RobertDavid

Couldn't they just take that massively ugly building out of the park instead of changing the movie.

I know it's not a "traditional" show. But I consider Glow In The Park more than just a parade. Once you see you will know what I mean.

It looks interesting, like a take on Disney"s Electric Light Parade or SpectroMagic. But I imagine it only happens once a day, and at night. What about the rest of the day?

The Busch Entertainment Parks are some of the best operated properties. Hopefully, the Busch Family can acquire the parks and keep them privately owned. I think we all agree on this one.

 

BEC would also be a great parent for Great Adventure come Six Flag's inevitable bankruptcy (creditor ordered Chapter 7).

I would LOVE to see BEC run Great Adventure. those people know how to run a park. I don't think they would be interested, though. It scares me to think of someone buying those parks. They are the best-run, best-themed parks in the country. I was a dancer at Busch Williamsburg and I go to Busch Tampa every week. I can't imagine them being owned by a foreign company. being American owned has always been a source of pride for them. It really doesn't matter that much to be though who owns them as long as they continue the quality they have produced over the years.

It seems to me that before Great Adventure spends any more money on roller coasters, they have to get a decent show. Nobody loves roller coasters as much as I do, but adults need something to do in the park.

I know shows do not seem to draw a lot of people, but that is because there are not a lot of adults in the park. They do not like Great Adventure because there is nothing for them to do. Animal shows are all there are and that does not appeal to everyone.

Every other theme park I have been to, and I've been to a lot, have several live stage shows and people flock to them. I live in Orlando and frequently visit Disney, Universal, Sea World, and Busch Gardens Tampa. All of these parks have many live shows and people arrive an hour beforehand to get good seats. Busch Tampa is the closest comparison to great Adventure. It is a much smaller park than GA but still has 3 main stage shows, an animal show, and a children's show. It also has great roller coasters and thrill rides. The shows are generally 70-80% adults and always filled to capacity. Adults go to the park just to see the shows.

Great Adventure has spent so many years marketing to teenagers that adults see it as a teen hangout and stay away. It will take a lot of work to change this image. People will not flock to the park because they put a show in. It will take several years of providing quality entertainment to reverse the image they have created as a park with nothing for adults. This will be necessary, however, if they intend to attract families and change their image to one of a family-friendly, quality theme park.

Shows do not cost as much as roller coasters and they can keep them for a couple of years to make them more financially acceptable. The payout in the end will be well worth it.

Some have argued that people in that area do not want to see shows at the park because they are so close to NY and Broadway. If anything this would create even more of a reason the shows need to be quality, however I do not believe this affects the situation at all. Not many people get to go to Broadway shows on a regular basis, and those that do enjoy theatre would enjoy seeing shows at theme parks.

Great Adventure has no real competition in the area as far as thrill rides are concerned. Hershey is the only other major theme park I can think of in the area and it does not come close. But even that park has live stage shows that seem to draw a large audience.

I don't believe a Batman stunt show is the answer. That would be a show geared toward teenagers. Adults would not like it and teenagers would rather ride rides.

If Great Adventure wants to change it's image and become a quality family park they are going to have to suck up a few years of spending money on shows that will not have very large crowds while they build up their reputation. One way to do this is to cast 2 different shows with the same performers, doing 2 performances of each show. Since there will not be a large audience they could get by with only 2 performances and that way they could do 2 shows for the price of one, at least as far as casting goes. I remember when I was at the park we did 6 shows a day and never had more than 1/3 of the Showcase theatre full. We certainly could have gotten by doing 3 or 4 shows.

Once people realize the park is offering quality entertainment more adults will come to the park and there will be something for everyone to enjoy.

I knew you would get this one Daved! You've got it! The contract was actually for five years and the miniature village was removed at the end of the 1978 season and the park's first miniature golf course was built in 1979.

 

The village actually didn't travel too far after it was removed, setting up shop in Washington NJ as an indoor attraction called Miniature Kingdom. It has since closed.

 

Nice job!

 

Watch for a Garden of Marvels Spotlight towards the end of September which will include about 150 photos of this unique attraction.

I'm really looking forward to that spotlight. I miss that little village!

