Thunderbolt

Harry, that would rock! I never got to experience the Wagon in its splendor. Can we bring back the teepee too?

I would like to see some proof of that. Outside of IP License, and basic agreements over how said IP would be used (i.e. coaster pre-show); I seriously doubt Warner Brothers dictated to Six Flags how to market their attraction. If the agreement between Six Flags and WB was anything beyond "pay to play", I'm certain the company would have disclosed this. Warner Brothers most likely maintained final approval. However, all ads and materials were pure Six Flags. Warner Brothers certainly did not write the copy Angel and Mark read at Media Day. See 'The Wizarding World of Harry Potter". Universal Entertainment is handling all the marketing, engineering, and design. J.K. Rowling has the final approval, and Warner collects the cheque.

Look, it's the park's responsibility to shape the customer's expectation for the ride. Angel Aristone collects a nice cheque I'm sure every week to do this. Mark Kane stood there on "TDK Opening Day" saying "You know how Six Flags builds coasters...". Considering Six Flags is known for Kingda Ka, El Toro, Nitro, Batman, Batman & Robin: The Chiller, and Superman; what do you think the customer is going to expect? Outside of the pre-show, it's not a dark ride. It's an enclosed coaster that fails to tell a story. The fact "The Dark Knight" isn't a family friendly movie is failure #1 on Six Flags's part. An analyst questioned Mark Shapiro on a 2008 Conference Call regarding this matter. Shapiro stumbled about his words, before finally admitting he didn't know who "The Dark Knight" movie's target audience was. One of the primary reasons Tim Burton was fired from the Batman Franchise was the dark nature and PG-13 rating for "Batman Returns". Failure #2 was not properly marketing the ride as "an in-the-dark experience set to The Dark Knight story". The park could have still used the wild mouse coaster as the mechanism to tell the story, but utilize breaking and themed cutouts to reflect what's going on. Failure #3 was half-assing the theming effort and slashing the ride's budget prior to its opening. Failure #4 was opening "The Dark Knight" in the same year they removed "Batman & Robin: The Chiller", as well as installing it in the same area. Many people saw "TDK" as its replacement. Despite the fact one had nothing to do with the other, it left many disappointed. Your example of comparing "The Big Wheel" to "The Buccaneer" isn't analog. A Ferris Wheel is not a swinging ship. They're not even remotely similar. "TDK" is a coaster, like "Batman The Ride" is a coaster. Now, when the park's GM, head PR lady, company CEO, and subsequent advertising hype a "thrilling in the dark coaster" on the "Six Flags" Level, people will expect a ride on that level. Look at it this way. If Dick Kinzel said, "You know how Cedar Point builds coasters", what would you expect? I stopped patronizing Great Adventure with the 2009 season. My family just lacked the enthusiasm to go. We all like coasters, but they asked me what else is there to do anymore? They remember the "Joust-a-Bout", "Enterprise", "Musik Express", "Bumper Cars", "Swiss Bob", "Calypso", "Freefall", "Riptide", "Condor", all the elements so blatantly missing in the park today. I'm not going to make a 2 and 1/2 hour drive from Long Island all by myself. I mention Great Adventure nowadays and my dad says, "How about we just go to Universal in the fall?" or "How about Dorney? They include a waterpark you know." I went from 5 season passes and spending amounts in the park over the years that may embarrass me, to ZERO. You'll say I'm biased and I'll agree. My family on the other hand could care less about who runs the place. There's nothing to do besides ride some great coasters, and for them that's not enough.

I don't think any further investment can really improve this structure. "The Dark Knight" at Six Flags Mexico supposably has all the "theming" installed, and I just think it looks cheap. "13 13 Cemetery Way" here at Long Island's Adventureland even surpasses "TDK's" attempt. I propose moving "TDK" outdoors, and giving it a "Looney Tunes" overlay. Reinstall it in "Looney Tunes Seaport", and make it a family attraction. With the footprint opened up by "TDK's" removal in "Movie Town", plan out the next big thing. I just think "The Dark Knight" is damaged goods with the general public, and no further investment will correct this problem. I will agree painting a soundstage designation and number would help tie that eyesore into "Movie Town". It's an inexpensive improvement.

All things Tiger Woods relating to his recent "scandal". Enough "Bread & Circuses". Can the "yellow journalism" and report the stories that need to be told. Focus on paramilitarism (as well as the corporations funding them to secure mineral rights et. all.) and its affect on the developing world. Conduct stories about political corruption not relating to infidelity, but rather on lobbying efforts that are nothing short of bribes. With all the events occurring in the world, why does Tiger cheating on his hot wife matter, other than it's a cheap story to tell (I hate the ratings excuse)?

Did Great Adventure have the poster sized maps for 2009 (ala 2006, 2007, and I think 2008)? Or, was it only the pamphlet fold-out version?

