Aerial Antics: The Great Escape

A reader recently alerted me to the fact that New York's The Great Escape theme park had some nice new 45 degree aerials on Google Maps (thanks, Chris!).  Since the park has lacked a good aerial view for so long, let's dig in!

The entrance to The Great Escape takes you directly into a quaint, small but cozy, main street area.  It isn't so much a street as an extended courtyard created by the buildings, but it's pretty nice.  I wanted to snap some photos of it when I visited this past Summer, but a thunderstorm told me otherwise.

The park large S&S Tower ride stands adjacent to the entrance after being moved to the theme park from Six Flags New Orleans.

As you walk from the parking area to the gates the Steamin' Demon looms over you on a hillside.  The Demon has been thrilling riders with its double corkscrew and vertical loop since 1984.  If you brace your head accordingly, it isn't so bad!

The park's log flume uses the same hill to its advantage, taking the boats into a sawmill themed buildings before dropping them into the final splash.  The flume travels around the perimeter of the large show building that once contained a coaster, named Nightmare.  It also heads past from dilapidated western buildings that were once part of a train ride at the park, I believe.

Six Flags transplanted this wonderful old Arrow mine train to the park in 2003 after it sat in a field for years, originating from Opryland.  Named Canyon Blaster the ride uses two lifts, and is filled with odd transitions that are the signature mark of old Arrow mine trains, at least in my opinion.

The landscaping is really quite above average on this one, too, filled with Western style props that were previously used in other attractions at the park.

The water park at the Great Escape is one of its biggest draws these days, and it's separated into two sections due to the park's hilly terrain.  Here is the upper portion, which includes both a Tornado slide and Bowl slide bordered by a lazy river.

Oh my it is a two-fer!  Here is the lower part of the water park, complete with the park's new set of twisting mat racer slides, part of the Alpine Freefalls, and a very large wave pool. 

Behind it, and framing the water park oh so nicely, is the Comet, the Great Escape's large wooden coaster.  A classic Schmeck by design, the ride was moved to the park in 1994 from Canada.  Thank goodness it was, as it's still giving some pretty great rides.

We shall end the aerial tour of the Great Escape with a look at the Alpine Bobsleds, a coaster that both eluded me when I visited, and also is highly rumored to be removed soon.  It is pretty fun to stand in the queue line, which weaves under the middle of the ride, and watch the trough sway as the cars pass by!

For more info on the Great Escape check out this story we did from our visit, and for a link to the aerials's on Google, click here.