Very First Memories of Great Adventure

[JetsDevs4Lyf]

I have to say my first memory of SFGA was the year that the Great American Scream Machine opened. My cousin Karen wanted to ride it with someone and the only person in the family who would was my father. So we all packed up and headed to the park for the day. I can honestly say that when I first saw the park I was in absolute amazement at it. Granted I was only like 7 or 8 at the time but everything was just awesome to me. I think I ended up riding about 10 rides for the wqhole day and stood in awe when my father and Karen went on the Scream Machine towards the end of the day. It was just amazing to me, so much so that I made sure the family took us back year after year for at least one or two trips, and as of now I am a current season pass holder and ejoy between 7 and ten trips to the park yearly.

 

 

[The Master]

First time I was at the park was back in 1987 when I was 4. I have had a season pass ever since.

Edited January 3, 2008 by The Master

[d a n n y]

The 1997 phizer day. My favorite section was Bugs Bunny Land. I loved looking at all the coasters though.

[DisneyBelle828]

Im not sure I remember my very FIRST time at the park, everything is kinda jumbled up b/c I didnt go as often when I was little as I do now...but the most prominent memory would have to be when I went with my parents and my sister Stephanie and my best friend Karen. My dad went on Viper by himself and his wallet and housekey fell out of his pocket during the spiral part. THEN my mom, who is a diabetic, had a low blood sugar and my sister got sick, so they were at the first aid building while my dad, karen and I tried to figure out how to find my dads wallet and keys. The wallet somehow made it, I guess, onto the sidewalk and someone picked it up and took all the money out and through the wallet out, so we found that in a garbage can with the help of the park staff, but the key we never saw again (which is a shame b/c our house is old and we still have skeleton keys, so the key was almost as old as the house). Even though this seems like the absolute day from hell, and it was at thet time, its probably one of my favorite memories of the park because its funny to look back on now.

[nbadude44]

My first memory was not too long ago in 2001 when I was 6. We went with our cousins who live in New Jersey. I remember going on Skull Mountain for the first time, which was the most intense feeling ever. I also remember that Nitro just opened & it scared the out of me, I was even afraid of going on the kiddie Seaport rides 'cause it was right next to it. I also remember going on Road Runner Railway, the Log flume, Flying Wave, and the Big Wheel. And I also remember going into the Super Teepee and geting a toy bow & arrow kit and a Sherrif Badge w/ my name on it. My mom loved teepee, she went into it everytime she went to GA when I wasn't even born yet, & she was REALLY sad when I told her it was going down.

 

Now I'm older, I've ridden every coaster, and I'm getting a season pass next year!!!!!!!!!!

 

 

[Yankees99]

My first trip came in Aug. 1974, and can still remember it vividly 35 years later.

 

Got to ride a lot of the flat rides from the Calypso to the Super Roundup to the Flying Wave. Went on the Big Fury before dashing across the park to ride the Runaway Train, Log Flume and Sky Ride. Remember the kiddie rides being near the carousel and having the lake breeze blow in over the Enchanted Forest.

 

But, I can still recall going up to a chain-linked fence near the Big Fury and looking at them doing construction on the area that would eventually house The Little Wheel, Troika, Enterprise and some other flat rides beginning in 1975.

 

Great Adventure was a place my parents would take my brother and I to at least once per summer. We lived on Long Island, but it was worth the two-hour trip down the New Jersey Turnpike.

 

I'd see the "Exit 7A" sign and the juices would start kicking in for a day of excitement.

 

I went there every year from 1974 until 1983 before moving to Los Angeles. Lived and still do live near Six Flags Magic Mountain, but haven't been there in nearly 10 years.

 

 

[Yankees99]

By the way, just looked at the 2009 map and I think there's only five ORIGINAL RIDES left in the Sky Ride, Big Wheel, Runaway Train, Log Flume and Carousel.

 

Well, I guess they can take the rides away...but they can't take our childhood memories away.

[Kingda Ka Ryder 4 Life]

My first memory was in 1996, my mom took me to the park for the first time, she snuck me out because my dad wanted to take me. I remember riding Runaway Mine Train and going on the Big Wheel, that's about it.

[29yrswithaGApass]

By the way, just looked at the 2009 map and I think there's only five ORIGINAL RIDES left in the Sky Ride, Big Wheel, Runaway Train, Log Flume and Carousel.

 

Don't forget about the Super RoundUp (Fantasy Fling)! That makes it six!

[Railer]

^ I like to refer to the Original's as "The Six Flag's Of Great Adventure". My oldest Memory of the Park is going on the Super Cat. And all I remember is the Tarp Roof closing on the Ride while on it.

[Mr. Hot Dog]

My first memory started before we even went to Great Adventure -- my dad measured my sister and I to determine in advance what rides we could go on. The first thing we rode was the Sarajevo Bobsled, which was one of the last years it was in the park. I was pretty nervous about riding, but it ended up being a pretty tame ride. I remember being disappointed when I heard they were getting rid of it. If I recall, we could see the Ultra Twister (which was closed) from the lift hill -- I had seen all the commercials on TV and thought it looked a lot smaller than I imagined. We also took a ride on Parachuter's Perch -- from the top, we could see our car in the parking lot. Other assorted memories include gum targets, the diving show, the waterskiing show, and validating our Twickets for a return trip. Didn't they used to be free? Either that, or something extremely cheap... maybe $1?

