Six Flags Great Adventure facts for kids
| Previously known as Great Adventure (1974–1977) | |
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| Location | Jackson, New Jersey, United States |
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| Coordinates | 40°8′15.71″N 74°26′25.65″W / 40.1376972°N 74.4404583°W |
| Status | Operating |
| Opened | July 1, 1974 |
| Owner | Six Flags |
| Slogan | The World's Ultimate Thrill Park |
| Operating season | Late March – Early January |
| Attendance | 3.22 million in 2016 |
| Attractions | |
| Total | 58 |
| Roller coasters | 14 |
| Water rides | 2 |
| Website | Six Flags Great Adventure |
Six Flags Great Adventure is an amusement park located in Jackson, New Jersey. Owned and operated by Six Flags, the park complex is situated between New York City and Philadelphia and includes a water park named Hurricane Harbor. It first opened to the public as Great Adventure in 1974 under the direction of restaurateur Warner LeRoy. Six Flags acquired the park in 1977.
In 2012, Six Flags combined its 160-acre (65 ha) Great Adventure with its 350-acre (140 ha) Wild Safari animal park to form Six Flags Great Adventure & Safari park. At 510 acres (210 ha), it is the second-largest theme park in the world following Disney's Animal Kingdom.
History
Warner LeRoy era (1974–1977)
In 1972, inventor Warner LeRoy developed concept plans for the Great Adventure entertainment complex, proposing seven parks be built within the complex: An amusement park, a safari park, a show park, a floral park, a sports complex, a shopping district, and a campground with beach/waterpark and stables. His proposal also included plans for hotels, which were connected to the parks and could be reached by boats, buses, a sky ride and/or a monorail. LeRoy wanted his parks to flow naturally through the forest and lakes, capitalizing on the back-to-nature movement of the era. He chose a property then owned by the Switlik family, in an area centrally located between the New York City and Philadelphia regions. The property on CR 537 had easy access to the newly-constructed Interstate 195, which connected central New Jersey to the New Jersey Turnpike (Interstate 95) and would eventually (in 1981) connect to the Garden State Parkway.
LeRoy collaborated with Hardwicke Industries, who previously built safari parks in Canada and Europe. Together, they set out to open the seven parks in stages over a 5-year period. After a 4,500 invitation-only guest opening on June 30, 1974, the Great Adventure entertainment complex opened to the general public on July 1, 1974, at a price tag of $10 million. At the time of the opening, only the Enchanted Forest and Safari parks were operational, and despite plans for a seven-park complex, only those three (if you count Hurricane Harbor) parks were ever realized, with elements from five of the other planned parks being used to create the Enchanted Forest.
The Enchanted Forest was designed and built to look as if it appeared through the eyes of a child. Almost everything was designed to be bigger-than-life. A Big Balloon was a tethered hot-air balloon that loomed over the park's entrance and was the biggest of its kind in the world. The Log Flume was the longest log ride constructed in the world at that time and it was accompanied by a giant "Conestoga Wagon", an over-sized log cabin restaurant called "Best of the West" and a huge Western Fortress, in the park's Rootin' Tootin' Rip Roarin' section. The Giant Wheel (now Big Wheel), then the tallest Ferris wheel in the world, and the Freedom Fountain, then the largest spraying fountain in the world, were located on the opposite end of the park. One of the few smaller-than-real life attractions was an outdoor walk-through attraction called the Garden of Marvels. It used working G-scale (o-g scale) LGB trains and boats amongst models of American landmarks and 1/25-scale recreations of European castles.
This miniature village was an idea taken from LeRoy's proposed Over the Rainbow floral park. A tree filled with snakes, a carousel, antique cars, koi pond, children's playground (called Kiddie Kingdom), petting zoo (named Happy Feeling) and a restaurant named Gingerbread Fancy (now Granny's Country Kitchen) were also borrowed from the floral park concept to create a section of The Enchanted Forest. This section created the park's main midway named Dream Street.
Shoppe Lane was named after a proposed "shopping extravaganza" park, which LeRoy had designed for the property. It lent its large open squares, huge fountain (Main Street Fountain), street performers (clowns and stilt walkers) and shops to the Enchanted Forest. Fairy Tales was the name of a shop that opened with the park in one of the park's over-sized bazaar tents. It sold stuffed animals and toys, including Superman. Other influences from LeRoy's proposal would surface in the years to come.
Neptune's Kingdom was a concept for a lakeside, aquatic show park. From its design came Aqua Spectacle, the home for dolphin performances and high dive shows. Today, the stadium features dolphins but is now known as Fort Independence. Neptune's Kingdom was designed to run the length from Runaway Train to Northern Star Arena, but most of its influences appear in the park's Lakefront area.
Rootin' Tootin' Ready for shootin' opened with Runaway Mine Train on the grand opening on Independence Day. A small compact coaster named Big Fury opened later in the season. The Sky Ride connected two ends of the park with stations in Rootin' Tootin' Ready for shootin and Dream Street. The double sky ride ran originally at the 1964–'65 New York World's Fair. The Great Train Ride was a small train ride that brought guests through a loop of the woods, rather than to a destination of another gate. A small handful of spin rides were located in the Strawberry Fair section and were as close to any thematic journey as the guests were going to take. The Fantasy Fling is older than the park and is the only survivor of these spin rides in 2008.
The Fun Fair area debuted in 1975 with several new spinning rides, a smaller Ferris wheel and a Schwarzkopf Jumbo Jet roller coaster. The coaster never opened and was removed at the end of the season. A second flume called the Moon Flume was built by Arrow Dynamics to ease crowds on the Log Flume. It was built on the opposite end of the park and the station turntable is used for the stage of the Wiggles show today. The Fortune Festival was a new game section that was located where the Boardwalk section exists today.
A large portion of LeRoy's vision for the amusement park that never came to be was the inclusion of dark rides. Although "Man, Time and Space", "The Keystone Cops" and "(Alice) Down the Wishing Well" (among others) never came to be, the Haunted Castle Across the Moat, which was added a few years later, took its cue from the rooms and monsters of the "Hotel Transylvania".
In 1976, the park's entrance was moved to a new central location, the same entrance still in use today. It was designed with an outer mall called Liberty Court and its Federal style architecture was influenced by the celebration of the United States bicentennial. An inner mall called Avenue of States was adorned by fifty state flags in the central corridor. Six flags remain on Main Street today. The Enchanted Forest name on the park was changed to the complex's main name of Great Adventure. The Strawberry Fair and Fun Fair names were discontinued and the attractions in these areas became part of the newly named Enchanted Forest section. More spin rides, "yummy yummy" food, shows, games and the Safari became a part of "the greatest day of your life." The park became a major attraction with dozens of rides, shows, and several steel roller coasters. The Big Balloon, Happy Kid Ride, The Gondola, Pretty Monster, and Super Cat were the first attractions to be removed from the park before a new owner would make big changes.
