SF Great Adventure TR!

[Guest Millennium]

This summer, I decided to make my way up to NYC with some family and go over to SF while visiting. I had a great time and have some new coasters in my top 10. The park is beautiful in areas like Plaza del Carnaval and The Golden Kingdom. Camera ran out of battery on me 2 hours through so no pics.

I got up and left from my hotel around 9. We arrived at SF about at 11 and rushed to the Flash Pass stand. I got the Gold and HIGHLY recommend it. Longest wait of the day was 10 mins for Toro but that was only because they were running one train. First we headed to Nitro.

Nitro -- This ride kills DB in my opinion. Not only did I get a great mix of floater/ejector air, the ride has a very forceful helix and some great views. Unlike DB, the MCBR doesn't kill the ride at all. I rode it twice in a row as there was no line. It is one of my top 10 now. 10/10

We then headed to Batman: TR. The ride itself is looking good and I loved seeing the theming in the station. The ride itself was good, but not great. It was very forceful but also short and didn't have the wow feeling I got from Montu and Dueling Dragons Fire. 7/10

We were right by The Dark Knight, so we hit it. Pretty average wild mouse though the pre show was awesome. 6/10

Skull Mountain was next. The ride has a cool queue and is quite fun. Nothing spectacular, but better than I was expecting and the first drop was fun considering I had no idea it was coming. 7/10

Then it was time for the Skyride. I was PUMPED for Toro, Bizarro, and Kingda Ka. I made an appointment for Toro and it said 18 minutes. I assumed the line was huge but no, they were only running one train. I got to the queue, waited 10 minutes, hopped in the back seat, and rode a fantastic coaster. HUGE air, not as much as Phoenix, but tons on every hill. The helix was insane, the speed doesn't stop, and it leaves you breathless. I have a new respect for Intamin after riding this. It really is worth the hype it gets. Doesn't quite beat Voyage, but comes close. New #2 Coaster. El Toro..15/10

I got to Runaway Mine Train next. Intense mine train, liked being over the water. But nothing special. AE is better. 6/10

Bizarro was next. The ride is off by itself. It took me a while to find it. I got to the queue and jumped right on in the back row. Unfortunately the ride audio was off but I've heard from others that is a good thing. This is a really fun ride with some cool effects. It was a standout at the park. I only got one lap on this for the day and I wish I rode it again. 9/10

Everyone was starving so we ate at Carnegie (sp?) deli. When we heard the name, we thought it would be great. It wasn't. They give you so much meat it is kind of gross. I was so hungry I ate it anyway.

Since this WAS, GASM's last day..I made an appointment for it. I was dreading it based on the reviews..but I headed over to the Boardwalk area to try it out. We walk up, basically through the exit, and walk right onto the ride. I felt bad for the people who watched as we took their seats..but if you pay the extra money, then YOU can do the same thing. One thing I noticed was the ride makes some painful noises as it leaves the station. It looks to have aged terribly.

Onto the ride, I'm not sure how I feel about it yet. It was very rough and intense, but in a way I liked it? They were having the option of double rides, and I had a horrible headache so I got off. But later in the day I felt intrigued to ride again...! Hmm.. 6/10

Next I went back to Plaza and rode Toro 2x both in the back. Most people don't see the back seats so the lines for them are much shorter than the front. Like I said before, fabulous ride.

It is right next to Rolling Thunder, a racing coaster. Racer kills this. I rode the right side and it is rickety and very rough with literally no airtime. I had no desire to ride again. 4/10

I was excited for Kingda Ka to compare it to Dragster. After a 5 minute wait, I sat in row 2. I was excited...now on to the ride.

The theming is not nearly as much fun at TTD's. One of my favorite things about Dragster is the feeling you're in a race. The music, the lights, the sounds, it is all great. However there is none of that on Kingda. The only theming they have are some pictures of tigers and banners saying "The fastest roller coaster in the world". I'm not sure how the tigers have to do with speed, but w.e. The launch, like TTD, is very fun. But it was much rougher going up the hill! And unfortunately the restraints stapled me so the airtime hill did nothing. Dragster is way better but I still enjoyed this. It fits well into the Golden Kingdom and it is worth it just for the launch. 8/10

I hit Nitro one more time and had one final ride to do.

