47 replies to this topic

[29yrswithaGApass]

Click here to see the whole Spotlight on




and click here for a Spotlight tour of the park on




Please feel free to comment on both these Spotlights here.

[JetsDevs4Lyf]

This right here is a monster spotlight combination. There was some huge effort put into this considering just how many rides needed to be covered and how much information there was to put together to mkae it complete. I myself actually missed out on the War on Lines as I did not get back to the park at that point until 2001 where I finall had a season pass, so by that point in time things had already begun to revert to where they had been before the massive additions. Many of the rides listed here I never even saw in the park as I either did not venture to them, or they were not operational on days that I was there. This was an enormous concept by the park to attempt top put in place, and even though it did not pan out the way they would have liked it to, for a very short period of time the varierty of rides in the park was astounding. Perhaps one day we will see such variery again in a way that is both economically feasible and able to be staffed with no issues.

[The Master]

Great spotlight about the war on lines, GAdv had some really nice family flat rides back then and I do miss some of them. I never saw the Octopus ride running in it's brief time at the park. GAdv has had staffing problems long before War on Lines and even this past season they still had some staffing problems and removing rides is not the best or only way to fix it.

[ChrisChavan]

Excellent Spotlights. I felt like I was really there on Opening Day '99

I noticed you put an asterik on Houdini for SBNO for the 2009 season and wrote that it's planned for being SBNO this season. Did Jen confirm this during the tour?

[29yrswithaGApass]

At this point, rides that were closed last year (Houdini, Autobahn, Musik Express) are scheduled to be closed this year. There is always the possibility that this could change.

[CablesEric]

Do you guys have any candid pictures of ride ops from opening day 1999? I wonder if you have me on any of your pictures.

[darkridedan]

Hey guys, thanks for the spotlight. '99 was one of my favorite years in the park. My friends and I had so much fun doing endurance runs on Jump, flipping contests on Chaos, riding Pendulum, trying Evolution, memorizing Houdini and even operating the Cows. I never figured out how to make them do all those crazy moves tho. I think I'm the only one who liked Time Warp, but I can't take that kind of pain anymore I loved almost everything installed that year, including the Carnival of Chaos, the Hollywood Animal Actors Show, Dino Island and the new Peking Acrobatics show. 99 is when I became a season pass holder. The additions reminded me of the old days of the Enchanted Forest. Well, you win some and

[29yrswithaGApass]

The additions reminded me of the old days of the Enchanted Forest.

1999's War On Lines was sort of the modern version of 1975's Fun Fair/HydroFlume additions to Great Adventure.

[warnerleroy]

It wasn't a good spotlight.... IT WAS AWESOME!!!!! If only the park woud do something BIG like that this year(it's a nine year). Fireworks and a revamp aren't enough!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Up_Up_and_Away]

If only the park woud do something BIG like that this year(it's a nine year). Fireworks and a revamp aren't enough!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Considering the current economic climate, I think we're quite lucky; many parks in the industry aren't getting anything, neither new additions nor re-inventions of old classics... Consider how much weekly fireworks will cost, in addition to major rehabs of Medusa, the Big Wheel and various structures around the park...

[ChrisChavan]

Some people are never satisfied...

[warnerleroy]

it's not that I'm not satisfied, it just doesn't seem like 2009 will keep up with the legacy of the 9 years, but like Up Up And Away said, atleast we're getting more than an expanded concert scedule and not getting any rides removed

[ChrisChavan]

^Exactly. And considering how incredibly bad the economy is right now, for the park to give us five new restaurants, a new candy shop, a completely rehabbed coaster, a firework show, a completely rehabbed Ferris Wheel, and general maintenance, I'd say the park has been more than generous, and this season is going to be spectacular!

[JetsDevs4Lyf]

Not even the economy, but consider how bad of shape the company has looked in the last few years in terms of debt and their stock value and everyting. We should be lucky that we aren't seeing more rides removed to relieve some staffing salaries for the season let alone having money spent on the new stuff. I think at the end of last year most of us were figuring that the Medusa revamp was going to be the highlight of 2009, and even that has been at least equalled by some of the other projects going on right now. I think that the company as a whole has really done a decent job trying to give their customers some nice new perks for the upcoming season when clearly they really did not have to do a lot of what they are.

Edited by JetsDevs4Lyf, 17 February 2009 - 09:06 PM.

[The Master]

I rather have 5 new flat rides (not little kids rides) than 5 new restaurants and a new shop that sells candy way overpriced. Still I am very glad both Medusa and Big Wheel are getting rehabs and no rides are being removed this year considering how bad a shape SF is in. But I still wish Houdini would reopen and the park installs a new swing ride, maybe next year.

Edited by The Master, 18 February 2009 - 01:19 PM.

[GAcoaster]

It goes without saying EVERYONE would rather have 5 more flat rides than 5 revamped restaurants, but what we are getting is MUCH better than some parks are getting this year, and it just means we'll probably see that much better an addition coming for 2010.

[The Master]

Hopefully things will go well for GAdv this season so there will be money for more improvments next year. 1999 was a neat time in the park's history and I am glad I was there to witness it but I still can't believe it was 10 years ago already LOL.

Edited by The Master, 18 February 2009 - 01:22 PM.

[GAcoaster]

Hey, I still remember when we were all excited in 1989 because we got the world's tallest and fastest roller coaster! Time goes by faster and faster as you get older...

[JetsDevs4Lyf]

Hey, I still remember when we were all excited in 1989 because we got the world's tallest and fastest roller coaster! Time goes by faster and faster as you get older...

And who would have thought you would see that very same by-line used once again in 2005.

[The Master]

I remember my first visit to GAdv for the 1999 season and right away you could tell alot of the new War On Lines flat rides where not meant to stay inside of GAdv for long and I believe that was part of the plan back then.