Penn Central / Bally's / Westray Capital era (1977–1992)
In 1977, construction began on a steel looping shuttle coaster called Lightnin' Loops (which was removed in 1992). Late that year, however, the park was purchased by Six Flags. This regional theme park company was owned then by Penn Central, which had large stakes in the Philadelphia and New York City regions. Six Flags added rides found in bigger theme parks such as the wooden coaster called Rolling Thunder in 1979, The Buccaneer (a swinging ship from Intamin), Roaring Rapids (now Congo Rapids, an Intamin River Rapids ride), Parachuter's Perch (now Parachute Training Center: Edwards AFB Jump Tower, an Intamin Parachute ride) and Freefall (later Stuntman's Freefall, an Intamin First Generation Freefall), all before the park's tenth anniversary.
1980 saw very few changes. In 1981, the park added a water ride called Roaring Rapids (now called Congo River Rapids). In 1983, the park added a Freefall Ride and in 1984, the park added a roller coaster called the Sarajevo Bobsleds but closed and removed Lil' Thunder, a kiddie coaster, keeping the coaster count to four.
Eight teenagers, including four students and one graduate of Franklin K. Lane High School, lost their lives in a fire at the Haunted Castle on May 11, 1984, sparking controversy over the safety of such attractions. After the incident, new fire safety laws were passed for amusement park fun houses and dark rides.
1986 saw the addition of a second looping coaster and the park's fifth roller coaster, Ultra Twister, with spiral inline twists. The ride was built next to Rolling Thunder, partially taking away the area's western theme. Another water ride called Splashwater Falls (which became Movietown Water Effect in 1992 and has since been removed) was added in which riders rode in a large boat which was pulled up hill and then down a steep waterfall, soaking riders. The new addition was made since attendance at the park had lowered since the Haunted Castle fire, and the park realized new additions were needed to keep the park alive.
Attendance dropped even further when an accident occurred on the Lightning Loops roller coaster. A teenage girl was thrown from the train because she was seated on the wrong side of the shoulder restraint. After the accident, new safety features were added not only to Great Adventure's roller coasters, but also to roller coasters around the world. Once again, Great Adventure set both a bad and later good example for the amusement park world. However, the accident was not good for the park's attendance. Attendance was so low, in fact, that in 1987 rumors began to spread that the park may close in a few years. At the end of that season, the park was slated to get a new multiple looping coaster but by the end of the year, it was decided that Six Flags Great America would get the coaster since Great Adventure was not seen as a good investment. At the end of the 1988, the park was about to lose its license to sell food, and attendance was so low park management realized a big new addition was necessary.
In the spring of 1988, it was announced that the park would indeed get a new coaster. Sarajevo Bobsleds was removed to make room for the new coaster, The Great American Scream Machine, which opened in April 1989. This coaster had multiple loops and for a month was the tallest roller coaster in the world and brought the park back to five roller coasters. The Scream Machine was removed in 2010 to make room for the new Green Lantern coaster.
In 1990, as part of a ride rotation program, a stand up looping roller coaster called Shockwave was added to the park. Shockwave had previously operated at Six Flags Magic Mountain. However, Ultra Twister was removed at the end of 1989 and sent to Six Flags Astroworld for the 1991 season keeping the park's coaster count at five. In 1991, the park added a huge complex of "dry" waterslides. While guests got wet on them, they could ride these with regular clothes or swimsuits. These slides were themed after the rivers of the world. Roaring Rapids, as well as the second flume ride in the park, were incorporated into this complex. Roaring Rapids became Congo Rapids, and The Hydro Flume became Irrawaddy Riptide.
Time Warner era (1990–1997)
In 1990, Time Warner acquired a 19.5% stake in Six Flags, then by the end of 1991 acquired an additional 30.5% giving them 50% ownership of the corporation, with the remaining divided equally by silent partners, The Blackstone Group and Wertheim Schroder. Time Warner used the opportunity to advertise and promote their movies through the Six Flags parks. Time Warner purchased the remaining 50% in 1993, then in 1995 sold 51% of the corporation to Boston Ventures. Time Warner, however continued to manage the parks through 1997.
In 1992, the eastern area or Fun Fair area of the park was re-themed Action Town, and then Movietown in 1993. A Batman stunt show was added and the announcement that a new inverted looping roller coaster called Batman The Ride would be added. Lightning Loops opened for the first half of the season but was disassembled at the end of July to begin construction of Batman. That coaster was sold to Premier Parks, which at the time was a different company than Six Flags (but would eventually buy Six Flags). Premiere Parks put one of the Lightning Loops tracks in Frontier City located in Oklahoma City and it still operates today. Premiere Parks put the other Lightning Loops track in their park in Largo, Maryland (near Washington, DC), then called Adventure World. That track was renamed the Python, which would be removed in 1999. At the end of 1992 the roller coaster Shockwave was removed as part of the "Ride Rotation Program" of Six Flags. Shockwave would be sent to Six Flags Astroworld and would reopen there in 1994 as Batman The Escape. So by the end of 1992 the park was down to just three coasters.
Batman, designed by Bolliger & Mabillard, opened in the spring of 1993 bringing the coaster count back up to four. In 1994, a motion simulator theatre ride was added. Initially, it was an airplane flying themed attraction but has since been changed to a Halloween theme in the fall over the years. A dinosaur theme and a three-dimensional dinosaur theme was also used for this attraction. For several years, it operated as SpongeBob the ride and then as Fly Me To The Moon. For the 2010 season, the attraction did not run and that building remained vacant for future use.
1995 saw the addition of Viper, a steel spiral looping roller coaster similar to Ultra Twister and in Ultra Twister's old spot, bringing the coaster count to five again. 1996 saw the addition of an indoor themed junior roller coaster called Skull Mountain. In 1997, a multiple looping dual track shuttle coaster called Batman & Robin: The Chiller was built but only opened for a day and encountered more technical difficulties. This coaster ended up not opening again until the spring of 1998. This coaster ran rather rough and was referred to as a "headbanger" as was Viper, and to a lesser extent The Scream Machine. The Mine Train and Rolling Thunder were also rough rides by then. Also, many flat rides were removed over the years and the park was showing signs of wear and tear, as well as obsolete attractions.
Premier era (1998–2005)
Premier Parks purchased Six Flags from Time Warner and Boston Ventures on April 1, 1998. The following year, the new management team added a dozen flat rides to the park and declared a "war on lines". The Adventure River complex was retired but the flume ride and the Congo Rapids remained. A kiddie water play area also remained as part of a new kiddie ride area called Looney Tunes Seaport. A junior roller coaster called Blackbeard's Lost Treasure Train (now known as Harley Quinn Crazy Train) as well as a kiddie roller coaster called Road Runner Railway were also added, but the star attraction was a floorless steel multiple looping roller coaster called Medusa (now known as Bizarro).
No changes were made at the park in 2000, but across the property on a separate parking lot, a Waterpark named Hurricane Harbor was built and opened at the end of May. This was also separately gated and charges a separate admission from Great Adventure. The park consists of a dozen waterslides, a kiddie water play area, and a wavepool.
In 2001, the park added another state of the art roller coaster called Nitro. In 2002, Batman & Robin: The Chiller was renovated and new trains without over the shoulder harnesses were added making it a much smoother ride. In 2003, Superman: Ultimate Flight was added. Exact models of this are found at Six Flags Over Georgia and Six Flags Great America. In 2004, new harnesses were added to the Runaway Mine Train and the up-charge attraction erUPtion was added to the Boardwalk.
