GreatAdventureHistory.com
@gahistory.bsky.social
Unofficial history of the world’s largest seasonal theme park, Six Flags Great Adventure
Excited to share that “Ticket to Ride- America’s Theme Park Trains” is now available for pre-order!
rivershorepress.com/ticket-to-ride
This book will be a “must have” for train & theme park fans everywhere. Photos from my Great Adventure History collection and my personal collection of are included.
rivershorepress.com/ticket-to-ride
This book will be a “must have” for train & theme park fans everywhere. Photos from my Great Adventure History collection and my personal collection of are included.
June 19, 2025 at 2:01 PM
Excited to share that “Ticket to Ride- America’s Theme Park Trains” is now available for pre-order!
rivershorepress.com/ticket-to-ride
This book will be a “must have” for train & theme park fans everywhere. Photos from my Great Adventure History collection and my personal collection of are included.
rivershorepress.com/ticket-to-ride
This book will be a “must have” for train & theme park fans everywhere. Photos from my Great Adventure History collection and my personal collection of are included.
From this date in 2008– both coasters are gone now…
May 4, 2025 at 4:05 PM
From this date in 2008– both coasters are gone now…
Another Monday, another map! This week it's 1987-- Splashwater Falls made a big splash, but it was another rough year for the park with bad publicity.
www.greatadventurehistory.com/1987_Yearboo...
www.greatadventurehistory.com/1987_Yearboo...
March 24, 2025 at 10:34 AM
Another Monday, another map! This week it's 1987-- Splashwater Falls made a big splash, but it was another rough year for the park with bad publicity.
www.greatadventurehistory.com/1987_Yearboo...
www.greatadventurehistory.com/1987_Yearboo...
Map Monday this week is 1986, and the debut of the first (and only) Togo Ultra Twister outside of Japan! The unique ride was thrilling, but low capacity and only lasted a few years.
www.greatadventurehistory.com/1986_Yearboo...
www.greatadventurehistory.com/1986_Yearboo...
March 17, 2025 at 8:50 AM
Map Monday this week is 1986, and the debut of the first (and only) Togo Ultra Twister outside of Japan! The unique ride was thrilling, but low capacity and only lasted a few years.
www.greatadventurehistory.com/1986_Yearboo...
www.greatadventurehistory.com/1986_Yearboo...
Today’s Map Monday brings us to 1985, a “rebuilding” year for the park. Looping Starship was the new ride, and the Looney Tunes took over as park mascots. Behind the scenes a $5 million fire safety system was retrofit park wide.
www.greatadventurehistory.com/1985_Yearboo...
www.greatadventurehistory.com/1985_Yearboo...
March 10, 2025 at 9:14 AM
Today’s Map Monday brings us to 1985, a “rebuilding” year for the park. Looping Starship was the new ride, and the Looney Tunes took over as park mascots. Behind the scenes a $5 million fire safety system was retrofit park wide.
www.greatadventurehistory.com/1985_Yearboo...
www.greatadventurehistory.com/1985_Yearboo...
More ‘84 goodness with a look at the Season Passholder mailer:
www.greatadventurehistory.com/New1984SPMai...
www.greatadventurehistory.com/New1984SPMai...
March 3, 2025 at 4:16 PM
More ‘84 goodness with a look at the Season Passholder mailer:
www.greatadventurehistory.com/New1984SPMai...
www.greatadventurehistory.com/New1984SPMai...
This week’s Map Monday takes us to 1984, the year that changed everything for Great Adventure and industry wide. The Sarajevo Bobsled was the marquis addition for the season.
www.greatadventurehistory.com/1984_Yearboo...
www.greatadventurehistory.com/1984_Yearboo...
March 3, 2025 at 10:16 AM
This week’s Map Monday takes us to 1984, the year that changed everything for Great Adventure and industry wide. The Sarajevo Bobsled was the marquis addition for the season.
www.greatadventurehistory.com/1984_Yearboo...
www.greatadventurehistory.com/1984_Yearboo...
