The Source Scoop

Apologies and Promises...

noreply@blogger.com (Peyton Ebbeson) — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 18:07:27 PDT

...and most of all some updates! I apologize for letting the appearance of this site slide (quite considerably). I only wish I had the time right now to be able to give everything that I have to make this site what it truly should be. I thank EVERYONE for keeping the forums rocking and I've been able to keep up with members' posts and there's some great stuff.

I'm ashamed to say that I made just my first visit of the season to the park last Friday. I was there for about 2 hours and used the time to process my season pass and to ride Dark Knight. The good news was that I wasn't surprised walking around because of the awesome photo trip reports.

This blog, designed to keep the site up-to-date, has become the epitome of my neglect. I have to stand up and say "NO MORE" and I will remain committed to getting things updated. Of course your help would most definitely welcomed. Got some photos? Think you're a good writer? Whatever your ideas, if you think you can help...drop me a line.

Your support is so much appreciated...and for that it's now my turn to return the favor.

20 days to go

noreply@blogger.com (Peyton Ebbeson) — Sun, 16 Mar 2008 11:36:21 PDT

We are now less than three weeks away from opening day! In preparation, many members have been planning their day in the Meeting Plans & Trip Planning forum which is now open.

*Dark Knight Update
The framing for the structure is complete and walls and siding are on about halfway up the building. Construction of the actual ride has presumably begun.

*'No Old Country for Old Men'
With the confirmation that Old Country will be closed this season, it seems as though a wooden fence will be built on either side of the section. I would assume gates will be built, as well, and we can only hope that there will also see signs saying "please excuse our mess as we prepare for 2009"!

Many rides missing on '08 park map

noreply@blogger.com (Peyton Ebbeson) — Sun, 09 Mar 2008 12:29:00 PDT

SFGAnerd has informed us that the 2008 park map has been posted on the park's official web site. With this comes the discovery of many missing attractions, confirming our previous suspicions.

The following flat rides are no longer listed:
Fantasy Fling
Turbo Bungy
Autobahn
Musik Express
Space Shuttle
Sponge Bob 3-D(Replaced by Fly Me to the Moon)

Additionally, Old Country is no longer considered a section and is closed off (replaced by "grass" on the map). The Stunt Arena and Showcase Theater are dark and are "reserved for special events". The Old Country Picnic Grove will have a special entrance near the Dark Knight. Be sure to check out the map for yourself and join in the discussion.

Spongebob leaves in favor of the 'moon'

noreply@blogger.com (Peyton Ebbeson) — Wed, 27 Feb 2008 18:33:14 PST

The 4-D theater in Boardwalk will bring us all a new adventure in 2008. The recycled Spongebob film will be canned for a brand-new simulation based entirely on the new film "Fly Me To The Moon", set to be released this summer. The film is a computer animated film starring the voices of Voorhees native Kelly Ripa, Back to the Future's Christopher Lloyd and Nicolette Sherridan of Desperate Housewives fame. The film and simulation will both be presented in '3-D' and present a unique, mutually beneficial relationship that provides Six Flags with a fresh new simulation and provides nWave Pictures with a strong promotional push for the new film.

A little R&R

noreply@blogger.com (Peyton Ebbeson) — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 08:59:26 PST

My flight leaves PHL tomorrow at 6AM headed for the warm islands of Turks and Caicos. A week-long Caribbean vacation is well needed on my end and I'm looking forward to the beach, lots of rum punch and hopefully some SCUBA diving! Be sure to be on your best behavior while I'm gone...or else the ban hammer may be out to get you.

I'll return in a week to find longer days and warmer weather on the horizon, which means the site will start rocking again. In my absence, I leave you with something to ponder...what coaster vacations do you have planned this year or what is your dream vacation? I know one of my favorite vacations was my trip to Clearwater and Tampa Bay last March to go to Busch Gardens Africa and to watch some Phillies spring training!

Out-arched; El Toro to be dethroned

noreply@blogger.com (Peyton Ebbeson) — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 08:14:42 PST

El Toro's claim to the steepest first drop is just about over. Intamin's newest wooden coaster at Everland Resort in Japan has been completed and the latest pictures are amazing. This ride, in my opinion, would send El Toro scurrying away with its tail between its legs. The 77-degree first drop beats out our "bull" by 1-degree (El Toro features a 76-degree first drop), but this monster should pull ahead in many other categories, as well. Too bad it's located half a world away!