In 2005, the park added the world's tallest coaster called Kingda Ka and also dismantled Viper. With the addition of Kingda Ka, the season pass holders entrance to the park was closed because Kingda Ka's footprint went right over it. A new children's play area called Balin's Jungleland was also added. In 2006, a wooden twister coaster called El Toro was added in the spot formerly occupied by Viper, along with a new themed area, and another kiddie ride area to replace Bugs Bunny Land which was retired at the end of 2004.
Shapiro era (2006–2010)
At the end of 2005, a proxy battle resulted in two major stockholders assuming control of the Six Flags Board. The Premier Group was ousted in December and the new board appointed Mark Shapiro as CEO. In 2007, the park added Wiggles World and removed Batman & Robin: The Chiller. The rolls were replaced with banked hills to enhance ride performance. However, the ride closed forever on June 28 due to technical problems with the ride. Disassembling occurred that September. In addition, the path leading to Chiller was blocked off and several rides including Freefall, Splashwater Falls/Movietown Water Effect, and a couple other flat rides were removed.
In 2008, in the area occupied by the Movietown Water Effect, a new junior indoor Wild Mouse rollercoaster was added called The Dark Knight. Motion Simulator Ride ended the SpongeBob theming in favor of Fly Me To The Moon. Also Glow in the Park Parade was added to the entertainment lineup.
Medusa was refurbished over the off-season and returned in 2009 as "Bizarro", a new incarnation of the same ride. The whole coaster, station, and surrounding theme elements were all changed and repainted to go with the new theme of the ride. Bizarro comic strips were put up along the queue line, and special effects and audio were added to the actual ride. The refurbishment brought crowds back to a ride that was beginning to lose its original charm and popularity.
Weber/Anderson era (2010–present)
The theme park's parent Six Flags emerged from a 2008-2010 bankruptcy with Al Weber Jr. as an interim CEO and subsequently by Jim Reid-Anderson in August 2010. The company parent also moved its corporate headquarters from New York City back to Texas where the company started.
For the 2010 season, the Motion Simulator ride Fly Me To The Moon did not reopen and was not replaced with anything and remained vacant. In April 2010, rumors also began that the Great American Scream Machine would be removed at the end of the season. By mid June, rumors were that the coaster would be removed on July 1. That date came and went but on July 5, 2010, via Facebook, Six Flags confirmed the rumored removal of the Great American Scream Machine on July 18, 2010. The ride closed on late on that date and was demolished immediately after to make room for "a major new attraction in 2011." On September 16, 2010, the park announced that the Green Lantern, a standup roller coaster formerly known as Chang at the recently-closed Six Flags Kentucky Kingdom, would debut in the Boardwalk section for the 2011 season. Green Lantern's lift hill and first drop runs parallel to the lift hill of Superman Ultimate Flight, which involved the demolition of a rarely used section of the preferred parking area.
In late 2010, Six Flags began the process of removing licensed theming from attractions. They terminated several licenses including their license with The Wiggles. Wiggles' World was renamed and rethemed to Safari Kids in time for the 2011 season. Also in 2011, eruption was removed. Construction for the new Funtime Slingshot replacing eruption started mid-June 2011 and was recently finished a few weeks after.
In 2012, Great Adventure introduced SkyScreamer, a 242-foot-tall (74 m)* Funtime StarFlyer, that soars riders in a 98-foot (30 m) circle at speeds over 43 miles per hour (69 km/h), that opened in the spring of 2012, along with bumper cars, flying elephants, and a musical themed scrambler that opened in the newly transformed area Adventure Alley (formerly Fantasy Forest area around the Big Wheel). On February 13, 2012, Six Flags Hurricane Harbor in New Jersey announced a new major water attraction King Cobra, that is the first in the United States. The ride Falls at Hurricane Harbor was proposed to get a transformation, giving it a trapdoor release in 2012, but was later cancelled for the new attraction King Cobra. Furthermore in 2012, Six Flags Great Adventure removed two of its four Johnny Rockets food stands, one located in Plaza Del Carnival and the other in the Boardwalk. Both were replaced with a new food stand named Totally Kickin' Chicken.
In August 30, 2012, Six Flags combined its 160-acre (65 ha) Great Adventure Park with its 350-acre (140 ha) Wild Safari animal park to form the 510-acre (210 ha) Six Flags Great Adventure & Safari park, the largest theme park in the world, at 510 acres. Disney's Animal Kingdom is the second largest theme park, at 500 acres.
On September 29, 2012, Great Adventure hosted the FestEvil, a festival hosting contemporary metal and hardcore acts. Falling In Reverse and We Came As Romans coheadlined. The show ended in a controversial manner when Falling In Reverse frontman Ronnie Radke threw a microphone stand into the crowd, injuring two attendees. Radke was arrested after the show, and subsequently a spokesperson for Great Adventure announced that the park would no longer host shows with metal bands.
On August 29, 2013, Six Flags officially announced the addition of Zumanjaro: Drop of Doom for the 2014 season a drop tower to be built on the vertical supports of Kingda Ka, as well as the removal of Rolling Thunder on September 8.
On August 28, 2014, Six Flags officially announced the addition of a Giant Loop from Larson International for the 2015 season, dubbed as Looping Dragon in Plaza del Carnaval section of the park. The Giant Loop was later renamed on January 14, 2015 to El Diablo.
In March 2015, Six Flags Great Adventure announced its plans to clear more than 18,000 trees to build a 90-acre solar farm with 21.9 megawatts capable of meeting virtually all of the theme park's electrical needs. On September 3, 2015, Six Flags Great Adventure announced they would open a 4th Dimension roller coaster in spring 2016, then dubbed "Total Mayhem". On November 21, 2015, Holiday in the Park, a Christmas event with millions of glittering lights and a meet and greet with Santa Claus, began for the first time at the park. On January 27, 2016, the park announced that "Total Mayhem" will be renamed to "The Joker" and that Blackbeard's Lost Treasure Train would be renamed to Harley Quinn Crazy Train. On September 1, 2016, the park announced Justice League: Battle for Metropolis 4D, featuring the first ever virtual loop. It is coming in 2017 and will go in the spot of the Chiller.