Does anyone know when they usually start decorating for Fright Fest? I usually come up in October and go to the park, but this year I am trying to get there while the park is still "normal". I know time is running out. I just haven't seen the park without spider webs and skeletons in a long time.

If that area of concrete is for fright fest, thats cool, but I dont want it to stay that way over the offseason, perfect size for a drop tower. Guest dont come to see the amazing slab of concrete. Thats all that little section is..concrete..some more concrete, and did I mention the concrete?

I gotta tell ya, I had the best laugh over "the amazing slab of concrete". I don't know why, it just tickled my funny bone.

Unlike most theme parks, Great Adventure is actually in a really bad spot for shows. Where in any other park in the country a traditional "Broadway style revue" will pack people in, our local population is jaded because they have the REAL thing. Shows are expensive for the park to produce, and really don't bring in the guests like they used to in the past. Part of that is the park's doing for letting shows slip away and focusing on rides (once again part of the Premier years). I agree (being a Show-Ops veteran) there should be shows and they should be good shows with adequate budgets like Busch does. Unfortunately, that's hard to justify spending money on. If people don't come for the shows, you can't justify spending the money on them, but if you don't have decent shows, people don't come for them. It's a catch 22.

 

The current Entertainment Department is doing the best they can with very limited resources. The Glow in the Park Parade will go a LONG way to help restore the park's reputation for shows, and hopefully they can build on its success and rebuild the Shows department to what it used to be (and should be).

I think there are 2 main reasons the shows did not draw a crowd. First of all, they were lousy shows. I had a great time performing there, but I know that even the show I was in was terrible. Second, there just aren't many adults at the park. The park had always been marketed toward teenagers and that was always the majority of guests.

That's why I think it's important to offer shows for the adults that do not ride rides to have something to do at the park if they are serious about drawing families. It will take a while of providing quality shows to change the image they have created of having few, any not very good, shows.

Robert who is the dancing girl in the picture at lower left? That hairdo sure does bring back memories

Her name is Janice Lynn. She was a teacher as well as a performer. Her 2 brothers were also in the show. Eric and Gabe.

The showing of the Wizard of Oz in the Showcase Theatre was only for one weekend during a Kids Fest event.

 

Are you possibly in any of these photos?

I'm on the far left in the upper left photo, and 3rd from the left holding up my right arm in the bottom right photo. Wow, I don't even have copies of those pictures.

That's good to hear.

Did I miss something? When I was there last month, they had the Dolphin show, the Tiger show, live bands in the little bandstand by the fountain,the bugs bunny show, and headliner shows at the Arena. Has all this stuff been cancelled? Sad about the Water Ski show. I remember when that was brand new.

What I was refering to are live stage shows. Bands don't really qualify and the Arena headliners are not daily events. Most theme parks have large production shows with singers, dancers, sets, and costumes. Great Adventure used to have these types of shows in the Showcase Theatre and Bandstand.

There arent any more shows because of the lack of funds for them. its the main reason why the batman stuntshow is closed and on the way out. the lakeside show should be back realtivley soon, once the park gets passed the EPA sanctions.

 

the loss of the teepee was unfortunate, but when the skin was ripped off during a storm they would have been able to fix it before the season starts.

I don't get this "lack of funds" excuse. Park prices have skyrocketed and yet they can't afford a single show? Why is it that every other theme park company can afford several shows in each of their parks?

I forgot about the ski show. That's another theatre that was vacant my last visit.

A cake would be interesting, but since the columns already match the Yum Yum Palace, continuing that theme would probably make more sense.

I noticed the last time I was at the park that the merchandise no longer said Great Adventure on it. All the merchandise was just generic Six Flags with no park specific details. I find this to be just another example of the park losing it's identity.

I imagine it's easier to just ship the same merchandise to all of their parks, but I also think they could sell more by making the merchandise park specific. If you go to one park and buy a merchandise that says Six Flags and then go to another park and they have the same thing, you have no reason to purchase anything.

I know several of the parks here in Florida have abandoned the no-lid no-straw policies. I'm not sure why, but maybe all parks are heading in this direction. Maybe they discovered they are not as dangerous as originally thought, or they just got too many complaints.

