OT: Six Flags great adventure in NJ?

[casjen]

For 6 and 4 yo? Is it a nice park? Would you recommend the park or the water park?

We were going to go to Sesame Place but all the posts about it got me worried!

 

[java]

Um nope to Six Flags too. Just as I was tempted to go last year I was driving my son to a paintball place across the street from Six Flags and happened to see a carload of girls getting arrested.

Family friendly fun place- Knoebel's!!

 

[bellaprincess98]

I cant say that I've ever had a problem at six flags in NJ. I've been there quite a few times and have always enjoyed myself.

Sesame Place on the other hand I will never go to again. Hated it!

 

[tinkandpan]

Personally- i wouldn't do six flags unless it was during the week. ON the weekend it gets really crazy with teens. They do have a great drive thru safari....

 

[PrincessNoelle'sMom]

I live about 10 minutes from Great Adventure (six flags - NJ) and have kids the same age as yours. I will not take them to GA unless it is to drive through the safari. I just don't like the element and there are plenty of other great things to do with kids that age in the area. We live 20 minutes from the beach and boardwalks with nice family rides and attraction.

We did go to Sesame Place about 2 years ago, before the height of the season on an off day and loved it. It was well suited for smaller kids and clean with a nice element of people. I know others have had bad experiences, but we were pleasantly surprised.

 

[LisaNJ25]

I wont take my kids to either park even with free tickets

Are you from NJ? We maybe able to give you other suggestions.

 

[waltskids]

I would not take young children to Six Flags in NJ.

 

[pweyl36]

I wont take my kids to either park even with free tickets

Are you from NJ? We maybe able to give you other suggestions.

I tell that to everybody," not if it was free", how about dutch wonderland or hersey park?

 

[Minniemouse07]

I would do Dutch Wonderland, Hershey or Dorney Park over GA. I've heard wonderful things about Knoebels as well, but I haven't been there yet.

 

[KelleyD]

OK so I know its getting a bad rap - but I just went to Great Adventure with my son today.

So I have not been to G.A. in years for all reasons that have been posted. Way to roudy, unruly kids that get dropped off. Bus trips of insane kids and on and on.

I will say, I am very impressed with the kids areas. Now true you have to walk around the park to get to the different kids areas, but once you are in the areas its not terrible.

There are 4 main areas for kids.
1. Wiggles World. This is for the younger kids..the wiggles show seems to be a hit with all the kids, my son is only 14 months so it doesn't hit him as hard yet, but he loves going.

Wiggles area has a few different rides.

2. There is the Looney Toons Seaport. Not sure of everything there, but the ball area. Which of course is probably germ infested but always a hit.

3. Bugs Bunny Land has the Looney Tunes Talent Show which is fun. Maybe 4 rides again geared to the younger crowd.

4. Then the area in the tiger land. That has one of those climbing net treehouses and some more young rides.

Then there is the tiger show, dolphin show and soon they are starting their night parade that glows.

Just the kids areas are about 3 times the size of Sesame. We went to Sesame on opening weekend. We had alot of fun. But if you don't do the water rides it is very limited. As I said we had a good time - but there weren't any time limits on anything. I could see it being a bummer if it was real crowded and everything was timed.

I am trying to avoid going to G.A. on weekends, but I plan on avoiding the mall on weekends to.

Good Luck with your decision.

 

[JoiseyMom]

I would avoid GA, but Hurricane Harbor is really kewl. The kids area is awesome and your kids will have fun. It's not the same crowd that is attracted to GA.

Just get their early to get good seats at the kids area.

 

[JuliaK+3]

Sesame Place might be alittle too kiddish for a 6 yr old. They only have 1 roller coaster which my 5 yr old goes on over and over and over again. The other rides are too baby for him he says. DS3 loves it.

GA...I wouldn't go on a weekend and we're always out of there before dark so it's not as rowdy for us as others are saying. The safari is amazing but my kids hate it. After the first few animals, they get impatient for the rides. If I had to choose from one or the other, I would say GA just because your kids are older.

I'm also putting a plug in for Jenkinsons in Point Pleasant.

 

[SunKat]

I would avoid GA, but Hurricane Harbor is really kewl. The kids area is awesome and your kids will have fun. It's not the same crowd that is attracted to GA.

