mrceagle
Posts: 13804
Registered: 6/9/2001
Rank: TPC News Minister
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 5/24/2005 1:02:23 PM
My brother and I got up early, 6:00 am so we could leave by 7:00. Got on the road a little early and were making good time. When Upstate NY came along things fell apart. We got stuck behind a Government Convoy and when that finally left the Highway we hit a construction zone. 2 lanes out of 3 were shut down for miles and no work was being done. Luckily this would be the only real bad point of the day. We finally got to the park at 10:45 and went straight in(season pass) and went to Ghost town.
All the rides were open and we jumped on Canyon Blaster first. Rides a bit rough and the coaster still needs a little something, perhaps a tunnel on the straight away. We surprised the Operator. He had been trying to get people to sing Marry had a Little Lamb all morning. So we sang it.
We also hit Nightmare 20 minute wait. We also hit latter in the day with a 40minute wait. The ride is always fun and one of the better coasters in the park. We then jumped on the flume and had a good time. It was better before they reprofiled it to make room for Canyon Blaster. Stemon Demon was OK. The ride isn’t as rough as some coasters but it is still a head banger. The manual controls can also be a pain. Condor was next.
What is going on with this ride? The ride has a slow start and it doesn’t lift to the maximum height. It stops about 5-10 feet from the top and it stops very suddenly. I actually though that there was a problem or they had hit the E-stop button. We found out it wasn’t true later I the day.
We maid our rounds and hit Boomeranged, running very well. My brother and I took some time looking at the new Kiddie area. most of it was blocked off by a tarp and the area still hadn’t been paved. Crews worked franticly to get things done. I was very impressed. We hoped on the sky ride to see if we could see. The ride’s good but way too slow. We though we heard Bobsled running so we maid our way in that direction. Skipping all other rides in the way we came to the entrance and to our excitement it was operating. This was my first ride in 3 years on the coaster. We jumped in line after I got a couple shots of the ravens in the next located on the Pirate ship ride. The ride is every bit as fun as I remember. I just wish the extremely low seats were more comfortable.
We walked along the side to get our first ride on Comet. Before jumping in line we took a loot as the spot in which Flying Traipse (YoYo ride) was going to be moved to.
Comet was running great. The reprofiling they did didn’t hurt the coaster at all and in fact likely made it better. The coaster is a bit smoother then before and allot more fun.
With the major attractions out of the way we started making our way around the park. It was only about 2:00 and we had till 6:00 before the park closed. We hit every ride and a few coasters over again. Rainbow a ride I normally don’t like I gave another try since I was told it had a new program. T is running allot better.
So we maid our rounds to the remaining rides. They all ran well and most importantly they were all running. The Scrambler had been moved outside and rethemed to Blizzard gave a faster ride and proved to be allot of fun
Low points: There are only a few. One was the Condor this ride used to be blast and not it’s not worth the walk on time. Something needs to be done about the ride program it uses. And the Western Show. This was a hug disappointment
The shows performers were badly off the sound system was getting allot of feed back and the Volume was a bit high. This needs to be worked on. The most disturbing park of it though was the song selection. Country Western is a growing genera of music with many songs to choose from. So you have to understand my Distaste when they started Singing “Save a Horse Ride a Cowboy.” This is not the sort of song to be playing at a family park. It’s this sort of thing that makes me fear the fact SFI own the park and may end up fla
Message updated 5/27/2005 9:03:46 AM by mrceagle
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coaster05
Posts: 6207
Registered: 2/29/2004
Rank: Platinum Critic
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5/24/2005 1:19:47 PM
Nice Report sounds like another park that is really working to improve,
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larrygator
Posts: 4654
Registered: 11/7/2002
Rank: Platinum Critic
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5/24/2005 3:37:02 PM
I didn't realize they changed Magical Mystery Tour, one of the mistakes of my trip last summer in not riding it.
I couldn't agree with you more about Condor, so weak.
Also, I agree that Bobsled theming is great, it actually feel colder in the station than in the rest of the park.
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Lin48
Posts: 612
Registered: 7/19/2002
Rank: Gold Critic
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5/25/2005 11:07:13 PM
Great review, mrc. I haven't been to Great Escape in quite a few years, but I'd love to go back and ride nightmare, bobsled, and canyon blaster. It's disappointing that they had to take out an old classic like Tornado (okay, okay, it wasn't that good, but you know me and my dark rides), but I guess it's for the best.
I was surprised to hear about condor, but again, it's been a while since I've been to the park. I remember riding it and thinking it was very cool. You don't see a lot of rides like that, but it doesn't sound great how they have it running now. That's too bad.
One thing I always laugh at is how you have a scrambler inside a little dome (like they had at GE until now or at Canobie Lake) and there's a huge line like there's something MUCH better than a scrambler in there. However, when the scrambler is outside and you can see it, it's one of those rides where you can typically just about walk right on.
