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The park was opened in 1974 by restauranteur Warner LeRoy. His idea was an enchanted forest seen through the eyes of a child. Everything from a teepee to an ice cream sundae was designed larger than life. For its time the park was a major attraction with several small steel rollercoasters (by today's standards.) One such coaster, The Runaway Train still operates today. Two log flumes, dozens of spin rides, shows and the Safari were a part of The greatest day of your life (an original park slogan.)
Late in 1977 the park was purchased by Six Flags who gradually added their standard rides such as the looping coaster, the wooden coaster, the pirate ship, a rapids ride and drop towers. Like several other Six Flags theme parks, including Six Flags Great America, it has the potential to draw huge crowds because of its location between two major metropolitan areas. New York and Philadelphia are easy to reach and innercity crowds tend to dominate the weekends while suburbanites prefer the weekdays. Teens are the heavy draw on Fridays and Fright Fest nights.
On May 21st 2005, the park debuted Kingda Ka, the world's tallest and fastest roller coaster. Kingda Ka has a top speed of 128 mph and rises to a height of 456 feet (139 m), which beat the previous marks of 120 mph and 420 feet set by Top Thrill Dragster at Cedar Point. It is the only coaster in the park to be closed due to rain -- other coasters in the park remain open unless thunder or lightning are nearby.
El Toro
In 2006, Six Flags opened El Toro, a new roller coaster that is at the center of a Spanish-themed section called Plaza Del Carnaval. The coaster differs from most other wooden roller coasters in that it uses prefabricated track.
Nitro
In 2001 the park opened Nitro. It stands 230 feet above the ground and travels at speeds up to 80 mph. The track is one mile long with no inversions. The ride contains six camelbacks, a hammer head turn and a double helix. Each rider is secured by their own individual lap restraint. The coaster used to feature signs on the ride up the lift hill which compared points on the hill to other tall structures such as Niagara Falls; these signs were later removed. Nitro was the tallest and fastest coaster at the park until the opening of Kingda Ka in 2005. The ride continues to be a popular with long wait times, although the line normally moves very fast because each train holds 36 guests and can be checked and dispatched faster than most other coasters in the park. It remains one of the world's top coasters.
There have been a few notable incidents at Great Adventure that resulted in severe injuries or deaths of workers or guests.
Sections
Main Street
Main Street is one of the smallest sections in the park, it runs from the entrance to the fountain. It does not include any rides, but is home to several of the park's primary shops.
Fantasy Forest
Fantasy Forest runs perpendicular to Main Street, meeting it at the fountain, and is the main path that connects the two sides of the park. It includes one end of of the Sky Ride (the other is in Frontier Adventures), the Big Wheel, and the Carousel.
Lakefront
The lakefront runs along the lake, parallel to Fantasy Forest. It is home to Skull Mountain and several smaller rides of rides that exist in the park.
Old Country
Old Country is another small section. Located next to Movietown, it is home to two rides. Old Country also holds the Old Country Picnic Grove, which is used for big parties that have reservations.
Looney Tunes Seaport is one of the park's children's sections. Home to a total of 15 rides, most of them children's rides, it is located next to the Lakefront and Movietown.
Boardwalk
Located to the left of the entrance, the Boardwalk is home to The Great American Scream Machine and Superman: Ultimate Flight, several upcharge (pay-to-ride) rides, the parachute drop, one other flat ride, and the majority of the park's games. The games are styled from carnival games, like tossing rings onto glass bottles and a water gun race.
Frontier Adventures
Frontier Adventures is home to Medusa, Runaway Mine Train, the log flume, one end of the Sky Ride, the Northern Star Arena, and several other rides. It used to be much larger than it currently is, in 2005 and 2006 large portions of Frontier Adventures were re-themed into the Golden Kingdom and Plaza Del Carnaval. Frontier Adventures can be reached from the Golden Kingdom, as well as over the bridge from Plaza Del Carnaval.
Bugs Bunny National Park
This new children's section is located between the trees around the picturesque Lakefront. 6 children rides include small versions of the ferris wheel, carousel, and musik express, plus a samba tower (tea cups on a tower,) a working kiddie train and another airplane ride which propells the rider in the air by using a joystick. The Looney Tunes show "We Got the Beat" returns in the Wilderness Theater. Looney Tunes characters roam the area from time to time. A water tower drops cold water on guests in the hot months. An Animal Ambassador exhibit educates children on the animals of the wild.
