29yrswithaGApass Posted July 20, 2021 Report Share Posted July 20, 2021 It's obvious that the operations of Hurricane Harbor have been struggling lately. During any typical year, the park is pushed to its max especially during summer weekends with more than capacity crowds. This year the situation has worsened with throngs of people looking to get out of their houses and do something "normal" coupled with the nationwide worker shortage causing closed attractions and even less capacity for the over-capacity crowds. The results provide for something other than an ideal visit. The park knows this is a bad situation all to well and recently announced that admission will be limited to just season pass and membership holders and reservation requirements have been reinstated. People have been more than vocal to complain about this less than desired setup but what would you suggest? In your opinion, what is the best way to make Hurricane Harbor an enjoyable experience? Limit attendance? Increase capacity with additional attractions? Provide a higher wage to attract more lifeguards? What do you think? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
biondolilll1 Posted July 21, 2021 Report Share Posted July 21, 2021 I think it's essential that HH gets more attractions. I haven't been there in years because, quite frankly, I am more stressed when I leave the park than when I arrive. It needs a few MAJOR attractions for crowds to feel more comfortable. A higher capacity water coaster should be high on the park's priority list right now. The crowds come regardless and I think that's why they haven't added something major in a while but with no daily tickets anymore, that alone will make the general public angry. It's time for new rides there- and I would say that 2022 should be the year- they are likely re-adding the kids rides they removed with maybe a few extra ones so that shouldn't cost that much- use the extra money to make HH a valuable experience for the park AND the paying guests. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Master Posted July 21, 2021 Report Share Posted July 21, 2021 I would start with management, most company problems are caused by poor management. Poorly ran companies often have a difficult time attracting and keeping employees due to having bad reputations. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nitr0o Posted July 21, 2021 Report Share Posted July 21, 2021 From what I was told by people who work there, even with higher lifeguard wages no one wants to work, leading to the capacity problems they have. Not to mention with a lot of underage lifeguards working, they can't work 40 hour weeks due to child labor laws, so even when they hire lifeguards, they may not be able to work as much as they need to. As of right now, the current workforce situation is just really tough and I honestly don't know how they could improve it in the moment, but in the future yes, hurricane harbor is very popular, too popular, and it seriously needs to expand more (somehow). 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Medusa42 Posted July 21, 2021 Report Share Posted July 21, 2021 Another wave pool or lazy river might help absorb the crowds a bit. Long term, Six Flags should probably build another waterpark in PA (Six Flags Hurricane Harbor Philadelphia). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Master Posted July 21, 2021 Report Share Posted July 21, 2021 They could stand to install red and green indicator lights on the slides to help improve dispatch times. Hershey's Boardwalk slides use indicator lights. Also install sun shades on top of the towers to reduce lifeguard fatigue. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daved Thomson Posted July 22, 2021 Report Share Posted July 22, 2021 Get a new governor. One that does NOT think it's his job to dictate to the businesses or citizens of the State what is a safe or unsafe environment in which to work. People are very capable of deciding for themselves where to work and when it's better to work than not work, and "safer" to work than not work. As long as you've relaxed requirements to collect unemployment and made it more advantageous to collect unemployment than to work (thereby making it safer to not work than to work for many people), you will have a very difficult time finding people to work. 2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coastercouple Posted August 17, 2021 Report Share Posted August 17, 2021 After just visiting Hurricane Harbor in Texas, next to Over Texas, that park was run light years better than White Water Georgia or HH NJ. I am going to check out HH NJ this weekend for the first time this year, not excited based on this thread. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GASM Posted August 19, 2021 Report Share Posted August 19, 2021 I think at this point it’s more of a “what DOESN’T HH need” rather than “what does HH need.” I stopped going when King Cobra was removed and frankly I’ll never not be mad about that, but it was the last straw for a park that seems to be doing the bare minimum. They absolutely need another high capacity attraction like the wave pool and the lazy river. Even just a second wave pool would alleviate a lot of headaches. They need better maintenance, not of the attractions, but of the park itself. I don’t think I’ve ever climbed the stairs to Big Bambu/Reef Runner without seeing multiple beehives, and the wave pool area is always trashed by like an hour into the day. They need something unique again. King Cobra, while not being the best for capacity, was the most original ride the park ever had and to this day is the only slide to ever be removed from the park. Another slide complex like The Winds or Hurricane Mountain would also alleviate crowds. HH is easily the most neglected part of Great Adventure’s entire complex, and yet it’s the one constantly at capacity due to NJ summers being hellish. Truthfully, Six Flags needs to put the budget they generally put into Great Adventure into HH and (gasp) let GA go a year without a new attraction. Last year aside due to the current state of the world, 2010 was the last time GA didn’t get a new attraction and I think they’ll be forgiven if they do it again now lol. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
