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| The Great Escape & Splashwater Kingdom | |
|---|---|
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| Location | Queensbury, New York |
| Website | Homepage |
| Owner | Six Flags |
| Opened | 1954 |
| Previous names | Storytown USA, The Great Escape Fun Park |
| Operating season | May through October |
| Area | approximately 150 acres (0.61 km2) |
| Rides | 38 (excluding water park) total
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The Great Escape & Splashwater Kingdom A Six Flags Theme Park is an amusement and water park located in Queensbury, New York.[1] It is advertised as being located in Lake George, New York.[2] It is approximately 60 miles (97 km) north of Albany, and is owned and operated by Six Flags.
Contents |
History
The Great Escape was opened in 1954 as Storytown USA, a Mother Goose themed amusement park by businessman Charles Wood who bought the land with his wife for $75,000.[3] In 1957, realizing that the park was geared only toward small children, the park opened its Ghosttown area, the first of many themed areas opened in the park's history.
In 1983, the park officially changed its name from Storytown USA to The Great Escape. For publicity, the park placed bumper stickers on every car in the parking lot. This practice stopped a few years later due to complaints.
In 1984, the Great Escape opened the Steamin' Demon, the first of its eventual seven roller coasters. The showpiece attraction at The Great Escape is the Comet. Re-opened at The Great Escape in 1994, this roller coaster already had a 41-year history as The Comet at Crystal Beach (an amusement park near Niagara Falls, Ontario). It was saved shortly after the park closed down forever after the 1988 season. Charley Wood, the owner of Great Escape Fun Park and Fantasy Island in Grand Island, New York successfully bid for The Comet and it sat in storage for a few years in Fantasy Island before making its way to the park in Queensbury, NY and reopening in 1993. Roller coaster enthusiasts recognize it as one of the best wooden roller coasters in North America.
In addition to typical amusement park rides the Great Escape offers a variety of unique shows, most notable of which is a high dive show featuring a team of divers scaling an 80-foot (24 m) tower and plunging into a ten foot deep pool.
Other milestones include:
- 1954 — Charles Wood opens Storytown USA.
- 1957 — Ghosttown section of the park is opened [4].
- 1960 — Jungleland section of the park is opened [5].
- 1967 — Alice in Wonderland walk through adventure is opened [6].
- 1982 — addition of about eight adult spinning rides.
- 1983 — Name change from Storytown USA to Great Escape Fun Park along with the addition of Steamin' Demon looping rollercoaster and a few other adult rides.
- 1986 — Opening of Raging River, a river-rapids water ride.
- 1994 — A used wooden track and steel frame rollercoaster called the Comet was brought from Crystal Beach, Ontario and reassembled at Great Escape and opened, giving the park three rollercoasters.
- 1995 — Great Escape opens its waterpark Splashwater Kingdom.
- 1996 — Acquisition by Premier Parks, which later bought and changed its name to Six Flags.
- 1997 — Addition of Boomerang Coast-to-Coaster(a very much duplicated ride), a forward and backward looping coaster. Was and currently is still the tallest rollercoaster at the park.
- 1998 — Addition of Alpine Bobsled, an alpine themed bobsled type rollercoaster (Previously located at Six Flags Great America from 1990 to 1995 as Rolling Thunder and Six Flags Great Adventure as Sarejevo Bobsleds from 1984-1988).
- 1999 — Addition of Nightmare at Crack Axle Canyon, a combination rollercoaster and dark ride featuring four-person cars, but only operated with two people. (Indoor Schwarzkopf Jet Star rollercoaster).
- 2003 — Addition of Canyon Blaster (Family rollercoaster by Arrow Dynamics from defunct Opryland USA).
- 2004 — The Great Escape's 50th Anniversary.
- 2005 — Debut of Looney Tunes National Park: a Looney Tunes themed children's area which included eight new children's rides (including Road Runner Express, the park's seventh rollercoaster) and a re-themed restaurant as well as a cartoon walk-through. Replaces the old Jungleland area. Accompanying Looney Tunes National Park are the Looney Tunes characters. The Flash Pass system is introduced.
- 2007 — The Tornado opens in the Splashwater Kingdom.
