Food outlets in theme parks often come and go over time as trends change. Sometimes those locations just reach the end of their useful life and are removed to make way for something new.
	END OF THE 2012 SEASON
The Conestoga Wagon opened with Great Adventure in 1974 and was one of the remarkable larger than life structures built as part of the Rootin' Tootin' Rip Roarin' western themed area of the park. The stand was located outside the Great Arena serving as the primary snack location for guests attending the spectacular shows. With the Great Arena being used less and less frequently and only for special events, the Conestoga Wagon was open fewer days each season and the building began deteriorating over time. For the 2013 season, the park decided to incorporate the Safari into the theme park creating the Safari Off Road Adventure. As part of this merger a new road was needed for the Safari vehicles to pickup and drop off guests, and the former site of the Super Teepee was chosen. The rarely open Conestoga Wagon which was targeted for demolition to create a turn around loop for the ride's trucks.
	JANUARY 22, 2013 - 9AM
On the freezing single-digit temperature morning of January 22, 2013, the demolition of the Conestoga Wagon began with an excavator tearing apart the building. Most of the wagon was constructed of simple plywood so it was not nearly as substantial as it appeared with only a couple of steel supports holding it up.  However, those steel beams proved to be a challenge for the claw which was trying to rip the wagon apart, taking the operator numerous attempts from different angles of approach to bring down the Conestoga.
	JANUARY 22, 2013 - 10AM
By 10:00AM about half of the structure was already in pieces. The pile of debris was growing with each bite the excavator took out of the structure. Modern demolition techniques made quick work of the job, and the materials were sorted for recycling.  Looking at the mangled sheets of plywood that once graced the sides of the wagon, it became apparent that the wagon wasn't always simply repainted but at some point covered with an additional layer of plywood.  As the sheets of wood were ripped down it was possible to catch a few glimpses of the ornate multiple color design of the original version of the Conestoga Wagon from the 1970's.
	JANUARY 22, 2013 - 11AM
The center section of the building took a little longer than the initial phase with the steel columns and framework requiring more effort to remove. In just two hours about two-thirds of the structure was already down.  The demolition focused first on the wagon itself and then the support kitchen located towards the rear.
	JANUARY 22, 2013 - NOON
After just three hours, only a small section of the structure remained. The materials being removed were placed into containers to be sent for recycling. The claw attachment for the excavator was switched out with a jackhammer to start breaking up the concrete foundation. The remainder of the building came down quickly and was just a pile of rubble by late afternoon.
	FEBRUARY 23, 2013
A month after the demolition began there was no trace of the old Conestoga Wagon as the area was being redeveloped in preparation for the new Safari Off Road Adventure loading station. The only hint of the former Conestoga Wagon was an electrical feed station which had to be relocated for the new ride.
	START OF THE 2013 SEASON
With the start of the 2013 season, the new loading platform for the Safari Off Road Adventure trucks was taking shape, and the new road for the ride's vehicles was created including fences and landscaping.  All traces of the larger than life Conestoga Wagon had been removed.
Original Spotlight:  January 29, 2023.  GAH Reference#:  FOOD-1974-001
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