Entrance - Original Enchanted Forest

[Daved Thomson]

Of course the skyline is going to change. Coasters rising above the trees is great, but at GA they don't rise above the trees, they replace them. There are no trees to rise above. You pull into the parking lot and all you see is coasters, not coasters rising above trees.

 

The forrest the park was built in was it's greatest asset, and it has been destroyed, and for the most part unnecessarily. Every time they build a coaster they cut down every tree in sight, instead of using the trees to make the ride more exciting and less obtrusive.

 

 

I couldn't agree more and, like you, believe it was totally unnecessary. It really is sad to look down at the park from the Big Wheel these days because all you do see is concrete. All you used to see was treetops, regardless of the direction you looked. Now, so much of the fantasy and magic has been lost because you see everything (including service areas, cars parked just behind park fences, maintenance yards, warehouses, etc.). While Disney does everything it can in its parks to maintain "the show," at Great Adventure there no longer seems to be any concern about how things "appear" to the guest.

[29yrswithaGApass]

Here is another rare view of the original entrance gates!

 

[29yrswithaGApass]

The original park exit is now a backstage area which you can see in the photo below. You can almost picture how it looked during 1974 and 1975.

 

[29yrswithaGApass]

Here is a rarely seen angle of the original front entrance - from inside the park looking out.

 

[29yrswithaGApass]

I made an historical discovery today! The security hut at the employee entrance to Hurricane Harbor is actually one of the original Enchanted Forest ticket booths from 1974 and 1975. It even still has the curved-top door on the back!

 

[29yrswithaGApass]

For a G.A. nerd like myself, this photo is golden! Those white balls on the canvas trim were light bulbs. Who knew!

 

[gasmspiritblue]

Dam that is like gold.

[GAcoaster]

I always figured they were but it's nice to get confirmation finally!

[FlumeOp1974]

There seems to be a lot of us who ask was the tree removal a good thing and no it was not. Nor was the removal of the grass areas and plantings thru out. And you all are correct, the trees were part of the parks beauty and a lot of thought went ito keeping as many as possable. Some of the younger readers don't think so but they keep the park temps at a comfortable level even in the middle of the summer and acted as air cleaner. Now we all know trees take in CO2 and give out oxygen and the canopy held with that and soil retention. As for the main enterance gate...Spectical plus......the "New Enterance" while needed to handle the large guest intake at the time. Was good Idea. I never understood why Six Flags needed to make it look like every other gate in there chain at the time...( No Magic Mountain wasn't theirs yet). Why couldn't they have kept the original them and aspects of the Main Gate and expanded it! Leave the Four Ttents alone and add a fountain to the area just beyond the rest rooms/First Aid and lost the canopy over them. (See Original Plans) Now along the new main gate, build shops, cafes, all done to turn of the century stylings with banners flags etc But Im not Six Flags just a man with more garnder plans the Six Flags.

[Vince]

Ah, those were the days. I worked at GA from the beginning for about five years. Great time of my life.

 

[29yrswithaGApass]

Even in this black and white press photo the original entrance way seemed colorful!

 

[29yrswithaGApass]

Recently obtained this photo of the park's original ticket booths under construction.  As you can see, the lights have yet to be installed as well as the spike-like upper decorations.  This photo was taken on June 28th, 1974 - just two days before the park opener.