kids encyclopedia robot

The Great Escape and Hurricane Harbor facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts
Quick facts for kids
The Great Escape and Hurricane Harbor
Previously known as Storytown USA, The Great Escape Fun Park, The Great Escape & Splashwater Kingdom'
The Great Escape Theme Park logo.png
Location 89 Six Flags Dr, Queensbury, New York, U.S.
Coordinates 43°21′04″N 73°41′24″W / 43.350991°N 73.690112°W / 43.350991; -73.690112
Opened 1954
Owner Six Flags Entertainment Corporation
Operating season May through October
Area 351 acres (142 ha)
Attractions
Total 35 (excluding water park)

45 (including water park)

3 (upcharge)
Roller coasters 6
Water rides 10
Website Great Escape

The Great Escape and Hurricane Harbor is a fun amusement park and water park. It is owned by Six Flags, a big company known for its parks. You can find it about 60 miles (97 km) north of Albany, in Queensbury, New York. This park is special because it's one of the few Six Flags parks that doesn't have "Six Flags" in its name.

History of The Great Escape

GreatEscape
Great Escape logo used until 2012

The Great Escape first opened in 1954. Back then, it was called Storytown USA. It was a park based on Mother Goose stories and characters. A businessman named Charles Wood bought the land for $75,000 to create it.

In 1957, the park added a new area called "Ghosttown." This was the first of many themed areas to open. It helped the park appeal to more than just very young children. For a while, the park even put bumper stickers on cars in the parking lot to get the word out!

In 1983, the park officially changed its name to The Great Escape. A year later, in 1984, the park got its first big roller coaster, the Steamin' Demon.

One of the most famous rides at the park is The Comet roller coaster. It's a wooden coaster that first opened in 1943 at another park called Crystal Beach. When that park closed, Charles Wood saved The Comet. He brought it to The Great Escape, and it reopened in 1994. Many roller coaster fans think it's one of the best wooden coasters in North America!

In 2006, something new and exciting opened: the Six Flags Great Escape Lodge & Indoor Waterpark. This huge indoor waterpark is just for guests staying at the lodge. It was the first indoor waterpark in New York State!

Over the years, the park has added many new rides and features. They've had character greetings, new shows, and even changed some restaurants.

Key Moments in Park History

  • 1954 — Charles Wood opens Storytown USA.
  • 1957 — The "Ghosttown" section opens.
  • 1967 — The Alice in Wonderland walk-through adventure opens.
  • 1983 — The park changes its name to The Great Escape Fun Park.
  • 1984 — Steamin' Demon, a roller coaster with three inversions, is added.
  • 1994 — The famous wooden roller coaster, Comet, opens at the park.
  • 1995 — The park opens its own water park, called Splashwater Kingdom.
  • 1996 — Six Flags buys the park.
  • 1997Boomerang: Coast to Coaster is added. It's still the tallest roller coaster there!
  • 2003Canyon Blaster, a mine train roller coaster, arrives from another park.
  • 2005 — A new kids' area called Looney Tunes National Park opens. It has eight new rides, including the park's seventh roller coaster, Road Runner Express.
  • 2007 — The "Tornado" water slide opens in Splashwater Kingdom.
  • 2009 — Sasquatch, a tall drop and launch tower ride, is added.
  • 2010 — Some classic Storytown USA features, like PoPo the Purple Cow, are brought back.
  • 2011 — The park changes the names of its themed areas. Looney Tunes National Park becomes Timbertown.
  • 2012Alpine Freefalls water slides open in Splashwater Kingdom.
  • 2015 — Buccaneer Beach, a pirate-themed water play area for kids, is added.
  • 2019 — Splashwater Kingdom gets a big makeover and is renamed Hurricane Harbor. It adds two new attractions: Bucket Blasters and Shipwreck Cove.
  • 2020 — The park stays closed for the season because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Rides and Attractions

The Great Escape has different themed areas, each with its own unique feel and rides.

Themed Areas

Park Section What it's like
Fest Area This area has a fun German theme.
Ghosttown It looks like an old Western village from the past.
International Village and Storytown This part still has decorations from the original Storytown USA park.
Timbertown This area used to be called Jungleland. It's now a fun section with 10 rides, especially for kids.
Hurricane Harbor This is the park's water park, located inside the main park. You don't pay extra to get in!
Hot Rod USA This area has a cool 1950s theme and opened in 2016.

Fest Area Rides

This area often plays German-style music and has food stands selling treats like funnel cakes.

Name Picture Type Year Opened Cool Facts
Alpine Bobsled The Alpine Bobsled roller coaster.jpg Bobsled roller coaster 1998 Each bobsled car is decorated with a flag from a different country.
Comet Comet w blue train.JPG Wooden Coaster 1994 This classic roller coaster is known for its big drops and long ride.
Giant Wheel Ferris wheel 1989 It's 90-foot (27 m) tall and gives you amazing views of the park!
Raging River White Water Rapids 1986 Ride in a round boat through exciting "white water rapids."
Screamin' Eagles Flying Scooters 2013 This family ride lets you control how high your eagle flies.
Extreme Supernova Midi Discovery 2014 This ride swings you high into the air.

