 and could have re-ridden but decided against it and instead went to Green Lantern again hoping to be able to ride in the first row.

Again people were jumping over the railings. The single rider line was closed but wasn't needed because the station was half empty. I went to the front row line which would have been a 2 train wait but the ride broke down. I moved to the 3rd row thinking by the time the ride re-opened, they would only run 1 more train and I wouldn't be able to get a front row ride. It ended up taking a little over 10 minutes for the ride to reopen but since everyone waiting for the front row left, I moved into that line and was finally able to try the coaster in the front row. Before the train dispatched, someone people asked if we could get a double ride because of the breakdown. The supervisor at the microphone said she would think about it. Unfortunately when we got back to the station, it was a different supervisor who wouldn't allow everyone on the train another ride since it was just past 8:00.

It was another great trip to the park with short lines, I know in a few weeks it will be difficult to get so many rides in with little to no waiting.

I have been having a great deal of time crunch this season, so I envy you your quick trip with minimal lines. It is always nice there at the beginning of the season. Guess I will just have to become reacquainted with Flashpass Gold again. :(

If you can get during the week in the next week or two, crowds should still probably be ok. By late June, I usually stop going to the park and don't go back until after Labor Day since I'm not willing to wait in long lines.