truepolak90 Posted August 20, 2021 Report Share Posted August 20, 2021 (edited) I would say some new attractions, the park doesn't have enough to supply the size of crowds they get, however staffing is also a big factor especially this season showed this, but even in past seasons they had some issues finding lifegaurds. A new water coaster, along with a hydro bowl and some speed slides with the floor dropping would complement our selection. The park has barely expanded since 2000, besides tornado which came in 2010, big wave racer and the pool that replaced the removed king kobra Is all they built in the last 21 years. Now as far as management goes this is the biggest issue imo. The fact that they provide very little amount of tubes to try to get rental sales causes extremely long lines before even going up the stairs to ride. The flash pass also is aggravating because last time I got it, it was for the wait for tubed and not the actual slide, being there isn't a separate entrance. They should provide more tubes to help the lines instead of trying to up charge everything. This was the most aggravating part of my day. Edited August 20, 2021 by truepolak90 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Master Posted August 20, 2021 Report Share Posted August 20, 2021 The park also needs additional restrooms and a larger shade structure at the front gate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coaster Justin Posted August 22, 2021 Report Share Posted August 22, 2021 On 7/21/2021 at 1:44 PM, Medusa42 said: Another wave pool or lazy river might help absorb the crowds a bit. Long term, Six Flags should probably build another waterpark in PA (Six Flags Hurricane Harbor Philadelphia). I see them buying a nearby waterpark vs building one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Medusa42 Posted August 22, 2021 Report Share Posted August 22, 2021 32 minutes ago, Coaster Justin said: I see them buying a nearby waterpark vs building one. Which waterpark? I don't see any in the area worth purchasing or leasing. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coaster Justin Posted August 24, 2021 Report Share Posted August 24, 2021 On 8/22/2021 at 3:04 PM, Medusa42 said: Which waterpark? I don't see any in the area worth purchasing or leasing. Camelbeach Waterpark Mountain Creek Waterpark Course I'm not from the Region Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Master Posted August 28, 2021 Report Share Posted August 28, 2021 Both are kind of far from GADV. Closet next waterpark to HH NJ is probably Breakwater Beach in Seaside Heights. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coaster Justin Posted September 1, 2021 Report Share Posted September 1, 2021 Six Flags Great America to Hurricane Harbor, Rockford is over 60 miles away Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mkj3322 Posted September 2, 2021 Report Share Posted September 2, 2021 If they can make the room, they should expand with some more slides. I would think a water park that is constantly overflowing, to the point of gates being shut, should be generating enough income to warrant an expansion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
truepolak90 Posted September 3, 2021 Report Share Posted September 3, 2021 Proslide has a lot of awesome waterside with many different options. HH NJ is one of the few parks without a drop capsule whixh I'd love to see. Off course also as mentioned before a water coaster would really complement the line up. Also we could use another family play area/complex like the one we have with the bucket and smaller slides for the younger ones fo help spread the crowds. Also along with thrill and family attractions, perhaps something In between that's bigger then the small slides but not as intense as the big slides. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Master Posted September 7, 2021 Report Share Posted September 7, 2021 Add a raft lift onto the Tornado. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NKMM10893 Posted September 17, 2021 Report Share Posted September 17, 2021 On 9/3/2021 at 1:53 AM, truepolak90 said: Proslide has a lot of awesome waterside with many different options. HH NJ is one of the few parks without a drop capsule whixh I'd love to see. It would be such an easy installation too. Just take the triple body slide tower and replace the slides with drop capsule slides. No need to build a new tower and it would essentially improve an already existing attraction. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
29yrswithaGApass Posted September 18, 2021 Author Report Share Posted September 18, 2021 Not sure how many people recall this but for 2012 the park announced they were going to add drop boxes to the Falls tower. Before the season started their plans changed and they added King Cobra instead. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GASM Posted September 20, 2021 Report Share Posted September 20, 2021 On 9/17/2021 at 7:37 PM, 29yrswithaGApass said: Not sure how many people recall this but for 2012 the park announced they were going to add drop boxes to the Falls tower. Before the season started their plans changed and they added King Cobra instead. I do remember that! As much as I loved King Cobra, I’m still a bit upset we never got those. I really can’t even comprehend what goes into decision making for Hurricane Harbor. It’s questionable at Great Adventure some years too, but never like this. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
29yrswithaGApass Posted September 20, 2021 Author Report Share Posted September 20, 2021 King Cobra was originally advertised as a much higher volume slide with a much higher weight limit (meaning two people could ride in one tube). That all changed once the ride was built and tested and ended up hardly increasing park capacity. That is why we received Big Wave Racer the following season. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
themeparkpics55 Posted September 20, 2021 Report Share Posted September 20, 2021 I think they need more capacity with food and other park services, and some way to greater spread out the crowds so not everyone is at the slide complex's that are front and center Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
themeparkpics55 Posted September 20, 2021 Report Share Posted September 20, 2021 On 9/7/2021 at 12:06 PM, The Master said: Add a raft lift onto the Tornado. Very good idea that could definitely increase throughput on that ride as well as not having to carry up that huge tube Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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