I've always liked the look and lights of "Gingerbread Fancy". In an area of the park that seems engulfed in darkness (or worse, xenon lighting), it stands out and commands my attention with its incandescent beauty. As for the buffet, they can keep it. That food isn't worth $14, or even $8. It's a shame this facility is wasted serving sub-par pedestrian food. I'd sooner take the trip to KFC on 537 even if the prices were higher. Great Adventure desperately needs a table service restaurant, and this facility would be a perfect test bed. Sadly, the food service department is either not equipped to furnish such an operation, or lacks the leadership initiative to try. A well run, table service facility served with HIGH QUALITY food (even at a further premium price) is a potential gold mine. Sadly, nobody running Six Flags (including the Premier Parks people I so adore to the annoyance of many here*) has tried this at the park. (Said partially tongue-in-cheek, hoping people find some self-deprecating humor and not interpreting it as an insult to anyone) I should add I always love the GAH Spotlights (including this one). This site never disappoints.

Exquisite Harry! Even when photographing all things not Great Adventure, you capture the beauty.

Kudos to the Six Flags Great America Management Team! Moves like this demonstrate why this property remains the most profitable, (and arguably) best ran park in the chain. Six Flags Great America preserves a classic local coaster at a minimal cost. More importantly, they brought corporate on board preserving its original name and not tacking on "special effects". Hopefully, customers appreciate this and provide feedback as such. At a $33k procurement cost, there's little downside. Even if the move, rebuild, and refurbishment costs escalate to a cool $1M; it's still a bargain.

I would like to see G.A.S.M. go. It was always a rough ride, and its time has come. I appreciate the part she played in saving Great Adventure, as well as her beauty in the skyline. Bluedusa simply outclasses G.A.S.M., and is less likely to inflict a traumatic brain injury. With G.A.S.M. gone, I would love to see The Golden Kingdom expanded. A "Jungala" like addition would great, and animal exhibits are something this park handles well (care infrastructure is already in place). Team up with Landry's, and add a "Yak & Yeti" style restaurant. I really think current management lacks the insight to see how beneficial (and inexpensive) these type of overlays can be. I love Kingda Ka, but The Golden Kingdom expansion should have been the blueprint Six Flags ran with. Even Plaza de Carnivale was great on a much smaller scale. I like the intermingling of children friendly attractions and adult coasters, versus dedicated zones. Very Disney/Universal-esque. I often wonder if The Golden Kingdom was borrowed from what Six Flags had in mind for Worlds of Adventure (read its press release on rcdb), and recycled for us. It would be nice for Six Flags to resurrect the Schwarzkopf catalog for "flats". Thanks to "Shane's Amusement Attic" over at Theme Park Review, Intamin AG *DOES* owns the entire Schwarzkopf blueprint and (what's left of the) patent catalog. Schwarzkopf "flats" are near bulletproof in reliability terms, and always rock. Plus, unlike Huss Rides, Intamin isn't seeking annual bankruptcy protection, or refusing to service their products.

I guess you can't pick a winner. Most fanbois will choose current leadership/direction no matter what previous circumstances are/were. As an Apple user for almost 20 years, I can attest to this. PowerPC was superior right up until the day Jobs said it wasn't. The same will be said of any Six Flags or Disney management. I would say Dorney Park posed a serious threat to Great Adventure with Steel Force. Had Dorney Park remained on their current course, and Great Adventure lacked the PKS additions, would you still consider the latter property a world class park? Time Warner's additions were utter failures save Batman: The Ride. Former GM Ray Williams deserved total credit for procuring that. TWX did bring some cohesion to the park theming, and I applaud that. PKS did a damn fine job operating SF up until 2001. I think they were rebounding in 2005, but it was too late. Wesray Capital was easily the WORST owner of all time, but most members here weren't alive then. Great Adventure was seriously in danger of closing. Had the park lost its food license, it would have. We lost Shockwave to Great America as ownership mulled this decision. Ray Williams literally had a herculean task of turning this park around and succeeded. I've yet to see what current management has done to right this ship. Eliminate all of SIX's debt, and they have still failed to show real growth. You don't have to agree with me. Just please try to state your opinion beyond 'ANYWAY' or fanboi-ism.

Then you would be a fool. At 5 years, Shapiro has run SIX almost as long as PKS (~7 years). Mark did nothing. Mark Shapiro is like Michael Spindler.

I feel worse for the investors who believed in Mark Shapiro. He cost them everything. Burke turned a single park company (Frontier City in 1990), into the world's fourth largest theme park operator in six years. That's 2 years BEFORE acquiring Six Flags! Time Warner did such a poor job running Six Flags Over Georgia and Texas, that the former sued and WON at every level $400M. The Six Flags Over Texas Limited Partnership was ready to dump TWX for PKS in 1997. What companies has Mark Shapiro grew? What troubled assets has he turned around? When SIX emerges from bankruptcy and if they still falter; will you still blame Burke? Great Adventure wouldn't be on the map without the PKS additions.