* The Asbury Park Press has a great article that details the importance of Great Adventure to Jackson Township. A constant theme that arises is how impressed the town is by the park's new family-friendly image.

* If you ever wanted to see the animals at Wild Safari without taking the 45-minute car ride, a new children's book series will solve your dilemma. The Six Flags Storytime Series, released in 2007, features 8 books about the animals of Six Flags Discovery Kingdom. Considered a success, there are plans for a follow up series featuring our own animals from Six Flags Wild Safari.

* I've finally added the Dark Knight Construction Watch. It may look sparse, but I'll be adding a lot more soon.

* Finally, unless you're blind or extremely unaware, we've made some changes at the Forums. In addition to a fresh new look, we've reorganized some of the boards, added two new moderators, and added a brand-new photo gallery where you can upload YOUR OWN photos of the park. Be sure to check it all out!

Old Country to be 'No Country'?

noreply@blogger.com (Peyton Ebbeson) — Sat, 09 Feb 2008 13:12:36 PST

Screamscape has reported a rumor that Old Country may be blocked off to the public this season. With Chiller removed and the entrance to the Dark Knight most likely being located closer to Batman: The Ride, the only remaining attractions in Old Country would be Autobahn (bumper cars) and Musik Express. These two low-level flat rides certainly could be relocated to one of the many open lots in the park or simply just be SBNO (standing, but not operating) for the season.

Of course this report has rumors running wild on the Forums. Many seem to think this could allow construction to begin on a bigger plan for 2009 that would entail a re-theme of the area. However, it is also very possible that this could simply be designed to cut some costs. With no major attraction in the area and with the Showcase Theater planning to go dark in '08, shutting down the few games, food stands and rides would save money on staffing and maintenance.

No matter what the reason may be, this idea makes sense. This one pathway could be blocked off on Dream Street and by the empty Stunt Arena since the only real traffic would be people cutting over to Movietown to ride Batman, Dark Knight and Nitro. The group picnic pavilions, which are located just behind Old Country, pose a problem, however. Either a separate entrance would need to be added or groups would need to have access to this blocked off corridor. If the latter were true, that would indicated that the closure might not be for construction, but simply to save some money.

One has to wonder, though, that if this is true, can the park really afford to shut down two more flat rides? With a weak slate of shows and even more rides closed down, there is going to be little crowd relief for the coasters this season, causing queue lines to grow longer. I'll keep you posted if anything official is confirmed, but until then be sure to voice your opinion.

* In other news, discussion has developed concerning which coaster members are looking forward to riding first when the park opens in April. El Toro seems to be the popular choice, and I can't say that I disagree!

Latest aerial construction update from Flyin' Phil

noreply@blogger.com (Peyton Ebbeson) — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 19:49:24 PST

Flyin' Phil has posted his latest fly-over detailing the Dark Knight construction. Track and supports are visible and the concrete slab for the foundation is all set. As a result, you can get a true idea of just how the building will be situated. It is also interesting to note what is left of Chiller's theming and pathways/queues.

Phil also has posted general aerial shots of the whole park, but there are no changes to report on. thechiller15 points out that Medusa has not been painted and that if it hasn't by now, we probably shouldn't expect it at all this season. However, you can never rule it out, especially with the new contract Six Flags signed with Baynum Painting.

Little revealed about Dark Knight at 'Eastcoaster'

noreply@blogger.com (Peyton Ebbeson) — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 11:42:39 PST

ACE's annual 'Eastcoaster' event was held this past weekend at Dorney Park. The event usually features presentations by all of the big east coast amusement/theme parks. A similar event like this in the Midwest featured Six Flags Great America revealing some information and layouts of their version of the Dark Knight coaster. It turns out, however, that the licensing with Warner Brothers/DC Comics isn't quite finalized, which is why we haven't seen much information on this yet. As a result, little information was given about the new coaster, but sros1fan has posted some pictures of the presentation that Great Adventure put on, including Dark Knight and Glow in the Park.