I missed Map Monday, so we’re doing a Two Map Tuesday to make up for it! Here’s the 1982 map featuring the “new” Games Area, and the 1983 map which introduced Freefall, Parachutes, and the Ski Show!
www.greatadventurehistory.com/1982_Yearboo...
www.greatadventurehistory.com/1983_Yearboo...
www.greatadventurehistory.com/1982_Yearboo...
www.greatadventurehistory.com/1983_Yearboo...
February 25, 2025 at 7:57 PM
I missed Map Monday, so we’re doing a Two Map Tuesday to make up for it! Here’s the 1982 map featuring the “new” Games Area, and the 1983 map which introduced Freefall, Parachutes, and the Ski Show!
www.greatadventurehistory.com/1982_Yearboo...
www.greatadventurehistory.com/1983_Yearboo...
www.greatadventurehistory.com/1982_Yearboo...
www.greatadventurehistory.com/1983_Yearboo...
Before AI, computer animation, and CAD drawings were used to show new rides, elaborate models used to be made to help show off what was coming to the park. The Roaring Rapids model was one of the most elaborate, and actually could hold water!
www.greatadventurehistory.com/RoaringRapid...
www.greatadventurehistory.com/RoaringRapid...
February 19, 2025 at 3:29 PM
Before AI, computer animation, and CAD drawings were used to show new rides, elaborate models used to be made to help show off what was coming to the park. The Roaring Rapids model was one of the most elaborate, and actually could hold water!
www.greatadventurehistory.com/RoaringRapid...
www.greatadventurehistory.com/RoaringRapid...
The Super Sidewinder was REALLY lost back there!
February 19, 2025 at 12:46 PM
The Super Sidewinder was REALLY lost back there!
Another Map Monday— 1981 and the arrival of Roaring Rapids! The rapids ride was developed by Six Flags and Intamin and was only the second in the world when it opened.
www.greatadventurehistory.com/1981_Yearboo...
www.greatadventurehistory.com/1981_Yearboo...
February 17, 2025 at 3:09 PM
Another Map Monday— 1981 and the arrival of Roaring Rapids! The rapids ride was developed by Six Flags and Intamin and was only the second in the world when it opened.
www.greatadventurehistory.com/1981_Yearboo...
www.greatadventurehistory.com/1981_Yearboo...
It’s Map Monday again!
This week we’re looking at 1980, when swinging ship mania was in full swing and the Buccaneer was introduced.
www.greatadventurehistory.com/1980_Yearboo...
This week we’re looking at 1980, when swinging ship mania was in full swing and the Buccaneer was introduced.
www.greatadventurehistory.com/1980_Yearboo...
February 10, 2025 at 10:36 AM
It’s Map Monday again!
This week we’re looking at 1980, when swinging ship mania was in full swing and the Buccaneer was introduced.
www.greatadventurehistory.com/1980_Yearboo...
This week we’re looking at 1980, when swinging ship mania was in full swing and the Buccaneer was introduced.
www.greatadventurehistory.com/1980_Yearboo...
This week’s Map Monday brings us to 1979, the year Rolling Thunder made its debut. The wooden racing coaster would remain Great Adventure’s largest coaster for ten years.
February 3, 2025 at 9:58 PM
This week’s Map Monday brings us to 1979, the year Rolling Thunder made its debut. The wooden racing coaster would remain Great Adventure’s largest coaster for ten years.
It’s Map Monday, and this week’s map is from 1978, the year Great Adventure became a member of the Six Flags family.
Lots of new additions to the park for 1978 including the Monster Spin, Americana Music Hall, and Lightnin’ Loops, the park’s first looping roller coaster!
Lots of new additions to the park for 1978 including the Monster Spin, Americana Music Hall, and Lightnin’ Loops, the park’s first looping roller coaster!
January 27, 2025 at 10:43 AM
It’s Map Monday, and this week’s map is from 1978, the year Great Adventure became a member of the Six Flags family.
