Video/Photo TR: The Great Escape 7/28-8/3/07 (late TR)

[CycloneMan]

Well, not much of TR! But here it goes!

Every year, we go up to our Cabin in Lake George ($450 for the week!), and we always go to The Great Escape! But this year, we really didn't want to. So I went twice! The first time, my mom dropped my brother and I off at the park, and we called her an hour and a half later wanting to leave! Six days later, my mom dropped my little sister and I off at the park, and we spent the last hour there! Well...here's the little TR before you watch the video!

Saturday July, 28th 2007

Anthony and I got to the park at 12:00pm and it was extremely hot! We first went on Boomerang, which broke down, but we waited it out! Then wnet over to Steamin' Demon which destroyed me! Desperado Plunge was next, where we didn't get wet! We then did Canyon Blaster, which sucked and the people in line were dumb as hell! Then we went over to the Comet, which we sat in the 4th row! We then called our mom to come pick us up, because we weren't having a good time! While waiting, I took an other spin on Boomerang, and then went to the guest pick-up! My mom and sister looked so suprised when they picked us out! I have never been so happy to leave a park in my life (minus the day I quit my job at Astroland).

Reasons why the park sucked:
-Staff was totally not friendly
-It was really hot!
-The guests were complete jkfhjeh
-Half the rides were closed
-And the SF atmosphere was really bringing us down!

Friday, August 3rd 2007

Savannah and I got dropped off at the park at 7pm, and the park closed at 8pm! We were on a mission to film the Comet and go home! Well, my sister wanted to go on the car ride (name slips my mind). This is where I actually felt happy in TGE, for the first time since 2004! The Great Escape used to always have this 50's feel to it, and was always so friendly with music playing that matched the area! Well it was doing this now, and the park was empty so I was in heaven!

We did Boomerang first! Anybody who knows my little sister would know that she's a Vekoma freak! She loves anything by them! And Boomerang was her first upside down coaster back in 2003, so this is always special to her! We walked onto the third row! It was smooth as silk! Great ride! Then we sat in the front row (without having to leave the station!). It was smooth until the final inversion, but that's okay!

We then did the Comet twice! Both in the front row, walk on! We even had our lap bars at 3 clicks (she had 4 or 5 clicks),a nd we were having a smooth and airtime filled ride! We then headed over to Ghost Town were I took a solo ride on Steamin' Demon int he 2nd to last row! OWE! Savannah and I then rode Desperado Plunge, where she cried at the site of a closed Nightmare at Crackaxle Canyon! We didn't get wet on the drop, but some one pushed the water pumps, and we got shot at with water, and were soaked!

Photos

Savannah and I at "The Great Mistake"


Still better than the Phoenix!


Did I ever mention how much I love the photo pass?


Steamin' Demon! It looks nice, but like it's title, it will kill you!

Click here for the video!

-Dainan "I hope you enjoyed the video" Rafferty

[peterpjr]

My experience at TGE this summer was the complete opposite.  I have  been going to TGE every year since 1978 and still find it to be the same park.  For the last four years I have been bringing my niece and nephew (they are 7 now) and they love the park also.  My parents even commented on just how friendly the staff was and and how great they treated the kids.  I think SF has done a great job of continuing the legacy of Charles Wood who founded the park.

[Bubba Z]

^ I'd have to agree Peter,  I really liked the park when I went. Well, except for the three closed rides. Once I got over that, I did all the little charming stuff that makes this park great. The staff was nice and the ride-op on Road runner was out of control funny.

If you knew the coaster collection was Blah, how can you complain?  And if Comet is so much better than the Phoenix, why didn't you just ride that all day?

[CycloneMan]

I don't mind the blah coaster collection! I didn't even complain about it! I didn't get to ride the Comet much the first day because it had a line, (and I forgot to mention) that my brother started to feel sick! Not from the coasters, but real sick. So the last thing I was going to do was leave him out in the sun! And like I said the second time, when just my sister and I went, we had a much better experience.

-Dainan "We rode Road Runner the year it opened too" Rafferty

[Bubba Z]

Then if your not complaining why call it the Great Mistake?  Am I missing something?   I thought SF kept most of the Charles Wood stuff, didn't they ?

I'm not trying to make a big deal out of this, we all have bad park days.  I'm just trying to figure out what I missed pre 2007  since this was my first year there.

[CycloneMan]

Before 2005. The park was very different! Story Town USA was still a major section, as was Ghost Town! In 2005 they got rid of half of Story Town USA and the Jungle Land, and completely redid it to Bugs Bunny National Park. Ever since then, the vision of the park has been changing. The music became modern (the Carousel was playing Mudvayne last year), and adding the second parking lot and a price for parking was the icing on the cake! It doesn't seem like much, but to us, it was alot. And even though the park's selection on coasters wasn't that great, the atmospher made up for it, and that's now gone!

-Dainan "Thus...The Great Mistake" Rafferty