I never stated SIX would be solely paying for a "Jumbotron" as fact. I simply sounded off why this is a terrible investment if SIX is paying the bill (expensive, soft ad market, dynamic billboard being passed and overlooked). Reading further, you can clearly see the lone scenario where this proposition makes sense (someone else paying to install and run it like the lockers). As far as SFTV or promotional tools are concerned, this is still a waste of CapEx. Exactly for the above stated reasons. Again, Dynamic billboards are mostly passed by and overlooked. Guests entering a theme park want to quickly make their way to the attractions. At BEST you have the guest's attention for 35-45 seconds. How do you guarantee advertisers eyeballs, when people are most likely to see two ads, if they're not lost between the SFTV filler? Nobody would pay a premium knowing this. The queue TVs make more sense. You have a captive audience willing to watch the monitors, hoping to make the 20 min. - 2hr. wait move faster. Outside of this, static sign-age is a better, cheaper choice. Great Adventure is not Disney. It's entrance is hardly as descript or inviting. People congregate there to meet up or wait for party members, or perhaps use the restrooms. Even if the "Jumbotron" became a landmark (like the fountain); guests will most likely be on the outlook for each other, not the ads. Only Epcot's "Future World" dedicates a "Jumbotron" for a time/wait board. Six Flags is bankrupt, about to enter into receivership, and lacks Disney's money. I also lack the faith this "Jumbotron" will see the required, expensive maintenance. Static sign-age, with dynamic clocks is a better, cheaper choice even for ride/show postings (think Universal Orlando). Great Adventure's sign shop produces beautiful, vivid, artwork that is more pleasing to the eye than a low res screen. Accurate wait times might post a threat to lucrative "Flash Pass" sales. Considering how money hungry Six Flags is (lockers), I doubt this feature would last.

So where did you hear that someone else is footing the bill for it? No counterpoint to the soft ad market? How about the fact this is a poor ad medium?

I don't see how this is a wise investment. "Jumbotrons" are expensive, and we're in a soft ad market as it is. You can buy ads on NETWORK TV under $1K (spot fills on Sat.), and as low as $20(!) (the price of a Churro at Six Flags), on a DTV Multicast. Even at those prices, some ad spots aren't selling. If I were an ad buyer, I wouldn't waste money on a dynamic billboard that most people will pass and possibly overlook. The queue TVs make more sense. You have a captive audience willing to watch the monitors, hoping to make the 20 min. - 2hr. wait move faster. Outside of this, static sign-age is a better, cheaper choice. SIX has already stated in park ad buys are down. Where is the revenue coming from to pay for this? Chain wide, revenues from Six Flags Media Networks isn't significant. If someone else is paying to install and run the jumbotron (like the lockers), that's one thing. If SIX is, well then, I see why they're in bankruptcy. Here's an idea Mark. Take the jumbotron money and pay to staff the bumper cars.

^Easily the nicest restrooms at Great Adventure. At least they were in 1993. Themed too

Exactly why Burke and Kinzel build mega coasters. Building "Disney" style "dark rides" require major investments. "Toy Story Midway Mania" has been purported to cost in excess of $100M alone. That's just about the entire 2008 CapEx for Six Flags Inc.! Rides like "El Toro" attract and maintain high ridership levels for multiple seasons. People return to Great Adventure to experience "El Toro". Can the same be reasonably be said for TDK? "The Dark Knight" was half the cost of a B&M Dive Machine, and I'd wager its ridership levels experienced greater dropoffs than "Griffon". Plus, "The Dark Knight" is embarrassingly inferior to the efforts produced by Disney, Universal, or Busch/Sally; and it's been noticed by the GP. *It should be noted Sally builds well received dark rides within TDK's budget.

Wasn't that behind "Great American Hamburger"? There was another stand like this where the Boardwalk "Ben & Jerry's" now stands (I think it was pink in color.), which was removed in the TWX Era ~1993. It looked like a carnival trailer modified to fit permanently to the spot.

The share price spike most likely is a result of investors covering short positions. With a looming bankruptcy for SIX, I wonder how many investment funds will accept this deal. A "Chapter 11" filing might render these terms moot, and cost investors more.

Excellent, prompt photo update! While I dislike seeing closed rides, I'm glad to see signs directing guests to similar attractions. The Carousel looks like it still needs lots of work. The cost explains the amortized three year budget.

I was jokingly about to say, Cinemax after midnight. Sadly, someone correctly answered the scrambled photo.

Didn't it say "Lake Back"?

Viper. The theming cost as much as the ride.

It's an issue, because as GACoaster put it above: Plus, SIX has removed perfectly functioning rides before and replaced them with nothing. A Shapiro specialty.