I guess that kiddie land includes all of the old little storyland houses and alice in wonderland and all of that...does it seem like they're letting that stuff stand or are they taking that down to make room for a more SF-ey kiddie land? I was wondering if you could see that around the tarps.
I'd love to visit the Magic Forest too. I'm glad it's still around. I hope it's still around when I have kids because it was a great place to go when I was little.
I think probably in the next five years I will be able to get over to Lake George and we're going to pull out all the stops and spend a few days in the village and at GE. I've always wanted to do Frankenstein's. I hear it's really cheap and there's a lot in there. I'm excited!
Thank you for sharing, mrc. I'm soooooo glad to see you back and actively posting. Do you still love the flying scooters? I bet that's a silly question! 
Lin48
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mrceagle
Posts: 13804
Registered: 6/9/2001
Rank: TPC News Minister
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5/27/2005 9:35:46 AM
It's good to see you back as well Lin. Havn't seen you around much. It's true about the scrambler I use to wait so long to get on it when it was in side even on a slow day like this. now I had to wait one load.
New Kiddie land. this is in the old Choco Loco section of the park. every thing exept a few story town things is the same. the Whale and Pirple Dragon were moved. Jake and Jill were removed.
They moved the Wood Elephant to SFGAdv along with the Jumbo ride(scrambler is now in its spot). Teh miniature houses ae still in place along with prity much all of Story town.
The rides, They are all Kiddie rides you find at any other SFI kiddie section mostly Zamperla. The Road runer Express coaster(SFGADV), Taz Twister(kiddie Swing (Any SFI park)), Bus Tour(Gondola(Studio Tour SFNE)), Tweedy's Tweehouse(kiddie bounce tower(any SF park)Ranger Pilots(normal plane ride(any park in the world)), and Shore patrole(kiddie flat(many parks))
I don't care for Camptown Racers. the kiddie whip is cute but they stayed with the race cars they shoudl have used somthign that better fit the theme.
I also don't like the Scenic Railroad. They at one time had two fantastic Train rides anyone could ride and a Kiddie train ride(99 engins). They remove one of the adult ones and personaly I feel they waisted space instaling another Kiddie version.
Personaly I'm a bit disapointed that LA ronda Got a custom themed Family area and TGE got only a kiddie area. I have a 2 year old Niece, My frind has a 2 year old, so dose my Aunt. she also has an 8 month old. I would like to bring them on the rides every once and I while and you can't do that on most of these ride. non of them are comfertable that do.
Oh, and the old School house was rethemed to a ranger station and will stay at the entrance to the new area. The Restarount also got a major makover and will open as the Character Cafe. and Jungle land will reopen and some sort of Elmer Fud and Bugs thing. Over all it's a big emprovment over the run down area they once had. I was jsut hoping for somthign a little more Family(entire famly) freindly.
p.s. I still like Skooters and dark rides. Didi you hear what they had to do with Mine of Lost Souls last season?
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Lin48
Posts: 612
Registered: 7/19/2002
Rank: Gold Critic
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5/27/2005 1:21:24 PM
I haven't heard what they had to do with MoLS. And it kind of scares me that you left it like that...hopefully it's all still entact. 
...except for the mummy tomb. That could be gone and I'd probably survive. 
And I'm very glad they're keeping the little story land buildings and stuff. I really think that those being there adds something to the park. I mean, in a world where Six Flags is buying everything and converting what were once quaint, unique amusement parks into carbon copies of each other, it's just cool that they are able to keep some of their initially distinguishing features. I don't think that some SF converts have been as lucky (especially SF:NE, but that's a story for another day).
Not to totally knock SF because they bring some decent roller coasters to parks that otherwise wouldn't have had them, but still. The Looney Toon stuff is overkill. Aren't there enough batman themed rides too?
Lin48
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mrceagle
Posts: 13804
Registered: 6/9/2001
Rank: TPC News Minister
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6/4/2005 1:37:36 AM
The mine was down for allot of the end season last year. they had allot of the Animatronics breack down do to a compreser leak. That has been fixed.
Another thing is the Headless man with the Michety was blocked off for the last 2 or so months of teh year do to Customer complaints. They were sayign it was disrespectfull to the peopel in Iraqe.
The ride has mostly been fixed a few things still wern't workign right and the Tumb is still there for some reason.
You may want to check out the Thsi site
Canobie fan Web site
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mrceagle
Posts: 13804
Registered: 6/9/2001
Rank: TPC News Minister
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6/4/2005 1:38:50 AM
I'll be goign to the park later today and I will be postighn a trip report on it. so keep and eye out. also look for Storylan, Santa's Village, Six Gun City, and Clark's. I went to all of them last weekend.
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