Superman didn't look that great. After being on Manta, which was incredible, I don't know how any flying coaster will compare. This one was very lame and boring. After the drop, you do 2 inversions, one more hill, then the brakes. Firehawk is much better than this and I def. wouldn't have waited in the hour line w/o my Flash Pass. 5/10

I had to get back to the city for dinner so I said goodbye to SF. I loved the park. The landscaping is beautiful and they have some great rides. The waterpark and Safari both looked fun. I picked up my Toro shirt and left. I recommend visiting if you are in the area.

Thanks for reading!

Final Ride Count:

El Toro: 5

Nitro: 3

Batman: TR: 1

TDK: 1

Bizarro: 1

Kingda Ka: 1

Rolling Thunder: 1

Skull Mountain: 1

Runaway Mine Train: 1

Superman: 1

GASM: 1

Skyride: 1

[The Interpreter]

Always interesting to see how others feel about a great adventure!

And you didn't find Ka in row 2 horribly rough? Wow.

Skull Mountain is very much a back seat ride...

And others will tell you (not me, I'm weird) that Rolling Thunder is a left side ride...I actually prefer the right...me, and about four other people!

[bkroz]

Great report! I have never been to Great Adventure, and the more that the summer wears down the more I fear I'll have to wait yet another year. But your report gives me great hope! The park seems like a really nice, stand out park and I loved reading about it! Thank you. I had never heard that Kingda Ka was physically rougher... Interesting!

[The Interpreter]

I have many, many times posted that the back seats of cars on Kingda Ka are jackhammer rough. The front seats of cars are not. Also the coaster surges up the hill, unlike Dragster, which gracefully flows up its...the two coasters are dramatically different. Locals up there will tell you the second hill has airtime. I think they are local fanbois...airtime my eye!

[Guest Millennium]

Thanks for the comments!

I wish I had some pictures of the Golden Kingdom. The area really is beautiful. It would even fit in at Isls. Of Adventure.

[BavarianBeatle]

After my first Great Adventure this year, I must say that I agree with very much of what you say! Especially about Nitro, Kingda Ka vs. Dragster, and Superman!!! I enjoyed GASM, but I was disappointed in El Toro, which, imo, was just WAY to short, and far inferior to The Voyage!

[DaveStroem]

I still am undecided about the Ka vs TTD. Ka's launch felt so much more powerful then TTD. I like the rest of TTD better and the hump didn't even give me an uplift let alone airtime.

As to the GFP, we have done it both ways. On our first trip I cherished it just like you did, on our trip a few weeks ago it would have been a total waist of money. Toro's line never made it past the stairs. Most things were station waits. IMO those that are going in the future and are considering buying a FP should try to get a fell for the crowd before putting down the cash for the FP. Some days it is not needed.

Glad you had a Great Adventure.

[stephatron]

Can you use a flash pass at multiple SF parks?

[stephatron]

Edit: Can you use the same flash pas at multiple SF parks

[DaveStroem]

No, it is an electronic device that you rent for the day. You have to leave your license or season pass to check it out. When I looked at them at SFNE the price for the 5 of us would have been around $300 or $60 each. Luckily we didn't need them at any of our park visits.

[stephatron]

Well, that makes me cranky.

I forsee a much more expensive amusement park tour next summer than anticipated.

[DaveStroem]

You don't need a GFP to have a good time. If you watch the time that you go you can avoid a lot of crowds. If you have to go on weekends, the ones that fall before or after a holiday seem to be lower crowds. We were at SFGAdv on July 9th which was the Friday following the 4th of July weekend. Most things were a 1-2 train wait. Last year we went to Busch Gardens the Saturday before the 4th of July and just about walked on to everything. I was told that by noon they only had 5000 guests in the park.

Of course predicting how crowded a park may or may not be a year in advance it pure craziness. If the economy gets better you would think that the parks would be busier too.

[The Interpreter]

A word of warning is appropriate here...just as at Cedar Point, avoid Columbus Day Weekend (including the Monday) at Great Adventure like the plague. The park attracts some of the largest crowds of the season that weekend...

[BavarianBeatle]

Or as Yogi Berra would say, "Nobody goes on Columbus Day weekend, it's too crowded."