 

Although not my first memories, my typical memories of Great Adventure involve the summers after the Scream Machine was built. Back then, that was THE ultimate coaster. I was pretty proud to finally get the guts to go on it (the second year -- I was too chicken the first year). To this day, I still have a special place in my heart for it regardless of how rough people say it is.

[southview2]

Unfortunatly, my first memory I cant remember what year it was, all I remember is walking in and being scared like crazy. My parents brought me during FF and I was little so I was terrified. I just remember the webs and closed up windows, uhhh, it scared me. But now I love it! lol

[Yankees99]

I forgot about the Fantasy Fling (I still call it the Super Roundup). Still call the rides by their original name(s).

 

Should I ever get back to the park, I'll have flashbacks as to where the original rides once stood and what attractions are now in their place.

 

Incidentally, I found a 1983 map of GA. My final one!

 

Gotta keep digging. Maybe some more cherished memories, souvenirs, etc.

[CoasterPrince]

My first actual visit to Gadv was in June of 2005. I was fascinated with coasters before Gadv and when Clementon Park got their new coaster Tsunami in 04' I rode it. 06' is when I hit 54 inches and my cousin started bringing me to Gadv. I used to study roller coasters since 3rd grade. The first evr coaster I read about was Pepsi Max Big One. (Isn't that funny.)

 

All I can remember from my 06' trip was standing in line to get tickets and seeing Spin Meister peek out above the trees. I was shaking. I went to Old Country first and rode it. I was scared that I was going to fall out! Then I went to Chiller. It was a long wait and I Rode Front. I'm proud to say that Robin: Chiller was my first EVER coaster at Gadv. I now work there and have to pass that site everyday. Chiller was the only ride I got on because Chaos was closed and I couldn't find Nitro's entrance lol. I miss when I used to go to the park not knowing where anything was. It was like a scavenger hunt with rides around every corner.

[Max]

My very first memorie of Great Adventure was in 2006, when my mom and dad rode Freefall for the last time, (we've been to the park lots of other times), becaue '06 was the last year for it to operate. I also remember riding Hodini's Great Escape before it closed, seeing Spin Meister, and of course Freefall. I miss it some much! You don't see 1st genaration freefall's around anymore, but at least part of my family got to ride it one last time before it closed. Finally, my mom visited Great Adventure either in 1974, or in '75 with her best friend when she was a teenager too.

[Railer]

We always have lived West of the Park, so my Family would come down 537 from 206. At the Garden State Diner that is on 537 they had a sign that said "last food before Great Adventure" with a big picture of a Monkey on it. I always would get excited seeing that sign knowing we were getting close. The sign is now long gone and I actually stopped in one time to see if they any pics. of it but they don't. Does anyone else remember seeing that sign? Or does anyony have a pic. of it here?

[29yrswithaGApass]

I always lived east of the park so I never saw the monkey sign.

 

Does anyone recall when signs similar to the one below surrounded the park at the major intersections?

 

[GAcoaster]

Right up until a couple of years ago there was still one on County Line Road at Route 9 in Lakewood. It disappeared before I could get up the nerve to try and swipe it...

[ThemeParkRider]

It was summer of 2001. I remember watching Nitro travel the lift hill, and thinking I'd never go on that! I was wrong. I remember Bugs Bunny Land, and the log flume. Now, I am happy that Bugs Bunny land is gone because I disliked the themeing.

[gafreak]

The only feefall typr ride left is in cedar point its called demon drop, it was up for sale last i heard. my first memorie was riding the swiss bob when it was over by the haunted castle next to musik express. those were great times just thinking about them

[29yrswithaGApass]

This was found over on a postcard site. Feedback from a first time visitor.....

 

[MarioSonic94]

Here's two memories that my oldest sister experienced in the '80s.

 

1. While on line for a ride (She thinks it might have been Freefall), she noticed the sticks the ride attendants have for mesuring the kids. When he wasn't looking, she took the stick and flipped it over. When the attendant took the stick, he couldn't find the point of the height limit. When he realized that the joke was on him, he and my Dad started laughing.

 

2. My sister was about to enter the queue of a ride (she told me that it was the newest of that season, so that must mean it was Looping Starship). My mom told her not to go on the ride, since it looked scary. She resisted and went on with my dad. When they got off the ride, my sister was bawling, while my dad was laughing.

 

 

[ericthewanderer]

Technically I had HEARD of Great Adv. back around 1985 because SF opened the Power Plant in Baltimore,but I wouldn't get any real memories of Great Adv. until Sept. 1999 when I went for the Coaster Celebration.I had been an ACE member for only a few months,and it was the first time I had gone to a park by myself(outside of Wild World/SFA or Disney).I got to Great Adv. that morning right as ERT was starting:I pulled through the toll plaza and saw this HUMONGOUS RED AND WHITE STEEL THING standing there,with its red/white/blue trains going through its vertical loops,and I said to myself-"That's the first thing I'm riding!" .I rushed through the front gates and blindly made my way to the Boardwalk area were I proceeded to do just that:ride Scream Machine-twice !!!!No offense to B&M but seeing Chang/GL in GASM's old spot is still strange to me ....