For the Coaster Lover in You
Written: Apr 11 '01 (Updated Aug 30 '06)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Lots of roller coasters and thrill rides.
Cons: Long lines during peak season
Many rides closed during off-peak season.
The Bottom Line: If you are a thrill-seeker, this is the park for you. If you prefer calmer rides, I would recommend saving your money by skipping Great Adventure.
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| Stephy's Full Review: Six Flags Great Adventure |
ARRIVAL AND ADMISSION(aka be prepared to hand over your wallet)
You are just arriving at Six Flags and need to park. You have the option of regular parking for $10 or preferred parking for $15. My tip is to go early and get regular parking because you'll end up a few rows behind preferred parking.
You'll then approach the admission gate, hopefully with coupons in hand. Otherwise you'll have to pay full price, which is about $50 for adults and $25 for children under 48 inches. Luckily, coupons can often be found at local supermarkets and fast food restaurants or if you belong to AAA, you can buy discounted tickets through them.
THE RIDES
ROLLER COASTERS
Rolling Thunder...the park's only wooden coaster, it is an ok ride (but I personally don't favor wooden coasters)
Runaway Mine Train...a cute coaster, shaped like a train, this mild coaster has a few small hills.
Skull Mountain...one of my favorites. Although this coaster is mild, it is in the dark so you never know where you are going to turn next. (caution: some people feel motion sickness on this ride).
The Great American Scream Machine...this would be a good coaster (with its 7 loops) but it throws you around alot and you wind up with a headache.
Viper...a good coaster, you'll do a corkscrew roll on this one.
Batman and Robin: The Chiller...This is the only coaster that I haven't been on (reason: the line was too long one time and then it wasn't open another time). This is actually two different coasters, but whatever one you choose, you'll do the ride forward and then you'll do the whole thing again backwards.
Batman: The Ride...Another one of my favorites. Great Adventure's only suspended coaster, I feel sitting below the track gives the coaster a different appeal.
Medusa...This seems to be many people's favorite ride. You sit on top of the track without a floor beneath you (the flying chair). You can see the safari from this ride.
Nitro...The new coaster for 2001. When you first approach it, you have second thoughts because the first hill is a towering 215 foot drop. Although this ride doesn't go upside down, it turns completely sideways and the track covers one mile. This is an excellent ride for the coaster enthusiast.
Updated Section - Since I have written this review, there have been 3 new coasters added to the park:
Superman Ultimate Flight (opened in 2003) – it’s a flying coaster and it’s sure to knock any and everything out of your pockets. I had to go on it because I wanted to experience the sensation of flying but overall it’s a pretty boring coaster. Although when it does a nose dive, you feel tremendous G forces.
Kingda Ka (opened in 2005, although it was closed for a good portion of the year due to problems) – lots of hype around this coaster since it’s the tallest and fastest coaster in the world. The ride itself takes less than one minute to complete. (Of course getting through the line takes much longer though.) Personally for steel coasters, I’m a fan of inversions and not just height.
El Toro (opened in 2006) – a nice smooth wooden coaster. It’s the second fastest/highest wooden coaster and has the steepest drop for a wooden coaster.
Also the Viper Coaster which I had talked about above has been removed from the park to make way for these newer rides.
A FEW OTHER NOTABLE RIDES
Stuntman's Freefall...a fast 13 story drop (a free fall, just like the name of the ride)
Pendulum...this ride rocks back and forth like a pirate ship and spins at the same time. It looks like it should make you sick, but looks are deceiving, this ride is tame.
Evolution...this ride spins you and brings you up 9 stories to spin while facing the ground.
Escape from Dino Island...3d motion simulator, it's lots of fun with nothing to make anyone sick.
Water Rides...there is the Riptide and Saw Mill Log Flume (both log flumes fitting 5 people), Movietown Water Effect (large log flume fitting about 20 people) and the River Rapids.
There are also two children's areas (Looney Tunes Seaport and Bugs Bunny Land), but I am unable to tell you anything more because I don't have children and I am a little too old to be going on these rides.
Depending on when you go, there will be various wait times for rides. If you go early in the season or on an overcast day, you can get on a ride within 30 minutes, but if you go on a midsummer weekend, be prepared for waits up to 2 hours. Luckily Six Flags has implemented FastLane (a system where you make reservations for rides so that you don't have to wait in line). I have not yet used this because it was not crowded when I went this year, but it sounds good in theory...we'll just have to wait to see how it works out.
THE FOOD
Chicken, cheesesteaks, subs, pizza, fries, chinese, pasta...you're likely to find something for everyone in your group (but probably not your budget). My tip is to bring your own lunch and eat in your car or go down the street to the local fast food chain.
THE SHOWS
Great Adventure offers many shows (a rock n roll revue, a diving team, Lethal Weapon Stunt Show, fireworks, among others) which are perfect for when you need a break from all the rides. Although I have never seen a show completely packed, I would recommend getting there about 15 minutes early if you have small children to get a seat where they'll will be able to see.
THE SAFARI
The safari is free this year with regular park admission. You can either drive through (but beware the baboons are known to climb on people's cars and take stuff like windshield wipers) or you can take a train through for $5 per person.
LAST TIP
If you have an American Express card, use it. You can get a 15% discount at all food and souvenir stands (that accept credit cards); all you have to do is mention the promotion.
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
Stephy
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Member: Stephanie FZ
Location: Newtown, PA
Reviews written: 19
Trusted by: 15 members
About Me:
A late-20s Penn State Grad
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