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Matterhorn


29yrswithaGApass

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This was one of my favorite rides as a kid. The park removed allot of flat rides in the mid 1980's and attendance dropped. The park removed allot of flat rides the past five seasons and the attendance dropped. Just saying.

 

I remember the park removing the Matterhorn and Swabinchen for 1987, and then the Monster Spin, Calypso, Fender Bender, and Tilt a Whirl for 1988. It seemed like a huge chunk of rides to remove in such a short period of time. Ray Williams, the park president at the time, said that a lot of the rides were just getting old and they really didn't need the excess capacity. I guess history repeats itself.

 

 

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I think it's the best type of swing bob ride. The Chance model seems slower and doesn't rock as far. They also make me :sick3:

 

I remember the park removing the Matterhorn and Swabinchen for 1987, and then the Monster Spin, Calypso, Fender Bender, and Tilt a Whirl for 1988. It seemed like a huge chunk of rides to remove in such a short period of time. Ray Williams, the park president at the time, said that a lot of the rides were just getting old and they really didn't need the excess capacity. I guess history repeats itself.

 

This year I rode a Chaos at Keansburg and Cedar Point, Demon Drop, Calypso and Matterhorn at Cedar Point (I missed the monster, enterprise and tilt-a-whirl,) an old monster at Lakemont, a double inverter at Geauga Lake, the breakdance and a properly run top spin at Coney Island. There must be a playbook for running the park. I've also ridden the monster spin, calypso and GA's own Pendulum at SFGAm. This year walking down the midways at Fright Fest at SFGAdv was a nightmare but it was much easier 7 or 8 years ago.

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  • 1 year later...

As explained in the Spotlight, the Matterhorn was orginally located between the Giant Wheel and the Super RoundUp. In this recently purchased photo you can see the Matterhorn to the left of the RoundUp. Inbetween the two and set further back (almost under the Skyride cables) was the Calypso ride.

 

The area around the Giant Wheel was the largest concentration of attractons in the park containing ten rides - Pretty Monster, Giant Wheel, Flying Wave, Traffic Jam, Matterhorn, Calypso, Super Round Up, Swiss Bob, Grand Prix, and Big Fury.

 

MatterhornOriginalLocal.jpg

 

gallery_2_259_159608.jpg

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That's what made Great Adventure UNIQUE...you had some of the best flat rides...many of which we have mentioned on numerous occasions.

 

I love coasters very much, but I don't want overkill.

 

For a successful operation, you need a good mixture of both kinds of rides.

 

Back in the day, you had excellent flat rides like Fender Bender, Matterhorn, Musik Express, Swabinchin, Scrambler and the Enterprise all within earshot of Lightning Loops.

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That's what made Great Adventure UNIQUE...you had some of the best flat rides...many of which we have mentioned on numerous occasions.

 

I love coasters very much, but I don't want overkill.

 

For a successful operation, you need a good mixture of both kinds of rides.

 

Back in the day, you had excellent flat rides like Fender Bender, Matterhorn, Musik Express, Swabinchin, Scrambler and the Enterprise all within earshot of Lightning Loops.

 

I totally agree! Guests may not come to the park if you add just a Tilt a Whirl or a Bumper Cars ride, but group them together or promote them as a package and you can get people to take notice of it.

 

Remove all of those experiences and you run the risk of guests taking notice of that too. :(

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  • 3 months later...

This picture made me recall just how crazy the Matterhorn queue was laid out. Unlike most flats that had a simple rectangle of back and forth queue bars, the Matterhorn's had turns and segments to it. I don't ever recall the queue line being full beyond one set of switchbacks, so I never had the chance to venture through it's twisted maze.

 

gallery_2_43_767050.jpg

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  • 2 months later...

I recently read an article that made me remember (and realize) why the Matterhorn's queue line was so long. That queue was originally installed for the Troika (Wild Rider) ride. The Matterhorn was moved to that site when the Troika was removed after 1977 and utilized the same set of bars.

 

I know it's nothing big, but I just found it interesting....

 

gallery_2_43_767050.jpg

 

gallery_2_122_215997.jpg

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  • 5 months later...
  • 6 months later...
  • 1 year later...

This photo illustrates how the Matterhorn was such a last minute addition to Great Adventure. The ride was sandwiched into Strawberry Fair between the Calypso and Super Roundup. This photo was taken shortly after the park opened in 1974. Note the missing tarp roof on the Matterhorn and the crane in the distance located between the Matterhorn and Super Roundup!

 

gallery_2_579_754209.jpg

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  • 4 years later...
  • 3 months later...

Sometimes you can learn things about the park by examining the simplest photos. While the photo below from November 1974 seems to be just a bench in front of the Grand Prix ride, I noticed something cool in the background. The Matterhorn is sitting next to the Grand Prix meaning the ride was moved at some point during the 1974 season from the area near the Big Wheel to its second home on the opposite side of Gingerbread Fancy. I know that's not earth-shattering but it is to a G.A. nerd!

 

StatBook_SL0233_NOV74%20copy.jpg

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  • 5 years later...

After a long search I was finally able to find photos of Great Adventure’s Matterhorn at Six Flags Atlantis.  The ride was actually included in an old episode of Miami Vice titled "Honor Among Thieves" (Season 4, Episode 16, Time 32:40) which originally aired March 4, 1988.  It can be seen on Roku.

 

Here are two screen captures of the ride which includes a sign for the "Mattahorn."

 

Matterhorn2 copy.jpg

 

Matterhorn copy.jpg

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