A few weeks ago Six Flags Great Adventure (SFGAdv) announced their Pin Palooza 2021 event for Sunday, December 19, 2021. It didn’t take long for Ryan, a.k.a. “Mr. Toro,” to message me to see if I was planning to attend. I’ve known Ryan since July when Sam and I were behind him and his friend, Vinny, while in line for Hydra: The Revenge at Dorney Park. While in line we talked coasters, I told them about this site, and we ended up riding together. Afterward we exchanged info and have been in touch ever since.
As the weekend drew near I told Ryan I’d be coming up. We made plans to hit the event together first thing and then get in a few rides. Ryan was joined with his friend, Brian, but I came up solo. The three of us spent most of the day together freezing our butts off. Regardless, the day turned out to be a memorable one and I’m glad I was able to make up to the park yet again before the end of the year.
Directly to Pin Palooza
The Pin Palooza event began at 12 p.m. The park also opened at noon, but began letting people in a few minutes early. Once inside, we made our way to the catering pavilions where the event was taking place. From there, flyers were passed out with instructions on how to select which pins you were looking to purchase. Pins cost either $5 or $10, depending on which design you were requesting. You can see the flyer and find out what Ryan and I were looking for in the vlog above. I’ll give you a hint, Ryan really wanted one of the pins in the $10 tier. With a nickname like Mr. Toro, I’m sure it won’t be hard to figure out.
Without going into too much detail about the event, all three of us were able to secure the pins we were wanting to buy. The line moved slow and we were there for a good 30 minutes ourselves. The event ended at 3 p.m., but there what looked to be a couple hundred people in line still around 3:15 p.m. We heard a few people throughout the park complaining about being line for over two hours and some who waited that long and found out none of the pins they wanted were left.
Obviously with events like this, it’s first-come, first-served, but I still feel bad for those who missed out on the pins they wanted. I just hope the majority of the people who got those pins aren’t online scalpers. Prior to the event, the Nitro 20th Anniversary pin was going for outrageous prices on eBay. Sadly, before the park had closed for the night, a flood of the pins from the event had made it online as well.
Riding Together & Then Solo
After we putting the pins in our cars, it was time for some coasters. Jersey Devil Coaster would not be among them as it was closed due to having a train valleyed on the course. Batman, while open at first, went down early on and required an evacuation of riders from the top of the lift hill. Still, we made due. Between the remaining coasters, flat rides, and the holiday show, “Frost,” we still enjoyed our day.
Eventually, Ryan and Brian called it a night and I spent a few hours at the park flying solo. The plan was to use that time to film some off-ride footage and vlog, but naturally the coasters kept calling my name whenever I was around.
Nitro
As a group, the three of us managed to get in three rides on Nitro. It was running the slowest I’ve probably ever experienced. I’m sure was due to the frigid temperatures. It was 38 degrees when I checked my phone after our second ride just before 2 p.m. It was after that second ride, in the front row, that Brian swore that he was done with Nitro for the day. So of course, he got on it again for a third time a couple of hours later. He then swore again that he was really done this time.
Later on at night, after Ryan and Brian had left, I felt the pull of Nitro as I walked past Batman’s drop. “One more ride, then I’m leaving,” I said to myself. Well, that one ride turned into a second, and then a third. It’s just too easy to do a re-ride when the ride ops give you permission to stay on if no one is waiting for your row in the station.
Wonder Woman Lasso of Truth
As cold as Nitro was, to me, it paled in comparison to our ride on Wonder Woman Lasso of Truth. Reaching speeds over 70 mph, my face was stinging by time we started slowing down. It was still worth it. This ride is crazy and the light package on it is top notch. You can see it in the vlog, but I filmed a bunch of off-ride footage of the ride that I will be sharing to the site’s YouTube channel in the near future.
Skull Mountain
After my solo rides on Nitro, I planned to walk through the holiday lights by Sky Screamer for the vlog. When I came closer and closer to Skull Mountain, however, it happened again. I felt the pull and decided to give it a ride. Sure, it’s not the biggest or most intense coaster, but it’s a guilty pleasure. Plus, it’s indoors and I was cold!
I grabbed a seat in the back row and am I ever so glad I did! My butt came off of the seat entirely on the first drop. I don’t recall that happening before. Maybe I haven’t been in the ride’s back seat? Skull Mountain is a coaster I tend to just jump into the shortest lines to ride. If that air time is the norm, however, I’m waiting for the back from here on out. Check out the vlog to hear some more details on my Skull Mountain ride on Sunday.
Final Ride Counts
Big Wheel (1)
Dark Knight (1)
Harley Quinn Crazy Train (1: Patrick)
Lil’ Devil Coaster (1: Ryan, Brian)
Nitro (6: Patrick, 3: Ryan, Brian)
Skull Mountain (1: Patrick)
Wonder Woman Lasso of Truth (1)
Show: Frost (1)
The Night Comes to an End & My Closing Soap Box
Eventually, I did make my way out of the park after some more filming and riding Harley Quinn Crazy Train. Yeah, guess I wasn’t done riding when Ryan and Brian left, huh? Oh well. I love this park, big rides and small. And on that note, I’d like to touch on something that I decided to leave out of my vlog, but feel needs to be addressed.