Timeline
| Year | Events | Image |
|---|---|---|
| 1974 | Safari Park and Enchanted Forest (amusement park) open. Rides (with manufacturer information included): carousel, Sky Ride, Giant Wheel, Super Round Up, Runaway Mine Train, log flume, Flying Wave, Traffic Jam, Swiss Bob, Calypso, Matterhorn, Woodland Express, Grand Prix, Pretty Monster, antique cars, and Big Fury. | |
| 1975 | Rides added: Jumbo Jet, Enterprise, Poland Spring Plunge, Lil' Thunder, Super Cat, Schwabinchen, Wild Rider. | |
| 1976 | Rides added: Musik Express replace Happy Feeling petting zoo; Pretty Monster moved to current site of tea cups. |  |
| 1977 | Rides added: Monster Spin replaces Pretty Monster in current tea cup spot, Gondola (added then removed at end of season) | |
| 1978 | Rides added: Lightnin' Loops, Wild Rider, Scrambler, Haunted Castle Across the Moat-a single haunted walk-through attraction added. | |
| 1979 | Rides added: Rolling Thunder, Spin Meister [since removed], second side of Haunted Castle built for regular season; Grand Prix cars removed at end of season. |  |
| 1980 | Buccaneer and Adventure Theater added; Six Flags Great Adventure Rail Road removed at end of season. | |
| 1981 | Roaring Rapids [Now Congo Rapids] added; Wild Rider removed. | |
| 1982 | Joust-a-Bout added [since removed] | |
| 1983 | Bally runs Six Flags; Stuntman's Freefall [since removed] and Parachuter's Perch added (the latter came from Six Flags St. Louis) | |
| 1984 | Haunted Castle is destroyed by fire, killing eight visitors. Sarajevo Bobsled added; Rolling Thunder Coaster 2's trains run backwards (known as "Rednuht Gnillor") | |
| 1985 | Looping Starship added (later known as Space Shuttle). |  |
| 1986 | Ultra Twister (TOGO heartline coaster) added; Matterhorn is removed and sent to Six Flags Atlantis in Hollywood, Florida, Swabinchen removed at end of season. |  |
| 1987 | Splashwater Falls [later known as Movie Town Water Effect] added; Scrambler moved to Swabinchen location; a management change at the end of 1987 re-emphasized family values at the park. On Wednesday, June 17, 1987, 19-year-old Karen Brown of Chester, PA fell 75 feet (23 m) to her death while on the Lightnin' Loops. She wasn't properly secured, and the ride took off. Karen was pronounced dead at Freehold Hospital with Basilar skull fracture from the fall. An investigation by the State Labor Department concluded that the ride itself was operating properly, but that the ride operator started the ride without having made sure that all of the passengers were secured by the safety harnesses. The Department's Office of Safety Compliance further concluded that the accident would not have occurred had proper procedures been followed. | |
| 1988 | Condor debuts on site of Calypso; Sarajevo Bobsled removed and sent to Six Flags Great America | |
| 1989 | Great American Scream Machine added; Ultra Twister removed before end of season and sent to Six Flags Astroworld | _01.jpg) |
| 1990 | Shockwave added from Six Flags Magic Mountain | |
| 1991 | Adventure Rivers (in-park street-clothes rubber-raft water slides) added (removed for 1999); Condor and Swiss Bob removed. Fright Fest starts. | |
| 1992 | Time Warner purchases Six Flags and renames the former Enchanted Forest section "Action Town" and builds the Batman Stunt Show Arena; Lightnin' Loops removed mid-season and is sent to Adventure World in Maryland and Frontier City in Oklahoma, Shockwave removed at end of season and sent to Six Flags Astroworld | |
| 1993 | El Sombrero (Swabinchen) added to Frontier Adventures, Batman: The Ride opens in May; Action Town becomes Movie Town |  |
| 1994 | "Right Stuff: Mach 1 Adventure" (Iwerks turbo simulator) added (runs Elvira Superstition during Fright Fest) | |
| 1995 | Viper debuts on June 1. | |
| 1996 | Skull Mountain opens the week after Memorial Day, Enchanted Tea Cups, and Lethal Weapon Stunt Show added |  |
| 1997 | Dare Devil Dive – a 155 ft (47 m) tall Skycoaster added, Batman & Robin: The Chiller is built but only operates briefly this season in June |  |
| 1998 | Batman & Robin: The Chiller opens regularly this season; the Adventure Rivers dry slides and Sky Pilot are removed at the end of the season in order to expand the ride offerings for 1999 | |
| 1999 | Medusa (now known as Bizarro)opens April 3. Other rides such as Blackbeard's Lost Treasure Train, Road Runner Railway, Looney Tunes Seaport (themed kiddie area), and Houdini's Great Escape added; a large collection of flat rides promoted as a "War on Lines" include Spinnaker, Time Warp, Pirate's Flight, Evolution, Jumpin' Jack Flash, Pendulum, Rodeo Stampede, Chaos, Twister, and Jolly Roger all open that spring, some on opening day, some later; "Escape from Dino Island 3D" replaces "Mach 1 Adventure;" Gotham City Carnival of Chaos replaces the Batman Returns Stunt Show; Hollywood Animal Actor Show occupies Bandstand on the Lake for one season; Great American Road Race (up charge go-cart track) opens on former queue for Mach 1 |  |
| 2000 | Hurricane Harbor water park opened as a separate admission park; employee housing (Six Flags University) opens on former site of ball field; Spinnaker removed after the season ends. | |
| 2001 | Nitro opens on April 7; short-lived Season Pass entrance opens; Slingshot and Turbo Force (up charge rides) debut; Viper stands but does not operate all season; El Sombrero, Centrifuge G Force (scrambler), and Time Warp are removed |  |
| 2002 | Pirate's Flight is removed by the start of season; The Summer of Festivals features a new theme and new exhibits each week through summer in central park; Viper reopens; Chiller's trains are modified by removing the shoulder restraints | |
| 2003 | Evolution is removed before the season starts and sent to Six Flags St. Louis; Superman: Ultimate Flight opens on April 17; ErUPtion (upcharge attraction) added; "Right Stuff Mach 1 Adventure" is brought back for one season; Jumpin' Jack Flash only operates for a few hours in 2002 and 2003 and it is removed at the end of season, Pendulum is removed by the end of season and sent to Six Flags Great America |  |
| 2004 | SpongeBob SquarePants: The Ride replaces "Right Stuff;" Batman: The Ride's supports are repainted midnight blue with yellow track, Main Street's buildings are repainted and new landscaping is added; the Season Pass Entrance and Bugs Bunny Land are discontinued at the end of season. Viper closes at the end of the season. | |
| 2005 | Chiller and Great American Scream Machine are repainted; Safari tours bring guests through the Safari via vans from The Northern Star Arena; The Golden Kingdom themed area debuts with Balin's Jungleland (children's play area), Temple of the Tiger (tiger exhibit), and Spirit of the Tiger (educational tiger presentation), Kingda Ka opens on May 21; Viper is demolished in June to make room for a new roller coaster; Taz Twister, Rodeo Stampede, and Chaos are removed (Stampede was sent to Six Flags Over Texas) |  |
| 2006 | Spin Meister is removed by the start of the season, Red Zone wins a take over battle of Six Flags and increases prices on admission, parking, and other items within park; Bugs Bunny National Park opens in March; Runaway Train's track is repainted orange, its supports are repainted red, and its trains receive new single t-bars; Flying Wave's opening is delayed by two months due to refurbishment; Plaza Del Carnaval, the re-themed Spanish section, opens just before Memorial Day, the Carnegie Deli restaurant also opens that weekend on Main Street; El Toro opens on June 11; Rolling Thunder is closed for most of the spring and two of its four trains are used on one side during most of its operation; Kingda Ka only runs two trains throughout the year; the Batman side of The Chiller opens on May 5 for the first time since 2004, the entire attraction is closed on June 2 and remained closed for the entire season after an incident on the Robin side; Stuntman's Freefall, Riptide, and Koala Canyon (the last of the former Adventure Rivers attractions) are removed |  |
