A special note to those still upset with Six Flags, NJ

Let me start off with this. Yes, I still don't like how the park announced so many closures at the tail end of the 2024 operating season at Six Flags Great Adventure in Jackson, NJ.

Could it have been handled differently? Absolutely. Two prime examples of this are when they closed The Great American Scream Machine and Rolling Thunder.

Rolling Thunder was particularly hard for me to accept as that was my first ever true roller coaster that I've ever ridden. One that opened the door for me to try even bigger roller coasters.

As for loops? I owe that to The Great American Scream Machine. Until I finally got brave enough to try something that does more than go up and down, I only stuck to coasters similar to Rolling Thunder.

But after I got that first looping ride in, I was ready for anything. So yes, I totally understand the feelings of losing rides that held a special place for you.

Yes, both of those were announced before they closed, which allowed final rides to be given. And I do wish we were afforded that with so many of the rides that closed after the 2024 season, but it is what it is.

For those who loved Ka

As for those still complaining about Kingda Ka? It's time to look past that and think about what the future of the park is going to mean for the next generation of thrill seekers.

The 2025 season for the park has finally arrived, and my kids couldn't be any more excited. They never said they want to protest the park, nor did they say they don't want to go anymore because of the ride closures.

2024 was the very first time my twin sons were tall enough to ride many of the larger coasters, and they had such a blast last year. So much so that they're actually excited to see what's going to happen in their home park as they continue to get older.

And that's the very point

Yes, Great Adventure is still our park, and has been for a very long time... decades for me. But we need to think about what the upcoming changes mean to all the kids who love the park.

The park is about to go through a huge transformation, just like it has over the past 50-plus years it's been around. Think about how far behind the park would be if it didn't go through these transformations?

I, for one, would love to have Ka, Rolling Thunder, Sky Ride, and more back like it once was. All of those rides mean something to me, as they do for so many of you.

And that's how we have to think of it now

This transformation is going to give new thrill seekers something to look forward to in their home park. And that also means future memories.

Just like for us at a young age, this is exactly what the park needed to do to remain relevant for future generations. Plus, we all get to watch the construction unfold, which is really awesome.

So while it's OK to be upset at the loss of so many rides that gave us memories, it's important to note what this also means for our youngest riders. For them, what's about to come will be everything, and that's really special.

The above post reflects the thoughts and observations of New Jersey 101.5 Sunday morning host & content contributor Mike Brant. Any opinions expressed are his own.