* It was also announced that this year's Coaster Celebration will be on Saturday, May 31. The annual event is held by Great Adventure and features exclusive ride time (ERT), food, events and more! An extra charge is required and the application form can be found on the official web site or by clicking here. Morning ERT will feature Nitro, Skull Mountain, Batman the Ride and The Dark Knight coaster, while evening ERT will consist of Medusa, Rolling Thunder, El Toro and Kingda Ka.

* One more bit of information to cheer everyone up...only 60 days until opening day!

Kingda Ka on Discovery Science Channel tonight

noreply@blogger.com (Peyton Ebbeson) — Thu, 31 Jan 2008 21:23:00 PST

Kingda Ka will be featured on the program Really Big Things tonight at 7:00PM on Discovery Science Channel. CycloneMan points out that several Source members attended Discovery's shoot last season and will be seen on the program. Just a heads up that Discovery Science is one of the digital network off-shoots of Discovery Channel and probably will only be found on satellite systems and some digital cable lineups. The program also has two other airings:

2/2: 2:00AM
2/3: 12:00PM

Be sure to check it out and report back with your thoughts!

'Glow in the Park' will be quite a production

noreply@blogger.com (Peyton Ebbeson) — Thu, 31 Jan 2008 13:31:46 PST

When you hear the word "parade", Six Flags isn't the company that first pops into your mind. That would be reserved for the likes of Disney and even Universal. It's no surprise, then, that many didn't have high expectations when it was announced last fall that the all new "Glow in the Park Parade" would take to the Great Adventure pathways in 2008.

The press release stated that "you can bask in the glow of your favorite characters as custom-designed floats illuminate the night in this uniquely, themed parade." As nice as that sounds, I'll have to admit that even I was a little skeptical. Adding to the intrigue were the "drummers, puppeteers, singers, dancers and kinetic stilt walkers creating an unparalleled nighttime fantasyland of sound, light and motion." Based on the parades at Great Adventure I've seen, I just didn't see how they were going to pull all of this off.

Well the latest news indicates that this indeed will not only be pulled off, but that it will be a great parade. Screamscape reports that the parade is being created by Gary Goddard Entertainment, who is working with a known Rose Parade float designer named Raul Rodriguez. Furthermore, custom music score is being composed by Benoit Jutras, who has done work for Cirque du Soleil. The night-time parade will feature five major floats covered in lights and a cast full of singers, dancers, stilt-walkers and puppets.

So it appears that Six Flags may wish to be included when the topic of theme park parades is brought up. This will certainly be something worth checking out when it premieres on Memorial Day weekend...and I feel like Six Flags is going to prove me wrong!

Summing up the "calm before the storm"

noreply@blogger.com (Peyton Ebbeson) — Wed, 30 Jan 2008 12:26:30 PST

Well if you're a Great Adventure Source Forums regular, you know how slow things are during the off-season. Despite our best efforts, there's just not all that much to talk about in January. We have done a pretty good job, however, with the coaster draft and off-topic threads. It is my pleasure to fill some of you in on what has been going on.

First of all, I would like to announce that the Great Adventure Source Forums will indeed be staying as the "Great Adventure Source" Forums. Jim will be moving the SFNE Online Forums to his server which will therefore end our original plan of creating joint forums for the Northeast Theme Park Network. This decision was mutual and we both feel it will be for the best. For Jim, it will allow SFNE Online to grow into its own site and on our end it will allow the forums to stay focused on Great Adventure.

On that note, based on feedback from many of our members, there will be a lot of exciting improvements coming to the Forums as the season draws near. First on the plate is our search for a new moderator. We're looking for some great candidates, so everyone is welcome to apply!

Also, be sure to vote in Mitch Hawker's Steel Coaster Poll. We'd like to get some representation from Great Adventure, just as El Toro placed 2nd last month. In the wooden poll, Great Adventure Source was listed a top referrer, so let's try to keep up that representation!

Once we get to February, everything will fly by and it will be April before we know it!

