Six Flags Great Adventure, 7/11/08

This was my first trip to the park during the summer in around 8 years. All my trips in the spring were very good except for 1 but that was because the park was empty and I knew summer crowds could be bad.

The lot wasn't that full and the park was a lot less crowded than I expected. My sister was with me for this trip and I used a bring a friend for $14.99 coupon. We first get stopped by a survey person asking how many times we have been to the park this year, did we go to the park last year and most importantly, should the park focus on kiddie rides or thrill rides. We both knew right away the answer was neither and told her we wanted more family rides like flats, a dark ride, antique cars etc. That wasn't an option. There's the problem right there, they are asking people what kind of rides they want and the only choices are kiddie or thrill, with nothing in between.

Saw Mill Log Flume was first, just over a 5 minute wait. The ride was really bumpy today as the boat kept hitting the sides of the trough.

Both sides of the sky ride were running so we took it with a 1 car wait to go to the Congo River Rapids. 10 minute wait, also with both sides open but people didn't realize you could go to both sides so the ops had to go into the line to tell everyone (we knew but we were too far back before the split in the line). We went on 2 times, got soaked more than ever before.

Nitro was running 3 trains, 1 train wait for the 8th row. From the lift I saw TDK had an almost full queue, no way is that worth it.

I never eat at the park but we went to the Carnegie Deli, $9.99 for a Turkey Sandwich that we split. Not horribly overpriced but I still would rather go to WaWa.

We had just missed Dolphin Discovery by 5 minutes, since they don't let you in after the show started and went to check the Temple of the Tiger showtimes. We had an hour to kill so we took the skyway again to Looney Tunes Seaport and went on a few rides, took the skyway back to Frontier Adventures and went to see the show. It was about what I had expected, they did some cool tricks with the tigers but it was only around 15 minutes. I also saw they were selling food before the show started. People were complaining at the $4.00 for a bag of popcorn, $4.50 for a frozen drink and $7.50 for a cotton candy bucket but the worker sold almost everything he had with the arena about 2/3 full.

We went to Batman the ride next which was the low point of the day. My sister doesn't ride coasters except for a select few like Roller Soaker and the Flitzer in Ocean City, NJ. She had a small bag with her. They stop us and say we can't take that with us in line. I tell the worker that she isn't riding. They then tell me that nothing can be taken in the line anyway and that if she isn't riding she isn't allowed to go in the line with me. I was furious at this. I was not going to stand in line and leave her alone outside of the line for 15 minutes. I have been against the locker policy and if we were both going to ride, I would have paid the stupid $1.00 locker fee but to pay to use a locker when she wasn't even going on the coaster was not going to happen. I didn't ride Batman today.

We went to Skull Mountain since that doesn't have that ridiculous locker policy and it was a 10 minute wait. The carousel was next. Six Flags should be ashamed of themselves to have the ride in the condition it was in. Every animal I saw had cracked and chipped paint and scratches all over them. I can't remember the last time I saw a carousel in such bad shape. We were going to finish the day at the tea cups but they were broken down.

Overall it was an ok trip but the incident with the lockers really put a damper on the day for me. I was going to stop at guest relations and say something but we didn't have time.

Ride Count:
Nitro, 1x
Skull Mountain, 1x
Skyway, 3x
Congo River Rapids, 2x
Saw Mill Log Flume, 1x
Carousel, 1x

I was at SFNE last sunday and we went through the same thing with the locker policy except for the fact that we all were going to ride SROS. We were going to give up and use a locker but one of my friends insisted that we ask a employee in one of the shops if they could look after our stufff while we wherer gone. She said no obviously and also told us that the policy might go away b/c it causes a bigger problem then it eliminates.

I was also very upset on my trip that I had to buy a new souveniour bottle. That policy bothered me more actually b/c it costs a lot more money.

Ooh, that locker policy!! Grrrr... ;) What was the problem if your sister wasn't going to be riding the darn thing? That's ridiculous, the dumbest thing I have ever heard in terms of the locker policy. Next time you go to the park, if that happens, you definitely SHOULD go to Guest Relations. To me, that is unacceptable. They shouldn't need your dollar so badly that they have to resort to THAT. This is one policy that I truly hope goes away. I feel there has to be a solution to this, like just allowing people to put stuff in cubbies like at Skull Mountain. Every OTHER park I have been to has these cubbies and they don't slow the load times down any more than Six Flags kicking people off rides because they put their shoes on the platforms instead of a locker.

I don't like the locker system as it is. Too congested at the entrance to rides is the biggest problem but IF they can get it to the point where they don't have to use the substantial resources they use to enforce it and they CAN increase dispatch times, I'm for the IDEA.

All the crap people carry at parks just seems insane to me and having people use 'cubbies' is a hassle and does increase load times. Step through the gates, put your butt in the seat, have the ride op check and let's get this puppy out of the station! Why does it have to me more complicated than that?

Yoshi, I could not agree more on your statement about the condition of that carousel. When I went to get on it earlier this year I almost got out of line when I saw it up close.

Perhaps I am spoiled by the carousels at HP and KG which are outstanding but SFGADV should be ashamed letting people on theirs in the condition it's in.

MR ZERO - - - > I didn't go on the carousel this year, but last year, there was only one op for the whole ride.

Due to its appeal to younger children, elderly people and the potential to load and unload on a flat 360 degree platform, there should be several ops on this ride.

The poor guy had to 1) Make sure all peeps were off. 2) open the gate and count new peeps,3) check each belt 4) start the ride. Granted this was done at a snails pace. I think it was easily five to ten minutes betweeen cycles.

I think this year there was music...but not a classic organ like at Kennywood, Knoebels or Rye.

"Big Job - Low Staff - Slow Guy - Yoshi Say Horsies Sick Too - ZERO FLAGS!"

I totally don't get the thrill ride/kiddie ride thing. What happened to the "family" emphasis Shapiro said SF was going for? Not all families have 3 year olds, and not all families have teens. There's a big gap in between they're not even considering, not to mention many adults who enjoy riding flats vs. coasters.

What are families supposed to do when the kids outgrow Thomas? Stay away for 5 years until the kids are ready to ride El Toro?

^People who live in NJ/PA shouldn't be allowed to mention Toro or Phoenix during operating season....it's disrespectful to those of us who have to fly there... ;)

Oh, and between Thomas and Toro, there's Skull Mountain and Dark Knight. No wonder kids get scared easily these days...

The locker policies this year have created problems at every SF park I've been to this year (oG, oT, FT, SFA, GAdv) - would be interesting to see how much cash they've gained, because they've definitely lost some goodwill. Of course, there is the flip side....lines do seem to move a little bit faster on the whole. Probably not a perceptible amount unless you've got whatever it is that causes me to overanalyze stuff like that. I'm customer-service driven, baby! :)

Love the locker policy (Not) Nitro. Can't take a fanny pack but sit on your sandals or flip flops. Sheesh, This is for safety?

Chuck

Several animals were completely missing (rehab?) from the carousel also. I believe there was music but it wasn't inspiring. I love HP's organ especially at Christmas. They should make ad CD of that music.

Charles, I had the same thought. It's not like there is any real consistency to the policy. I'm guessing banning park patrons from entering with any loose footwear is asking too much.

I will say loading on Titan is remarkablely faster with the new locker policy. They could actually run 3 trains without stacking more than 1.

Rollergator: TORO! TORO! TORO!! Going to ride it on Monday! :)

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RatherGoodBear said:
What are families supposed to do when the kids outgrow Thomas?

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Go to Disney.

Gah! Not going back to GrAdv tomorrow! :( I'll have to live vicariously through you guys after all. :)