Yankees99

Still remember my first trip to Hershey Park. Summer of 1976. Wonderful memories.

This was my favorite attraction, not counting rides. That place was ahead of its time. Nothing better than rolling in there in the middle of a humid afternoon and cooling off while letting your imagination run wild watching the videos. I think i might have fallen to the ground one or two times. Keep them coming!!!!

I've seen a lot of posts about rides breaking down for one reason or another. I know technology has changed greatly through the years. I don't recall rides breaking down at GA back in the day, just that some had to be closed temporarily because of weather-related issues. like thunder, lightning or high wind gusts.

It's been 33 years since I last visited Great Adventure after going there at least once each summer from 1974-83. Was just thinking back to the first time I went to the park when it was less than two months old. The first ride I went on was the Log Flume, followed by the Sky Ride. What was the first ride you went on at GA and what year did you make your inaugural visit?

Enchanted Forest

Thanks for the responses. Clears up a lot. Hey, it's been 33 years since I've been to GA. Best of luck with your new book. I'm sure it will be a great read, like the first book.

Nice of you to get some shots of the Buccaneer and The Fort. Don't remember those trees being there back in the day. At the other end of the park, what are the two buildings that we see from atop the Giant Wheel over where Fun Fair used to be? Is there any way they can be taken down in favor of putting another 5-6 rides in the location?

Didn't they have a Jumbo Jet down in Wildwood on one of the piers? GAN, do you have any photos from Fun Fair? Loved that part of the park back in those days.

I really like these trip reports that all of you good people put up. I'm hoping they'll put some flats back there in that open space. The only thing I recognize back there is the Music Hall (remember when they were building it). I noticed a bit of open space (where the Aqua Stadium used to be) and where "The Joker" resides. Could they put another flat in that space next to the Joker? One other thing: What's that huge pole sticking up behind the water tower?

Are they planning to put any flat rides in there?

Now this was a very special part of the park back in the early days. It used to take about an hour or so to play through. Played the course once or twice. Think that was my introduction to miniature golf. Some very cherished times and a great way to take a break from riding the rides. I still had enough time in those days to ride most of the rides at least twice.

Went to Great Adventure once on Fourth of July. Either 1979 or 1980. Remember the park being so crowded and the lines were pretty long, especially on the water rides from those days.

Some real cool photos of your trip. Looks like you had fun. Saw a shot you took from high atop the Giant Wheel and saw a tremendous amount of empty (wasted) space where flat rides once operated. Does anybody know why there aren't any rides in that specific location? They could put 1-2 flat rides in there alone.

Wow! I don't even know where to begin, but I'm deeply touched by this retro trip. Whoever took these photos nailed it to a tee. What a special time indeed for what was a great season of 1977. Please keep these retro trips coming, especially if you have any from the first 10 years of the park's existence.

GA used to have the best set of flat rides back in its heyday. They were located all throughout the park. I saw a picture somebody on here recently took from atop the Giant Wheel and there wasn't anything down there. I can think back to all of those awesome flat rides that were once there. The lines were almost always jammed to get on the Enterprise, Roundup, Rotor, Music Express, Swiss Bobsled, Calypso, Traffic Jam and others.

For my money, Magic Mountain would be the biggest rival. GA and MM are the two Six Flags I frequented the most. When I moved out here in 1984, MM couldn't hold a candle to GA. GA had the best rides and was the biggest theme part in the country. I guess the ride selection is about the same now. It's an East Coast-West Coast rivalry.

They better not take the fort out. That's the backbone to the park. I don't go to amusement parks anymore, even though I'm within a 45-minute radius of Magic Mountain, Knott's Berry Farm and Disneyland without traffic, but can somebody please describe the clintele that exists today at GA? By the way, there's a lot of excellent opinions on this original topic.

That jingle just came back to me. I remember it now. Can't believe I missed it.

No idea what GA is thinking with respect to ditching its history and tradition, i.e. Tee Pee, Wagon and now what looks to appear the Aqua Stadium. If they choose to tear down the lakefront facilities, then they better have a massive upgrade with respect to attractions. Here's a chance to put in some much-needed flat rides and not another roller coaster. Love roller coasters, but enough is enough. I looked at the 2015 park map and it's just all about roller coasters. I hardly recognized anything.

What's going on over at Aqua Stadium? Also, it's so strange seeing shots now from atop the Giant Wheel over toward "Movietown" and not seeing a lot of rides like there used to be when it was "Fun Fair."

Thanks. I just saw it on the park map. How's it going with the museum? What I would give to have seen that in person.

C

Excellent photos. Did they take out the Roundup? I didn't see it on that one photo when you are approaching the station. The cable cars look so small on the Skyride compared to the original ones. Also, are all four tents still being occupied? I used to buy most of my souvenirs in the tents.

Not sure where to have posted the following, but figured this might be the best place. Anyway, my friend took his family to Magic Mountain yesterday. They rode the new Twisted Colossus twice and recommended anybody who goes there to ride it. Breathtaking. There are some similarities to the original Colussus in terms of heights and drops. By the way, where do you go on the forum to "start a new topic?"

Reptile, no spin on the Log Flume? Sounds like you guys had an awesome time.