Great Escape (amusement park)

Great Escape by Enchanted Parks, also known as Great Escape Resort, is an amusement and water park located in Queensbury, New York. Operated by Enchanted Parks, the park features 34 attractions, a water park named Hurricane Harbor, and a hotel named Great Escape Lodge. The park originally opened in 1954 as Storytown USA. It was acquired by Premier Parks (later Six Flags) in 1996 and adopted the Six Flags brand in 2019 when it was renamed Six Flags Great Escape and Hurricane Harbor. Six Flags sold the park to EPR Properties in April 2026, and will continue to operate under the Six Flags name through the 2026 season. The rights to the Six Flags naming license will expire at the start of the 2027 season, at which point the park will be officially renamed Great Escape by Enchanted Parks. History The park opened in 1954 as Storytown USA, a Mother Goose-themed amusement park owned by businessman Charles Wood, who bought the land with his wife for $75,000. In 1957, after realizing that the park was lacking in attractions appealing to older children, the Ghost Town area was added, the first of many themed areas opened in the park's history. In 1960, another themed area would be added in the form of Jungleland. In 1971, the park opened its first roller coaster. In 1983, the park changed its name from Storytown USA to The Great Escape Fun Park. In 1984, the park introduced Steamin' Demon. In 1994, the park would open another roller coaster, The Comet. The Comet already had a 41-year history of operation at Crystal Beach Park in Niagara Falls, Ontario. After the park's closure, Charles Wood, the owner of The Great Escape Fun Park and Fantasy Island in Grand Island, New York, successfully bid for The Comet. It sat in storage for a few years at Fantasy Island before making its way to The Great Escape Fun Park. In 1995, the park's water park, then known as Splashwater Kingdom, was introduced. In 1996, Charles Wood sold the park to Premier Parks, who would later go on to purchase the Six Flags company. Unlike most of the other parks owned by the company, Great Escape was not rebranded as a Six Flags park immediately following this purchase, and would not take on the Six Flags name until 2019. In 2005 and 2006, Looney Tunes and DC branding would be brought into the park, respectively. In February 2006, The Six Flags Great Escape Lodge & Indoor Waterpark opened. The lodge includes a 38,000 square feet (3,500 m2) water park exclusively for lodge guests. In 2009, the park hosted Holiday in the Park for a single season. In 2010, the park would reintroduce some of the Mother Goose themes that existed when the park was first created. On September 11, 2020, the park announced that it would remain closed for the 2020 season due to the COVID-19 pandemic. All season passes and tickets were carried over to the 2021 season. In 2024, the park introduced The Bobcat, a family wooden roller coaster. On March 5, 2026, it was announced that Six Flags Great Escape, alongside several other Six Flags parks, would be sold to EPR Properties. The sale was completed on April 6, 2026, though the park will retain the Six Flags brand for the 2026 season. In addition to amusement rides, the park offers a variety of live shows. Current attractions Themed areas Fest Area – Bavarian-themed Ghost Town – Old West-themed. Opened in 1957. Storytown – Mother Goose-themed. Opened in 2010. Hot Rod USA – Race car-themed. Opened in 2016. Timbertown – A children's area. Themed as Jungleland from 1960 to 2004, and as Looney Tunes National Park from 2005 to 2010. Hurricane Harbor – A water park. Formerly called Splashwater Kingdom. Entrance to Hurricane Harbor is included with general admission to the dry park. Roller coasters Family rides Thrill rides Upcharge rides Water rides Children's rides Hurricane Harbor Former attractions References External links Official Great Escape Website Great Escape at the Roller Coaster DataBase