If you had $50 Million to spend on anything in the park

[ThemeParkRider]

If I had $50 million I would first work on the paths. First, I'd open up a path between Rolling Thunder and Kingda Ka to help with crowds. I can't tell you how many times I see people walking around Rolling Thunder asking where Kinda Ka is. In addition to that, oppening up the closed path that lead to the kid's area in the Golden Kingdom would also help. I think a good restaraunt could be put in the location of the kid's structures. On the other side of the park, I'd open a path between Nitro/Rapids and Movietown, and put a flat ride there. Lastly (and most predicatlby), I'd reopen the Old Country path, regardless of whether there are rides there. If the budget allows, I'd reopen Autobahn, renovate the area, and place another flat or two there. If not, I'd just keep it as a quiet path. And, as a few people have said, re-forestation to keep things cool.

Edited November 11, 2011 by ThemeParkRider

[Ol'FormerRideOp]

Re-forrest the park and remove all the giant, ugly, metal structures ( Dark Knight, Right Stuff building, Sky Coaster, all the things that make GA look like an Industrial Park instead of an Enchanted Forrest)

 

You certainly have my vote on this! The original vision of the park is almost completely gone since all of Time Warner's "improvements" back in the early '90's ... So many trees were removed, simply because they weren't "straight." Bob Pittman (then CEO of TW) literally went through the park with a spray can of paint, and marked all of the trees he felt needed to be removed.

 

The property was originally owned by the Switlicks, and then the Girl Scouts purchased it for $1 per acre. They used the woods for camping retreats and the like until they sold the property to the developers. When the park first opened and for many seasons following, great care was taken to not disturb the beautiful, natural environment wherever possible. No matter how hot the summers were (sometimes near 100 degrees) the park remained comfortable and breezy with all of the shade that the trees provided. Now, the park is nothing but concrete (and now in some areas black tar) and steel with NO cover from the trees whatsoever. The park is so hot, they've had to install misting stations and fans with sprayers!

 

Time Warner also made a terrible mistake by making every SF park look exactly like one another. Same themes, same rides, same names, same food.. same colors, same logo etc. What is the point of visiting other SF parks if the one in your state pretty much resembles the same things in another? Great Adventure had it's own unique charm and with the constant mismanagement, and ever expanding corporate structure, it's lost itself.

 

Disney has invested heavily in themes, rides and shows. They put so much into everything and maintain it so well, that it sets a very high bar. Six Flags can NEVER compete in that same arena and shouldn't try. They COULD however, follow the playbook that Universal Studios does - have you seen the Mummy themed coaster? Harry Potter World? Nice huh? Marketing and catering to teenagers (who have very limited funds) and largely ignoring "families" (who spend more money as a whole) has caused a lot of their problems... By installing "heart-pounding rides" every year with minimal investments, instead of focusing on the fundamentals of the inner-workings of a successful family-oriented theme park, they've alienated a huge segment of the market that will instead, save their money for a Disney trip instead.

 

Give me the $50 Million, but mostly give me 5 years as General Manager with no corporate involvement whatsoever (other than general funding and reporting of course) and you'll see Great Adventure return to the glory it once had over time.

 

First things I'd do:

 

1. Revert back to the logo with the rainbow, stars and Six Flags across the top

2. Get rid of every food contractor. Bring back unique restaurants and serve food that you can ONLY get at Great Adventure, or at least food that GA is well known for...

3. Uniforms: Bring back themed costumes throughout.

4. Parades. Various... Lot's of them

5. Nightly fireworks

6. Longer Park Hours (Remember Magic 'Til Midnight?) 10:00 AM - 12:00 AM Daily - Occasional additional "Season Pass Holder Hours" - including off-season times

7. PAINT PAINT PAINT!!! It's a cheap facelift!

8. Install a minimum of 20 flat rides for all ages (mild to wild)

9. Construct parking facilities instead of a parking lot. (Universal did it...) Land could be "reclaimed" for other use.

10. New Super Teepee

11. TREES TREES TREES EVERYWHERE!!

12. Stop soaking guests by nickle and diming them at every turn. (Preferred parking... really?)

13. Lower prices. They have gotten completely out of control!!!

14. Free fast pass system similar to Disney's. (See #12)

15. Overhaul employee training completely

 

That's just in the first year... a five year plan would include a LOT more!