Dark Knight details revealed

noreply@blogger.com (Peyton Ebbeson) — Wed, 23 Jan 2008 12:55:34 PST

Great Adventure Source affiliate SFGAm World has a look at some details of the Dark Knight. I'll detail everything below, but I just want to announce a disclaimer that these are based on the Dark Knight version for Great America and not Great Adventure, so we cannot assume that everything will translate. By the way, the original information can be found here.

Great America's Dark Knight coaster will utilize an existing structure, the Theatre Royale. Therefore, the entire layout of the coaster will be based off of this building, which will receive a makeover. The queue will contain a pre-show followed by an effect that sets up having to "escape".

The cars will look like a subway car and the lift will be enclosed by a tunnel, equipped with "subway lights", so it appears that the "escape" is via a "runaway subway car". This seems to make the idea that most of the theming will be in the queue/pre-show a bit easier to swallow, because from experience...there is nothing to look at while you're riding the subway.

Again, please note that the above photos and information apply to the Great America version of The Dark Knight, so nothing is guaranteed for our version. I'd like to extend a special thanks to supermanros16 for finding this information and to our affiliate SFGAm World.

Mid-Week Rumblings

noreply@blogger.com (Peyton Ebbeson) — Tue, 08 Jan 2008 13:25:35 PST

Just some little blips that have come across the Forums:

* If you ever wondered what things at the Safari were like during the off-season, the Asbury Park Press has a nice article with a behind-the-scenes look. It certainly brings to light the fact that working there is certainly a year-round job! For example, the 360 acres of roadways must be cleared almost immediately after any winter storm to ensure that all of the animals can continued to be cared for. It's a great read, especially if you are a fan of the animal park.

* Six Flags Inc. has reported a growth of 7% in revenue and 4% in attendance for the 4th Quarter of 2007. While good to hear, this is more of a reflection on the Texas and California parks, since Great Adventure only operates on weekends of one month of the quarter (October). A major point that Mark Shapiro pointed out, however, was advance sales of 2008 season passes.

* SFNE Online reports that Six Flags New England is targeting Memorial Day Weekend (May 24-26, 2008) as the opening date for their version of The Dark Knight. Considering that and the current construction progress indicated by Flyin Phil's latest update...that seems to make the claim that our version will open in April seem a little hard to believe.

* In case you didn't notice, the site plans for The Dark Knight that we released last week seem to be off by about 45 degrees when compared to Flyin' Phil's most recent update. Aside from that, those plans (taken from the Jackson Township Planning Board) seem to be pretty accurate.

With all of that out of the way, I've got to get back to MSNBC to see the latest results from New Hampshire. Primary is so intense this year, I find myself following it like the baseball playoff chase. I almost expect to find about 20 minutes of Sports Center dedicated to it each night. Even more, Vegas should be all over this thing! I've got Obama and McCain in this one...what about you?

Complete 2008 operating schedule announced

noreply@blogger.com (Peyton Ebbeson) — Thu, 03 Jan 2008 12:35:08 PST

The complete 2008 operating calendar for Great Adventure has been released at the park's official web site. As noted earlier, the park officially opens on Saturday, April 5 and will close for the season on November 2, a Sunday as usual. Here are some other notes of interest:

* Great Adventure's annual "Spring Break" will be the week of April 19-27, where the park will be open daily (until 10P on the two Saturdays, 8P on Sunday 4/20 and 4/27, and until 6P the rest of the days).

* Daily operation begins Thursday, May 15 for both the theme park and safari. Unlike last year, the safari will not be open daily at the start of the season.

* During the summer, the park will close nightly at 10P. During Fright Fest, in October, the park will be open again on Friday nights and will close both Fridays and Saturdays at 11P.

* The theme park will again open at 10:30A rather than 10A.

Nothing too shocking here, but it's nice to now know what exactly we have to look forward to!

Aerial Photo Update - Dark Knight foundation

noreply@blogger.com (Peyton Ebbeson) — Mon, 31 Dec 2007 10:24:12 PST

Our favorite photographer, Flyin' Phil, has provided Great Adventure Source with another Aerial Photo Update of the Dark Knight construction. The photos show that all of Chiller's track has finally been removed and foundations are being built for the Dark Knight building. To check out all of Phil's photos, click here. I just wanted to share this quick update with you and I'll have more on this in the coming days. Enjoy and have a safe and Happy New Year tonight!

