29yrswithaGApass Posted August 5, 2018 Report Share Posted August 5, 2018 Quote Six Flags Great Adventure: Relive the amusement park's thrilling legacy Alexandra Harrison, Asbury Park PressPublished 11:35 a.m. ET Aug. 3, 2018 | Updated 11:45 a.m. ET Aug. 3, 2018 For nearly four-and-a-half decades, Six Flags Great Adventure has been thrilling amusement park fans in Jackson. It all began on July 1, 1974, when Warner LeRoy first opened the gates. LeRoy’s father, Mervyn LeRoy, was the producer of the celebrated film, "The Wizard of Oz," and his mother, Doris Warner, was the daughter of Warner Brothers executive Harry Warner. Originally, LeRoy had planned to name the theme park "Enchanted Forest and Safari Park," but ultimately landed on the name Great Adventure. The amusement park had 1.33 million visitors in its first year, according to the unofficial historian website greatadventurehistory.com. Great Adventure saw an 83% increase in attendance in its second season. Four summers after Great Adventure first opened, an entertainment company based in Texas acquired the park, adding Six Flags to the name. LeRoy eventually sold his remaining interest in the park in 1993. Still, there are glimmers of LeRoy’s vision that shine throughout the park from the ice cream sundae-like appearance of the Yum Yum Palace (now Yum Yum Cafe) to the fort that houses its oldest existing roller coaster, the Runaway Mine Train. See how the park has evolved in our gallery below, showing Great Adventure through the years. Kristin Fitzgerald, a Great Adventure spokesperson stated, "Six Flags Great Adventure is now known as the world's ultimate thrill park, and our focus is on innovation and creating unparalleled thrills for all ages." This summer, the 510-acre theme park has debuted the world’s first ride themed to the DC comic superhero Cyborg. See Asbury Park Press reporters Felecia Wellington Radel and Alex Biese take a test ride on the new thrill ride here. Click HERE to view the Asbury Park Press photo collection. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FlumeOp1974 Posted August 7, 2018 Report Share Posted August 7, 2018 Enough to make a grown man cry..Thinking about all who were there in the beginning. Sad really. Ya think? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pineracer Posted August 7, 2018 Report Share Posted August 7, 2018 Isn't Ironic that the park has roots in Warner Brothers, which owned the park in the early 90's? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
harry2004 Posted August 7, 2018 Report Share Posted August 7, 2018 (edited) possible? they are the ones who created movietown and old country, and signs for areas like boardwalk, fantasy forest, lakefront, and bugs bunny land plus they did better themes like: movies, pirates, spanish, air force, german, rapid rivers, and cartoons Edited August 7, 2018 by harry2004 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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