Six Flags Great Adventure, 6/2/08
Associated parks:
None
Nitro wasn't running, but wasn't on the closed rides board.
I checked TDK's line, it appeared to be 30+ minutes, went to Batman instead with a 5 minute wait. I saw Nitro opened up while on Batman and the line was just out of the station. By the time I got to the line it was already up to the 30 minute sign, and by the time I got to the station the line was almost to the switchbacks. Maybe the ride had been closed all day so everyone went to it once it opened but I never saw a line go from the station to almost the switchbacks in a little over 10 minutes. With 3 trains running, it was just under a 10 minute wait from the 30 minute sign.
Congo River Rapids was next. I never had ridden it before but people weren't coming off the ride soaked so I decided to give it a try. The switchbacks weren't used and the line was just past the 60 minute sign. I estimated it to be about 15 minutes which it was. People saw the 60 minutes sign and said they weren't waiting an hour and left the line. I said something to the 2nd group about to leave, how it wasn't 60 minutes and they purposely say the wait is longer than it is to get you to buy a flashpass. They were thankful I told them and they stayed in line.
It was a very good ride, you get wet but no waterfalls to soak you like at Dorney and Hershey so you don't need to wear a bathing suit of poncho.
The Skyway was running but was closed by the time I got to it. Skull Mountain was a walk on, I stayed on for 4 rides.
I finally got to ride the Saw Mill Log Flume. The line was up to the 120 minute sign with no switchbacks used. Again people thought the line was actually 2 hours. It was just over 15 minutes. The first lift hill really is shaky, but I forgot how much fun the ride was (haven't been on it in at least 6 years).
The Skyway had just opened up so it was a 1 car wait. I took the round trip by exiting and then waiting about 10 minutes for the return trip to the fort. Runaway Mine Train also was a walk on. Medusa was running 3 trains but they were stacking and sometimes double stacking. The line was at the 30 minute sign, it took just over 10 minutes to ride.
Rolling Thunder really needs to have faster dispatches. It took 3 - 4 minutes for each train to dispatch and one train overshot the air gates so people were boarding other's rows including my row so I had to wait an extra train. It took 15 minutes from the time I got in line from when I exited and I only had to wait 2 trains.
Kingda Ka was broken down, tons of people were leaving the line and I didn't have much time left so I skipped it and went to GASM. Walk on with 2 trains. Superman appeared to have a 20 minute wait, but it broke down about 10 minutes into the line so I left.
I went back to Movietown for 3 more rides on Batman, 1 more ride on Nitro and finished the day with the Dark Knight. 10 minute wait to get into the pre-show. The reaction of people exiting the ride was horrible today. Tons of negative comments and I didn't see anyone say anything positive. Everyone was talking loudly during the pre-show. Not that I cared as I have seen it 3 times already and just wanted to get on the ride but no one seemed interested in it. The total wait was around 20 minutes, which is about all I'm willing to wait for it. It was 6:15 at this point and the park was closed.
Overall lines weren't as bad as I thought they were going to be
Ride Count:
Nitro - 2
Batman - 4
Saw Mill Log Flume - 1
Medusa - 1
Skyway - 2 (1 round trip)
Skull Mountain - 4
Rolling Thunder Left - 1
Runaway Mine Train - 2
The Dark Knight - 1
Blackbeard's Lost Treasure Train - 1
Great American Scream Machine - 1
Congo River Rapids - 1
In comparisons with other hypercoasters that you have ridden, how do you like Nitro? I've heard it's pretty kick@$$. Are there frequent shutdowns of it?
"Look at us spinning out in the madness of a roller coaster" - Dave Matthews Band
In addition, I think the ride operations issue on his visit had more to do with weather (which wasn't great the day before) and the fact that the park had limited operations....with a closing time of 6:00, urgency and employee available was not at its height! Under Shapiro ride operations have been much more reliable and his trip was not the norm.
As far as Nitro, a ride op last year told me Nitro was their most reliable coaster, and I'd say that is the case! IMO, Nitro is the best B&M hyper there is (haven't been on Behemoth yet), due in part to it not being as trimmed out as many others.
If GAdv was a little more well-rounded it'd be my favorite park by far!! (currently CP is for me) But GASM, Superman, Batman, Skull Mountain, and RT are just so blah that CP's coaster line up is better despite no Flash Passing or not having El Toro, which is my fav coaster of all!!
We have not been to Great Adventure since El Toro opened... I was pleased to see major improvements in both the Golden Kingdom and Plaza Del Carnival, but this park really needs some flat rides. Even if they are just carnival flats, something to help ease the lines on the coasters. We have had flashpass before, and this is the only park where our flashpass wait was more than 1 hour for a ride.
One thing I would like to see happen is the useage of the old Chiller building/observatory as a dark ride simmilar to Darkastle or Spiderman. Theme it JLA (since SF still has the rights to DC Comics themeing) and make sure it is on par with the other two i mentioned.
bunky666 said:
I always hesitate to go to Great Adventure because it is just far enough away that if I'm going to wait in lines all day, I just don't want to bother. I'm spoiled by Dorney Park's typical walk-on coasters and rides. What's up with everything being shut down? Would you say this is a typical problem at Great Adventure, or were you just there on a somewhat unlucky day?In comparisons with other hypercoasters that you have ridden, how do you like Nitro? I've heard it's pretty kick@$$. Are there frequent shutdowns of it?
I was always avoided Great Adventure in past years because of the lines when Dorney had walk ons like you mentioned as well as some other reasons such as high prices and bad operations. I didn't even go to the park from 2003 - 2006 despite living a little over 45 minutes away (and only went in 2000 - 2002 because I had free tickets).
I had an awesome visit last year in April with basically all walk ons so I decided to get the season pass this year when it was $59.99 during the 1 day special. I'm glad I got it as lines have been very short all season except 1 visit during Spring Break week but I expect crowds to pick up and I'll probably stop going to the park as much as I have been. The park is awesome but it's not somewhere I want to be when it gets the crowds it is capable of getting.
Superman has been closed on and off quite a few times when I have been to the park. Kingda Ka is the other ride that has broken down a few times as well. Everything else is mostly reliable.
Nitro is my favorite ride in the park and my #2 steel coaster. The only other hyper I have ridden is Steel Force (I don't really travel to parks and stay local) and although it's fun, it doesn't even compare to Nitro. *** Edited 6/4/2008 7:35:04 PM UTC by YoshiFan***
tigellinus said:
... but if you get a Flash Pas then lines are not that big of an issue.,.
Isn't it possible that Flashpass is making the long line problem worse?
Nice TR. I don't go to SFGAdv anymore. worse. park. ever. I might go sometime within the next 5 or so years to ride all of the new rides and then I'll take it from there.
-Travis
www.youtube.com/TSVisits
YoshiFan said:
I was always avoided Great Adventure in past years because of the lines...as some other reasons such as high prices and bad operations. I didn't even go to the park from 2003 - 2006 despite living a little over 45 minutes away (and only went in 2000 - 2002 because I had free tickets).
My first visit to SFGAdv was in 2002 and it sucked...hard.
I've visited a few times since then and it's been a little better every time. My last visit in 2006 was downright fun.
I'll get my taste of SFGAdv circa 2008 in a few weeks.
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