| 2007 | Batman & Robin: The Chiller reopens both sides in April but is closed on one side mid June and on both sides permanently on June 28 due to more malfunctions; Wiggles World opens; Autobahn receives several new cars; Ben and Jerry's opens three locations in the park, a Cold Stone Creamery is added to the Quenchers building next to the Carnegie Deli, The Great American Hamburger is transformed into Johnny Rockets Express and Wok & Roll becomes Panda Express; Kingda Ka has four trains running, all four trains on Rolling Thunder are racing for the first time since 2005, a package pickup system has been established for merchandise with a pickup location by Guest Relations; Movie Town Water Effect is demolished during the offseason. | |
| 2008 | On May 15, The Dark Knight, a new indoor roller coaster based on the film of the same name, is added; SpongeBob SquarePants: The Ride is removed for a new ride called "Fly Me To The Moon;" two more Johnny Rockets and one more Coldstone Creamery open in the park; Old Country and Houdini's Great Escape are closed; the Super Teepee is destroyed in a storm and removed; Six Flags institutes a new locker policy to reduce the amount of loose articles brought into the station, $1 Lockers are available at each major coasters for one-time use of up to two hours; Cabanas are available for rental in Spin Meister's location; Space Shuttle and Flying Wave are removed | |
| 2009 | Medusa goes under a complete overhaul and becomes Bizarro, opens on May 23; the Big Wheel is repainted to resemble what it looked like in 1974; Mr. Six returns and is now a character in the park, he has a dance party every couple of hours (including 12:30 pm, 3:30 pm, and 6:00 pm) and does a small dance in the morning when the park opens; a cyber cafe opens next to the Carnegie Deli in Main Street. The Parachute Tower is re-painted with a blue, red, orange, and yellow paint scheme in September and Houdini's Great Escape is re-opened exclusively for Fright Fest. |  |
| 2010 | Hurricane Harbor adds a ProSlide Tornado scheduled for opening on Memorial Day Weekend, the water park's first new slide in nearly a decade. Many buildings on Main Street are refurbished and given fresh coats of paint. Fly Me To The Moon is closed for the season in preparation for a new major attraction for the 2011 season. On July 18, the Great American Scream Machine closes and soon after is demolished to make room for the Green Lantern roller coaster. | |
| 2011 | On May 27, Green Lantern (formerly Chang removed from the former Six Flags Kentucky Kingdom (now open under different ownership as Kentucky Kingdom), a green B&M stand-up coaster, is introduced at the end of the Boardwalk to coincide with the release of the Warner Bros. film of the same name. Slingshot, an upcharge attraction, is added, replacing erUPtion, also on the Boardwalk. Tango, a family ride, Bugaboo, a children's ride, and Foghorn Leghorn's Stagecoach Express, a mini-train ride, are all reopened after each spending at least a season standing but not operating. Fantasy Fling is repainted red and renamed "Tornado", since its sponsor is the food item Tornadoes. Coca-Cola Freestyle, a new refreshment restaurant featuring over 100 flavors of soda, opens, replacing Jersey Shore Candy. | |
| 2012 | In May, SkyScreamer is added into newly themed adventure alley section, along with fender benders and Déjà Vu, as well as Air Jumbo
Safari is closed on September 30. The Safari undergoes major renovations and redesign during the winter to unite Six Flags Great Adventure as one property. |
|
| 2013 | On May 23, Wild Safari reopens as Safari Offroad Adventures. On the weekend after Labor Day on September 7, Rolling Thunder, one of the park's two wooden rollercoasters, closes after nearly 35 years of operation. | |
| 2014 | On July 5, Six Flags Great Adventure finally opens Zumanjaro: Drop of Doom, which is the tallest drop ride in the world. It drops riders 415 feet at speeds of up to 90 mph. It is built on the face of Kingda Ka. | |
| 2015 | In May, El Diablo opens to the public. Holiday in the Park begins in late November. Fort Independence and the Great Lake Grandstand are fenced off and demolished for The Joker, a new S&S 4D free fly coaster. Batman runs backwards from July 4 weekend to the end of Fright Fest. | |
| 2016 | On May 27, The Joker, a new 4D Free Fly roller coaster replacing Fort Independence, Great Lake Grandstand, and Festival Stage. Hurricane Harbor receives a new family friendly water play structure expansion called Caribbean Cove in 2016. Blackbeard's Lost Treasure Train is renamed to Harley Quinn Crazy Train. | |
| 2017 | Justice League: Battle For Metropolis, a 4D Interactive-Gaming dark ride replacing Batman & Robin: The Chiller is announced. |
Attractions
Main Street
Main Street serves as the entry gate for Six Flags Great Adventure. It was originally entitled Liberty Court, and was built when the entrance to the park was moved from near what is now the Boardwalk area to a more central location. Main Street is themed as an Early-American town, somewhere around the 18th century. Later additions to Main Street have formed it into more of a turn-of-the-century town. In the front is Freedom Fountain, a popular meeting place.
| Attraction | Description |
|---|---|
| Main Street Market | Six Flags gifts, medicine, and cameras |
| Looney Tunes Shoppe | Looney Tunes and Justice League souvenirs |
| Sweet Treats | Candies, fudge, and caramel apples |
| My Six Flags Photo | Pick up your souvenir photos of today's visit |
| M-PORIUM | Featuring M&M'S and Mars candy favorites |
| The Flash Pass Headquarters | Purchase your ride reservation system |
| Super Hero Cape Cart | Capes from all your favorite DC Super Heroes |
| Liberty Square Gazebo | Home to seasonal shows |
Fantasy Forest
Fantasy Forest serves as the midway for the park, and was originally part of the entrance. Fantasy Forest is designed to make its visitors feel like children, and the section's bright colors and fanciful design give it a magical feel. The Yum Yum Cafe, (Previously "The Great Character Cafe), which is designed to look like a giant ice cream sundae, is in this area along with the colorful Carousel and Enchanted Teacups. Originally, this section was split into two sections; Dream Street, the east side featuring the Carousel, and Strawberry Fair, the west side featuring the Big Wheel and Fantasy Fling. During Time Warner's acquisition of the park, these two sections of the park were combined into one. In 2012, the east side stayed as Fantasy Forest and the west side was re-themed and transformed to Adventure Alley.
| Ride | Year Opened | Manufacturer | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Carousel | 1974 | Frederick Savage | The park's grand carousel, at the end of what was Dream Street. |
| Enchanted Tea Cups | 1996 | Zamperla | Tea-cups style ride with fanciful theming. |
| Houdini's Great Escape | 1999 | Vekoma | Vekoma Madhouse attraction; held in "mansion" and complete with Harry Houdini theming |
Adventure Alley
Adventure Alley, made up of what used to be the right half of Fantasy Forest, opened in 2012 along with SkyScreamer, a FunTime StarFlyer. The area has a retro theme, and features several classic family rides. It was built in a formerly barren area in response to complaints about there being a lack of family rides in the park. SkyScreamer, Déjà Vu (a Scrambler relocated from American Adventures in Georgia), and Air Jumbo (a Flying Elephants ride relocated from Balin's Jungleland in the Golden Kingdom) all opened in May, while Fender Benders, a bumper cars attraction, opened in early July. The area was sponsored by the Broadway show Jersey Boys, and as such, features songs from the musical as its soundtrack.