 

It all boils down to this: Ensure your guests have a wonderful experience, and make sure they leave with some money in their pockets - they'll SURELY come back!! Anger them by making them feel ripped off, after spending a hot day in long lines, dealing with minimally staffed rides, closed attractions, crappy mall-court food (at 5-star restaurant prices) and you're sure to lose your audience.... quickly!

 

Oh if only someone would give me the chance!

[ShoreNCoasters]

You certainly have my vote on this! The original vision of the park is almost completely gone since all of Time Warner's "improvements" back in the early '90's ... So many trees were removed, simply because they weren't "straight." Bob Pittman (then CEO of TW) literally went through the park with a spray can of paint, and marked all of the trees he felt needed to be removed.

 

The property was originally owned by the Switlicks, and then the Girl Scouts purchased it for $1 per acre. They used the woods for camping retreats and the like until they sold the property to the developers. When the park first opened and for many seasons following, great care was taken to not disturb the beautiful, natural environment wherever possible. No matter how hot the summers were (sometimes near 100 degrees) the park remained comfortable and breezy with all of the shade that the trees provided. Now, the park is nothing but concrete (and now in some areas black tar) and steel with NO cover from the trees whatsoever. The park is so hot, they've had to install misting stations and fans with sprayers!

 

Time Warner also made a terrible mistake by making every SF park look exactly like one another. Same themes, same rides, same names, same food.. same colors, same logo etc. What is the point of visiting other SF parks if the one in your state pretty much resembles the same things in another? Great Adventure had it's own unique charm and with the constant mismanagement, and ever expanding corporate structure, it's lost itself.

 

Disney has invested heavily in themes, rides and shows. They put so much into everything and maintain it so well, that it sets a very high bar. Six Flags can NEVER compete in that same arena and shouldn't try. They COULD however, follow the playbook that Universal Studios does - have you seen the Mummy themed coaster? Harry Potter World? Nice huh? Marketing and catering to teenagers (who have very limited funds) and largely ignoring "families" (who spend more money as a whole) has caused a lot of their problems... By installing "heart-pounding rides" every year with minimal investments, instead of focusing on the fundamentals of the inner-workings of a successful family-oriented theme park, they've alienated a huge segment of the market that will instead, save their money for a Disney trip instead.

 

Give me the $50 Million, but mostly give me 5 years as General Manager with no corporate involvement whatsoever (other than general funding and reporting of course) and you'll see Great Adventure return to the glory it once had over time.

 

First things I'd do:

 

1. Revert back to the logo with the rainbow, stars and Six Flags across the top

2. Get rid of every food contractor. Bring back unique restaurants and serve food that you can ONLY get at Great Adventure, or at least food that GA is well known for...

3. Uniforms: Bring back themed costumes throughout.

4. Parades. Various... Lot's of them

5. Nightly fireworks

6. Longer Park Hours (Remember Magic 'Til Midnight?) 10:00 AM - 12:00 AM Daily - Occasional additional "Season Pass Holder Hours" - including off-season times

7. PAINT PAINT PAINT!!! It's a cheap facelift!

8. Install a minimum of 20 flat rides for all ages (mild to wild)

9. Construct parking facilities instead of a parking lot. (Universal did it...) Land could be "reclaimed" for other use.

10. New Super Teepee

11. TREES TREES TREES EVERYWHERE!!

12. Stop soaking guests by nickle and diming them at every turn. (Preferred parking... really?)

13. Lower prices. They have gotten completely out of control!!!

14. Free fast pass system similar to Disney's. (See #12)

15. Overhaul employee training completely

 

That's just in the first year... a five year plan would include a LOT more!

 

It all boils down to this: Ensure your guests have a wonderful experience, and make sure they leave with some money in their pockets - they'll SURELY come back!! Anger them by making them feel ripped off, after spending a hot day in long lines, dealing with minimally staffed rides, closed attractions, crappy mall-court food (at 5-star restaurant prices) and you're sure to lose your audience.... quickly!

 

Oh if only someone would give me the chance!

 

I would not do so many flat rides in one shot... Great ideas though!

 

I have so many ideas, it would be hard to write them all...

Edited November 18, 2011 by ShoreNCoasters

[FlumeOp1974]

Lets see. There are manythings I would undo before id expand.

