Six Flags Great Adventure

So in honor of Becca's birthday party, I took a minivan full of teenagers to Six Flags Great Adventure. Becca brought a group of her girlfriends, and Jen brought a "friend who happens to be a boy but is NOT a boyfriend".

I love amusement parks, I love theme parks. (Yes, there is a difference...Six Flags is a very different type of experience than, let's say, Disneyworld, and I have to remind myself that there's a difference.)

I've been going to Great Adventure for years, long before it became a Six Flags park, and I've got fond memories of the place. I had a good time yesterday, but honestly, the park used to be better.

we stuck with the main park, didn't to the water park or the safari drive through.

I let the kidlets go ride the huge roller coasters, and I did my own thing for most of the day. Forgot my camera, but was able to take pictures and video with my phone. (click to enlarge the photos)

As I entered the park, the first thing I saw -- right in front of the main fountain -- was a show featuring Bugs Bunny, the Tasmanian Devil and "Mr. Six" ("More flags, more fun!")

My first stop was lunch at the Carnegie Deli. Real NYC style sandwiches, served with a side of cole slaw, a side of potato salad and two pickles -- very very shareable. true to my ethinic roots, I ordered corned beef on rye.

Then it was time for some fun!

First stop, the dolphin and sea lion show.

I got some good video here (though if you listen carefull to the first video, you'll forget you're watching a Six flags show and you'll think you may have accidnetally wandered into a Disney production):

but then you'll remember why it's Six Flags:

I also saw the tiger show. this isn't a fancy "watch tigers do circus tricks" show. the traners have the tigers doing things that come naturally to tigers while they preach a "go green" message about extinction.

nice kitty!

want to go for a swim?

They also show tigers in their habitat.

That was pretty much the sum total of the shows. After that I went on rides. (Note to self, always bring a fanny pack for your valuables, they are very strict about "no loose articles" in this park.)I rode a family-friendly roller coaster called Blackbeard's Lost Treasure Train, a swinging pirate ship called The Buccaneer, a simulator ride called Fly Me To the Moon, and my favorite, the Ferris Wheel -- rode that one twice.

View from the ferris wheel:

Didn't have time for the teacups, the two indoor coasters or the log flume, though I would have enjoyed those as well. And the sky ride was closed due to wind. But no way would you have seen me on the park's signature coasters --Batman, Nitro, Bizarro, El toro, Kingda Ka or the Great American Scream Machine.

Met up with the kids around 8:30. they'd been riding the large coasters, playing the carnival games (Jen won two stuffed animals and a sorcerer's hat), and generally having a great time. All of the girls bought superhero capes -- Becca's was a pink Supergirl cape -- except Jen, whose cape honored Batman's nemesis, The Joker.

The kids were hungry at that point, so we decided to have dinner. Half of them got food from Papa John's, and the rest of us from Johnny Rockets -- I don't think I need to tell you about the quality of food from a chain restaurant. By the time we got our food and found a table, they'd turned out the lights for the Glow parade, so we ate in the dark.

the parade reminded me of Disney's Spectromagic.

We left right after the parade, found ourselves walking through the parking lot when the fireworks show began. I would have liked to have seen the whole firewaorks show, but the kids were tired and we had a long ride home.

And what a lovely ride home -- pouring rain all the way from Jackson, NJ to Long Island. the wind on the Outerbridge Crossing was so special. The thunder and lightening on the Verrazano was a real treat. And the flooding on the Belt Parkway was the perfect touch!