I never understood how Medusa fit into the Frontier Adventures section of the park. If I remember correctly the station is western themed, but the ride is purple and lime green and called "Medusa"? What kind of drugs were these people on? Why not paint it to fit into the section they put it in and call it something approprite, perhaps an indian theme?

I know it will never happen, but I would love to see the carousel get a roof like the Yum Yum Palace ( I refuse to call it the Character Cafe ) to finish it's ice cream sundae theme. I believe that was the original intent but it never happened. The roof that was added is very colorful, but doesn't make any sense.

I would also like to see the colors brought back to the skyride cars. The old cars were each painted a different bright glossy color. The current dull red and blue cars are very bland.

Unfortunately, even making the building look like a soundstage would not make it attractive. Placing this building in the center of the area the way they did makes it extremely obtrusive. Almost all of Disney's rides are built inside these warehouse type buildings, but they are placed on the outer edges of the parks behind facades so that you can not tell. Kind of like Skull Mountain, although I think they did a very poor job on that facade.

For those of you that have asked, I was in the "Red , White, and Blue Review", the first year. That brings up another issue, why aren't there any shows at the park anymore? There used to be shows in the Showcase Theatre, the Bandstand on the Lake, a Character show, the Dolphin show, and a diving show. If you really want to attract families, it seems to me you have to offer the adults something to do.

The last time I was in the Showcase Theatre they were showing The Wizard of Oz. Who the heck wants to go to a theme park and watch a movie? The past few years I've only made it up to the park during Fright Fest and have seen the Halloween shows.

I understand there is a parade, but a park that big really should have entertainment other than rides if they want to attract families.

Welcome to the site RobertDavid! We hope you ejoy it.

 

Here is link to a topic thread about the Greatest Day commerical including a link to a piano version and the sheet music of the song. We haven't been able to locate a copy of the commercial yet but hopefully soon!

Thanks. It was great to hear the music again. It's been 33 years. I really hope somebody finds the commercials.

That's what makes the loss of the Teepee so tragic. It was one of the truly original elements of the park.

Does anyone know where to find a copy of the original TV ad from when the park opened, "Open your eyes cause the greatest day in your life is here, at Great Adventure". I remember both versions of the song but I would love to actually hear it and see the comercial again.

Wow, look at all the trees! Sure do miss them.

I'm originally from New Jersey and have been going to great Adventure since it opened. I was a performer in the Showcase Theatre in 1988. I then went to Busch Gardens in Williamsburg and spent 10 years at Walt Disney World. Great Adventure is still my home and holds the dearest spot in my heart. I come back every year to visit. Unfortunately, I am usually very saddened by what Six Flags has done to the park each year and it seems I will be very disappointed when I see the park next.

The 3 things that will be difficult this year are the addition of Dark Knight, the removal of the Super Teepee and the removal of the Flying Wave.

The removal of the Teepee is by far the most troubling. I understand they had every intention of keeping it in the park, using it as a character breakfast location, and only removed it because it was structurally unsound. However, this could have been avoided with proper maintenace. I would hope they would replace it, but knowing the park's history I seriousely doubt that will happen.

The Flying Wave is also a huge loss for the park, not only because it is a great ride, but also because of the atmosphere it created in that section of the park. Hopefully it will return, or they will buy a new one to replace it.

The Dark Knight appears to be a huge, ugly gray warehouse housing what I hear is nothing more than a wild mouse roller coaster. Everyone seems pretty disappointed in this ride considering where ride technology is at these days and how the structure overpowers what used to be a forrest, before becoming "Movie Town", which in itself makes no sense.

This is my biggest problem with Six Flags. Since they purchased the park they have systematically destroyed the environment to the point of no return. Rides and buldings can be repaired or replaced, but the forrest can never be regrown, at least not in the next 100 years. What used to be a beautiful park spread throughout a forrest and fancifully themed is now no more that a slab of cement with rides on it.

There are ways to expand a park without cutting down every tree in sight and building rides in the parking lot. I hope they realize this before doing any more damage and I hope they try their best to save the remaining unique elements of the park. I have a horrible feeling the Big Wheel or the skyride may be the next park icon to go.