The Six Flags Great Escape, originally Storytown USA, is a Six Flags theme park located in Queensbury, New York. It opened in 1954. Until 2022, Great Escape was not a branded Six Flags Theme Park, but a sort of "spin-off park" to the main Six Flags brand (like Frontier City and La Ronde).
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. 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.
For publicity, the park placed bumper stickers on every car in the parking lot. This practice stopped a few years later due to complaints and employees switched to attaching cardboard versions with wire. This was back in the day when a car bumper was separate from the body and you could get all the way around it with wire. In 1983, the park officially changed its name from Storytown USA to The Great Escape.
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 1994. Roller coaster enthusiasts recognize it as one of the best wooden roller coasters in North America.
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 feet (3,500 m2) waterpark exclusively for lodge guests. This is New York State's first indoor waterpark.
The park debuted several new features for the 2006 season. These included character greetings from the likes of the whole Justice League.
For the 2007 season, The Great Escape 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.
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 feet (24 m) tower and plunging into a 10 feet (3.0 m) deep pool. This also features a fire diver.
For the 2024 season, The Great Escaped opened The Bobcat a brand new one of a kind wooden coaster.
Location[]
Areas and attractions[]
International Village[]
- Main article: International Village
The main shopping area and hub of Great Escape.
Shops[]
- Flags
- Great Escape Exit Emporium
- Toy Store
- Coaster Candy
Fest Area[]
- Main article: Fest Area
This area has a primarily German theme.
Attractions[]
- The Bobcat
- Blizzard
- Convoy
- The Comet
- Dare Devil Dive
- Giant Wheel
- Raging River
- Cannonball Express
- Screamin' Eagles
- Pandemonium
- Balloon Race
- Extreme Supernova
- Flying Trapeze
Dining[]
- Alpine Fest Haus
- Chicken Chalet
- Northwoods Picnic Grove
- Skillet Market
Shopping[]
- Attitudes
Ghost Town[]
- Main article: Ghost Town
Attractions[]
- Canyon Blaster
- Steamin' Demon
- Condor
- Desperado Plunge
- Marshal's Stampede
- Adirondack Outlaw
Dining[]
- Charley's Saloon
Shopping[]
- Western Shop
Timbertown[]
- Main article: Timbertown (Great Escape)
A children's area that opened in 2010, replacing Bugs Bunny National Park.
Attractions[]
- Frankie's Mine Train
- Oakley's Honey Swings
- Hootie's Treehouse
- Ranger Randy's Railway
- Rocky's Ranger Planes
- Sheldon's Speedway
- Spruce's Wilderness Bus Tours
Storytown[]
Attractions[]
- Alice in Wonderland
Hot Rod USA[]
Attractions[]
Hurricane Harbor[]
- Main article: Hurricane Harbor (Great Escape)
This water park was originally known as the Splashwater Kingdom.
Seasonal events[]
Fright Fest[]
- Main article: Great Escape Fright Fest
Fright Fest began at Great Escape for the 1999 season.
Executive management[]
Park Presidents[]
- Don McCoy (2007–2013)
- Eric Gilbert (2013–2019)
- Rebecca Wood (2019–)
References[]
External links[]
- Six Flags Great Escape official page at Six Flags
Six Flags Great Escape at Coasterpedia- Six Flags Great Escape at Logopedia
- Six Flags Great Escape at the Roller Coaster Wiki
Six Flags Great Escape at the Roller Coaster DataBase
Six Flags Great Escape and Hurricane Harbor at Wikipedia
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