Just get their early to get good seats at the kids area.

I agree. We took my dd11 and one of her friends to Hurricane Harbor and they had a blast. My husband and I enjoyed it too. The next day we visited GA and were not impressed. We hadn't been there since the 80's and I don't think we'll go back. Hurricane Harbor on the other hand is something we'll do again.

 

[ColleenG]

I'm also putting a plug in for Jenkinsons in Point Pleasant.

I second Jenkinson's. We live about 2 miles from the boardwalk and our kids have been begging to go since late March. It's very family friendly and a lot less expensive than Great Adventure. It's too late now, but on Easter weekend they sell the ride ticket books buy one get one free and they don't expire.

 

[mericletwins]

I would skip GA and do Dutch Wonderland, Hershey Park or Knoebels. Love Knoebels. Also, Ocean City boardwalk is very family friendly.

 

[RMulieri]

I love great adventure.But not for kids ages 6 and 4.Dutch Wonderland is great for families( I am a season pass holder), and even at its busiest it does not seem too bad.I like hershey park, but it gets way too crowded( I live 5 mins from there), and I lost my niece in the shuffles last July.

 

[mcqueengroupie]

I'm a true Jersey Girl, proud as can be, and I HATE GA!! My husband kept buying us season passes and we would go like twice and be miserable. Last year we never went, so this year I told him not to bother. The place is always packed, the lines are insane, and the rides break down all the time. The food choices are terrible and even a bottle of water is $3 this year. Then you have to pay for parking. Now i know a lot of people here go to the water park, but I think your kids are too little to do most of it. Well thats my rant. We live about 3 miles from Pt. Pleasant Beach, and I love it there. Also, there is a water park in Seaside called Breakwater Beach, and we will be heading there as soon as this terrible weather moves out!!!

 

[bigDISdaddy]

We had season passes for GA 3 years ago, we went 6 times. 2 out of the 6 times were OK, the other 4 were plain awful. The biggest problem is it sits directly between Philly and NYC, so you get tons of people from both cities, and many of them are extremely rude. I was in several verbal confrontations, and very close to two physical confrontations. People will just walk past you in line, it amazing, like it's totally acceptable behavior. I of course can't just let it go , so i say something , their response is always the same, " oh my friends are waiting for me up there". I will not go back, it's not worth the stress.

As for Sesame Place I live 10 mins down Rt 1, from there, and have not been there in years, for many of the same reasons as GA. Some aprents think their kids are the only kids entitled to have fun, they allow them to cut in line, and many times are the ones actually cutting in line. It is a good teaching experience for me , it makes it real easy to show my kids how not to act, and when you act that way , how you look.

We LOVE Knoebels, it is a pretty park, well shaded, inexpensive ,good food, and we have never had a problem with the type of crowd they attract.
I almost don;t wanna talk about the place , it's a well kept little secret.

 

[garmich]

We had season passes for GA 3 years ago, we went 6 times. 2 out of the 6 times were OK, the other 4 were plain awful. The biggest problem is it sits directly between Philly and NYC, so you get tons of people from both cities, and many of them are extremely rude. I was in several verbal confrontations, and very close to two physical confrontations. People will just walk past you in line, it amazing, like it's totally acceptable behavior. I of course can't just let it go , so i say something , their response is always the same, " oh my friends are waiting for me up there". I will not go back, it's not worth the stress.

We live near Six Flags New England. We've only gone there twice, and I will not go there again for the same reasons stated by other. It is over-priced, over-crowded and not family-friendly. You've got the inner-city kids bussed-in from NY and Hartford. You've got the extremely rude and foul-mouthed teens and young "adults" cutting the lines, etc. I'd like to say something, but I'm afraid of getting knifed or shot.

For next year, I was thinking about purchasing a season ticket for my family of four. We're going down to DC and Williamsburg. I was thinking about stopping at Great Adventures on the way down to DC and also going to the Six Flags near Baltimore. Now that I've read about Great Adventures (which I kinda expected to hear), I'll probably scrap that idea. I guess I'll just stick to the Disney vacations. I will not go back, it's just not worth the stress.

 

[a1tinkfans]

If you SAW the amount of contraband that is confiscated EACH day fro that park, you'd RUN, not walk away....
So many other better more family friendly choices!