Lots of new additions to the park for 1978 including the Monster Spin, Americana Music Hall, and Lightnin’ Loops, the park’s first looping roller coaster!
Lots of new additions to the park for 1978 including the Monster Spin, Americana Music Hall, and Lightnin’ Loops, the park’s first looping roller coaster!
Our next Map Monday brings us to 1977, and the introduction of the popular rainbow logo 🌈 .
The only new attraction introduced was the historic Gondola ride which only ran for a portion of the year.
The only new attraction introduced was the historic Gondola ride which only ran for a portion of the year.
January 20, 2025 at 3:53 PM
Our next Map Monday brings us to 1977, and the introduction of the popular rainbow logo 🌈 .
The only new attraction introduced was the historic Gondola ride which only ran for a portion of the year.
The only new attraction introduced was the historic Gondola ride which only ran for a portion of the year.
Our next Map Monday takes us to 1976– new park entrance, new kiddie area, and a few new rides all debut!
www.greatadventurehistory.com/1976_Yearboo...
www.greatadventurehistory.com/1976_Yearboo...
January 13, 2025 at 3:18 PM
Our next Map Monday takes us to 1976– new park entrance, new kiddie area, and a few new rides all debut!
www.greatadventurehistory.com/1976_Yearboo...
www.greatadventurehistory.com/1976_Yearboo...
To help everyone through the “off season” we’ll be featuring poster maps from the park through the years.
Our first is 1975, which was the first one issued.
www.greatadventurehistory.com/1975_Yearboo...
Our first is 1975, which was the first one issued.
www.greatadventurehistory.com/1975_Yearboo...
January 6, 2025 at 10:53 AM
To help everyone through the “off season” we’ll be featuring poster maps from the park through the years.
Our first is 1975, which was the first one issued.
www.greatadventurehistory.com/1975_Yearboo...
Our first is 1975, which was the first one issued.
www.greatadventurehistory.com/1975_Yearboo...
Happy Holidays and let’s all hope for a better 2025!
December 25, 2024 at 10:18 PM
Happy Holidays and let’s all hope for a better 2025!
One of the odder thing that Great Adventure had over the years was the Parashooter game. It lasted from 1976-81 and was a shooting gallery target game that would send a parachuter up 60' and then it would parachute back down. The better the aim on the bullseye, the higher it would shoot.
December 16, 2024 at 1:09 PM
One of the odder thing that Great Adventure had over the years was the Parashooter game. It lasted from 1976-81 and was a shooting gallery target game that would send a parachuter up 60' and then it would parachute back down. The better the aim on the bullseye, the higher it would shoot.
And now Weird New Jersey Magazine has created a cool hat spoofing the logo—
December 9, 2024 at 11:16 PM
And now Weird New Jersey Magazine has created a cool hat spoofing the logo—
Since it was first used in the 1970’s it has been borrowed by the Broadway musical Kimberly Akimbo a few years ago—
December 9, 2024 at 11:15 PM
Since it was first used in the 1970’s it has been borrowed by the Broadway musical Kimberly Akimbo a few years ago—
A poll of our fans determined the Great Adventure Rainbow 🌈 logo is everyone’s favorite—
December 9, 2024 at 11:13 PM
A poll of our fans determined the Great Adventure Rainbow 🌈 logo is everyone’s favorite—
A good design lives forever!
December 9, 2024 at 11:11 PM
A good design lives forever!
The rainbow 🌈 logo was everyone’s favorite when we posted a poll, and it’s been used before by the Broadway musical Kimberly Akimbo
December 9, 2024 at 11:10 PM
The rainbow 🌈 logo was everyone’s favorite when we posted a poll, and it’s been used before by the Broadway musical Kimberly Akimbo
A “Star Wars” photo op that was available one summer at Great Adventure. It’s practically Galaxy’s Edge level…
December 7, 2024 at 2:45 PM
A “Star Wars” photo op that was available one summer at Great Adventure. It’s practically Galaxy’s Edge level…