The section makes up for the part of Bugs Bunny Land which gave way in 2005 to the new Temple of the Tiger and Spirit of the Tiger presentation. (The other part of Bugs Bunny Land was transformed into the new Balin's Jungleland for children.)
Golden Kingdom
The Golden Kingdom comprises a large area that was formerly part of Frontier Adventures, as well the entirety of the former Bugs Bunny Land and an area between Rolling Thunder and Great American Scream Machine. It includes Kingda Ka, Balin's Jungleland with several children's rides and play elements, and is home to the park's seven bengal tigers: Balin, Faruk, Hara and Chandi, rare golden tabby cubs Kingda Ka and Raina, and white cub Kiril. These tigers are featured in a 15-minute "Spirit of the Tiger" show.
Plaza Del Carnaval
The park's newest section features the park's two wooden coasters, Rolling Thunder and El Toro as well as Tango, a gentle family spinning ride. It can be reached from the Golden Kingdom, as well as over the bridge next to Medusa in Frontier Adventures. However, the bridge does not have direction signs at either end, and the Medusa end of the bridge is somewhat out of the way, resulting in its being used relatively little.
Transportation
Public Transportation
There are few buses that go to Six Flags from the shore. New Jersey Transit provides service to the park:
307 Daily service between Freehold and Six Flags Great Adventure via County Route 537 (runs from 8 am to 10 pm; some Saturdays until Midnight)
The majority of customers drive. The usual path is via the New Jersey Turnpike to Interstate 195, then County Route 537 to the park. When coming from the south, Interstate 295 should be used instead of the Turnpike. When Six Flags is busy, traffic can become a nightmare. There are alternate routes to/from Six Flags that are not commonly advertised:
Alternate Routes
Going
Alternate Route #1: If traffic is congested (while traveling southbound on the turnpike, approaching Exit 8A), get off at 8A, and take Route 32 west to U.S. Route 130 south. Take 130 south to 195 east to Exit 16.
Alternate Route #2': If traveling southbound on the turnpike when approaching Exit 8 and traffic is congested, get off at Exit 8. Take Route 33 east to Route 133 west (towards Princeton). Take 133 to US 130 south, and then to 195 east.
Coming back
Alternate Route #1: If turnpike is congested, take 195 to Exit 5 for US 130. Take 130 north to 133 east to Route 33 west, and can enter the turnike at Exit 8 in East Windsor Township.
Alternate Route #2: If turnpike is congested, take 195 to Exit 5, and take 130 north to Route 32 east, and can enter the turnpike at Exit 8A in Monroe Township.
Ride/Attraction Timeline
2006: El Toro and Plaza Del Carnaval, a new Spanish-themed section, along with Bugs Bunny National Park.
2005: Golden Kingdom themed area featuring Kingda Ka, Balin's Jungle Land (children's playarea), and Temple of the Tiger (tiger exhibit); Secondary entrance to safari added.
2001: Nitro, the short-lived Season Pass entrance, Slingshot and Turbo Force (upcharge rides.)
2000: Hurricane Harbor water park opened on land nearby as a separate admission park.
1999: Medusa; Blackbeard's Lost Treasure Train; Road Runner Railway; Looney Tunes Seaport (themed area); Houdini's Great Escape; Escape from Dino Island 3D; Gotham City Carnival of Chaos stunt show. Much needed flat rides were added which have since been removed. Included in the "War on Lines" package included Spinnaker, Pirate's Flight, Time Warp, Evolution, Jumpin' Jack Flash, Pendulum, Rodeo Stampede and Chaos. Twister and Jolly Roger remain.
1998: Batman and Robin: The Chiller. (added in 1997 but not in operation the entire season
1984: Sarajevo Bobsled and Rednuht Gnillor (the backwards facing Rolling Thunder train.) The Haunted Castle is destoyed by fire. (See Incidents at Six Flags parks for more information.)
New York Times; August 13, 1984; "A spate of amusement park accidents, including the Great Adventure fun-house fire that killed eight people in New Jersey and recent fatalities on park rides, has stirred support in Congress for reinstating Federal jurisdiction over safety at the parks. The Consumer Product Safety Commission has jurisdiction over the safety of traveling amusement rides, but Congress lifted its juridiction over permanent installations in 1981. 'I am very adamant that we have jurisdiction over fixed-site rides,' said the commission chairman, Nancy Harvey Stoerts. 'This issue is critical. There have been 12 deaths already this year and the average is 7.'"