New Years Resolutions

noreply@blogger.com (Peyton Ebbeson) — Fri, 28 Dec 2007 10:40:22 PST

So New Years is all about resolutions, right? Yeah, I guess it's also tradition to break your resolutions just as fast as you think of them. In fact, perhaps the better angle is to place bets on how long it takes your friend to break his commitment to work off some of that beer gut. Well I'm here to say "not me"! I've drafted up five resolutions for this web site that I plan to stick to this year�?�so here�??s what to expect:

* Launch the Northeast Theme Park Network
Don't worry, it's coming...I PROMISE! Announced in November, the Northeast Theme Park Network will combine this site with SFNE Online and TGE Source to bring together three Six Flags parks that share so much in common. Nothing about this site will change, and if you don't care at all about TGE or SFNE, then you really won't be affected at all. For those that are, however, you can see the re-branding launching in EARLY January.

* Update the web site thoroughly
Yeah, so since the site is not congruent, you'll find a few different layouts spread-out amongst the many pages. Little by little this WILL be tackled and you'll actually see the site look the same, for once!

* Finish the Attraction Guide
I know no one has reason to believe this will happen, because I always seem to make this resolution...but this one's for me. MajorTom and I are going to really tackle this in the coming weeks.

* Create extensive photo galleries and post frequent photo updates
Great Adventure Source is getting back in the game of photos. There will be a strong commitment this year to posting frequent photo updates and creating extensive galleries of all your favorite rides and attractions. In fact, viewer help will even be encouraged. It's going to be a lot of fun.

* Keep this blog updated
If you ever read my first entry, you'll recall that I said I was more excited about this feature than anything that I've ever done with this web site. This one isn't so much a resolution for me as it is for you guys to see that this will keep happening. I feel this blog is going even better than I anticipated and the feedback has been so great. Thanks for all of your support and know that it will keep on coming! Just wait until there's actually stuff to write about.

So there they are...my New Years resolutions for 2008. I guess I have a lot of work to do, but I'm really excited and I can't wait to get things rolling. On that note I wish you a Happy New Year and I hope you have a great holiday! Don't forget to check back next week for a brief photo update pertaining to The Dark Knight. It's our belated Christmas gift to you. Happy New Year everyone!

P.S. - Don't forget...voting for the FINAL ROUND of Survivor ends on Wednesday. Be sure to vote for your champion; El Toro or Nitro.

Merry Christmas

noreply@blogger.com (Peyton Ebbeson) — Mon, 24 Dec 2007 12:37:27 PST

Well, I just finished wrapping the last of my presents and I can smell all the food cooking downstairs in the kitchen, so that must mean it's finally Christmas! Though I suspect the readership of this entry will be quite low due to many holiday commitments, I figured that I would send out a holiday greeting just the same!

I also figured that I should give all of you a Christmas gift...which will come later this week. The Northeast Theme Park Network and Great Adventure Source will release a brief photo update at the end of the week pertaining to some important Dark Knight information. Think of it this way; after all the presents are opened and the food is gone...you'll still have something to look forward to.

Anyway, I wish you and yours a very Happy Holiday and I can't wait for the year ahead of us (more on that in an entry later this week). Merry Christmas!

A hint at some park upgrades for '08

noreply@blogger.com (Peyton Ebbeson) — Fri, 21 Dec 2007 12:40:08 PST

At the latest meeting held by the Jackson Township Planning and Zoning Board on December 17, Great Adventure�??s final approvals for construction on The Dark Knight in addition to other capital improvements were granted. Here�??s a look at what we can expect to see in �??08:

- Riverbank Café renovation
No word on whether this will be the new �??Seaport Eats�?? that was hinted at in an earlier meeting, but we still don�??t know the specifics. All we DO know is that this food location will be upgraded next season, which will be a nice improvement.

- Dark Knight location confirmed
As I�??ve discussed, the location will be primarily on the Movietown Water Effect lot.

- Hall of Justice shop will be remodeled
This will probably be done to incorporate the ride exit for Dark Knight, and will probably take on a �??Batman�?? theme.

