Great Adventure
Great Adventure is a Six Flags amusement park in Jackson, NJ. I recall the first time I went there. I was about 10 and my friend David and I went up. Yum Yum Palace (an ice cream joint) captured my attention much like the chocolate river in Willy Wonka and the artificial turf at Veterans Stadium the first time I walked in it.
Over the years I have visited this park many times. A few of my buddies and I were so good at pitching dimes, we would win the giant stuffed animals. I have vivid memories of when the Free Fall ride was brand-spanking new sitting on a bench babysitting four or five of these massive creatures while the others took their turn on the ride. Folks stopped and took photographs of me with all these stuffed animals. Getting them home was difficult as they did not fit well in the Cream Machine. 
It had been some time since I visited, but Gert and I went about seven years ago. It was dreadful. While Yum Yum Palace was still there, it is just an overpriced ripoff. I suspect it had always been. On our way in there was a sign listing a few rides that were inoperable that day. During the day, several others went down. The Batman coaster went down with us in line . . . twice! Free Fall went down when we were two away.
The park was packed and it looked like instead of the families I recall from my youth, it was a bunch of gangbangers. It was not an enjoyable experience.
Tonight as I reviewed the news from the day, I stumbled across this little article. It seems that Great Adventure has decreased admission this year 16%. Wow! I am impressed. In a day and age when everything is skyrocketing (it seems), it is refreshing to see a business scale back. The reason given is that with gasoline prices escalating, this is their way of making the trip more affordable. I am sure it is. Whatever the reason, a 16% decrease is significant and one that I applaud.
I suspect Great Adventure will reap benefits from this move. The eCache household will not participate. The little ones are too small to appreciate that park right now. Perhaps by the time they are old enough, management will address the clientele.
Also blogged on this date . . .
- Corzine Wants to Spend More of Your Money - 2008
- Keeping Wifey Happy - 2007
- Carnival of the New Jersey Bloggers #54 - 2006
Tags: business, money, New Jersey