- 2008 — Wiggles World Children's Theme Area and The Mega Wedgie, a Proslide Bowl. At the Great Escape Lodge, The Trapper's restaurant is converted to a Johnny Rockets, serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
- 2009 — Sasquatch. A S&S Power Inc. Combo Tower. Relocated from Six Flags New Orleans. This ride is located at the previous site of the Rainbow. Martha's Dandee Creme sold back to original owners.
In February 2006, The Six Flags Great Escape Lodge & Indoor Waterpark opened up with positive reviews and sold out weekends throughout the first month. This major addition includes a 38,000-square-foot (3,500 m2) waterpark exclusively for lodge guests. This is New York State's first indoor waterpark.
During the 2005 season, the park introduced a new line queuing system, the "Flash Pass." For $10, guests can use Flash Passes an unlimited number of times on rides that often have long waits, including the Comet, Alpine Bobsled, Desperado (no longer Poland Springs) Plunge, Raging River, and Canyon Blaster. The park also offered Flash Passes for free for guests wishing to ride the Nightmare, which drastically reduced the ride's normally long wait time (Nightmare is not in operation as of summer 2009).
The park debuted several new features for the 2006 season. These included character greetings from the likes of the whole Justice League.
Admission prices since 2007 have been $39.99 for visitors over 48" tall at the gate ($32.99 if purchased online), $24.99 for visitors under 48" tall, $24.99 after 3:00 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 24.99 after 4:00 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday, and free for visitors aged two and under. Season passes and group rates are available. There is also a $10 fee for parking, which a season pass can also be purchased for $30.
New for the 2007 season, The Great Escape added a Proslide Tornado water attraction to Splashwater Kingdom. This is the first renovation/adding to Splashwater Kingdom in 10 years. The Tornado will take riders through short section of enclosed slide before coming out at the top of a giant funnel. The same ride is already featured at several Six Flags parks, including Six Flags New England & Darien Lake. Along with the addition of the Tornado, the park re-themed their dive show to a pirate themed show, branded their pizza restaurant a Papa John's, and brought back the Superstars and Legends: Elvis! Show (Which featured throughout the summer not only Elvis, but also Buddy Holly, and Billy Joel) to JollyTree Theatre.
Roller coasters
There are currently six operating roller coasters at The Great Escape. Five of the six coasters are steel, with the Comet, a wooden roller coaster, the lone exception.
| Name | Opened | Status | Type | Location | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Steamin' Demon | 1984 | Closed For The Season | Arrow Dynamics Corkscrew coaster | Ghosttown | The longest tenured roller coaster at the park. |
| Comet | 1994 | Closed For The Season | Herbert Schmeck and Philadelphia Toboggan Company Wooden Coaster | Fest Area | Originally known as the Cyclone in its first life, the Comet was resurrected and re-opened by the Great Escape in 1994. Often rated one of the top roller coasters in the world, the Comet features a 2-minute ride over several hills. The first and largest hill contains a drop of 87 feet (27 m) and brings riders to a maximum speed of 55 MPH. For the 2007 season, the Comet celebrated its 80th Anniversary. |
| Boomerang Coast-to-Coaster | 1997 | Closed For The Season | Vekoma Boomerang Coaster | Storytown | A steel roller coaster that goes forward, up an inclined spike, then back through the station into a cobra roll, then down into a loop. It then goes up another spike and repeats the sequence backwards, all in one trip. First Boomerang at a Six Flags Park. |
| Alpine Bobsled | 1998 | Closed For The Season | A toboggan-style coaster | Fest Area | It was introduced in 1998 in honor of the winter Olympics, and each bobsled-car contains the flag of a different country which participated in the games. |
| Canyon Blaster | 2003 | Closed For The Season | A family-style, gentle steel roller coaster | Ghosttown | |
| Road Runner Express | 2005 | Closed For The Season | Zamperla Steel Kiddie Coaster | Looney Tunes National Park |
Rides and attractions
| Park Section | Status | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Fest Area | Operating | Bavarian themed. |
| Ghosttown | Closed For The Season | An Old West village themed. |
| International Village and Storytown | Operating | Retains decorative elements from the old Storytown USA era. |
| Looney Tunes National Park | Operating | In 2005 this area replaced the former Jungleland that featured an animal show and a walking tour of jungle-like conditions adorned with animatronic animals along with a wood and rope bridge. |
| North Woods Picnic Grove | Operating | An area for organized, large group picnics. Converted in the fall into a haunted house. |
| Splashwater Kingdom | Closed For The Season | The Great Escape includes a separate water park adjacent to the main park. There is no additional charge to visit Splashwater Kingdom. |
| Wiggles World | Closed For The Season | Open in 2008 with three new rides! |
Fest Area
This area typically features a more German theme. German style music can be heard being played throughout this area along with other 'German' food stands such as funnel cake.