- Chiller�??s station and the Observatory will remain
No plans for these two things just yet, but it looks like they may play a role in the future�?�stay tuned for more on this.

- Relaxation station will be located between Carousel and the paintball building

- A small expansion of Guest Relations and the administrative human resources building in Hurricane Harbor

- A large soil sediment project to happen on the east side of the park's property
No details on this, but the reasons could range from the Safari to a possible expansion of the theme park in the future.

- 10 tree removals to allow for the new �??Glow in the Park�?? Parade

Thanks to JJ2K who helped with this information. There is definitely more details on the way, we just can�??t release them all quite yet. In the meantime, here are some other odds and ends:

* It seems as though The Dark Knight has an unofficial targeted opening date of May 3, which seems a bit ambitious, but still certainly possible.

* As MajorTom brings to our attetion, Mark Shapiro is optimistic about his 3-year plan to improve the Six Flags chain, despite the bad weather out west and a freak accident in Kentucky. For the most part, though, it looks as though things have worked out as planned.

* All is pretty quiet right now with Christmas only a few days away, but if I hear anything, it will be posted here. The Survivor final vote will run through New Years, and it looks like El Toro will match up again against Nitro, so be sure to get your vote in. Have a great weekend and I�??ll check in with you soon!

Park offers sneak peak of Dark Knight construction

noreply@blogger.com (Peyton Ebbeson) — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 18:14:18 PST

The park has released a very brief update of The Dark Knight construction, with three photos taken on December 3. The quality isn't great, but you can see up close on the ground where Batman & Robin: The Chiller and Movietown Water Effect once stood.

Also evident in the photos is that the Observatory and station from Chiller are still standing, as they are expected to remain with the addition of the new roller coaster. Another hint given in this update is that The Dark Knight will be located not so much in Chilller's former location, but rather in the former location of Water Effect.

To check out the update, click here. What are your thoughts of the progress made so far?

1-day season pass sale just in time for Christmas

noreply@blogger.com (Peyton Ebbeson) — Sun, 16 Dec 2007 14:08:31 PST

Just in time for Christmas, Six Flags is holding a one-day sale on season passes, giving 25% off of certain season passes for all of their parks. The sale runs through noon tomorrow (December 17) and brings a season pass for Six Flags Great Adventure and Wild Safari down to $59.99, which is just about the price of a one-day admission ticket.

Forums member CHILLERC1 brought this to our attention and brings up a point that this does not seem to include admission to all Six Flags parks, which means that you will probably only gain access to the New Jersey park, but that's not all that bad if you don't plan on traveling to other Six Flags parks this summer. Stew560 also brings up the point that this deal requires a minimum $10.00 shipping purchase on season pass renewals and at least a $3.00 "Print at Home" charge for new passes, so there's a slight catch. Depending on your situation, though, this may just work out to be a good deal. Again, be sure to hurry because the sale only lasts through noon tomorrow, but I thought it was worth bringing to everyone's attention.

An underrated favorite

noreply@blogger.com (Peyton Ebbeson) — Wed, 12 Dec 2007 21:40:45 PST

With 86% of the vote, Medusa was eliminated this week after making it to the �??final four�?? of Six Flags Survivor. Matched up head-to-head with its sister, Nitro, the purple and yellow monster stood no chance to advance to the championship round. But this got me thinking about how underrated this ride really is.

Tucked away in the back corner of often-ignored Frontier Adventures, this prototype coaster has been steady and reliable since day one. The ride has never had an extended period of downtime and save for its first season and certain exceptionally crowded days�?�there rarely is a wait beyond fifteen minutes. To put it simply, Medusa gives you the most bang for your buck (well, that is if you had to pay on a per-ride basis).

I know many of you share my sentiment, but many more tend to look past this ride to understandably more thrilling coasters in the park; Kingda Ka still holds two world records, El Toro is the park�??s current shining star and Nitro is in a class by itself. But Medusa packs seven inversions into a long and enjoyable layout and basically launched a hugely popular new coaster style. The ride bolstered a long-neglected and far-from-thrilling part of the park and though its themeing is suspect, Medusa certainly is nothing to sneeze at.