First, Restore the Lion to the entrance area. Re-work the Main Street plaza into a food court. Restore Yum-Yum, Gingerbread FAncy, Best of the West back to thier Orgional look and menus. Removel all the connecting buildings to the four tents and restore the entrance plaza canopy. And replace the original top but ths time with Dream Street logo. Build the fifth tent. And restore the shops. but retheme them to make the current. Work on the Space between the Caroseal and Fountain by adding shops. example a Magic Shop by the Houdinni, Return Hat,Hats, Remove some concrete and replant with flower gardens and trees. Bring a live Band act back to the "Band Stand by the Lake". Simple yes but a good start to restoring the park. And comming closer to the orgional plans. And one more very inportant thing...use the Original Logo and then go back to the "Great Adventure" Presented by Six Flags.

[Up_Up_and_Away]

Lets see. There are manythings I would undo before id expand.

First, Restore the Lion to the entrance area. Re-work the Main Street plaza into a food court. Restore Yum-Yum, Gingerbread FAncy, Best of the West back to thier Orgional look and menus. Removel all the connecting buildings to the four tents and restore the entrance plaza canopy. And replace the original top but ths time with Dream Street logo. Build the fifth tent. And restore the shops. but retheme them to make the current. Work on the Space between the Caroseal and Fountain by adding shops. example a Magic Shop by the Houdinni, Return Hat,Hats, Remove some concrete and replant with flower gardens and trees. Bring a live Band act back to the "Band Stand by the Lake". Simple yes but a good start to restoring the park. And comming closer to the orgional plans. And one more very inportant thing...use the Original Logo and then go back to the "Great Adventure" Presented by Six Flags.

 

I like the way you think

[FlumeOp1974]

I like the way you think

Thank you. I did forget to say i wouldnt remove the main gate just rework the original back to its 74-75 look. I have other ideas but that would involve more cash flow.

Edited February 25, 2012 by FlumeOp1974

[coastercrazy9]

Spend it on flat rides, and other things that attract crowds, other than coasters, and put them back by Bizarro. That relocation rumor was too much for me to handle, and I won't be able to stand it if it goes. The more rides that are back there, the more people that go into the area, meaning Bizarro gets a good attendance, and can stay longer.

[RobertDavid]

Re-forrest the park and remove all the giant, ugly, metal structures ( Dark Knight, Right Stuff building, Sky Coaster, all the things that make GA look like an Industrial Park instead of an Enchanted Forrest)

 

 

If only.

[warnerleroy]

http://www.italintl.com/detail_page.php?record_id=1597 in Movietown themed to the original stunman's freefall

http://www.italintl.com/detail_page.php?record_id=1427 replacing where the remote control boats are in the lakefront

http://www.italintl.com/detail_page.php?record_id=1594 behind Big wheel were the remote control cars are now

http://www.italintl.com/detail_page.php?record_id=1592 somewhere in the boardwalk or Movietown or Old Country

still have millions left over for theming/cosmetic improvements

[FlumeOp1974]

Ok its been a great year all my reworkings paid off big time..whats my budget this year?

[GAcoaster]

Well, it rained a lot in the south, so the Texas and Georgia parks dragged things down, and the Chicago park had a bad season after an "incident" in the parking lot, and the west coast parks are still being held back by the economy, so we have to take all the money you made and apply it to the other parks to help them build their attendance up, and the money we allotted for capital improvements for this year is going to have to be spent on new register systems and repairing existing equipment, so you are already $5 million in the red going into the new season...

[FlumeOp1974]

Well, it rained a lot in the south, so the Texas and Georgia parks dragged things down, and the Chicago park had a bad season after an "incident" in the parking lot, and the west coast parks are still being held back by the economy, so we have to take all the money you made and apply it to the other parks to help them build their attendance up, and the money we allotted for capital improvements for this year is going to have to be spent on new register systems and repairing existing equipment, so you are already $5 million in the red going into the new season...

[FlumeOp1974]

Dang!!!!!!!!!! Oh well.

[GAcoaster]

That's always the drawback to a company that only runs theme parks. Especially that so much is beyond anyones control. Add stockholders to the mix and it gets worse...

[Coaster Justin]

That's always the drawback to a company that only runs theme parks. Especially that so much is beyond anyones control. Add stockholders to the mix and it gets worse...

 

 

 

 

OK, I have 50 Million.

Partner with Marriott to Build a small hotel (Fairfield/ Residents Inn, Etc) on Property.