| Name | Status | Type | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blizzard | Operating | Scrambler Ride. | This ride was originally the Magical Mystery Tour indoor scrambler, but was moved outside to its current location |
| Giant Wheel | Closed For The Season | Ferris wheel | 90-foot (27 m) high providing a spectacular view of the Great Escape and surrounding area. |
| Pirate Ship | Closed For The Season | Swinging Ship | |
| Raging River | Closed For The Season | White Water Rapids | A water ride in a round boat holding six passengers simulating riding through white water rapids. |
| Trabant | Operating | A spinning ride that tips on its side. | |
| Cannonball Express | Closed For The Season | A spinning ride that moves fast around a track, to music. | |
| Bumper Cars | Closed For The Season | Classic bumper car ride. | |
| Alpine Alley Snow Hill | Operating | Snow Hill | Only for Holiday In The Park 2009 Season. Will open December 5th 2009! |
| Family Ice Skating Rink | Operating | Ice Skating Rink | Only for Holiday In The Park 2009 Season |
Ghosttown
| Name | Status | Type | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Condor | Closed For The Season | A gentle spinning ride that ascends a tall tower. | |
| Desperado Plunge | Closed For The Season | Water Flume Ride | Water flume ride where passengers ride in boats modeled on logs. Relocated from Busch Gardens Los Angeles after it closed in 1979[1][2]. Was known for a while as the Poland Springs Plunge. |
International Village and Storytown
| Name | Status | Type | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cinderella Coach | Closed For The Season | Children under 54" ride with Cinderella in her pumpkin coach. | |
| Grand Carousel | Operating | merry-go-round | Classic merry-go-round ride with both horses and fantastic creatures. |
| Petting Zoo | Closed For The Season | Features llamas and goats that can be fed, along with other animals. | |
| Balloon Race | Operating | Ride featuring gondolas made to look like hot air balloons. Goes in the air and slightly tilts to the side while spinning in a large circle. | |
| Storytown Train | Open for Holiday In The Park, but only until snowfall. | Scenic train ride through Storytown and Looney Tunes National Park on an old diesel engine. | |
| Swan Boats | Closed For The Season | Motorized, swan-themed boats take passengers on a water-born tour of Storytown. | |
| Thunder Alley | Closed For The Season | Guests drive 1950s-styled electric cars. | |
| Flying Trapeze | Closed For The Season | Swing ride that lifts riders into the air, and, along with the Balloon Race, spins in a large circle. | |
| Alice in Wonderland | Closed For The Season | Walkthrough designed to make guests feel like that are following Alice in Wonderland through her mind-bending journey. | |
| Sky Ride | Operating | Chairlift | Chairlift that takes guests on a trip around part of the Great Escape in the air. |
| Sasquatch | Closed For The Season | A S&S Power Inc. Combo Tower | New in 2009. Includes a drop tower and a launch tower. Each tower has its own line. |
Looney Tunes National Park
| Name | Status | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Bugs Bunny Ranger Pilots | Closed For The Season | |
| Daffy Duck Wilderness Bus Tour | Operating | |
| Elmer Fudd Scenic Railway | Closed For The Season | |
| Rabbit Season Walk-Through Adventure | Closed For The Season | combines elements of the "Rabbit Seasoning" cartoon with the old Jungleland safari walking tour which features a "wobbley" bridge at that end which tends to make some people fall. Wheelchairs along with strollers are not allowed on the bridge, as the trail ascends stairs at the end of the bridge. (Also doubles as the Camp Crystal Lake haunted walk-through during the park's Fright Fest). |
| Speedy Gonzales Camptown Racers | Closed For The Season | |
| Taz Twister | Operating | |
| Tweety Treehouse | Closed For The Season | |
| Water Popjet | Closed For The Season | A small splash pad. |
| Yosemite Sam Shore Patrol | Closed For The Season |
Wiggles World
| Name | Status |
|---|---|
| Big Red Planes | Closed For The Season |
| Big Red Cars | Closed For The Season |
| Dorothy's Rosy Red Tea Cups | Closed For The Season |
Splashwater Kingdom
| Name | Status | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Black Cobra | Closed For The Season | A pair of enclosed water slides that guests ride in small inflatable boats. |