| Attraction | Year Opened | Manufacturer | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Big Wheel | 1974 | Anton Schwarzkopf | A large Ferris wheel that once held the title for the world's tallest Ferris wheel. |
| Air Jumbo | 2012 | Flying elephants style ride relocated from the Golden Kingdom section of the park. | |
| Adventure Alley Games | 2012 | Test your skills at our family-friendly games. | |
| Déjà Vu | 2012 | Eli Bridge | A scrambler style attraction accompanied by music. |
| Fender Benders | 2012 | Bertazzon | Bumper cars style attraction. |
| Kingpin Bowl-A-Rama | 2012 | Mini bowling game (up-charge attraction). | |
| SkyScreamer | 2012 | Funtime | A Funtime Starflyer model that swings riders 242 feet high in the air at 43 mph. |
Adventure Seaport
Adventure Seaport was introduced for the 2011 season. It is made up of two children's areas - Looney Tunes Seaport, and Safari Kids, and a small section of the park formerly part of Movietown. Note that attractions in Looney Tunes Seaport and Safari kids are not included in the attractions list below but rather have their own separate lists.
| Attraction | Year opened | Manufacturer | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Congo Rapids | 1981 | Intamin | Rapids ride; Congo Rapids was one of the first of its kind to open in the world. |
| Nitro | 2001 | Bolliger & Mabillard | 230-foot (70 m)-tall hyper-coaster, rated the 3rd best steel coaster in the world. |
Safari Kids
Safari Kids was added in 2011. It was known as Wiggles World from 2007 to 2010. Most of the rides were re-themed from Looney Tunes Seaport, while the section itself replaced an aging part of Looney Tunes Seaport and the outdated Riptide flume ride. The area was renamed and rethemed Safari Kids for 2011 when the parks rights to use the Wiggles brand expired.
| Attraction | Year opened | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Adventure Theater | 2007 | Home to kids' shows |
| Air Safari | 2007 | The only ride added with Wiggles World in 2007. Originally named Big Red Planes and rethemed in 2011. |
| Bugaboo | 1976 | A kiddie ride formerly located in the now defunct Balin's Jungleland themed section |
| Jumpin' Joey | 1999 | A children's drop tower that originally opened as Sylvester's Pounce and Bounce and was later named Bouncin' With Wags. Rethemed in 2007 for Wiggles World and 2011 for Safari Kids. |
| Raja's Rickshaws | 1982 | A kiddie scrambler transferred from Balin's Jungleland themed section. |
| Safari Tours | 1999 | A car ride that originally opened as Taz's Seaport Trucking Company and was later named Big Red Cars. Rethemed in 2007 for Wiggles World and 2011 for Safari Kids. |
| Sky Zooma | 1999 | A children's balloon ride that originally opened as Elmer Fudd's Seaport Weather Balloons and was later named Dorothy's Racing to the Rainbow. Rethemed in 2007 for Wiggles World and 2011 for Safari Kids. |
Looney Tunes Seaport
This children's section of the park, based on Looney Tunes characters, opened in 1999 with the War on Lines.
Attractions:
| Attraction | Year opened | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Bugs Bunny Barnstormer | 1999 | A plane themed ride spinning on two separate axis. |
| Daffy's Deep Diver | 1999 | A submarine themed ride. |
| Pepe Le Pew's Hearts Aweigh | 1999 | A miniature spinning teacups ride. |
| Road Runner Railway | 1999 | A children's roller coaster built by Zamperla. |
| Taz's Tornado | 1999 | A swings ride. |
Movietown
This section makes up of what used to be the "Fun Fair" and "Action Town" sections of the park. It is themed as a Hollywood back lot, complete with Hollywood style buildings, and movie-themed ride, shops, stalls, and other attractions. Most of the attractions include DC Comics (Batman and Robin, Justice League) Over the years, many of the movie props have been removed, and all the flat rides in this section of the park have been moved or dismantled, leaving the section with only two roller coasters. The addition of The Dark Knight Coaster meant the removal of The Movietown Water Effect, a themed Splashdown ride. Batman and Robin: The Chiller and Stuntman's Freefall (an Intamin free-fall ride) had already been removed; so now the section is relatively empty. Nitro was included in Movietown until the 2011 season, when it became part of Adventure Seaport. In summer 2016 permits were released for a Justice League:Battle For Metropolis dark ride in the Chillers spot.
| Ride | Year opened | Manufacturer | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Studio 28 Arcade | 1978 | Exchange game tickets for prizes (formerly known as Skeeball Barn) | |
| The Dark Knight Coaster | 2008 | Mack Rides | Indoor themed wild-mouse coaster. The coaster opened in 2008 to coincide with the release of the hit movie, The Dark Knight. |
| Batman: The Ride | 1993 | Bolliger & Mabillard | The second installation of B&M's Batman Inverted Coaster |
| Showcase Theater | Home to musical shows | ||
| Movietown Arena | 1992 | Home to special events | |
| Justice League: Battle For Metropolis | 2017 | Sally Corp | A 4D dark ride. Replaced Batman & Robin: The Chiller. |
Lakefront
Lakefront, as its name suggests, is found right on the lake in the back of the property. The rides and structures in Lakefront all have a nautical theme. The section also includes a Panda Express eatery.
| Ride | Year opened | Manufacturer | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Harley Quinn Crazy Train | 1999 | Zierer | Family coaster themed as a mine train. Was previously named Blackbeard's Lost Treasure Train up until the 2016 season where it was renamed to accompany the newly added Joker. |
| Buccaneer | 1980 | Intamin | Swinging-ship ride, themed as a pirate ship. |
| Jolly Roger | 1999 | Zamperla | Spinning ride, with a large skull sign |
| Skull Mountain | 1996 | Intamin | Indoor in-the-dark coaster. |
| Skyway | 1974 | Von Roll Holding | Aerial tramway relocated from the 1964 World's Fair to Frontier Adventures |
| Swashbuckler | 1974 | Hrubetz | Has been relocated and repainted several times, opened as "Super Round Up". Formally known as Fantasy Fling and Tornado. |
| The Joker | 2016 | S&S Worldwide | 4D Free Spin Roller Coaster taking the place of the Grandstand, Festival Stage, and Fort Independence. Was named Total Mayhem when announced |
Frontier Adventures
Previously known as "Best of the West" and "Rootin' Tootin' Rip Roarin'", the park's western-themed section is very picturesque. It is home to many of the park's most famous structures including the Fort, and the Best of the West restaurant, as well as some of the park's very popular rides. In 2009, Bizarro opened (formerly Medusa, opened in 1999) in this section, and though it is questionable how that relates to the Old West, Bizarro was given a backstory; relating to his takeover of the Medusa Mine. Frontier Adventures features Best of the West restaurant, one of the most popular eateries in the park. Frontier Adventures is now home to the Safari Off Road Adventure station. It stands on the former location of the Super Teepee and the Conestoga Wagon.