Though we may never see Medusa in the championship round of Survivor, it will always have at least a few fans who quietly view it as the park�??s best�?�or at least their sentimental favorite.

El Toro places 2nd in 2007 Wood Coaster Poll

noreply@blogger.com (Peyton Ebbeson) — Thu, 06 Dec 2007 19:13:53 PST

* Close, but no cigar! El Toro placed second (by 6 votes) to Holiday World�??s The Voyage in Mitch Hawker's 2007 Wood Coaster Poll. The poll is one of the most effective in ranking the best roller coasters each year. This is actually still a huge recognition for El Toro, as it moved up from third place last year. To give you an idea how much value this poll has, Mark Kane, the GM of Great Adventure, was urging our Great Adventure Source members to vote for El Toro in the poll at the exclusive GAdv.com Q&A session in October.

Voters in the poll, from all over the world, indicate which wooden roller coasters they�??ve ridden and then are asked to rank them based on certain criteria. The poll then uses some crazy mathematical formulas to tabulate and compare voters�?? responses to derive the final tally. It�??s pretty reliable and has been around for fourteen years now.

Another positive note is that this web site ranked 23rd out of the top 32 web sites to refer voters. This says a lot about our member base and I thank all of you for contributing! To give you an idea�?�Screamscape referred the second highest number of voters.

* I�??m going home for the weekend for a �??Christmas weekend�?? where I�??ll be seeing Trans-Siberian Orchestra at the Wachovia Center on Saturday. My family tries to get to their show every year, but we didn�??t make it last Christmas. Anyway, I�??ll try and post something if I have some time, but if not stay tuned for the SFNE Dark Knight plans on Monday�?�

Have a great weekend!

More on The Dark Knight, plus some other odds and ends

noreply@blogger.com (Peyton Ebbeson) — Tue, 04 Dec 2007 12:36:45 PST

* In my entry yesterday I forgot to mention some other aspects that we have learned about The Dark Knight from Six Flags New England�??s approval to the Agawam Planning Board. Since the plans for all three coaster will be the same, here�??s more of what we can expect:

The queue may have some extensive themeing done to it, working up to a pre-show video of some kind to set the story in motion. Also, the station will be themed as a Gotham City subway station. The exterior of the building will be designed to appear like smaller city buildings, mimicking the fictional Gotham City of Batman fame. The drawings on file in the Planning and Community Development office show Gotham City Hall, Gotham Police, and the Wayne Industries tower. A billboard proclaims "Harvey Dent for Mayor," which references Gotham's new district attorney.

* I came across an update at xtremecoastin.com featuring fresh paint being applied to Medusa at SFDK. It�??s amazing how good the fresh purple paint looks and it just makes you wonder when our version well get the TLC.

* It looks like Scream Machine will be this week�??s victim in Six Flags Survivor, giving the game a final four of El Toro, Nitro, Kingda Ka and Medusa�?�which seems about right. There are three rounds left, the next of which will feature Nitro against Medusa to determine the Group A champion. The Round 7 voting should be up sometime tonight.

The loss of an NJ legend

noreply@blogger.com (Peyton Ebbeson) — Mon, 03 Dec 2007 21:19:31 PST

I did not realize this little fact, but Forum member CHILLERC1 informed me that we lost a legend yesterday; Jack Rabbit at Clementon Lake Park was demolished. In his words:

The wooden coaster was the oldest before Leap the Dips came back into operation. It was the 2nd oldest coaster in the world. It was the oldest of three Jack Rabbit coasters remaining; the one @ Kennywood and the other at Seabreeze.

The park, under new management, still has the newer wooden coaster, J2 (otherwise known as Tsunami), but Jack Rabbit will always be a legend. I can vouch that it was my first roller coaster ever, and as many of you know, that certainly means something. I remember growing up going to my dad's company picnics at Clementon Park and I would be scared out of my mind of the Log Flume, let alone their lone coaster...but when I reached that certain age, I got the nerve and...voila...I was hooked.

One day the NEPTN hopes to add a special site and forums for Clementon Park, a NJ legend...and nothing is more legendary than Jack Rabbit and may it rest in peace. What are your thoughts? You can add your comments here or join the discussion at the Forums.