| Capt'n Hook's Adventure River | Closed For The Season | 850 ft (260 m) long, 28" deep river. Riders may travel in tubes or swim freely. Features waterfalls, geysers, strong current and continuous waves. |
| Paul Bunyan's Bucket Brigade | Closed For The Season | A treehouse featuring spraying water, 5 body slides, and a 500 gallon water bucket that drenches the area every 8 minutes. |
| Lumberjack Splash Wave Pool | Closed For The Season | 500,000 gallon, 25,000-square-foot (2,300 m2) wave pool with six wave patterns. |
| Noah's Sprayground | Closed For The Season | Water fountains, pools, and body slides for children. |
| Twister Falls | Closed For The Season | Water slide with a waterfall toward the beginning that is partly in tube form. |
| Banshee Plunge | Closed For The Season | Water slide with a waterfall at the beginning with two slightly steep drops. |
| Blue Typhoon | Closed For The Season | Tube-water slide with a waterfall at the beginning. |
| Tornado | Closed For The Season | New For 2007! The Tornado takes riders through a short section of enclosed slide before coming out at the top of a giant funnel where riders slide back and forth before gently landing in a splash pool. |
| Mega Wedgie | Closed For The Season | New For 2008! A specially designed tube bowl made by ProSlide. Similar to the standard CannonBOWL but a slightly smaller size. |
Upcharge attractions
These rides are not included in the admission price. Cost varies from ride to ride.
| Name | Status | Location | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Go-Carts | Closed For The Season | Fest Area | Gas powered race cars with high speed turns. $6 (Adults) and $4 (Children). You must be 58" to drive alone. |
| Matterhorn Rockwall | Closed For The Season | Fest Area | Outdoor climbing rock wall with safety harnesses. $5 |
| Pony Rides | Closed For The Season | New in 2006, children are offered pony rides for a fee. $5 | |
| Skycoaster | Closed For The Season | Fest Area | An intense sky-diving-like attraction that pulls the riders 165 feet (50 m) up in the air then swings them down toward the ground at speeds reaching 70 mph. 1 Person - $45, 2 Person - $25 each, 3 Person - $20 each. |
| Turbo Bungy | Closed For The Season | A beefed-up version of the trampoline where riders are attached to bungee cords. $5 |
Special events
After Labor Day the Great Escape has two special events, Oktoberfest and Fright Fest, before closing for the winter. Oktoberfest is held during the weekends in September, while Fright Fest is held during the weekends of October.
Oktoberfest is marginally a celebration of German heritage, but is expanded to include ethnic foods, various beer games, ethnic music and dancing and other activities. (In the past, vendors were included, but none since 2006) Fright Fest has the entire park decorated for Halloween, while many of the usual shows are changed over to Halloween events as well including trick or treating among the miniature houses in Ghost-town and an elaborate haunted house, which is located near the North-woods Picnic Grove along with a haunted walk-through in the Rabbit Season/Duck Season area.
Beginning in 2009 The Great Escape will host "Holiday in the Park" a seasonal event. It is slated to include live entertainment and holiday themed shows, lights adorning the park, and a sledding hill among other events.
Sources
- Hirsch, Rose Ann (2006). Kiddie Parks of the Adirondacks. Arcadia Publishing. ISBN 0-7385-4470-1.
References
- ^ "Recreational Opportunities (Map)". Department of Community Development, town of Queensbury. http://www.queensbury.net/GIS/rec_ops.pdf. Retrieved 2009-05-04.
- ^ "Directions: The Great Escape". http://www.sixflags.com/greatEscape/info/directions.aspx. Retrieved 2009-05-04. "Enjoy a memorable visit to beautiful Lake George, New York."
- ^ Hirsch (2006), p.47
- ^ Hirsch (2006), p.61
- ^ Hirsch (2006), p.69
- ^ Hirsch (2006), p.72
External links
- Official Six Flags Great Escape Web Site
- Great Escape Central - The official "unofficial" fan site and forums for The Great Escape
- Park Map
- Roller Coaster Database (Great Escape)
- Storytown USA; A Retrospective
Coordinates: 43°21′04″N 73°41′24″W / 43.350991°N 73.690112°W
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