SAM527

I have found it interesting how the safari entrance is still sitting there and clearly visible as you drive to the parking booths. Although it isn't odd for them to just abandon something and let it sit there for years. Maybe there's a way to make a mini drive thru safari. I doubt I'm the only one that would enjoy something as opposed to not having it at all.

I don't see what the problem was. If those 2 seats were going to be empty anyway after the air gates closed then it didn't affect anyone waiting on line.

We slid right in on Sunday using the Discover Card entrance line, while every other line was at least 15 people deep. I can't imagine anyone going for just a day. First there's the line to pay for parking, then you stand in line to get through security, then you stand in line to buy your tickets, then you stand in the worst line of all to wait and get in. I can see it taking hours on a busy day during the Summer or even worse Fright Fest, that's going to be it's own nightmare and horror story for anyone without even getting in the park.

Maybe that's what happened to me last Sunday as I sat there and watched the cars on either side of me keep going through while I just sat there.

I voted for the upcharge. Since I don't really do the rides anymore, I still enjoy going to the park and look forward to the shows and concerts. So far this year I'm not seeing anything that stands out and I would pay more for some bigger acts. I'm hoping there's still a few surprises coming soon.

I purposely started wearing a belt that wouldn't set off the detector because of the hassle of the whole thing. Until one day last year the security guard told me to take off my belt, I said I didn't have to because it won't set off the alarm which is why I'm wearing it and he said it doesn't matter all belts have to be removed because someone could have something on their belt that wouldn't be seen or at least found otherwise. So I solved the problem again and don't wear a belt to the park.

We went to the park yesterday and I was really shocked to see up charges of $1 or $2 on certain food items that are on the Season Dining Pass. An example was in Best of the West, a Bacon Cheese Burger is listed as $11.99 and on the dining plan, but if you want bacon on it, that will cost you $1. Same thing in Johnny Rockets and if you want their double burger, that will cost you $2. Who comes up with these idiotic ideas? The daily drink refills are $4.99 now which seems like a lot when it's still 99 cents for each refill. I'm not sure I could drink 5 or more in one day to make it worth buying. Also this seasons cup looks like it's smaller since it has a super thin lower body but in testing it with last years cup filled completely to the rim, it's only about 2 tablespoons smaller.

I must be the only one that hated this ride and I was only on it one time. For some reason I couldn't handle the up and down motion of the car as well as the spinning at the same time. Back in the day, put me on the Round Up, Scrambler, Bobsled, Runaway Train, whatever and I was fine, but that...not so fine.

I know in my condo development how hard it has been to find at least one person/lifeguard to be at our pool while teachers and students are still in school. I can't imagine how hard it would have to be to find enough people to man an entire water park during that same time and the operating days appear to reflect the schools still open schedule.

In my trip survey email I mentioned about another year where the stunt arena, the theater, Musik Express and the Chiller area weren't going to be used and I hoped that there were big plans for this area for the 40th anniversary of the park next year. I really don't understand how they can have an area of the park that is pretty much visible and for the most part open to walk around, except for the fenced off part almost completely empty year after year???? I also mentioned about how big an embarrassment the parking lot is, condition wise and safety wise. Just pave it already and put some curbs in to separate the people walking from the cars.

It really is a great deal, I bought 2 with Hurricane Harbor and Fright Fest, with the Discover discount the total was $198.11. We went opening day and got lunch and dinner, the total would have been $51.00 so it won't take very long to reach what I paid. I remember last year I bought chicken strips with fries and got another one for 50% off with the coupon in the book, along with the souvenir cup and the total was over $32.00. Remembering that made paying for the dining pass an easy decision. Now I have my eye on the new Six Below ice cream and frozen yogurt stands that popped up, can't wait to try those.

Mine is the 1975 souvenir book I got in the park when I was 11 years old. I still clearly remember the visits that summer with my sister.

I agree with you, I think that every time we leave that those little signs and road are deceiving especially at night, the overpass is way outdated and needs to be another lane or two wider. There were people moving into the right lane and I was yelling (from the closed windows safety of my car) stay in the left lane because virtually no one gets on 195 East. People from New York were getting into the exit lane which is the U-Turn and Wawa turnoff thinking that was where they needed to go, then trying to get back into the right lane. Then everyone in the right lane that needs to be in the left lane for 195 West. Other times I've seen people that get on 195 East with me and get off at the next exit, I would have to guess to turn around. I was also thinking last night that the Turnpike overpass where the truck fire was must still be one lane on 195 so that was probably backed up for a few miles too. I did forget to mention in the Hurricane Harbor parking lot, there must have been at least 20 people directing you and parking cars. Everything entering and in the park seemed as organized as it could have been. The only exception was leaving the park, if the overpass can't be widened, on a super busy night to get people out and away which should be the main goal instead of the free for all that it is, the Police should be involved and close the incoming lanes and make every lane on 537 leaving the park one direction, this is how the NASCAR tracks (Pocono, Watkin's Glen, Richmond) handle large volumes of traffic all leaving at once and there's ways to make entering 195 West three to four lanes also. Just an idea.

We left our house around 6pm last night and got off at Exit 16 on 195W, luckily we only had to wait at 2 lights to get in the line on 537. My wife's sister and family weren't so lucky, they were coming through Freehold and got stuck in traffic well before the outlets. After not moving for almost an hour they eventually gave up, turned around and went home. We ventured onward and were completely amazed at how many people were headed to Great Adventure on a Saturday night, even last year were were able to go on the weekends and even the last weekend with virtually no problems. The main tickets booths and parking lot were closed and we went through the Hurricane Harbor ticket booths at around 7:30 or so, we were one of a handful of cars that just missed a semi close parking space and then we were directed all the way down to the farthest end of the lot in the corner. Not knowing exactly where we were (never been in the Hurricane Harbor parking lot before) we just started walking We saw a group of people waiting at what looked like a bus stop and decided that was a better option than trying to walk the whole way. What a great idea that was, we hopped on a Safari bus, went past the Safari entrance, through the Safari exit parking lot, in a fence away from everyone walking and out the fence by the Security Guard booth, then dropped off behind the Bugs Bunny planter. The line to get in through the metal detectors around 8pm was only about 5 people deep and the line to show our pass and get in the park was...well there was no line, we went right in. Surprisingly with all of the cars and people, the park didn't seem that crowded, there were tables and benches to sit at and plenty of room to walk if you know how to avoid the cattle and take short cuts and back ways around. We didn't go near any rides or trails and actually only went to the park because my wife wanted a Fright Fest sweatshirt but we did get to see four shows, starting at 8:30 Doc Swan's Sideshow, then Bad Bob The Bone Butcher, Professor Zombini and the original Dead Man's Party. Around 9:10 an announcement was made that the park was going to be open until 12. Sometime around 11:15 we decided to leave and headed back to the shuttle bus area, when we got to our car we wondered if we should wait or get in the long line of cars, we decided to go and go nowhere we went! We didn't get out of the Hurricane Harbor parking lot and access road until almost 1am, I kept looking at the main lot and thinking those people wouldn't be getting out until 2 or 3 am or later, once we blended into traffic on 537 we were moving and on our way, we got home around 1:30am. All in all except for the traffic going in and the idiots trying to make their own lanes on the way out it wasn't a bad night. Sorry for the long post and I'll attach the photo I took looking off of the Great Adventure overpass at the traffic on 537 and headed into the main entrance.