[truepolak90]

With this safari upgrade we are getting, I would love to see them squeeze the water slides into the safari kids/Ltsp area and bring back adventure rivers! Transform Congo into a lazy river and add a wave pool where the Congo pool is cleaning up some defunct ride parts in the maintenance area. Transform former waterpark into a camp ground and reopen balins jungle land. Replace the airplanes in Bbnp with taz tornado, add safari kids planes between adventur alleys bus and fender benders, and put a zamperla kite flyer where air jumbo is. In frontier adventures put a classic swing ride in teepees old spot and call it frontier wave. Some kid rides could even go into lakefront and give it a little overhaul. RRR and the 3 Ltsp rides can go Into movie town where evolution was origionally supposed to go and call it Looney tunes movie town which will increase popularity in that area. Oh the potential and possibilties this park has.

[Guest racinggal17]

With this safari upgrade we are getting, I would love to see them squeeze the water slides into the safari kids/Ltsp area and bring back adventure rivers! Transform Congo into a lazy river and add a wave pool where the Congo pool is cleaning up some defunct ride parts in the maintenance area. Transform former waterpark into a camp ground and reopen balins jungle land. Replace the airplanes in Bbnp with taz tornado, add safari kids planes between adventur alleys bus and fender benders, and put a zamperla kite flyer where air jumbo is. In frontier adventures put a classic swing ride in teepees old spot and call it frontier wave. Some kid rides could even go into lakefront and give it a little overhaul. RRR and the 3 Ltsp rides can go Into movie town where evolution was origionally supposed to go and call it Looney tunes movie town which will increase popularity in that area. Oh the potential and possibilties this park has.

 

 

What new sections are you gonna add, if so, what new rides are you gonna build?

[GA Rolling Thunder]

With 50 million dollars I could OPEN ANOTHER PARK that what Leroy spend on Great Adventure likely smaller but still. If I was to spend it on the park, Resto! (74 or 75) and make the park bigger add more ride I find that there's not alot of a roller coaster (with the remove of Rolling Thunder only makes it worst)

[RideOfSteel]

Here's how I would spend my $50 million:

 

-New chair swing ride in the Golden Kingdom between Kingda Ka and Green Lantern

-Go-Carts and Dare Devil Dive removed. Giant frisbee and aqua twist added.

-New Vekoma dueling coaster (one side sit down without inversions/one side inverted with inversions) between El Toro and Kingda Ka

-Dare Devil Dive moved to a new location in the park.

 

This would probably be closer to $75 million though.

[Coasterharrison'98]

50 million hmmmmm...

reopen movie town with a dizzy disc in stunt mans free fall and place a wing coaster in the chillers old location along with demolishing TDK also open a flat ride in the batman stunt arena along with painting batman in the colors of the clone at SFOG

Edited September 23, 2013 by Coasterharrison'98

[SixFlagsGreatAdventure6]

if I had 50 million i,d restore rolling thunder

[RC98]

I would add a small flat ride package. Some of my ideas include a Zamperla Air Race themed to stunt planes in Movietown, a classic Wave Swinger in Fantasy Forest, and a giant frisbee (any manufacturer).

Coaster wise maybe a GCI woodie in Rolling Thunder's spot and for the biggest attraction, an Intamin giga coaster with lots of strong g-forces (think I305) to differentiate itself from Nitro's more graceful experience. It would go where the go carts and old simulator building are now and then cross over the ticketing area to the Old Country/Chiller spot. Then Old Country could be opened as a path to open up views of the ride like Hershey did with Skyrush. To prevent this coaster from standing out too much, each section could be painted different colors to fit the area that it is in or crossing over (navy blue/black for Chiller's spot, neutral colors for the crossing, etc.). Whatever is left would be spent on shows and sprucing up the park (paint, parking lot, erasing dead ends, etc).

Please keep in mind that I know nothing about the prices of rides- for all I know this would cost $100 million or more.

Edited October 29, 2013 by RC98

[ericthewanderer]

Right now if I had $50 million I would rebuild Rolling Thunder in it's old spot,but with that "Topper Track" stuff,and use trains that only need lapbars.Then I would hire Gordon Ramsey to give the foodservice dept. the "Kitchen Nightmare" treatment. .

[laurenalexis]

If I had 50 million dollars, I would use it to fix up Old Country and the area that was once Balin's Jungleland. They really need to be reopened with some new rides. If there was any money left over, I would use it to do something about the vacant simulator building.

[GAcoaster]

You may be getting a nice surprise...