A classic attraction found in amusement parks and theme parks around the
world was the shooting gallery. These were places where guests could
test their marksmanship the safe way with guns shooting beams of light
and activating targets.
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As the crowds continued to grow
in the 1980's all of the park's attractions expanded to keep up. The two
shooting galleries in the park were so popular that a third was added.
The new Chicago Shootout offered a new twist with a 1920's gangster
themed shooting gallery. |
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Great Adventure's
existing shooting galleries, the Western Shootout and Safari Shootout, were very traditional, featuring "old west"
and "big game" style targets. The Chicago Shootout was much more
elaborate with its gangster theme. The same year the Safari
Shootout was removed from the park, the Chicago Shootout was added. |
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Perhaps the most striking feature
of the Chicago Shootout targets was the 1920's style car located at the center of the
action along with several other life size figures and props . |
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With the popularity of video
games on the rise, shooting galleries lost their appeal so they were
either closed or converted to other types of games. |
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Games of skill were
added to the Chicago Shootout building, though the sign remained on the
buiding for some time after the change occurred.
The remodeling of the gallery made way for the introduction of wheels of
chance, a type of game that was very popular up and down the New Jersey
shore. |
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The games of skill
throughout the park swelled in number to the point that it was time for
some to retire. A new purpose for the building was needed, and a new
attraction was introduced for the 2000 season. |
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In 2000, a small virtual reality
attraction called Castle Escape took over the Chicago Shootout building.
The upcharge attraction lasted two seasons before moving to a new
location across the midway. |
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For the 2001-2003, the building
was once again home to several games as the Castle Escape Games. The
offerings kept changing with games of skill coming and going and eventually
just turning into a set of coin operated crane games. |
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For the 2004 season
the building was converted back to its original purpose, becoming a
shooting gallery once again. The new shooting gallery featured a pirate
themed movie set. |
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The "Shooting Gallery"
was unique and offered the first shooting gallery the park had for
several seasons. The Shooting Gallery lasted only through the end of the
2007 season. |
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For the 2008 season,
the building turned back into games of skill, using some of the equipment that
had been part of the games attached to the Autobahn bumper cars. With
the closure of the Old Country area of the park, the equipment was no
longer needed so it made sense to move it where it could be
used again. From 2008-2011 the building was known as Enchanted Forest
Games, and the lineup once again changed from time to time as games of
skill came and went and were periodically replaced with crane games. |
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Chicago Shootout Names
Through the Years
1981-1990 |
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Chicago Shootout |
1992-1999 |
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Chicago Shootout Games |
2000 |
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Castle Escape Virtual Reality |
2001-2003 |
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Castle Escape Games |
2004-2007 |
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Shooting Gallery |
2008-2011 |
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Fantasy Forest Games |
2012-Present |
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Adventure Alley Games |
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For the 2012 season
the building was renamed again, taking on the new name Adventure Alley
Games. The new setup featured the Flying Rings game of skill on one
side, and the other side featured a new bank of lockers to serve the
neighboring Sky Screamer ride. |
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