Ghosttown Rides

This area makes you feel like you're in an old Western town!

Marshal 2
Marshal McKay before his daily show.
Name Picture Type Year Opened Cool Facts
Canyon Blaster Canyon Blaster 1.JPG Mine Train roller coaster 2003 This roller coaster used to be at another park called Opryland USA.
Desperado Plunge Water flume ride 1979 Ride in a log-shaped boat on this fun water ride.
Steamin' Demon Steamin' Demon - The Great Escape.jpg Corkscrew coaster 1984 This is the oldest roller coaster at the park.

International Village, Storytown, and Hot Rod USA Rides

This area mixes classic Storytown charm with a cool 1950s hot rod theme.

Cindy 2
A girl and Cinderella getting out of her pumpkin coach.
Name Picture Type Year Opened Cool Facts
Flashback Boomerang Coast to Coaster (Six Flags Discovery Kingdom).jpg Boomerang 1997 This steel coaster goes forward and then backward through loops!
Cinderella Coach 1954 You can take pictures with Cinderella and her pumpkin coach here.
Grand Carousel Carousel 1989 A classic merry-go-round with horses and other fantasy creatures.
Greezed Lightnin' Giant Loop 2016 A large loop ride that spins you around.
Storytown Train Train ride 1956 Enjoy a scenic train ride through Storytown and Timbertown.
Sasquatch Combo Tower 2009 This ride has both a drop tower and a launch tower for double the fun!

Timbertown Rides

This section is perfect for younger adventurers and families.

Name Picture Type Year Opened Cool Facts
Frankie’s Mine Train Road-runner-express-great-escape.jpg Steel Kiddie Coaster 2005 A fun roller coaster just for kids!
Hootie’s Treehouse Drop tower 2005 A mini drop tower ride for kids.
Rocky’s Ranger Planes Revolving Planes 2005 Spin around in your own plane!

Hurricane Harbor Water Park

Great Escape Splashwater Kingdom Wave Pool
Lumberjack Splash wave pool in use.

This water park is part of The Great Escape, so you don't need a separate ticket!

Name Opened Cool Facts
Typhoon Twister 1995 Ride in inflatable boats down these enclosed water slides.
Adventure River 1995–1997 A long, lazy river where you can float in tubes or swim.
Splashwater Island 1997 A treehouse with water sprays, slides, and a giant bucket that dumps water!
Hurricane Bay 1997 A huge wave pool with six different wave patterns.
Buccaneer Beach 2015 A pirate-themed water play area with fountains and slides for children.
Tornado 2007 Slide into a giant funnel and swing back and forth before splashing down.
Big Kahuna 2008 A special tube bowl slide for a thrilling ride.
Alpine Freefalls 2012 This complex has a multi-lane racing slide and a super-fast trapdoor slide!
Bucket Blasters 2019 Spin around in a boat and blast other riders with water!
Shipwreck Cove 2019 A fun pool with interactive water sprays and fountains.

Extra Fun (Upcharge Attractions)

These rides cost a little extra, but they offer unique thrills!

Name Location What it's like
Go-Carts Fest Area Race gas-powered cars around a track with exciting turns.
Dare Devil Dive Fest Area This attraction pulls you 175 feet (53 m) into the air, then swings you down at speeds up to 70 mph (110 km/h)!

Other Attractions

  • Alice in Wonderland - A walk-through adventure based on the classic story, opened in 1967. It's located in the Fest Area.

Special Events

After Labor Day, The Great Escape hosts two special events before closing for the winter.

Oktoberfest

Oktoberfest happens on weekends in September. It's a celebration with special foods, music, dancing, and other fun activities.

Fright Fest

Fright Fest takes place on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays in October. The whole park is decorated for Halloween! Many shows change to Halloween themes. You can even go trick-or-treating in the miniature houses in Ghosttown. There are also haunted houses for those who like a good scare!

In 2009, the park tried a "Holiday in the Park" event for Christmas. It had holiday shows, lights, and even a sledding hill!

Defunct Rides and Attractions

Rainbow-Great-Escape-Defunct-Pieces
Pieces of the former Rainbow ride stored away

Over the years, some rides have left the park to make way for new ones. Here are a few notable ones:

Ride Year opened Year closed What it was
Ghost Town Railroad 1957 2002 A train ride that was removed for the Canyon Blaster roller coaster.
Tornado 1967 2002 A dark ride that took riders through a "tornado."
Rainbow 1987 2007 A large ride that lifted and spun riders high in the air.
Nightmare 1999 2006 An indoor roller coaster in GhostTown. The building is now used as a haunted house during Fright Fest.
kids search engine
The Great Escape and Hurricane Harbor Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.