| Ride | Year opened | Manufacturer | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Safari Off Road Adventure | 2013 | Safari Off Road Adventure is a safari attraction. It replaced Six Flags Wild Safari, which closed on September 30, 2012, as a separate park. Wild Safari's 350 acres (140 ha), added to Great Adventure to create one park in 2013, made Six Flags Great Adventure the largest theme park in the world with 510 acres (210 ha) | |
| Camp Aventura | 2013 | On Safari, feed giraffes or ride the Soaring Eagle zip-line for an additional fee and meet our small, exotic animals | |
| Bizarro | 1999 (as Medusa) | Bolliger & Mabillard | The world's first Floorless coaster, featuring 7 inversions. Originally named Medusa 1999-2008. Must be 54 inches to ride |
| Runaway Mine Train | 1974 | Arrow Development | A mine train, The park's first roller coaster, themed as a mine train. Riders load in "The Fort", and go on an adventure through a forest, and over a lake. |
| Skyway | 1974 | Von Roll Holding | Moved from the 1964 World's Fair, was originally intended to travel almost twice the distance it does now, it also loads in "The Fort", and takes riders to Lakefront. In 2011, in addition to the red and blue cable cars, Sky Ride re-painted the new cable cars, which were added yellow, green and brown. |
| Saw Mill Log Flume | 1974 | Arrow Development | The park's log flume, with boats themed as logs that takes riders down and around an island. |
| Plymouth Rock Assurance Arena | 1974 | A concert stage with shows. |
Bugs Bunny National Park
Bugs Bunny National Park opened in 2006 along with El Toro. It has a series of camp-themed rides, all in a rustic area on the lake. Attractions include Bugs Bunny Camp Carousel, Bugs Bunny National Water Park Tower, Bugs Bunny Ranger Pilots, Daffy Duck's Hot Air Balloons, Porky Pig Camp Wagons and Wile E. Coyote Canyon Blaster.
| Ride | Year Opened | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Bugs Bunny Camp Carousel | 1979 | An Allan Herschell Company carousel, themed with posters for different Bugs Bunny cartoons, including "Knighty Knight Bugs". |
| Bugs Bunny National Water Park Tower | 2006 | A leaky water tower which can get guests wet |
| Bugs Bunny Ranger Pilots | 2006 | One of many airplane rides in the park. Relocated from Six Flags AstroWorld. |
| Daffy Duck's Hot Air Balloons | 2006 | A circular balloon ride |
| Porky Pig Camp Wagons | 2006 | Circular wagon ride |
| Wile E. Coyote Canyon Blaster | 2006 | Kiddie Music Express ride themed to race cars |
| Wilderness Theater | 1974 | Home to Looney Tunes shows for children |
This area was originally part of Frontier Adventures, and was also called "Hernando's Hideaway" for the opening of Rolling Thunder. This section of the park has heavy Spanish influences, including music, lights, and various structures including the station for El Toro. The whole area is very festive and is filled with vibrant colors and stucco buildings and Spanish tile roofs.
| Ride | Year opened | Manufacturer | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| El Diablo | 2015 | Larson International | 22M Super Loop. Originally named "Looping Dragon" when announced. Must be 48 inches to ride |
| El Toro | 2006 | Intamin | Prefabricated wooden roller coaster. Voted the world's best wooden rollercoaster by The Golden Ticket Awards for 2012. 48 inches to ride |
| Tango | 2006 | Zamperla | Rocking, spinning ride for families |
Golden Kingdom
The Golden Kingdom opened in 2005 with Kingda Ka on what was Bugs Bunny Land, the park's old kiddie-section. This section of the park is themed with many bamboo plants, stone temples, and more.
| Ride | Year opened | Manufacturer | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kingda Ka | 2005 | Intamin | Strata-coaster, the tallest roller coaster in the world as of 2015. Themed as a bengal tiger, the queue line takes riders through bamboo plants, and past the launch track. |
| Zumanjaro: Drop of Doom | 2014 | Intamin | The world's tallest drop ride, connected to Kingda Ka. Riders can see Philadelphia's skyline on clear days. |
| Splashwater Oasis | 2005 | Jungle-themed children's water play structure | |
| Safari Discoveries | 2011 | Guests will be able to get up close and personal with a variety of different animals from kinkachoos to sea lions. | |
| SeaFari Theater | 2014 | See "otterly" adorable Asian small-clawed otters up close |
Golden Kingdom is also home to three llamas, which are near the entrance to the area on Aldabra Island, formerly home to aldabra tortoises. Golden Kingdom is expected to receive an expansion, since one of the major paths in the area is closed off.
Boardwalk
Previously Fortune Festival, the boardwalk section of Great Adventure has games commonly found on boardwalks, boardwalk restaurants, and many of the park's larger flat rides. This area of the park was also previously themed as Edwards Air Force Base, and many of the theme elements from then still exist now, including "latrines", and the parachute tower's name. The section also has a slight boardwalk-influence to its rides.
| Ride | Year opened | Manufacturer | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boardwalk Games Center | 1976 | Video arcade games | |
| Dare Devil Dive | 1997 | Skycoaster, Inc. | Skycoaster, up charge |
| Games Square | 1975 | Win prizes at these boardwalk-style skill games | |
| Great American Road Race | 1999 | J&J Amusements | Go-karts, up charge |
| Green Lantern | 2011 | Bolliger & Mabillard | Stand-up coaster, featuring 5 inversions. Formerly located at Six Flags Kentucky Kingdom as Chang |
| Parachute Training Center: Edwards AFB Jump Tower | 1983 | Intamin | Gentle 23-story drop |
| Rockwall | Up charge attraction, rock wall | ||
| Slingshot | 2011 | Funtime (manufacturer) | Tall, slingshot ride, up charge |
| Superman: Ultimate Flight | 2003 | Bolliger & Mabillard | Flying coaster, featuring 2 inversions |
| The Twister | 1999 | Huss Maschinenfabrik | Top spin |
Former attractions
| Ride | Year Opened | Year Closed | Type | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boats | 1974 | 1974 | Flat Ride | Paddle boats that guests were able to use in the lake. |
| Antique Cars | 1974 | 1975 | Flat Ride | Antique car ride. |
| Jumbo Jet | 1975 | 1975 | Roller Coaster | It was built and tested only a few times before it was removed. It is unknown as to why it was never opened to the public. |
| Big Fury | 1974 | 1977 | Roller Coaster | |
| Pretty Monster | 1974 | 1977 | Flat Ride | |
| Enterprise | 1975 | 1977 | Flat Ride | |
| Gondola | 1977 | 1977 | Flat Ride | |
| Wild Flower | 1975 | 1977 | Flat Ride | |
| Haunted House | 1978 | 1978 | Walkthrough Attraction | |
