Six Flags Great Adventure Shutting Down Iconic Attraction

In a surprising announcement, Six Flags Great Adventure is ending one of its most beloved attractions just before it celebrates its 50th anniversary.

Undoubtedly, Six Flags Great Adventure is one of the best theme parks in the United States for roller coaster enthusiasts. Located in New Jersey, Great Adventure is home to some of the world’s most intense and exciting coaster experiences, including Kingda Ka, Jersey Devil, Superman: Ultimate Flight, and El Toro.

One of the most beloved attractions that has been at Six Flags Great Adventure since the beginning is the Wild Safari Drive-Thru Adventure, where guests can actually drive their car and witness animals in action they usually wouldn’t be able to see. Unfortunately, it looks like this beloved experience as we know it will be closed by the time the park’s 50th anniversary comes around.

The Wild Safari Drive-Thru Adventure at Six Flags Great Adventure is Coming to an End

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For its 50th Anniversary, Six Flags Great Adventure is attempting to pull out all the stops for its Wild Safari Drive-Thru Adventure, including the upcoming Savannah Sunset Resort & Spa, where guests can go “glamping” and participate in unique interactions with the animals.

The other significant change is a bit more upsetting since Six Flags will officially be closing its Wild Safari Drive-Thru Adventure. At least partially. Anyone who comes to the safari park will no longer be able to drive themselves through the experience.

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Instead, Six Flags will re-open the attraction as the Safari Off-Road Adventure. While all of the animals and paths will remain the same, the park will be taking control out of the hands of guests. Instead, they will be taken on a guided tour of the park inside a repurposed military-grade vehicle that can seat around 30 people each.

According to a Six Flags Great Adventure spokesperson, “Bringing back the Safari Off-Road Adventure allows us to offer guests a personalized experience with their own tour guide and driver bringing them through our 350-acre safari.” However, you can’t help but think that this is as much for safety and control as it is for a “personalized experience.”

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While this change may be upsetting for some, it is probably the best choice for both the guests and the animals. Not only will it be safer for every living creature involved, but guests can learn more about these creatures than if they were alone. It stands to reason that a trained animal expert would know more than Uncle Dave.

Hopefully, Six Flags will go all out with this attraction to ensure it is a worthy change from the beloved Wild Safari Drive-Thru Adventure. If not, they will definitely hear about it from their vocal fan base. The drive-thru version of the park is still open for the moment, so rush over now if you still want to experience it in its original form.

Which animal would you most like to encounter on a safari? Let Inside the Magic know in the comments down below!