In my vlog I debated on whether or not to include a segment where I brought to light how rude the park’s security can be at Great Adventure. As an enthusiast, I respect the parks that I visit and don’t think I’m above the rules. That being said, I do think that as a human, I, along with other guest who are visiting the park, deserve not only hospitality, but respect.
My Apparent Infraction?
Walking around the park, numerous rides were down, one of which was Jersey Devil. We saw a train parked on the lift hill and figured it was down due to the cold. I’ve been to plenty of parks that have had rides down for various reasons. It’s not a big deal. It happens.
On Sunday, the entire region around Jersey Devil was clearly barricaded so no one would walk through. Well, when a security guard saw me raise my camera to take a picture of the ride, he yelled at me to stay out of the area. I mentioned I wasn’t trying to pass the barricade, just to take some photos of the ride. The sun was out and I love taking photos of coasters, clearly. Then, in a nasty tone, he said, “Yeah, you’re not doing that either. No photos.”
If it is against park policy to take photos of the park rides that are currently down, mind you, from outside the area they had barricaded, that’s news to me. I’ve taken photos of plenty of rides, like El Toro and Kingda Ka during their constant downtime over the years. Furthermore, dozens of people we filming the evacuation on Batman and not a single security guard was telling any of them to stop. Then, just one month ago, Jersey Devil was down during another visit. When I approached the ride to take photos, the security at the gate told me the ride was closed. I mentioned that I figured it was down for the night, but I just wanted some photos during the sunset. They told me to go right ahead and were as kind as can be. So why the hostility Sunday?
Not an Isolated Incident
Over the last two years I have had a few other incidents at Great Adventure as well. These stemmed from security not knowing their own loose article policies for the rides they were working. The most notable one came during last year’s Holiday in the Park at Green Lantern. I attempted to enter the queue with items in my zippered pockets, which I purposely wear to keep my items secured. Long story short, I was told I had to buy a locker and after I proved that the park policy said otherwise, I was still told to buy it if I wanted to ride.
Then there is the fact that rides requiring lockers for loose articles feature signs stating that phones and keys must go in lockers, but make no mention of wallets. Then after buying the locker, security tells you that you can’t have it and you have to go buy a locker again. Thankfully, when this happened to me in November, the security was nice about it and even agreed with me that it should be on the signs. On another ride, however, I watched a guy get taken to task for the same reason. He kept his wallet since it wasn’t on the sign. Please fix the signs or tell the staff to be more pleasant when explaining the rules aren’t clearly stated on them.
Why I Left This Out of the Vlog
After being reprimanded for taking the photo of Jersey Devil, I filmed a clip talking about what happened and how the park should address their security staff’s lack of kindness. In it I said that the park has some awesome ride staff and employees, but their security was the worst. I was pretty harsh and I had a change of heart while sitting down for dinner after I left the park.
While at dinner, two park security members came in and sat at the booth across the isle. I struck up a conversation with them and shared some of my experiences, wanting to know if what I did was against park rules or why it seems like I keep having issues. Having visited over 70 parks in my lifetime, Great Adventure is the ONLY one I’ve ever had any types of negative interactions with security and it hasn’t been just the one time. Heck, the only other interactions I’ve had with security at those other parks has been greeting them or asking them questions about the park or surrounding area.
Hearing my stories they apologized and told me that as far as they knew, I didn’t break any rules Sunday. We talked for close to an hour and during our conversation I realized it’s not the entire of the park’s security staff who don’t respect guests. And from dealing with the public for over 24 years myself, I know people get out of hand. The thing is though, you can’t go treating everyone like the worst case scenario. Thanks for the conversation fellas!
And speaking of dinner…
Another Wonderful Dinner at Gian Marco's
From time to time in these trip reports I have made mention of a restaurant the crew and I visited and enjoyed after an amusement park. As a matter of fact, I’ve mentioned Gian Marco’s in the past, but I’m doing it again. Not only did I have that awesome conversation with the park’s security guards while eating dinner, but I chatted it up with the restaurant’s staff as well. That job I mentioned having above, for 24 years, was helping to manage a family-owned Italian restaurant. We had some fun stories to share from working in the restaurant business. By the end of the night, I had also met the restaurant’s owner and was still there an hour after close making conversation.
I promise you, if you’re hungry after leaving Great Adventure, you can’t go wrong with Gian Marco’s. I don’t want this to sound like a commercial, but they have always treated us like family from the moment we’ve walked in to the moment we leave. The food is always great and the service, top notch. Believe me, you’re not just a customer to them.
I ended up going with stuffed shells with meatballs this visit and have gotten pasta each and every time thus far. I did, however, have them cook up a pizza for me to take back home to Baltimore, which I ate today working on the vlog and blog. I went with a simple pepperoni pie, but they have a variety of specialty pizza as well. I was told by the staff to try the burgers and and the steak subs the next time I stop by. Trust me, when the staff of a restaurant suggests something to you, they know it’s going to impress. I spent many of years doing that to new customers myself.
Six Flags Great Adventure Photo Gallery - December 19, 2021
If you would like to use any of the images in the gallery above for your commercial and/or non-commercial projects, feel free to do so. I ask that you credit We Were Inverted whenever they’re used. I also ask that you do not alter the image or remove the watermarks. If you need any images/video resized or without the watermarks, please contact me directly.
CREW MANIFEST
The following flight crew members attended this park, & earned the respective credits below:
Patrick
CAG
New Credit(s): n/a
