Summer time for many people means theme parks and the summer heat requires a way to cool off while at the park. Nothing is better than ice cream on a hot day, and theme parks have always prominently featured ice cream stands.
	Since first opening, Great Adventure has always had an ever changing series of ownership and management teams.  Starting in 2006, Daniel Snyder's Red Zone LLC took over control of the Six Flags parks.  A focus of the new management group would be to bring in many name brand food operators in an effort to improve the park with offerings with which guests were familiar.  One of the brands introduced was Cold Stone Creamery featuring the chain's signature mixed-in ice cream.  What was originally the Wee Donuts Stand would become the home of Great Adventure's first Cold Stone Limited outlet in 2007.  After two successful seasons, that first stand was demolished along with the Hometown USA shop which was attached to the Colonial Cafe at the corner of Dream Street and the Fountain.  For 2009, the new Cold Stone Limited and a new Cyber Cafe were both constructed at the same time adjacent to the Colonial Cafe.
	The new larger Cold Stone Limited offered a bigger counter area with twice the number of windows.  As a "limited" stand, like the original location, it still simply featured the pre-mixed "Ready to love Creations."  Flavors included Strawberry Blonde, Birthday Cake Remix, Chocolate Devotion, Sweet Cream, Chocolate, Mint Mint Chocolate Chip, and a park exclusive Six Flags Cookie Coaster Crunch.  As part of this new location a large patio area was added with red and white tables and umbrellas. The patio occupied the former space where the original stand once stood. Cold Stone continued to operate in the park until the end of the 2017 season.  Their closure outlasted Red Zone's control of the parks which ended in bankruptcy in 2009.
	By the 2018 season, Cold Stone left the park and the space became home to the Sugar Shack. As the Sugar Shack, the menu was expanded, still featuring ice cream, but now included cotton candy, waffles, and popcorn. Also featured as part of the Sugar Shack menu was the "Dole Whip" pineapple soft serve that is synonymous with the Disney parks where it started. In the 2021 season, the menu changed again and the signage along with it, with the ice cream, cotton candy, and popcorn available through one set of windows, and Dippin Dots available through the other. Each season the available treats are updated including special holiday specific items for Fright Fest and Holiday in the Park.
Original Spotlight:  June 16, 2023.  GAH Reference#:  FOOD-2009-004