NJ Wild Safari to pass Disney as largest theme park

[k5jm]

http://blog.nj.com/business_impact/print.html?entry=/2012/08/wild_safari_to_get_a_winter_ma.html

Wild Safari to pass Disney as largest theme park
Published: Thursday, August 30, 2012, 12:45 PM Updated: Thursday, August 30, 2012, 1:47 PM
By Tom De Poto/The Star-Ledger


JACKSON — Six Flags is giving Disney a run for its money when it comes to a safari experience.
Six Flags announced earlier this month it will not let guests drive their own vehicles through the Wild Safari park in Jackson next season. Instead, when the park opens Memorial Day weekend, guests will board an open safari-type vehicle to take them off-road and closer to the animals, similar to the experience at Disney World’s Animal Kingdom.
The Central Florida park is 500 acres and home to 1,700 animals. But Six Flags this morning announced plans to merge Great Adventure and Wild Safari into one megapark, making it the largest theme park in the world — by about 10 acres — according to Six Flags officials. The revamped attraction, which will be known simply as Great Adventure, is home to 1,200 animals from around the globe.
The 350-acre preserve will now be home to the fictional Wild family, which has “traveled the globe to bring the most interesting and exotic creatures to their home in Jackson,” according to a news release.
But with the all-inclusive ticket, visitors can also take advantage 13 roller coasters, including three of the world’s top rated, other rides and attractions.
Six Flags said it will spend several million dollars to upgrade the animal park and rename it Safari Off Road Adventure.
Park visitors will begin at a “rustic loading station filled with artifacts from the Wilds’ global journeys” and board an open-air safari vehicle driven by park employees.
At Camp Aventura, guests will be able to get closer to some of the animals and hand-feed or pet them. A zip-line ride over the Camp will be available for an additional fee.
“Never before have guests been able to experience a journey so close to that of a true African safari here in the U.S.,” John Fitzgerald, park president, said in the news release. “By combining the world’s most exotic animals with Six Flags’ signature entertainment, the Safari Off Road Adventure will be the most incredible animal adventure anywhere. Where else can you ride a wave, go on safari, and soar on world-record breaking coasters?”
Safari Off Road Adventure will be included with general theme park admission, which will not change next year.
Through Sept. 30, guests will be able to drive their own vehicles through the Wild Safari for the last time in the park’s 38-year history.
In addition, the Hurricane Harbor water park will introduce Big Wave Racer, an 1,800-foot toboggan ride that will barrel down about 40 feet into a pool.

 

[roomthreeseventeen]

Very interesting. Six Flags is one of my favorite places on Earth (I grew up about 15 minutes down the road.)

 

[*NikkiBell*]

Great Adventure has had this safari for as long as I can remember. I'm not surprised that they are trying to up their game as the theme park and safari have gone downhill over the past ten years or so. I stopped going myself as a result. It's amazing how they copy Disney sometimes. Some of their boardwalk style games had plush toys that were fake Disney characters; they even played some Disney music at one point. This new announcement won't change my opinion of the park at all.

 

[KimStaR]

Great Adventure has had this safari for as long as I can remember. I'm not surprised that they are trying to up their game as the theme park and safari have gone downhill over the past ten years or so. I stopped going myself as a result. It's amazing how they copy Disney sometimes. Some of their boardwalk style games had plush toys that were fake Disney characters; they even played some Disney music at one point. This new announcement won't change my opinion of the park at all.

I completely agree Nikki. I stopped going to Great Adventure about 10 years ago. I tried to go back to the water park and even the main theme park about 6 years ago and it was so trashy and I am just so spoiled by Disney. It was dirty, not well themed, the cast members were rude, I was nickel and dimed at every corner. At the water park you must pay for a tube to carry around all day or you will wait a half hour at each attraction for a tube. At the rollercoasters you cannot hold even a teeny purse and they make you purchase a locker at each attraction. (I take said teeny purse on every Disney attraction and have NEVER had a problem). I would like to check out this new Safari attraction being that it is less than a half hour from me, but I am sure it will be more of a migraine than it's worth. Saving my pennies for Disney!

 

[Anonny]

I have such good memories of my first visit to Great Adventure in 1974. I marveled at how well they carved an amusement park out of the Pine Barrens. I hope they do well for people who live in that area who can't easily get to WDW.

 

[DarthVader92]

Six flags is very different. Although I am a season pass holder I always say this statement frequently throughout my day at the park. Disney could have done this better! The one thing that separates six flags from everyone else is that they nickel and dime you everywhere. Especially on the rides. You are required to put everything into a locker before riding pretty much every ride. I can understand kingda ka, but for dark knight, skull mountain, and even the lamest attraction ever, houdinis great escape. This ride is an illusion ride that gives you the idea of turning upside down. When I sat down the employee told me my bag needs to be put in the other room. I had to get up walk across everyone put my bag in this tiny room and then walk across everyone again and go back to my seat. Six flags just doesn't think or it is just a way they can get more money.

I have seen the employees there are ok. Some exhibit Disney professionalism, and then some should go back to school.

Six flags great adventure may be the worlds largest theme park but they are also the worlds most expensive theme park to park at. It is currently $22!!!!! This theme park is nice in my opinion, but I would be like Nikki and Kim, I would decide not to go, only if this wasn't going to be the closest thing to Disney in NJ.

 

[doitforlove]

I grew up just down the road from Six Flags and I'm really excited about this. I might just get a season pass for 2013.

 

[Cheshire Figment]

But I think a lot more than ten acres will be added to the AK in the Avatar expansion.

 

[pklein09]

I currently live about 20 minutes from Great Adventure....been here for 14 years. I've gone to GA once with neighbors who had free passes as part of their season pass. All I can say is "ick." You couldn't pay me to go to that park.

 

[RoutemanDan]

After they installed metal detectors in the early 90's we started referring to it as "Gang Adventure".

 

[sanapunk]

Only good for fright fest, but even that sucks compared to hhn at uni. All my friends with small children are mad about the safari change

 

[disneysteve]

It's been a few years since I did their safari but I was struck by how totally unthemed it was. It was basically a big expanse of plain old NJ grass with animals wandering around. Nothing at all like Disney where the landscape really makes you feel like you've been transported to the African savanah. It would be nice if this upgrade includes some serious landscaping work.

I think the safari had gotten less and less popular over the years. It used to be a separate ticket then I think they started including it with your park admission to try and attract people. I also think people got tired of driving their cars in and having the animals scratch the cars or bite the rubber molding.

There were also an unlimited number of idiots who insisted, against all warnings, on rolling down their windows and feeding and touching the animals. It probably got to be too big a liability risk to allow people to drive through.

 

[itsmuggsie]

Oh so many memories of Great Adventure from my childhood/early adulthood. I've lost many a windshield wiper in the Safari. I haven't been since I moved to FL in 2001. It's probably a good change, I know it was kind of run down back 2001.

 

[scotth1224]

But I think a lot more than ten acres will be added to the AK in the Avatar expansion.

The avatar expansion is just taking over camp Minney Mickey so it won't actually add any space to the park.