| Super Cat | 1975 | 1978 | Flat Ride | |
| Grand Prix | 1974 | 1979 | Flat Ride | Antique car ride. |
| Alpen Blitz | 1976 | 1978 | Roller Coaster | Featured two cars that would push or pull the train along its course. |
| Great Train Ride | 1974 | 1980 | Transport Ride | |
| Wild Rider | 1978 | 1981 | Roller Coaster | |
| Super Sidewinder | 1976 | 1983 | Flat Ride | |
| The Screamer | 1976 | 1983 | Roller Coaster | Children's roller coaster. |
| Haunted Castle | 1979 | 1984 | Walkthrough Attraction | A walkthrough attraction that burned down killing 8 people. |
| Matterhorn | 1974 | 1986 | Flat Ride | |
| Calypso | 1974 | 1987 | Flat Ride | |
| Monster Spin | 1978 | 1987 | Flat Ride | |
| Paddle Boats | 1983 | 1987 | Upcharge Attraction | Paddle boats that park guests could use in the lake. |
| Skooter | 1975 | 1987 | Flat Ride | Bumper car attraction. |
| Tilt-a-Whirl | 1979 | 1987 | Flat Ride | |
| Sarajevo Bobsled | 1984 | 1988 | Roller Coaster | Was moved to Six Flags Great America. |
| Ultra Twister | 1986 | 1989 | Roller Coaster | Was moved to Six Flags Astroworld. |
| Condor | 1988 | 1990 | Flat Ride | |
| Swiss Bob | 1974 | 1991 | Flat Ride | |
| Lightnin' Loops | 1978 | 1992 | Roller Coaster | A roller coaster where one track was sent to Adventure World (now named Six Flags America) while the other was moved to Frontier City. |
| Shockwave | 1990 | 1992 | Roller Coaster | Was moved to Six Flags Astroworld. |
| Traffic Jam | 1974 | 1992 | Flat Ride | A classic bumper cars ride. |
| Virtual Revolution | 1995 | 1995 | Upcharge Attraction | A flight simulator. |
| Panorama Wheel | 1974 | 1996 | Flat Ride | Ferris wheel. |
| African Tower | 1991 | 1998 | Flat Ride | Was a part of the Adventure Rivers section that was removed to make more space for the mass amount of attractions to be added the following season. |
| Asian Tower | 1991 | 1998 | Flat Ride | Was a part of the Adventure Rivers section that was removed to make more space for the mass amount of attractions to be added the following season. |
| Joust-a-Bout | 1982 | 1998 | Flat Ride | Removed due to high maintenance costs. |
| North American Tower | 1991 | 1998 | Flat Ride | Was a part of the Adventure Rivers section that was removed to make more space for the mass amount of attractions to be added the following season. |
| Spinnaker | 1999 | 2000 | Flat Ride | |
| Pirate's Flight | 1999 | 2001 | Flat Ride | |
| Schwabinchen | 1975 | 2001 | Flat Ride | Removed at the end of the 1986 season but was added back in 1993. |
| Scrambler | 1978 | 2001 | Flat Ride | |
| Sling Shot | 2001 | 2001 | Upcharge Attraction | It was a trailer mounted attraction. |
| Time Warp | 1999 | 2001 | Flat Ride | |
| Evolution | 1999 | 2002 | Flat Ride | |
| Speed Sports | 2001 | 2002 | Upcharge Attraction | |
| Turbo Force | 2001 | 2002 | Upcharge Attraction | It was a trailer mounted attraction. |
| Jumpin' Jack Flash | 1999 | 2003 | Flat Ride | |
| Pendulum | 1999 | 2003 | Flat Ride | |
| Chaos | 1999 | 2005 | Flat Ride | |
| Rodeo Stampede | 1999 | 2005 | Flat Ride | |
| Rotor | 1975 | 2005 | Flat Ride | |
| Viper | 1995 | 2005 | Roller Coaster | The ride was closed very often and was considered extremely rough by park-goers. |
| Enterprise | 1979 | 2006 | Flat Ride | |
| Freefall | 1983 | 2006 | Flat Ride | |
| Hydro Flume | 1999 | 2006 | Flat Ride | |
| Alcatraz | 2001 | 2007 | Upcharge Attraction | The ride was not very popular as its entrance was hard to locate and guests didn't know what the ride was. |
| Autobahn | 1976 | 2007 | Flat Ride | Bumper cars. The ride building has been SBNO since 2008. |
| Batman and Robin: The Chiller | 1997 | 2007 | Roller Coaster | The ride was closed very often and opened almost a year behind schedule. The Batman side was troubled more than the Robin as it was rarely open throughout its lifetime. |
| Flying Wave | 1974 | 2007 | Flat Ride | |
| Looping Starship | 1985 | 2007 | Flat Ride | |
| Musik Express | 1976 | 2007 | Flat Ride | The ride was SBNO from 2008-2014 until it was finally removed during the middle of the 2014 season. |
| Splash Water Falls | 1987 | 2007 | Flat Ride | The name was changed to Movie Town Water Effect during its life at the park. |
| Eruption | 2003 | 2010 | Upcharge Attraction | |
| The Great American Scream Machine | 1989 | 2010 | Roller Coaster | The ride was replaced by Green Lantern. |
| The Right Stuff: Mach 1 Adventure | 1994 | 2010 | Flat Ride | Motion simulator that had many different films throughout its lifetime. The building is currently used for storage as the theater seats have been removed from the main show room. |
| Turbo Bungy | 2001 | 2011 | Upcharge Attraction | A trampoline attraction. |
| Rolling Thunder | 1979 | 2013 | Roller Coaster | Zumanjaro: Drop of Doom and El Diablo unofficially replaced it. |
Awards
Many of Six Flags Great Adventure's most thrilling roller coasters have placed in Amusement Today's annual Golden Ticket Awards. Below is a table with coasters at Great Adventure and their highest ranking in the Golden Ticket Awards.
| Roller Coaster | Highest Rank |
|---|---|
| Nitro | 3 (2007 – 2012) |
| El Toro | 1 (2012) |
| Bizarro (Medusa) | 9 (1999) |
| Kingda Ka | 25 (2008) |
In 2012, Six Flags Great Adventure, along with the Garden State Film Festival, was awarded the Tourism Achievement Award. Both were presented the award for their contributions to improving the economy of the bi-county area through the use of tourism.
Fright Fest
During the Halloween season, Six Flags Great Adventure is redecorated with spider webs, smoke machines, and other Halloween related decorations. Actors dress up in scary costumes and walk around to frighten guests, as they once did at the Haunted Castle. Fright Fest typically begins at 6:00 PM, as the zombies parade to a stage to kick off "fright by night." The park does not recommend the nighttime activities for children 13 or under. Fright Fest attracts some of the heaviest crowds of the season, and becomes more and more crowded as the date draws closer to Halloween.
One of the most popular attractions at Fright Fest every year is the theatrical production of Dead Man's Party, a live dance show with popular music that draws hundreds of viewers for every showing and has attained an almost cult-like local following.
The seasonal event includes upcharge walk-through haunted attractions. Recurring attractions include The Manor, Total Darkness, Voodoo Island, and Wasteland. Areas of the park that include free-roaming zombies are The Bloody Fountain (Main Street), Circus Psycho (Boardwalk), and Bone Butcher Terror-tory (Frontier Adventures).
- Six Flags Great Adventure at the Roller Coaster DataBase
See also
In Spanish: Six Flags Great Adventure para niños
